PORTLAND — As the son of a former Major League catcher and manager, Michael Brenly knows the dynamics of a professional baseball team better than anyone on the 2014 Portland Sea Dogs.

Brenly knows relationships have already been forged and cliques formed over the course of a season or two or three in the low minors.

Portland’s roster includes 12 players who are returning to the Sea Dogs. Even more of the players were already teammates on at least one of the lower rungs on the organizational ladder, whether it was Gulf Coast (Rookie), Lowell (Short-A), Greenville (Single-A) or Salem (Advanced-A).

Into that mix step Brenly, Bo Greenwell — the son of former Red Sox all-star Mike Greenwell — and four other minor league free agents acquired since the end of last season, all looking to contribute in their own way.

“It’s just trying to find your way in, the little niche to make us a team,” said Brenly, the son of Bob Brenly.

“You just kind of sit back for a few days, just kind of read people, feel people out, and see who’s a little more outgoing and who’s a little more reserved,” Brenly said during Media Day on Tuesday. “You get to know guys a little bit (in spring training), but this setting, with less guys than spring training,where we’re on the bus together, in the clubhouse together, gives us a real chance to kind of get to know each other.”

The Sea Dogs’ team bond won’t be cemented by the time they open the season Thursday in Reading, Pa., or even when they return from their seven-game road trip for the home opener April 10 against New Britain. Even the players who have already played together will need some time to get reacquainted and work together.

Outside of the pitcher and catcher, there is no duo that needs to learn to work together more than the double-play combination, the second baseman and shortstop.

The Sea Dogs have a keystone combination consisting of two of the organization’s top prospects, second baseman Mookie Betts and shortstop Deven Marrero.

Betts, the seventh-ranked prospect in the organization by Baseball America, and Marrero, ranked No. 15, played together at Lowell in 2012 and part of 2013 at Salem before Marrero got called up to Portland late in the season.

Betts has been looking forward to the reunion, although it’s been delayed because Marrero stayed back in Florida when camp broke (team officials said he will join the team on the road trip).

“We have fun out there, always smiling, always talking, keeping each other engaged,” Betts said. “Playing together, I go to the (second base) bag and I can pretty much close my eyes and I know the ball is going to be right there where I want it. He knows what to do before things happen. In Lowell I saw it, and then last year in Salem, he just really stood out.”

Opening Day starting pitcher Henry Owens stands out on the pitching staff. Baseball America ranked the 6-foot-6 21-year-old lefty the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox organization.

A late-season call-up to Portland in 2013, Owens is eager to build off a stint that saw hin go 3-1 in six starts with a 1.78 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 30.3 innings for the Sea Dogs.

“I really like to set the tone,” Owens said. “The best way to do that is keep throwing first-pitch strikes.”

Owens won’t be the only one looking to set the tone this week.

The name of the game in minor league baseball is development, so everyone has to essentially prove themselves all over again, even though new Sea Dogs manager Billy McMillon already managed most of them either at Salem or Greenville.

“Every year, you have guys that you have some high expectations for and also guys that surprise you with how well they matured in the off-season,” said McMillon, who was a Sea Dogs outfielder in 1995, when they were the Florida Marlins’ affiliate.

“One of the things we’re going to try to do is have the guys prepared every day,” he said, “and get them so they’ll be in a position to have some success.”

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