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Victoria HarbourCats | Seven Former HarbourCats to Participate in 2021 MLB Spring Training Camps

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Current Boston Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta, here pitching for the HarbourCats in 2013 above, headlines a list of seven former HarbourCats with a legitimate crack at 2021 MLB rosters (Photo: David Nicholls).

by Christian J. Stewart

February 22, 2021 – VICTORIA, BC – Those who may be unfamiliar with the summer collegiate baseball format that is the West Coast League, will often ask staff of the HarbourCats, “What Major League team are the HarbourCats affiliated with?”  The answer usually is, “All of them.”

That is because HarbourCats players, once they have completed their third year of college, are eligible to be drafted by ANY of the 30 Major League teams and begin their pro careers.

The HarbourCats have had a number of players over the years meet such good fortune, with just under 20 former players now playing professional baseball at the affiliated MiLB level, and this season, seven of those players will make the trip to the spring training camps of their parent MLB clubs, AKA “Big-League Camp.”

That marks the highest number of former HarbourCat players to attend spring training in any one season and highlights the increasing level of talent that both the HarbourCats and the West Coast League have been able to attract over recent years.

For MLB veterans like Victoria’s own Nick Pivetta, the HarbourCats first and still only MLB player, now with the Boston Red Sox, the routine of spring training is very familiar, with Pivetta entering his fifth MLB season.  However, after a troublesome 2019 with the Phillies and a late season trade in 2020 to the Red Sox, the mood will be anything but relaxed, as Pivetta finds himself needing to use spring training to prove that he can be part of the regular starting rotation at Fenway Park.

For others like Chicago White Sox prospect Andrew Vaughn and Houston Astros Prospect Alex DeGoti , both heading to their second big-league camps, there is a familiarity, but also the urgency to show their clubs that they are ready to take the next big step.  Vaughn is touted as the next big coming for Chicago White Sox baseball and after a stunning collegiate career, has advanced rapidly in the White Sox system. He should get the call to the bigs sometime this season, but could break with the parent club out of camp if he puts up solid spring numbers.

2017 HarbourCat Andrew Vaughn will participate in his second big league camp with the White Sox this spring (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

DeGoti has been grinding his way up the ladder in the Astros organization since 2016 and has been on the cusp of a call-up for two years now.  He was on the 2020 alternate training site roster and with his work ethic alone, should get a good look in 2021 camp and have a solid chance to get a call-up at some point in the season.

For Nathan Lukes, Quintin Torres-Costa, Davis Wendzel and Nick Meyer, this will be their first ever big-league camp and they will have to make sure that the wide-eyed excitement of being there does not overshadow what they need to do on the field to impress their parent clubs.

For Lukes, a fleet-footed outfield prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system, that should be easy, as he has been putting up solid numbers in the minors since being drafted in 2015, playing the full 2019 season with the iconic AAA Durham Bulls, where he hit .219 with eight doubles, four home runs and 31 RBI in 91 games.  A solid spring training might just propel Lukes into a shot with the parent club at some point this year.

2013-2015 HarbourCat Alex DeGoti will head to his second MLB camp this week with the Houston Astros (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

For Torres-Costa, his climb up the Milwaukee Brewers pro-ladder took a bit of a hit with his second Tommy John surgery in 2019 and the global COVID pandemic in 2020, but he is once again healthy and if he can keep putting up the numbers he has been putting up in the minors, the Brewers may call upon his left-handed arm for pitching help in 2021.

Wendzel (Texas Rangers) and Meyer (New York Mets) are both coming off minor injuries that hampered their first pro-seasons in 2019 and will be eager to show what they can do during their first big-league spring training camp, although their chances of seeing playing time with their big league clubs in 2021 will be slim.  Wendzel is one of seven non-roster infielders to be invited to the Ranger’s camp, while Meyer is one of four non-roster catchers in the Met’s camp. Neither player has yet to play a game above the Class A level, but clearly their parent clubs saw enough in them to invite them to camp and give them a shot at advancing a rung or two in 2021.

