Four returnees (above L to R: Wyatt MacDonald Jake Finkelstein, Jacob Thompson Kyle Hepburn) and two Fresno State infielders first to become 2025 HarbourCats

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 24, 2024

VICTORIA, BC — With the 2025 West Coast League (WCL) schedule close to being announced, Victoria HarbourCats Head Coach Todd Haney has been busy behind the scenes, assembling a 2025 roster that will look to bring home it’s first ever WCL championship.

Looking to build on the playoff success of 2024 and previous seasons, four familiar faces will make their return to the HarbourCats, including pitchers Jake Finkelstein (Georgia Gwinnett), Jacob Thompson (Minot State) and Wyatt MacDonald (Lower Columbia) — the last two are Victoria natives — and catcher Kyle Hepburn (Southern Illinois), who hails from the Lower Mainland.

Also joining the 2025 roster are first baseman Cayden Munster and middle infielder Jett Ruby, both at Fresno State, continuing a run of solid players from that school that last year brought us WCL All Star Sky Collins and Cam Schneider, in 2023, Team MVP Tyler Davis and Marco Pirruccello and in 2022, WCL All Star Grady Morgan.

Finkelstein was with the HarbourCats in 2022 and 2023 and brings veteran leadership to the pitching corps. In his two years to date, Finkelstein has appeared in 26 games, starting two, and earning a 4-3 record with a 3.16 ERA over 48.1 innings of work. He struck out 50 batters, while walking 18.

Thompson was solid for the HarbourCats out of the bullpen in 2024, appearing in 12 games (20.2 innings pitched) and amassing a 4-1 record and an ERA of 3.48. He struck out 13 batters and walked only four holding opponents to a .211 batting average.

MacDonald was with the HarbourCats late in 2023 as a call up from the Victoria Eagles and saw limited action on the mound appearing in just one game. He is just beginning his freshman season at Lower Columbia under in part the tutelage of Assistant Coach Mike Callia, a former HarbourCat.

Hepburn was an early season call-up for the HarbourCats in 2022, appearing in just five games and then returned for the 2023 season where he appeared in 12 games, hitting .286 with one home run and 11 RBI. He is transferring to Southern Illinois from Johnson Community College where in his freshman year in 2023 he batted .308 (28-for-91) with nine doubles, a triple, a home run, 20 runs scored and 26 RBI.

Munster (6-3/235) and Ruby (6-0/185) will look to provide some pop at the plate from the left side and see key playing time in the infield. Munster was the winner of the Mountain West Scholar-Athlete Award in 2024, one of the highest academic honors bestowed by the conference. Ruby played summer baseball in the PEL for the Humboldt Crabs hitting .345 in 27 games while being named the Team MVP.

“We have a great relationship with Ryan Overland, Head Coach at Fresno State, who consistently sends us quality players and quality individuals,” said HarbourCats Head Coach Todd Haney. “I am confident that Munster and Ruby will be key offensive players for us in 2025, the same way Schneider and Collins were last year, and the players before them” added Haney. “Finkelstein, Thompson, Hepburn and MacDonald, as returning players, know the championship expectations of playing in Victoria and will be able to pass that along to new players on the 2025 team.”

The HarbourCats, who joined the WCL in 2013, will enter into their 11th season of play at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park in 2025 (with the 2020 and 2021 seasons cancelled due to COVID) and have made the playoffs in six of those 10 previous seasons including the last four in a row (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) with trips to the WCL Championship game(s) in 2017, 2019 and 2023.

The 2025 schedule, which will feature 27 home league games and (where possible) 2-5 non-league games, should be released in the next week. Season Tickets and 10-game Flex Packs are now on sale, with Season Tickets on at Early Bird Pricing until October 31st. Stop in to the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street to order, or call 778-265-0327. Flex packs may also be ordered on-line in the Cat Shop HERE.

For more updates, be sure to follow the Harbourcats here on our web and on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

Victoria, BC – September 26, 2024 – The Victoria HarbourCats Baseball Club is proud to announce a unique collaboration with the Lək̓ʷəŋən Peoples for the 2025 season. Earlier this year, the HarbourCats worked with Songhees Nation’s Intergovernmental Liaison, Michelle Sam, to invite both nations to participate in a logo design contest to create a special logo that will be featured on the team’s uniforms throughout the upcoming season.

After careful consideration, the design submitted by John Warren was selected by representatives from both the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, along with members of the HarbourCats staff. John’s winning design will serve as a symbol of unity and respect, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Songhees and Esquimalt peoples.

HarbourCats Creative Director, Chris Beveridge, has been working closely with John to refine the design for print on the team’s uniforms. Chris is no stranger to such collaborations; he recently partnered with Noel Brown of the Snuneymuxw Nation in Nanaimo to create the Indigenous-themed uniforms and branding for the HarbourCats’ sister team, the NightOwls.

“We are honoured to showcase John Warren’s artwork on our uniforms next season,” said Beveridge. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to recognizing and celebrating the culture and traditions of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. It has been a privilege to work alongside John and the members of both nations to bring this project to life.”

