big reveal
After directing 13 workouts with a group of players of varying levels of experience pulled from widely diverse backgrounds, Mississippi Mud Monsters manager Jay Pecci will pull back the curtain tonight and unveil the new pro team taking up residence at Trustmark Park in Pearl. “Spring training has been good,” Pecci said Wednesday night. “We got our pitching work in, that’s a key. The team looks great … on paper, at least. You’re never sure how it’ll pan out.” The Mud Monsters, an expansion team in the independent Frontier League, make their debut tonight (6:30) against the Florence (Ky.) Y’alls. On paper, the Mud Monsters have a leadoff batter — ex-Mississippi State standout Brayland Skinner — who batted .298 and stole 41 bases in the indy Pioneer League last year. On paper, in the middle of their batting order, they have a six-year minor league veteran with a career .303 average — Florence native Davis Bradshaw — and a 10-year pro vet who belted 17 homers in this league two years ago — former Columbia High star Ti’Quan Forbes. “We’ve got some power, some veteran experience,” Pecci said. “We have some guys who can go gap-to-gap, and I think we run well as a team. We had a lot of stolen bases in camp. Guys were eager to run.” Both Bradshaw and Forbes passed through Trustmark, which plays as a pitcher’s park, when they were in Double-A. “You have to be a true hitter to put up numbers here,” Pecci said. He marvels at Bradshaw’s plate discipline and ability to make contact. The manager said he is impressed as much with Forbes’ presence as he is with his skills: “He’s excited to be here, he wants to play everyday and he’s a good guy in the clubhouse. The kids gravitate toward him.” Forbes, 28, a late addition to the roster, was a second-round MLB draft pick back in 2014 and reached the Triple-A level in affiliated ball. Tonight’s starting pitcher, James Boeree, might be more impressive on the field than he is on paper. The Australia native, 25 but light on experience, lists at 7 feet 2. And reportedly throws in the mid-90s. “He has looked really good,” Pecci said. “He started an exhibition game for us and pitched well. He was built up when he came in to camp, all in on baseball. He has those long levers, but he has good body mechanics.” Pecci is also high on his primary catchers, Victor Diaz and Andriel Lantigua, both Dominicans with experience in affiliated ball. Diaz played in the Houston organization, Lantigua in the New York Mets system when Pecci was on their minor league staff. For his part, Pecci brings plenty of experience to his job. He coached and managed in the Mets’ chain for the past several seasons. An infielder at Stanford, he was drafted by Oakland in the 11th round in 1998 and played seven years in affiliated ball, then eight more in independent and foreign leagues.