Marlins reveal 31-game Grapefruit League slate

MIAMI -- The holiday season may be quickly approaching, but it's never too early to remind all that Spring Training is only a few months away.

The Marlins on Monday officially announced pitchers and catchers will report Feb. 16, position players arrive Feb. 20, and game action gets underway Feb. 26.

All told, the Marlins have slated 31 Grapefruit League games plus two exhibitions.

Spring Training concludes against the Yankees at Tampa on March 29, and Opening Night is two days later.

Miami will take on the Rockies on March 31 at 7:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park, launching the 2014 regular season.

Building around a young nucleus that includes Giancarlo Stanton, Jose Fernandez and Christian Yelich, the Marlins will be entering their 12th spring at the Roger Dean Stadium complex in Jupiter, Fla.

They share the facility with the Cardinals, the defending National League champions.

The Marlins will play 19 games at Roger Dean Stadium, with 16 as the home team. The other three will be as the visitors against St. Louis.

The schedule released on Monday does not include two exhibitions the Marlins will play against the Yankees in Panama on March 14-15. Those games have yet to be officially announced.

The exhibitions in Panama are a tribute to Mariano Rivera, Major League Baseball's all-time saves leader who recently retired.

While the Marlins are in Panama, split-squad games will be played on those days in Florida.

Before jumping into Grapefruit League action, the Marlins will take on two local college teams. The University of Miami will be at Roger Dean Stadium on Feb. 26, and on Feb. 27, Florida International University will be in town.

Miami's first Grapefruit League game will be on Feb. 28, as the home team against the Cardinals.

The 2014 season will be Miami's second under the direction of manager Mike Redmond.

With a roster loaded with rookies and comparatively inexperienced players, the 2013 Marlins finished 62-100. They did end an otherwise rough campaign by winning a season-best four straight games.

There was high drama in the finale as Henderson Alvarez no-hit the Tigers in unconventional fashion. The lone run of the game scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Fernandez, the National League Rookie of the Year, has emerged as the Marlins' young ace. He's also one of the rising stars in the game.

Fernandez and the rest of the pitchers and catchers are scheduled to take their physicals on Feb. 16. The first workouts will be that afternoon.

Position players are scheduled to take their physicals on Feb. 20, also the day of the first full-squad workouts.

The World Series champion Red Sox will make their lone Roger Dean Stadium visit on March 6. The Tigers, who lost to the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, are in Jupiter on March 9.

SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES ET)

Feb. 26: University of Miami at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 27: Florida International University at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
Feb. 28: St. Louis at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 1: St. Louis (ss) at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 1: Mets (ss) at Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m.
March 2: Washington at Viera, 1:05 p.m.
March 3: Houston at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 4: Minnesota at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 5: New York Mets at Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m.
March 6: Boston at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 7: St. Louis at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 8: Atlanta at Orlando, 1:05 p.m.
March 9: Detroit at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 10: New York Mets at Port St. Lucie, 1:10 p.m.
March 11: Boston at Fort Myers, 1:05 p.m.
March 12: Atlanta at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 13: Detroit at Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
March 14: New York Mets at Jupiter, 7:05 p.m.
March 15: Washington at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 16: Minnesota at Fort Myers, 1:05 p.m.
March 17: New York Mets at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 18: Houston at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 19: Off-day
March 20: St. Louis at Jupite, 1:05 p.m.
March 21: Houston at Kissimmee, 1:05 p.m.
March 22: New York Mets (ss) at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 22: Washington (ss) at Viera, 1:05 p.m.
March 23: Detroit at Lakeland, 1:05 p.m.
March 24: Washington at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 25: St. Louis at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 26: Atlanta at Orlando, 1:05 p.m.
March 27: St. Louis at Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 28: New York Yankees at Tampa, 7:05 p.m.
March 29: New York Yankees at Tampa, 1:05 p.m.