It was an exciting year for baseball in Medicine Hat in 2022.
The Mavericks of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) returned to play for the first time since 2019 after sitting out a pair of seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When they did return, the Mavs took the field at a newly-renovated Athletic Park, which saw $3-million worth of improvements that included a shade canopy, a new ticket office and the addition of field-level seating.
The upgrades helped the Medicine Hat Mavericks become the third-most popular club in the league. The team’s total attendance of 32,986 fans was a franchise record, resulting in an average of 1,178 visitors per game.
The initial on-field results were less than overwhelming, but the Mavericks managed to sneak into the playoffs despite their 18-39 record. Once they punched their ticket to the postseason, the Mavs made the most of it, eliminating the Regina Red Sox in the first round. They then pushed the Moose Jaw Miller Express to the limit in a best-of-three series. The Miller Express knocked out the Mavs in Game 3 and represented the East Division in the WCBL championship final against the Okotoks Dawgs.
The season also saw several outstanding individual performances from Mavericks players, as we’ll examine in this edition of In The Cards.
Before we break down this official set of baseball cards, here are a few quick notes on the collectibles. The card stock is firm and of high quality; the photography includes sharp action pictures on the front and head shots on the back; and the design includes baseball stitching on the top and bottom of each card, which is a nice touch. The back of each card also includes a bit of info on each player, their jersey number, and sponsor logos. Full marks for card quality on this set!
Alright, onto a closer look at the roster:
Infielders Kellen Williamson (middle right) and Nathan Ade (bottom right) were solid for the Mavericks and earned WCBL All-Star honours for their efforts. Williamson, a Missouri native, suited up in 40 games for Medicine Hat and batted .309 through 149 at bats. He also contributed 39 runs, 24 runs batted in (RBI) and 17 stolen bases … Ade also appeared in 40 games for the Mavs and posted a .286 batting average along with 22 runs and 22 RBI. The Californian also put in one bullpen appearance and pitched a clean inning that included two strikeouts.It’s often said that internal competition is great for a team, but the Mavs took things one step further by adding a second mascot in 2022. They may have been horsing around with long-time fan favourite Monty (top right) in previous seasons but they added a straight shooter in Marshall (top middle). Fortunately, there was no animosity reported between the two family-friendly characters. “As it turns out, the couple were able to bond over their love of music, dancing, kids, and baseball. They quickly developed into the most dynamic duo in the WCBL,” declared the Mavericks in a statement on their website.Spokane’s Braden DeSonia (top middle) was Mr. Everything for the Mavs in 2022. The versatile infielder and outfielder set a new WCBL record for stolen bases, with 42 swiped bags, and he also led the league in hits (80) and at bats (230). Through his 56 regular season games and five playoff contests, DeSonia posted a .339 batting average, 52 runs, 43 RBI and five homers. He also represented the Mavs in the Home Run Derby at the WCBL All-Star Game. Isaiah Bartels (middle right) was a towering presence on the mound at Athletic Park. During the regular season, the 6-foot-7 Minnesotan made 19 appearances, all but one of them out of the bullpen. In his 42.1 innings, the WCBL All-Star picked up two saves, 45 Ks, a 2.97 earned run average (ERA) and a 1-1 record. In the postseason, the righthander made two starts. He neither won nor lost in those eight playoff innings, but he struck out five batters and logged a 3.37 ERA. Bartels and fellow pitcher Jacob Prosch (bottom left) both joined the Mavs out of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. “It’s really great that I know somebody here, it makes a lot easier to kind of connect with others. We cheer for each other because we know each other, it’s a lot of fun,” Bartels told the Medicine Hat News during the summer.Hunter Cooper (bottom right) brought his talents to the mound and the batter’s box for the Mavericks. As a hitter, the first baseman from California played in 33 regular-season contests and another five in the playoffs, putting up a combined .277 batting average, 12 runs and 17 RBI. As a pitcher, the righty went 2-5 with a 7.75 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 33.2 innings. He pitched in 11 games, including five starts. Cooper signed a pro deal in Belgium after the WCBL season … Nate Ewing (middle) also served as a two-way player. The Pennsylvania product laced up the cleats in 41 games for the Mavs, finishing his summer in all five of the team’s playoff matchups. Ewing produced 22 runs and 15 RBI at the dish, while logging 25.1 innings as a relief pitcher. He racked up 30 Ks and led all Medicine Hat pitchers in wins with four victories on the season. Both players represented the Mavs at the WCBL All-Star Game in Okotoks.The summer of 2022 provided pitcher Nathan Stark (middle left) with a fun opportunity. The righthander and his younger brothers, Josh and Zachary, got the chance to play on the same roster for their hometown team for the first time in their lives. “I haven’t really had the opportunity to play with Josh,” Nathan told CHAT News Today. “I’ve played with Zach before, but to be able to play with both of them it’s really special because just that age difference we kind of get separated a little bit.” With Nathan on the mound, Zach behind the plate catching, and Josh patrolling the outfield, the Starks had the diamond covered.Swingman Zac Robinson (top right) earned a WCBL All-Star appearance for his mound work with Medicine Hat. The Ladysmith, British Columbia hurler pitched 47.2 WCBL innings between the regular season and the playoffs, going 3-3 with a 5.10 ERA and 28 Ks . “I just want to keep playing,” Robinson told Medicine Hat News reporter James Tubb after coming to the Mavs from the Okotoks Dawgs. “I still have the big-league dream.” Robinson continues to chase that dream as a member of the Thompson Rivers University (TRU) Wolfpack, a team he played for in 2022 and returned to in 2023.Hunter Boylan (top middle) was another Mavericks player tasked with double duty in 2022. The southpaw made 12 appearances, including a start, on the bump for Medicine Hat, going 0-1 with a 5.08 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 23 innings. The California player also went to work at the plate over 30 games, where he collected 23 RBI and 13 runs in 110 at bats. “When I was growing up, my dad always told me there’s three facets to baseball, there’s hitting, defence and being a good teammate,” Boylan told Tubb. “You have to try to be at least two out of three of those, so being a teammate should be a given every day, any day.” The first baseman/pitcher added: “Sometimes this game can be challenging and you get ups and downs, so you have to remind yourself that you’re playing a game. You have to be happy out there, it’s the only way you can succeed.”
Thanks for looking over this set with us. We encourage you to leave a comment about the players and cards below or on social media.
We are currently developing an online digital archive of Alberta baseball card sets with our In The Cards series. If you have baseball cards you’d like to donate – or lend – to our cause, please email us at AlbertaDugoutStories@gmail.com with more information and to make arrangements.
