Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – 2024 HarbourCats Year in Review
For immediate release
August 15, 2024
VICTORIA, B.C — In the blink of an eye, another Victoria HarbourCats season has come and gone. The 2024 season was full of incredible moments from start to finish that will live long in the memory of all Cats fans. From walk-off wins to broken records and much more, the summer had a bit of everything.
This season’s story started on April 4 when the team announced the signings of Lucas Ramirez and Manny Ramirez Jr, sons of 12-time MLB All-Star and 2004 World Series MVP Manny Ramirez. The announcement started to excite the city for the return of HarbourCats baseball as the countdown to opening day had begun.
Todd Haney was back in charge for his fourth year as head coach and was joined by returning coaches Scott Anderson, Troy Birtwistle, Steve Sinclair, and Ethan Fox. Trovin Valdez, a personal coach for Ramirez Sr. during his career, joined the staff as a hitting coach.
The legacy of the team is so strong that our very own Helen Edwards wrote a book, “Victoria HarbourCats: Ten Years and Counting,” about the history of HarbourCats baseball. If you want to learn about the first 10 years of the organization, you can purchase the book on Amazon or at the Cats shop. All proceeds from sales are donated to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
After a 4-2 road trip to start the season, the HarbourCats returned to Victoria for the home opener on June 7 where they debuted their brand new Montreal Expos-inspired home uniform. This new look was in honour of Haney and Anderson’s time spent in the Expos organization during their careers. The opening weekend included a 9-6 win on the first fireworks night of the season in front of a packed Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.
One of the standout days on the calendar is always Mayfair Optometric’s annual School Spirit Day. Cam Schneider made this season’s game a memorable one hitting a walk-off single in extra innings to beat the Nanaimo NightOwls 2-1 in front of over 5000 fans.
After an up-and-down June, the Cats had a 13-12 record. Camden Sos and Garrett Teunissen both stood out from the first game and quickly established themselves as key players for Haney. Unfortunately, both players suffered injuries and had their summer in Victoria cut short. Sos had 18 hits and 10 RBIs in his 17 games while Teunissen had nine extra-base hits in 24 games including a franchise record five triples, which led the West Coast League.
Ny’Zaiah Thompson, who was with the team from start to finish, had a June to remember leading the team in games played, hits, doubles, RBIs, and stolen bases for the month. On top of all of that, he consistently got the fans out of their seats for his play in the outfield, making a handful of spectacular diving catches.
On Canada Day, the HarbourCats won the RE/MAX Generation Island Cup for the third straight year. It went down to the final day, a doubleheader in Nanaimo, but the Cats edged the season series winning five of nine contests against the NightOwls to clinch the trophy.
The HarbourCats scored a season-high 19 runs in a win at home on July 7 against the Kelowna Falcons. They carried that momentum into an important series win at home against the Edmonton Riverhawks the following weekend. That kept them within striking distance of the second-half lead after the Wenatchee AppleSox secured their spot in the playoffs by winning the first half.
In mid-July the WCL paused for their first All-Star Game since 2019. Tate Shimao and Carson Cormier were the two HarbourCats selected to the North Division team. The game was broadcast on the MLB network, giving these young stars a great opportunity to showcase themselves on a national stage. Shimao, who quickly became a fan favourite and nicknamed “ShamWow,” was an All-Star in every sense of the word. His season was cut short due to injury but in his 20 games for the Cats, he had a .350 batting average, five doubles, two triples, two home runs, 20 RBIs, and seven stolen bases.
Carson Cormier was as dominant as they come from his first appearance to his last. The right-hander from TCU had a 1.45 ERA in 24-2/3 innings of work in the regular season. He struck out 34 batters and walked just eight. Cormier spent most of the season pitching in relief but was relied upon to start games later in the campaign, with his best outing coming against the Riverhawks on July 30 when he pitched five no-hit innings while striking out seven.
July brought the MLB Draft and 2024’s class was full of current and former Harbourcats. From this year’s team Connor Dykstra and Jagger Beck both signed as undrafted free agents with the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros respectively, and Lucas Ramirez was drafted in the 17th round by the Los Angeles Angels. Former players Sean Heppner (12th round, Cleveland Guardians), Ryan Magdic (14th round, Oakland Athletics), and Hunter Omlid (20th round, Colorado Rockies) were also drafted. 2023 HarbourCat Jesse Brown signed with the Miami Marlins as an undrafted free agent making it seven HarbourCats starting the professional journey’s in 2024.
