Identifying 18 on the Missions' roster

PHOENIX -- The roster for the San Antonio Missions came into sharper focus Thursday when the farm director of the Milwaukee Brewers identified 18 players who are expected to suit up on opening day for the city's first Triple-A baseball franchise.
The Missions will have 25 players on the active roster when they open the season on April 4 at Oklahoma City.
In an interview at the Brewers' training facility, farm director Tom Flanagan mentioned names that included five of the top eight and nine of the top 30 minor league prospects in the system, according to MLB Pipeline.
Additionally, several players on the list have seen action at the major league level, including pitcher Jimmy Nelson and catcher Tuffy Gosewisch, who have both played more than 100 games in the big leagues.
Nelson, who played collegiately at Alabama, has won 33 games in the majors with the Brewers.  
He produced a 12-6 record and a 3.49 earned run average in 2017 before he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery.
Brewers officials decided within the past week to send Nelson to the Missions at least for a few starts in the Pacific Coast League.
Technically, he is on major league rehabilitation and will not count against San Antonio's 25-man active roster.
Among the young players, the most-watched will be second baseman Keston Hiura, outfielder Corey Ray, shortstop Mauricio Dubón, right-handed pitcher Zack Brown and third baseman Lucas Erceg.
Hiura is rated as the organization's No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline, followed by Ray (No. 2), Dubon (5), Brown (6) and Erceg (8).
"It seems like we're going to have a young and talented group," Brown said. "Obviously, there's probably going to be a bunch of pieces change throughout the season. But it should be a fun time. (We should be) super talented."
Hiura, Ray and Brown played last year for the Brewers' Double-A team, the Biloxi Shuckers, who reached the Southern League championship series.
"I think we're going to be really good," Ray said. "We got a similar team from last year…when we made it to the championship. Hopefully we can kind of re-capture that success."
The offense should be potent with Hiura regarded as one of the best hitters in the organization. Also, Erceg, Ray and Taylor could supply significant home-run pop.
Ray and Erceg have homered twice and Taylor once this spring for the major league club. Taylor hit his round-tripper to the opposite field off San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.
Erceg said he isn't worried about hitting at Wolff Stadium, where the wind blows in.
"All I've played in, in the minor leagues, are 'pitcher' ball parks," said Erceg, who has hit 28 homers combined over the past two seasons. "I'm not too worried, because my No. 1 priority is to hit the ball hard."
Despite an impressive spring camp with the big-league team, Hiura will start the season in San Antonio, Flanagan said.
"No," Flanagan said, "our general manager came out even before spring and said (he'd be in Triple-A). That's pretty well set in stone. He'll be in Triple-A to start. We never put limits on 'em.
"At some point, certainly, he could get up there. But he's got a little work to do at Triple-A. Getting him some time (there) will be good for him."
A few weeks ago, Dubon's health was in question, as he was hospitalized for four days with a stomach ailment and then spent another few days re-gaining the 15 pounds he had lost.
In a Triple-A game Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, Dubon, a native of Honduras, played the full nine innings and slapped a couple of hits.
"He's doing well," Hiura said. "He's finally healthy, back playing again on the field (and) seeing live pitching. He's been doing well. He's an exceptional player. It was just unlucky how he had that whole thing (with the illness), the setback of losing all that weight. He's been getting after it."
Dubon also is coming off knee surgery after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament last May, while playing in Triple-A Colorado Springs.
"He has a positive outlook on life," Hiura said. "You know, it's been a rough year for him, with the ACL surgery and all that. You can tell he's eager to get back on the field and show what he can do. This organization knows what he's capable of doing."
As for the pitching staff, it had been speculated that one of three young major leaguers with the Brewers - Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes or Freddy Peralta - would start the season with the Missions.
But Flanagan said it's not likely.
"They're still over there (in major league camp)," Flanagan said. "So, I'm almost approaching it (as), make sure we have coverage. If they show up (in Triple-A), great. But, all three have had impressive big-league camps."
MISSIONS AT A GLANCE
Here is a look, position-by-position, at some of the personnel expected to start the season in San Antonio, based on an interview Thursday with Brewers farm director Tom Flanagan.
Outfield
Corey Ray (CF), Troy Stokes, Jr. (LF/CF), Tyrone Taylor (RF/CF), Nate Orf, Tyler Saladino. Also, probably one more position player from the big leagues, Flanagan said.
Infield
Lucas Erceg (3B/1B), Mauricio Dubon (SS), Keston Hiura (2B), Jacob Nottingham (1B), Jake Hager (2B/SS), Saladino.
Catchers
Nottingham, Tuffy Gosewisch.
Pitchers
Jimmy Nelson, Adrian Houser, Aaron Wilkerson, Zack Brown, Burch Smith, Bubba Derby, Josh Fields.