August 2, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired right-hander Jameson Taillon and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

The Blue Jays made the announcement on Sunday afternoon.

The 34-year-old Taillon has posted a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts with the Cubs this season.

Though he was born in Lakeland, Fla. and drafted out of The Woodlands, Tex., Taillon has Canadian parents. His mother was born in Toronto while his father is from St. Andrews West, Ont. (near Cornwall).

He has pitched for Canada in the 2013 and 2026 World Baseball Classics. In those tournaments, he has combined to allow two earned runs in 7 2/3 innings in two starts.

Selected second overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2010 MLB draft, Taillon made his big league debut with the Bucs in 2016.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound righty has since pitched in parts of 10 MLB seasons with Pirates, New York Yankees and Cubs.

In total, he has posted a 84-66 record and a 3.99 ERA in 239 major league appearances (238 starts).

Last season, Taillon was effective starter for the Cubs, going 11-7 with a 3.68 ERA in 23 starts. He struck out 98 batters in 129 2/3 innings. He had 14 quality starts, while his 1.057 WHIP was second among Cubs’ starting pitchers. He was particularly good in the second half after returning from injuries. In six starts in August and September, he went 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA and had 24 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.

He also had a strong start in the third – and deciding game – of the National League Wild Card Series against the Padres last fall, permitting just two hits in four scoreless innings to help the Cubs to a 3-1 win.

To make room for Taillon on the roster, the Blue Jays have transferred infielder Lenyn Sosa to the 60-day injured list.

August 1, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

The Ottawa Titans opened August with a commanding 9-2 win over the Brockton Rox on Saturday night, powered by three long balls and stellar pitching.

Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) got the start for the Titans, picking up his third quality start in five appearances. Grills tossed six innings, giving up two runs on eight hits, not walking a batter, and striking out four.

The Titans got on the board first as AJ Wright scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first.

In the third, Jackie Urbaez doubled and Myles Smith singled to extend the lead. Hunter Stokely singled to put two on, and Caleb Burr sent a 427-foot tank of a three-run homer onto Coventry Road to make it 5-0. Burr now has two long balls this series, the first two of his professional career.

The Titans hit back-to-back home runs for the second time in over a week in the fourth. Daniel McElveny launched his fifth long ball of the season, his first at home, and Austin Gurney (Campbell River, B.C.) followed with his first professional home run to make it 7-0.

Rox starter Zach Eldred's day ended in the fourth after 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits, including three home runs, walking one, and striking out two.

The Rox finally got to Grills in the fifth, as a hit by pitch, double, and a pair of singles brought in two runs.

The Titans answered right back, adding two more in the sixth as Thomas Ferroggiaro delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded to restore the seven-run lead.

Ted Stuka tossed a hitless seventh, allowing just one walk, and Yohanse Morel pitched two clean innings to close out the game.

Jackie Urbaez, AJ Wright, and Hunter Stokely each picked up two-hit games. Caleb Burr, Daniel McElveny, and Austin Gurney each went deep, and Myles Smith went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a walk.

With the victory, the Titans have won the season series over the Rox, taking seven of the first eight contests. The Titans are now unbeaten in eight-straight series. The club is also 10 games over the .500 mark for the first time since the 2024 season.

The Ottawa Titans finish a seven-game homestand with the finale of a three-game series against the Brockton Rox on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium.

August 1, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs came up short against the Energy City Cactus Rats, falling 6-3 in front of a crowd of 4,963 on Fan Appreciation Night at Seaman Stadium on Saturday.

On the mound, Emmet Stacher gave the Dawgs a solid five-inning start, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four. Brody Burnette followed with two scoreless innings of relief, surrendering just one hit and striking out four.

Offensively, Matt Evans (Tillsonburg, Ont.) paced the Dawgs, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run, an RBI and two stolen bases.

The Dawgs will look to bounce back on Sunday when they host the Swift Current 57's at 2:05 p.m. for the annual Breast Cancer Game at Seaman Stadium.

August 2, 2026

By Trevor Fitzpatrick

Canadian Baseball Network

A downpour didn’t dampen any spirits at Dorchester’s Royal Field as the 2027 CPBL Prospect Game played on Saturday despite the weather.

After a wet night full of offence, the game was called following the top of the ninth inning. Team Black edged out Team White 17-14.

Despite all the hard-hit balls, it was pitcher Elliot Malo (Contrecoeur, Que.) who took home the bat shaped MVP award.

“When I heard them call ABC and started with a four, I thought it was going to be (Gabriel) Lehoullier (Levis, Que.) with his bomb early in the game,” Malo said with a laugh, “I never thought I could win MVP as a pitcher, I mean, the award is a bat.”

The uncommitted ABC left-hander tossed one of the only clean innings of the game, going 1 ⅓ innings with three strikeouts.

“I just wanted to attack out there. The game was long and slow, so I wanted to get guys to bat fast,” Malo explained, “that’s always my approach as a pitcher, get two strikes and end up well.”

It was actually Team White who opened the scoring right in the first inning. As Malo said, his ABC teammate Lehoullier crushed a two-run home run on the first pitch he saw.

Gabriel Lehouillier (Lévis, QC)
- Uncommitted 2027
- Major Left Handed Pop and Feel
- Outfield and First Base
- @GabLehou #WaveAve @Waverly_Ave pic.twitter.com/AL23Vu51LS

— Nic Castonguay (@niccastonguay) August 2, 2026

The lead didn’t last long however, as Team Black immediately answered with nine runs in the second frame.

A wild pitch scored one run, then ABC struck again as Alekk Biasone (Quebec, Que.) hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

From there, the flood gates opened. North Dakota State commit Sam Ellis (La Peche, Ont.) got an RBI on a bases loaded walk, Fieldhouse Pirate Alex Wallace (Oakville, Ont.) scored one more with a single, and Wright State commit Galen Hudel (Waterloo, Ont.) bashed an RBI double.

Team Black also added four runs on errors and wild pitches.

Team White did make a valiant effort to comeback from the deficit, even retaking the lead in the bottom of the fourth.

With the game at 9-8, Toronto Met Evan Walker (Ajax, Ont.) hit an automatic double for an RBI, and Lehoullier nearly hit a second home run, but settled for a sacrifice fly nearly 400 feet out in centre field to take the lead.

The game stayed close from there until the top of the seventh inning. It started tied 11-11, but Team Black took the lead again and didn’t look back this time.

Hudel scored another run, this time with a single, and Noah Glenn (Queensville, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets cashed in one more with a 4-3 ground out. The wild inning ended with a wild pitch that led to a run to make it 14-11 Team Black.

They would hold on to that lead for the rest of the game, eventually winning 17-14 after the game was called following the top of the ninth.

Other batters who picked up an RBI in front of the scouts included:

-GLC rep Christian Heffernan (Puslinch, Ont.)

-Ontario Blue Jay Christian Caminero (Mississauga, Ont.)

-Fieldhouse Pirate and Utah Utes commit Will Henderson (Mississauga, Ont.)

-GLC hitter Caleb Quack (Breslau, Ont.)

-Fellow GLC bat Lucas Mclinchey (Strathroy, Ont.)

-ABC member Ludovic Therriault (Saint Malo, Que.)

-Charles Lepine (Quebec City, Que.), also of ABC

-Shayne Gagne (Long Sault, Ont.) representing ONC.

Only the two 14U games remain on this year’s CPBL Prospect Games schedule, with both Sunday contests being delayed by rain.

The 14U minor game is now set for 1 p.m., while the 14U major game will throw their first pitch at 5 p.m.

August 2, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Gausman: Great pitcher, great Blue Jays ambassador

Kevin Gausman might not be the greatest pitcher to grace the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he might be the happiest one.

Speaking with the media on Saturday, after what was likely his final start as a Blue Jay before Monday’s 6 p.m. E.T. trade deadline, Gausman said signing with the Blue Jays prior to the 2022 season was the best decision he ever made.

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins might reflect similarly on his decision to sign the right-hander to a five-year, $110-million deal, which expires at the end of the season.

Gausman has been a model of consistency with the Blue Jays and a breath of fresh air in the clubhouse and in the city.

Just how consistent has Gausman been with the Blue Jays?

Here’s how he ranks among MLB pitchers from 2022 to present:

-920 strikeouts (2nd)

-148 starts (3rd)

-861 innings pitched (3rd)

-3 complete games (tied for 7th)

-53 wins (9th)

-3.62 ERA (17th among pitchers with at least 100 starts)

Lopez still leading MLB in hits

We are now more than 110 games into the MLB season and Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez is still leading MLB hitters with 139 hits.

He also ranks third in batting average (.322), trailing only San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (.328) and Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez (.324).

The 27-year-old shortstop, who spent part of his youth in Montreal, is also tied for second in MLB with seven triples.

Lopez has played for Canada at the last two World Baseball Classics.

Quantrill earns fourth win of season

On Tuesday, in his sixth start of the season, right-hander Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) allowed just one run on two hits, while striking out seven, in 5 2/3 innings to pick up his fourth win of the year in the Texas Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

With that win, Quantrill equaled his win total for the 2025 season that he split between the Marlins and Atlanta Braves.

The 31-year-old righty has been effective as a swingman for the Rangers this season. In total, in 22 appearances, he is 4-3 with a 3.84 ERA and has 39 strikeouts in 58 2/3 innings.

O’Neill homers for O’s

On Monday, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) belted his seventh home run of the season. It was a pinch-hit, solo shot off Detroit Tigers’ left-hander Tyler Holton in the Orioles’ 8-5 win at Comerica Park.

It was O’Neill’s second pinch-hit home run of the season and the third of his career.

That homer was also the 125th of O’Neill’s MLB career which moved him ahead of Corey Koskie (Anola, Man.) into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time Canadian MLB home run list.

Smith first to 30 saves

Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) recorded his 30th save of the season on Tuesday. The following day I wrote that Smith had become the sixth Canadian to register 30 saves in a major league season. What I neglected to mention, however, was that Smith was the first major league pitcher to reach 30 saves in 2026.

With two months left in the season, Smith could become the first Canadian to collect 40 saves in a season since John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) had 46 with the Brewers in 2011.

The record for most saves in a season by a Canadian is held by Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que.) who had 55 saves for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003.

Naylor to report to Brewers’ triple-A Nashville Sounds

Catcher Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) will report to the Brewers’ triple-A Nashville Sounds after being acquired from the Guardians in a four-player trade yesterday.

I wrote about it here.

Naylor will join his 2026 World Baseball Classic teammate Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) in Nashville.

For the record, the last Canadian catcher for the Brewers was George Kottaras (Scarborough, Ont.) who played parts of three seasons with the Brewers from 2010 to 2012.

Happy Birthday to Steve Sinclair!

Happy 55th Birthday to former Blue Jays reliever Steve Sinclair!

Born in Victoria, B.C, Sinclair was selected in the 28th round of the 1991 MLB draft by the Blue Jays. He spent the bulk of his first three seasons in the Blue Jays’ organization with their Rookie ball affiliate in Medicine Hat as a starter.

He eventually rose through the club’s ranks to make his big league debut on April 25, 1998. In 24 appearances for the Blue Jays that season, he posted a 3.60 ERA. After just three games with the Blue Jays in 1999, he was dealt to the Seattle Mariners along with right-hander Tom Davey for first baseman David Segui just prior to the trade deadline. Sinclair closed out his big league career by registering a 3.95 ERA in 18 appearances for the Mariners in 1999.

Since hanging up his playing spikes, Sinclair has returned to his home province to serve as the director of operations of the Victoria International Marina.

Quirky Romano stat

Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) has pitched well for the Colorado Rockies since being called up on July 4.

He is now five-for-five in save opportunities with them.

But he began the year with the Los Angeles Angels, and though he had four saves for them, he struggled to a 10.13 ERA in 11 appearances and was released on April 27.

I tell people my favourite kind of baseball stat is a quirky Canadian baseball stat. So I would like to thank Sam Blum for posting this one (below) about Romano on Tuesday (As noted earlier, since Blum’s post, Romano has notched his fifth save with the Rockies).

16 years ago, Blue Jays set doubles record

On this date 16 years ago, the Blue Jays tied a major league record when they clubbed six doubles in one inning.

They accomplished this in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in their 8-6 win at Yankee Stadium. Travis Snider had two of the doubles for the Blue Jays. The other Blue Jays to double in the inning were Fred Lewis, Jose Bautista, Vernon Wells and Aaron Hill.

Anniversary of Canada’s first win in international competition

Fifty-nine years ago today, the Canadian men’s national team won their first game in an international competition when they beat Cuba 10-9 at the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg.

Maurice Oakes (Sturgis, Sask.) homered and drove in four for Canada. Larry Wilson (Hamilton, Ont.) also homered.

It was Cuba’s first loss of the tournament.

Bratt puts together best MLB start yet

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) put together the best start of his young big league career on Friday when he held the Guardians to one run on three hits in five innings. He got a no-decision but the D-Backs eventually won 4-1.

Bratt is still searching for his first big league win, but he lowered his ERA to 5.23 in five MLB starts.

The 23-year-old Toronto Mets and Junior National Team grad was excellent for the D-Backs’ triple-A Reno Aces this season, posting a 2.41 ERA in 13 starts before he was promoted to the big league club for the second time this year on July 12.

Four years ago, Blue Jays acquired Pop

On this day four years ago, the Blue Jays landed right-hander Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) and reliever Anthony Bass from the Marlins in exchange for infield prospect Jordan Groshans.

Pop proceeded to post a 4.89 ERA in 90 appearances in parts of three seasons with the Blue Jays from 2022 to 2024.

Groshans batted .262 in 17 games with the Marlins in 2022 but has not played in the big leagues since. He is currently with the Braves’ double-A Columbus Clingstones.

Baseball in Dorchester has come a long way

Some of the best nights of my youth were spent playing baseball at a diamond in Dorchester, Ont. where we had a gravel infield and foul balls would regularly end up in the backyards of my friends. I played centre field and there was no outfield fence. If a ball went over my head, I had to run across a soccer field – sometimes with a game in progress – to retrieve it.

Fast forward to 2026, I spent Friday at beautiful Royal Field in Dorchester taking in the Canadian Premier Baseball League’s 2029 Prospect Game. The field has major league dimensions, the turf is from the Rogers Centre and the players were some of the top 15- and 16-year-old prospects in Canada. There was a scoreboard, a PA announcer and a black backdrop in centre field (so players can see the ball better out of the pitcher’s hand). And if you scanned the stands, among the scouts and college recruiters, you would have seen at least four ex-big leaguers – Adam Stern (London, Ont.), Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ont.), Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) and Pete Orr (Newmarket, Ont.).

