The West Coast League (WCL), America’s premier collegiate summer baseball league, is celebrating an unforgettable 2024 season marked by record-breaking achievements both on and off the field. Including official League, nonleague, and postseason games, a grand total of 767,726 fans flocked to ballparks across the Pacific Northwest and Alberta, setting a League attendance record and solidifying the WCL’s status as the top summer destination for fans and players alike. The Edmonton Riverhawks set a WCL single-game record with 9,071 for a Canada Day game.

One of the season’s top highlights was the triumphant return of the WCL All-Star Game, hosted by the Bellingham Bells and televised worldwide on MLB Network and associated digital channels. Fans were treated to a showcase of the league’s top talent in a contest filled with brilliant defensive plays and high-powered arms, all culminating in a thrilling ending when Gavyn Jones (Kelowna Falcons) delivered a two-out, two-run single to power the North’s 3-2 victory.

A month later, the postseason delivered incredible action. The Portland Pickles, having dethroned the perennial WCL champion Corvallis Knights in the South title game, hosted the Wenatchee AppleSox in the championship game. Before a sellout crowd of more than 4,000 fans, the Pickles rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat the AppleSox 6-5, capturing their first championship trophy and ending the WCL season in the most exciting fashion.

Adding to the league’s growing legacy, a record 55 WCL players were selected in the 2024 MLB Draft, led by No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana, the WCL’s 2021 MVP. The league continues to play a vital role in developing the next generation of Major League talent, further cementing its reputation as a top proving ground for collegiate athletes.

“The 2024 season has been a landmark year for the West Coast League,” said WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer. “From the return of the All-Star Game to record-setting attendance and unprecedented MLB Draft numbers, the WCL continues to raise the bar and provide fans and players with a one-of-a-kind baseball experience.”

With the 2024 season now in the books, the WCL looks ahead to an exciting 20th Anniversary season in 2025, as the League builds on this season’s excitement and continues delivering top-tier summer baseball to communities across our huge footprint. Among the highlights are sure to be the WCL debut of the Marion Berries, which earlier this week made big news in the Willamette Valley and around the baseball world with the unveiling of their team name and primary logo. 

About the West Coast League: The West Coast League is western North America’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Encompassing Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta, the WCL showcases pro prospects from major collegiate conferences around the nation. Every summer, the League features unparalleled fan and player experiences, with tremendous baseball weather and a mix of classic and modern ballparks, all backdropped by the sport’s most stunning scenery. MLB’s 2024 amateur draft opened with former Corvallis Knight Travis Bazzana selected as the overall No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Guardians, and this summer’s WCL All-Star Game aired live on MLB Network.