One former HarbourCat player of note that was surprisingly not invited to big-league camp is Minnesota Twins pitching prospect Josh Mitchell.  Mitchell, who pitched two seasons for the HarbourCats, in 2015 and 2016, and was a West Coast League all-star in 2016, was selected by the Twins this past season in the annual Rule V draft for minor league players to be snapped up by other organizations.  He is the first former HarbourCats player to be selected in the Rule V draft process and has now, as per Rule V minor league draft guidelines, been assigned to the Twins AAA affiliate St. Paul Saints for the 2021 season. Mitchell was previously with the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High-Aaffiliate of Kansas City in 2019.  Despite the non-invite, Mitchell, now at the AAA level, has a chance to impress and should the Twins need a left-handed arm in the bullpen later in the year, he could get the call.

Tampa Bay Rays prospect Nathan Lukes, here playing for the HarbourCats in 2014, heads to his very first MLB spring training camp, after playing a full season of AAA with the iconic Durham Bulls (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Further details on each of the seven players invited to 2021 MLB camps can be found below:

Nick Pivetta, 2013 HarbourCat, Boston Red Sox

Pivetta, a Victoria native, was the HarbourCats opening day pitcher in 2013 and was drafted by Washington Nationals shortly thereafter.  After stints with the Nationals Rookie League and Class A affiliates in 2013-2015, he was traded to Phillies in July of 2015, working his way up via the AA Reading Phillies, and then the AAA Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, before being called up and making his MLB debut in 2017 against the Dodgers.  He pitched with the Phillies – with a brief stint back to AAA in 2019 – through 2020 before being traded to the Boston Red Sox near the end of the season.

In his MLB career, Pivetta is 21-30 with a 5.40 ERA and 434 strikeouts over 406 innings pitched.  He won his one and only start with the Red Sox to close 2020 and now has an opportunity to join the regular rotation at Fenway for the 2021 season.

To date, Pivetta remains the lone HarbourCats player to reach the big leagues, however that could change rapidly this year.

Andrew Vaughn, 2017 HarbourCat, Chicago White Sox

Vaughn played briefly for the HarbourCats in 2017, seven games, amassing a .381 average, before being scooped up by the USA National Collegiate Program squad.  He is now one of the highest rated prospects in the White Sox system in many years. The third overall pick in 2019, this is his second big-league camp.

In 2019 he spent only three games with the White Sox Rookie league team, going 9 for 15, before moving to Kannapolis in the Class-A South Atlantic League. In 23 games there he hit .253 in 103 plate appearances, with seven doubles, two homers and 11 RBI and he finished the year at High-A Winston-Salem, hitting .252 in 126 plate appearances over 29 games with eight doubles, three home runs and 21 RBI.

In 2020, Vaughn was invited to the White Sox alternate training site, where he impressed, but never saw a call-up.  This year Vaughn is the top-ranked prospect in the White Sox organization according to both MLB.com and Baseball America and is listed at No. 13 by MLB.com and No. 21 by BA in their top 100 prospect lists. Speculation is that he will begin the season at AAA Charlotte, but that he could be seeing time with the big league club by early May.

Alex DeGoti, 2013-2015 HarbourCat, Houston Astros

“Mr. HarbourCat,” AlexDeGoti, like Vaughn, will also be attending his second big-league camp, after having an impressive spring outing in Florida in 2020 that caught the attention of Houston head coach Dusty Baker.

DeGoti played for the HarbourCats for three summers, 2013-2015 and was drafted by Houston in the 15th round of the 2016 draft. He has steadily worked his way up through the Houston system since then, and in 2019, played a full season at the AAA level with the Round Rock Express, hitting .262, with 15 home runs and 70 RBI over 125 games. He participated in the Astros 2020 alternate training site, but did not receive a call up to the big-league club.

At the break of 2020 spring camp, head coach Dusty Baker told DeGoti to “be ready” in the event he was needed for the strange COVID-impacted 2020 season.

