Thursday, the West Coast League released the final 2023 WCL Spotlight, an expanded list of the League’s most exciting players during the recently concluded season. Topping the Spotlight: Nanaimo NightOwls shortstop Elijah Ickes, selected by WCL coaches as the League’s top prospect. Also on the list? A number of players who were drafted by MLB …
Continue reading “Ickes Named Top Prospect, Final WCL Spotlight Released”
Wednesday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the winners of three more 2023 League awards: Executive of the Year, Official Scorer of the Year, and the inaugural Broadcaster of the Year Award. “I am incredibly pleased,” said Neyer, “to present our first Broadcaster of the Year Award to Mike Parker, one of the Pacific …
Continue reading “Executive, Broadcaster and Scorekeeper of the Year Winners Named”
Friday morning, the winners of the West Coast League’s Coach of the Year, Umpire of the Year, and Team Sportsmanship Award were announced by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. Victoria skipper Todd Haney is 2023’s Coach of the Year. Haney guided the HarbourCats to a 38-15 mark, which included a remarkable 27-2 home record …
Continue reading “Top Coach, Umpire and Team Sportsmanship Award Winners Unveiled”
Thursday morning, the 2023 All-West Coast League teams were unveiled by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. “With every passing year,” said Neyer, “I’m more impressed with how much talent and commitment we’re blessed with each summer in the West Coast League. We saw that in the draft earlier this summer, and now we’re seeing …
Wednesday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the winners of the League’s top two individual awards. This year’s Most Valuable Player is Yakima Valley Pippins first baseman Jace Phelan. The rising junior from Gonzaga led the League with 50 RBI and 8 home runs. Phelan was also the distance king, hitting the two longest …
Continue reading “WCL MVP and Pitcher of the Year Selections Announced”
The Corvallis Knights’ historic run became even more impressive Monday night when the Knights won their seventh straight West Coast League championship with a 5-0 victory over the visiting Victoria HarbourCats. The Knights’ championship is also their tenth overall, with 2023 joining 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 (the league’s 2020 …
Continue reading “Corvallis Wins Seventh Consecutive WCL Championship”
As usual, the road to the West Coast League championship runs through Corvallis, Oregon. Monday night, the Corvallis Knights, aiming for their seventh straight WCL crown, will host the Victoria HarbourCats in the League’s winner-take-all championship game. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. at Goss Stadium. The later start time is due to anticipated high …
Continue reading “Knights and HarbourCats to Play Monday in WCL Championship Game”
The matchups are now locked in for the Divisional Championship showdowns, with the two games set for Saturday night. Now that the best-of-three divisional playoffs are wrapped up, both the division and league championships will consist of just one game. In the South, the Portland Pickles will clash with the Corvallis Knights, who finished the …
Continue reading “Four Teams Advance to Saturday’s Divisional Championship Games”
Tuesday night – in four locations ranging from Oregon and Washington to British Columbia – the West Coast League’s playoffs open with four Divisional Series games, the first in what promise to be a quartet of exciting series featuring the eight best teams in one of North America’s premier collegiate summer baseball leagues. For the second …
The West Coast League’s Moss Adams Player of the Week and Pitcher of the week, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer, are Cowlitz Black Bears outfielder Marques Titialii (Arizona Christian) and Portland Pickles left-hander Christian Lim (Stanford). In six games with Cowlitz last week, Titialii hit three home runs and scored 12 runs. He also …
Continue reading “Titialii and Lim Receive WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Accolades”
Thursday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer released the third 2023 WCL Spotlight, featuring a collection of the League’s most exciting and notable players. This week’s WCL Spotlight includes only West Coast Leaguers currently playing, with the rankings reflecting not just their professional potential, but also various other compelling reasons for tracking their performance as …
Thursday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer unveiled the second 2023 WCL Spotlight, featuring a collection of the League’s most exciting players. This Spotlight includes only West Coast Leaguers currently playing, with the rankings reflecting not just their professional potential, but also the various other compelling reasons for tracking their progress this summer. The first …
