By IAN WILSON
The top performers in the Western Canadian Baseball League have been made official.
The summer collegiate circuit that calls Alberta and Saskatchewan home has named its Rookie of the Year, Most Outstanding Canadian, Most Outstanding Pitcher, Top Relief Pitcher, Coach of the Year, Mitch Ball Memorial Award winner, All-Star Teams and Most Valuable Players from the regular season and postseason.
Here is a summary of the WCBL’s major 2026 award recipients:
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN
There was no mystery to what Ethan Murdoch did on the diamond this year.
The outfielder with the Saskatoon Berries was the picture of consistency during the 2026 WCBL regular season.
Through 278 plate appearances and 55 games, the Swift Current native posted a .358 batting average, .453 on-base percentage and a 1.069 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
He finished among the WCBL batting leaders in hits (82), doubles (17), home runs (14), RBI (62), walks (36) and at bats (229).
Numbers aside, Murdoch was a leader in the clubhouse and a reliable veteran with the Berries.
The league took notice of his performance and have rewarded the 6-foot-2 righty batter with the 2026 Most Outstanding Canadian award … read more
TOP RELIEF PITCHER
Every bullpen has a fireman, but the Sylvan Lake Gulls have the top cop in the Western Canadian Baseball League.
While the fireman role typically sees relievers enter the game at crucial moments to put out fires, Brayden Stewart of the Gulls was handcuffing hitters all summer long.
As a result of his sworn duty to protect leads and maintain order on the scoreboard, Stewart has been named the 2026 Top Relief Pitcher in the WCBL.
“It’s a great award to get. It was a very tough league this year, so I feel honoured to get that award,” said the 6-foot-3 righthander from Warsaw, Kentucky.
“When I go on the mound, I’m not going to think anyone else is better than me. So, I just went out there with that type of confidence and just believed that my stuff was better than what the hitter could do against it. So, I just trusted myself and my team that they’re going to make plays for me and just go out there and do my thing.”
The results in the regular season saw Stewart produce a 1-2 record, five saves, a 2.32 earned run average (ERA) and 55 strikeouts over 31 innings pitched … read more
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER & ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
It was a powerhouse performance that ripped up the record book.
Jake Hiromoto, third baseman with the Swift Current 57’s, had a season for the ages in the WCBL.
When it was all said and done, the product of Honolulu, Hawaii set impressive new single-season records for home runs (22) and runs batted in (77).
In recognition of the outstanding campaign, Hiromoto has earned a pair of major WCBL awards in the form of Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Rookie of the Year (ROY) honours.
“Looking back on the summer, it’s still kind of like I’m on cloud nine. I feel like it’s just unbelievable that I was able to accomplish what I accomplished and I just had such a great support staff and I felt so welcomed,” said Hiromoto … read more
POSTSEASON MVP
He was a purple people eater for the Saskatoon Berries.
Righthander Wesley Shackelford denied opposing batters any satisfaction throughout the WCBL postseason.
The Belleville, Texas product made four impactful appearances against the Regina Red Sox, Moose Jaw Miller Express and Sylvan Lake Gulls on Saskatoon’s run to their first championship in franchise history.
The results were eye popping … three saves, one win, 14 strikeouts and zero runs allowed against the 30 batters that Shackelford faced. The most he conceded was one hit and one walk through nine innings of bullpen duty.
For his efforts Shackelford was named the WCBL Postseason MVP, although he was quick to give credit to the teammates that helped the Berries go 6-1 in pursuit of the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy.
“The bond that we had just straight off the bat was incredible. And I just knew that when we got things going, it would result in something like this. So to see it all come together, I mean, it was a total team effort,” said the Odessa College student … read more
MOST OUTSTANDING PITCHER
He’s been a mound monster for the Miller Express.
Westin Walls, a 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher, was both a workhorse and a strikeout artist when he took the bump for Moose Jaw.
The towering Texan led the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) in earned run average (minimum 54 innings pitched), with a 4.04 ERA during the 2026 regular season.
He also led the circuit in innings pitched (82.1), posted a 6-1 record, and set a new single-season record for strikeouts, with 92.
As a result of his diamond dominance, Walls was selected as the Most Outstanding Pitcher in the WCBL. He received 18 first-place votes on 22 ballots, which were submitted by head coaches and media members who cover the league … read more
COACH OF THE YEAR
It was full steam ahead for the Moose Jaw Miller Express.
The WCBL team underwent some major coaching changes entering the 2026 season.
Head coach Eric Marriott, who guided the club to two WCBL championship appearances, took a position as third base coach with the Ottawa Titans, a move that paid off when the team won its first Frontier League title in franchise history.
Stepping up as the new skipper at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw was long-time Millers assistant coach Michael Gonzalez.
“Becoming the head coach of the Millers has been a dream of mine since I became a part of the organization in 2022. Being able to maintain what Marriott and I built means a lot to me,” said Gonzalez when he was named the head coach in December of 2025.
“Taking the next step in my coaching career, with this community behind me, is very comforting. I know they expect great baseball, and with the roster coming along nicely, I feel we will be in for an exciting summer.”
His words proved prophetic.
Gonzalez steered the Miller Express to a 41-15 regular season record that was boosted by a 14-game winning streak. The streak and the wins total were both franchise records and Moose Jaw finished atop the East Division standings.
