Jason Ranger came running across the airport hall shouting, “they’re here, they’re here, they’re here!” The vocal alarm signaled the dozen or so fans, house families and media personnel awaiting the arrival of the Helena Brewers Saturday afternoon.

As the Pioneer League ballclub — an affiliate of the major league team in Milwaukee that shares their namesake — made their way into the open, one player was mobbed by a few familiar faces.

Jason, 4, and his older brother Josh, 6, immediately swarmed to Efrain Nieves, a 19-year-old pitcher from Caguas, Puerto Rico. Nieves flashed them a quick smile and hugged the two boys.

The boys of summer had officially returned.

“It’s a great feeling to be out here again,” said Nieves, who will spend his second season with the Brewers. “I didn’t even expect it. I thought we were going from here straight to the ballpark. But now, I see the family, it’s good to have them here.”

Nieves is returning to Helena after a short stint on the mound last summer, playing as the Brewers season began to wind down. He’ll join the Rangers once again and their mother, Kim, loves the addition.

“I had him for about a month last year,” Kim said. “He’s very laid back. He has younger siblings so he’s used to family.”

The Rangers visited the players at spring training and asked Nieves if he would be returning. When he told them he would, he also asked if he could stay with them again.

“We said, ‘Well, we’ll think about it.’ We like to joke around with him,” Kim said. “The boys knew in March that he would be coming back here.”

From their response, it seems they couldn’t wait.

A number of the 23 players that arrived in the afternoon will be making their first stop in Helena, eight of them jumping up from the Arizona Rookie League team.

Guiding them to their new home is manager Rene Gonzales. A 13-year veteran in the majors, it will be his second year as skipper with the Milwaukee organization, having coached in Arizona last year.

He’ll be spending his first year in Helena after filling the vacancy left by Jeff Isom, who was promoted as the Field Manager for West Virginia Power (Milwaukee’s Single A Affiliate in the South Atlantic League).

“I’m very excited to be here. That spring training and extended spring training in Arizona can get pretty long, and of course you know about the heat,” Gonzales said. “I’ve been looking forward to it. And the flight in here, just looking at the area, aesthetically, it’s just beautiful.”

The team hopped onto a bus and left for their new home for the summer, Kindrick Legion Field. Upon arrival, the players looked over the freshly cut grass, the well-kept diamond and then to the stands.

For many, it was a relief to see so many seats after playing in Arizona where only a few risers, and even fewer fans, graced the fences. There was little shade to duck beneath.

“We just came from Arizona from minicamp, and to tell you the truth the weather feels perfect right now. It feels a lot better here than it did there,” said pitcher Evan Frederickson, a Brewers first-round draft pick out of the University of San Francisco.

With the sun shining and cool breeze tempting thermometers to dip below 70, few could deny the perfect weather. If only they had been here earlier in the week when it snowed.

The sight of white mountain peaks mesmerized the six or seven Latin American players that hung just outside the doors of the ballclub.

“The sun, the weather,” said Puerto Rican pitcher Jorge Crespo, speaking of Arizona, “120, no bueno.”

Then looking around, “So, so exciting.”

Nieves said it was important for many of the Latino players to get together and get their bearings.

“It’s important for the first time and first couple of days,” he said. “We’ll teach the other players some Spanish and get together.”

They’ll have some help getting around with Nieves and former pitcher Brock Kjeldgaard, who’s returning for his third season, this time as a first baseman.

“For me, it’s a little bit different, but it’s always good to come back here,” Kjeldgaard said. “The first two years I’ve come here as a pitcher. I’m coming here as a first baseman now, so I’m pretty excited.”

The Brewers will have just a few days to get used to their new surroundings. After a long flight that began in Arizona and made stops in Seattle and Great Falls before finally reaching their destination, Gonzales decided to call off practice Saturday.

They have just two day now until their opening day. They’ll host Great Falls on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Reporter Jeff Windmueller: 447-4070 or irsports@helenair.com