Connect with us

Summer Collegiate

Top arms Robertson, Mattix return for NightOwls, first Taiwan player signed

Published

on

Five pitchers, including two hard-throwers from Cal Poly and returning right-handers Payton Robertson and Adison Mattix, highlight the latest commitments to the Nanaimo NightOwls for the coming season.

Caden Pearlman, a lefty, and righty Paul Montgomery from Cal Poly are expected to be premium arms for Pitching Coach Gorm Heimueller and Head Coach Greg Frady. Robertson, a starter last summer, and Mattix, a valuable reliever, are joined by Canadian right-hander Armaan Drar of Texas-Permian Basin.

.

The hitters announced today are Taiwanese infielder Hsu He-Chieh, from Fu Jen Catholic University, and high-tools outfielder Deshon Thomas of Arizona Christian, who has plus speed, a power bat and a big arm.

RHP Payton Robertson, Arizona Christian, 6-2/195, Lynden, WA

OF Deshon Thomas, Arizona Christian, 6-2/200,

RHP Adison Mattix, Everett CC, 6-4/200, Everett, WA

LHP Caden Pearlman, Cal Poly SLO, 6-3/200, San Diego

RHP Paul Montgomery, Cal Poly SLO, 6-4/215, San Jose, CA

RHP Armaan Drar, Texas-Permian Basin, 6-1/165, North Vancouver

IF Hsu He-Chieh, Fu Jen Catholic (Taiwan), 5-8/155

Robertson made eight starts for the NightOwls in 2023, going 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA and walking just 11 batters in 41.2 innings, tops on the team. Mattix appeared in nine games, with one start, giving up just 10 hits in 16 innings.

.

Pearlman, a freshman and business major, helped La Costa Canyon HS to multiple championships before signing with Cal Poly. Coach Frady will get along with Montgomery, a power righty — he’s an avid pickleball player, and Frady is a U.S. Open pickleball champion.

.

Drar is a freshman from the North Shore Twins, now in Texas — known for his high compete level. Infielder Hsu He-Chieh is a slick fielder with defensive versatility who bats from the left side and can play multiple roles for Coach Frady.

.

Thomas, another Nanaimo recruit from Arizona Christian, is an intriguing outfielder, a right-handed hitter with size and speed who can play all three outfield spots, and is rarely caught on the basepaths. Thomas has the power to be a consistent long ball threat for the NightOwls, too.

Source

Summer Collegiate

NightOwls bring back all-star starter Mattix

Published

on

One of the best pitchers in the West Coast League is returning to The Nest.

All-star Adison Mattix will be back for a third season with the Nanaimo NightOwls. The right-hander from Everett CC made a team-high 10 starts in 2024 and was the only player from the NWAC college baseball conference to be named to the WCL all-star game, where he helped the North Division to victory.

 

The happiest person with this news is legendary NightOwls pitching coach Gorm Heimueller — and Heimueller’s presence on the staff of new head coach Cody Andreychuk is a major reason Mattix will be spending a third summer with the program in Nanaimo.

Mattix, a power right-hander at 6-4/200, was 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 41.1 innings in 2024. He gave up just 30 hits and two doubles. He was a reliever, making nine appearances, in 2023, striking out 15 batters in 16 innings.

 

The highlight start in 2024 was an 11-strikeout effort over six innings in a 8-1 home win vs. Kamloops on June 25, that made him the league leader in strikeouts at that point. He gave up three hits and no walks or runs.

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Local players and returning talent set for 2025 NightOwls duty

Published

on

Five names, all familiar to local baseball fans.

Head Coach Cody Andreychuk, a local product entering his first year at the helm of the Nanaimo NightOwls, is pleased to announce the signing of five players for the 2025 duty. Three are returnees from the 2024 squad, two are Mid-Island Pirates graduates.

 

All five players are at the junior college level, with previous announcements featuring mostly NCAA D1 scholarship athletes.

Nonomiya, from Japan but whose mom is Pakistani, recently was the starting pitcher and hit a home run for Pakistan to win the final of the Arabic region tournament. In the summer of 2024, he made seven appearances as a pitcher — three of those as the starter.

 

Florence, as a graduating high school player, saw action in 25 games last summer and drove in seven runs, playing strong defence. Known for his big arm from the left side of the infield, and an instinctual baserunner, he was an offensive catalyst in high school and has carried that to Scottsdale.

 

Carmichael, a Swiss Army Knife for the NightOwls in 2024, is being used primarily as a right-handed reliever at ELAC this season, but can still play nearly every position and run the bases, providing a hard-throwing bullpen option for pitching coach Gorm Heimueller, and giving Andreychuk the ability to make moves in the last half of the game. Carmichael has the nickname ‘Cowboy’ because he has competed in junior NFR events — and is a real glue guy with teammates. Carmichael made five pitching appearances in 2024, and batted .195 with a couple of doubles and three stolen bases in limited action.

 

Cathers spent time with the Canadian national junior team and the power hitting outfielder has made a good first impression at Cloud County.

 

Laukkanen, whose brother Josh was on the inaugural NightOwls team in 2022, was with the NightOwls for a few days in 2024 prior to setting foot on a college campus. Lucas left the team to stay at a lower level with less competition for playing time. Lucas has plans on being starting shortstop this spring at Cloud County.

 

Both Cathers and Laukkanen played in the Futures Showcase put on by the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

 

Season tickets and 10pks are available now by emailing GM Tina Cornett, tina@nanaimonightowls.com, and tickets and merchandise make great Christmas gifts — nanaimonightowls.com to find the Team Shop.

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – VISL, HarbourCats, NightOwls enter strategic partnership

Published

on

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 21, 2024

VICTORIA, B.C. — Different sports, but the same community ideals.

The Victoria HarbourCats and Nanaimo NightOwls, of baseball’s West Coast League, and the Vancouver Island Soccer League (VISL), have entered into a strategic partnership intended to assist the entities in growing grassroots sports and improving facilities on Vancouver Island.

The VISL provides programming and championships on the Island and leads leagues which give the best soccer players an avenue to play the sport for life. Championships such as the Jackson Cup, with many finals played at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, serve as the crown jewel of the VISL.

More than 6,000 participants are involved with the VISL — sports fans, who will keep track of the Island’s top baseball programs, the HarbourCats and NightOwls, who combined to draw more than 100,000 spectators in 2024.

The baseball teams and VISL will jointly promote each others’ schedules, and provide opportunities for youth participation.

“The atmosphere at HarbourCats and NightOwls games showcase the top fan engagement on the Island, a true gathering point in our communities,” said VISL Executive Director Vince Greco.

“Baseball fans are soccer fans, and soccer fans are baseball fans — it’s about supporting quality programs on the island and furthering awareness. Adding youth opportunities between the two will be the cherry on top.”

Watch for VISL events to recognize the work of the HarbourCats and NightOwls, and feature baseball games to celebrate the success of the VISL.

For more information on the VISL and their programs and offerings, please visit their website HERE.

The HarbourCats 2025 schedule has now been announced!  DETAILS HERE

Single-game tickets and 10-game flex pack voucher renewals are NOT YET AVAILABLE, but will be once the ticketing system is set up for the 2025 season.  We will announce this when ready!

Season tickets and 10- game flex packs ARE available for sale by dropping in to the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street or calling 778-265-0327.

Existing Season Ticket holders are encouraged, if they have not already done so, to renew their seats as soon as possible so as to lock in their seats for what is going to be another great season of HarbourCats Baseball.

 

Source

Continue Reading

Trending