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Tonight: Altoona at Akron, 7:05 p.m.
Pitchers: Curve RHP Bubba Chandler (0-0) vs. Ducks LHP Doug Nikhazy (0-0)
Radio: WRTA-FM 98.5
From Mirror reports
The Altoona Curve open the season tonight in Ohio against the Akron RubberDucks with a roster that features four prospects -- including three pitchers -- that are ranked in the top 10 in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system by MLB Pipeline.
Headlining the returning group of position players for Altoona is infielder Tsung-Che Cheng, ranked No. 8, and outfielder Jase Bowen, who is ranked No. 21.
On the pitching side, there are southpaw Anthony Solometo, No. 4, righty Bubba Chandler, No. 5 and righty Braxton Ashcraft, No. 7.
The Curve will throw Chandler in the opener against the Ducks' Doug Nikhazy, a southpaw drafted in the second round by the Guardians last season. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m.
The Pirates announced that 30 players were sent to Altoona earlier this week to prepare for the opener in Akron that concludes on Sunday with a 1:05 p.m. first-pitch start.
On the mound, other pitchers who will join Solometo, Chandler and Ashcraft include righties Brad Case, Grant Ford, Cameron Junker, Valentin Linarez, Justin Meis and Sean Sullivan to go with southpaws Nick Dombkowski and Tyler Samaniego.
Additional returnees joining Bowen include catchers Abrahan Gutierrez, Wyatt Hendrie and Dylan Shockley, infielders Jackson Glenn, Mike Jarvis, Francisco Acuna, Seth Beer, Kervin Pichardo and Aaron Shackelford, along with outfielders Matt Fraizer, Brenden Dixon, Tres Gonzalez and Connor Scott. Shackelford played in Altoona during the 2022 season where he hit 26 home runs in 110 games with the Curve, good for second-most in a single season in team history.
Rounding out the pitching staff will be righties Po-yu Chen, Chris Gau, Isaac Mattson and Eddy Yean.
Yean, who was acquired by the Pirates from the Nationals in the 2020 Josh Bell trade, and Chen will make their Double-A debuts with Altoona. Gau and Mattson each have over 140-plus games of experience in their minor league careers.
Beer was a first-round pick of the Houston Astros in the 2018 draft, taken No. 28. He played with the Diamondbacks in 2021 and 2022. Pichardo was picked up earlier this week by San Diego in exchange for southpaw pitcher Jackson Wolf.