Yet another season for the boys of summer in Fort Myers started Thursday night, as the 2026 slate commenced for the Mighty Mussels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Single-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins have a new look this year when it comes to the managerial decisions, as new skipper Jordan Smith is now overseeing the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith spent the last 14 seasons in the Cleveland Guardians organization, and was the manager of Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats the last three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith found success in his tenure, as the Hillcats were the Carolina League champions last year. To top it off, Smith was named the league\u2019s Manager of the Year after guiding Lynchburg to a 70-59 record.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Of the new chapter in his coaching career, Smith said, \u201cI love the area. I love the Twins organization. (It\u2019s) a great group of guys, so, I\u2019m really looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Smith is still getting acclimated to his new surroundings and players, he described the team as having \u201cgrit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese guys have something to prove, and they\u2019re going to go out there every day and give it their all, and we\u2019re going to compete every night,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the lights being on and playing some real baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Top returners this upcoming season for the Mussels include infielders Damuery Pena\u00a0and Quentin Young, first baseman JP Smith II, outfielder Yasser Mercedes, and right-hander Dylan Questad.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pena led the team with 96 games played and hit .240 with 28 stolen bases. Young, the Twins second round pick in the 2025 amateur draft, is the nephew of Major Leaguers Delmon and Dmitri Young. He appeared in five games at the end of the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Smith II\u00a0won a Florida State League Player of the Week\u00a0honor in August and hit .237 across 24 games after being taken in the 17th round.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 2025 team stole a franchise record 236 bases, led by Mercedes, who went 34-for-35. Mercedes also led the team in home runs with 10.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The top newcomer is right-handed pitcher Riley Quick, who the Twins selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2025 draft. Quick had a 3.72 ERA in 31 career games (15 starts) across three seasons for the University of Alabama. In 2025 he had 70 strikeouts in 62 innings.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The roster is highlighted by six members of the Twins Top 30 Prospects, according to\u00a0MLB.com: Quick (11), Young (14), James Ellwanger\u00a0(16), Enrique Jimenez (27), Matt Barr\u00a0(28), and Bruin Agbayani\u00a0(30).\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always fun having prospects, but at the end of the day they\u2019re all on an equal playing field and it\u2019s an opportunity for them to get the most out of their career,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAs a manager and a coaching staff, that\u2019s our job to treat them all equally and raise their floor and see how high their ceiling can get.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith is a Willmar, Minnesota native, and said being a Twins fan was part of the culture in his town. The 35-year-old was an All-American at St. Cloud State University in 2010 and 2011 and was inducted into the university\u2019s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023. He was the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Freshman of the Year in 2010 and the Player of the Year in 2011.<\/p>\n
Smith reached the Triple-A ranks in his eight-year professional career, spending his last season as a pro in 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A conversation with a coach when he was with the Columbus Clippers led him down the coaching path.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said his coaching style is centered around caring about his players and people in the organization.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to connect with the players,\u201d he said. \u201cI care about them as a person first, and then as a player. I\u2019m an organized coach that likes to show up every day with some passion and get after it. I\u2019ve been in their shoes and know what it\u2019s like to have a manager in your corner and fighting for you and pushing you every day, that\u2019s the guy I\u2019m trying to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith said it\u2019s also about reminding players that they\u2019ve already come so far. As a father of two, he points to his 8-year-old son and asks players to look back at their youthful self, and that the 8-year-old version of you would be proud and thrilled to be playing professional baseball.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the jobs not done,\u201d Smith said. \u201cYou have an opportunity in pro ball, and an opportunity to become a big leaguer, and it\u2019s really hard to get there. I know the grind and the feeling of missing home and being away, but they all have that dream deep down inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quick, who will make his pro debut over the next few games, said he can\u2019t wait to get on the mound in a competitive setting again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 6-foot-5 Crimson Tide alum boasts a fastball that sits in the 96-97 mph range, with a sweeping slider and cutter to boot. He said he\u2019s also been working on a kick change up to add to the arsenal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Quick did have Tommy John surgery in 2024, but returned for the 2025 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel great,\u201d Quick said of his arm. \u201cThis is probably the best I\u2019ve felt in my career building up. These guys have put me in a really good spot and they\u2019re really good at what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n
As a top prospect, Quick said he\u2019s not putting any pressure on himself, and just treats every game the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a thing that I kind of had when I was coming back from surgery \u2014 try not to make any moment too big because you never know what can happen,\u201d he said. \u201cNot really any added pressure, just going out there and doing my thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith II will be undergoing his first full pro season, and is looking to show off the power he possesses. Smith II is the Sacramento State baseball all-time career home run leader, setting the new record with 36 home runs in 2024 during the WAC Tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just looking to mature as a hitter and a defender,\u201d Smith II said. \u201cBecoming a better teammate and stacking days and keeping it consistent throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith II said he\u2019s been working on using the whole field, taking more walks and letting the game come to him. Defensively at first base, he wants to be reliable for his infield.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis game is hard, and I feel I can help them, whether they have a bad at-bat or defensive play, I pick them up and helps the team come closer together and pick each other up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As for what\u2019s special about this group, Smith II said, \u201cWe\u2019re all boys. It doesn\u2019t matter the color, the ethnicity, I feel like we all talk to each other on and off the field, whether it\u2019s about baseball, life, and I feel we all trust each other to go win a game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith II said the fan support and Fort Myers community has been a big part of the pro experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is somewhat new to me \u2014 meeting the fans, seeing the same faces on a Friday as you do on a Tuesday,\u201d he said. \u201cBuilding bonds, seeing kids, giving them baseballs is always something that we dreamed of. It\u2019s something that means a lot to us. Being on the other side of it hasn\u2019t set in yet. I\u2019m blessed having such a great opportunity to go chase my dreams and just help the youth and help give back like people gave to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Young is part of a famous baseball family, the 19-year-old is looking to carve his own path.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The best advice he\u2019s received from Delmon and Demitri? To be calm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust be ready to go out there and play,\u201d he said. \u201cYou get so many games every year, so just be ready to go play, have fun, and don\u2019t take it for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n
Young said his 6-foot-5 frame is feeling great heading into the season. Possessing superior athleticism as an infielder with raw power, his approach at the plate is something he\u2019s been focusing on getting ready for the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it\u2019s just putting a good swing on,\u201d he said. \u201cI know I can hit the ball hard if I get a good swing off.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Mussels have a three-game homestead to start the season against Clearwater that ends Saturday. They are on the road until April 14, when they play 12-straight at Lee Health Sports Complex.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For tickets, full schedule and promotional information, visit\u00a0milb.com\/fort-myers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lee Health Sports Complex is at 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers.<\/p>\n