To think that only Boston’s fabled Fenway Park and Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City remain of the fields Gorm pitched at, is a sign of time marching on — new parks host baseball now in Baltimore, where he made his MLB debut, and other American League (no interleague game at that time, folks) stops he made in places like Minnesota, Toronto, Detroit, and even a new Yankee Stadium.

Gorm threw his final MLB pitch at Fenway — quite a tale on its own, a grand slam given up to Hall of Fame outfielder Jim Rice after an error by Morgan helped load the bases.

“I was 27 years old when I got to the big leagues and in Kangaroo Court in the locker room there I was fined by the team for taking too long to get to the majors,” Gorm said, laughing.

“For me, it was a dream come true and I was blessed and lucky to realize my dream, and then to get into coaching like I have — I never thought of it.”

Then, there’s Charlie Hustle. The recent passing of Pete Rose took the baseball world by surprise.

“I never met Pete but I got to know his son (Pete Jr.) in the Phillies organization,” said Gorm, of the younger Rose who played in just 11 MLB games and collected two hits for the Cincinnati Reds — 4,254 fewer than his father did in setting the all-time MLB record.

“I saw Pete play in person many times at Dodger Stadium, he came up in 1963, and the first thing that comes to mind with Pete Rose was him running hard, sprinting, to first base on a walk. The head first slide — we all did that because of him. He played it hard, with such passion,” said Gorm, clearly showing admiration for players who give that all-out effort.

Pete Rose Jr. was with Gorm in Double-A with the Reading Phillies in 2001 — the manager was Gary Varsho, and his son Daulton Varsho was the team’s batboy. Of course, the younger Varsho is now a Blue Jays star outfielder.

Heimueller spent time coaching or coordinating in the Twins, Dodgers, Phillies and Padres organizations, earning World Series rings with the Twins and Phillies. He spent the most years with the Phillies.

“My time with Philadelphia, the closest thing to Pete Rose was Chase Utley, he also played the game hard. Pete wasn’t the most talented player, and they made a big deal about him being the first singles hitter to make $100,000. I never played against Pete, he was in the National League when I was in the American League with Oakland.

“Pete Jr. was in AA, and that was my first or second year coordinating back then, got to know him a little bit and obviously you knew who he was. He got a bit of time in the majors (11 games in 1997). I know Pete (Sr.) would sign every autograph ever asked of him and one time I got to sit with Larry Bowa and Pete Vukovich and most of what they talked about, I was in earshot, was about horse racing,” he laughed.

Now, it’s about watching the players who made it to The Show and smile when he hears a name or sees a player he may have spent even a moment or two working with during their ascension through the minors. Gorm’s last pro job before joining the NightOwls was as co-minor league pitching coordinator with the Padres organization.

Those he has watched just in the playoffs alone:

Cleveland Guardians — Emmanuel Clase, Erik Sabrowski (who hails from the Edmonton area), Joey Cantillo
New York Mets — Phil Maton (former Kelowna Falcons, WCL)
Philadelphia Phillies — Matt Strahm, Tanner Banks, Jose Ruiz
San Diego Padres — Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam

Source

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.

Source

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!

Source