The IronPigs open their 2025 season with three games at home this weekend against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

The roster will be announced prior to then of course, but some of the details are plain to see and others have started to leak out.

So, let’s try to pull everything together and see what the opening night roster might look like for the IronPigs’ 17th season of baseball.

Let’s not hide the main headline.

Outfielder Justin Crawford, the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies organization, will open the season with the IronPigs. Crawford played 40 games at Double-A Reading last season after starting the season with High-A Clearwater, so returning to the Fightins for some more seasoning was not out of the question.

Instead, the Phillies believe it’s all systems go with Crawford, and they are moving him along quickly.

Cal Stevenson returns to the Pigs outfield in 2025 and Oscar Mercado, who had a nice rookie season with Cleveland back in 2019 when he hit 15 home runs and batted .269, is another probable on the roster.

Mercado has struggled in recent seasons and didn’t reach the majors last season. In 2022, he played in one game with the Phillies after they claimed him off waivers from Cleveland in June, only to release him four days later.

On the infield, Christian Arroyo has nearly 1,000 plate appearances in the majors and was one of the last cuts from Phillies camp. The 29-year-old will give the Phillies a little infield insurance.

Buddy Kennedy lost the battle for the final infield spot to Kody Clemens, and could wind up with the IronPigs, but will have to pass through waivers and accept the assignment since he is out of options. Kennedy was with Lehigh Valley last season and hit .294 in 67 games with the IronPigs, and also played in eight games with the Phillies.

Rodolfo Castro, who was injured for much of last season, will return to Lehigh Valley. Castro has been around a while but is still just 25 years old. The Pirates were high on Castro at one point, but his maturity was a bit of a question.

His tenure with Pittsburgh is best remembered by a play when he slid head-first into third base and his cell phone popped out of his back pocket. He came to camp this spring and announced he was giving up on being a switch-hitter and was only going to bat right-handed. He also has worked on learning the outfield, which will make him more versatile, so he could spend some time there with the IronPigs.

Infielders Otto Kemp, Rafael Lantigua, and Carson Taylor are also possibilities.

Kemp and Taylor both spent time with Lehigh Valley last season, while Lantigua was at Triple-A Buffalo in the Blue Jays organization.

We know that Garrett Stubbs, the now former backup to J.T. Realmuto in Philly, will be with Lehigh Valley. Payton Henry has 20 MLB games under his belt with the Marlins in 2021 and 2022, and has a leg up on being with Lehigh Valley.

Josh Breaux and Caleb Ricketts are also possibilities, especially if the IronPigs roster holds three catchers.

Either Michael Mercado or Tyler Phillips was likely to get a spot in the Phillies bullpen until they claimed reliever Carlos Hernandez off waivers from Kansas City over the weekend. Phillips has to clear waivers before he could officially be added to the Lehigh Valley roster, while Mercado had an option left and will be with the IronPigs.

We know that Mick Abel, Nabil Crismatt, Seth Johnson, Kyle Tyler, and either Phillips or Mercado will make up the rotation. From there, it gets interesting. Japanese pitcher Koyo Aoyagi was signed to a minor league deal as an international free agent and will be in the IronPigs bullpen.

Jose Cuas, Joe Kuhnel, John McMillon, and Guillo Zuniga all have some major league experience. Max Lazar and Alan Rangel are other likely inhabitants.

FAN FAVORITES UPDATE … It’s going to seem a little strange without Darick Hall and Scott Kingery in the IronPigs clubhouse. Kingery joined Lehigh Valley on his way up to the majors in 2017 and rejoined them in 2021 when he was demoted off the Phillies roster. Hall spent all or part of the past four seasons with Lehigh Valley, and both were well liked both in the clubhouse and in the stands. Hall signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh hoping to earn a backup job at first base where the Pirates are a little thin, but was reassigned to minor league camp last week and will be with Triple-A Indianapolis. Kingery’s minor league deal came via the Angels and after struggling in spring training, he was designated for assignment and then outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake.

OPENING NIGHT … The season opens Friday night at Coca-Cola Park with all gates opening at 4:30 p.m. There will be plenty of pre-game entertainment on the concourse. There will also be a Retro Drinking Glass giveaway.