DIVISION RIVALS

Fully one-third of the Express’ scheduled regular-season games — 48 to be exact — will come against these three clubs that reside in the American Southern Division of the PCL:

Memphis Redbirds

Manager: Mike Shildt MLB Affiffiliate: St. Louis Cardinals

2014:

79- 65 ( fifirst place, American Southern)

Watch this guy: RF Stephen Piscotty. A 24-year-old who was a fifirst-round pick out of Stanford in 2012, Piscotty fared well in his inaugural Triple-A season, batting .288 with nine homers and 69 RBI for Memphis a year ago. A third baseman at Stanford, he’s adapted quickly to life in the outfifield.

Other top prospects: LHP Marco Gonzales; LHP Tim Cooney

Season series: April 17-20 (Round Rock); April 25-28 (Memphis); June 11- 14 (Memphis); Aug. 1-4 (Round Rock)

Nashville Sounds

Manager: Steve Scarsone MLB Affiffiliate: Oakland Athletics

2014: 79-65 (Note: This past offffseason, Oakland shifted its PCL affiffiliate from Sacramento to Nashville.)

Watch this guy: 1B Max Muncy. A fififth-round pick out of Baylor in 2012, Muncy hit a combined 25 home runs for Class A Stockton and Double-A Midland in 2013. This year, he jumps to Triple-A on a full-time basis. Muncy, 24, spent some time playing third base for Midland last season, but he appears better suited to fifirst .

Other top prospects: 2B Joey Wendle; RHP Chris Bassitt

Season series: April 30-May 3 (Round Rock); May 8-11 (Nashville); July 4-7 (Round Rock); Aug. 31-Sept. 3 (Nashville)

New Orleans Zephyrs

Manager: Andy Haines MLB affiffiliate: Miami Marlins

2014: 70-74, tied for third in division Watch this guy: LHPJustin Nicolino. A former prep star in Orlando, Nicolino was a secondround draft pick of Toronto’s in 2010. Now 23, he was acquired by Miami as part of a 2012 trade. He doesn’t overpower hitters, but his pinpoint control helped him post a 14-4 record with a 2.85 ERA at Double-A Jacksonville last season. In 170 ⅓ innings, he issued only 20 walks.

Other top prospects: LHPAdam

Conley

Season series: June 15-17 (Round Rock); June 23- 25 (New Orleans); July 8-12 (Round Rock); Aug. 5- 9 (New Orleans)