March 9, 2023 – Midwest League (MWL) – Dayton Dragons News Release
Dayton Dragons shortstop Elly De La Cruz
(Dayton Dragons)
The process of selecting the opening day roster for the Dayton Dragons is about to move on to the next stage as spring training games begin on Monday in Arizona. The Dragons work-out group will play the Lake County Captains, the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians, on one of the back fields at the Guardians spring complex in Goodyear. The next day, the same two teams will play at the Reds minor league complex nearby. The Dayton spring group will also play games in March against the Great Lakes Loons (Dodgers affiliate), Fort Wayne TinCaps (Padres affiliate), Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers affiliate), and Winston-Salem Dash (White Sox affiliate), all in the Phoenix area. A total of 17 games are scheduled, plus several intersquad games.
At this point in the process, if you were in Arizona and looking to watch the players who will come to Dayton on April 4, you might be better off watching the Chattanooga (Double-A) workout group. Players often start the spring training process a level higher than they end up due to the enormous trickle-down effect that takes place when the Reds begin trimming their big league roster. The Reds began the spring with 66 players in big league camp, and they will finish with 26. So 40 players will eventually be sent down, placed on the injured list, or in some cases, released. That creates an avalanche of player movement in the system, and the final result is often that guys who start the spring with one minor league workout group end up a level lower.
There are approximately 166 players currently in Reds minor league camp competing for jobs with the Reds four full-season farm clubs including the Dragons. That number will grow to nearly 200 once the Reds finish cuts from big league camp at the end of March.
The Dragons annual home opening night game at Day Air Ballpark is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11th against the Great Lakes Loons at 7:05 p.m. The Dragons will open their 23rd season in the Midwest League with a road series at the Lake County Captains in Eastlake, Ohio beginning Thursday, April 6th at 6:35 p.m.
Dragons season ticket plans are available now, which feature the Dragons new Business Club and Family Club. The season ticket packages are loaded with special benefits. Call the Dragons at (937) 228-2287 or go to daytondragons.com/tickets for more information.
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