The new uniforms will be unveiled in early 2025, while the logo will be released today, September 26th, to mark our solidarity and respect for Truth and Reconciliation Day, with a special ceremony planned to celebrate the partnership between the HarbourCats and the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations at a later date. The team looks forward to wearing the new uniforms with pride, and continuing to look for ways to collaborate in the future with the Lək̓ʷəŋən Peoples.

Led by Nick Pivetta (above), still going strong with the Boston Red Sox, there were 33 former HarbourCats active in affiliated professional baseball in 2024, including three new players who reached the MLB level.  Here is a summary of all of them.

September 6, 2024

Victoria, BC  – After a busy 2024 that saw three more former HarbourCats make their MLB debut and where seven former and current players were drafted or signed as part of the 2024 entry draft, we felt it would be a good time to update you on the status of all of our former players who were active in affiliated pro baseball in 2024.

In total, 33 former HarbourCats plied their trade at the professional level this summer, including our longest term  MLB players Nick Pivetta (BOS) and Andrew Vaughn (CHW), while Nathan Lukes (TOR) made a long-awaited return to the Blue Jays big club late in 2024.

Three more players, Cade Smith (CLE), Jack Neely (CUBS) and Davis Wendzel (while with TEX), also made their MLB debuts in 2024.

In addition to those six players at the MLB level, five players were active on AAA rosters, including our only other MLB player to date Alex De Goti, nine at the AA level, five at the High A level, three at Low A, including 2024 draftees Sean Heppner and Hunter Omlid, and our other five 2024 draft picks still learning their way around development camps for their respective teams.

A full summary of all 33 players follows below (all stats and teams as of September 5, 2024)

Active Major Leaguers

Nick Pivetta – Boston Red Sox
Our very first pitcher (2013), our very first draft pick (Washington 2013) and our very first player to make his Major League debut (Philadelphia 2017), Pivetta is still going strong and completing his fifth year with the Boston Red Sox, where in 2024 to date, he has made 21 starts, has a record of 5-10 and an ERA of 4.53, striking out 141 batters and walking 28 in just over 117 innings of work.

Andrew Vaughn – Chicago White Sox
A 2017 HarbourCat, Vaughn is finishing his fourth season in the bigs, all with the Chicago White Sox, and while the 2024 version of the team has been woeful, Vaughn is holding his own with a .237 average, 16 home runs and 60 RBI.

Cade Smith – Cleveland Guardians
Smith, a 2019 HarbourCat, made his MLB debut with Cleveland this summer and has been nothing short of fantastic for the Guardians, appearing in 65 games, all out of the bullpen, amassing a 6-1 record and a 2.18 ERA. Over 66 innings of work, he has struck out 88 batters, while walking 17, holding opponents to a .196 average during that span.  Potentially in the running for 2024 Rookie of the Year.

Nathan Lukes – Toronto Blue Jays
Our 2014 Player of the Year, Lukes has had an up and down go of it with the Blue Jays since cracking the opening day roster in 2023, but in 2024 was hitting .333 for AAA Buffalo before an thumb injury sidelined him for a bit.  He was recalled to the Jays in September and has been on fire, hitting  .455 with a double, triple and four walks in three games thus far in 2024.

Jack Neely – Chicago Cubs
2019 HarbourCat Jack Neely spent the better part of four seasons in the Yankees farm system after they drafted him in 2021, working his way up to AAA, but was traded to the Cubs AAA Iowa affiliate and then was called up to the big club and had his first MLB appearance on August 26th.  He has now appeared in four games for the Cubs with mixed success in just four innings of work.

2019 HarbourCat Jack Neely made his MLB debut with the Cubs on August 26th, 2024.

Other Players who have played in MLB to date (and their current teams)

Davis Wendzel – Louisville Bats, AAA Affiliate, Cincinnati Reds
Drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2019, 2017 HarbourCat Wendzel worked his way up to AAA and then earned a call-up to the Rangers big club in 2024, where he appeared in 27 games and struggled at the plate hitting just .128 with a homer and two RBI.  The Rangers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds at the 2024 trade deadline and Wendzel is now with the Reds AAA affiliate, the Louisville Bats.  At the AAA level, Wendzel is hitting .260 for the season, with 6 home runs and 34 RBI.

Alex De Goti – Round Rock Express, AAA Affiliate, Texas Rangers
An original HarbourCat that played for us in 2013, 2014 and 2015, De Goti has had an interesting pro career since being drafted by Houston in  2016. After working his way up to AAA in the Astros system, De Goti was called up to the big club for a weekend in the 2021 Covid-19  season where in two games, he hit .333 with a pair of hits, a walk and an RBI.  He then headed back to AAA and following the 2022 season opted for free agency and signed with Miami, who promptly traded him to the Minnesota Twins.  He played in 2023 for the AAA St. Paul Saints, but was released in August of that year. In 2024 De Goti signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers and has worked his way back to the AAA level with the Round Rock Express. Ironically, Round Rock was the Astros AAA affiliate when De Goti played for them while in the Astros system.