Earlier this week, 40 current and former West Coast League players were selected in Major League Baseball’s annual Rule 4 Amateur Draft. There were 18 alumni selected in the first 10 rounds of the Draft, and 10 of the 40 total selections are current WCL players. Sunday night, UCLA right-hander Alonzo Tredwell became the first …
With the selection of 17 players on Monday, 18 WCL alumni have now been taken in the first 10 rounds of this year’s MLB Draft. Two players currently active in the WCL, right-hander Morris Austin of the Portland Pickles and outfielder Quincy Scott of the Ridgefield Raptors, were selected on Monday. UCLA right-hander Alonzo Tredwell …
Continue reading “17 Former WCL Players Selected on Day Two of MLB Draft”
Sunday, UCLA right-hander Alonzo Tredwell became the first former WCL player selected in the 2023 MLB Draft when he was chosen in the second round by the Houston Astros with the 61st overall pick. Tredwell pitched for the Portland Pickles in 2021 before an impressive two-year career with the Bruins. The 6’8″ hurler went 8-3 …
Continue reading “Tredwell Becomes MLB Draft Day 1 Selection”
Thursday night, the Bellingham Bells clinched the West Coast League’s second 2023 playoff spot by securing the first-half title in the North Division. The Bells join the Ridgefield Raptors as the two teams that have already secured their spot in the WCL postseason starting in August. There are still six more playoff spots up for …
Continue reading “Bells Secure Postseason Bid, Second-Half Race Starts”
Wednesday night in Ridgefield, the host Raptors clinched the West Coast League’s first 2023 playoff spot, beating the Portland Pickles 10-3 to eliminate the Pickles from contention. The Raptors had already finished their first half with a 17-9 record, with the Pickles passing the Raptors if they’d pulled off the road sweep this week. But …
Continue reading “Raptors Clinch Playoff Spot, North Decided Thursday”
This week, and perhaps as soon as Tuesday night, the West Coast League’s first two postseason berths will be clinched by the first-half winners in each division. Given the nature of West Coast League scheduling, it’s practically impossible for every WCL team to finish their “first half” on the same date. As a result, each …
The West Coast League’s Moss Adams Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer, are Cowlitz Black Bears outfielder LeTrey McCollum (UC Santa Barbara) and Victoria HarbourCats right-hander Sean Heppner (University of British Columbia). Last week, McCollum went 11 for 19 in five games while scoring nine runs and stealing …
Continue reading “McCollum and Heppner Earn WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Honors”
Wednesday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the first-ever WCL Spotlight, featuring a collection of the League’s most exciting players. “We’ve long been considered the West’s top collegiate summer league,” Neyer said, “but the WCL’s talent and stories just get more impressive every year. So now feels like the right time to give our fans …
Former Portland Pickle Kyle Manzardo has been selected to play in the 2023 Futures Game in Seattle during this year’s MLB All Star Weekend. The Tampa Bay Rays minor league standout will be headed back to the Pacific Northwest to showcase his talents in this year’s Futures Game. The current Durham Bulls (AAA) superstar is …
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The West Coast League’s Moss Adams Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer, are Wenatchee AppleSox infielder Easton Amundson (uncommitted) and Bellingham Bells right-hander Jack Erdman (Tennessee Tech). Last week, Amundson knocked out six extra-base hits, including three home runs, while both driving in and scoring 10 …
Continue reading “Amundson and Erdman Earn WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Honors”
It’s Opening Night in the West Coast League, with all 16 teams in action this evening across Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. “It’s both exciting and humbling to be entering my fifth season with this tremendous league,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer. “When I think about how hard everyone’s worked to build the West Coast League, …
The first winner of the West Coast League’s Top Prospect Award has arrived in the big leagues. Matt McLain, tabbed in 2018 as the inaugural Top Prospect after his month-long stint with the Bellingham Bells, is set to make his Major League debut Monday night with the Cincinnati Reds, playing shortstop and batting second against …
If you believe in destiny, or something like it – that everything happens for a reason – you might guess that Carlos Ramirez was destined to coach Matt Acker’s Port Angeles Lefties. Or if not the Lefties, another team associated with Acker. “We met in Hawai’i,” Acker said, “when I started working baseball camps. One …
