MANCHESTER, N.H. – Mike MacDonald, a member of the Camden-Rockport High School class of 2000, is back in affiliated baseball and he’s coming home to Maine.

The Red Sox got MacDonald from the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League and he joined the Sea Dogs and was headed with them to Trenton Friday night.

The right-hander is expected to start one of the next three games against the Thunder.

“You go down there (independent baseball) to give it a shot to see if someone gives you a call and wants to bring you back,” MacDonald said after Friday’s win over the Fisher Cats.

The Red Sox called and brought MacDonald back and he’s poised to be the first Mainer to play for the Sea Dogs.

“It’s nice to be able to go home,” he said. “I’ll be able to live at home and enjoy that time and soak it all up and enjoy the time I’m here.”

MacDonald was 3-4 with a 3.60 ERA in 70 innings over 13 starts with Somerset.

“He had been pitching very well from what our scouts had seen and from all reports,” said Ben Crockett, the Red Sox director of player development.

“He’ll come into Portland’s starting rotation for now and should be a good veteran presence for us.”

MacDonald was 6-6 with a 6.59 ERA with Triple-A Las Vegas in the Toronto organization last season.

“He’s got great experience,” Crockett said.

“He pounds the strike zone. His fastball has really good two-seam action. He has very good ground-ball ability and he’s a veteran. He knows how to pitch.”

A 15th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2004 out of the University of Maine, MacDonald was in Toronto’s organization from 2004-08.

He went 16-13 in 42 starts with the Fisher Cats.

He spent 2009 with Triple-A Salt Lake in the Angels’ organization and was with Double-A Richmond, the San Francisco Giants’ affiliate, in 2010.