Others in Affiliated Pro Ball

AAA

Joe Record – Durham Bulls, AAA Affiliate, Tampa Bay Rays
Another original HarbourCat, along with Nick Pivetta and Alex De Goti, Record has been toiling in the minors since being drafted by Minnesota in 2017. He moved to the Astros in 2020 and worked through stints on the injury list to a spot in AAA, eventually signing a free agent contract with Tampa for the 2024 season.  With the Bulls, he has appeared in 42 games, amassing a 4.31 ERA, striking out 62 batters in just over 53 innings of work.

Chase Meidroth – Worcester Red Sox, AAA Affiliate, Boston Red Sox
Drafted by the Red Sox in 2022, Meidroth, a 2019 HarbourCat, has worked his way up the minor ranks quickly to AAA Worcester, where he is having a solid year to date, hitting .300 with seven home runs and 49 RBI.

Wyatt Young – Syracuse Mets, AAA Affiliate, New York Mets
A flashy high-schooler when he played for the HarbourCats in 2016, Young went to Pepperdine and then was drafted by the Mets in 2021. He has spent most of his time at AA Binghamton (with former HarbourCat Rowdey Jordan, see below), but had call ups to AAA Syracuse in 2022, 2023 and once again at the end of the season here in 2024. Overall in his time in the minors, Young has appeared in 384 games and is hitting .262 with 16 home runs and 133 RBI.

Harrison Spohn – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, AAA Affiliate, Miami Marlins
2018/2019 HarbourCat Spohn was signed as a free agent by Miami in 2022 and has moved quickly up the minor league ranks, spending most of 2024 with the AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos, where over 89 games he had seven home runs and 29 RBI. He also struggled at the plate, fanning 117 times. He was called up to AAA Jacksonville in September and has appeared in three games to date with two walks and six strikeouts in nine at bats.

Harrison Spohn while playing for the HarbourCats in 2019

AA

Travis Kuhn – Arkansas Travelers, AA Affiliate, Seattle Mariners
A 2017 HarbourCat, Kuhn was drafted by the Mariners in 2019 and quickly rose through the low minor ranks, where after a one game appearance at AAA Tacoma in 2021, earned a spot on the AA Travelers in 2022. He has been there since and in 2024, has appeared in 42 games with a 4-6 record and 3.4 ERA striking out 62 batters in 53 innings of work.

Kekai Rios  – New Hampshire FisherCats, AA Affiliate, Toronto Blue Jays
Drafted by Milwaukee in 2018, Rios, who caught for the HarbourCats in 2017, has bounced around the minors since then, eventually landing in the Blue Jays system where he played in Vancouver and then found his way to the AA level with the FisherCats. He struggled with an injury and rehab assignment in 2024, only playing in 18 games and while he was technically promoted to AAA Buffalo in late July of 2024, he was then released on August 2nd.

AJ Block – Northwest Arkansas Naturals,  AA Affiliate, Kansas City Royals
Signed as a free agent by the Royals in 2020, Block, who pitched for Victoria in 2017, worked in the low minors for two seasons and then missed most of 2023 on the injured list. He returned healthy for 2024, pitching for the high A Quad City River Bandits and earned a call-up to the AA Naturals in September of 2024.

Carter Loewen – San Antonio Missions, AA Affiliate, San Diego Padres
Originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016. Loewen, a 2018 HarbourCat, opted to go to school (Hawaii) and then signed a free agent contract with San Diego in 2020. Since then he has battled injury and has now worked his way up to the AA Missions, where in 2024, he has appeared in 36 games and amassing a 5.16 ERA.

AJ Lewis – Hartford Yard Goats, AA Affiliate Colorado Rockies
A 2018 HarbourCat, Lewis was signed as a free agent by the Rockies in 2020 and has steadily worked his way up to the AA level with the Yard Goats, where in 2024 to date, he has seen limited action, appearing in just 24 games and hitting .197 with 10 RBI, four of which came in one game against Portland on May 22nd.

Shane McGuire – Midland RockHounds, AA Affiliate, Oakland As
The HarbourCats Player of the Year in 2017, McGuire was drafted by Oakland in 2019 and quickly moved up the ranks, landing in AA Midland for the 2023 season where he has been since. Over his four-year minor league career to date, he has appeared in 270 games, hitting  .246 with nine home runs and 112 RBI.

2017 Player of the Year Shane McGuire is quickly working his way up the ranks in the Oakland A’s system.

Rowdey Jordan – Binghamton Rumble Ponies, AA Affiliate New York Mets
The Mississippi State speedster played in Victoria in 2018 and was then drafted by the Mets in 2021, ascending quickly to Binghamton in 2022 where he has been since.  In his minor league career to date, Jordan, through 352 games, is hitting .234 with 27 home runs and 160 RBI. He has 67 doubles and 70 stolen bases as well.

Adam MacKillican – Hartford Yard Goats, AA Affiliate Colorado Rockies
The HarbourCats Pitcher of the Year in 2017, MacKillican was signed as a free agent by the Texas Rangers in 2021 and then moved to the Rockies organization with Spokane in 2022 and Hartford in 2023.  The injury bug then hit and MacKillikan missed most of the 2024 season, appearing in just four games, three on a rehab assignment in Rookie ball and one more in Hartford on August 15th before going back on the injured list yet again.