Tuesday, the West Coast League and Supervisor of Umpires John White announced the League’s U.S.-based umpiring crews, and also instituted new NCAA-inspired rules designed to enhance the WCL’s pace of play. “As we embrace the baseball-wide movement to create a faster-paced, more entertaining game for our fans,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer, “we’re blessed with a …
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This year, a record 41 players with West Coast League experience have earned spots on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters. This marks the third consecutive season with the WCL setting a new record for alumni on Opening Day rosters. Former WCL players gearing up to start the season in the big leagues include 2020 …
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The 2023 World Baseball Classic will feature 20 former West Coast League players, representing eight of the 20 teams participating in the tournament that begins on March 7. “As an international league from our very beginning,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer, “we’re particularly passionate about baseball’s ability to transcend borders, and we’re thrilled to see …
Last weekend in Portland, the West Coast League’s board of directors and general managers gathered, both in person and via teleconference, for the League’s annual winter meetings. The event kicked off Friday night, when Commissioner Rob Neyer presented Nova Newcomer with the West Coast League’s annual Grass Roots Award, just before Seattle Mariners pitching coach …
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Last week in Southern California, the West Coast League’s board of directors met to review a tremendously successful 2022 season, approve the League’s 2023 schedule, and reach consensus on a number of other matters. “No doubt, these last few seasons have been challenging,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer, “with the pandemic wiping out our 2020 …
In 2022, 299 alumni of West Coast League teams were active in affiliated professional baseball. A number of WCL alumni had impressive MLB seasons, such as 2022 National League All-Star Tyler Anderson (Corvallis Knights, 2009). Other notable WCL alumni include former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber (Cowlitz, 2014), along with rookie stars Adley Rutschman …
Continue reading “298 WCL Alumni Active in Affiliated Baseball”
Thursday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the inaugural winners of two league awards: Umpiring Prospect of the Year, and Official Scorer of the Year. The WCL’s 2022 Umpiring Prospect of the Year is Nick Hudlow. A Portland native, Hudlow graduated from the famous Wendelstedt Umpire School last winter, then opened the West Coast …
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This week the West Coast League and Major League Baseball announced an agreement to jointly pursue initiatives of mutual interest, including player and coach development, technology innovation related to scouting and fan experience, and community engagement. “We continue to be impressed by Major League Baseball’s enthusiastic support of amateur baseball,” said West Coast League Commissioner …
Friday morning, the winners of the West Coast League’s Top Prospect, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Team Sportsmanship Award were announced by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. The Bend Elks’ (and incoming Oklahoma State freshman) Beau Sylvester earned the league’s Top Prospect Award. This summer the catcher and Hawaii native …
Continue reading “WCL Unveils Additional Postseason Award Honorees”
Thursday morning, the 2022 All-West Coast League teams were announced by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. “It’s a true pleasure to watch the West Coast League’s tremendous players all summer,” Neyer said, “and I certainly don’t envy our coaches who somehow winnowed down all that talent to just the players on these all-league teams.” …
Wednesday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the winners of the League’s top two individual awards: Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year. This year Wenatchee AppleSox second baseman Joichiro Oyama (UC Irvine) and Ridgefield Raptors outfielder/catcher Jacob Sharp (UNLV) were selected by WCL coaches and executives as co-MVPs. Oyama played in all …
Continue reading “WCL Co-MVPs and Pitcher of the Year Unveiled”
The Corvallis Knights’ historic run – already among the most impressive in modern amateur sports – became even more impressive Monday night when the Knights, with more than 2,000 fans on hand, captured their sixth straight West Coast League championship with a 5-0 victory over the visiting Bellingham Bells. The Knights’ championship is also their …
Continue reading “Corvallis Captures Sixth Straight WCL Title”
