Short Stop in Saskatchewan

You could call it glove at first sight.

Western Canadian baseball fans may not have realized it at the time, but they were watching the best defensive shortstop since Ozzie Smith take the field.

That summer of 2009, a scrawny 19-year-old kid from the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao made his way to the city of 15,000 people in Saskatchewan to suit up for the Yorkton Cardinals at Jubilee Park.

Majestic moonshots were not his calling card, and if you skipped batting practice you could still witness something special from Andrelton Simmons.

Tooning Up For the Big Leagues

From Saskatchewan to Seattle, Marco Gonzales always managed to take his game to the next level.

The 28-year-old is one of the more notable alumni of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL), and after signing a four-year, $30-million contract extension with the Mariners in 2020, the reliable left-handed pitcher should be memorable to those who follow the summer collegiate circuit.

In The Cards: 2018 Medicine Hat Mavericks

The Medicine Hat Mavericks were the last champions of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) in 2018. The league has since become the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) and last year it ushered in a new reigning champ in the Okotoks Dawgs.

During this edition of In The Cards, we take a closer look at that title-winning Mavs team, which posted a 38-9 regular-season record. Offensively, Medicine Hat led the league in runs, hits, runs batted in (RBI), on-base percentage, walks and batting average. They also placed close to the top of the WMBL in several pitching categories.

Coaching Duo Leaving Prospects

The Edmonton Prospects will have a new look in the dugout next year, as the coaching duo of Ray Brown and Orv Franchuk is moving on.

But the experienced skipper tandem may not be away from the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) for very long.

The Prospects announced the resignation of Brown, the team’s head coach, and Franchuk, the director of baseball development, on Sept. 12th after contract discussions with owner Patrick Cassidy broke down.

1 Thru 9: Reed Odland

Reed Odland made the most of his opportunities in the Medicine Hat Mavericks lineup this season.

As back-up to all-star Colton Wright, Odland put up solid numbers for the deep Mavs squad.

The 18-year-old recently answered the call for 1 Thru 9.