After the All-Star break the battle for playoff spots heated up. The Cats were swept in Ridgefield but that lit a fire in them to go on a nine-game win streak which included a sweep of the Port Angeles Lefties on the road before six straight wins at home against the Kamloops NorthPaws and the Riverhawks.
This stretch was led by first baseman Michelle Artzberger, who joined the team at the end of June and stayed until the end of July. In his 22 games played he had hits in all but three games. He recorded two or more hits in 14 games and finished his season with a batting average of .414, one home run, seven doubles, and 23 RBIs. He had a knack for clutch moments, including hitting a bases-clearing double in back-to-back games against the NorthPaws during the winning streak.
Those nine wins in a row put the HarbourCats in a favourable position to make the postseason and they clinched their spot with a couple of games remaining. The last home game was against the Corvallis Knights where they wrapped up the regular season in exciting fashion coming back from 6-0 down to win 11-8.
Michael Crossland, who returned for a second year in Victoria, was named team MVP after his outstanding season. The outfielder from UC San Diego hit .326 with four home runs, 11 doubles, and 21 RBIs. Cormier was named Pitcher-of-the-Year and Jai Berezowski won the Community Service Award.
Due to stadium renovations for a BC Lions game at Royal Athletic Park on August 31, the HarbourCats could not play their home playoff game in Victoria. Instead, the Cats and their fans travelled to Serauxmen Stadium in Nanaimo to open a three-game series against the Wenatchee AppleSox. Fans showed up in numbers and created a special atmosphere at the ballpark, where the two teams were tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Kerim Orucevic wrote his name into the HarbourCats history books hitting a two-run walk-off home run to win the game 4-2.
Unfortunately, the HarbourCats could not take that momentum into Wenatchee where they lost games two and three to the AppleSox.
The HarbourCats broke a franchise record in 2024 with an overall attendance of 80,453 fans. On the field, Todd Haney’s team set a WCL single-season record with 169 stolen bases, breaking their previously set record of 150 from 2023.
You can’t talk about the 2024 season without mentioning a few more key contributors on the field. Tyrus Hall returned for a second season and was a mainstay in the lineup from start to finish. The Victoria native played in 42 games, stole 26 bases, and had a team-high 12-game hitting streak during the business end of the campaign. On top of his play at the plate, he arguably made the catch of the year.
Sky Collins led the Cats with 45 games played and his team-high 27 stolen bases tied a franchise record. The outfielder from Fresno State finished the season with a .304 average and a team-high 49 hits. Gunner Antillon hit .294 in 34 games while playing many different positions. His impressive season included a 24-game on-base streak which was good for the second-longest across the WCL this season.
It was a revolving door of pitchers this season with 38 different arms making appearances. Ryne Palmer, Payton Hawkinson, Jake Finkelstein, and Jack Finn led the way pitching the most innings along with Cormier. After a mechanical adjustment to a side-arm delivery, Garrett Villa became one of the most dominant relievers in the league. In his final 14-2/3 innings pitched he gave up just one run while striking out nine and consistently inducing soft contact. He ended his time in Victoria with three straight saves, including back-to-back saves against the Riverhawks to extend the team’s win streak to nine.
Although 2024 didn’t end with a championship, there are countless highlights to remember and be proud of. The countdown to 2025 opening day is on and Haney’s team will be back more determined than ever to go all the way.
Thank you to the best fans in the league for your unwavering support all season long.
Victoria HarbourCats 2025 Season Tickets are now available! If you have been loving HarbourCats baseball, lock in your existing seats, or purchase new seats by our Early Bird Deadline of September 30th to secure seats at 2024 pricing. Stop in at the office or contact Christian by email at Chris@harbourcats.com for details.
Summer Collegiate
Victoria HarbourCats – Fresno State starting shortstop signs for summer with HarbourCats
Six more D1 players, including five pitchers and Fresno State shortstop Brady Hewitt (above), ready to play in Victoria
April 15, 2026
For immediate release
VICTORIA, B.C. — The Victoria HarbourCats have had a lot of success working with Fresno State Bulldogs players, and Brady Hewitt could be the next key recruit from the D1 program.
Hewitt, the starter as a freshman, was all conference player of the year as a high school senior and is hitting .353 with 18 extra-base hits — 12 doubles, three triples and three home runs.
“We’ve had a lot of success with Fresno State guys putting on a HarbourCats uniform over the years,” said GM Christian Stewart, “and adding Brady and two promising pitchers keeps that tradition alive. Cayden Munster, Sky Collins, Tyler Patrick and Cam Schneider are recent Bulldogs who became fan favourites in Victoria.”