Monday night, the Corvallis Knights will host the Bellingham Bells in the West Coast League’s first-ever Championship Game. The Knights, winners of the last five WCL championships, reached the title game by taking two of three games from Yakima Valley in their divisional series, then topping the Ridgefield Raptors in the South Division championship game. …
Continue reading “Bells and Knights to Meet Monday in WCL Championship Game”
The pairings are now set for the Divisional Championship matchups, with the two showdowns set to take place on Saturday. Now that the best-of-three divisional playoffs are wrapped up, both the division and league championships will consist of just one game. In the South, the Ridgefield Raptors are on a collision course with the Corvallis …
Continue reading “Four Teams Advance to Saturday’s Divisional Championship Clashes”
Tuesday night in four locations ranging from British Columbia’s Vancouver Island to Central Washington to the Greater Portland area, the West Coast League’s playoffs are set to kick off in unprecedented fashion. For the first time in League history, eight teams qualified for the postseason, following a regular season in which the last two playoff …
Continue reading “Playoff Pairings Set, Postseason Begins Tuesday”
The West Coast League’s Moss Adams Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer, are Victoria HarbourCats standouts Josh Walker (Sacramento State) and Nick Taylor (Edmonds CC). Both Walker and Taylor played crucial roles in the HarbourCats’ playoffs push, which culminated with a victory in a winner-take-all showdown …
Continue reading “Walker and Taylor Receive WCL’s Moss Adams Weekly Honors”
With each day this week, we gained another shred of clarity in the West Coast League postseason picture. But with only three days left, there’s still a great deal in question. For the first time in West Coast League history, this summer eight teams will qualify for the postseason. By virtue of their first-half titles, …
*Note the playoff bracket included with the story is if the season ended before the games on 8/2 are played. Monday night, the West Coast League’s playoff picture became a bit more clear when the visiting Kamloops NorthPaws topped the Kelowna Falcons in a makeup game. For the first time in West Coast League history, …
Continue reading “Postseason Race Sprints Towards Final Stretch”
Last winter, the West Coast League’s board of directors approved a new postseason format designed to do two things: (1) increase the number of postseason teams, in part to reflect the jump in league members from 12 to 16, and (2) inject even more excitement into the second half of the season, not to mention …
Earlier this week, 30 current and former West Coast League players were selected in Major League Baseball’s annual amateur Draft. With both Brooks Lee (Corvallis Knights, No. 8) and Gabriel Hughes (Bellingham Bells, No. 10) among the first 10 overall picks, 2022 marks the sixth straight year with at least one former WCL standout drafted …
With the selection of 11 players on Monday, 14 WCL alumni have now been taken in the first 10 rounds of this year’s MLB Draft. Three former WCL players were picked on the Draft’s first day, with both Brooks Lee (Corvallis Knights, No. 8) and Gabriel Hughes (Bellingham Bells, No. 10) among the first 10 …
Continue reading “11 Former WCL Players Selected on Day Two of MLB Draft”
Sunday, former West Coast League standouts Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) and Gabriel Hughes (Gonzaga) both were among the first 10 picks in the 2022 MLB Draft. The Minnesota Twins selected Lee eighth overall, and just moments later the Colorado Rockies chose Hughes 10th. This marks the sixth straight year featuring at least one former WCL …
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By Rob Neyer How often do we reduce, in our minds, a baseball life to a line or two in Baseball-Reference.com or one of those old doorstop encyclopedias? In 1983, Gorman Heimueller started 14 games for the Oakland Athletics, all in the second half of the season. He won three of those, and lost five. …
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Golden Tate hit the ground running Tuesday night in his first game playing in the West Coast League for the Port Angeles Lefties, as the former Pro Bowl wide receiver went 2-for-4 in his debut. Tate had a double, single, stolen base, drove in a run, and scored a run in the Lefties’ 5-2 win …
Today the West Coast League’s Port Angeles Lefties announced that ex-NFL wide receiver Golden Tate has signed as a Lefties player for the remainder of the 2022 season. While Jake Locker and Jordan Poyer both played for WCL teams before their NFL careers, Tate will become the first former NFL player in the league. “I …
