Connect with us

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats add seven to 2023 roster, including five pitchers and three locals

Published

on

A 2022 WCL Pitcher of the Week winner, returning HarbourCat Cooper Crompton (above) highlights the latest round of 2023 player announcements

February 28, 2023

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Top arms from TCU, a pro prospect catcher from George Mason and three local players highlight the latest round of signings for the 2023 season of Victoria HarbourCats baseball.

“We always value securing local and Canadian players where they fit with their stage of development and the quality competition in the West Coast League,” said General Manager Christian Stewart. “Our fans also like seeing players return, and that’s the case in these latest signings with Cooper Crompton, Noah Takacs and Dawson Hurford. I know the coaching staff is excited to see Connor Dykstra and Tyrus Hall, and the TCU guys coming north for the summer are premium arms.”

Announced today are:

  • Tyrus Hall, IF, school undecided, 6-2/190, Victoria, B.C.
  • Connor Dykstra, C, George Mason University, 6-1/230, Chilliwack, B.C.
  • Cooper Crompton, RHP, Iowa Western (committed to Oregon), 6-5/180, Langley, B.C.
  • Kole Klecker, RHP, Texas Christian University (TCU), 6-2/205, Chandler, AZ
  • Louis Rodriguez, RHP, Texas Christian University (TCU), 6-1/205, Long Beach, CA
  • Noah Takacs, RHP, Sacramento State, 6-3/200, Victoria, B.C.
  • Dawson Hurford, RHP, Southern Arkansas, 6-3/210, Victoria, B.C.

Hall is a Canadian national junior team product who played for the Victoria Eagles, and is known for his defence and strong arm. He is taking a gap year after high school and going to showcase events while working through his recruitment process, and will decide on a college program soon. Has primarily played as a shortstop.

Former Victoria Eagle and Canadian JNP product Ty Hall will give the ‘Cats some great talent in the middle infield

Dykstra, a big man at 6-1/230, found his name on the list of the top 50 NCAA Division 1 catchers due to his strong work behind the plate and his lethal right-hand bat. In 2022, he hit .444 with six home runs and 33 RBIs while also swiping four bases in the Atlantic10 Conference. Dykstra also got hit by pitch 21 times in 51 games played. He jumped to George Mason from Galveston College.

Dykstra will be a solid presence behind the plate this season

Crompton, currently in his second year at Iowa Western, where he is already 2-0 on the season, made five starts for the HarbourCats in 2022, amassing 24.2 innings and giving up just 20 hits while walking only seven and earned a WCL Pitcher of the Week award for his efforts.  He is committed to the Oregon Ducks in the fall.

Victorian Noah Takacs will return in 2023 to bolster the HarbourCats pitching staff (Photo: Christian J Stewart)

Rodriguez was a USA Baseball national team participant from the time he was 12, and was Orange County pitcher of the year as a senior in high school. He’s 1-0 with a 3.37 ERA as a TCU freshman. Kole Klecker — already makes the WCL’s all-name team — threw a complete game to help his high school win the Arizona state championship. Is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 11 strikeouts (and no walks) in 8.1 innings already as a freshman at TCU.

Louis Rodriguez has been a member of Team USA since the age of 12 and won in his debut this spring with TCU.

Takacs, a product of the Victoria Eagles, is a sophomore at Sacramento State, was 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA for the HarbourCats in six starts in 2022. He’s now thrown more than 80 innings for Sac State, and is 3-3 over 16 starts.

Hurford, a Victoria Mariners product, threw in six games as a HarbourCat in 2022, with a record of 0-1 and 6.46 ERA. He’s moved from Western Nebraska College to NCAA Division-2 University of Southern Arkansas, where he is used out of the bullpen.

Already 2-0 in his freshman year at TCU, Kole Klecker should be a key arm in the HarbourCats bullpen in 2023.

