BUFFALO — Buffalo Bisons Manager Casey Candaele will have a roster filled with several familiar faces, top prospects, and veteran leadership as the Toronto Blue Jays have announced the preliminary 2025 Bisons’ roster ahead of the team’s Opening Day on Friday, March 28 at 2:05 p.m. GET MY TICKETS
Eight position players from last year’s squad return to the Herd’s lineup, including the team’s 2024 co-leaders in home runs Damiano Palmegiani and Will Robertson (19 HRs), bringing a combined 504 hits, 88 home runs, 62 stolen bases and 351 runs scored back to Buffalo. The 2025 Opening Day pitching staff also boosts the return of last year’s Bisons Most Valuable Pitcher, RHP Andrew Bash, and team Strikeout Leader, RHP Paxton Schultz (112), as well as the club’s top two leaders in appearances, LHP Mason Fluharty (56G) and RHP Hayden Juenger (54G).
Infielder Orelvis Martinez is also one of several of the Blue Jays Top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, that will start the season in Buffalo. The 23-year-old is the highest ranked among the group at #3 after spending the majority of the 2024 campaign with the Herd.
Right handed starter Jake Bloss is the highest ranked pitching prospect to start the season in Triple-A, currently ranked sixth. He was also named to the First Team All-Spring Breakout Team after pitching two scoreless innings with four strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins top prospects. Bloss made eight starts for the Bisons after being acquired last July from the Houston Astros.
Starter Eric Lauer is one of several veteran pitchers joining the Bisons’ roster for the first time and is slated as the Bisons 2025 Opening Day Starter. The lefty made 19 appearances between the Indianapolis Indians and Sugar Land Space Cowboys, before pitching for the Kia Tigers of the KBO last year. Fellow lefty Josh Walker spent time with the New York Mets last season, in addition to stints with the Syracuse Mets and Indianapolis.
The Herd’s roster includes a total of 18 players that have appeared in at least one game for the team previously. That also includes OF Steward Berroa, who led the Bisons in stolen bases with 34. Jonatan Clase was acquired by the Seattle Mariners and appeared in 35 games with Buffalo as well. They are two of several outfielders that spent time with Toronto in the second half of last season. Joey Loperfido was acquired from Houston along with Bloss last July and appeared in 43 games for Toronto, joining Berroa and Clase among the Bisons outfield group.
Veteran catcher Christian Bethancourt appeared in nine Spring Training games with Toronto after signing a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training this past offseason. The 33-year-old brings 428 games of MLB experience behind the plate for the Herd. He is joined by fellow veterans Ali Sanchez and Matt Whatley.