Stern, Robinson and Romak run the Great Lake Canadians who play their home games on this field and are producing big leaguers like Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.).

My kudos to Stern, Robinson and Romak for what they have accomplished with the Great Lake Canadians and what they have done for baseball in my hometown. When I was growing up, I never would’ve imagined that Dorchester would become a baseball hotbed but they have made it one, and I’m delighted to see this.

August 1, 2026

By Trevor Fitzpatrick

Canadian Baseball Network

Day two of the 2026 CPBL Showcase began on Saturday with the class of 2028 battling on Dorchester, Ontario’s beautiful Royal Field.

The clear skies would be the only nicety Team Black would receive though, as they found themselves on the wrong end of a 17-5 beatdown at the hands of Team White’s prospects.

Headlining the offensive outburst was the game’s MVP, Fieldhouse Pirate Austin Burton (Waterloo, Ont.). The uncommitted catcher had a 3-for-4 day at the dish with a three-run home run, two singles and four RBIs.

He also added a stolen base and threw out a runner for good measure.

“It was pretty cool,” Burton said, “I’ve been here the last couple of years, and always just tried to put out my best. Today everything turned out to be on my side.”

‘28 Austin Burton (@FHPirates) loses this one deep to RF for a 3-run 💣. Easy impact with extension out front, smooth swing with strength in the hands. #CPBLxPG @CPBLeague https://t.co/byRzc4sjQi pic.twitter.com/BYE3zgemJW

— Perfect Game International (@pg_int1) August 1, 2026

His home run was a laser beam that soared over the left field wall, which sits about 328 feet from home plate.

“The first pitch I took, I knew I had to get a feel for the pitcher. The second pitch, I knew I had it. From there, I was looking middle-in, got it, and drove it.”

The football game worth of scoring started right in the first inning for Team White as they scored four.

Toronto Met Noah Stanley (Lakefield, Ont.) scored the first run with an RBI ground out, ONC rep Ben Laughlin (Ottawa, Ont.) drove another run in with a single, and then Ontario Blue Jay Cole Zwarich (Unionville, Ont.) cleared the bases with a two-run double.

The scoring onslaught continued from there.

ABC prospect Raphael Besancon (Boucherville, Que.) cashed in with an RBI triple in the bottom of the third, and Burton mashed his home run in the fourth.

Then in the fifth, Toronto Mets outfielder Dreydan Sunohara-Thompson (Scarborough, Ont.) drilled an RBI double into the gap. Windsor Selects hitter Taesean Tate (Windsor, Ont.) brought yet another home with a 5-3 RBI ground out.

Other Team White RBIs in the contest include Fieldhouse Pirate Hunter Bartha (Beamsville, Ont.), Besancon with a second one, and Burton’s single in the eighth.

Team Black did make some noise late in the game, but not nearly enough to mount a comeback in front of the packed crowd.

Their first run came in the top of the seventh inning as Toronto Met Harry Philips (Toronto, Ont.) took a walk, then scored all the way from first on an errand pickoff throw.

Later in the frame, Great Lake Canadian A.J. Rusticus (Dorchester, Ont.) knocked in two runs on a single.

They were only able to notch two more runs in the top of the ninth as Beau Marshall (Peterborough, Ont.), of the Toronto Mets, hit a sacrifice fly for one, and Rusticus then hit another RBI single.

Of the pitchers present, Team White starter Johann Sternberg (Toronto, Ont.) had the best outing. He hurled two scoreless frames with two strikeouts while representing OBJ.

The CPBL Showcase continues to grow annually, with nearly the entire seating section behind home plate full of college and MLB scouts this year.

Also in attendance was Blue Jays rep Geoff Seto, who’s in charge of the Canadian Futures Showcase.

That showcase is set for September in Vancouver, with rosters still being finalized, making it possible some players may have earned their tickets during this game.

Aug. 1, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The 2026 MLB draft is in the rearview mirror, and Major League teams are now focused on the trade deadline.

Some clubs are looking to add to their rosters for a postseason push, while others are focused on restocking the prospect cupboard after a disappointing season.

While the 2027 MLB draft is more than a year away (if there even is one with the pending lockout), it's never too early to look at some Canadians who could hear their names called early next summer.

Brendan Lawson – INF

Florida Gators

No player is generating more buzz on the 2027 MLB draft circuit than Toronto, Ontario's Brendan Lawson—and that's not just among Canadians.

Lawson is a prominent name on 2027 draft boards across numerous publications, and for good reason. After deciding to attend college following a rough senior season, during which an illness kept him on the sidelines, Lawson honoured his commitment to the University of Florida and has taken the college circuit by storm.

As a freshman, he appeared in 60 games and posted a .939 OPS with 10 home runs before capping off his summer with an impressive stint in the Cape Cod League, where he slashed .333/.398/.519 in one of the toughest summer leagues in baseball.

He then returned to campus and anchored the Gators' infield at shortstop. At the plate, he posted video game-like numbers, slashing .312/.511/.699 with a 1.210 OPS, 11 doubles, 19 home runs and 48 RBIs while drawing 53 walks compared to just 46 strikeouts.

The 2026 Baseball America Second-Team All-American shortstop is poised for an even bigger junior season with the Gators, and there's a chance he could surpass Adam Loewen (Surrey, B.C.) as the highest-drafted Canadian next summer.

Jalen Jacob – INF

Ontario Blue Jays

Turning our attention to the prep ranks, infielder Jalen Jacob has been a consistent presence on the Canadian baseball scene.

Jacob has attended the Canadian Futures Showcase in multiple years and was named to the Junior National Team this past season. As one of the younger players on the roster, Jacob faced an uphill battle against older, more experienced competition, but the left-handed hitting first baseman held his own.

In MLB Draft League play, he posted a .751 OPS with one double and one home run across six games. During the club's Dominican Republic Pro Trip this past spring, he slashed .214/.410/.214 with a .625 OPS against some tough professional arms.

Power is Jacob's calling card, and he uses his 6-foot-2 frame to his advantage at the plate. That power should only continue to develop as he matures.

Calum Andersen – RHP

Vauxhall Jets

Calum Andersen exploded onto the scene in 2026.

The Calgary, Alta., product stood out at the 2025 Canadian Futures Showcase before capping off the year by earning the Most Outstanding Pitcher Award at the Future Stars Series Underclass Elite Showcase in Texas.

His performance at that event caught the attention of the Junior National Team coaching staff, and with Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) now in the Yankees organization, Andersen is expected to anchor the JNT rotation over the next year. During the team's Spring Training trip in Florida, Andersen allowed just one earned run across six innings (1.50 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) before following that with another strong showing during the Dominican Republic trip, where he posted a 2.21 ERA while striking out eight batters.

Already sitting in the low 90s with his fastball, Andersen has a strong chance to become the first Canadian prep pitcher selected in next year's draft.

Josh Mills – LHP

Okotoks Dawgs

Joining Andersen on the list of names to watch is left-hander Josh Mills.

A product of the Okotoks Dawgs program, the Leduc, Alta., native is one of the newer faces on the Junior National Team, having joined the club for its Dominican Republic Fall Trip in 2025. However, he's already showing scouts why head coach Greg Hamilton has trusted him with a rotation spot despite being one of the younger players on the team.

Mills is a strikeout machine. During the JNT's recent trips—Spring Training, the Dominican Republic Spring Trip and the MLB Draft League—he led the team in strikeouts during one showcase while finishing second in another. He recorded nine strikeouts during the Florida trip and added another nine in the Dominican Republic, both against professional competition.

Ironically, he didn't pile up strikeouts in the MLB Draft League, recording just three over five innings. However, he more than made up for it by allowing just two hits, issuing four walks, and surrendering no earned runs, making him the only Canadian pitcher to finish with a 0.00 ERA.

There are still some areas to refine in his game—primarily command and limiting walks, which is typical for prep pitchers—but he mixes a fastball, slider/sweeper and splitter effectively. By next spring, he should be sitting comfortably in the low 90s with his fastball on a consistent basis.

Aug. 1, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired Canadian catcher Bo Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians.

Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) is headed to Milwaukee along with right-hander Codi Heuer in exchange for right-hander Craig Yoho and outfielder Blake Perkins.

The teams announced the transaction on social media on Saturday morning.

Naylor has played the bulk of 2026 with the Guardians’ triple-A Columbus Clippers after the Guardians acquired Patrick Bailey on May 9. Naylor was also mired in a long slump with the Guardians at the time.

In 45 games with the Clippers, he put together a .225/.344/.437 slash line and a .781 OPS. He had seven home runs and 24 RBIs.

He batted .143 with two home runs and seven RBIs to begin the season with the Guardians.

The 26-year-old Naylor had been the Guardians’ regular catcher in 2024 and 2025. He belted a career-high 14 home runs in 2025 and batted .353 in four games for Canada at this year’s World Baseball Classic.

An Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team graduate, Naylor was selected in the first round of the MLB draft by the Guardians in 2018. His stretch with the Clippers this year represented his first in the minors since 2023.

In total in 346 MLB games, Naylor has 40 home runs and 125 RBIs.

The Brewers have All-Star William Contreras as their starting catcher and veteran Gary Sanchez as his back-up, so it’s uncertain if Naylor will report to the big league club or be assigned to triple-A.

July 31, 2026

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA, ONT. – History will be made on August 1 when the Women's Professional Baseball League (WPBL) launches its inaugural season in Springfield, Ill., with 11 Canadians set to take part.

The Canadian contingent includes nine members of Canada's Women's National Team that recently secured a berth in the 2027 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals with a third-place finish at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in Rockford, Illinois.

The four-team league features the Boston Hunters, Los Angeles Queens, New York Heights and San Francisco Firebells, with all games being played at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield.

Canadians in the WPBL

Boston Hunters wpbl_hunters

• Raine Padgham (Burnaby, B.C.)

• Alli Schroder (Fruitvale, B.C.)

• Maïka Dumais (Québec, Que.)

San Francisco Firebells wpbl_firebells

• Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.)

• Ela Dy-Bédard (Gatineau, Que.)

• Liz Gilder (Port Moody, B.C.)

Los Angeles Queens wpbl_queens

• Michelle Roche (Burnaby, B.C.)

New York Heights wpbl_heights

• Jaida Lee (St. John's, N.L.)

• Madison Willan (Edmonton, Alta.)

• Claire Eccles (Surrey, B.C.)

• Elodie Ciamarro (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.)

Padgham, Schroder, Leblanc, Dy-Bédard, Gilder, Roche, Lee, Willan and Eccles all represented Canada at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in Rockford, where Canada posted a 3-2 record to earn one of three qualifying berths for the 2027 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, which will also be held in Rockford.

How to Watch

Fans in the United States can watch every regular season and playoff game on ESPN Select, while the Scripps Sports Network will broadcast a select schedule of regular season games.

For fans in Canada and around the world, every WPBL game will be streamed live on YouTube, making it easy to follow Canada's professional players throughout the inaugural season.

The season opens on Saturday, August 1, with the New York Heights taking on the Los Angeles Queens. The Boston Hunters and San Francisco Firebells, featuring six Canadians, will begin their seasons on Sunday, August 2, at 7:30 p.m. E.T.

July 31, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

WINNIPEG, MAN. – The Manitoba Mosquitoes came out buzzing, building a commanding early lead en route to an 11-4 victory over the Lincoln Saltdogs Friday evening at Blue Cross Park.

The Mosquitoes — the Winnipeg Goldeyes’ wildly successful first foray into the alternate-identity trend — swarmed the downtown ballpark for one night only.

Manitoba drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning when left fielder Keshawn Lynch lined a two-run single to left field, scoring shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder and second baseman Adam Hall (London, Ont.). Catcher Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Que.) followed with a two-run double to right field that brought home centre fielder Noah Marcelo and Lynch to make it 4-0. First baseman Kevin García capped the five-run inning with a sacrifice fly to left, allowing Pelletier to score from third.

In the bottom of the second, Didder scored on a delayed double steal to make it 6-0 before Marcelo reached on a fielding error that allowed Hall to score Manitoba’s seventh run of the game.

The Mosquitoes proved impossible to swat away, striking for four more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Didder blooped a two-run double to left-centre, driving in García and right fielder Roby Enríquez. Marcelo then doubled down the left-field line to bring home Didder and Hall, extending Manitoba’s lead to 11-0.

Lincoln finally found a way to repel Mosquitoes starter Ryo Kohigashi in the fifth inning. Second baseman Paul Myro singled up the middle to drive in centre fielder Cam Phelts and left fielder Jairo Pomares, cutting the deficit to 11-2. Third baseman Calyn Halvorson followed with a two-run double down the right-field line, bringing home right fielder Cary Arbolida and Myro to make it 11-4. Kohigashi exited one out shy of qualifying for the win.

Kohigashi allowed four runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking two. The 28-year-old ranks second in the American Association with 79 strikeouts this season. Arij Fransen, Willian Suárez, and Sage Ferguson combined to pitch 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief as Manitoba’s pitching staff finished with 14 strikeouts.

Saltdogs starter Alex Johnson allowed 10 runs — nine earned — on five hits over just two innings while issuing five walks. Cam Dayton was outstanding in relief, pitching the final six innings and surrendering only one run on one hit.

Despite being limited to six hits, the Mosquitoes received three runs batted in from Marcelo, while Didder and Hall each scored three times.

The series continues Saturday at 6 p.m., with the Goldeyes sending right-hander James Colyer to the mound. The Saltdogs will counter with right-hander Cael Chatham.

July 31, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs fell 4-3 to the Sylvan Lake Gulls on Friday at Gulls Stadium.

The Dawgs collected 11 hits and Ayden Crouse led the offence, going 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run and a stolen base.

Ricky Sanchez added two hits, while scoring the Dawgs' first run of the game.

Xander Guedes (North Vancouver, B.C.), from the Okotoks Dawgs Academy, turned in two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit while striking out four. Reid Madriaga closed the game with 1 2/3 scoreless innings of his own, striking out four and allowing just one hit to keep the Dawgs within reach.

The Dawgs will look to bounce back in their next home matchup on Saturday when they host the Energy City Cactus Rats at 7:05 p.m.

