Bradenton fans meet the 2017 Marauders

Folded T-shirts rested on a table near a sign directing season-ticket holders to grab their envelopes for the 2017 season.

Nearby, a photo booth came equipped with a green screen to transport those getting a snapshot to varying baseball backgrounds.

Farther down the fan plaza, multiple cornhole boards were spaced out for games to take place. Those cornhole games featured members of the 2017 Bradenton Marauders lined up to join in with the fans entering LECOM Park.

On Tuesday, fans and players mingled at the annual “Meet the Marauders” event that allowed fans an intimate environment to engage with players that could wind up in Major League Baseball one day.

“We look forward to meeting our local fans here and getting to know faces every day,” Marauders manager Gera Alvarez said. “And understand that it’s all about the fans at the end of the day. I’m glad they’re out here supporting us, and we’re looking forward to giving our best for them every time.”

After the social mingling, fans congregated toward seats behind the Marauders’ home dugout.

The Marauders, who are the high Single-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, announced their 2017 roster to the gathered fans.

On it are prized prospects Mitch Keller, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Cole Tucker and Will Craig. They represent four of the top seven prospects in Pittsburgh’s farm system, according to MLB Pipeline.

Tucker, Lakewood Ranch High School alumnus Seth McGarry and Marty the Marauder — the team’s mascot — drew the biggest cheers during the roster announcement.

“We’ve got a pretty strong team going into (the) 2017 season,” Pirates senior director of Florida and Dominican Republic operations Jeff Podobnik said. “We’re very excited about it, and we’re hoping to repeat the Florida State League championship, so we’re hoping to get there. But this event (Tuesday) is all about the fans. The ability of the fans to meet and greet the Bradenton Marauders.”

In the past, the event was held at Tarpon Pointe, now called Caddy’s at the Pointe, located at 801 Riverside Drive E. near the end of the Bradenton Riverwalk, to check out the new batch of Marauders.

That changed last season when the event moved to Anna Maria Island’s Eat Here.

This year, the event was altered once more with a shift to LECOM Park.

“We heard from a lot of our fans that they just love coming to our ballpark so much that they wanted the event to be here,” Marauders general manager Rachelle Madrigal said. “So we listened to them. We have the brand-new video board. We figured it made sense to show that off, and kind of kick the season off right here.”

Following the roster announcement, fans formed a line to get autographs from Marauders players and coaches.

“It’s still a thrill for them to be appreciated,” Madrigal said. “These fans are passionate. We know that here in Bradenton. They come out here year in and year out, so I think opening it up to the community to have the first kind of interaction for the team for 2017 is really important before the games actually start. So they get to know them, get a little face-to-face time, and it’s kind of a unique opportunity to interact.”

The Marauders begin their Florida State League championship defense with a four-game series against the Charlotte Stone Crabs that starts Thursday on the road in Port Charlotte. The Marauders’ home opener at LECOM Park is 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 9:24 PM with the headline "Bradenton fans meet the 2017 Marauders."