The HarbourCats celebrate their 10th Anniversary in 2023 and the season kicks off with the home opener against the Kamloops NorthPaws on Friday June 2, 2023.  Single game tickets for that game and all 31 HarbourCats home games in 2023 are now on sale and can be purchased on-line through our one-and-only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at harbourcats.com/tickets.  They can also be purchased at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or at the Select Your Tickets box office at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.  Fans can also call 778-265-0327 to order over the phone.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale.  For details on all ticketing options, including our special $10.00 Tuesdays, Forces Fridays and Save-on-Food Vouchers, please visit harbourcats.com/ticketinfo.

HOST FAMILIES!  The HarbourCats are in need of host families for 2023!  If you are interested, you can find more details HERE, or contact Cindy Kent, our Host Family Coordinator by e-mail at hostfamily@harbourcats.com.

Source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Summer Collegiate

Plenty of weekend action in 2027 NightOwls schedule

Published

on

November 10, 2026

NANAIMO, B.C. — It’s hard to boil down the 2027 Nanaimo NightOwls schedule to a few highlights — it’s a strong schedule for fans and partners, and for the players and coaches.

The sixth season of NightOwls baseball at historic Serauxmen Stadium, in the impressive West Coast League, includes ample weekend dates in both June and July, with a game on Sunday, June 20 the perfect fit for Father’s Day celebrations.

It also includes the first-ever Nanaimo visit by the South Division’s Springfield Drifters, who have not faced the Serauxmen challenge prior to this 2027 schedule — and the Drifters are the OPENING SERIES foe for the NightOwls (June 4-5-6).

“We really like what this schedule will mean for our fans and our sponsors,” said GM Tina Cornett. “There are a lot of ways we can be creative with the dates, and the travel for our players and coaches is more than workable, with just one South Division trip (to Yakima).

“We can’t wait to get seats set up for everyone, and to start lining up all the group outings that are so popular at Serauxmen Stadium. There are no long homestands, one spot in late June where we have six games in seven days, and in August we have Edmonton and Kelowna in consecutive home series.”

Season tickets, packages and group bookings are available now (email tina@nanaimonightowls.com for more information), and single-game tickets will be on sale soon.

The NightOwls open with a three-game series in Victoria, June 1-2-3, and also end on the road Aug 9-10-11 in Kamloops.

The NightOwls are planning to add another fireworks date to the offering — the ultra-popular July 1/Canada Day date (vs. the island rival Victoria HarbourCats) remains in place, but a season-opening fireworks show in the second home game of the season, Saturday, June 5, is in the works.

The NightOwls host the home opener on Friday, June 4, vs. the Springfield Drifters, starting a three-game series that ends with a Sunday matinee at 1 p.m. at Serauxmen.

The NightOwls will face the Kelowna Falcons and Edmonton Riverhawks nine times this season. Nanaimo and Victoria will also meet nine times in the 54 games, six of those in the capital city. Victoria will host the West Coast League all-star game for the second year in a row, two days of activities there July 13-14 at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

HOME DATES, 2027
Nanaimo NightOwls, at Serauxmen Stadium
Mon-Sat games, 6:35 pm — Sunday games, 1pm

Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 4-5-6 — vs. Springfield Drifters (including planned fireworks game, Saturday, June 5)
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 11-12-13 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, June 18-19-20 — vs. Wenatchee AppleSox (including Father’s Day, June 20)
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, June 22-23-24 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Tuesday, June 29 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Thursday, July 1 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats (Canada Day fireworks)
Wednesday, July 7 — vs. Victoria HarbourCats
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10-11 — vs. Bellingham Bells
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 16-17-18 — vs. Coquitlam Angels
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, July 23-24-25 — vs. Kamloops Northpaws
Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, August 3-4-5 — vs. Edmonton Riverhawks
Friday-Saturday-Sunday, August 6-7-8 — vs. Kelowna Falcons

ROAD DATES, 2027
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 1-2-3 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 8-9-10 — at Bellingham
Tues-Wed-Thurs, June 15-16-17 — at Edmonton
Fri-Sat-Sun, June 25-26-27 — at Kelowna
Wednesday, June 30 — at Victoria
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 2-3-4 — at Wenatchee
Tuesday, July 6 — at Victoria
Thursday, July 8 — at Victoria
Tues-Wed-Thurs, July 20-21-22 — at Yakima Valley
Fri-Sat-Sun, July 30-31/Aug1 — at Kelowna
Mon-Tues-Wed, August 9-10-11 — at Kamloops

PLAYOFF DATES
Division semifinal — August 13-14-15
Division final — August 17
WCL final — August 19

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Fall 2026 Indoor Training Clinics Now Open for Registration

Published

on

Sessions begin October 31. Register NOW!