Caleb Ricketts – Reading Fightin’ Phils, AA Affiliate, Philadelphia Phillies
 Drafted by the Phillies in 2022, 2018 HarbourCat Ricketts moved quickly through Rookie and A ball, earning a spot on AA Reading for 2024. He has battled through some injuries this season to appear in 75 games (71 at catcher), hitting .219 with seven home runs and 91 RBI.

High A

Indigo Diaz – Hudson Valley Renegades, High A Affiliate, New York Yankees
Diaz, a hard-throwing pitcher for the HarbourCats in 2017, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2019 and later traded to the Yankees in 2022. He has battled injuries over his minor league career to date including a rehab assignment in 2024, but is now back with the Renegades and has appeared in 10 games since his return on July 25th.

Jack Owen  -Lansing Lugnuts, High A Affiliate, Oakland A’s
The HarbourCats and West Coast League Pitcher of the Year in 2017, Owen was originally drafted by St. Louis in 2019, but opted to attend Auburn and later signed as a free agent with the A’s in 2021. He rose quickly to the AA level where he has been since the 2022 season. Overall in the minors, he has a 17-8 record and 4.52 ERA, having appeared in 106 games and a total of 221 innings pitched.

Joe Redfield – Tri-City Dust Devils, High A Affiliate, Los Angeles Angels
The 2022 HarbourCats Player of the Year was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round in 2022 and since then, has spent just over half his minor league time (64 of 124 games total) with Tri-City. In those 124 games, Redfield is hitting .264 with six home runs and 59 RBI. He has 51 walks, 30 stolen bases and 84 runs scored in that same time span.

2022 HarbourCat Joseph Redfield is doing well so far in the Angels minor league system.

Dakota Hawkins – Brooklyn Cyclones, High A Affiliate, New York Mets
Pitcher of the Year for the HarbourCats in 2019, Hawkins was signed as a free agent by the Mets in 2023 where he saw minimal time at the Rookie and A level.  In 2024 he was assigned to AA Brooklyn, where he has appeared in 26 games, amassing a 4-4 record with nine saves and 4.30 ERA.  He has struck out 72 batters while walking 23 in just over 81 innings of work.  In late July Hawkins earned a call up to AA Binghamton, appearing in two games for the Rumble Ponies.

Matthew Clayton – Cedar Rapids Kernals, High A Affiliate, Minnesota Twins
A catcher for the HarbourCats in 2018 and 2019, Clayton was signed as a free agent by the Twins in 2023 and has performed well thus far in 2024 in the minors.  With Ft. Myers (A, 35 games) and now  Cedar Rapids (AA, 7 games) Clayton is hitting .269 with three home runs and 19 RBI.

Low A

Noah Takacs – Bradenton Marauders, Low A Affiliate, Pittsburgh Pirates
A 2022 HarbourCat and local Victoria native, Takacs was signed by the Pirates as a free agent in 2023. He promptly went on the injured list to have Tommy John surgery and is now working his way back from that having appeared in 27 games thus far in 2024, all in relief, 20 of which with the Rookie League Pirates and seven with Bradenton.  In those 27 games Takacs  is 5-7 with three saves over 39 innings of work.

Sean Heppner – Lynchburg Hillcats, Low A Affiliate, Cleveland Guardians
A 2023 HarbourCat, Heppner was one of seven former HarbourCats drafted or signed in the 2024 draft and was immediately moved to Lynchburg, the Low A affiliate of the Guardians.  To date, he has appeared in five games, amassing a 5.06 ERA while striking out 13 and walking eight batters in a total of 10.2 innings of work.

Drafted by Cleveland this past summer, 2023 HarbourCat Sean Heppner has already seen minor pro action with Single A Lynchburg.

Hunter Omlid – Fresno Grizzlies, Low A Affiliate, Colorado Rockies
A 2019 HarbourCat and another of the seven HarbourCats drafted or signed in the 2024 draft, Omlid was immediately put to work at Low A Fresno, appearing  in two games, where in four innings of work, he struck out six and walked two, giving up one run on just one hit.

MiLB Development Camps

Other than Sean Heppner and Hunter Omlid (noted above), the remainder of the HarbourCats 2024 draft picks and free agent signees, were not officially assigned a team to close out 2024 and remained in the development camps of their respective clubs.  This includes:

Ryan Magdic, 2023 HarbourCat (Oakland A’s)
Lucas Ramirez, 2024 HarbourCat (Los Angeles Angels)
Connor Dykstra, 2024 HarbourCat (Seattle Mariners)
Jesse Brown, 2022-2023 HarbourCat (Miami Marlins)
Jagger Beck, 2024 HarbourCat (Houston Astros)

2025 SEASON TICKETS:  2025 Season Tickets and 10-Game Flex Packs are now on sale through the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street. Drop in or call 778-265-0327 to renew your seat or to lock in news seats for 2025. Early-bird pricing on Season Tickets in effect until September 30, 2024!