July 31, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

It was a home field hero that led Team Black to a 12-7 win over Team White in the 2029 Canadian Premier Baseball League Prospect Game at Royal Field in Dorchester, Ont., on Friday.

Batting cleanup for Team Black, Great Lake Canadians (GLC) third baseman Mattias Jimenez had two hits – including a triple – and knocked in four runs. He also walked and scored twice.

And for good measure, Jimenez also made an outstanding play at third base in the eighth inning on a softly hit ground ball with some backspin by Team White leadoff hitter Victor Rengel-Lopez (Mississauga, Ont.). Jimenez charged the ball and threw off balance to get the speedy Ontario Blue Jays outfielder at first.

"It feels awesome," said Jimenez of his performance. "It's a great opportunity to play in the prospects game here . . . It's also really good to win the game."

Jimenez hails from the Dominican Republic and has been with GLC since 2023. His favourite major league player is third baseman Manny Machado. His play in the eighth inning was vintage Machado.

‘29 Jacob Gagnon (@ABCacademie)#CPBLxPG @CPBLeague pic.twitter.com/8yXrZZfeLT

— Perfect Game International (@pg_int1) July 31, 2026

On Team White, it was right fielder Jacob Gagnon (Quebec, Que.) who starred. He went 2-for-3 with a ground rule double, a triple, two runs and two stolen bases. For his efforts, the ABC product was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

"It feels really good," said Gagnon about the honour after the game, adding that it ranked among the top awards he has received.

Gagnon and his family drove 10 hours from Quebec City to be at the event.

Unfortunately for him, his team got behind early and couldn't recover.

Team Black scored four runs on five hits and a walk in the first inning off ABC right-hander Matis Trahan (Mercier, Que.) who was replaced by Toronto Mets righty Nate Hill (Markham, Ont.) with two outs.

Team Black leadoff hitter Jake Anderson (Toronto, Ont.), of the Ontario Blue Jays, got things started with a single and promptly stole second. It was his first of four stolen bases in the contest. He would score on a two-run single to right by Jimenez.

Team Black added another run in the third when Anderson walked to start the inning and stole second and third before crossing the plate on a ground out to short by Jimenez.

Team White got on the board in the fourth when first baseman Nathan Zaretsky (King City, Ont.), of the Ontario Astros, clubbed a ground-rule double to left and Gagnon followed with a triple.

Team Black made it 6-1 in the sixth inning when shortstop Victor Lauziere (Greenfield Park, Que.), of ABC, walked and Jimenez tripled him home.

Team White responded with a run in the bottom of the frame when Rengel-Lopez walked and stole second. He was then held at third on a single by Braylon Stern (London, Ont.), of GLC, before he scored on a sacrifice fly to centre field by Grayson Mowat (Toronto, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets.

Team White added two more runs the following frame when Gagnon led off with a walk and stole second and third and scored on a fielder's choice grounder to second base by J.J. Agustin (Concord, Ont.), of the Ontario Blue Jays. Agustin later scored on an RBI single by Nate Hill to make it 6-4.

But the game unraveled for Team White in the top of the ninth when Team Black scored six runs on four walks and four hits. Blake Woolburgh (Toronto, Ont.), of the Ontario Blue Jays, delivered a two-run single for Team Black in the frame.

Team White did manage to plate three runs in the bottom of the ninth to make it 12-7. Two of the runs came in on wild pitches and one via an RBI single from Carson Slezsak (Brantford, Ont.), of GLC.

Friday's game featured the CPBL's top 15- and 16-year-old players.

The 2027 and 2028 Prospects Games are scheduled for Saturday at Royal Field in Dorchester, Ont., while the 14U Minor and Major games will go on Sunday.

The CPBL holds Prospects games following their season each year to showcase the league's top talent to prospective colleges.

One of deepest crops of CPBL prospects

Jamie Romak, Great Lake Canadians director of player performance, says the crop of 15- and 16-year-olds playing in the 2029 CPBL Prospect Game on Friday were one of CPBL's deepest yet.

"The 2008 birth year - so the 2026 prospects - were super strong, but these kids remind me of that class," said Romak. "It's really deep. It's athletic in the middle. There are some big arms on the mound. I'm guessing we'll see two or three arms at 90 miles per hour tonight . . . It's a very impressive class of kids and I'm super excited for the future of Canadian baseball."

Romak expects representatives from about 20 colleges and universities to be present at Royal Field over the weekend to take in the Prospect games.

"These (Prospect games) have really become the premier recruiting event for what we do in the CPBL," said Romak. "It's a great event for schools to come and find top Canadian talent. It's also another great opportunity for these kids to play amongst the best players around the league that they have spent the whole summer competing against."

Over the years, the CPBL has developed over 180 MLB draft picks, 22 pro players and 57 junior national team players. CPBL players have also secured more than 800 college commitments.

July 31, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Mathieu Vallee’s time on the West Coast was short-lived.

Earlier this week, the Saint-Eustache, Que., product was promoted from the High-A Vancouver Canadians to the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Roster spots opened up throughout the Blue Jays' farm system after the club assigned recently drafted players to affiliated teams below Vallee while trimming rosters across multiple levels.

Signed by the Blue Jays as a free agent this past winter, Vallee’s brief time in the organization has been filled with highs and lows.

The outfielder began his professional career in Vancouver, but it lasted just two games before he landed on the injured list. The injury kept him sidelined for more than two months, and he officially returned to the field on June 8 in a rehab game with the FCL Blue Jays. After a six-game stint there, Vallee was reassigned to Vancouver, where he remained until this latest promotion.

With the Canadians, Vallee posted a .310/.394/.397 slash line with a .791 OPS and a .375 BABIP. The 25-year-old also recorded a 119 wRC+ and a .369 wOBA over that 21-game sample, while posting a 10.3% walk rate. A contact hitter by trade, Vallee collected five doubles and did not hit a home run in the Northwest League, but he used his speed to steal seven bases.

During his limited time in the FCL, he collected five hits in 17 at-bats while adding another seven stolen bases, bringing his season total to 14.

Defensively, Vallee has split his time among all three outfield positions, making slightly more appearances in centre field than in the corners. The Quebec native owns a perfect fielding percentage and has recorded one outfield assist.

Vallee signed with the Blue Jays after an impressive campaign with Trois-Rivières in the independent Frontier League in 2025 that earned him the Canadian Baseball Network’s Murray Zuk Award, which is presented annually to the top Canadian position player in independent baseball. He also set a Frontier League record with 83 stolen bases while posting an .841 OPS across 88 games.

July 31, 2026

By Trevor Fitzpatrick

Canadian Baseball Network

Five years ago, Thomas Ireland (Regina, Sask.) was drafted by the Texas Rangers alongside fellow Canadians and now major leaguers Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) and Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.).

Now, he’s knocking on the door to join them in the big leagues.

This season, Ireland finds himself as the only one of that draft class still with the team that drafted him, playing with their double-A Frisco RoughRiders, but he’s also made his first triple-A Round Rock Express appearances as well.

The left-handed pitcher has thrown to a 6.38 ERA this year, with a 4.93 ERA at triple-A through 34 2/3 innings as he works toward finding the consistency he admits he’s still dialing in.

“I’d say the biggest difference (between minor league levels) is the preparation of the hitters. You’ve got guys that are fighting for their job and others trying to get to the big leagues,” Ireland explained, “You make a mistake to those guys, you get hit pretty far. It kind of made me open my eyes as to how I have to better prepare for each game.”

To continue evolving his game, he worked with longtime friend and mentor Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) in the offseason.

A former National Team member and Detroit Tiger, Molleken worked on making Ireland’s mechanics simple and repeatable during their training – an effort that Ireland says has helped his command and velocity make improvements.

Off the field, Ireland’s support system has been keeping him steady through the grind of the minor leagues.

“My parents obviously don’t get to travel with me as much, but my wife is with me full-time. Without the three of them, I don’t know how far my journey would last,” he said, “It makes it easy having someone you can disconnect from baseball with. I think that’s been crucial to finding myself as a person and player.”

The road ahead could be a long one for Ireland, who faces stiff left-handed competition on the Rangers depth chart.

Their active major league roster alone features five left-handers: Robby Ahlstrom, Tyler Alexander, Marco Gonzales, MacKenzie Gore, and Jacob Latz.

Regardless, pitching is always in demand, so Ireland could pave himself a path to the big leagues and join fellow Canadian Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) down the line.

For now, the minor league grind continues, with the pride of representing Canada helping spur him on:

I asked Ireland, “Is it safe to say there’s a little extra pride in representing Canada on the pro scene?”

He replied without hesitation, “absolutely.”

July 29, 2026

By Conor Stemme

University of Michigan Athletics

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Pitcher Kurt Barr of the University of Michigan baseball team signed with the Minnesota Twins as an undrafted free agent on Wednesday following a record-breaking senior season.

Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.) marks the third Wolverine signed as a UDFA in 2026, joining David Lally Jr. and Keegan O'Hearn (Oshawa, Ont.). Colby Turner (Minnesota) and Noah Miller (Houston Astros) were drafted in the 2026 MLB Draft.

Barr spent all four seasons at Michigan, earning All-Big Ten third-team honours twice (2024, 2026). The senior started 15 games in 2026, totaling a team-leading 79 2/3 innings pitched and was the only Wolverine pitcher to start every weekend. He struck out 105 batters in his final season, setting a program record for senior pitchers at Michigan. Barr finished the season with a 4.52 earned-run average and pitched a complete game against Michigan State on April 10, striking out 10 Spartans while allowing just two runs on four hits.

Barr appeared in 65 games across his four seasons, starting 46 games and compiling a 17-15 record. He threw 262 2/3 innings, with 256 strikeouts and 139 walks. He finished his career with a 4.15 ERA and held opponents to a .239 batting average. In addition to his All-Big Ten honours, Barr was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree three times and earned CSC Academic All-District honors in 2026.

July 30, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

Slugger Nash Crowell had two home runs and eight RBIs to lead the Okotoks Dawgs to a 12-1 win over the Sylvan Lake Gulls in front of 5,255 fans at Seaman Stadium on Thursday.

In total, Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) had three hits and scored three runs.

Jayden Lusk added a double and a home run, while Jordan Kievman reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, three runs, two RBIs and two walks.

On the mound, Logan Rumberg (Saskatoon, Sask.) started and delivered a sharp six-inning outing, surrendering just one run on five hits while striking out eight. Will Labonté (Montreal, Que.) kept the momentum going with two scoreless innings in relief.

The Dawgs will now head to Sylvan Lake to take on the Gulls on Friday before returning to Seaman Stadium on Saturday to host the Energy City Cactus Rats at 7:05 p.m.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 29. You can read it here.

July 31, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

Things didn’t go the way the Team Alberta Bighorns 19U Women’s Team hoped on home turf in 2025.

Hosting the national championships at Webber Academy just outside Calgary, the team went winless on their way to finishing eighth out of eight teams.

Despite not tasting victory, the team thought of it as a learning experience for what was considered a young core, including three 16-year-olds and six 17-year-olds.

Among them was Airdrie’s Natalie Kerr, who went 1-for-6 in the tournament with six walks, four runs scored and a run batted in over the five games.

She’s among several returning players who believe the 2026 edition of the team will be much better with that experience behind them.

“I’m so excited to get to play with them and it’s just such an honour to be a part of this group,” Kerr told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.

“Getting to play with the girls every single year is just such an amazing opportunity, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories interview Natalie Kerr here.

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She says winning a national championship would mean everything to her, especially as she thinks about the challenges she’s overcome to represent her province.

AILING AIRDRONIAN

Growing up with an older brother and a twin brother, Kerr was immersed in sports, particularly baseball.

Even when other girls were making the switch to softball, she was determined to stick with it through Little League and eventually the new Airdrie Stars program with Baseball Alberta.

All the while, Kerr was battling an ailment that has given her arm troubles for a long time.

Born without the ulnar groove in her elbow, she started feeling pain when she was about 13, finally opting for surgery over the last couple of years.

“I had to re-learn how to move my arm, throw and grab things,” Kerr said. “On the mental side, I just had to kind of switch my mindset to make it about pushing through and not giving up.”

On top of that, shortly after surgery, she was hit by a car, which set back her recovery time.

PLAYING FOR HER PROVINCE

Kerr got her first taste of suiting up for Team Alberta as a 15-year-old at the 16U National Championships in 2023 in Summerside, P.E.I.

“I remember crying when I got the email saying I was on the roster,” she laughed. “It was just so cool to be a part of something so big like this.”

That team lost a heartbreaker 13-12 to Ontario in the semi-finals, coming back to claim bronze with an 8-3 win over Newfoundland and Labrador.

Kerr was back a year later at the tournament in Saskatoon, where Alberta finished with a silver medal.

2025 saw her make the move to the new 19U tournament, which replaced the 21U age division for the first time.

While the Bighorns didn’t perform up to their own standards on home turf, they are using it as fuel to be much better this time around.

“Everyone in our group just hits so well and everyone has such a big arm,” Kerr said. “It’s just such a great roster to have and everyone pulls their weight every single year. I don’t think there’s a weak spot in our lineup.”

DREAMING BIG

Having just graduated high school, Kerr also has her sights set on the future beyond the 19U event.

She has committed to the University of Lethbridge, where she will play fastball for the Pronghorns and continue playing baseball wherever she can.

The Foothills Fury Fastpitch product has also taken a liking to coaching and giving back to her community, which is what she’s doing with her education as she’s going into physiotherapy.

“Just helping people recover in the same way that I had,” she said.

Then, of course, there’s the ultimate goal: representing her country with the Women’s National Team.

Kerr knows playing in tournaments like the 19U Nationals could become a springboard for her and, having watched some of her teammates do it already, gives her hope that one day, she will get there too.

“That would be crazy to represent my country – it would be amazing,” she said. “Everyone wants to have that chance, and it would be such a big honour. It’s something I want to work towards, for sure.”

The Baseball Canada 19U Women’s National Championship is taking place from July 30 to August 2 in Saskatoon, Sask.

*This article originally appeared on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on July 28. You can read it here.

July 30, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

Representing her home province is going to look a little different this time for Beth Sarauer.

The Clavet native will undoubtedly have a few familiar faces in the stands when she and her Team Saskatchewan teammates take to the field at the Baseball Canada 19U Women’s National Championships in Saskatoon.

