Summer Collegiate
NorthPaws Hire ‘From Within’ for New Head Coach
Photo by Allen Douglas
KAMLOOPS, BC—The Kamloops North Paws have a new head coach for the 2024 West Coast League season. And they filled the vacancy from within their own organization.
The Paws have promoted pitching coach Jose Bautista to the role of head coach.
Bautista, a former major league pitcher has been the team’s pitching coach for the club’s first two seasons.
“I look at this position as being one of a teacher,” he says. “I want to teach the players a little more about the game. It is one to be enjoyed. I am hoping they will improve their strengths like relaxing when they hit.”
The 59 year old Bautista spent almost 10 years in the majors (1988-97). He played with four teams beginning with the Baltimore Orioles. He also played with the Chicago Cubs, San Fransisco Giants, Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I have been coaching for so many years, “he says. “I want our hitters to do just that—hit. No mini bunts. And we have to have fun with it. It is a game after all. I have been in baseball for 45 years. I am going to draw on that experience in order for the NorthPaws and the players to be successful.
He had a career record of 32-42 with 328 strikeouts and an earned run average of 4.62.
Aside from his stint as the NorthPaws pitching coach, Bautista also held that position with the Burlington Bees (2021, 2022), Idaho Falls Chukars (2004, 2005, 2006) and the Class “A” Kanapolis Intimidators (2011). He was also the manager of the Advance “A” Great Falls Voyageurs in the Chicago White Sox organization.
Photo by Allen Douglas
Bautista has begun contacting members of the NorthPaws from this past season along with recruiting other players. “I am definitely talking to the players from Kamloops who were on the team last year. I want to give them more of an opportunity to play and improve. “
He plans to scout colleges and universities on the East Coast to recruit players. He will also have people scouting Arizona and California for prospects. He is hoping to have at least 20 pitchers on the roster along with three catchers. Bautista would like to have a strong contingent of players who have ties to Canada.
Says General Manager Jenna Forter: “The organization is excited for this promotion – Jose has proven his commitment to our players, our team and to the coaching staff. He shares the values that this team is built on, and his passion for the athletes and their development was our deciding factor in promoting him to Head Coach. We are looking forward to 2024 and welcoming back local Canadian talent, along with new athletes to add to our roster.”
The NorthPaws will round out their coaching staff with more announcements in the near future.
For More Information:
Jenna Forter
NorthPaws General Manager
(250) 250-214-1115
jforter@northpawsbaseball.ca
Nanaimo NightOwls fans have truly enjoyed watching great players from Hawaii on the Serauxmen Stadium diamond, and that will again be the case in 2026.
Head Coach Cody Andreychuk is pleased to add seven more players today — four from Hawaii Pacific (Honolulu), including one returning player, along with a Canadian pitcher, a returning catcher who is at a strong D1 school in Texas, and the brother of a 2025 NightOwls infielder.
“We all remember Hawaiian star Elijah Ickes and him being our first drafted player (by the Texas Rangers) — guys from the islands have thrived on our island,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We have had a strong record with players wanting to play multiple summers for our fans, for our coaching staff and becoming very close with our staff. We are proud of that.”
Announced today by Coach Andreychuk:
LHP Joshua Rego, Hawaii Pacific University, 6-4/175, L/L, Kapa’a, HI
RHP Jayden Gabrillo, Hawaii Pacific, L/R, 5-8/165, Ewa Beach, HI
IF Kyler Shojinaga, Hawaii Pacific, R/R, 5-6/160, Honolulu, HI
OF Ziah Chang, Hawaii Pacific, R/R, 5-10/170, Kahului, HI
RHP Zander Oudie-Senger, Okanagan College, R/R, 6-3/190, Regina, SK
C Clark Springs, University of Texas-Arlington, R/R, 5-11/190, Southlake, TX
OF Aidan Nykoluk, Ventura Community College, R/R, 6-0/195, Simi Valley, CA
Rego is a promising lefty who is making a strong transition to the college level, with upper 80s velocity and a feel for how to pitch — he will develop further under Gorman Heimueller, the fifth-year pitching coach of the NightOwls.
