MLB

S.I. Yanks, Cyclones both rarin’ to go after rain scraps opener

Friday night marked the opening of the New York-Penn League, as the league began its 75th season of play.

Here in New York City, the Staten Island Yankees and Brooklyn Cyclones were slated to begin a four-game series in Staten Island at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in front of a sellout crowd, but the game was postponed due to rain, and the teams will open their seasons against each other at 6 p.m. Saturday in Coney Island.

“For some of these guys, it’s going to be the largest crowd they’ve played in front of,” Staten Island manager Mario Garza said earlier this week.

The 31-year-old Garza — who played in the Astros’ farm system from 2003 to 2006 — will be tasked with bringing along raw talent in the hopes that one day they will make it to the big league club.

“We have really strong pitching,” Garza said. “I think pitching can end up being a strength for us.”

Both Garza and pitching coach Tim Norton are excited to see David Palladino, who was drafted in the fifth round last year and was scheduled to start the season opener.

The 6-foot-8 Palladino, who went to high school in nearby Emerson, N.J., made 12 starts for Staten Island last year and showed potential, striking out 49 batters in 54 innings.

“[He’s a] big, strong kid [with a] four-pitch package,” Norton said.

Another pitcher to keep an eye on is also a local — Dillon McNamara, an Adelphi University product who was taken in the 27th round last year.

McNamara, who posted a 2.19 ERA in 37 innings with 31 strikeouts last season, said extended spring training has him poised to improve upon his positive first impression.

“[I] really worked on my third and fourth pitches more in extended [spring training],” he said. “I worked on my splitter in extended spring [and] developed a fourth pitch.”

Though Garza hasn’t had much time to get to know his team — the team’s roster was only finalized on Thursday morning — he praised the Yankees’ organization’s work in the draft.

“I thought our draft was awesome this year,” he said. “I think we got some good picks, top to bottom, even some guys [in the] later rounds that kind of surprised me when I did some research and watched some video.

“I know we have a lot of college guys. We had a post-draft meeting and each area scout went through what they saw in these players, and it’s extremely exciting.”

Five of those draft picks will be in uniform for Staten Island this season, with the highest-drafted player being second baseman Ty McFarland, a James Madison University product.

McFarland, who hit .317 with nine homers in his senior season for the Dukes, told The Post he was ecstatic when he got the call telling him he had been drafted.

“It was a dream come true, to be drafted by America’s Team,” said McFarland, who played in the Cape Cod league two summers ago. “It’s fun to be back up North and playing in a good league like this, especially close to the [big league] team.”