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Pro baseball bloodlines follow Hisle to Nanaimo

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When Jax Hisle opened his uniform package in the offices of the Nanaimo NightOwls, he knew this was meant to be.

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Hisle, an 18-year-old infielder/outfielder heading to Parkland College after graduating early and taking a gap year to add strength, saw No. 9 staring back at him as he stood in the depths of historic Serauxmen Stadium.

That was the number his grandfather Larry Hisle Sr. wore as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, where he was an all-star in 1978 and finished third in MVP voting after a season with a .290 average, 34 home runs and 115 RBIs. No one with the West Coast League team knew that number meant so much — call it a fateful and welcomed coincidence for the 6-3/205 pound switch hitter who has a pro frame already, and was on display at the Hank Aaron Invitational last summer.

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The elder Hisle debuted with Philadelphia in 1968, was later traded to the Minnesota Twins and led the American League in RBIs with 119 in 1977 and went to his first of two all-star games. He played 14 MLB seasons and just shy of 1200 games in total.

“His reaction caught me off guard, and was priceless— I’d like to say we planned it, but we didn’t,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls, who recruited Hisle (pronounced HIGH-suhl) — more on that tie later.

Jax, who tripled in a game in Kelowna on the team’s first road trip, is extremely proud of his grandfather, known best in Canada for his time as hitting coach of the Toronto Blue Jays under Cito Gaston — yes, THOSE years, the World Series banner flying north of the border for the first time, 1992 and 1993. He refined the swings of many Hall of Famers such as Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson, and sweet swingers like John Olerud, Devon White and Joe Carter.

Jax’s father, Larry Jr., is also a role model, in part for being named the Wisconsin Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year for high school basketball (being 6-5 surely helps), and playing pro ball including two seasons as a power-bat outfielder with the Grand Forks (ND) Varmints of the independent Prairie League. He played collegiate ball at the University of Dayton for Mark Schlemmer, also his manager for one season with the Varmints.

Swanson was the administrator/commissioner of that league in 1996 and the GM of the Varmints for the 1997 season, and the two have kept in touch since then. Hence, the signing of prospect Jax, born years after the Prairie League went defunct.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Four San Jose State stars slated to land in Victoria this summer

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January 20, 2026

VICTORIA, BC — A former HarbourCats outfielder, a member of the record-breaking WCL team in 2016, knew he wanted to send players he now coaches to a great summer baseball factory.

Jarron Silva, then an outfielder from UCLA, really enjoyed his time in Victoria, on a team that won a record 40 games, including 19 in a row at one point.

Now as an assistant coach at San Jose State, he connected with veteran HarbourCats coach Todd Haney to secure development spots for two pitchers and two position players.

“Jarron was a spark plug for that 2016 team, and he remembers the fan support and atmosphere at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP — Victoria is a baseball city,” said Managing Partner Jim Swanson. “We are excited to see the pitchers signed, and to see the power in Rohne Klein and Ethan Nunez — they have the potential to represent Victoria when we host the WCL All-Star Game on July 15.”

Four Spartans and a versatile fielder from George Mason, Matthew Westley, have been signed by Coach Haney:

  • RHP Landon Marchetti, San Jose State, 5-11/190, Brentwood, CA
  • RHP Spencer Kratt, San Jose State, 6-0/210, Woodland Hills, CA
  • IF Rohne Klein, San Jose State, 6-4/230, L/R, Renton, WA
  • OF Ethan Nunez, San Jose State, 6-4/190, R/R, Chino Hills, CA
  • IF/OF Matthew Westley, George Mason, 6-1/210, R/R, Manassas, VA

Marchetti, previously at UC San Diego, has nearly 30 games of college experience, including five starts, and used a lower lefty arm slot to register high strikeout numbers in high school. Kratt is a power righty who runs it up to 92, a transfer from LA Valley College.

Landon Marchetti delivers a pitch while playing for the UC San Diego in 2025.

Klein, a transfer to SJSU from Utah, is a developing power bat who also is noted for a strong arm — can play third, outfield or first. He’s an athlete, playing both quarterback and linebacker on his high school team.

Nunez is a transfer from Colorado Mesa, where he was the RMAC freshman of the year — and he will miss the spring as a redshirt to get an injury fully rehabbed, but will be good to go for summer. At Colorado Mesa, he hit .356 with 14 bombs.

The lone non-SJSU addition announced by Coach Haney is utility guy Westley, formerly of Virginia Tech and now at George Mason. He has two summers of experience in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:

  • Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
  • Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
  • Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
  • $12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)

Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

All ticket types  and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-5pm.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Registration now open for Harvey’s Sports Starz programming

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December 18, 2025

VICTORIA, BC – The Victoria HarbourCats and Richardson Sport Inc. (RSI) are pleased to announce the initial round of programming for the “Harvey’s Sports Starz” program.