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Official League, a new lifestyle apparel brand exclusively for passionate fans, yesterday announced a new limited-edition hat collection celebrating Opening Day for the West Coast League, the West’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Official League has created brand-new, exclusive hat designs for the Bend Elks, Corvallis Knights, Portland Pickles, and Wenatchee AppleSox, with all four …
Continue reading “Official League Offering Limited Edition WCL Hat Collection”
It’s Opening Night in the West Coast League, with four games slated for this evening in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. And in just three days, 16 WCL teams are set for an action-packed weekend. “I’ve got exactly zero doubt,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer, “that this season will be our League’s best yet. We’ll have …
In recent seasons, the West Coast League has become the tech-friendliest and -savviest summer collegiate league, establishing partnerships with high-profile, industry-leading companies like TrackMan, Synergy Sports, and Driveline Baseball. As notable and productive as those partnerships have been, though, in 2022 the WCL’s technology partnerships have shifted into hyperdrive, with unprecedented coverage that will include …
Continue reading “West Coast League Goes Even Bigger With Tech”
The West Coast League’s highest-ranked prospect has been called up to the big leagues. Adley Rutschman, the sport’s top prospect according to MLB.com, has been promoted by the Baltimore Orioles and is set to make his MLB debut (Friday night, the Orioles posted video of Rutschman getting the good news). In 2019, Rutschman became the …
Continue reading “#1 MLB Prospect Adley Rutschman Joins Orioles”
According to MLB.com’s Jim Callis, former Corvallis Knights infielder Brooks Lee is one of four former West Coast League players ranked among the Top 150 MLB Draft Prospects for 2022. Lee, the star shortstop for Cal Poly, is listed as the Draft’s No. 5 overall prospect. In each of the last five years, at least …
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This year, a record 33 players with West Coast League experience have earned spots on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters. It is the second consecutive season the WCL has set a new record for alumni on MLB Opening Day rosters after there were 31 in 2021. Former WCL players gearing up to start the …
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The West Coast League mourns the loss of the former league commissioner Jim Dietz. As the League’s first commissioner, Dietz oversaw the WCL’s launch and laid a strong foundation for the WCL’s continuing growth and success. He served as the WCL commissioner from 2005 through 2007, when he transitioned to a key role on the …
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Today, the West Coast League unveiled a striking rebrand, beginning a transition from the league’s traditional WC logo to a new WCL mark that evokes the league’s sprawling geography, ranging from central Oregon north through Washington state, British Columbia and, beginning this year, well into Alberta, Canada. “The West Coast League’s geography is simply unparalleled,” …
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Last weekend in Portland, the West Coast League’s board of directors gathered, both in person and via teleconference, for the League’s annual winter meetings. Most notably, the League’s board of directors approved a new postseason format that includes eight of the WCL’s 16 teams, with all eight postseason teams hosting at least one playoff game. …
Continue reading “Board of Directors Hold Annual Winter Meetings”
Saturday night in Portland, the West Coast League tabbed Jerry Smoot as the inaugural winner of the WCL’s first Grass Roots Award. “Our Grass Roots Award celebrates coaches from our communities,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer, “who have spent much of their lives working to promote amateur baseball and help young players achieve their full …
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This morning the West Coast League released its official 2022 schedule, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer. “Now it feels real,” said Neyer. “After a 2020 without games and a 2021 without our Canadian members, a 2022 with everyone — including three new teams in Canada, plus our fourth Oregon member — certainly figures to …
Earlier this week in Indio, California, the West Coast League’s board of directors met in person for the first time in nearly two years, and reached consensus on a number of matters while renewing the deep, international ties between League members in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alberta. “Our league’s No. 1 asset is our …
Continue reading “Board of Directors Gather for Fall League Meetings”