Added today to the HarbourCats 2026 roster are:
- IF Brady Hewitt, Fresno State, R/R, 6-2/200, Simi Valley, CA
- RHP Erik Rico, Fresno State, 6-0/195, Visalia, CA
- RHP Brandon Thomas, Fresno State, 6-4/235, Cypress, CA
- RHP Brandon Vasquez, St. Mary’s, 6-4/210, Round Rock, TX
- RHP Aiden Barrientes, Texas Christian University, 6-1/195, Katy, TX
- RHP Cade Nelson, Texas Christian University, 6-6/205, Katy, TX
Erik Rico, also a freshman, is working out of the bullpen after a strong high school career where he was also the quarterback of the football team. Thomas is an imposing figure on the mound with 12 appearances as a freshman so far, going 1-1 with a 4.29 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Brandon Thomas is a freshman who has appeared in 21 innings so far this spring for the Bulldogs, building a 4.29 ERA with 20 strikeouts. As a senior in high school, he owned a 6-5 record with a 0.79 ERA, and 81 strikeouts in 79.1 innings of work.
6-6 TCU pitcher Cade Nelson should be a dominating figure on the mound for the HarbourCats in 2026 (Photo courtesy TCU).
Brandon Vasquez is a redshirt junior who is 3-2 with a 5.05 ERA in 34 college outings, which includes 10 starts and a complete game this season.
Freshman Aiden Barrientes was at the 2025 MLB draft combine, and set his high school’s strikeout record with 129, also named the Sports Illustrated player of the week in May of 2025. He is working out of the pen for the Horned Frogs.
Cade Nelson is from the same Texas town and high school as Barrientes, has started four games as a freshman at TCU, fanning 19 hitters in 18.2 innings so far this season.
The HarbourCats begin their 2026 season on May 29th with a visit to Portland and then return to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.
Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs and 2026 All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale at harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.
Dillon Lopez celebrates his walk-off base hit that gave Victoria a 10-9 win over the Kelowna Falcons last July 12 (Photo: Justin Morash)
April 7, 2026
Story by Norm LeBus
Photos by Justin Morash
At 11 years old, I was five foot seven and almost as wide, so catcher or right field was the best guess in Little League. A late growth spurt and affinity for Gram’s baking meant I didn’t move very quickly, but I did take up a lot of space.
Squatting with a cage on my head, I closed my eyes when I saw a club swing overhead. Then a ball hit me right in the chest protector.
“Maybe join the outfielders,” coach said.
That was 1970.
I’ve always had a respect for catchers. A crouched blend of courage and mule stubbornness, donning and shedding protective amour between innings. Kind of a point guard in the summer heat, bending to a kneel then standing dozens of times a game, guiding eight on-field players into place and counseling shaky pitchers.
So, it’s validating to hear catching feels exactly like it looks.
“When I started, I’d be sore for a couple days after catching games,” Dillon Lopez says.
“I guess over time you kind of get used to hurting all the time. You get used to your body feeling not one hundred percent and you kind of roll with it.”
Lopez, 21, is currently a junior at NCAA Div 1 program St Mary’s University in San Antonio, his hometown. Lopez joined the Cats late in 2025, arriving July 1 after the team’s starting catcher, Jacob Silva, injured his toe sliding into a base in Kelowna.
“If Dillon had arrived earlier, he no doubt would have been one of our all-star selections,” Harbourcats GM Christian Stewart contends. “He’s just a guy you can send up to the plate with confidence and put behind the dish with confidence to handle any of our pitchers.”
Lopez, 5-10 and about 200 pounds, is kind of built for the job.
Dillon Lopez salutes the crowd after his walk-off base hit gave the Cats a dramatic 10-9 win over the Kelowna Falcons last July 12th (Photo: Justin Morash).
In the WCL, you’re crouched behind home plate in about seven pounds of armour, in what amounts to the engine room. Two opposing forces are trying to collide: a hickory or birch bat whirls past your ear at almost 100 miles an hour as a ball’s incoming at close to the same velocity. When the two intersect, it’s game action: foul ball or in-play on the diamond.
But most of the game, the ball lands in the catcher’s mitt for balls and strikes.
“It doesn’t come too close to my head,” Lopez says of the bat. “But it does come pretty close to my glove. All I try to do is focus on catching the ball.”
Every inch of the catcher is protected, including their throat. It’s kind of a dangerous place. And catchers need to keep it calm in the eye of the storm.
“We’re more of a coach on the field,” Lopez says. “We see everything and we keep everybody in check and remind everybody what they have to do.”
My right field recollections were a lot of daydreaming punctuated by one or maybe two fly balls a game and less grounders.