Catering to younger age groups (5-8 years old), Harvey’s Sports Starz will utilize the HarbourCats indoor training facility – the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) – to offer youth programming in baseball and soccer, as well as a morning program for parents and toddlers.

Registration is now open for initial baseball and parent/toddler programming, both starting the week of January 12th, 2026, with soccer programming to be announced soon.

The following programs will be initially offered** (with more to come):

  • Baseball 5-6yrs Wednesday 3:30-4:30pm (January 14 – February 18)
  • Baseball 7-8yrs Wednesday 4:30-5:30pm (January 14 – February 18)
  • Parent & Tot Monday 9-9:45 (18mth-2yrs) (January 12 – February 9)
  • Parent & Tot Monday 9:45-10:30 (18mth-2yrs) (January 12 – February 9)
  • Parent & Tot Monday 10:30-11:15 (18mth-2yrs) (January 12 – February 9)

**These first rounds of classes are six weeks in length, running from January 7th – February 18th (with the exception of the Parent & Tot classes starting January 12 – February 9).**

REGISTER HERE!  Spots are limited to make sure you snag your spot!

If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please contact info@richardsonsport.ca.

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The Victoria HarbourCats will begin their 2026 West Coast League season in late May of 2026, with the home opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks scheduled for Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Plenty of excitement is on board for 2026 including:

  • Three fireworks nights (June 6, 30 and August 3)
  • Two 11:00 AM School Spirit Games (June 4 and 18)
  • Five Family Fun Sunday Matinees (June 7, 14, 28 July 19 and 26)
  • $12 Tuesdays and Thursdays (June 16, July 2, 7, 9, 28 and 30)

Season ticket memberships, single-game tickets, 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) and 2026 WCL All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

All ticket types  and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Monday thru Friday, 10am-5pm from now until December 22nd.

CRAZY CHRISTMAS CLEARANCE! From now until December 23rd, select HarbourCats apparel, including replica and game-worn jerseys, is on sale for 50% off!  Load up now in time for Christmas at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/collections/50-off-crazy-christmas-clearance

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats WINTER and MARCH BREAK Indoor Youth Training Sessions Now Available!

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Sessions begin January 10th. Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Winter 2026 indoor training sessions and March Break Camps for baseball in both the 8-11 and 12-17 year old age groups.

The “Offseason Academy,” presented by The EFTC, is designed to keep athletes sharp, confident, and improving long after the final game of summer. Built for youth players who want to stay ahead of the competition, our Academy focuses not only on technical skill development but also on the physical conditioning that keeps athletes strong and game-ready.

With a lineup of specialized camps in areas such as hitting, analytics, and catching skills, athletes can train with experienced coaches, benefit from professional-level technology like HitTrax, and build the habits that matter most during the offseason.

All sessions take place in the same professional training facility used by the HarbourCats and Victoria Golden Tide, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

2026 WINTER Sessions Include:

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $400, Saturdays, 9:00am- 1:00pm, January 10 – March 14th (10 Weeks). Ages 8-11: Foundations & Futures” is a high-energy baseball camp for players aged 8–11. This camp delivers professional-grade instruction in a dynamic, fun environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and carry your skills into next season. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, High Performance Prep, $300, Saturdays, 1:00-4:00, January 10 – March 14th (10 Weeks). Ages 12-17: High Performance Prep” is designed for players aged 12–17 who are ready to refine their skills and maintain peak form after summer. This camp delivers advanced instruction in a focused, competitive environment. It’s time to Train With Your Claws Out and prepare for the season ahead. REGISTER HERE

Baseball, Specialty Catching Clinic, $250, Saturdays, 4:00-5:30pm, January 10 – March 14th (10 Weeks). Ages 10-17:  With a well structured 10-week program, this clinic will introduce older players to the complex world of catching with a goal of developing strong, technically sound catchers. The clinic will help build confidence, leadership, and game awareness, improve receiving, blocking, transfer speed, and throwing precision and teach advanced catchers to manage pitchers and control the game. REGISTER HERE

2026 MARCH BREAK CAMPS!

2026 March Break Camps (March 16 – 27) are also now available for registration for both the Foundations and Futures (Age 8-11) Group and the High Perofrmance Group (ages 12-17).  Players can register for full 2-week camps, or select one week or the other if they can not attend both weeks.

Foundations and Futures (Ages 8-11), 9AM to 1PM, Monday to Friday – $225 for one week camp, $400 for two week camp.
High Performance (Ages 12-17), 1:15 to 3:15PM, Monday to Friday – $125 for one week camp, $200 for two week camp

There are limited spaces in each camp so don’t delay. Register NOW!

2025 CHRISTMAS CAMPS
It is not too late to register for our 2025 Christmas Camps in all categories including fastball and softball.  Camps start December 20th! . Register NOW!

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