In 2021, 305 alumni of West Coast League teams were active in affiliated professional baseball. A number of WCL alumni had impressive MLB seasons, such as former Cy Young Award winner and 2021 American League All-Star Shane Bieber (Cowlitz, 2014). Other notable WCL alumni include pitchers Nick Pivetta (Victoria, 2013), Matt Boyd (Corvallis, 2010) and …
Continue reading “305 Alumni of WCL Teams Appear in Affiliated Baseball”
Friday, the West Coast League received a bit of tremendous news: for the second straight season, Perfect Game has announced the Corvallis Knights as their Summer Collegiate Team of the Year. “I can’t say I’m completely surprised,” said Rob Neyer, West Coast League Commissioner, “since in their last two seasons, the Knights have won 77 …
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Tuesday morning, the winners of the West Coast League’s Top Prospect, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year and the Team Sportsmanship Award were announced by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. Incoming Oregon State freshman Travis Bazzana of the Corvallis Knights, who was also named the WCL’s MVP, earned the league’s Top Prospect …
Continue reading “WCL Announces Additional Postseason Award Honorees”
Wednesday morning, the 2021 All-West Coast League teams were announced by West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer. “It’s my tremendous pleasure every year,” said Neyer, “to announce the WCL’s All-League teams. Considering the WCL’s position as the premier summer collegiate baseball league in the entire western half of the continent, saying our teams represent ‘the best …
Monday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer announced the winners of the League’s top two individual awards: Most Valuable Player and Pitcher of the Year. “As the West’s top summer collegiate baseball league,” Neyer said, “we obviously featured a great wealth of exciting talent in 2021. Sifting through all that talent and arriving at these two …
Continue reading “WCL MVP and Pitcher of the Year Winners Announced”
The historic run is now a five-peat for the Corvallis Knights. On Friday night at Goss Stadium, the Knights topped the Yakima Valley Pippins 13-2 to capture their fifth consecutive West Coast League title. “When I became Commissioner four years ago,” Rob Neyer said after Friday night’s game in Corvallis, “I was well-aware of the …
With their backs against the wall, the Corvallis Knights were able to respond on Thursday night at Goss Stadium. The Knights beat the Yakima Valley Pippins 2-1 to even the West Coast League Championship Series 1-1 and set up a deciding Game 3. First pitch tonight from Goss Stadium in Corvallis is at 6:35 pm. …
Continue reading “Pippins and Knights Ready for WCLCS Winner-Take-All Game”
The Yakima Valley Pippins and Corvallis Knights are set to square off in the 2021 West Coast League Championship Series. The Pippins punched their ticket to the WCLCS after defeating the Bellingham Bells 11-5 on Monday night in the deciding game of the North’s Divisional Series. For Yakima Valley it is their first trip to …
Continue reading “Yakima Valley and Corvallis Advance to WCLCS”
With the West Coast League’s final postseason berth secured by the Ridgefield Raptors, both first-round matchups are finally set. Thursday night, the Raptors finished the regular season in a three-way tie with the Portland Pickles and Bend Elks, but Ridgefield owned the tiebreaker by virtue of their combined 9-3 record against Portland and Bend. Ridgefield will …
Oregon & Washington, Aug. 12—As the final week of the West Coast League’s regular season dawned, four teams were still squarely in the hunt for the South Division’s second playoff spot, which this season goes to the team with the division’s second-best overall record (as the Corvallis Knights have locked up the best record in …
The West Coast League enters the final days of an already unprecedented regular season with not two, or even three, but four teams with highly viable paths to the league’s fourth and final postseason berth. The bracket is set in the WCL’s North Division, as the Yakima Valley Pippins finished atop the first-half standings, and …
Continue reading “Hotly Contested Race for Final Playoff Bid”
Saturday night, the West Coast League reached a huge milestone when Jarren Duran batted sixth and started in center field for the first-place Boston Red Sox, becoming the 100th alumnus of a current or past West Coast League team to make his MLB debut. Chronologically, the list of 100 begins with Mike Thurman, who pitched …
Continue reading “Duran Becomes 100th WCL Alumni to Reach the Major Leagues”
Earlier this week, 42 current and former West Coast League players were selected in Major League Baseball’s annual Rule 4 amateur draft. With the Cincinnati Reds’ selection of Matt McLain with the 17th overall pick, 2021 marks the fifth straight year with a WCL standout drafted in the first round. There were 19 WCL alumni …