A young Quintin Torres-Costa pitches for the HarbourCats in 2014.  He heads to his first MLB camp with the Milwaukee Brewers this spring (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Nathan Lukes, 2014 HarbourCat, Tampa Bay Rays

From Sacramento State, Lukes played for the HarbourCats in the summer of 2014, where he appeared in 42 games, hitting .343, with two home runs and 24 RBI, walking 20 times and scoring 35 runs.  He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the seventh round of the 2015 draft, beginning his pro career with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Short Season A) and advancing in the Indians organization to the Class A Advanced level before being traded in 2016 to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Lukes began his time with the Rays with the Port Charlotte Stone Crabs, then advanced to the AA Montgomery Biscuits in 2017 and 2018 and was eventually promoted to the AAA Durham Bulls for the full 2019 season, where he hit .219 with eight doubles, four home runs and 31 RBI in 91 games.

In his six-team minor league career to date, Lukes has appeared in 430 games, amassing a .269 average, with 19 home runs and 162 RBI, with 133 walks and 203 runs scored,

Quintin Torres-Costa, 2014, Milwaukee Brewers

A 2014 HarbourCat, Torres-Costa appeared in 10 games, building a 3.19 ERA, over 25.1 innings pitched while walking 10 and striking out 33.  The University of Hawaii alum was then drafted in the 35th round of the MLB draft by the Brewers.

Since then, Torres-Costa has climbed the organizational ladder for Milwaukee, playing at nearly every level, including Triple-A where he’s currently listed with the newly minted AAA affiliate of the Brewers the Nashville Sounds. Over the course of six-team minor-league career, Torres-Costa has a record of 20-11 and an ERA of 3.25 over 148 games and 221.2 innings pitched.  He has seven saves and has struck out 286 batters while walking 100.

His track to reach the major leagues for the Brewers, took a bit of a hit with his second Tommy John surgery in 2019 and the global pandemic in 2020, but he is grateful that the Brewers have retained their faith in him and have given him this chance, saying in a recent interview, “I mean, it’s just an incredible experience first off for the Brewers letting me just be invited.  It’s just an honor to be invited to the big league camp and get the opportunity to show what I can do and how I can contribute to the team.”

2017 HarbourCat Davis Wendzel will have a chance to show off his fielding skills for the Texas Rangers when he heads to his first MLB camp this week (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

 

Davis Wendzel, 2017 HarbourCat, Texas Rangers

Davis Wednzel flashed his infield brilliance briefly for the HarbourCats in 2017, playing in 10 games  and hitting .316, with one home run and six RBI.  He was a standout at Baylor University where, during his three year career, he hit .326 over 154 games.  He added 48 doubles, 24 home runs and 121 RBIs to his resume, while also slugging .557.

The Rangers liked what they saw and took Wendzel 41st overall in the 2019 draft.  Unfortunately for the Rangers, they did not get to see a full season of Wendzel after he suffered a thumb injury during the NCAA Tournament.  He was activated on August 22 and ended up only getting 19 at-bats between the Arizona Rookie League, where he won the AZL League Championship, and Spokane.  Even in limited action, Wendzel had six hits and five walks over that time.

Wendzel is currently listed with the Rangers High A affiliate the Hickory Crawdads in North Carolina and could start the 2020 season there or with the AA Frisco RoughRiders depending on his performance at camp.

Nick Meyer, 2015 HarbourCat, New York Mets

A product of Cal Poly, Meyer played 25 games for the HarbourCats in 2015, hitting .250, with six RBI, scoring 18 runs and getting on base at a .400 clip.  He was selected by the Mets in Round 6 of the 2018 entry draft, and spent 2018 with Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets Short Season A Affiliate), where, in 43 games, he hit .226 with  nine RBI.

Meyer started 2019 season with St. Lucie Mets (Mets Advance A affiliate) and then was injured.  A brief rehab stint with the Gulf Coast Mets (Rookie League) followed, before he finished the season back up with St. Lucie.

In the 2020 COVID cancelled season, Meyer kept busy playing for the Tully Monsters, an independent pro team that played in a four-team league in Joliet, Illinois.

He is one of four non-roster catchers invited to the Mets 2021 spring camp.

