by Hunter Dawkins, Owner/Publisher – editor@thegazebogazette.com or hdawkins@supertalk.fm

BILOXI (GG) — The Biloxi Shuckers have officially announced their 2026 initial roster Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The Shuckers will begin their season on Friday, April 3, at the Rocket City Trash Pandas in Huntsville, Alabama and will open their 69-game home slate on Tuesday, April 7, against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

18-year-old Jesús Made (the third-ranked prospect in baseball) highlights the 26-man roster. Made is one of four Brewers Top-30 prospects, including Bishop Letson (No. 7), former Mississippi State Pitcher Tyson Hardin (No. 13) and Blake Burke (No. 18). Made, a non-roster invite to Brewers Spring Training, made 19 appearances in the Cactus League, going 9-for-29 (.310) with a triple, walk and two stolen bases. Burke is set to return to the Shuckers after 11 home runs, a .300/.377/.579 slash line and a .956 OPS across 37 games in 2025.

The former Bulldog Hardin also looks to build off a strong finish to 2025, where he recorded a 3.09 ERA (4er, 11.2ip) and 10 strikeouts across his final 5 starts after returning from injury.

The roster also features 15 returning players from 2025, including Matthew Wood, Mike Boeve, Jesús Broca, Mark Manfredi Sr., Brett Wichrowski and Jaron DeBerry. Wood returns to the Shuckers after a breakout year in 2025. After August 1, Wood finished the season with a .291/.398/.407 slash line, an .805 OPS, two home runs, four doubles and more walks (14) than strikeouts (13). Dylan O’Rae also returns to the Shuckers after missing the entire 2025 season with an injury. O’Rae appeared in 64 games with the Shuckers in 2024, tallying 29 stolen bases.

Newcomers to the organization include Jordyn Adams, Jacob Hurtubise (HURT-uh-bees), Dasan Brown and Damon Keith. Adams (83 MLB PA between 2023-24) and Hurtubise (83 MLB PA between 2024-25) are both set to return to the Southern League after MLB time with the Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds. Brown joins the organization after spending the previous six seasons as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

The Shuckers coaching staff is highlighted by the return of Mike Guerrero as the team’s manager after two seasons as a Roving Infield Instructor. Guerrero’s staff includes Hitting Coach Kevin Martir (2nd), Pitching Coach Josh Spence (3rd), Coach Matt Lipka (2nd), Associate Coach Tyson Cooper (1st), Strength and Conditioning Specialist Jim Buckley (1st), Athletic Trainer Paul Gonzales (1st), Associate Athletic Trainer Elizabeth Waters (1st) and Strength and Conditioning Associate Jack Thompson (1st).

The complete roster is listed below:

  • PITCHERS (13): Patricio Aquino, Ryan Birchard, Jesús Broca, Stiven Cruz, Jaron DeBerry, Anthony Flores, Sam Garcia, Tanner Gillis, Tyson Hardin, Bishop Letson, Mark Manfredi Sr., Manuel Rodriguez, Brett Wichrowski
  • CATCHERS (3): Darrien Miller, Edgar Ordonez, Matthew Wood
  • INFIELDERS (6): Mike Boeve, Eric Brown Jr., Blake Burke, Jesús Made, Dylan O’Rae, Jheremy Vargas
  • OUTFIELDERS (5): Jordyn Adams, Dasan Brown, Jacob Hurtubise, Damon Keith, Kay-Lan Nicasia

The Biloxi Shuckers are the Double-A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Shuckers are members of the Southern League and play at Keesler Federal Park in Biloxi, Mississippi. For more information please visit biloxishuckers.com and follow on Twitter @biloxishuckers and at facebook.com/biloxishuckers.  Shuckers Baseball, LLC is a MS entity owned and operated by John Tracy. Shuckers Baseball operates the Biloxi Shuckers baseball franchise, including operating Keesler Federal Park for Biloxi Shuckers minor league baseball games and other entertainment and recreational events.

(Photo of Tyson Hardin by Shuckers Baseball, LLC)