Fresh off playing at the Women’s Open Nationals in Winnipeg earlier this month, the 16-year-old is a rising star for Baseball Sask, as she is also still eligible to play at the 16U Nationals in Moncton later this summer.

This tournament, though, will mean something much more.

“Having the 19U event in Saskatoon this year will be a lot of fun with lots of family out,” Sarauer told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories.

“I remember watching the 16U nationals when they were in Saskatoon a couple of years ago and it seemed really fun, so I’m excited for it.”

While she’s hoping to be an impact player on home turf, the utility player is also mindful of the influence she can have off it this coming weekend.

SASK’S RISING STAR

The fact that Sarauer is suiting up in the green and gold for three different teams should come as no surprise to anyone.

Born into a baseball family, she says she was always around it with her parents and loved it from the first moments she was registered to play herself.

“I think it was just the competitive side of it,” Sarauer said. “I just had a drive for baseball for as long as I can remember because it’s a team sport but it’s also an individual sport and I really like that about it.”

She started suiting up with the Saskatoon Royals and eventually caught the attention of the Baseball Sask brass, who invited her to play at the 2025 14U Westerns and the Canada Summer Games. She was also an affiliate player for the team that took home bronze at the 19U Nationals in Calgary.

Although younger than most of her teammates, Sarauer loved the opportunity to learn from those around her.

“I get to be around players that are so much older than me and have so much more experience,” she said. “I get to learn from them and it’s always a lot of fun.”

ENJOY THE MOMENT

While she wouldn’t call herself a “veteran” quite yet, Sarauer is hoping to bring some of what she has learned to the field.

That includes her first stint with Baseball Sask’s Women’s Team, which finished sixth at nationals earlier this month.

It taught her a little more about what to expect out of herself and the team going into the tournament in Saskatoon.

“I just want to play with confidence,” Sarauer said. “I think we have a lot of good arms this year, so we just need to get on the bats and play some good defence.”

The goal is always to bring home more hardware, but she adds she values the time spent with teammates and meeting new players from across the country.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION

While she might not yet have perfected her signature on baseballs, it might be a regular request for Sarauer and her teammates as they host the national championship.

With so many young players, particularly girls, in attendance, she understands the gravity of what’s about to happen because she was in their shoes just a few years ago.

The pitcher and first base player is also looking forward to conversations with them to share some lessons from her own experiences, including the importance of resiliency and being a good teammate.

“I would honestly tell them to not lose themselves along the way,” Sarauer said. “I know a lot of people get caught up in the skills and competition part of the game, but you just have to take a step back and recognize that you’re here for fun and you’re here playing the game around people who love the game, too.”

It’s clear she loves the game for all the right reasons and hopes to have it all out on display during the tournament as well as the 16U Nationals.

“It’s crazy to me that I get to play for Team Sask,” Sarauer said. “It means a lot to me that I have the right people around me and the right opportunities like this.”

The Baseball Canada 19U Women’s National Championship is scheduled for July 30 to August 2 at Cairns Field and Leakos Field.

July 30, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

To say Evan Morrison has taken an unconventional road to a pro baseball career would be an understatement.

The 23-year-old, who grew up near Mitchell, Ont., zig-zagged his way through one Ontario university, two U.S. colleges and three different summer teams prior to being selected in the 10th round of the MLB draft by the Texas Rangers on July 12.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound infielder has had to work for every break he has gotten in baseball. And he started his pro baseball career last week despite never being invited to the Canadian Futures Showcase or to a try out for the Junior National Team.

Instead, as a teenager, he flew under the radar of scouts while honing his skills in the Great Lake Canadians (GLC) program.

Chris Robinson, GLC's director of baseball operations, watched the young two-way player help his program's teams win games on the mound, at the plate and in the field for five years.

"The things Evan did well, at a very elite level for us, weren't necessarily showing up in box scores," said Robinson, when asked why Morrison had been overlooked by scouts during his teens. "He was just super consistent in everything he did. He ran well, but he never really ran at an elite level and he threw well but he never really threw at an elite level. There's just no real evaluator for 'Hey, this guy is just a great all-around baseball player.'"

Morrison, Robinson says, is an "old school type ballplayer, where it's performance over tools."

And it turns out that's not a bad reputation to have. In fact, it was largely that regard that convinced Texas Rangers scout Chris Collias to vouch for Morrison during the draft.

"It's rare today on the amateur side that guys can actually 'play' the game," said Collias. "Everybody is manufactured. Everybody learns to hit in the lab or they learn to pitch in a lab or in an indoor training facility. You never really drive by a park anymore and see anybody actually playing. You rarely see people quote unquote 'playing' the game. They 'work' the game. This guy, I think his biggest strength is that he's got high baseball character which means to me that he loves the game, he loves being at the yard. He loves to work."

That love for baseball was instilled in him by his father, James, who signed him up to play softball in Sebringville, Ont., in 2008 when he was five. He continued to play softball until he joined a baseball team in Mitchell when he was eight.

Morrison was a standout shortstop and pitcher in the Mitchell minor ball ranks and when he was 12, he was called up to play in an older age bracket.

The following year, he joined the Great Lake Canadians (GLC) as a two-way player and he'd spend five years in the organization.

"When I first got there [to GLC] I was 13 and I was not one of the better players on the team. I was super skinny and didn't have a ton of self-confidence," recalled Morrison. "But the coaches there are awesome. They helped me tremendously and I grew into my body a little bit."

Robinson was impressed early on with Morrison.

"As a pitcher, Evan wouldn't light up the radar gun, but he could pitch," recalled Robinson. "He was such an advanced player – the way he thought the game. So, he would be the guy who would play in the infield all weekend and then if we needed someone to jump in and close out the final game [on the mound] we'd bring him in."

Robinson also witnessed significant improvement in Morrison as a hitter.

"He was a contact guy. He ended up leading off his last two years with us. He was super at getting on-base. He didn't strike out a lot. He developed some juice as he got older. He would drive balls to the gap a little more," said Robinson. "He was a very impressive bat-to-ball guy."

Heading into Morrison’s pivotal Grade 11 season, COVID struck and his team wasn't allowed to go to the U.S. This restricted the number of college recruiters and pro scouts that could see him play.

"I didn't have any offers from American schools coming out of high school," said Morrison, who attended Stratford District Secondary School. "I wasn't looking JUCO because I did have very good grades and what I thought I wanted to do was go into Engineering."

So, with his passion for baseball still burning deep, he elected to go to the University of Waterloo where he was accepted into their Computer Engineering program.

Ben Norris, head coach of the Waterloo Warriors baseball team, says Morrison pitched and played second base in his first year. After that season, however, Morrison switched his educational focus.

"I quickly found out that I wasn't as passionate about Engineering as I thought," said Morrison. "And trying to do 60 hours of schoolwork on top of baseball was a lot more challenging than I thought it would be."

After playing for the Western Canadian Baseball League's Fort McMurray Giants in the summer of 2022, Morrison transferred to the Recreation and Sports Business program at Waterloo for his second year. This allowed him to spend more time on baseball.

"The biggest advantage of going to Waterloo was that I got to play right away and that helped me a lot self-confidence-wise," said Morrison. "We had great facilities there that helped me get better, and I just pushed myself."

Norris says Morrison hit second in the Warriors' lineup and they moved him to shortstop in his sophomore year.

"He was a very good contact hitter," recalled Norris. "And you could not find someone with a higher work ethic when it came to baseball. That guy loved being in the cage."

After Morrison completed his second year at Waterloo University, Dan Corbin, the GM of the Waterloo (Iowa) Bucks of the Northwoods League (a summer collegiate circuit), called Norris looking for pitchers for the second half of the season. Norris recommended Morrison and the young right-hander jumped at the opportunity to head south. He pitched well with the Bucks and made a good impression on his pitching coach, Mack Stephenson, who doubled as the pitching coach for McPherson College (NAIA) in McPherson, Kan.

Morrison returned to the University of Waterloo and batted .566 while topping the OUA with 30 hits in the fall of 2023 before transferring to McPherson College for the spring semester.

Morrison started as a pitcher at McPherson but evolved into a star second baseman who ended up leading the team with a .432 batting average.

Following that season, he returned to the Waterloo Bucks for the summer.

"And that's where things really started to take off," said Morrison.

While in summer ball, he was offered the opportunity to play for Grand Valley State University, a Div. II school in Allendale, Mich. He accepted and over the next two seasons he stopped pitching and developed into an All-American shortstop.

"I had never heard of Grand Valley until they gave me a call," said Morrison, "but facilities-wise, it's the best Division II school in the country. We got treated so well there as athletes. And Jordan Keur and Pete Romsek, the coaches there, were awesome . . . The culture they have built around the team is unbelievable. They just have such passion for the game that I learned so much from them in the two years I was there."

This spring, Morrison batted .410 with six home runs and 27 stolen bases in 58 games, while only striking out seven times. He also set Grand Valley State single-season records with 88 runs and six triples. For his efforts, he was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

More importantly, some big league scouts were finally taking notice. Collias saw Morrison play twice - the second time was on May 9 against Davenport University in the conference tournament.

"That was the day when I said, 'OK, there's something to this guy,''' said Collias. "This is a guy you want on your team and you hate to play against. And he showed it all that day. He showed bat to ball where he could use the whole field. He showed power to the pull side. He hit a home run and that put me over the edge with him. He showed his speed. He showed good defensive ability and I was like 'OK, I'm writing this guy up.'"

Collias contacted Morrison the night before the second day of the draft. The Rangers had allocated almost all of their draft bonus pool money to their first three picks and were looking for cost-effective players on Day 2. Collias called Morrison to confirm that he wouldn't require a large bonus if they chose him and Morrison told him he just wanted a pro opportunity.

So, Morrison's draft call would come from the Rangers the next day in the middle of the Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game where he was representing the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers.

"In the bottom of the first inning, I'm sitting in the dugout and the phone starts ringing and I step out of the dugout and I take the call," said Morrison. "And then from there, it was a little bit of a blur. I told my parents [James and Christen, who were in the stands] to stay close by. And they saw me take the call and I went and gave them a hug. And I told them it was the Rangers. And then I went into the locker room to see the pick get announced on the screen."

And it’s been a whirlwind since that call.

On July 19, Morrison arrived at the Rangers’ development complex in Surprise, Ariz., and underwent a physical and officially signed with the club.

He is living in Rangers Village, a facility right across the street from the development complex and he now has more than a week's worth of practices under his belt.

At this point, he is uncertain what the Rangers' plan is for him for the rest of the season.

"I'm just trying to get better each day," said Morrison. "The path I've taken has definitely been unique. But being here for a week and competing with everyone, I can definitely compete here, which is pretty cool to see."

Collias believes Morrison can stick in pro baseball.

"Because A, he wants to be at the yard all the time. B, he's going to be consistent in mood and work ethic. C, he knows how to play and D, he can hit," said Collias. "He's that swiss army knife type of player, where you can play him all over. He's got that versatility and he can either hit at the top of the lineup or the bottom of the lineup."

Robinson also believes Morrison is capable of having a long career in pro baseball.

"I still believe in an analytical world that organizations and front office people are looking for people that help you win ballgames," said Robinson. "He does everything that the old school type player would do. Nothing will surprise me about him because he's such an easy kid to coach. He was a sponge. He understands the game so well. So, I think the ceiling is really high – maybe not based on having the best skillset or tools of anybody in the draft – but in terms of, this guy just knows the game in and out. And I believe there's still lots of room for players like that. And he'll probably play forever then get into a front office or a coaching position and spend his life in baseball."

Norris offers a similar assessment.

"I would never bet against Evan," he said. "Just looking at the way he has embraced every challenge, he's gotten better at every stop . . . If you told me that in three years, he was playing second base in a part-time role with Texas, I wouldn't be shocked at all. Then it wouldn't shock me if he worked his way into a starter's role."

July 29, 2026

Baseball Canada

Eight teams are set to meet in Saskatoon, Sask., for the 2026 19U Women’s National Championship which will run from July 31 to August 2.

An all-time list of Baseball Canada National Championship medalists can be found here.
WHAT:
2026 19U Women’s National Championship in Saskatoon, Sask..

WHEN:
The action starts on Thursday, July 30, with round-robin play running until Saturday, August 1. A quarterfinal matchup and a tiebreaker (if necessary) are set for Sunday afternoon, followed by semifinal, placement, bronze medal, and gold medal games, as well as the closing ceremonies on Sunday, August 2.

Check out the complete schedule here.

WHO:
The eight teams will battle for the title of 2026 19U National Champion: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Québec, and Saskatchewan. 

HOW TO FOLLOW:
Watch live streamed games on Hometeam Live

Live scoring of all tournament games via Game Changer

Follow @BaseballCANNats on Twitter

Follow Baseball Canada on Instagram and Facebook.

July 29, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Game 1

On Wednesday, the Okotoks Dawgs won the first half of their doubleheader against the Lethbridge Bulls, 5-2 in front of 4,523 loyal Dawgs fans at Seaman Stadium.

The Dawgs’ bats were led by Jordan Kievman, who went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.

Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) also went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) and Bryant Starr also added two hits each.

On the mound, Lincoln Berg pitched two scoreless innings and Wyatt Sadleir (Calgary, Alta.) tossed a scoreless sixth.

Brody Burnette came in to close out the contest, striking out two in a scoreless inning.

Game 2

The Dawgs completed their doubleheader sweep by defeating the Bulls 8-5 in front of 5,366 fans at Seaman Stadium in their second game on Wednesday.

Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) led the Dawgs’ offence, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run.

Cal Gates went 2-for-3 with a walk, while Lachlan Maude (Toronto, Ont.) also collected two hits.

On the mound, the Dawgs pitching was led by a stellar start from Evan Lehnert. He fanned six batters and allowed just one run in six innings.

Reid Madriaga later entered the game to record a four-out save. He struck out the side in the ninth.

With the win, the Dawgs improved to 34-12 on the year.

The Dawgs continue their homestand against the Sylvan Lake Gulls on Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

July 30, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Brian Comeau thinks he knew how good his son would be in 2025 at the Area Code Games.

His son, SS Connor Comeau, was with the Area Code Rangers and went 6-for-10 (.600) with two doubles, four singles, two strikeouts and a walk. He was named one of the top hitting prospects by Baseball America.

“For a long time he was under the radar,” Brian said.