For immediate release 

August 16, 2024 

VICTORIA, B.C. — The Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League are pleased to announce that Head Coach Todd Haney and the team have agreed to an extension that will keep the native Texan in the role through the 2030 season.

Haney, among the top head coaches in collegiate summer baseball, has been with the team since 2018 and in the Head Coach role since 2019. In his four seasons as head coach, he has compiled a 132-83 overall record and led the team to the playoffs every season, and to the WCL championship final twice (2019, 2023).

The former Major League player (Expos, Cubs, Mets) will also serve as a coaching and development advisor for the Victoria Golden Tide of the CCBC.

Haney was named the 2023 WCL coach of the year.

“Todd and his wife Kira are a true pleasure to work with, and they absolutely love Victoria,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner.

“The work they do in the community is a big part of what helps set our organization apart in this market. Todd is an outstanding baseball coach, person, and communicator, and his focus is on developing players in a winning environment — his work with local players and recruiting the best college players has been exceptional and we will continue to chase that WCL championship.

“Players routinely describe Todd as the best coach they will ever have. He teaches, he improves players, and our teams have played an exciting brand of baseball, as our fans know well.”

Under Haney, the HarbourCats have set numerous records, including the team stolen base mark — 169 swiped bases in 54 games, beating the Haney-led 150 bases stolen in 2023, which topped the 149 stolen in 2022. During his tenure as head coach, the Cats lead the WCL with 127 home runs, 2096 hits, 2895 total bases, and unsurprisingly 610 stolen bases.

Haney’s season-by-season win-loss record:

2019: 39-15
2022: 26-28
2023: 38-15
2024: 29-25

Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.

For immediate release 

August 15, 2024

VICTORIA, B.C — In the blink of an eye, another Victoria HarbourCats season has come and gone. The 2024 season was full of incredible moments from start to finish that will live long in the memory of all Cats fans. From walk-off wins to broken records and much more, the summer had a bit of everything.

This season’s story started on April 4 when the team announced the signings of Lucas Ramirez and Manny Ramirez Jr, sons of 12-time MLB All-Star and 2004 World Series MVP Manny Ramirez. The announcement started to excite the city for the return of HarbourCats baseball as the countdown to opening day had begun.

Todd Haney was back in charge for his fourth year as head coach and was joined by returning coaches Scott Anderson, Troy Birtwistle, Steve Sinclair, and Ethan Fox. Trovin Valdez, a personal coach for Ramirez Sr. during his career, joined the staff as a hitting coach.

The legacy of the team is so strong that our very own Helen Edwards wrote a book, “Victoria HarbourCats: Ten Years and Counting,” about the history of HarbourCats baseball. If you want to learn about the first 10 years of the organization, you can purchase the book on Amazon or at the Cats shop. All proceeds from sales are donated to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

After a 4-2 road trip to start the season, the HarbourCats returned to Victoria for the home opener on June 7 where they debuted their brand new Montreal Expos-inspired home uniform. This new look was in honour of Haney and Anderson’s time spent in the Expos organization during their careers. The opening weekend included a 9-6 win on the first fireworks night of the season in front of a packed Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

One of the standout days on the calendar is always Mayfair Optometric’s annual School Spirit Day. Cam Schneider made this season’s game a memorable one hitting a walk-off single in extra innings to beat the Nanaimo NightOwls 2-1 in front of over 5000 fans.

After an up-and-down June, the Cats had a 13-12 record. Camden Sos and Garrett Teunissen both stood out from the first game and quickly established themselves as key players for Haney. Unfortunately, both players suffered injuries and had their summer in Victoria cut short. Sos had 18 hits and 10 RBIs in his 17 games while Teunissen had nine extra-base hits in 24 games including a franchise record five triples, which led the West Coast League.

Ny’Zaiah Thompson, who was with the team from start to finish, had a June to remember leading the team in games played, hits, doubles, RBIs, and stolen bases for the month. On top of all of that, he consistently got the fans out of their seats for his play in the outfield, making a handful of spectacular diving catches.

On Canada Day, the HarbourCats won the RE/MAX Generation Island Cup for the third straight year. It went down to the final day, a doubleheader in Nanaimo, but the Cats edged the season series winning five of nine contests against the NightOwls to clinch the trophy.

The HarbourCats scored a season-high 19 runs in a win at home on July 7 against the Kelowna Falcons. They carried that momentum into an important series win at home against the Edmonton Riverhawks the following weekend. That kept them within striking distance of the second-half lead after the Wenatchee AppleSox secured their spot in the playoffs by winning the first half.

In mid-July the WCL paused for their first All-Star Game since 2019. Tate Shimao and Carson Cormier were the two HarbourCats selected to the North Division team. The game was broadcast on the MLB network, giving these young stars a great opportunity to showcase themselves on a national stage. Shimao, who quickly became a fan favourite and nicknamed “ShamWow,” was an All-Star in every sense of the word. His season was cut short due to injury but in his 20 games for the Cats, he had a .350 batting average, five doubles, two triples, two home runs, 20 RBIs, and seven stolen bases.