Not so if you play catcher.
“I love catching because I’m always in the game and helps me stay locked in on what ‘s going on,” Lopez says. “If definitely takes a lot of focus and some homework, understanding batters’ swings and their tendencies.
Lopez is also an outstanding hitter. Arriving July 1 last season, he played 24 games and hit .350 with four doubles, three home runs and 18 RBI.
Currently back in San Antonio for his junior year at St Mary’s University, Lopez is hitting .362 with eight dingers and 43 RBI in 35 games this spring.
Lopez is also outstanding in the classroom as a three-time conference honour roll student in his field of sport science.
And he’s a student of the game, studying both his swing and his catching form on video most nights during the season, ensuring his fundamentals don’t stray.
“Your swing can change slightly during the season,” he explains. “There’s mental fatigue and body fatigue and you have to push through the fog, stay true to fundamentals and not chase little fixes that up end altering the foundation.”
The last year has been a huge challenge for Lopez outside the lines. Three months before he joined the Cats in 2025, Lopez lost a family member after a lengthy illness.
Dillon Lopez should be a steady influence behind the plate for the HarbourCats again in 2026 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)
His St Mary’s teammate, Garret Brooks, who also arrived in Victoria at the beginning of July, was instrumental at the start.
“He definitely helped me out with getting in there and getting situated,” Lopez recalls. “We hung out with a lot of the guys and kind of got to fit in a little bit, especially when it’s the middle of summer and everybody’s already used to each other.”
It didn’t hurt that both players made immediate impacts: Brooks hit .343 with six doubles and 13 RBI in 20 games; Lopez homered three times with 18 RBI, four doubles and hit .350 in 21 games.
Through 30 games in the current NCAA season that began in February, both players are rolling at St Mary’s: both are hitting well above .300 with a combined 12 homers and 63 RBI.
And when the calendar hits June, Lopez plans to be behind home plate for the first pitch.
“I feel like it should be much better transition wise,” Lopez says. “I get to experience opening day and get the fans to kind of know me a bit more than a new face.
“It’s exciting. I’m looking forward to winning a lot of games.”
Lopez and the HarbourCats begin their 2026 season on May 29th with a visit to Portland and then return to Victoria for the Home Opener against the Edmonton Riverhawks on Tuesday, June 2, 6:30 pm.
Season tickets, single-game tickets, 12 and 32-game flex packs and 2026 All-Star Game ticket packages are now on sale at harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 1814 Vancouver Street.
NightOwls go California Dreaming — more arms for Coach Gorm
– Pitching coach Gorm Heimueller, going into his 50th year in the game, will have a lot to work with for mound duties this season.
The Nanaimo NightOwls are pleased to announce the signing of some top-end pitching for the 2026 WCL campaign, and all of those locked in on paperwork today hail from the State of California — which happens to be where Gorm is originally from.
To help Heimueller have a memorable 50th year in baseball, the NightOwls are proud to add these pitchers to his 2026 meeting room:
RHP Jacob Badillo, Cal State-LA, 6-0/180, Lancaster CA
RHP Anthony Cosme, Cal Poly-Pomona, 6-0/208, Inglewood CA
RHP Jacob Alvarez, Orange Coast College, 61-/215, Bellflower CA
RHP Chase Cummins, Cerra Coso CC, 6-0/168, Santa Maria CA
Badillo comes from the same school that provided 2025 starter Lino Zepeda, an effective starter for Heimueller’s staff. As a freshman, Badillo has made five appearances including three starts for Cal State LA so far this spring, posting his first collegiate win.
Cosme has spent time as the Friday Night Starter for Cal Poly, a physical pitcher who runs his fastball up to 93. He was the opening game starter for Cal Poly as a freshman, and went on to make 11 starts and was named the school’s freshman male athlete of the year, walking only 17 batters in nearly 60 innings pitched.
Alvarez is at junior college powerhouse program Orange Coast College, on the same team as recent signee Alan Choo (1B/DH, son of former MLB all-star Shin-Soo Choo). Alvarez already has six appearances this spring, including a start, an innings-eater for Orange Coast with nearly a strikeout per inning.
Cummins is a submariner, a whippy arm and a useful bullpen tool to mix things up — a sophomore who has given up just one hit in his last two outings and is striking out a batter per inning. He had 24 innings of work last summer for Swift Current in the WCBL, so this will be his second summer spent north of the border.
Victoria HarbourCats – Fresno State starting shortstop signs for summer with HarbourCats
Victoria HarbourCats – Fan-Favourite Lopez excited to return to Victoria
NightOwls California Dreamin’ for Pitching
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