PORTLAND — Forecasters are calling for a first-pitch temperature of around 40 degrees for the Portland Sea Dogs’ season-opener against Reading on Thursday (6 p.m., Hadlock Field, tickets available).

Portland’s opening day starter, Alex Wilson, was born in Saudi Arabia, played college baseball at Texas A&M and speaks with a slight southern drawl. But don’t fear, Sea Dogs fans, the 24-year-old righthander knows how to battle hitters and the early April chill at the same time.

“I’m just going to have to go back to my high school days when I was playing in West Virginia,” said Wilson, who added he was raised in the “one-road mountain town” of Hurricane, W. Va. “I’ve been in the cold weather before so I think I’ll be alright.”

With plenty of teammates from Hawaii, Texas, the Dominican Republic and even Australia, Wilson has had more exposure to the cold than most of the Sea Dogs. With 16 appearances for Portland last year, he also has more Double-A experience than most of the Sea Dogs, including his manager, Kevin Boles.

Boles, 35, served as the Sea Dogs’ bullpen catcher one year in the mid-1990s, when they were a Florida Marlins affiliate and his father, John, was the Marlins director of player development. He managed the Boston Red Sox single-A affiliate in Salem, Va., last year and was promoted when Arnie Beyeler, the longest-tenured manager in Sea Dogs history, moved up to Triple-A Pawtucket.

“We had a lot of different moving parts (in spring training). Really, towards the last week we didn’t really have an idea of what we were going to have. We’re just getting to know some of these guys right now,” Boles said. “Last week, we started to get a feel for them. Some of these guys we had last year in Salem, so there is some familiarity there.”

Nineteen Sea Dogs spent at least part of last season with Boles at Salem, including the five top prospects on the roster — starting pitcher Stolmy Pimentel (ranked sixth overall in the Boston organization by Baseball America), second baseman Oscar Tejeda (10th), third baseman Will Middlebrooks (11th), catcher Ryan Lavarnway (16th) and Wilson (19th). Only Wilson and Lavarnway moved north to Portland in 2010.

Seeing a lot of familiar faces in the clubhouse and one in the manager’s office could help more of this year’s Sea Dogs make the transition.

“This is the third year I’ve played for him,” said Middlebrooks, who also played for Boles at Single-A stops Greenville and Lowell. “I know his rules. I know his signs. I know what he expects from us. It’s a lot easier to adapt to a new level with him being here.”

Lavarnway seemed to adapt pretty well in 44 games last season, batting .285 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs. This year, he finds himself playing a different role in the ongoing cycle of minor league baseball.

“Getting into this lineup last year with a lot of older guys, it was kind of good to get my feet in the door and see how Double-A baseball is supposed to be played,” he said. “Now that a bunch of those older guys are out of here and we’ve got a bunch of new guys, now I kind of got thrown in as one of the guys with the most experience here, and I’m glad I got that experience with those older guys to kind of lead the way and show the way Double-A baseball is supposed to be played.”

Four of last year’s Sea Dogs ultimately showed the way to Boston — Lars Anderson, Felix Doubront, Ryan Kalish and Yamaico Navarro. The 23-year-old Lavarnway may follow that path starting Thursday.

Wilson said he knows how to help his catcher get there without catching a cold first.

“Work quick,” he said. “The less time you’re out there in the field and (the more time) in the dugout with those heaters, it’s going to be a huge benefit.”