Carson Cormier was as dominant as they come from his first appearance to his last. The right-hander from TCU had a 1.45 ERA in 24-2/3 innings of work in the regular season. He struck out 34 batters and walked just eight. Cormier spent most of the season pitching in relief but was relied upon to start games later in the campaign, with his best outing coming against the Riverhawks on July 30 when he pitched five no-hit innings while striking out seven.

July brought the MLB Draft and 2024’s class was full of current and former Harbourcats. From this year’s team Connor Dykstra and Jagger Beck both signed as undrafted free agents with the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros respectively, and Lucas Ramirez was drafted in the 17th round by the Los Angeles Angels. Former players Sean Heppner (12th round, Cleveland Guardians), Ryan Magdic (14th round, Oakland Athletics), and Hunter Omlid (20th round, Colorado Rockies) were also drafted. 2023 HarbourCat Jesse Brown signed with the Miami Marlins as an undrafted free agent making it seven HarbourCats starting the professional journey’s in 2024.

After the All-Star break the battle for playoff spots heated up. The Cats were swept in Ridgefield but that lit a fire in them to go on a nine-game win streak which included a sweep of the Port Angeles Lefties on the road before six straight wins at home against the Kamloops NorthPaws and the Riverhawks.

This stretch was led by first baseman Michelle Artzberger, who joined the team at the end of June and stayed until the end of July. In his 22 games played he had hits in all but three games. He recorded two or more hits in 14 games and finished his season with a batting average of .414, one home run, seven doubles, and 23 RBIs. He had a knack for clutch moments, including hitting a bases-clearing double in back-to-back games against the NorthPaws during the winning streak.

Those nine wins in a row put the HarbourCats in a favourable position to make the postseason and they clinched their spot with a couple of games remaining. The last home game was against the Corvallis Knights where they wrapped up the regular season in exciting fashion coming back from 6-0 down to win 11-8.

Michael Crossland, who returned for a second year in Victoria, was named team MVP after his outstanding season. The outfielder from UC San Diego hit .326 with four home runs, 11 doubles, and 21 RBIs. Cormier was named Pitcher-of-the-Year and Jai Berezowski won the Community Service Award.

Due to stadium renovations for a BC Lions game at Royal Athletic Park on August 31, the HarbourCats could not play their home playoff game in Victoria. Instead, the Cats and their fans travelled to Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo to open a three-game series against the Wenatchee AppleSox. Fans showed up in numbers and created a special atmosphere at the ballpark, where the two teams were tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Kerim Orucevic wrote his name into the HarbourCats history books hitting a two-run walk-off home run to win the game 4-2.

Unfortunately, the HarbourCats could not take that momentum into Wenatchee where they lost games two and three to the AppleSox.

The HarbourCats broke a franchise record in 2024 with an overall attendance of 80,453 fans. On the field, Todd Haney’s team set a WCL single-season record with 169 stolen bases, breaking their previously set record of 150 from 2023.

You can’t talk about the 2024 season without mentioning a few more key contributors on the field. Tyrus Hall returned for a second season and was a mainstay in the lineup from start to finish. The Victoria native played in 42 games, stole 26 bases, and had a team-high 12-game hitting streak during the business end of the campaign. On top of his play at the plate, he arguably made the catch of the year.

Sky Collins led the Cats with 45 games played and his team-high 27 stolen bases tied a franchise record. The outfielder from Fresno State finished the season with a .304 average and a team-high 49 hits. Gunner Antillon hit .294 in 34 games while playing many different positions. His impressive season included a 24-game on-base streak which was good for the second-longest across the WCL this season.

TEAM STATS

It was a revolving door of pitchers this season with 38 different arms making appearances. Ryne Palmer, Payton Hawkinson, Jake Finkelstein, and Jack Finn led the way pitching the most innings along with Cormier. After a mechanical adjustment to a side-arm delivery, Garrett Villa became one of the most dominant relievers in the league. In his final 14-2/3 innings pitched he gave up just one run while striking out nine and consistently inducing soft contact. He ended his time in Victoria with three straight saves, including back-to-back saves against the Riverhawks to extend the team’s win streak to nine.

Although 2024 didn’t end with a championship, there are countless highlights to remember and be proud of. The countdown to 2025 opening day is on and Haney’s team will be back more determined than ever to go all the way.

Thank you to the best fans in the league for your unwavering support all season long.

Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.

August 12, 2024

For immediate release

WENATCHEE, Wash – The Victoria HarbourCats never quit but the Wenatchee AppleSox take game three 7-2, advancing to the North Division Championship game and ending the HarbourCats season.

It was a pitcher’s duel early as both Jalen Sami (Golden Tide) for the Cats and Cam Hoiland for the Sox completed three innings without giving up a hit.

Victoria took the lead in the top of the fourth through a Kerim Orucevic (UC San Diego) RBI single to make it 1-0. The Park Ridge, Illinois native was the stand-out player for the Cats in this three-game series producing five hits, four RBIs, and one unforgettable walk-off home run.