Connor, on the other hand, thinks the moment came in the 2024 season with the Tigers Scout Team. All Connor did that summer with the Tigers Scout Team, THZ, Walk-Off Sports and the Texas Senators was earn berths on four All Tournament Teams in Austin, Tex., the PG Beast of the East Invitational, the WWBA South Invitational at Tomball, Tex. and the WWBA 16U National Championship. He was also named to the showcase top prospect team at Marietta. Ga. and won the Perfect Game Beast of the East Invitational. He joined the Tigers in Austin, Tex. after the Canes said they had zero interest.

“My exit velocity that year was 98 mph,” said Comeau.

No matter the year, this summer Comeau was selected 54th overall in North America by the Texas Rangers who gave him a $2.5 million signing bonus.

Comeau has Canadian citizenship, his father Brian is from LaSalle, Que. and his grandfather is from Tracadie, N.B.

The shortstop attended the 2025 Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre. Comeau was hoping to make the Junior National Team but did not have his citizenship paperwork completed. He has it now.

Signing with the Rangers ended his scholarship to Texas A&M.

“My relatives in Montreal had never seen me play -- they had heard I was a good player,” Comeau said. “It wasn’t a case of being in a major-league stadium for the first time.”

He’d already been to workouts at the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres big league parks. The Montreal crew seated among the Rogers Centre fans were: Comeau’s grandfather Henry, his girlfriend Nicole and his uncle Darrell.

“I didn’t do too well in pool play (1-for-10, six strikeouts), but I wound up second in the Home Run Derby,” Comeau said.

Daril Rodriguez (Sylvan Lake, Alta.) won with 11 home runs while Comeau was second with nine.

So Canada, a land that doesn’t produce everyday shortstops — outside of Dominican import Otto Lopez, Kevin Nicholson (Surrey, BC) leads with 24 big league starts since 2000 — had three selected in the first 54 picks: Taj Marchand (33rd overall) to the Tampa Bay Rays, Comeau (54th to the Rangers) and Elliot Lascelles (60th to the San Diego Padres).

Lascelles, a Toronto Mets grad, was given $2,800,394 by San Diego Padres scout Chris Kemlo (Clarington, Ont.), a record for Canadian-born high schoolers. OF Slater de Brun received $4 million, but is a Canadian citizen living in Bend, Ore.

Marchand, whose father played defence with the Victoriaville Tigers and was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1997 and now lives in Charleston, S.C., was given a $2.5 million bonus from the Tampa Bay Rays. Comeau, whose father is also from Quebec, was given the same.

“I’d like to play for Canada some day in the World Baseball Classic,” Comeau said.

* * *

Who was the best of the three?

“Marchand is the better hitter. Comeau the better defender. We would have gone Marchand.” _ said an NL scouting director who had seen all three.

“If we had had a choice, it would have been Lascelles.” said one AL general manager.

Tomato. Toe-mat-toe.

We shall see who makes the best shortstop down the road.

* * *

Work took Brian Comeau from Montreal to San Francisco (“My mom says I’m the only one that defected.”) then moved to San Jose and on to outside of Austin. Now, Brian is the regional sales manager for InstroTek, Inc. which measures high-end equipment for construction and paving.

“We measure the depth of pavement -- I don’t think that they are using any on the Montreal roads.”

July 29, 2026

From OBA Newsletter

Congratulations to the Sarnia Brigade on capturing the 2026 OBA 22U National Qualifier Championship with a victory over the Windsor Selects in the tournament final.

Both Sarnia and Windsor have earned the opportunity to represent Ontario at the 2026 Baseball Canada 22U National Championships in Tecumseh, Ont.

The Ontario Baseball Association thanks all participating teams, coaches, umpires, volunteers, and hosts for another outstanding National Qualifier.

Best of luck to both Ontario representatives at the National Championships!

Complete results from the tournament are listed below.

July 29, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Cade Smith became the sixth Canadian to record 30 saves in a major league season when he pitched a scoreless ninth inning to secure a 6-5 win for the Cleveland Guardians over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday.

Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) got outfielder TJ Friedl to pop out to the catcher to open the inning and then struck out shortstop Elly De La Cruz. He followed with a walk to first baseman Sal Stewart before retiring outfielder JJ Bleday on a fly ball to right field to collect the save.

Smith joins an exclusive list of Canucks who have registered 30 saves in a single MLB season. That list includes John Hiller (Toronto, Ont., with the Detroit Tigers in 1973), Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que., with the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2002-04), Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C., with the Chicago Cubs in 2005), John Axford (Port Dover, Ont., with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 and 2012) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont., with the Blue Jays in 2022 and 2023).

Smith, who pitched in his first MLB All-Star Game earlier this month, has allowed just one earned run and collected four saves in 10 appearances in July. Opponents are batting just .114 off him this month.

From Apr. 24 to June 3, the 6-foot-5 righty had a string of 16 consecutive appearances with a save. This helped him earn American League Reliever of the Month honours for May.

In all, in his first full campaign as the Guardians’ closer, Smith is 3-1 with a 2.57 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 48 innings in 49 games.

The Chilliwack Cougars and Junior National Team grad is in his third MLB season after being signed as an amateur free agent by the Guardians in 2020.

Last season, Smith took over as the Guardians’ closer in late July and finished with 16 saves, which was the most by a Canadian major leaguer.

*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on July 27, 2026. You can read it here.

July 29, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

There’s a new homer hero in the Western Canadian Baseball League.

Jake Hiromoto, third baseman with the Swift Current 57’s, has set a new single-season record for long balls in the WCBL.

The 6-foot-2 slugger from Honolulu, Hawaii tied the record – which was set by catcher Riley MacDonald of the Brooks Bombers in 2018 when he blasted 20 round trippers in 33 games – during a doubleheader against the Moose Jaw Miller Express at Mitchell Field on Saturday, July 25. Hiromoto launched three bombs in front of the home crowd in Swift Current that day to pull even with MacDonald. His pair of homers in the first game of the doubleheader helped give the 57’s a 13-9 win that snapped a 14-game winning streak for the Miller Express.

The two teams met again on Sunday, July 26 at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw, setting the stage for a record-breaking performance by Hiromoto. During a high-scoring affair that Swift Current won 20-13, the freshman from the University of San Francisco stepped into the batter’s box with one out in the ninth inning against left-handed pitcher R.J. Patrick.

“I got a fastball that I was looking for and I felt like I got pretty much all of it and after that, like, I don’t even know how to explain it or what I was thinking through that moment,” Hiromoto told Joe McFarland of The WCBL Report.

Hiromoto took a moment at home plate to watch the ball sail over the fence in deep left centre field before tossing his bat towards his dugout and embarking on his home run trot.

“I was just so excited, just to see my teammates be happy for me and for us to be jumping up and down right there. That was such a cool moment and one that I’ll never forget,” he said.

The two-run shot, his 21st dinger, simultaneously established new single-season highs in the WCBL for home runs and runs batted in. With his 68th RBI, Hiromoto passed Kaleb Warden’s 66 RBIs with the Lethbridge Bulls in 2019 and William Edwards of the Miller Express, who tied that mark last season.

In addition to the power numbers, Hiromoto is having a superb campaign. He currently leads the league in hits (74) and has posted a .396 batting average, .455 on-base percentage and .807 slugging percentage over 187 at bats.

“Jake Hiromoto is having a historic season. But what everyone doesn’t see is how great of a teammate and clubhouse guy he is,” said Austin Dickens, the hitting coach in Swift Current.

“He is the right guy to be put in the history books. Glad I get to coach him during all of this success.”

No. 33 with the 57’s was quick to downplay the records, however, and focus on the team’s pursuit of a playoff spot.

“Through the wins and losses, our clubhouse has been spectacular. Everyone wants to be there, everyone wants to fight for each other. … we’re still in the race,” said Hiromoto.

“We could still make a run. I don’t think that you should count us out yet. I think winning the championship would mean so much more to me than any individual award.”

The 57’s are currently in last place in the WCBL’s East Division, but Swift Current sits 3.5 games back of the Weyburn Beavers, who hold the fourth and final playoff spot, and 4.5 games behind the third-place Regina Red Sox.

The team has nine games left in the 56-game regular season, including two against the Beavers this week.

That gives Hiromoto time to build on his record-smashing season and the 57’s a shot at a postseason berth.

July 28, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Ottawa, Ont. - The Ottawa Titans Baseball Club announced the following signings today:

LHP Dominic Puccetti

HEIGHT: 6-5 | WEIGHT: 210 lbs | BIRTHDAY: 2001-05-19

HOMETOWN: Monroe, MI | SCHOOL: Lander

2026: Ottawa: 4-2, 8.31 ERA, 10 G, 8 GS, 34.2 IP, 33 R/32 ER, 30 BB/36 K

UTIL Austin Gurney

HEIGHT: 6-2 | WEIGHT: 220 lbs | BIRTHDAY: 2002-06-07

HOMETOWN: Campbell River, BC | SCHOOL: Pikeville

2026: Chatham-Kent (Canadian Baseball League): 49 G, .426 AVG, 12 2B, 2 3B, 20 HR, 69 RBI, 28 BB/41 K, .518 OBP, 1.360 OPS

The Club has also announced further transactions:

Activated RHP Ky Hampton from the 7-Day IL

Placed RHP Kevin Miranda on the Special Inactive List to fulfill National Team Duties (Panama)

Placed LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) on the 7-Day IL, retroactive to July 25

Claimed RHP Alexander Castro off waivers from Trois-Rivières. At this time, Castro has not reported to the Club.

Released INF Carter Claerhout (Red Deer, Alta.)

ABC alum Charles Davalan (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week after batting .500 in five games with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ High-A Great Lakes Loons last week. Photo: Great Lakes Loons

July 28, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Charles Davalan led Canadian minor leaguers in batting average (.500), hits (11), runs (6) and OPS (1.636) last week.

For his efforts, the St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que., native has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (July 21 to July 26).

In five games for the Dodgers’ High-A Great Lakes Loons, Davalan also had three home runs, three doubles and six RBIs.

Batting leadoff and playing centre field for the Loons, Davalan started last week with a double and a solo home run in the Loons’ 9-6 loss to the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday.

He added two more hits - a double and a single - to help the Loons rebound for a 4-2 win the following day. He repeated that performance on Friday in the Loons’ 3-1 loss to the Lugnuts.

On Saturday, he belted a leadoff home run and added a single and a walk and scored two runs in the Loons’ 8-5 loss.

But he saved his best for last when belted a solo home run and also had a triple and a single and drove in three runs when the Loons were edged 8-7 by the Lugnuts on Sunday.

With this hot stretch, Davalan has boosted his season batting average to .284 and he has 16 home runs, 55 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 84 games for the Loons. He also owns a .402 on-base percentage and a .918 slugging percentage.

Selected in the first round (41st overall) in last year’s draft, the 22-year-old Canadian is in his first full season in the Dodgers’ organization.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants

June 2 to June 7 - Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), Blue Jays

June 9 to June 14 - Tyler Boudreau (Middle Sackville, N.S.), Yankees

June 16 to June 21 - Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.), Royals

June 23 to June 28 - Tyson Moran (Wingham, Ont.), Royals

July 7 to July 12 - Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.), Rays

July 14 to July 19 - Cedric De Grandpre (Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Que.), Braves

July 21 to July 26 - Charles Davalan, (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.), Dodgers

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (July 21 to July 26)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (July 21 to July 26)

July 26, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs won a tight one on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Brooks Bombers 12-9.

The Dawgs got out in front early, with the help of a three-run home run by Eric Machej (Edmonton, Alta.).

Ricky Sanchez was another significant contributor for the Dawgs, going 2-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run.

Aidan Dougherty also had a big day, collecting three hits and an RBI.

But it was Jordan Kievman who came through with a game-winning two-run single with the score tied in the top of the ninth inning. Jacob Wrubleski (Okotoks, Alta.) then added a two-run home run to make the score 12-9.

On the mound, the Dawgs pitching was led by starter Emmett Stacher who went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and striking out two.

Reid Madriaga then had a solid relief outing, striking out eight batters while allowing two runs in 3 2/3 innings.

With the win, the Dawgs improved to 33-12 on the season and strengthened their lead atop the WCBL’s Western Division.

Their next game is against the Lethbridge Bulls at Seaman Stadium on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

July 26, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROCKFORD, Illinois – Canada's Women's National Team punched its ticket to the 2027 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals despite dropping a hard-fought 14-13 decision to Australia on Sunday at Rivets Stadium.

BOX SCORE

Australia scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand Canada its second straight loss, but the Women's National Team finished the Group Rockford stage with a 3-2 record, good for third place and a berth in the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, which will return to Rockford, Illinois, from July 19 to July 25, 2027.

Canada's offence produced one of its strongest performances of the tournament, collecting 14 hits while building leads of 3-0 after the opening inning and 8-3 through three frames.

Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.) led the offence with a 2-for-4 performance that included two RBIs and two runs scored. Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.) continued her impressive tournament by going 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and a walk.

Claire Eccles (Surrey, B.C.), Cassie Matlock (Edmonton, Alta.) and Frédérique Noël (Bois-des-Filion, Que.) each collected two hits, while Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) and Kyanna Faucher (Beauce, Que.) drove in runs as Canada received contributions throughout the lineup.

Australia erased Canada's early advantage with four runs in the fourth inning before the teams traded four-run innings in the fifth. Canada regained the lead with a run in the top of the seventh, but Australia answered in its final at-bat, scoring twice to complete the comeback victory.

Raine Padgham (Burnaby, B.C.) got the start for Canada, allowing three runs while striking out two over two innings. Allison Schroder (Fruitvale, B.C.), Sarah Pengelly (Burnaby, B.C.) and Sophy Gagné (Sainte-Martine, Que.) combined in relief as Canada battled through a high-scoring affair.

Canada concludes the Group Stage with wins over Hong Kong (13-0), Korea (15-3) and Mexico (12-2) before falling to the United States and Australia to finish 3-2.

The third-place finish secures Canada's place at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, where the world's six top nations will compete for the world championship in Rockford, Ill., from July 19 to July 25, 2027.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada 13, Hong Kong 0

• July 23 – Canada 15, Korea 2

• July 24 – Canada 12, Mexico 2

• July 25 – Canada 0, United States 12

• July 26 – Canada13, Australia 14

Toronto Mets and Junior National Team alum Jack Pineau (Thunder Bay, Ont.), shown here with the Creighton Blue Jays, recently signed with the San Diego Padres. Photo: Creighton Athletics

July 26, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Draft day can be a stressful time for any age of baseball player.

