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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats start 2022 signings with local talent

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Nine from Victoria, including Golden Tide standouts, lined up for WCL season

January 6, 2022

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. –– There’s a lot of baseball talent in the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

The Victoria HarbourCats are pleased to announce the first nine signings — yep, a full lineup, from Victoria — for the 2022 West Coast League season, and all have strong Victoria roots.

The players range from NCAA Division-1 players to those who showed their skills and work ethic with the Victoria Golden Tide, the new Canadian College Baseball Conference (CCBC) team that plays out of Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP.

Tide pitcher Haldon Craig will join the HarbourCats in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

“Developing local talent from the ground up has been my goal since I came on board with the HarbourCats in 2018,” said Curtis Pelletier, the team GM who was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for four years with the HarbourCats and is also the Head Coach of the Golden Tide. “The kids in the stands all hope to wear the HC one day and we’re making that a reality now. We have put together a phenomenal group of coaches to train the Golden Tide and Players Club athletes with the goal of signing them to the HarbourCats. Get used to seeing local players on the field here in the summer as there is some serious talent coming through our programs.”

Golden Tide’s Daniel Sawchyn, will bring speed to the HarbourCats outfield and base paths in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

The nine players are:

• RHP Noah Takacs, Sacramento State, 6-3/200
• OF Josh Walker, Sacramento State, 6-1/175
• LHP/1B Eric Luchies, Lower Columbia College, 6-3/200
• RHP Owen Luchies, Lower Columbia College, 6-2/195
• RHP Dawson Hurford, Western Nebraska College, 6-3/195
• RHP Haldon Craig, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-3/215
• LHP Jacob Popadynec, Victoria Golden Tide, 5-11/175
• IF Jordan Bond, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-0/185
• OF Daniel Sawchyn, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-0/170

Takacs, a product of the Victoria Eagles of the BC Premier Baseball League (PBL), had a 4.82 ERA and made four starts for the Hornets in 2021. Sacramento State teammate Walker, a lefty hitter who came through the Victoria Mariners PBL program, has appeared in 13 games over two spring seasons.

The Luchies brothers, Eric and Owen, are both from the Eagles PBL program and are making the big jump, one year apart, to the Lower Columbia program, a junior college in the NWAC. Both bring a power game and tremendous potential. Hurford, from Victoria but a product of the PBL’s Langley Blaze, has made 18 appearances, including 11 starts for the WNC Cougars.

Pitcher Owen Luchies throwing for the Golden Tide in exhibition play last fall (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Bond, Sawchyn, Craig and Popadynec are all local products (Bond and Popadynec from the Eagles, Craig from the AAA Capitals, and Sawchyn from the Mariners) who got their first college action this last fall with the Golden Tide, and will provide valuable depth — Bond and Sawchyn for their bat and defence, Popadynec and Craig off the mound.

Jordan Bond had a strong fall season with the Golden Tide (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Takacs is thrilled to have the chance to play summer collegiate baseball in his hometown. “It means the world to me… I wanted to play HarbourCats baseball all my life and finally, through all the pandemic problems, myself and a few others will get that opportunity. Victoria is a small baseball town but at the heart of it has some of the most dedicated individuals you’ll ever meet. Whenever I come home to train I know that I will have the right dudes around me to push me to get better every day. Without the people I met in Victoria I wouldn’t be the player or person I am today.”

The HarbourCats will begin their 2022 West Coast League campaign with their Home Opener on Tuesday May 31, 2022 at 6:35 pm against the Port Angeles Lefties, the first of 34 home games that will be played at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

Golden Tide pitcher Jacob Popadynec will be a nice left-handed option for the HarbourCats in 2022 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

Season Tickets, 2022 single-game tickets, 10-game flex packs, gift cards and HarbourCats merchandise are now on sale at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or by calling 778-265-0327. Single-game tickets may also be purchased directly on-line at www.harbourcats.com/tickets.

Fans holding unused tickets or flex-pack vouchers from the cancelled 2020 and 2021 seasons may also now exchange these for tickets for any 2022 regular season game. This can be done at the HarbourCats office.

For more details and to keep up with the latest news on the 2022 season, please visit the HarbourCats website at www.harbourcats.com.

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Son of former MLB star part of latest NightOwls signing group

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Todd Hollandsworth was a third round pick of the Dodgers after a stellar high school showing in the Seattle area — he would go on to win the World Series with the 2003 Florida Marlins and play 12 MLB seasons and more than 1,100 games, with the Dodgers, Indians, Marlins, Rockies, Rangers, Cubs, Braves and Reds. He was the 1996 National League rookie of the year with the Dodgers, batting .291 with 26 doubles and 21 stolen bases.

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Tugg bats and throws left like his dad, and is now a prized developing freshman at Illinois State. His teammate Minshew is a valued 90mph-plus power arm out of the bullpen who is already being used as a freshman.

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Felix, a physical player with power, is being watched closely this spring by NightOwls pitching coach Gorm Heimueller, and projects as a star catcher at the baseball factory at Cal Poly — where Heimueller was a pitcher many decades ago on a team that featured Ozzie Smith.

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Hadley is a power lefty bat, a former Langley Blaze star, who was going to join the NightOwls in 2023 until he was injured. He’s second in at-bats with Barton this spring, batting .355 with five doubles and a home run, and 16 RBIs.

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Noonan is at Grossmont College but is making the jump to SDSU, a slick shortstop who smashed eight home runs as a freshman.

