2026 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Roster Preview: Familiar Faces and Intriguing Upside

In conjunction with the Minnesota Twins, the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels have unveiled their 2026 Opening Day roster, and it comes with a little bit of everything. There is returning production, recent draft intrigue, and enough raw athleticism to make last year’s track meet look repeatable.

Jordan Smith, a Wilmar, Minn. native, begins his first year managing the Mighty Mussels. Also new to the staff are pitching coach Dylan Hawley and hitting coach Carlos Lara. The one holdover in the coaching department is Richard Salazar, who enters his fourth season with the club and his ninth in the organization.

The initial player group featured 44 players, though that number shrank quickly. Once the injured list was finalized on Thurs., April 2, the roster was trimmed to the Florida State League maximum of 30 active players. Overall, it serves as a snapshot of organizational depth and a preview of who could take meaningful steps forward this summer.

Familiarity is a defining theme. Exactly half of the current group, 22 players, appeared in a game for Fort Myers last season. That continuity matters at this level, where development often accelerates when players are not adjusting to a new environment at the same time.

The returning position player group is headlined by Damuery Pena and Quentin Young. Pena was a steady presence in 2025, leading the team with 96 games played while hitting .241/.317/.316 (.633) and swiping 28 bases, tied for ninth most in the FSL last season. He is a contact-oriented player with speed who can impact games in multiple ways.

Young is a different kind of storyline. Selected in the second round of the 2025 draft, he arrived late in the season and appeared in just five games. The pedigree stands out immediately as the nephew of former big leaguers Delmon and Dmitri Young. He also has one of the top power tools in the entire organization. Now with a full season ahead, Fort Myers becomes the first real stage to see how his tools translate over an extended run.

JP Smith II showed flashes after being selected in the 17th round, including a Florida State League Player of the Week award in August. He hit .237 across 24 games, and while the sample size was small, the early signs suggested a player capable of putting together competitive at-bats.

Yasser Mercedes might be the most electric returner on the roster (even though he starts the year on the IL). He led the 2025 team in both home runs with 10 and stolen bases, going an incredible 34-for-35 on the basepaths. That efficiency was not just impressive, it was foundational to a record-breaking season. Fort Myers stole 236 bases as a team, setting a new franchise mark, and Mercedes was right at the center of it.

On the pitching side, Dylan Questad returns as the most experienced arm. His 6.87 ERA across 25 games, including 11 starts, does not jump off the page in a positive way, but the underlying workload tells a different story. He led all returners with 74 2/3 innings and 83 strikeouts, giving him a chance to take a step forward simply by refining what is already there.

The most notable addition to the staff is right-hander Riley Quick. Taken with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Quick enters as one of the more intriguing arms at this level. He posted a 3.72 ERA across three seasons at the University of Alabama and struck out 70 batters in 62 innings during his final collegiate season. There is enough swing and miss in the profile to believe he could move quickly if everything clicks.

James Ellwanger will make his pro debut with the Mighty Mussels after being drafted by the Twins in the third round. During his final collegiate season, he posted a 3.98 ERA with a 1.53 WHIP and 13.5 K/9. Like Quick, his college experience could mean that he moves quickly through the lower levels of the minors. However, there is no reason to rush him as he adjusts to life as a professional.

Prospect watchers will have plenty to follow. According to Twins Daily’s top-20 prospect rankings, Quick, 11th overall, is the highest-rated prospect in Fort Myers. On the position player side, Young falls at 14th overall in the latest rankings. Ellwanger, the team’s third-round pick last year, is currently ranked as the 20th-best prospect in the organization. That level of prospect density is not always a given at the Low A level, and it raises the ceiling for what this group could become.

The Mighty Mussels were rained out for their opener on Thursday. Now, they begin their season on April 3, with a double header against the Clearwater Threshers. First pitch scheduled for 3:35 p.m. CT.

2026 Fort Myers Opening Day Roster
Pitchers (15)

• RHP James Ellwanger
• RHP Adam Falinski
• RHP Joel Garcia
• RHP Eric Hammond
• RHP Michael Hilker Jr.
• RHP Merit Jones
• RHP Xavier Kolhosser
• RHP Mike McKenna
• RHP Reed Moring
• RHP Mitch Mueller
• RHP Jake Murray
• RHP Riley Quick
• RHP Kolten Smith
• RHP Jonathan Stevens
• RHP Brian Zeldin

Catchers (4)

• Ian Daugherty
• Irvin Nuñez
• Ricardo Peña
• Ryan Sprock

Infielders (6)

• Bryan Acuña
• Harry Genth
• Yilber Herrera
• Dameury Peña
• JP Smith II
• Quentin Young

Outfielders (3)

• Jayson Bass
• Eduardo Beltre
• Byron Chourio

7-Day IL: INF Bruin Agbayani (R thumb sprain), C Enrique Jimenez (R finger fracture), OF Yasser Mercedes (R oblique strain), RHP Justin Mitrovich (R lat strain), RHP Billy Oldham (R UCL sprain), RHP Dylan Questad (L oblique strain), RHP Jason Reitz (L ankle sprain)

60-Day IL: RHP Matt Barr (R elbow fracture), RHP Callan Fang (R elbow sprain), RHP Jake Hunter (R shoulder impingement), RHP Jace Kaminska (R elbow surgery), LHP Cesar Lares (L elbow surgery), LHP Cleiber Maldonado (L elbow surgery), C Carlos Silva (R forearm strain) 

Full Season IL: RHP Jack Dougherty (R shoulder surgery), INF Shai Robinson (L shoulder surgery)

What stands out about the Fort Myers roster? Who will you be watching? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!