When you finish a year with 128 stories that total more than 185,000 words, it’s hard to believe that more can be written.
Yet, here we are entering 2024, knowing that we’re just getting started on the stories to be told from Alberta’s baseball scene.
Whether it’s the successes seen at the grassroots level, the accomplishments of those playing with national or collegiate teams, or professional players looking to take the next step, it will certainly be another big year for the game in our province. Add in stories of coaches and officials, as well as tales of yesteryear, we will have our fingers on the pulse of it all.
We may not have a crystal ball, but we already have our sights set on a few major storylines that likely capture hearts and minds.
Let’s see what this year might have in store…
NO. 1 … SOROKA TO THE SOX
It’s been a rough road for Calgary’s Michael Soroka, and he’s the first to admit it.
The journey of the last two injury-plagued years and his struggles to get back to his 2019 form have been well-documented.
In mid-November, the PBF Redbirds alum was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Chicago White Sox in a major deal that provides him with a change of scenery.
“I am thrilled to move on to a new chapter with the Chicago White Sox,” Soroka posted on Instagram a day after the trade. “I know the difficulties I have had to work through in previous years have lead me on a path to becoming the athlete I want to be, and I am excited to continue that work for the south side.”
It will admittedly be different seeing the right-hander in some new colours when pitchers and catchers report in mid-February. Nonetheless, Soroka seems ready to prove some doubters wrong with a team that can afford to give him the time he needs to return to the calibre of pitcher he expects to be.
NO. 2 … BUBBLE TO THE BIGS
There seems to be an undercurrent of pro players ready to make the jump to the big leagues.
Former Edmonton Prospects and Okotoks Dawgs two-way star Kody Funderburk did it with the Minnesota Twins in 2023, so who is ready in 2024?
The first name that comes to mind is Vauxhall Academy of Baseball product and former Lethbridge Bulls infielder Damiano Palmegiani.
He has rocketed up the depth chart of the Toronto Blue Jays, ending the year with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, before having a stellar performance in the Arizona Fall League.
After picking up the Western Canadian Baseball League Rookie of the Year and Playoff MVP awards in 2019, Dawgs Academy alum Tristan Peters has landed with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he spent last year with Double-A Montgomery Biscuits.
He really came on in the second half of the season after changing up the bat he was using, and seems poised to continue growing in an organization that likes to bring players up through their system.
We’ll also have our eyes on a number of players like Jordan Procyshen, Adam Macko, Erik Sabrowski, Greg Cullen, Justin King, Alejo Lopez and Garrett Hawkins, to see where they land coming out of Spring Training.
NO. 3 … BERRY GOOD YEAR FOR THE WCBL
Since last spring, the talk of Western Canada’s baseball world has been the Saskatoon Berries.
They have made a giant splash with the rollout of their team identity, logo, social media content, coaching announcements (long-time Swift Current player and coach Joe Carnahan and former MLB hurler Andrew Albers), and their own academy.
The true challenge will be seen when they hit the field for the first time May 25 against the Regina Red Sox.
It’s another big step for the Western Canadian Baseball League, which has taken a number of key steps to grow its footprint in North America in recent years.
With the addition of the Berries and the return of the Edmonton Prospects, the 12-team circuit will look to build off its record-setting attendance figures of 2023 while, behind the scenes, working more on the business side to grow the brand.
There’s also talk of further expansion in the next few years, so don’t expect things to slow down for the league any time soon.
NO. 4 … HAWKS IN THE VALLEY
The Edmonton Riverhawks might not have been a playoff team on the field, but they certainly had a champion at the turnstiles.
Finishing second to the Okotoks Dawgs in Canadian summer collegiate attendance, according to Ballpark Digest (104,748 to the Dawgs’ 127,622), the Riverhawks finished the year with an 18-36 record, including 11-16 in the second half.
Head coach Jake Lanferman and his staff will be looking to improve on that when they hit the road to start the year May 31 in Bellingham.
There’s also a lingering question about whether another West Coast League team in Alberta is on the horizon.
We have heard some tires have been kicked in different communities about summer collegiate baseball in other markets, although it’s unclear whether the intention might be to join the WCBL or WCL.
Travel has traditionally been an issue for Edmonton-based teams (see: Edmonton Capitals and Cracker-Cats), and while Dr. Randy Gregg did say his group was helping subsidize flights to and from the provincial capital, we are wondering whether the Riverhawks would like to see a regional rivalry at some point sooner rather than later.
NO. 5 … BOUND FOR THE BAY
This year has been circled for everyone involved with Baseball Canada’s Women’s National Team as the Women’s Baseball World Cup is slated for July 28 to August 3 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Manager Anthony Pluta and the Baseball Canada coaching staff have already set the wheels in motion on selecting the team by naming its Winter Meetings roster.
Ava Greiner, Cassie Matlock, Kaitlyn Ross, Madison Willan and Tyra Stanich are the Albertans among the 42 athletes taking part in the virtual winter meetings.
They are hoping to then get the invite to Ottawa in early July for Baseball Canada’s selection camp, where 20 players will be chosen to wear the maple leaf.
This will be the first WBWC Finals since 2018, as the 2020 edition was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and attempts to hold in 2021 were also thwarted, leading to it being cancelled until 2024.
The Canadian contingent, which is expected to be younger than it has been in past tournaments, has medalled six out of the eight times the tournament has been held.
While Canada has two silvers and four bronze to its name, Japan has won six straight titles.
There you have it. This is just a glimpse of some of the stories we sure will dominate the headlines in 2024. Any others you can think? What are you looking forward to the most this year? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media posts!