Nick Meyer was solid behind the dish for the HarbourCats in 2015 and will now have a chance to hone his skills even more at his first ever MLB camp this spring with the New York Mets (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

***

The HarbourCats are scheduled to begin their 2021 season on the road on June 1 against the expansion Edmonton Riverhawks in the first ever West Coast League game played in Alberta.  They will return home for the home opener on Friday, June 4 against their rivals from across the Strait of Juan deFuca, the Port Angeles Lefties.   The HarbourCats will also welcome two other expansion teams to Victoria this season, with both the Nanaimo Night Owls and Kamloops NorthPaws scheduled to make visits to Wilson’s Group Stadium.

For details and more information on the season, please visit the HarbourCats website at www.harbourcats.com and follow them on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/groups/harbourcats

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Victoria HarbourCats – Five HarbourCats selected to 2025 “All WCL” team

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Above: Logan Shepherd belts one of his eight home runs on the season against Wenatchee on July 27th. Shepherd earned All WCL first team honours for his play this season (Photo: Christian J. Stewart).   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 19, 2025

Victoria, BC – The Victoria HarbourCats are extremely pleased to announce the following players have been named to the 2025 “All WCL” team:

  • Starting Pitcher, Tommy Bridges (First Team)
  • Designated Hitter, Logan Shepherd (First Team)
  • Shortstop, Tanner Beltowski (Honourable Mention)
  • Starting Pitcher, Logan Rumberg (Honourable Mention)
  • Relief Pitcher, Austin Lindsey (Honourable Mention).

The HarbourCats were among seven of the 17 WCL teams that had  five or more players named to the First Team, Second Team and Honorable mentions, with the Portland Pickles leading the way with 11 players. Bellingham led the way in the North Division with eight players selected.

See full list of “All WCL” team selections HERE.

Bridges was lights out on the mound for the HarbourCats this season and was selected to the midseason All-Star Game thanks to his 1.83 ERA in his nine appearances, all starts.  In that time, he pitched 39.1 innings, striking out 37 and walking only seven.

Tommy Bridges’ 1.83 ERA was good enough to earn him All WCL First Team honours for 2025 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Shepherd was an offensive catalyst in 2025, hitting .345 with 41 RBI and eight home runs, tying the HarbourCats franchise record. He also added 28 walks to the mix and had an OPS of 1.039.

Beltowski was a pleasant surprise for the HarbourCats, originally intended to be a start of the year fill-in player, but he earned himself a regular spot and an All-Star game selection thanks to his .303 batting average, 27 RBI, three home runs and 32 walks.  He was also second on the team in runs scored with 44.

Tanner Beltowski earned an All WCL Team Honourable Mention for his solid play for the HarbourCats in 2025 (Photo: Justin Morash).

Rumberg made seven appearances on the season, all starts, and amassed a 2-3 record with a 3.64 ERA in 29.2 innings of work. He struck out 35 and walked only 11. His most notable appearance was his last, going seven complete innings in a 13-8 win over Wenatchee.

Lindsey was a consistent arm out of the bullpen for the ‘Cats, appearing in 13 games and earning a 2-1 record with two saves and a 4.12 ERA. He also pitched two innings of scoreless relief in Victoria’s 3-1 playoff win in Edmonton, striking out three to earn the save.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are now on sale for the 2026 season.  Get yours  now at http://harbourcats.com/tickets, or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.  You may also drop in at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.  Off-season hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10AM to 5PM.

Fans who renew or purchase new Season Ticket Memberships prior to tickets going on sale for the 2016 WCL All-Star game here in Victoria, will get first right of refusal to purchase their seats for that game and any other associated events. It is anticipated that All-Star tickets will be available in October, so lock your season seats in now!

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Victoria HarbourCats – Thank you, Coach Anderson!

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August 15, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – Using his signature phrase of “figure it out,” the Victoria HarbourCats would like to thank coach Scott Anderson for his years as Pitching Coach of the West Coast League team. He has, indeed, figured out that he is saying a fond good-bye to the organization.

Anderson, a veteran baseball guy and a veteran of the league, will turn 70 in October — a very young 70 for all who know him! He has been a tremendous asset on and off the field in guiding the pitching staff and working so closely with Head Coach Todd Haney for three seasons — the HarbourCats have enjoyed every moment, and Scott will always be a part of the family.

