a look ahead

With the Mississippi Braves’ final homestand of 2015 concluded, and no surety that a postseason berth is forthcoming, it’s a good time to ponder what the M-Braves’ 2016 roster might look like. (Keep in mind that Atlanta GM John Hart is a constant threat to make more trades that will impact the Double-A club.) Current position players likely to return to Pearl include third baseman Rio Ruiz, outfielder Sean Godfrey and infielders Levi Hyams and Eric Garcia. Late-season roster additions Zack Bird, Mauricio Cabrera, John Gant and Lucas Sims could well be back on the pitching staff. On the high Class A Carolina roster, Connor Lien’s stats stand out. An outfielder, he was batting .286 with seven homers, 43 RBIs and 32 stolen bases through August. Other Mudcats bucking for promotion include shortstop Johan Camargo (Atlanta’s No. 22 prospect in the most recent rankings by mlb.com), third baseman Carlos Franco (nine homers), outfielder Dustin Peterson (.258, eight homers), catcher Joseph Odom (seven homers) and first baseman Jacob Schrader (268, 15 homers, 59 RBIs). Starting pitchers Brandon Barker (8-5, 3.00 ERA), Blair Walters (2.93) and Seth Webster (8-7, 2.75) have good numbers, as does reliever Justin Jackson (three wins, four saves, 2.28). The 2016 campaign, the M-Braves’ 12th in Pearl, begins on April 7, with Pensacola visiting Trustmark Park. Mississippi will host the Southern League All-Star Game for the second time on June 21. P.S. It’s not likely that outfielder Mycal Jones will be back, but who expected he’d return for a sixth tour in 2015? Jones, a fourth-round pick by Atlanta out of Miami-Dade College in 2009, has worn an M-Braves uniform for at least part of every season since 2010. He has played in 362 games for the Double-A club, with 306 hits, a .247 average, 16 homers, 121 RBIs and 144 steals. … The M-Braves averaged an announced 3,190 per game in attendance for 68 dates this season. That ranks seventh in the Southern League and is up marginally from 2014 (3,152). … Sims, Cabrera, Lien, Camargo, Odom and current M-Braves pitcher Andrew Thurman have been assigned by Atlanta to the Arizona Fall League. … Seven Biloxi Shuckers/Milwaukee prospects are headed to the AFL: pitchers Jacob Barnes, Josh Hader, Adrian Houser and Damien Magnifico, infielder Yadiel Rivera and outfielders Brett Phillips and Michael Reed.