By IAN WILSON
The Mavericks have been a big hit on the field and in the community of Medicine Hat.
After making a run to the WCBL championship final last summer, their playoff push was named the sports story of the year by the Medicine Hat News.
The East Division champs also saw gains at the turnstiles, seeing their total crowds at a recently-renovated Athletic Park grow from 32,986 in 2022 to 35,449 in 2023, resulting in an average attendance of 1,266 per game.
The Mavs will look to build on the momentum they saw during last year’s magical postseason run by turning in a more consistent regular-season record before they gear up for another run at the WCBL title.
IN THE DUGOUT
It was a tumultuous 2023 campaign for the coaching staff of the Mavericks.
The club initially hired Mark Goodman as head coach, but he left mid-season for a job in the Pioneer League. Pitching coach Kevin Mitchell took over the role of skipper and was able to right the ship with the help of owner/general manager Greg Morrison, who returned to field level in uniform to assist with the coaching duties.
Chad Martin, known for his batting practice throwing skills, also took on more responsibilities as an assistant coach.
The Mavs finished the regular season with a 30-26 record and pushed the Okotoks Dawgs to the limit in a WCBL championship final that went the full three games. Mitchell was named the WCBL Coach of the Year for his efforts and he’s back as Medicine Hat’s head coach in 2024.
Tory Nelson, a local infielder who played the last two summers for the Mavericks, is also joining the coaching staff as an assistant this year. In his 93 regular and postseason games with the Mavs, Nelson collected 60 hits, 38 runs and 34 runs batted in (RBI).
Rounding out the group of coaches this summer is former catcher Cody Henderson, a graduate assistant at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). The Montana native, who graduated with a sport management degree, has also coached with the American League’s Belgrade Bandits.
ON THE MOUND
It’s a clean slate of pitchers who will take the mound for Medicine Hat this summer.
Of note, is ambidextrous pitcher Jon Shields out of Magnolia, Texas. Capable of working as a righty or a lefty, the business management major graduated from high school last year and is now attending ERAU. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound pitcher can throw in excess of 90 miles per hour (mph) from both sides.
The Mavericks have loaded up on right-handed pitchers who are new to the team, including Braedon Davis (Paradise Valley Community College); Cesar Rodriguez (Kansas Wesleyan University); Ottawa’s Ryan Dexter (Ventura College); Tegan Melanson (Treasure Valley Community College); Josh Nolte (Dodge City Community College), Aidan Lenzen (Florida Tech), Dylan Runge (Blue Mountain Community College), and Lane McEachern (Butler Community College).
Fellow righthanders Jack Novak and Jacob Petersheim join Medicine Hat out of Colorado State University-Pueblo.
They’ve also added a righty arm out of Balashika, Russia. Andrei Gordeev joins the Mavs from Indian Hills Community College.
Their lefty options include John Walsh (Ottawa University); St. John’s, Newfoundland product Kody Butt (Williston State College); Evan Gant (Blue Mountain Community College), and Josh Landry, a standout with Hope International University who earned a NAIA Pitcher of the Week nod earlier this year.
In addition, southpaw Brett Getz is a local product who trained at the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball.
BEHIND THE PLATE
Some new pitch framers will also handle the Medicine Hat hurlers in 2024.
Jaden Babiuk is a catcher/infielder from St. Albert, Alberta who has played three seasons for the Valley City State University Vikings. During his time in the NAIA, Babiuk has appeared in 132 contests for the Vikings, batting .336 with 66 RBI and 15 stolen bases along the way. He was named a second-team All-Conference player in 2022-23.
Backstop Michael Quick, a native of Oshawa, Ontario, comes to Medicine Hat from McCook Community College. He’ll share catching duties with another Ontario player, Nick Thibodeau, who hails from Burlington and goes to school at the University of West Alabama.
AROUND THE HORN
Local star baseball player Evan Morrison is expected to see playing time at first base. The nephew of Mavs owner Greg Morrison can play both corner infield positions and in the outfield. He won the American Legion Class AA postseason award and was named to the Class AA All-State Team in 2023 as a member of the Medicine Hat Monarchs. In 34 games at Western Texas College this season, he has eight long balls, 29 RBI, 32 runs and a .413 on-base percentage.
Second baseman Brady Bean – selected as the Unsung Hero by the Mavs following the 2023 season – led the team in home runs (six), stolen bases (21), runs (46), doubles (11), walks (30) and games played (55). The pride of Kennewick, Washington also finished second in hits (66) and third in batting average (.313) and RBI (35). The sound defender and clutch playoff performer is back for another summer.
Tyler Vanneste, dubbed the Top Canadian on the Mavericks last year, also returns. The Saskatchewan infielder posted a .286 batting average, 32 runs and 21 RBI in 44 games. Vanneste – who plays for California State University San Bernardino – led the Mavs in postseason RBI with 12, while collecting four doubles, a round tripper and scoring five runs.
Another returnee is Johnny Vulcano, a Vauxhall Academy grad who suited up in 46 games for the Mavericks in 2023. The shortstop from Cloverdale, B.C. scored 29 runs and collected 39 hits in 163 WCBL at bats last summer.
Wyoming shortstop Blake Dale is an addition from McCook Community College, while freshman infielder Marshall Burke joins the Mavericks from Florida Tech, where he has put together a .321 batting average, 14 stolen bases, 26 RBI and 28 runs over 39 games this year.
IN THE OUTFIELD
Brody Gardner – who was named the 2023 team MVP – is back for another summer in the Gas City. The outfielder from North Carolina had a .352 batting average over 54 games, while recording 83 hits, 41 runs, 36 RBI and 10 stolen bases. In his eight postseason games, Gardner batted .333 with eight runs, three RBI, a homer and a pair of stolen bases.
He’ll be joined by Tabor College’s Micah Dvorak and Jordan Phillips, an outfielder from Houston, Texas who plays for William Jewel College. Phillips has proven to be a well-rounded batter with the Cardinals. Through 99 games at the NCAA Division 2 school, he has 16 homers, 24 doubles, 20 steals, 102 RBI and 91 runs.
Home Ballpark: Athletic Park
Home Opener: 7:05 p.m., Wednesday, May 29th vs. Saskatoon Berries
2023 Regular Season Results: Second place in East Division with 30 wins & 26 losses
2023 Playoff Results: Lost in WCBL championship final to Okotoks Dawgs; 5-3 postseason record
WCBL Championships: 2003, 2014, 2018
Mascots: Monty & Marshall
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