A total of 19 WCL alumni have been taken in the first 10 rounds of this year’s MLB Draft after 18 additional players were selected on Monday, including four among the top 63 picks. Matt McLain, who earned the WCL’s Top Prospect Award in 2018 as a member of the Bellingham Bells, was selected by the …
Continue reading “18 Former WCL Players Selected on Day Two of MLB Draft”
West Coast League alumni Matt McLain of UCLA was selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, as the Cincinnati Reds picked McLain 17th overall. It is the fifth consecutive season that a former WCL player has been taken in the first round of the MLB Draft. McLain, a UCLA infielder, earned the WCL’s …
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Seven West Coast League alumni were named to All-America teams by Baseball America and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, highlighted by first-team selection Aaron Zavala of the University of Oregon. Zavala, who played for the Ridgefield Raptors in 2019, had a .392 batting average with nine home runs, 38 RBIs and 64 runs scored …
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It’s Opening Night in the West Coast League, with five games slated for the circuit this evening in Washington and Oregon. All ten U.S.-based teams will be in action for Opening Night, with the Bellingham Bells hosting the Port Angeles Lefties, the Ridgefield Raptors hosting the Bend Elks, the Yakima Valley Pippins hosting the Corvallis …
Entering the 2021 season, the West Coast League continues to enhance technology and data Initiatives with the help of new and expanded partnerships. Among our growing partnerships is with TrackMan, which serves as an additional tool to aid player development and performance evaluation. TrackMan Baseball is used by all 30 Major League Baseball teams and …
Continue reading “WCL Increases Tech and Data Initiatives for 2021”
Today the West Coast League, one of North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball leagues, announced the formation of a COVID-19 Health & Safety Group, effective immediately. Meeting weekly from this week through the end of the postseason in August, the Health & Safety Group consists of representatives from five teams based in both Washington and …
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Thursday, the West Coast League announced the addition of the expansion Springfield Drifters as the league’s 16th member team. The Drifters will join the Bend Elks, Corvallis Knights, and Portland Pickles as the league’s fourth Oregon-based team. “When you look at a map,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer, “adding another team in the Willamette Valley …
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Wednesday, the West Coast League announced that all five of the league’s Canadian members have withdrawn from the 2021 season, due to continuing, pandemic-related border and gathering limitations. In addition to the Kelowna Falcons, who previously canceled their season, the Victoria HarbourCats, Edmonton Riverhawks, Kamloops NorthPaws, and Nanaimo NightOwls have also made the difficult decision …
Continue reading “WCL’s Canadian Members Withdraw From 2021 Season”
This year, a record 31 players with West Coast League experience have earned spots on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters. What’s more, three of those players—reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, of the Cleveland Indians; the Seattle Mariners’ Marco Gonzales; and the Detroit Tigers’ Matt Boyd—will serve as their teams’ Opening …
Continue reading “MLB Opening Day Rosters Feature WCL-Record 31 Alumni”
Wednesday, the West Coast League announced that Driveline Baseball is now an Official Development Partner, with a wide range of elements that will provide unprecedented opportunities for WCL teams and Driveline athletes. “I’ve been admiring Driveline for years,” said Commissioner Rob Neyer, “and I’m thrilled that now we’ll be working so closely with them. Our …
Tuesday, West Coast League Commissioner Rob Neyer released a revised 2021 schedule for the League’s 10 U.S.-based teams. The League and four Canadian teams—the Victoria HarbourCats, along with the expansion Edmonton Riverhawks, Kamloops NorthPaws, and Nanaimo NightOwls—continue to work toward a Canadian-only schedule, while closely monitoring the pandemic responses by border officials and provincial health …
Continue reading “WCL Unveils Adjusted 2021 Schedule for U.S. Teams”
Today the West Coast League announced the adoption of a revised 2021 schedule that eliminates all regular-season international travel. The new schedule will consist of the league’s U.S.-based members playing each other, and the league’s Canada-based members doing the same. This revised structure leaves open the possibility of a full league playoff format. “After the …