The AppleSox levelled the score in the bottom half in fortunate fashion as James Castagnola scored on a Gunner Antillon error.

BOX SCORE

Hoiland, a two-way player from Cal Poly, pitched 5-1/3 innings giving up one run on three hits. He broke the tie himself in the fifth inning hitting a solo home run to make it 2-1 Sox, his second long ball in as many games.

Sami was replaced by Brett Harvey (Puget Sound) after throwing 4-1/3 innings giving up one earned run on three hits. Harvey surrendered three runs on three hits and could not escape the inning recording just one out. This five-run frame gave Wenatchee a resounding 6-1 lead heading into the sixth inning.

The HarbourCats threatened in the top of the seventh loading the bases but Andrew Monson struck out Sky Collins (Fresno State) to escape the jam.

The hosts added one more run in the eighth inning to make it 7-1. Logan MacNiel (Campbellsville) pitched 3-1/3 innings giving up one unearned run on three hits while striking out three.

Kamana Nahaku’s (Hawaii) third hit of the game was an RBI single in the ninth, to make it a 7-2 final score.

Thank you to the best fans in the West Coast League for their incredible support all season long. The countdown to opening day in 2025 starts now.

Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.

August 11, 2024

For immediate release

WENATCHEE, Wash – The Victoria HarbourCats dropped game two of the series 9-1 to the Wenatchee AppleSox setting up a winner-takes-all game three Monday night.

The AppleSox scored a run in the second and third innings to take an early 2-0 lead. The Cats cut that lead in half through a Kerim Orucevic (UC San Diego) RBI single, his first of three hits on the night.

BOX SCORE

Wenatchee took hold of this game in the fifth inning hitting four consecutive RBI singles against Cats reliever Jacob Thompson (Minot State) extending their lead to 6-1. Thompson took over mid-inning for Payton Hawkinson (Cal State Fullerton) who started the game and went 4-1/3 innings giving up four runs on four hits while striking out one.

Victoria had their chances in this game, matching Wenatchee’s 10 hits, but could not come up with the clutch hits to get back into the game.

Dustin Davidson (Brookhaven) pitched a scoreless sixth inning before Willem Heilker (Everett CC) and Luke Hayhow (Hawaii) pitched the seventh and eighth innings respectively.

WATCH GAMES HERE

The Sox added three more runs in the final two innings making it 9-1 and putting the result beyond doubt.

Quincy Vassar threw a 118-pitch complete game for the hosts striking out eight batters.

Cam Schneider (Fresno State) had a three-hit game while HarbourCats 2024 MVP Michael Crossland (UC San Diego) went two for five.

This opening round series comes down to a deciding game three Monday night in Wenatchee at 6:35 PM! The winner will play either the Edmonton Riverhawks or Bellingham Bells, who also play a game three tomorrow night.
Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.

The historic Serauxmen Stadium was rocking tonight for the first game of the playoffs (Photo: Justin P. Morash) 

August 10, 2024

For immediate release

NANAIMO, B.C. – It was a special atmosphere at Serauxmen Stadium for game one of the first-round series where the Victoria HarbourCats sent their fans home happy with a 4-2 walk-off win against the Wenatchee AppleSox.

Todd Haney turned to his All-Star pitcher Carson Cormier (TCU) to start the opener and the big right-hander did not disappoint. Cormier, who was named HarbourCats Pitcher-of-the-Year on Wednesday, struck out the first six batters of the game. After four innings and 74 pitches his night was done, striking out eight AppleSox giving up zero runs and two hits.

Wenatchee starter Garrett Ahern matched Cormier’s excellence early, striking out four batters over two scoreless innings to begin the game. The first run of the ballgame came in the bottom of the third inning when Jake Vrlak (Miami-Ohio) scored on a Gunner Antillon (Bowling Green) RBI groundout, giving the Cats a 1-0 lead.

BOX SCORE

Carson Cormier’s eight strikeouts was a season-high (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

Flynn Ridley took over for Cormier in the fifth inning and the junior from Ottawa University continued his late-season dominance. Ridley pitched three scoreless innings of relief giving up three hits and striking out two. Ridley’s most important pitch came in the top of the sixth inducing a groundball for an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play when the Sox were threatening with runners on the corners.

Michael Crossland (UC San Diego) led off the bottom of the sixth with a double but Ahern looked to be escaping the threat retiring the next two Cats. After fouling off four pitches, Kamana Nahaku (University of Hawaii) smashed a ball through a hole in the infield for a single scoring Crossland and doubling Victoria’s lead, making it 2-0.

Jack Finn (Illinois State) began the eighth on the mound for the Cats but walked one and hit another and was replaced by Haldon Craig (Doane University). Craig, making just his second HarbourCats appearance, was blowing his low-mid 90’s fastball by batters recording two strikeouts in the inning. He was one strike away from stranding the runners, but Jake Larson hit a single past the diving Cam Schneider (Fresno State), scoring two runs tying the game at 2-2 and silencing the home crowd.