Shojinaga is a slick-fielding freshman who draws comparisons to great Hawaii-groomed shortstops of the past, including Ickes. He will grind out at-bats and get on base for the power bats in the lineup. As both a shortstop and pitcher, he was league MVP in his senior year of high school.
Gabrillo, who can also play infield, returns after a strong summer in Nanaimo in 2025 which put him in a lead pitching role for HPU this spring. He was 1-2 with 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings for the NightOwls last summer.
Chang is a young outfielder known for his defensive game and speed that puts pressure on the basepaths. He stole eight bases in 23 games in a lower level summer league in 2025.
Oudie-Senger has been a top starter for Okanagan College and played four years for his hometown summer team in the WCBL, looking for a more professional experience at the end of his career. An innings-eater, he was a combined 10-3 for Regina,
Springs was part of the strong catching crew for the NightOwls in 2024 and loved the experience — famously driving all the way from his home in Texas to proudly play in Nanaimo. A strong defensive catcher who swings the bat well, he was at top-rated Weatherford College (junior college) before earning a scholarship at UTA. He had a home run and just five strikeouts in 23 games for the NightOwls.
Nykoluk is the brother of Andrew, a senior pitcher who moved to the mound after years as an infielder at HPU. Aidan is off to a great start at Ventura, batting .350, a strong defender with a potent bat.
Respected island businessman John Wilson has been named President of the company that oversees the successful collegiate baseball teams based in Victoria and Nanaimo.
Wilson, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and whose family owns and operates the Wilson’s Group of Companies, has been part of the core ownership group of the Victoria HarbourCats since 2015, and the Nanaimo NightOwls since inception in 2020 (started play in 2022). The NightOwls, a rival to the HarbourCats on the field, play at historic Serauxmen Stadium.
Wilson takes the position from Ken Swanson, who remains on the board after a solid 10-year run as team president. The group also operates the Victoria Collegiate (CCBC) baseball program and the busy indoor facility on Cook St., the Edwards Family Training Centre.
“Ken has led the corporate structure well, and he’s deserving of a break,” said Wilson. “We have a strong and committed group of owners and staff and a refresh is good for us all, keeping these teams playing great baseball and positively impacting these amazing communities in a stable, creative manner. Ken literally leaves big shoes to fill.”
The HarbourCats, which started play in 2013, will host the WCL All-Star Game in 2026 and 2027, showcasing the island’s immense love of baseball and the team that helped produce eight current MLB players including Nathan Lukes (Blue Jays), Nick Pivetta (Padres), Cade Smith (Guardians), Andrew Vaughn (Brewers) and Chase Meidroth (White Sox). The 2026 all-star festival will take place July 14-15 using Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park and sites around the South Island, with exciting details to come.
Wilson and Swanson lead a nine-member ownership group that includes Rich Harder, Helen Edwards, Mike Macdonell, Sean Finn, Vic Vendetti, John Schnaderbeck and Jim Swanson.
“No one knows the community like John, so we are all looking forward to what will be a flawless transition that will bring some new life to the organization,” said Ken Swanson.
The management structure remains the same — former GM Jim Swanson in the Managing Partner role, overseeing day-to-day operations, assisted by Adrian Somers (Business Operations and Marketing). In Victoria, Christian Stewart (General Manager) and John Pollard (Marketing Director) remain in place, while Tina Cornett continues her strong leadership in Nanaimo as General Manager, with Kent Malpass overseeing the concession.
The teams maintain wholly separate coaching staffs and recruiting processes — veteran Todd Haney, a five-year MLB player, as the sixth-year Head Coach in Victoria, and local product Cody Andreychuk, a collegiate program head coach at University of Pikeville, enters his second season in Nanaimo, assisted by pitching coach Gorman Heimueller, who has three World Series rings from his 50 years in the game.
Tickets are selling fast…get yours today. www.NanaimoNightOwls.com/ticketinfo
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
Hawaiian Pipeline Continues For NightOwls. Seven Players Added To 2026 Roster
John Wilson Named As New Team President
Victoria HarbourCats – John Wilson named president of island WCL teams, HarbourCats and NightOwls
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