The Kelowna Falcons have featured a long list of big leaguers over the years, including slugger Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles and the newest Seattle Mariner – The Big Maple, James Paxton. Paxton is back in the Pacific Northwest and joins former WCLers Mitch Haniger of the Knights and Marco Gonzales of Wenatchee to …
Continue reading “Kelowna Alumni James Paxton Returns to the Pacific Northwest”
It’s often been said by those inside the game that the baseball world is very small. As widespread as the game is across the country on Little League fields, high school and college fields, and in professional stadiums, baseball has maintained a decidedly intimate feel with myriad small-town connections. The sport reaches deep into communities, …
Continue reading “A Team Reborn, a Birthday Anniversary, and Ties Between Two Baseball Cities”
The Corvallis Knights and Wenatchee AppleSox are a tradition celebrated each summer, one inning at a time. The two baseball clubs partnered from the very beginning as founding West Coast League members in 2005. From that inaugural summer collegiate season forward they have enjoyed extraordinary success on the field and in their respective communities. In …
Continue reading “WCL Alumni Mitch Haniger & Marco Gonzales Embody Winning Ways”
By Rob Neyer Tenacious. When asked for a scouting report on Tommy Richards—on Tommy Richards as a player; as a coach; as a person, just living in the world—Scott Anderson kept coming back to the same word: tenacious. If anyone knows, Anderson would. In 2009 and ’10, Anderson was Richards’s head coach with the West …
Continue reading “Richards Ready to Lead Revived Bushnell Program”
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 …
Continue reading “MLB Vet Greg Swindell Added to HarbourCats Coaching Staff”
Former Bellingham Bells infielder Matt McLain is one of four West Coast League alumni ranked among the Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects for 2021, according to MLB.com. McLain, a UCLA standout, is listed as the Draft’s No. 3 overall prospect. Other WCL alumni featured on the list include catcher Noah Cardenas (No. 62), right-handed pitcher …
Continue reading “For 2021 Draft, McLain Ranked as No. 3 Prospect”
Today the West Coast League released its official 2021 schedule, as announced by Commissioner Rob Neyer. “Every year,” said Neyer, “getting the new West Coast League schedule is like getting an early Christmas present. The best early Christmas present.” Opening Day 2021 is set for Tuesday, June 1. All fifteen WCL teams will have started …
Wednesday, former Cowlitz Black Bears pitcher Shane Bieber was named the winner of the 2020 American League Cy Young Award after a dominating season for the Cleveland Indians. Bieber is the first WCL alumni to win a Cy Young Award. “We couldn’t be more thrilled for Shane Bieber, the Cowlitz Black Bears, and the entire …
Continue reading “WCL Alumni Shane Bieber Wins AL Cy Young Award”
Former Wenatchee AppleSox pitcher Griffin Canning (2014) became the team’s first alum to win a Gold Glove Award by claiming the top defensive honor for a player. Canning earned the American League Gold Glove honor at pitcher after his second MLB season. The right-hander led all American League pitchers with 3 Defensive Runs Saved and …
Monday, the West Coast League’s Cowlitz Black Bears unveiled their new Head Coach: Gary Van Tol, who’s been teaching and coaching young players in the Pacific Northwest for three decades. “Gary is the ideal fit for the Black Bears and our community,” Cowlitz GM Gus Farah said. “Coach Van Tol will recruit, organize, and compete …
Continue reading “Black Bears Hire Van Tol as Next Head Coach”
During the pandemic-shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season, 42 alumni of West Coast League teams played in the major leagues. A number of alumni posted outstanding seasons, such as Cleveland’s Cy Young Award candidate Shane Bieber (Cowlitz, 2014) and Seattle Mariners ace Marco Gonzales (Wenatchee, 2010). Other notable WCL alumni include pitchers Detroit’s Matt Boyd …
Continue reading “42 WCL Alumni Appeared in MLB During 2020 Season”
The Kamloops NorthPaws have hired Cole Armstrong as the first head coach in franchise history. The 37-year-old from Surrey, B.C. becomes the only current Canadian serving as head coach in the West Coast League. “It’s a dream come true to return to British Columbia to do what I love,”says Armstrong. “I’d like to thank the …
Western North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league continues to grow with Tuesday’s announcement from Baseball Edmonton introducing the Edmonton Riverhawks as the West Coast League’s 15th member team. The Riverhawks now join the Nanaimo NightOwls and Kamloops NorthPaws among three WCL expansion teams, all in Canada, set to begin play next June. The newest …
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