PORTLAND – The Portland Sea Dogs open their 15th season at Hadlock Field on Friday night against the New Britain Rock Cats (6:10 p.m.) with one of the more talented squads in franchise history and, perhaps not coincidentally, off to one of their best starts, too.

Portland’s 24-man roster features 17 players who had a hand in getting the team to the Eastern League playoffs last season and eight of the top 30 prospects in the Boston Red Sox organization. Four of them are in the starting rotation – Justin Masterson (No. 4), Michael Bowden (7), Kris Johnson (13) and Dustin Richardson (22). Reliever Hunter Jones (27), catcher Mark Wagner (20), first baseman Aaron Bates (21) and outfielder Bubba Bell (25) are the other rated prospects.

The Sea Dogs returned home sporting a 5-1 record from a season-opening road trip through Connecticut. In those six games, Portland pitching surrendered just nine runs (seven earned) for an Eastern League-leading 1.14 ERA. Masterson gave up five hits in his two starts. Bowden, tonight’s scheduled starter, yielded just two hits and one earned run in 4 2/3 innings in his first outing.

Even when fifth starter Chris Smith was called up to Triple-A Pawtucket to fill in for the injured Bartolo Colon, relievers Daniel Haigwood, Miguel Asencio, Kyle Jackson, and Beau Vaughan combined to two-hit the Connecticut Defenders in Wednesday’s 1-0 victory.

The pitching prospects, particularly Masterson and Bowden, are generating a buzz similar to that which surrounded Clay Buchholz, who pitched in 16 games for Portland last season and later threw a no-hitter for Boston in his second major-league start.

Buchholz’s reputation as a fast-rising phenom preceded him, and his starts at Hadlock drew some of Portland’s largest crowds.

Many fans will be circling their schedules to see the next Buchholz, Jon Lester or Jonathan Papelbon. Even their fellow teammates confess to relishing the opportunity to see them pitch.

“It’s fun to play behind guys like that,” shortstop Iggy Suarez said. “They’re so young, but the way they act, they’re mature for their age and the talent that they have. It’s just amazing how you think about their future just looking at the major-league stuff they have now.”

Masterson and Bowden went a combined 12-9 in 29 starts last year for Portland. Both spent time time with the big club in spring training.

“They’ve got work to do or else they wouldn’t be back here,” Sea Dogs manager Arnie Beyeler said. “They’re both young. Justin’s a little more inexperienced. Michael was here most of the season. They’ve got some things to do, but then again, we don’t expect them to be here the whole year, either.”

If those two do move up, Johnson and Richardson may not be far behind. Both will be making their Hadlock Field debut during this six-game homestand after spending last year at Single-A Lancaster, where the high elevation and winds turn the ballpark into a launching pad.

“The guys who made it out of there were extremely tough and mentally tough,” pitching coach Mike Cather said. “To tell you the truth, it’s a good weeding level, because there are a lot of guys that struggle there and don’t recover. Then there are the guys that struggle, recover and figure it out. That’s the value in it.”

Richardson fanned 10 in five innings and gave up two hits in his Double-A debut Monday. Johnson worked 4 1/3 innings and surrendered two runs on five hits on Sunday.

The strong pitching couldn’t be more timely for Portland’s offense, which is sputtering with a .192 team batting average. Wagner (.143), Bell (.130) and Bates (.091) hope the sight of the Maine Monster gets their bats going.

Fans will notice a couple of major changes at Hadlock , which is believed to have the only elevated bullpen in the minor leagues. The new bullpen is located on the same level as the U.S. Cellular Pavilion, which will allow fans to see Sea Dogs’ pitchers warming up in the bullpen for the first time in two years.The bullpen is attached to the Sea Dogs’ new clubhouse.

Gates open at 4 p.m. Friday, with pregame ceremonies slated for 5:50 p.m.