The AppleSox loaded the bases against Craig in the ninth but the flamethrowing right-hander struck out Evan Cloyd to give his teammates the chance to walk it off in the bottom half.

Flynn Ridley has thrown 14-1/3 shutout innings in a row (Photo: Justin P. Morash)

WATCH GAMES HERE

After a walk and two strikeouts, the stage was set for Kerim Orucevic (UC San Diego) to be a hero. The lefty took the first pitch he saw and hit it over the fence in right field winning the game for the HarbourCats.

It’s not the first time this season Orucevic has come up with a clutch hit late with his only other long ball in 2024 being a two-out ninth- inning game-tying home run in Ridgefield back in July.

Over 1000 fans were in attendance with many making the drive up to Nanaimo to support their team, proving once again that Victoria has the best fans in the West Coast League.

The HarbourCats are one win away from advancing to the next round and that game is Sunday at 6:35 PM in Wenatchee.

Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.

Fresno State teammates Sky Collins and Cam Schneider led the way for the HarbourCats playing 45 and 44 games respectively, the two highest totals on the team (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

August 7, 2024

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – The Victoria HarbourCats sent their fans home happy on Passion Sport’s Fan Appreciation Night, beating the Corvallis Knights 11-8 to wrap up the regular season.

The game could not have started any worse for the home team as they found themselves behind 6-0 after the top of the first inning.

Brooks Brewster (Panola College) started the game for the HarbourCats but only lasted four batters. He could not find the zone walking three Knights and hitting another. Willem Heilker (Everett CC) came into the bases-loaded jam and didn’t fare much better, giving up three RBI singles and walking a pair.

BOX SCORE

Michael Crossland (UC San Diego), the HarbourCats 2024 MVP, led off the bottom half with a solo home run, his fourth of the season. Later in the inning Ryan Deagle (Golden Tide) drove home his first of two runs in the game to make it 6-2.

Todd Haney’s team finishes with a 29-25 overall record in the 2024 regular season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Cats’ offence kept things rolling in the bottom of the second inning. After Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii) drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, Tyrus Hall (Bossier Parish) and Sky Collins (Fresno State) hit back-to-back RBI doubles to tie the game 6-6.

After the frantic first, Heilker settled in throwing a scoreless second and third inning. Jalen Sami (Golden Tide) had his best outing of the season pitching three scoreless innings while striking out a season-high three batters.

WCL STANDINGS

Kerim Orucevic (UC San Diego) broke the tie in the fifth inning with a clutch two-out double off the wall in right field, his second double of the season.

The HarbourCats scored three more in the sixth inning to increase their lead to 10-6 including Hall’s second RBI double of the game for his third RBI.

Collins, who had a three-hit night, made it 11-6 in the seventh with an RBI infield single. The outfielder wraps up his regular season with a .304 batting average in a team-leading 45 games played.

The Victoria HarbourCats 2024 award winners (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The Knights scored twice in the eighth cutting the Cats lead to 11-8. Taylor Franklin (George Fox) made his third appearance for the HarbourCats and pitched the final two innings giving up two runs on two hits while striking out one.

In addition to Crossland’s MVP award, before the game started Carson Cormier was named HarbourCats Pitcher-of-the-Year and Jai Berezowski was the recipient of the Community Service Award. Congratulations to all three players and thank you for your contributions to the HarbourCats on and off the field!

The HarbourCats playoff run starts on Saturday as they host game one of the Divisional Series against the Wenatchee AppleSox at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo.

Thanks to Wilson’s Transportation and the City of Victoria, there will be two buses available to HarbourCats fans who wish to attend the game. To purchase and reserve your bus tickets you can call the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327 or come to the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

The HarbourCats hope to see as many fans as possible in Nanaimo to replicate that special Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park atmosphere on the road, and to support Todd Haney’s team on their quest for a Championship!

For immediate release

August 6, 2024

VICTORIA, B.C – The Victoria HarbourCats will play a home playoff game on Saturday at Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo. Thanks to Wilson’s Transportation, there will be two buses available to HarbourCats fans who wish to attend the game.

There are two ticketing options:

• $50 for a round trip bus ride + one ticket to the game
• $25 round trip bus ride for season ticket holders who already have a ticket to the game

The bus has 112 spots and will be sold on a first come first serve basis.

To purchase and reserve your bus tickets you can call the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327 or come to the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

FULL SCHEDULE DETAILS:

15:30 Spot at Save On Foods Memorial Centre, Gate 3/Player’s Entrance

16:00 Depart for Nanaimo – Serauxmen Stadium

17:45 Drop at Serauxmen Stadium

18:35 Game begins

21:00 Spot at Serauxmen Stadium

21:30 Depart for Victoria

23:00 Drop at Save On Foods Memorial Centre, Gate 3/Player’s Entrance

Important notes:

• Fans who park at Save On Foods Memorial Centre will need to pay for parking
• Departure time from Serauxman Stadium is subject to change depending on what time the game ends

The HarbourCats hope to see as many fans as possible in Nanaimo to replicate that special Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park atmosphere on the road, and to support Todd Haney’s team on their quest for a Championship!