Players come and go, pitchers are affected by pitch counts and health issues, etc. Much is unknown about the season outlook of teams in the Prospect League.

Second-year Butler BlueSox manager Cody Herald does know one thing.

“I'm just as competitive now as when I played,” Herald said. “(Assistant coach) Josh Forbes and I, if we're in a pick-up basketball game, we're playing to win.

“I know we have a talented group of guys and we want to win the championship. It's as simple as that.”

The BlueSox begin their 10th season Thursday night when they host the Champion City Kings at 7:05 p.m. at Kelly Automotive Park. The BlueSox will play a 60-game regular season that concludes in early August.

They are hopeful postseason play will follow. The BlueSox finished 40-25 overall last season, reaching the league championship series before bowing to Lafayette, two games to one.

Five players from last year's team are back for the 2018 season. They include pitchers Wyatt Daugherty, Alex Stobert and Jake Stout, catcher Kristian Webb and infielder Damian Maglione.

Stobert, a Knoch graduate, pitched the past two springs at Tallahassee Community College in Florida. He will pitch the next two college years at Miami of Ohio.

Stobert is also drawing the opening night assignment on the mound for Butler.

“There are a number of pitchers who could make that start, but we know more about Alex,” Herald said. “We know how he competes out there and that's what we want coming out of the gate.”

Daugherty, a Butler graduate who just finished his junior season at Slippery Rock University, returns as the BlueSox' closer. He broke SRU's single-season saves record this year.

“Wyatt may be the best closer in the league,” Herald declared.

Two other Knoch graduates — Ohio University pitcher Cole Shinsky and Seton Hill infielder Chris Law — are on the BlueSox roster this summer.

Law led the Griffins in hitting this spring. The sophomore hit .363 with a team-leading 53 hits. He had four homers and 26 RBI. Shinsky, a 6-foot-4 left-hander, was 0-2 with a 4.02 earned run average in 15.2 innings pitched for Ohio.

“We don't take these players because they're local guys,” Herald said. “We take them because we know they can help us.

“Josh and I coach a lot like Marc (Marizzaldi) at Seton Hill, so Chris already knows what to expect from us as coaches.”

Herald and Forbes both played baseball at Seton Hill.

Larry Sassone, part of the BlueSox ownership group, said the team will be more interactive with the fans this season with a new Micro Fantasy program.

Fans can use their mobile devices to predict what may happen during the course of each game and win prizes by doing so.

“Fans will be handed instructions as they come through the gate,” Sassone said. “We are excited about this promotion. We'll be giving away plenty of prizes with each home game.”

The BlueSox' annual Buck-A-Hit chartity program will benefit the Butler County Humane Society this season. Butler Health System continues to be the team's primary sponsor.

“This is our 10th season,” Sassone said. “We're matching the old Butler Yankees in longevity here. Ticket sales are up and we see nothing but positive things.”

Herald said the entire roster reported for the team's first practice earlier this week with the exception of infielder Jeffrey Wehler from Youngstown State. He is recovering from injury and won't be available for action until later in the season.

“The guys are already bonding and getting that feeling of team,” Herald said. “We were turning double plays in infield practice like these guys have been together for years.

“This may be the first time in BlueSox history the entire team was able to report before the first game. That can only be a good thing.”