Louisville Bats Open 26th Downtown Season Against Omaha Storm Chasers Friday

Chase Petty, the Cincinnati Reds' fifth-ranked prospect, takes the mound in the opener as the Louisville Bats launch their 26th season of baseball in downtown Louisville on Friday night at Louisville Slugger Field. First pitch against the Omaha Storm Chasers is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.

The rotation starts with Petty on Friday, followed by Julian Aguiar, the organization's No. 10 prospect, on Saturday, and then Davis Daniel on Sunday to close out the series. Aguiar's start will be his first regular-season appearance since 2024, when he underwent Tommy John surgery late in the season. Despite missing all of 2025, Aguiar begins 2026 as a 24-year-old, so the lost time hasn't set him back in terms of age relative to his level.

Petty's assignment to open the season is notable in its own right. The right-hander will pitch as a 23-year-old in 2026, and after making his MLB debut last April with Cincinnati, he returns to Louisville with something to prove. His strike rate dropped from 65% in 2023 to 63% in 2024 to 61% in 2025, and command remains the central question around an arm the Reds are clearly still invested in developing.

Among the position players, top-10 prospects Edwin Arroyo (No. 6) and Hector Rodriguez (No. 8) are on the roster. Infielder Garrett Hampson headlines a group of 22 players with major league experience, while veterans Michael Chavis, JJ Bleday, and Michael Toglia are likely to fill lineup spots with multiple years of MLB service time each.

The biggest surprise on the roster is catcher Dayne Leonard. The undrafted free agent signed last summer has played in only 20 minor league games, all in the Arizona Rookie League and Single-A Daytona, and is now being asked to take a significant step up in competition as the apparent third catcher on the depth chart.

The roster itself arrived under unusual circumstances. The Cincinnati Reds needed to finalize a roster move with just one day before the start of the MLB season and two days before the International League's opening, which pushed the Louisville roster announcement to roughly 30 hours before game time.

The three-game series features a packed promotional slate. Aguiar's Saturday start comes on Kids Opening Day, and Friday's Opening Night includes dollar beers and an exclusive Magnet Schedule giveaway, along with a performance from the ZOOperstars!. Pregame autographs with Bats players and coaches are scheduled before Sunday's series finale.

New relievers Yunior Marte, Hagen Danner, Anthony Misiewicz, and Darren McCaughan are among the arms the Bats will lean on out of the bullpen, while Tejay Antone begins the season in Louisville as he works back from a third Tommy John surgery in 2024.

Nick Curran and Jim Kelch will call all three games on Sports Talk 790 AM, and every game streams free on the MiLB and Bally Live apps. Fans attending should note that the Bats are implementing a clear bag policy at Louisville Slugger Field for all games this season; full details are available in the Ballpark Guide on the team's website.