The Victoria HarbourCats and the Edwards Family Training Centre (EFTC) are now taking individual bookings for our Fall 2026 indoor training sessions for baseball.

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 general 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 Collegiate Cats, giving players access to a proven environment for growth and performance.

Running for eight weeks, athletes will receive 32 hours of training designed to keep their skills sharp through the winter.

2026 Fall Sessions Include:

Baseball, Foundations and Futures, $300, Saturdays, 9:00am- 12noon, October 31 thru December 19. 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, 12:30-3:30pm, October 31 thru December 19. Ages 12-16.
High Performance Prep is designed for players aged 12–16 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

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

Source

Continue Reading

Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Zach Swanson Returning as Pitching Coach for HarbourCats in 2027

Published

on

September 2, 2026

For immediate release

VICTORIA, B.C. – After a successful debut season in the West Coast League, Zach Swanson will be back as Pitching Coach for the Victoria HarbourCats.

Head Coach Todd Haney is pleased to be putting together the key pieces of his staff already for the 2027 season, and that includes Swanson, the Victoria product and former college pitcher, after setting notable records in 2026.  Swanson is a Lambrick Park graduate who played for the Victoria Eagles and Mariners, and pitched collegiately at San Diego Christian and Park University-Gilbert, earning an MBA in the process.

The records and notables of the 2026 HarbourCats:

  • Most team strikeouts (536) in team history in a season, two short of a WCL record (and notably, the HarbourCats would have played two more games, but they were cancelled due to smoky conditions in Washington State)
  • Highest K/9 rate in WCL history (10.48)
  • Second in batting average against (.235)
  • Fourth in league ERA (4.48)
  • Right-handers Jeremiah Arnett (66) and Erik Rico (64) now sit first and second in HarbourCats history in strikeouts in a season, and both were named all-stars – on top of it, Arnett was named the WCL Pitcher of the Year
  • HarbourCats reliever Nathan Mueller was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers and pitcher Will Zielinski was a 20th round pick of the Detroit Tigers

Swanson is the Pitching Coach at Hawaii Pacific University (NCAA Division 2) in Honolulu, entering his second year – in his first season, Swanson had three all-conference pitchers and the team ERA improved by more than a run per game.

“I’m incredibly excited to welcome Zach back as our pitching coach for the 2027 season.  He built tremendous trust with our pitchers and has a great understanding of what it takes to develop players,” said Haney, who earlier this week added former MLB infielder Jeff Frye to the coaching staff for 2027.

“Our pitching staff responded to Zach’s leadership every single day, and we saw real growth both on and off the mound.  Zach brings an exceptional work ethic, passion and competitive edge to our staff.  Our pitchers are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him now, as it’s only a matter of time before Zach is an MLB pitching coach.”

Swanson is excited to return to a team he knows well, holding many roles – batboy, to player, to play-by-play voice in 2022.  Swanson was Victoria’s starting pitcher for Game 1 of the WCL final in 2019 against the Corvallis Knights in a game played at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

“It’s a joy and a privilege to be returning to Victoria in 2027,” said Swanson, son of Managing Partner Jim Swanson.

“After a 2026 season full of development, my wife Madeline and I are looking forward to coming back to this great city.  I can’t wait to help write another chapter – both in the lives of these athletes and in the history books of this organization.”

 

The HarbourCats have started the recruiting process for 2027 already, and Season Ticket Memberships are now available for purchase or renewal.  New members may order their seats on-line if desired at harbourcats.com/tickets (click the Membership tab), or by calling the office at 778-265-0327.

Renew or purchase your seats by September 30th to be eligible to win a round trip airfare on Harbour Air to Vancouver.

The HarbourCats 2027 schedule is expected to be announced in late October 2026, with single-game tickets expected to be available by December 1, 2026.

Source

Continue Reading

Trending