Otago's pre-season includes one-day fixtures against Scotland and Ireland and will get under way with a two-day trial match at Tonga Park starting on Sunday.
Coach Dimitri Mascarenhas has named an initial list of 26 triallists for the game.
Otago allrounder Sam Wells has been named but is unlikely to play.
He picked up a shoulder injury during a club cricket game on the weekend and did not bowl in the nets yesterday.
Sam Blakely is also expected to miss the trial. He has been sidelined with a leg and now ankle complaint.
Michael Bracewell, Mark Craig, Jacob Duffy, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, James Neesham and Hamish Rutherford are all unavailable due to other cricket commitments or injury concerns, while promising left-armer Blair Soper is sidelined with a shoulder injury and is not expected to return until next year.
Following the trial, Mascarenhas will name a squad of 13 for a two-day warm-up game against Canterbury in Rangiora from October 19-20.
Following that match, Otago will play Scotland in a one-dayer at Lincoln on October 22 and Ireland the following day.
The Volts' opening Plunket Shield game is against Central Districts on October 26.
''The guys are building up nicely,'' Mascarenhas said.
''Obviously everyone is not going to play in all those games so we will have to manage who will play what games and the bowling loads. But everyone is bowling well and nearly up to 100% bowling-wise.
''It is been good. The more cricket we play, the better. The weather will dictate but there are probably going to be some washouts.''
Recruits Roald Badenhorst (Central Districts) and Tipene Friday (Wellington) had a good bowl in the nets.
Friday is not express in pace but dropped on to a good length and got the ball to bounce more than anyone else.
Badenhorst shaped the ball nicely and looked useful with the bat. All-rounder Iain Robertson perhaps made the biggest impression, though.
The ball cracked off his bat and newly promoted captain Aaron Redmond also had a solid workout in the nets.
Otago triallists
Tonga Park, Sunday
Roald Badenhorst, Nick Beard, Sam Blakely, Gregor Croudis, Derek de Boorder, Ryan Duffy, Sean Eathorne, Josh Finnie, Shaun Fitzgibbon, Tipene Friday, Marcus Frost, Jamie Glenn, Tom Griffin, Jack Hunter, James McMillan, Aaron Redmond, Hamish Robertson, Iain Robertson, Brad Rodden, Jesse Ryder, Bradley Scott, Jesse Simpson, Craig Smith, Michael Snedden, Neil Wagner, Sam Wells.
