The Blue Sox are headed for busy season.

Austin opens its amateur baseball season next Wednesday at the Rochester Roadrunners at 7:30 p.m. and it will play a total of 52 games — almost twice as many as it did last season went the Blue Sox went 20-6 overall and lost in the first round of the state tournament.

“We’ll get in a lot of games and that will give us time to develop our younger guys, as well as get our older guys ready,” Blue Sox manager Josh Kunze said.

Austin’s roster will look very similar to what it was last season — Kunze will handle most of the catching duties, Joe Huffman and Nels Nelson will pitch, Dan Swift will play first base, Aaron Port will patrol right field, Casey Toops will take second and Joe Kroc will play shortstop.

Port hit .344 last season at the top of the order for Austin.

“Aaron kind of makes us go,” Kunze said. “We like to get out and run and he does a great job of that.”

The Blue Sox will bring back outfielder Andy Swank, and they will add a trio from Hayfield in designated hitter Craig Selk, Marty Dick, and outfielder Darin Wagner.

“Getting Craig was big for our team,” Kunze said. “He could be the missing link in the lineup for us. We’ll have a little more punch in our lineup this year.”

Wagner will join Port and Swank in the outfield, along with Riverland freshman Kyle Young.

Brandon Hesser, a left-handed pitcher, will play in his first season with the Blue Sox this year.

Kunze is hopefull that Brian Voigt will return at third base and that Sean Breslin will pitch enough to become elgible for the tournament. The squad will also return Duell Higbe, who could see more pitching duties this summer.

As for goals, the Blue Sox’s number one objective is to beat the Greyhounds, which they did three times last summer. But they’re also thinking about the tourney.

“We liked to keep our goals simple at first and then focus on the bigger things when they get closer,” Kunze said.

The Blue Sox will dedicate this season to Nels Nelson’s father, Gary Nelson, who recently passed away.

“He followed us everywhere and we’re all going to miss him,” Kunze said.

The Blue Sox will host the La Crosse A’s at Marcusen Park Sunday at 2 p.m.