The Long Island Ducks look to return to the Atlantic League playoffs for the first time since 2023, and the team brought on some major league talent ahead of the 2026 season to help with that goal.

The most notable addition to the roster is former National League Cy-Young winner Trevor Bauer, who spent a decade in MLB before playing the last three seasons in Japan and Mexico after being accused of sexual assault in 2021, which never resulted in charges. Bauer has long attempted to play in MLB again, with the 35-year-old telling reporters he doesn’t believe he has anything left to prove to the 30 big-league teams.

“It sure would be fun to have that opportunity again,” he said. “I’m good enough to pitch there.”

Bauer, who said his reputation appeared to be in good standing with fans, was signing autographs along with his teammates during the Ducks’ Fan Fest ahead of the team’s final Spring Training game on Saturday, April 18, at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip.

Bauer said he “felt the opportunity was right” to make his U.S. return on Long Island, a place he also said he wants to explore more. Bauer said he was excited to play in front of an American crowd again, with his first start in a Ducks uniform coming in the team’s season opener on Tuesday, April 21.

Michael Pfaff, the Ducks’ president and chief business officer, said the team received a spike in opening day ticket sales once the team announced Bauer would be pitching.

Multiple former major leaguers are joining Bauer on the Ducks’ opening day roster. On Monday the team announced it signed Jorge Bonafacio, who played for the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Philadelphia Phillies across five MLB seasons. His brother and former MLB outfielder, Emilioin Bonafacio, is an alumnus of the Ducks as well.

Juan Yepez played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals across three MLB seasons, hitting 20 home runs in 166 games. Wilmer Difo spent six seasons wth the Nationals and also played with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Arizona Diamondbacks during an eight-year MLB career. He recorded 295 hits in nearly 500 games.

But not every player on the roster has been able to play in the major leagues. Tanner Jacobsen was a late-round draft pick by the Carindlas in 2022, but he only reached as high as Single-A before being released by the organization.

Jacobsen was then a late addition to Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic in March, where he faced off against a Dominican Republic roster filled with MLB talent. He said he took in everything he learned from that experience and will do the same when he plays with big-league talent with the Ducks.

Source: LI Press