‘I’m super excited;’ Dragons players ready to open 2024 season tonight in Dayton

DAYTON — The Dayton Dragons are ready to begin a new season Friday night at Day Air Ballpark.

>>PHOTOS: Dayton Dragons to open 2024 season Friday night

The Dragons will host the Lansing Lugnuts as the team begins 2024 season in Downtown Dayton.

The Dayton Dragons are a single-A minor league affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds’ first-round draft pick from 2023, Rhett Lowder, will get the start tonight.

“I’m super excited,” he told News Center 7 on Thursday.

We also spoke with Rueben Ibarra on Thursday and he is ready go to.

“Yeah, man, I can’t contain it!” he said. “Opening season, I’m so happy to be here!”

Even though he’s been with the Dragons since 2022, this will be Ibarra’s first Opening Day on the field.

“It don’t matter if it’s Opening Day (or) that last game of the season, I’m happy to be here,” he said.

He told News Center 7′s Xavier Hershovitz that the fans in Dayton are special.

“I love Dayton and the fans,” Ibarra said. “It’s hard to have a bad day here.”

New Dragons Manager Vince Harrison, Jr. said this year’s team is loaded with talent.

“With the tradition here, with the expectations of big crowds and big prospects coming through here, I think you combine all those things and I don’t know how you couldn’t get a little bit excited about it,” Harrison said.

News Center 7 checked and while most of the stadium will be filled, there are still a handful of seats available.

First pitch tonight is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

For information on tickets, visit this website.

1 of 28