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Victoria HarbourCats | 17-year MLB vet Greg Swindell added to 2021 HarbourCats coaching staff

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Todd Haney completes HarbourCats plans, staff will have combined 31 years of MLB experience

For Immediate Release

Jan. 26, 2021

VICTORIA, B.C. — There are MLB team coaching staffs that don’t have this much big-league playing experience. Count ’em up, 31 years.

Greg Swindell, a 17-year MLB pitcher, has been added by Head Coach Todd Haney for the 2021 Victoria HarbourCats season, as Bench Coach. Add that to Haney’s five seasons and the nine seasons of Pitching Coach Mark Petkovsek, the West Coast League (WCL)) summer collegiate team’s coaching staff will have a combined 31 years of MLB playing time to its credit.

Greg Swindell pitches for the Indians against KC in 1988. File Photo: Cleveland Plain Dealer

A fourth member, Hitting Coach Curtis Pelletier, is a scout for the Miami Marlins. Troy Birtwistle and John Schnaderbeck round out the coaching staff planned for the upcoming WCL season.

“We’re overjoyed to see this coaching staff come together, and even more excited for our players and fans to see what this group can do in terms of development and results,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner and GM of the HarbourCats. “Our players are very fortunate this has all come together for us. Greg will have a lot to offer to all sides of the game, not just pitching, but clearly our pitchers have access to a wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Haney, Petkovsek and Swindell, a lefty pitcher who appeared in the 1989 MLB All-Star game and won a World Series ring as part of the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, played college baseball together for the Texas Longhorns. In fact, in Petkovsek’s recruiting visit to Texas, he was hosted by Swindell.

“I joked we may need a translator with all the Texas drawl we’ll hear in our dugout,” said Swanson.

Swindell won a World Series while pitching for Arizona in 2001.

The three have had a close friendship ever since. Haney guided the HarbourCats to within one game of the WCL title in 2019, and his 39 wins that season is the third-highest total in league history.

“I’ve talked to Greg about this for a few years, and he was in Victoria before (with wife Sarah) on a cruise ship stop, so he knows what a great city it is,” said Haney. “The timing is right for him now, and we’re glad to have him. We all know what it takes to prepare and be successful in this game, to the highest level.”

Haney, who played for the Cubs, Expos and Mets, and Swindell coached together in the summer of 2020 in an impromptu pro league that popped up during the pandemic, when the WCL was on hiatus.

Petkovsek pitched for the Rangers, Pirates, Cardinals and Angels between 1991 and 2001, going 46-28 with a 4.74 ERA.

“I know what kind of coaches and people Todd and Mark are, and what Todd says about the HarbourCats program,” said Swindell, who played for Cleveland (twice), Houston, Minnesota, Arizona, Cincinnati and Boston, going 123-122 with a 3.89 ERA, with a whopping 664 appearances. The 56-year-old won at least 10 games six times, and after retiring in 2002 he has been inducted in both the College Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

“I fell in love with Victoria very quickly, and a summer there in such great weather helping players strive for improvement, working with close friends who are accomplished professionals themselves, is something I really look forward to.”

Swindell (top left), his wife Sarah and his four children (front, L to R, Hayley, Dawson, Brenna, Sophia) are looking forward to travelling to Victoria and working with the HarbourCats.

Swindell has been a successful coach at the college level, including at Texas, along with media and charity work since his playing days. He was on the coaching staff for the 2005 College World Series championship team from Texas. He’s currently part of Longhorns baseball broadcasts.

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Summer Collegiate

Strong returning core taking shape for NightOwls for 2024

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Easter, Fleury, Buchan and Waters excited to be back in Nanaimo

Building a team is also about building a culture, with character people who have leadership skills — and that culture is important.

The Nanaimo NightOwls are pleased to announce the return of four key players from the 2023 team, the second season of WCL baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, and it’s a group of four that especially has veteran pitching coach Gorm Heimueller smiling.

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Two quality arms, a big bat and a second-team All-WCL catcher will be back in the navy and yellow — Michael Easter behind the dish, part of the catching crew that will receive pitches again from Nathan Buchan and Jake Fleury, along with a strong hitter in Wylie Waters. They join local infielder Aaron Marsh, last year’s co-player-of-the-year, as the first group confirmed for 2024.

Nathan Buchan, LHP, University of Redlands, from Mercer Island, WA

Jake Fleury, RHP, Skagit Valley College, from Burlington, WA

Wylie Waters, IF, South Mountain CC, from West Vancouver, BC

Michael Easter, C, Azuza Pacific, from Arcadia, CA

The WCL schedule was announced earlier this month — the regular season home opener for Head Coach Greg Frady and the NightOwls is Tuesday, June 4 against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

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Easter, who has moved from East LA CC to D-1 Azuza Pacific, was part of a strong catching core in 2023, walking more times than he struck out (26BB, 18K) and hitting .315 (16th in the WCL in average) with 21 runs driven in. His nine doubles tied for third on the team.

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Buchan, the opening day starter in 2023, is a warrior and a throwback, often going deep in games and going 3-3 with a 4.09 ERA over nine starts — a pitcher’s pitcher who struck out 32 batters in 37.1 innings.