Whether it’s a prep star weighing their options of pursuing higher education or the pro circuit, or the collegiate player who is hoping someone gives them a chance at the next level, that two-day span can be nerve-wracking for even the strongest player on the diamond.

For right-hander Jack Pineau (Thunder Bay, Ont.), draft day was no different.

“I felt ready to start my pro career,” said Pineau. “I made that pretty clear to any scout or any organization that I spoke to throughout the season. I have absolutely loved my time at Creighton, and I know that I have become a better player under Coach Kingston and the rest of the staff, but I felt ready for the next level. The ultimate goal is that next step, playing pro baseball.”

Pineau was waiting throughout MLB All-Star weekend, hoping to hear his name come across the ticker and the news to light up on his phone. He had a solid season as the Friday night starter for the Creighton Blue Jays, and Pineau had hoped he had done enough for a big league team to give him a chance.

As a junior for the Jays, Pineau made 16 starts and pitched to a 4.21 ERA across 83 1/3 innings. He struck out 82 batters, posted a 1.188 WHIP and held opponents to a .235 batting average. Pineau made the most starts for the Jays and led the team in numerous categories, including innings pitched, strikeouts, WHIP, and BB/9 (2.8). This was after injuries derailed his sophomore campaign and limited him to just 10 outings.

“I think the biggest thing about this past season was that I was able to stay healthy,” said Pineau. “My goal was just trying to give my team a chance to win as the Friday night starter, and being able to take the mound regularly and produce was a big thing for me. I was healthy for most of my time as a high schooler, and to be hit with injuries at Creighton was a new experience for me. It was incredibly frustrating. Just being able to make those starts in such a crucial year, and improving each day and just battling with my guys, I think put me in a good position this summer.”

As Day 2 of the draft dragged on, Pineau's nervousness was hitting its peak. With five picks left in the draft, the Thunder Bay product was starting to get discouraged that his plans of playing pro baseball this year were going to be shelved – but then his phone started to ring, and it was a fellow Canuck on the other end of the line waiting with some good news.

“I was getting nervous that I hadn’t done enough to get drafted,” explained Pineau. “I was hearing some rumblings early on Day 2 and then things went radio silent for me. I remember watching my phone and hoping someone would call, anybody. And with just five picks left in the draft, it started going off, and it was Chris Kemlo on the other line.”

Kemlo is a regional scout (Canada) and the international crosschecker for the San Diego Padres. The Oshawa, Ont., native has an extensive track record in the baseball scene north of the border, including coaching the Toronto Mets 18U squad, a team that Pineau played for before heading south of the border for D1 baseball.

And now, Kemlo was giving Pineau a chance to live out that dream of playing at the next level as an undrafted free agent signing with the Padres.

“It really felt like a full circle moment,” said Pineau. “Here I am, sitting and waiting to hear my name called in the draft, and it’s a former coach calling and letting me know that there is an opportunity for me to play at the professional level.

“Overall, it didn’t matter to me about being drafted or as a UDFA signing. The Padres were generous with their offer, which I thought was fair, and I knew I was ready. I just needed a chance, and San Diego was willing to give me that opportunity. I have heard nothing but great things about this organization, and that they like taking chances on guys in their farm system to improve, get better, and ride the wave in the minor leagues. And that’s exactly what I want.”

The Creighton Jays had two players sign this summer, with infielder Ben North landing a deal with the Kansas City Royals. For Pineau, he’s joining a Padres’ organization that has dived heavily into Canadian talent over the years.

The club selected Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) in the second round this year and boasts numerous other Canucks in the farm system: Lamar King (Vancouver, B.C.), Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.), Vicarte Domingo (Vancouver, B.C.), Garrett Hawkins (Saskatoon, Sask.), and Brandon Langley (Moose Jaw, Sask.). Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) and Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) were also originally drafted by the Padres.

Pineau credited Creighton for helping him improve during his post-secondary days, but didn’t forget his time north of the border in helping shape the player who he is today.

“Working with these different organizations – the Mets, Pro5, the Junior National Team – all of them set you up for success at whatever the next level. And they all instill the idea that while college ball is in the cards, you need to set your sights higher, and ingrained into every one of us that pro baseball is within our grasp. I am incredibly grateful for that.”

As for the next steps, things are still being set in motion for what the rest of the year looks like for Pineau. He pitched a career-high 83 innings this past season for Creighton.

If Pineau had any say in the matter, he’d take the baseball today. And tomorrow. And the day after that as well.

“It’s still early into the process following the draft,” explained Pineau. “I am down here in Arizona at the Padres facility, getting to know the coaches and just getting ready for whatever they throw my way. I built my throwing program this summer around the idea that I would get an opportunity to pitch again this season, so I am ready for any moment. For whatever the organization needs from me. I would love to finish the year pitching for an affiliated team and trying to help them win. Anything I can do to help win games and get on the mound, I always want the baseball in my hand.”

July 26, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Cease throws one-hitter for Blue Jays

Right-hander Dylan Cease threw a one-hit shutout for the Toronto Blue Jays in their 6-0 win over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday. He struck out 12 batters.

Including Cease’s performance, there have been 14 one-hit, complete game (nine innings) shutouts thrown by Toronto Blue Jays pitchers.

Here’s a list:

Apr. 24, 1979 – Dave Lemanczyk vs. Texas

Aug. 27, 1979 – Phil Huffman vs. Oakland

Sep. 28, 1982 – Jim Clancy vs. Minnesota

May 22, 1986 – Jimmy Key vs. White Sox

May 31, 1988 – Dave Stieb vs. Milwaukee

Sep. 24, 1988 – Dave Stieb vs. Cleveland

Sep. 30, 1988 – Dave Stieb vs. Baltimore

Apr. 10, 1989 – Dave Stieb vs. Yankees

Aug. 26, 1989 – Dave Stieb vs. Milwaukee

Aug. 26, 1992 – Todd Stottlemyre vs. White Sox

June 24, 2007 – Dustin McGowan vs. Colorado

Sep. 4, 2009 – Roy Halladay vs. Yankees

Aug. 8, 2010 – Brandon Morrow vs. Tampa Bay

July 25, 2026 – Dylan Cease vs. Boston

There have been two complete game (nine innings) one-hitters thrown by Blue Jays pitchers in which the opposition scored one run:

Sep. 27, 1998 – Roy Halladay vs. Detroit

Aug. 16, 2010 – Shaun Marcum vs. Oakland

Smith set to join elite Canadian saves club

Cleveland Guardians All-Star closer Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) has a major league-leading 29 saves this season.

With one more save, he’ll become just the sixth Canadian to record 30 or more saves in a major league season. He’ll join an exclusive group that includes John Hiller (Toronto, Ont., with the Detroit Tigers in 1973), Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que., with the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2002-04), Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C., with the Chicago Cubs in 2005), John Axford (Port Dover, Ont., with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011 and 2012) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont., with the Blue Jays in 2022 and 2023).

Smith is in his first full campaign as the Guardians’ closer. He had 16 saves for the Guardians last season after taking over ninth-inning duties from Emmanuel Clase.

Romano back as closer with Rockies

Speaking of Romano, he is 4-for-4 in save opportunities since taking over the closer’s role for the Colorado Rockies earlier this month.

In total, since being promoted by the Rockies on July 4, he has a 1.35 ERA in seven appearances. He has fanned nine batters in 6 2/3 innings.

The 33-year-old righty started the season with the Los Angeles Angels before he was designated for assignment on April 26 after posting a 10.13 ERA in 11 games.

The Rockies signed the Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team grad to a minor league contract on May 6 and he recorded a 3.72 ERA in 10 outings between Rookie ball and triple-A prior to his promotion.

Ex-Jay Kent to be inducted into National Baseball Hall of Fame today

Jeff Kent will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame today.

He will become the 12th former Blue Jays player to be inducted, joining Phil Niekro (1997), Dave Winfield (2001), Paul Molitor (2004), Rickey Henderson (2009), Roberto Alomar (2011), Frank Thomas (2014), Jack Morris (2018), Roy Halladay (2019), Scott Rolen (2023), Fred McGriff (2023) and Dave Parker (2025).

Kent, who was elected by the Contemporary Era committee in January, began his major league career with the Blue Jays in 1992, batting .240 with eight home runs in 65 games before being dealt to the New York Mets for right-hander David Cone.

What you might not know about Kent is that he began his professional baseball career with the St. Catharines Blue Jays of the Class-A Short-Season New York Penn League in 1989. That season he topped the league with 13 home runs and led his team with 37 RBIs.

Also on that 1989 St. Catharines team?

An 18-year-old catcher named Carlos Delgado, who hit just .189 with no home runs and 11 RBIs in 31 games. That’s the same Delgado who finished second (with nine votes) to Kent in the Hall’s Contemporary Era voting in January. And the same Delgado that also deserves a plaque in Cooperstown.

Peters has yet to ground into a double play with Sox

Canadian baseball statistician Neil Munro shared with me that Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) has yet to hit into a double play in 99 games and 306 plate appearances this season.

Munro points out that the only Canadian player to not hit into a double play in a full season (minimum 100 games and 250 at bats) is Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) with the Houston Astros in 1988.

The next lowest number of double plays a Canadian has grounded into in a season (minimum 100 games) is Jeff Heath (Fort William, Ont.) who did it just twice in 100 games with Cleveland in 1940.

Happy Birthday to Greg Hamilton!

Happy 61st Birthday to Greg Hamilton!

Born in Toronto and raised in Peterborough, Ont., he has served in prominent leadership roles with Baseball Canada for more than three decades. During that time, he has overseen the most successful era in the history of the national teams program.

A Princeton University graduate, he became the head coach of the Junior National Team in 1996. He continues to head the junior team today, while doubling as director of men’s national teams. Under his guidance, the Junior National Team has won three medals: a silver at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in 2012 and bronze medals at the same event in 1997 and 2006. Among the players Hamilton has coached on the junior squad are major league All-Stars Jason Bay, Justin Morneau, Michael Soroka, Josh Naylor, Russell Martin, Michael Saunders and Cade Smith.

As Senior National Team GM, Hamilton assembled the Canadian squads that captured gold at the 2011 and 2015 Pan Am Games – the first two golds ever won by the Canadian senior team. Hamilton also put together the rosters for the Canadian teams that competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and in all six World Baseball Classics.

For his efforts, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025.

Remembering Pete Ward

Former big leaguer Pete Ward was born 89 years ago today.

Son of Montreal Maroons hockey star, Jimmy Ward, Pete was born in Montreal, before moving to Portland, Oregon when he was eight years old.

In 1958, the Baltimore Orioles signed him and he toiled in Vancouver during his first professional season. After five seasons in the minors, he made his big league debut with the Orioles on September 21, 1962. In his first at bat, he hit a two-run single against the Minnesota Twins.

During that off-season, Ward was traded to the Chicago White Sox in a blockbuster deal that brought Luis Aparicio to Baltimore. In his inaugural campaign in the Windy City, Ward was transformed into a third baseman. In 157 games that season, he hit .295, socked 22 home runs and finished second in the American League to Carl Yastrzemski in hits. For his performance, he was named The Sporting News American League Rookie of the Year.

For an encore, he belted 23 homers, knocked in a career-best 94 runs and finished sixth in the American League MVP voting in 1964.

Unfortunately, he suffered a neck injury in a car accident in 1965 that hampered him for the rest of his career. He played his final season with the New York Yankees in 1970.

After retiring as a player, he managed for eight seasons in the minors with the Yankees, White Sox and Pirates. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

He passed away in 2022.

Stewart, Clapp made history against U.S. on this date in 1999

It’s been called the game that put the Canadian Senior National Team on the map.

It was 27 years ago today that the Canadian Senior National Team upset the U.S. 7-6 in 11 innings in a preliminary round contest in the Pan Am Games played at CanWest Global Park in Winnipeg in front of a boisterous, capacity crowd.

Trailing 6-3 heading into the bottom of the 11th, Canadian catcher Andy Stewart (Oshawa, Ont.) stepped up to the plate with two outs and belted a dramatic, three-run home run to tie it. Three batters later, with the bases loaded, Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) singled to left field to give Canada a walk-off win.

Canada finished the preliminary round 4-0 but lost a 3-2 nail-biter to Cuba in the semi-finals and ended up with a bronze medal. But that team made a huge statement for Canada on the international stage and showed our country could be force on the diamond. You can watch Clapp’s game-winning hit in the video below.

Hicks homers again

Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) clubbed his 14th home run of the season on Monday. It was a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Houston Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco.

Hicks has discovered his power stroke this season. Last year, he belted six home runs in 119 games for the Marlins and he never had more than six home runs in any of his minor league seasons.

In 93 games with the Marlins this season, he owns a .279/.356/.442 slash line and a .798 OPS. He also has 60 RBIs.

The Marlins chose Hicks in the Rule 5 draft from the Detroit Tigers in December 2024. He was originally taken in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers.

Remembering Roland Gladu

Please take a moment to remember former big leaguer and Quebec baseball legend Roland Gladu who passed away 32 years ago today at the age of 83.

The Montreal native enjoyed a 23-year playing career in the pro, semi-pro and foreign professional baseball ranks.

In 1944, he got his only taste of big league action when he batted .242 with a home run and seven RBIs in 21 games for the Boston Braves. The following year, he suited up for his hometown Montreal Royals and enjoyed an outstanding season, batting .338 with 12 home runs, 45 doubles, 14 triples and 105 RBIs.

Towards the end of his playing career, he also served as a player-manager and later became a scout for Cleveland (1953) and Milwaukee Braves (1954 to 1964). As a Braves scout, he signed Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Claude Raymond (St. Jean, Que.) and Ron Piche (Verdun, Que.).

He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously in 2021.

Young hits seventh home run of the season

New York Mets 1B/OF Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.) hit his seventh home run of the season in the Mets’ 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Monday. It was a solo shot off right-hander Brandon Sproat in the second inning.

Overall, Young is batting .255 and has a .439 slugging percentage with 19 RBIs in 58 games for the Mets this season.

Young’s seven home runs are the most he has hit in a major league campaign. But he still has a long way to go to equal his most in a pro season. He hit 21 home runs with the triple-A Iowa Cubs in 2023.