Players in Moose Jaw also experienced success along the way.
Shortstop Thomas Soto set WCBL single-season records for stolen bases (49) and runs (75).
Westin Walls established a new league high for single-season strikeouts, with 92, and the right-handed pitcher also led the circuit with 82.1 innings pitched. He was rewarded with the Most Outstanding Pitcher award for his stellar season.
Other Miller Express pitchers turned in memorable summers, as well. Lefty Jacob Glazener was tops in the WCBL in wins with an 8-2 record, while Nathan Pisio led the league in saves after closing out seven games.
For those achievements and more, Gonzalez has earned the title of 2026 WCBL Coach of the Year … read more
MITCH BALL MEMORIAL AWARD
He’s been a long-serving and dedicated umpire in the Western Canadian Baseball League for several years.
Whether he’s calling balls and strikes, checking on outfield catches or rendering verdicts on close plays at first base, Jeff Chipley has honed his umpiring craft to the point that observers have taken notice.
The result of his years of ballpark service have led to Chipley being named the recipient of the 2026 Mitch Ball Memorial Award, given annually by the WCBL to the top umpire in the league.
“Jeff has worked tremendously hard on improving his game over the past few years and his work this past year shows his hard work and dedication to umpiring is paying off,” said WCBL Supervisor of Umpires Rob Allan.
“He did over twenty games for us this year, including the WCBL championship series. He is a true leader in our league on and off the field. Congratulations to Jeff on a fantastic season.”
Chipley called it a “tremendous honour” to be selected as the winner of the Mitch Ball Memorial Award … read more
WCBL ALL-STAR TEAMS
The WCBL has also named its regular season all-star team selections for the 2026 campaign.
The announcement includes First Team, Second Team, Third Team and Honourable Mention rosters consisting of pitchers, catchers, infielders, outfielders and designated hitters.
Here are the picks, as selected by WCBL coaches and members of the media who cover the league:
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
Catcher: Garryn Plummer (Moose Jaw Miller Express)
Infielders: Jake Hiromoto (Swift Current 57’s); Thomas Soto (Moose Jaw Miller Express); Gael Salinas (Saskatoon Berries); Carter Roth (Medicine Hat Mavericks)
Outfielders: Ethan Murdoch (Saskatoon Berries); Cal Gates (Okotoks Dawgs); Elijha Hammill (Sylvan Lake Gulls)
Designated Hitter: Nash Crowell (Okotoks Dawgs)
Starting Pitchers: Westin Walls (Moose Jaw Miller Express); Logan Lynch (Weyburn Beavers); Jacob Glazener (Moose Jaw Miller Express)
Relief Pitchers: Brayden Stewart (Sylvan Lake Gulls); Nathan Pisio (Moose Jaw Miller Express)
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
Catcher: Rob Gurney (Weyburn Beavers)
Infielders: Brady Bye (Regina Red Sox);Johnboy Rittenhouse (Sylvan Lake Gulls); David Simmons (Energy City Cactus Rats); Ricardo Sanchez (Okotoks Dawgs)
Outfielders: Chris Franks (Moose Jaw Miller Express); Charlie Collins (Sylvan Lake Gulls); Hudson Unger (Swift Current 57’s)
Designated Hitter: Eduardo Saenz (Moose Jaw Miller Express)
Starting Pitchers: Kaegan Baker (Regina Red Sox); Brody Forno (Okotoks Dawgs); Michael Sall (Saskatoon Berries)
Relief Pitchers: Brooks Jones (Saskatoon Berries); Lucas Huynh (Lethbridge Bulls)
THIRD TEAM ALL-STARS
Catcher: Cardel Dick (Lethbridge Bulls)
Infielders: Brock Laird (Saskatoon Berries); Connor Crowson (Okotoks Dawgs); Kalem Haney (Lethbridge Bulls); Maddox Shaver (Sylvan Lake Gulls)
Outfielders: William Edwards (Moose Jaw Miller Express); Landon Kauffman (Okotoks Dawgs); Steven Fermin (Energy City Cactus Rats)
Designated Hitter: Keagan Knowler (Swift Current 57’s)
Starting Pitchers: Noah Bourgeois (Sylvan Lake Gulls); Derek Archer (Medicine Hat Mavericks); Saul Mata (Energy City Cactus Rats)
Relief Pitchers: Jacob Quiles (Moose Jaw Miller Express); David Gordon (Regina Red Sox)
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Catcher: Jacob Wrubleski (Okotoks Dawgs)
Infielders: Frankie Giacalone (Medicine Hat Mavericks); Josh Henson (Saskatoon Berries); Erick Ballenilla (Brooks Bombers); Ben Waliczek (Moose Jaw Miller Express)
Outfielders: Asahi Nakano (Brooks Bombers); Evan Morrison (Medicine Hat Mavericks); Ian Montz (Regina Red Sox)
Designated Hitter: Gavin Panks (Saskatoon Berries)
Starting Pitchers: Kingston Besuijen (Energy City Cactus Rats); Zachary Desylva (Swift Current 57’s); Owen Fernandes (Brooks Bombers)
Relief Pitchers: Reid Madriaga (Okotoks Dawgs); Gabe Smitherman (Fort McMurray Giants)