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Welter, a valuable lefty for deployment out of the bullpen at Serauxmen Stadium, is filling a key role for the Trojans this spring.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – Arms from Oz, Hawaii and Golden Tide added for 2024 summer

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For immediate release

March 13, 2024

VICTORIA, B.C. — The reigning CCAA player of the week, San Marcos infielder Garrett Teunissen (pictured above), leads the latest signees for the Victoria HarbourCats for the 2024 season.

SEE FULL 2024 ROSTER TO DATE HERE

Teunissen, a junior from Corona, CA, stole three bases, had two doubles, a triple and a home run among a 9-15 weekend against San Bernardino, leading his team to three wins in four games. He’s leading the league in stolen bases and sac bunts, a year after a .352 season with seven bombs and 16 stolen bases at Mt. San Jacinto.

The HarbourCats are excited with the mix of elite bats and top arms, including local product Brett Paterson of the Victoria Golden Tide, announced today.

  • IF Garrett Teunissen, Cal State-San Marcos, 5-9/185, Corona, CA
  • C Cam Macleod, Cloud County, 5-11/195, Vancouver
  • RHP Luke Hayhow, Hawaii, 6-2/235, Sydney, Australia
  • C Griffen Sotomayor, Washington State, 6-1/215, Turlock, CA 
  • RHP Shea Lake, Hawaii Pacific, 6-3/180, Temecula, CA
  • RHP Ryne Palmer, Cal Baptist, 6-4/200, Peoria, AZ
  • RHP Brett Paterson, Victoria Golden Tide, 6-2/220, Victoria

Hayhow is a highly regarded Hawaii recruit from Sydney, Australia, a monster at 6-2/235 with immense potential and a fastball up to 93.

Local Golden Tide product Brett Paterson will bring an extra arm and some character to the HarbourCats bullpen in 2024 (Photo: Christian Stewart)

Sotomayor is a sophomore with the Cougars and was rated the third best catcher in California in his senior year, after being team captain for two seasons at Turlock High School.

Macleod is a product of the North Shore Twins who has three home runs and 18 driven in while batting .333 in 19 games for Cloud County so far this spring.

Palmer is a big righthander who touches 90 and is used out of the pen by Cal Baptist. Lake is 3-0 with a 4.32 ERA so far this season, mostly used as a starter.

Paterson is a local baseball product who has grown into his own with the CCBC Victoria Golden Tide, and was a workhorse for the Weyburn Beavers of the WCBL last summer. Known for his hard work and positive leadership with the Golden Tide, uses a funky delivery to be effective as a starter.

Single game tickets are now available for the HarbourCats 2024 season including the home opener on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws. These can be purchased online at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale via the HarbourCats office or by calling 778-265-0327.

REMINDERS!

 

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Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats load up on top-school bats with latest signings, Crossland returns

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Above:  Returning outfielder Michael Crossland highlights the latest six HarbourCats signings for 2024 (Photo: Christian J. Stewart)

March 7, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

VICTORIA, B.C. — All Michael Crossland did last summer was hit, and hit a lot — including a league-best 19-game hitting streak. The outfielder from Seattle and UC-San Diego returns for a second season as a Victoria HarbourCat, and is off to a strong start for the Tritons in San Diego. He’ll be joined by versatile teammate Kerim Orucevic, recruited from the Chicago area.

Also added today are top TCU hitters Camdon Sos, who hails from the San Diego region but was lured to Texas, and infielder Ryder Robinson from TCU, a Utah native.

Others signed are Floridian Jake Haggard, a big bat at Louisiana-Monroe, along with Cal State-Fullerton speedster Ny’Zaiah Thompson, who is originally from Oakland.

“This is a deep group of bats who will be expected to develop fast in our pro environment at Wilson’s Group Stadium,” said Head Coach Todd Haney, who recruited these players. “We all know what Michael can do, and this group is going to be right there with him, I’m excited to coach them all and our fans are going to like this group.”

  • OF Michael Crossland, UC-San Diego, 6-0/210, Seattle, WA
  • IF/OF Kerim Orucevic, UC-San Diego, 6-1/205, Park Ridge, Illinois
  • IF Ryder Robinson, TCU, 6-2/185, Cedar Hills, Utah
  • IF Camdon Sos, TCU, 6-3/200, Alpine, CA
  • IF/OF Jake Haggard, Louisiana-Monroe, 6-3/230, West Palm Beach, Florida
  • OF Ny’Zaiah Thompson, Cal State-Fullerton, 5-11/170, Oakland, CA

TCU’s Ryder Robinson in action against Washington State earlier this spring (Photo: TCU Athletics)

Crossland had 40 hits in the summer of 2023 in as many games, a .290 average with two home runs, 30 driven in and 18 stolen bases. He scored 24 runs and drew more walks (19) than he struck out (18) and somehow didn’t make the WCL all-star team. Crossland is batting .386 through a dozen games with five doubles and a home run this spring.

Orucevic, whose family is Bosnian, is a lefty hitter known for his all out style of play and his versatility — shortstop, outfield, any corner, he can handle it.

Sos is a top end recruit for TCU after a stellar high school career at Granite Hills. Robinson is batting .355 through his first nine collegiate games, showing extra-base power.

Haggard is all power — he hit five home runs as a true freshman at ULM while making 46 starts and tied for the team lead in walks, too. He already has four home runs in 12 games this spring, batting .293.

Louisiana Monroe’s Jake Haggard (14) celebrates a home run hit earlier this spring against Grambling (Photo: Luke Richard)

Thompson, who is related to former Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch, stole 35 bases as a senior in high school to set an all-time record, part of three championships for Mountain House High School.

Single game tickets are now available for the HarbourCats 2024 season including the home opener on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws. These can be purchased online at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale via the HarbourCats office or by calling 778-265-0327.

REMINDERS!

 

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