Spring cleaning: Jason Pospishil (right) is the club's new manager. Pospishil was in the dugout alongside Todd Van Steensel for the club's three game-series against Team Australia. Picture: Gene Ramirez
A FAMILIAR face will be in the dugout when the Sydney Blue Sox start their Australian Baseball League campaign this Friday.
Former assistant coach Jason Pospishil has replaced Glenn Williams as manager following a coaching reshuffle.
Although the culture has changed, Pospishil said it was his familiarity with the team that would be his biggest strength.
"I know the squad and I know the areas we have to improve on to win the championship," he said.
Pospishil was formerly a utility player with the Minnesota Twins in the top-tier Major League Baseball in the United States.
He plans to draw on that experience to educate the younger baseballers and make the Blue Sox a championship contender.
"There's five professional players on our books who are all under-18s," Pospishil said.
"When you add in our three new import players, we've strengthened our squad for the coming season.
"We'll be looking to go further into the finals than our qualifying series finish last year."
Joining the squad will be Detroit Tigers pitcher James Robbins and Minnesota Twins duo Tyler Herr and JaDamion Williams.
Australian representatives Trent Oeltjen and Ryan Rowland Smith will also join the Blue Sox for a four-game series between November and December.
Sydney will miss Brandon Barnes, who earlier in the year became the first international ABL player to make his MLB debut, but new imports will be arriving throughout the season.