The Dodgers Class-A affiliate in Midland, Michigan kick off their 2016 baseball season tonight in Lansing with a 7:05 EST game against the Lugnuts.

The Loons, complete with new uniforms, a new coaching staff and a revamped lineup, look to improve on their 2015 season in which they bowed out of the playoffs in the first round, losing the first two games of a three-game set to the aforementioned Lugnuts. Both games were lost by one run.

The 2016 Loons roster includes 12 players that were selected in the 2015 First Year Player Draft, which is an indication that the parent Dodgers are interested in moving their prospects along quickly. The average age of the opening day roster is 20.8 years, which reflects further evidence of a new prospect advancement policy making the Loons one of the youngest teams in the league.

On any given day, the roster could include 19-year old Brendon Davis at third base, 18- year old Omar Estevez at second base and just-turned 20 year-old shortstop Christian Gomez. Estevez, the youngest player on the team, turned 18 on February 25. From Matanzas, Cuba, Estevez was signed by the Dodgers last November.

At the same time, 19-year-old right-hander Dennis Santana may make his Loons debut before he turns 20 on April 12th, and just turned 20 Ariel Sandoval will make his debut in the outfield – perhaps on Opening Day.

Certainly of some interest is the status of Gage Green. He was selected in the 35th round by the Dodgers in the 2015 June Draft. Green was drafted as a catcher but played all of him games in 2015 in the outfield with the exception of eight games in which he settled in behind the plate. He proceeded to tear the Pioneer League apart hitting .370 with the Ogden Raptors along with an OBP of .433. On the season he walked 43 times while striking out 26 times. Gage Green is listed as a catcher on the Loons 25-man roster along with teammates Garrett Kennedy and Brant Whiting.

Matt Jones also burned his opponents in the Pioneer League in 2015. A 25th round selection in the 2014 Amateur Draft he played mostly in the outfield with the Raptors in 2015 hitting .300 with an OBP of .343 along with 11 home runs and 47 runs batted in. He appears to have been penciled in as the Loons first baseman in 2016.

Michael Boyle has been tabbed to start against the Lugnuts in the season opener. The 21-year old left-hander was selected by the Dodgers in the 13th round of the 2015 First Year Player Draft. Boyle was drafted out of Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Following an 8-game stint with the Ogden Raptors in the Rookie Level Pioneer League in which Boyle posted a 1.33 ERA along with 27 strikeouts and 6 walks, he was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League. On August 18th Boyle made his debut with the Loons. Over four starts he had a 3.00 ERA and a WHIP of 1.17 along with 15 strikeouts and five walks in 18 innings.

In addition to Boyle, the Loons starting rotation – at least for now – includes Isaac Anderson, Andrew Sopko, 20-year-old Victor Gonzalez and Dennis Santana. Other options to start are right-handers Adam Bray and Kevin Brown.

Rookie manager Gil Velazquez – along with pitching coach Bobby Cuellar – have an interesting list of pitchers from which to choose. It appears they may be short on left-hand relief so that’s simply one more game challenge for them.

The Loons home opener is on Saturday afternoon complete with opening day celebrations. This year’s festivities feature the Loons Pennant Race at 10 a.m., followed by the parade on Main Street beginning at 12 p.m., with performances from the Chicago Boyz. Following the parade, the Loons will play the Lansing Lugnuts at Dow Diamond at 2:05 p.m. with the first 5,000 fans receiving a Loons magnet schedule.