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Potent hitter Waters, who played some infield, some outfield and DH in 2023 for Coach Greg Frady, is at South Mountain CC in Arizona, and had a strong summer in the WCL in which he hit .317 (14th in the WCL) with two home runs, 21 RBIs and 10 doubles, second on the NightOwls, in 42 games. He struck out just 22 times, matching his total of 22 combined base on balls (17) and hit by pitch (5).

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats add to 2024 roster, some names familiar to fans

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November 28, 2023

VICTORIA, B.C. — The season may feel far away, just over six months to be exact, but plans are well underway for filling Head Coach Todd Haney’s 2024 Victoria HarbourCats roster.

ALERT!  2024 SINGLE GAME TICKETS GO ON-SALE, Friday, December 1, 2023 at 9:00AM

Included are returning pitchers, and local products via the Victoria Eagles program, Sam Jordan and Ryder Green, along with the next Magdic (mag-DEECH) power-hitting prospect.

  • Kyle Magdic, IF, Lincoln, ON, 6-3/230, Marshalltown CC
  • Brooks Brewster, RHP, Carthage, TX, 6-2/205, Paris JC (Texas)
  • Wyatt Anderson, RHP, Cochrane, AB, 6-3/205, Hill JC (Texas)
  • Kade Douglas, RHP, Trinidad, CO, 6-2/185, CSU Pueblo
  • Ryder Green, RHP, Victoria, BC, 6-0/185, Park-Gilbert (AZ)
  • Sam Jordan, RHP, Victoria, BC, 6-3/190, Trinidad State (CO)

Magdic is the younger brother of 2023 fan favourite Ryan Magdic, a big corner infielder with huge power potential. Anderson is a power pitcher who will benefit from working with HarbourCats pitching coach Scott Anderson (no relation) and the staff.

Brewster is yet another Texas recruit by Haney, with a fastball in the low 90s, a college freshman who had great success at the top high school level in a very competitive state.

Douglas, a lanky right-hander with swing-miss stuff, pitched in the Northwoods League and WCBL, advancing from Allen CC to CSU-Pueblo. Green, who has been around the team for many years including being a batboy many moons ago, is in the midst of his freshman NAIA season in Arizona and returns for a second season working with Anderson.

Jordan returns for a second season, this time after spending a year at Trinidad State in Colorado (previously at Thompson Rivers in Kamloops). He made six appearances including two starts for the HarbourCats in 2023, going 2-0 with a 2.76 ERA and walking only four hitters.

Now that the 2024 HarbourCats schedule has been released, HarbourCats staff are very busy behind the scenes getting ready for the upcoming year.  Season Tickets are now on sale, as are 10-Game Flex packs and SINGLE GAME TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON-LINE starting THIS Friday December 1st, 2023 at 9:00 AM.

As always, single game tickets will be available through our one and only ticketing partner Select Your Tickets at http://harbourcats.com/tickets.

SINGLE GAME TICKET PRE-SALE SPECIAL!
Fans who want to get a jump on their single game ticket purchases may do so by dropping into the HarbourCats office on Wednesday or Thursday November 29th and 30th between Noon and 7PM as the HarbourCats are holding their annual Christmas Open House at the office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Other Christmas Open House specials include season ticket renewals or new purchases at 2023 pricing (a savings of $20-25 per seat) plus 20% off all in store merchandise!  Food and beverage will also be provided.

 

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats Annual Christmas Open House Nov. 29th and 30th!

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YOU ARE INVITED!
Please mark your calendars and join us, as we usher in the 2023-2024 Holiday season with our annual HarbourCats Christmas Open House, this year expanded over a two day period!

November 29th and 30th, 2023
12 Noon to 7:00 pm both days
at the HarbourCats office
101-1814 Vancouver Street (just around the corner from the park!)

We will have our usual assortment of treats and holiday beverages on hand, plus plenty of great deals on tickets and merchandise for the baseball fan on your Christmas list.  Come on in and take advantage of the following offers:

15% off ALL in store merchandise
including new 2023 North Division Champion shirts, game worn jerseys, new kids apparel and plenty more!

2024 Single Game Ticket Pre-Buy
Be the first to get your single-game tickets for 2024 before they go on sale on-line and to the general public on Friday December 1st!

2024 Voucher Exchanges 
If you have ticket vouchers, be first to exchange them for your preferred seats before single game tickets go on sale to the general public!

Early Bird Season Ticket Pricing! 
Even though our Early Bird deadline on Season Tickets has passed, come in either day to renew your 2023 seats or set up new season tickets and we will give you those at our 2023 pricing!

Get a 2024 Schedule
Pick up a copy of our 2024 Schedule, one that includes 32 home games, 4 fireworks nights and all the excitement of another West Coast League season!  Home Opener, Friday, June 7, 2024 6:35 pm against the Wenatchee AppleSox

We will look forward to seeing you on the 29th and 30th!

Stay tuned to all of our social media for updates and more details as they become available.

Web: www.harbourcats.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harbourcats
Facebook Fan Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/harbourcats
Twitter: https://twitter.com/harbourcats
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harbourcats

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