BUTTER UP: Biscuits ready to open season but without manager Boles
The Biscuits pitchers go through drills ahead of Friday’s season opener at Riverwalk Stadium. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Brayden Taylor and Hunter Stovall, like their Montgomery teammates, can’t wait for the Biscuits’ 2025 season opener on Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
The opener will feature a new opponent (Columbus Clingstones), new teammates, the typical opening day crowd and a MAX fireworks show after the game.
The only thing missing will be the manager.
Montgomery manager Kevin Boles returns for his second season, but he won’t be in the dugout for the season opener. Boles will be serving a one-game suspension from last season after his pitcher, Evan Reifert, was ejected from a divisional series playoff game at Biloxi for allegedly throwing at a batter.
He’s not allowed to watch the game from the press box or the dugout, but don’t be surprised if you bump into the Biscuits’ manager somewhere in the stadium. Like the players, he loves the feeling associated with opening day.
“There’s nothing like the first pitch of the season,” Boles said. “I’m excited for the guys. For the guys who have been here, they know what it’s like here but for the guys that it’s a new experience, I’m real happy that they’re here.
“We expect to be competitive this year. You don’t really know until you see the competition, but with the talent that we have on this club, we want to make the playoffs and we want to win the (Southern League) championship. Those are goals that you shouldn’t apologize for. We want to eventually develop World Series champions, so this is where it starts, in the minor leagues.”
Taylor is one of nine Biscuit prospects that are ranked among the top 30 players in Tampa’s organization. He was promoted from Single A Bowling Green last year in late July and was a part of a team that won the South Division title, but lost in the Southern League Championship Series to Birmingham.
“When you put together a group of guys like we had last year -- and even this year -- I’m really excited to see what we can do,” Taylor said. “Winning is very important. That’s the name of the game, you want to win. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to last year, so the guys that are back here that experienced that, we’re really excited to go out there and prove to everyone that we’re still the best team.”
Thirteen of the 2024 Biscuits are on the 2025 squad. Four players were acquired through trades, including projected Friday starter Brody Hopkins, while 11 more were promoted from Bowling Green.
“This is a little tricky, because some of these guys were at Bowling Green and they ended up winning so a lot of guys are champions from last year,” Boles said. “But we didn’t win it here. And I know some of the guys in that (locker) room, they’re upset about it. It was heartbreaking for them.
“We’ll see what we have. Spring training is a little different animal because the numbers don’t count. Now, guys are relieved, they’ve made a club. We’ll see when the competition starts against other organizations.”
The Biscuits are aiming for their 10th consecutive postseason trip (there was no baseball in 2020) and their first Southern League title since 2007. Pelham’s Hunter Stovall and Spain Park’s Colton Ledbetter are among the first-year Biscuits that are expected to have a large contingent of fans travel from the Birmingham area to watch.
Another large group is expected from Columbus to watch their new ballclub, which moved from Mississippi last fall and will make its debut on Friday.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Stovall said. “Playing in front of a good crowd, there’s no better feeling. Something happens in the game and you hear the hooting and hollering. When I’m in the batter’s box, I don’t really hear much of it, but when I’m in the field playing defense … you get to look around and see all the people, it’s special. It’s a great opportunity that we get to be a part of.”
First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.