“Scott has been tremendous in the role, his pitchers loved working with him,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “He was the perfect addition for us three years ago and gave us every bit of his energy. Such a classy baseball gentleman — even when suggesting an umpire should maybe return to school,” Swanson joked. (Well, kinda…)

The HarbourCats made the WCL Playoffs all three years Anderson was pitching coach, including the run to the Championship Final in 2023. The Cats had a combined regular-season record of 100-62 in three years with Anderson on the coaching staff.

Countless pitchers who have played in Victoria and worked under Anderson have seen major improvements in their game. Right-handed pitchers Carson Cormier and Tommy Bridges were named to the WCL All-Star Games in 2024 and 2025 respectively. Anderson has also played a part in the development of recent MLB draftees such as Ryan Magdic, Sean Heppner, and Carson Latimer, who all played for the Cats in 2023.

2026 SEASON TICKETS – Season ticket renewals and sales are now on for the 2026 season! 10-Game Flex Packs are also on sale! Existing season ticket holders can log in to their Showpass account and navigate to the Memberships link, where they can easily renew their seats online. Members can also drop in or call the office at 778-265-0327, and we can process the renewal for them. New Season Ticket buyers can click HERE to purchase seats for 2026!

For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

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Victoria HarbourCats – Cats rally falls short, Hawks win series

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August 10, 2025

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EDMONTON, A.B.– The Victoria HarbourCats rallied late, scoring five runs in the ninth inning, but fell just short of a comeback as the Edmonton Riverhawks won 8-7 to advance to the North Division Final, ending the Cats’ season.

The Riverhawks wasted no time this afternoon, scoring six runs in the opening frame. A wild pitch brought home the first run, which was followed by two more coming home when a ground ball snuck past Jack Johnson (Tulane U) at first base. RBI singles from Jaxon Fox and James Cote, along with an RBI groundout, gave the hosts a huge 6-0 lead early.

The Cats started to claw their way back in the fourth inning when Dillon Lopez (St. Mary’s) and Jake Butler (George Mason) singled and found themselves in scoring position with two outs. On an 0-2 count, Isaiah Afework (TAMU-CC) split the left side of the infield to drive home both baserunners, cutting the Hawks’ lead to 6-2.

Tyler Patrick (Fresno State) started for Victoria, and after the whirlwind first inning, he settled in and kept the Hawks at bay, completing six innings allowing just one hit from the second to sixth innings, striking out four Hawks.

BOX SCORE

Garrett Villa (Angelo State) replaced Patrick and was one pitch away from escaping the seventh inning unscathed, but gave up a two-run single to Shiryu Sato, increasing the hosts’ lead to 8-2. Villa pitched two innings, giving up those two runs while striking out three.

Hawks starter Myles Chamberlain, who got the win last Monday in Victoria, pitching six innings, was once again dominant tonight. He pitched into the ninth inning, but after surrendering three singles to load the bases, his night came to an end after 8-1/3 innings pitched.

Austin Egan was his replacement, but he hit the first two batters he faced, which brought home two runs for Victoria and cut the lead down to 8-4. Tristan Buehring (Whitman College) made it 8-5 on a sacrifice fly, which brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the form of Kamana Nahaku (Hawaii). He smacked a double down the left field line to score a pair and make it a one-run ballgame. Brandon Craven replaced Egan and hit the first batter he faced, bringing up Lopez with the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at first. The designated hitter flew out to right field to end the game as the Cats’ comeback came up just short.

The Riverhawks will face the winner of tonight’s game three between the Bellingham Bells and Wenatchee AppleSox with a place in the West Coast League Championship game on the line.

For the second season in a row, the Cats fell in the deciding game in the first round of the playoffs, after losing to the AppleSox in 2024.

Thank you to all the best fans in the WCL for their incredible support all season long. The countdown to opening day in 2026 is on, and Todd Haney’s team will be more determined than ever to go all the way.

2026 SEASON TICKETS – Season ticket renewals and sales are now on for the 2026 season! Existing season ticket holders can log in to their Showpass account and navigate to the Memberships link, where they can easily renew their seats online. Members can also drop in or call the office at 778-265-0327, and we can process the renewal for them. New Season Ticket buyers can click HERE to purchase seats for 2026!

For more updates, be sure to follow @HarbourCats on all social channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

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