Signed by the Mets in December 2024, the Okanagan Athletics alum also played parts of two seasons with the Cubs in 2022 and 2023.

Fourteenth anniversary of Henderson’s MLB debut

It was 14 years ago today that Okotoks Dawgs alum Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) made his major league debut when he hurled a 1-2-3 sixth inning for the Brewers in their 8-2 loss to the Washington Nationals at Miller Park.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander struck out Roger Bernadina, the first batter he faced, for his first major league K.

Henderson proceeded to post a 3.52 ERA in 36 games down the stretch for the Brewers that season before recording 28 saves and becoming the club’s closer in 2013.

Ducey reacquired by Blue Jays 26 years ago

Twenty-six years ago today, the Blue Jays reacquired outfielder Rob Ducey (Cambridge, Ont.) from the Philadelphia Phillies for a player to be named later (which turned out to be left-hander John Sneed).

Ducey only had 13 at bats in five games with the Blue Jays in his second stint with the club prior to being traded back to the Phillies for second baseman Mickey Moradini.

Ducey had previously played for the Blue Jays for parts of six major league seasons from 1987 to 1992.

July 25, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Trois-Rivières, Que. - The Ottawa Titans had their five-game win streak come to an end, falling 6-4 to the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Saturday night - as Canadian Connor Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) came off the bench to blast a game-winning two-run walk-off homer in the ninth.

Scoreless through three, the Titans got to Aigles' ace Anthony Escobar by plating a pair of runs in the fourth. With two on, Carter Claerhout (Red Deer, Alta.) bounced a grounder off the glove of third baseman John Montes, leading to the opening run of the game on an error. Next, Thomas Ferroggiaro ripped an RBI double to centre. As one run scored to make it 2-0, Claerhout was thrown out at the dish attempting to score all the way from first.

Kevin Miranda allowed the Aigles to tie it in the bottom of the fourth, as Taeg Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) crushed a solo homer to open the inning before back-to-back two-out doubles from Justin Farmer and Jeider Hernandez levelled the score.

Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) tied the team lead with his 11th homer of the year with one out in the top of the fifth to put the Titans back on top at 3-2 on the solo blast.

To open the bottom of the fifth, Lizandro Rodriguez tied the game yet again with a solo shot to right, knocking Miranda out of the game.

In his fourth start of the year, Miranda went four-plus innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, striking out four.

Claerhout was back at it in the top of the sixth inning, sending a go-ahead RBI single up the middle against Escobar to score a leadoff Myles Smith walk to put the Titans back on top at 4-3.

Jamdrick Cornelia, Jack Kalisky and Liu Fuenmayor each navigated through three innings of relief to keep the Titans in the lead heading into the late innings.

Michael Vilchez exited with runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning and two outs, as right-hander Brett Garcia entered looking to lock it down. In a two-strike count against John Montes, Garcia uncorked a wild pitch, leading to the tying run.

The Titans' offence loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth in a 4-4 tie against right-hander MacCallan Conklin with the top of the lineup stepping up. Conklin got Taylor Wright to pop out in foul territory before getting Jackie Urbaez to ground out to first to escape trouble.

In the bottom of the ninth, Emmanuel Tapia picked up his third hit of the game to open the frame with a single and represent the winning run. With two outs and a strike away from going to extras, pinch hitter Hicks sent a game-winning two-run homer deep over the right field wall to walk it off.

Blowing his fourth save of the season, Garcia allowed the second walk-off homer of the year, the first since the Sudden Death contest on opening night.

Claerhout went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Myles Smith posted a 1-for-2 night with a pair of walks and two stolen bases. Hunter Stokely walked twice while Thomas Ferroggiaro doubled home a run and drew a free pass.

The Titans have their season-high five-game win streak come to an end, along with an eight-game win streak at Trois-Rivières come to a close.

The Titans end a six-game road trip with the finale of a three-game series against the Aigles on Sunday night at 5:05 p.m. at Stade de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Qué. After the trip, the Titans return home to end July with a seven-game homestand starting on Tuesday night, welcoming the Sussex County Miners with a doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium.

July 25, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROCKFORD, Illinois – Canada's Women's National Team suffered its first loss of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage on Saturday evening, falling 12-0 to the United States at Rivets Stadium.

The defeat moves Canada to 3-1 in Group Rockford heading into Sunday's final round-robin game against Australia.

BOX SCORE

The United States struck early with three runs in the opening inning before adding single runs in the third and fifth innings. The Americans broke the game open late with two runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to secure the run-rule victory.

Canada's offence, which entered the game having scored 40 runs over its first three contests, was held in check by American pitchers Naomi Ryan and Elise Berger. Ryan worked four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out six. Berger was equally effective in relief, retiring all six batters she faced over the final two innings while striking out six to complete the combined two-hit shutout.

Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) and Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.) recorded Canada's only hits. Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.), Raine Padgham (Burnaby, B.C.), Allison Schroder (Fruitvale, B.C.) and Lucie Anctil (La Pocatière, Que.) each reached base on walks.

Jaida Lee (St. John's, Nfld.) started for Canada and worked five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out five. Elizabeth Gilder (Port Moody, B.C.) and Sophy Gagné (Sainte-Martine, Que.) pitched in relief over the final two innings.

Canada, which opened the tournament with victories over Hong Kong (13-0), Korea (15-3) and Mexico (12-2), will look to bounce back on Sunday when it faces Australia in its final Group Rockford contest. First pitch from Rivets Stadium is scheduled for 4 p.m. E.T.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada 13, Hong Kong 0

• July 23 – Canada 15, Korea 2

• July 24 – Canada 12, Mexico 2

• July 25 – Canada 0, United States 12

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

July 25, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs lost 14-7 to the Brooks Bombers on Saturday night.

The Dawgs got behind early, and fought hard to get back in the game, but just could not complete the comeback. Despite the result, the Dawgs maintain their lead atop the WCBL’s Western Division.

The Dawgs’ bats were led by Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) who went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run.

Jordan Kievman also had a big night, going 3-for-5 with a solo home run, while Lachlan Maude (Toronto, Ont.) contributed a pair of hits and an RBI.

On the mound, the Dawgs pitching was led by starter Grady Keljo who went two innings, allowing two runs while striking out three.

Jack Bello (Vancouver, B.C.), from the Dawgs Academy, had an impressive relief outing, striking out four in two innings.

With the loss, the Dawgs drop to 32-12 on the season.

They continue their road trip on Sunday with a rematch against the Bombers. The Dawgs’ next home game will be on Wednesday against the Lethbridge Bulls.

July 24, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs delivered a complete performance at Seaman Stadium, earning a 6-3 victory over the Brooks Bombers in front of 5,711 fans during the festive Christmas in July celebration.

Jordan Kievman belted two home runs to pace the Dawgs’ offence.

Emmet Stacher was also a key contributor offensively, going 2-for-2 with a double, two walks, a stolen base and two runs.

Brody Forno (Okotoks, Alta.) gave the Dawgs a solid start, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four over four innings.

Will Labontè (Montreal, Que.), Wyatt Sadlier (Calgary, Alta.), and Turner Zdunich (High River, Alta.) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief to keep the Bombers' offence in check.

The Dawgs will now hit the road for a pair of matchups against the Bombers in Brooks on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26 before returning to Seaman Stadium to host the Lethbridge Bulls on Wednesday.

July 24, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROCKFORD, Illinois – Canada's Women's National Team improved to 3-0 at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage with a 12-2 run-rule victory over Mexico on Friday afternoon at Rivets Stadium.

After falling behind early, Canada responded with 12 unanswered runs to remain atop the Group Rockford standings heading into a highly anticipated matchup against the United States.

BOX SCORE

Michelle Roche (Burnaby, BC) delivered an outstanding performance on the mound to earn the win. After surrendering a two-run home run in the opening inning, the right-hander settled in and blanked Mexico over the next four frames, allowing just three hits while striking out five.

Canada wasted little time answering Mexico's early lead.

In the bottom of the first, Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.) scored on a single to centre field by Lucie Anctil (La Pocatière, Que.), who collected her team-leading ninth RBI. Anctil later crossed the plate on a fielder's choice to even the score at 2-2.

The Women's National Team pulled ahead for good in the third inning when Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) doubled home Camille Proulx (Laval, Que.) to give Canada its first lead of the afternoon.

Canada broke the game open over the next two innings.

In the fourth, Julianna Scott (Edmonton, Alta.) sparked a three-run inning with an RBI double down the left field line that scored Frédérique Noël (Bois-des-Filion, Que.). Scott later came around to score on Baxter's RBI double as Canada extended its advantage.

The offence continued to roll in the fifth, erupting for four more runs. Leblanc capped another productive day at the plate with a two-run single, finishing with three RBIs, while Scott drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home the game-ending run as Canada secured the victory by tournament run rule.

Scott finished the afternoon with four RBIs, while Leblanc drove in three as Canada's offence continued its torrid start to the tournament.

The Women's National Team returns to Rivets Stadium on Saturday for a showdown with the United States. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. E.T.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada 13, Hong Kong 0

• July 23 – Canada 15, Korea 2

• July 24 – Canada 12, Mexico 2

• July 25 – Canada vs. United States (8PM ET)

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

July 23, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

Infielder Gavin Roy is flying high after signing a deal to play baseball professionally in Quebec.

The 22-year-old from Sudbury, Ontario - who was a First Team WCBL All-Star with the Sylvan Lake Gulls in 2024 - has inked a contract with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles of the Frontier League, which is a Major League Baseball (MLB) Partner League.

"Trois-Rivieres reached out shortly after the (MLB) draft. They knew I was waiting to see how the draft played out, and once it was over they contacted me and said they wanted me to come up and play as soon as possible," said Roy.

"It was a great opportunity to play at the professional level, so it was a decision I was really excited to make, but sad to leave Sylvan Lake at the same time."

Roy was tremendous for the Gulls in 2024. He led the WCBL in stolen bases that year, with 33, and also registered a .363 batting average, 61 runs, 49 runs batted in (RBIs), 14 doubles and a .454 on-base percentage in 55 regular season contests.

Coming off his senior year at Washington State University, Roy returned to central Alberta in late June and got into 13 games with the Gulls this summer. In that time, he collected nine hits, five runs, four RBIs, eight walks and three stolen bases over 58 plate appearances.

"I came back because I wanted to play and help Sylvan win a championship. They've always treated me really well, and from the beginning they told me they'd do everything they could to help me get to the next level," said Roy.

"That loyalty meant a lot to me, so coming back was an easy decision. I'm really thankful for everyone in the organization and everything they did for me."

Added Roy: "The coaches and everyone with the Gulls were very supportive and understanding throughout the process. They knew my goal was to play professionally and they were fully behind me taking that next step when the opportunity came up."

After his first two Frontier League games, Roy is still seeking his first hit in the pros, but he already has a walk, a stolen base and an RBI.

The former student at Cloud County Community College also expressed gratitude about his time in the Western Canadian Baseball League.

"The WCBL meant a lot to me because it gave me the opportunity to keep developing and compete every day," he said.

"The Gulls organization and the league helped me grow as a player and as a person, and I'm really thankful for the support from fans and everyone involved. These experiences helped prepare me for this next step."

Several other WCBL alumni have gone pro in the Frontier League, including former Gulls middle infielder Jonah Weisner (Mission, B.C.), who joined the Capitales de Quebec in 2023.

Relief pitcher Ashton Luera of the Okotoks Dawgs also signed on with Quebec earlier this year and Lethbridge Bulls slugger Carter Claerhout (Red Deer, Alta.) joined the Ottawa Titans on a pro deal.

Meanwhile, the Gulls made some roster moves following Roy's departure and added infielder Cleary Simpson (Elnora, Alta.) and right-handed pitcher Kyle Froehlich (Nipawin, Sask.).

Simpson was an original member of the Gulls who has suited up in over 119 regular season games for the franchise, dating back to 2021.

Froehlich was also a day one player for the team and took the mound for Sylvan Lake between 2021 and 2024.

July 23, 2026

Official Toronto Blue Jays News Release

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed 17 players selected from the 2026 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, as well as eight non-drafted free agents.

The list of signed players from the 2026 First-Year Player Draft is as follows:

July 23, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Troy, N.Y. - Riding a quality start from veteran lefty Evan Grills, the Ottawa Titans swept their third series of the season with a 7-3 win over the Tri-City ValleyCats on Thursday night - extending their winning streak to four.

With the first two aboard in the top of the first, Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) and AJ Wright executed a double steal, with ValleyCats catcher Ranko Stevanovic throwing the ball away down the left field line, plating Taylor Wright to open the scoring.

Before the inning was over, a two-out RBI single to left from Jake Steels off left-hander Adam Maher doubled the lead to 2-0.

Making his return to the New York state capital region for the first time since 2013 as a member of the Astros organization, Grills (Whitby, Ont.) stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the first before a two-out two-run single from RJ Stinson in the second tied the game.

Tied at two, Caleb Burr smashed a go-ahead RBI double to straight away centre in the fourth, scoring a Daniel McElveny walk all the way from first to give the Titans the lead back for good.

In the fifth, Taylor Wright crushed a no-doubt solo homer off Maher over the right field fence to make it 4-2. The North Vancouver product set a new career-high in the process with his 10th long ball of the season.

With Maher done after five, the ValleyCats turned to southpaw Brayhans Barreto in the sixth, who was knocked around as the Titans added more insurance. Steels opened the frame with a solo homer to left for his first of the year while an RBI single from Mitsuki Fukuda and a fielder's choice off the bat of Taylor Wright pushed the advantage to as much as 7-2.

Although having a shaky start, Grills locked in, giving the Titans six innings of two-run ball to win his third game of the year. Grills allowed just three to reach over his final four innings of work to help the lead stand up. In his first career win against the ValleyCats in four starts, the Canadian lefty allowed six hits, walked one, and fanned six.

Michael Vilchez allowed an unearned run over two innings of work while Brett Garcia slammed the door with a clean ninth to cap off the win.

Jake Steels went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and drove in two runs. AJ Wright and Michael Fuhrman each walked twice. The Titans also set season-highs with six stolen bases as a team and four errors defensively in the win.

Ending the season series with the ValleyCats, the Titans win it for just the second time in team history, taking eight of the 12 matchups. The sweep marks the first time that the Titans have busted out the brooms in Troy.

