The Butler BlueSox hope familiarity breeds success this summer.

The Prospect League baseball team will open its sixth season May 28 at Lorain, Ohio. The home opener is May 29 against defending league champion West Virginia Miners May 29.

Fourth-year manager Anthony Rebyanski returns and has eight players coming back. They include Butler graduate and Seton Hill University right fielder Cody Herald and Slippery Rock University right-hander Jon Anderson, a Grove City High graduate.

“Jon had some arm issues this spring, but he tells me he's good to go,” Rebyanski said. “He was 7-0 for us at one point last year. I know he's itching to pitch.”

Herald is hitting .345 with four homers, 28 RBI and 18 stolen bases for Seton Hill this spring. He will have two Griffin teammates in Butler uniforms with him — returning outfielder Taylor Schmidt and infielder Nick Sell.

“I wanted to come back since the end of last season,” Herald said. “I get to stay at home with family for the summer after not seeing them much during the school year.

“My first goal is to have fun playing baseball. I also want to do everything I can to help this team win the league championship.”

Schmidt is hitting .325 for Seton Hill with 32 stolen bases in 35 tries. Sell is hitting .315 with a team-leading seven homers and 35 RBI for the Griffins.

“Nick had ankle surgery in the fall and started off slow, but he's been coming on lately,” Rebyanski saiod. “He just fell into our lap this year. Cody wanted us to get him last year.

“We hit something like seven homers last year after hitting 48 the year before. He should provide us with some pop that way.

“Cody Herald is a good team guy. If we're looking for a Mr. Personality on this team, he could fill that role. He can play multiple positions and I like his demeanor. He's got good tools and the guy just wants to win.”

Herald missed a month of the BlueSox season last summer with an injury.

Two other area players are joining the BlueSox this year — pitcher Dave Bednar, a Mars graduate in his freshman year at Lafayette, and catcher Jeff Revesz, a Grove City grad in his junior year at Kent State.

Bednar threw 43.1 innings and was a starter at Lafayette, going 1-4 with a 4.15 earned run average, 48 strikeouts and 13 walks.

“I wanted to stay home and play this summer and my coach worked it out,” Bednar said. “I'm looking forward to it. I've been throwing all of my pitches for strikes.”

Bednar's fastball has hit 93 miles per hour. It averages between 88 and 90.

Revesz hit .208 with two homers and 21 RBI in 106 at bats with Kent State.

“With Russell Clark (returnee from Cincinnati), Stuart Levy (Arkansas State) and Jeff, this is the best trio of catchers I've had here,” Rebyanski said. “All three have good arm strength.”

The BlueSox won a franchise record 33 games each of the past two summers, narrowly missing the Prospect League playoffs both seasons.

“We'd love to get there and have a nice postseason run, but a lot of people don't understand there's a lot of roster turnover in this league,” Rebyanski said. “You hope you don't get hit hard by it, but you have to be ready for it.

“Guys get hurt. Pitchers get shut down. It's the nature of the league.”

But Rebyanski is good at what he does.

“Each year, Anthony has gained more experience and it shows in the character of ballplayers selected to play for the BlueSox,” BlueSox managing partner William “Wink” Robinson said in a prepared statement. “The Prospect League is designed to help talented young ballplayers develop their skills.

“Anthony is an excellent instructor.”

<B>2014 RosterPitchers</B>Jon Anderson, soph., Slippery Rock UniversityDavid Bednar, freshman, Lafayette CollegeGage Carpenter, freshman, South Eastern CCTyler Ferguson, junior, La Roche CollegeBen Hartz, soph., University of BuffaloAlex Martin, junior, University of TennesseeJordan Pannell, soph., Southeastern Iowa CCAustin Ross, freshman, Radford UniversityTanner Schumacher, freshman, North Dakota StateTyler Swarmer, soph., Radford UniversityJustin Tayler, junior, California (Pa.) UniversityDave Yakopec, sophomore, Rutgers UniversityKyle Zaorski, junior, Indiana (Pa.) University<B>Catchers</B>Russell Clark, soph., University of CincinnatiStuart Levy, junior, Arkansas StateJeff Revesz, junior, Kent State University<B>Infielders</B>Christian Helsel, soph., Bucks County CCForrest Perron, soph., University of CincinnatiJextin Pugh, freshman, Binghamton UniversityStephen Sada, freshman, Miami (Ohio) UniversityNick Sell, junior, Seton Hill UniversityRyan Uhl, junior, Indiana (Pa.) UniversityDanny Urban, freshman, St. Bonaventure University<B>Outfielders</B>Cody Herald, junior, Seton Hill UniversityCollin Massanelli, junior, Arkansas StateTaylor Schmidt, soph., Seton HillAnthony Smith, junior, University of Toledo