The Titans continue a six-game road trip with the opener of a three-game series against the Trois-Rivières Aigles on Friday night at 7:05 p.m. at Stade de Trois-Rivières in Trois-Rivières, Qué. After the trip, the Titans return home to end July with a seven-game homestand starting on Tuesday night, welcoming the Sussex County Miners with a doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium.

July 23, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Canada's Women's National Team remained unbeaten at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage, defeating Korea 15-2 on Thursday afternoon at Rivets Stadium.

A dominant eight-run second inning and another productive day at the plate powered Canada to its second consecutive victory, improving the team to 2-0 in tournament play.

BOX SCORE

Lucie Anctil (La Pocatière, Que.) led the offensive attack, going 4-for-4 with seven RBIs. The catcher delivered the biggest hit of the game with a bases-clearing double during Canada's explosive second inning before stroking a double to centre in the third inning to plate two.

Claire Eccles (Surrey, BC) continued her hot start to the tournament, finishing a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while Madison Willan (Edmonton, Alta.) and Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.) each collected two hits and two RBIs.

After Korea opened the scoring with single runs in each of the first two innings, Canada responded in emphatic fashion in the bottom of the second. Sending 13 batters to the plate, the Women's National Team erupted for eight runs, highlighted by Anctil's three-run double, to seize control of the game.

Canada continued to add on throughout the afternoon, pulling away to secure the run-rule victory.

Allison Schroder (Fruitvale, BC) earned the win on the mound after allowing runs in each of the first two innings before settling in to toss a scoreless third. She finished her outing with four strikeouts.

Jaida Lee (St. John's, Nfld.) took over in relief and was outstanding, throwing two scoreless innings while allowing just two walks and striking out four to close out the victory.

Canada has now scored 28 runs through its first two games of the tournament while improving to 2-0 in Group Rockford.

The Women's National Team returns to action Friday when it takes on Mexico in a pivotal Group Stage matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. E.T. at Rivets Stadium.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada 13, Hong Kong 0

• July 23 – Canada 15, Korea 2

• July 24 – Canada vs. Mexico (4PM ET)

• July 25 – Canada vs. United States (8PM ET)

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

July 23, 2026

By Mark Whicker

Canadian Baseball Network

A month ago the Red Sox were one of those stricken, broken-down malls on the next exit ramp.

Their only remaining highlight would be the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Speculators gathered at the empty storefronts. Everything must go.

They had already downsized to the No. 12 payroll in the game, even though Fenway Park was still an active goldmine. They claimed they couldn’t afford to bring back Alex Bregman, whom they had signed in 2025. On June 24 they lost at Colorado, 8–6, their seventh loss in their last 10. They were 32-46, and “chief baseball officer” Craig Breslow, who had fired manager Alex Cora in April, was the lamest duck since Keir Starmer.

Fans debated on whether setup reliever Garrett Whitlock should be traded before 38-year-old closer Aroldis Chapman, or vice versa, or maybe both. For such a sports-intensive city, with championship parades practically engraved on the calendar, it seemed a long, long way until Patriots season.

On Wednesday night the Red Sox lost at home to Baltimore, 5-1. A visitor from June wouldn’t have been surprised by the score, but nothing else seemed to make sense. Most of the crowd of 38,000 gave the Sox a hearty ovation. The “get-in” price was $200. All of it signaled one of the more drastic U-turns in recent MLB history. Boston’s loss snapped a 15-game winning streak, tied for the most in Red Sox annals, and had followed a makeup game in the afternoon in which the Sox spanked Baltimore, 6-3, in front of 35,000. The Red Sox were above the playoff line in the American League and had come within a game of sweeping five consecutive series of three or more games, which they had never done. For a team that seemed ready to ship out live bodies for charity, good will had replaced Goodwill.

The Red Sox endured 86 years without a world championship, then won in 2004, 2007 and 2013, and along the way became as corporate and forbidding as the Yankees they despise. This team is still miles from even playing in the postseason, but it has that unsinkable resilience that Boston fans embrace. They’re doing this without Garrett Crochet, who could easily have won last year’s Cy Young Award, and Roman Anthony, supposedly their next hitting savant. They trail the American League in home runs, the only team that hasn’t hit 100. They spread so little fear that they’ve only been intentionally walked four times all season. They’re being led, statistically, by first baseman Willson Contreras (22 homers, 66 RBIs) and 36-year-old righthander Sonny Gray (12-1, 2.48 ERA), whose fastball tops out at 92 mph. Breslow brought them both in from St. Louis, and also signed lefty Ranger Suarez (1.161 WHIP) as a free agent. It has taken him less than a month to go from baseball illiteracy to the portfolio of a Yale grad who majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, which he was.

Some interesting stories can be found in the breach. Rookie second baseman Anthony Seigler was a catcher who was a switch-hitter and also a switch-thrower. He was born in Fort Defiance, Ariz., which would be a good nickname for Fenway Park these days. His mother Alysia is Navajo, and Seigler is the second Navajo to play in the majors, following ex-Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Seigler’s dad Todd played at an Arizona junior college where he met, and befriended, Tony Phillips, the infielder on Oakland’s Bash Brothers teams. They became close, and that’s why Anthony is Anthony.

Caleb Durbin came over in a trade with Milwaukee, and immediately became a blinking-red target. Not only was he playing third base in Bregman’s stead, but he was hitting .141, 25 games into the season. But Durbin is hitting .236 now, and on three occasions in the streak he got the BLT hit, the one that Broke the Last Tie in the game. Besides, Durbin is accustomed to shrapnel. He was hit by pitches 24 times last year, leading the National League. That’s not easy when you’re as short as he is or, as he says, “five-foot-seven with shoes on.”

Durbin was the only Division III college player to play regularly in MLB last year. He went to Washington University in St. Louis, where baseball scholarships are nonexistent, and got his economics degree online while he was playing in the minors.

But while the human interest stories come and go, Whitlock and Chapman should be the constant.

In the first game Wednesday, Whitlock pitched a perfect eighth in 12 pitches, and Chapman worked the ninth with two baserunners and 13 pitches. Chapman has seven saves and a win in eight appearances during the streak, giving up four hits and striking out eight. Whitlock has yielded two hits in July, working the eighth six times to set up Chapman. Together they’ve pitched 69 1/3 innings with 51 hits and 79 strikeouts for the year.

This is the way bullpens used to work, before the analysts convinced the managers to look for favorable matchups, and that a “high leverage” situation could determine a ballgame long before the ninth inning. The way interim manager Chad Tracy does it? Tell Whitlock he has the eighth inning and tell Chapman he has the ninth. No need to check the opposing lineup card. It’s the way Oakland’s great bullpens worked, with Gene Nelson making sure things were nice and quiet for Dennis Eckersley. Before Mariano Rivera became the world’s greatest closer, he was the setup man for John Wetteland when the Yankees won in 1996. Before Troy Percival became an All-Star closer in Anaheim, he was the precursor to Lee Smith. Such combinations essentially create seven-inning games, and reward the teams who know how to conjure up runs in the middle innings to create leads. And when the Phillies’ Brad Lidge went 41-for-41 in save situations during the championship season of 2008, he had two able wingmen: J.C. Romero and Ryan Madsen.

Whitlock is 30, a former top pick of the Yankees who was made available in the Rule V draft after he’d recovered from Tommy John surgery. He was a swingman until he told Cora he felt more comfortable in the bullpen, and he also ditched his four-seam fastball in favor of a sinker, making him a throwback sinker-slider pitcher. During the All-Star break, Whitlock and his family toured Cape Cod, but he still needed to stick to his throwing program. He encountered members of the Rockport (Mass.) High team and got them to play catch with him on the beach.

Over Labor Day weekend In 2023, Whitlock lost his brother Gavrie, who slipped on a dock at Lake Lanier, near Atlanta, fell in and drowned.

“Hug the ones who love,” he said later. “You never know how much time you have left.”

In Wednesday’s first game, Chapman tied Eckersley for ninth place on the all-time saves list. He has hit 100 mph this year, but his four-seamer is averaging 97 and his sinker is averaging 98. Through his 18-year career Chapman is averaging 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, and the .207 average he is giving up is actually a career high. With 22 more outs, Chapman will hit the 40-inning mark that will activate his 2027 contract, and pay him more than $26 million for ‘26-’27. Nothing indicates Chapman doesn’t have one more prime year left.

“Especially when you look at those pipes,” Eckersley said as he visited the Boston TV booth on Thursday, and saw a shot of Chapman in the bullpen, sleeveless.

Given health, those who expect to derail the Red Sox will have to avoid Whitlock and Chapman, whether it’s now or in the playoffs. Two treacherous months lie ahead, but Boston has gone from everything-must-go to anything goes.

July 22, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It may not have ended in a championship, but the Road to Okotoks was an experience the Terriers program won’t soon forget.

After winning the Ontario regional qualifier, the team travelled west to compete for the Morneau Cup in Okotoks, Alta.

A loss to Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep to open the tournament was followed by a pair of victories over the Atlantic Frontier and Okotoks Dawgs.

A loss to Team Saskatchewan closed out the round robin.

The Terriers 2-2 record after pool play was good enough to get into the play-in round, where they once again fell to the Gulls.

Despite not achieving the ultimate goal, head coach Ryan Pollard was highly complimentary of the experience.

“I have nothing bad to say about this,” Pollard said before the team’s play-in game. “It’s topnotch baseball, best teams around, it’s been so good. The event has been run right. I think it’s a great thing for Baseball Canada and all the teams around.”

The job of any high school program is to develop players and prepare them for the next level.

The Road to Okotoks provided a unique opportunity to blend player development and exposure with the pursuit of winning a national championship.

It’s a setting and mindset college bound players need to be ready for.

“They put the work in and develop, and they come here with players from all over Canada and see how competitive it is,” Pollard said. “The competition has been lights out.”

Pollard was impressed with the way his team earned the respect of other programs with their play.

He hopes the program can use the tournament to help players reach their goals.

“We’re building off the wins, everything coming together as a group,” he said. “I think we can use this as a building spot and keep going. Seeing how hard it is and the competition that’s out here.”

July 22, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs delivered a strong all-around performance in a 6-2 win over the Lethbridge Bulls at Spitz Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Dawgs combined for 15 hits, while an impressive outing from the pitching staff limited the Bulls to just two runs.

Jordan Kievman opened up the scoring once again for the Dawgs, with a two-run double in the third inning. The left fielder finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored, including a solo home run in the seventh.

Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) had another productive night, going 3-for-5 with a run.

Cal Gates was also a strong contributor, going 2-for-5 with a pair of runs.

Logan Rumberg (Saskatoon, Sask.) turned in a dominant four-inning start, striking out 10 while allowing no runs on two hits.

Emmet Stacher followed with two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Lincoln Berg and Brody Burnette then each contributed scoreless innings, combining for another six strikeouts.

The Dawgs now look ahead to their next home game on Friday, where they will host the Brooks Bombers at 7:05 p.m.

July 21, 2026

The Canadian Premier Baseball League (CPBL) has announced that they will hold their Prospects Weekend at Royal Field in Dorchester, Ont., from July 31 to August 2.

Here are the details:

Here is the roster for the 2027 Prospects Game scheduled for August 1:

Here is the roster for the 2028 Prospects Game also scheduled for August 1:

Here is the roster for the 2029 Prospects Game also scheduled for July 31:

Here is the roster for the 14U Major Prospects Game also scheduled for August 2:

July 22, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROCKFORD, Illinois – Canada's Women's National Team opened the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in dominant fashion on Wednesday, defeating Hong Kong 13-0 in five innings at Rivets Stadium.

Canada used a balanced offensive attack and a stellar performance from starting pitcher Raine Padgham (Burnaby, B.C.) to move to 1-0 in tournament play.

BOX SCORE

Padgham was nearly untouchable in her tournament debut, retiring the first 12 batters she faced before surrendering a one-out single in the fifth inning. The right-hander finished with 4 2/3 innings pitched, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out seven.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Michelle Roche (Burnaby, B.C.) entered in relief and recorded the game's final out to preserve the shutout as the contest ended under the tournament's run rule.

Canada broke through in the bottom of the third inning. Cassie Matlock (Edmonton, Alta.) lined a two-run single into right field before Camille Proulx (Laval, Que.) added a two-run single later in the inning as Canada sent 10 batters to the plate and built a 5-0 advantage.

The offence continued to roll in the fourth. Ela Dy-Bédard (Gatineau, Que.) tripled and later scored, while Lucie Anctil (La Pocatière, Que.) drove in another run with a single to extend Canada's lead to 7-0.

Canada put the game out of reach with a six-run fifth inning. RBI hits from Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Kyanna Faucher (Beauce, Que.), Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.), Lucie Anctil, and Frédérique Noël (Bois-des-Filion, Que.) highlighted the decisive frame.

Canada returns to action on Thursday when it takes on Korea at 4 p.m. E.T.

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule

*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada 13, Hong Kong 0

• July 23 – Canada vs. Korea (4PM ET)

• July 24 – Canada vs. Mexico (4PM ET)

• July 25 – Canada vs. United States (8PM ET)

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

Dawgs Academy infielder Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, BC) recently showed off his defence and his power to help his team win the first Morneau Cup. Photo: Dawgs Academy

July 22, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The best teams are able to find the right balance between run production and run prevention.

The Okotoks Dawgs are one of those teams, with no better example than the glove of infielder Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, BC) and the bat of Louis-Charles Larouche (Montreal, Que.).

At a time when flashy offensive analytics dominate the baseball landscape, Armitage takes pride in his defensive ability.

“It’s a very valuable trait in today’s game,” Armitage said of defence. “I’m happy to be able to pride myself on that, a lot of teams value it. A lot of people take pride in the offensive side of the game, I like to get into the defensive side of the game.”

Indiana University head coach Jeff Mercer and recruiting coordinator Zach Weatherford took notice.

This past December, Armitage decided he liked what he saw from the Hoosiers program, as well, and committed to the school.

“The coaching staff, the people, the place, everything just tied in together,” he said of the reasoning for his decision. “They’re really excited to have me and I’m excited to go there. I’m excited to go there and make an impact.”

Just because he puts an emphasis on the defensive side of the game, doesn’t mean the offence is lacking.

He swatted a pair of home runs against the Mississauga Tigers in the semifinals of the Road to Okotoks en route to leading the Dawgs to the Morneau Cup and being named a tournament all-star.

Then there’s Larouche, who put his power on display when he won the tournament’s home run derby.

Winning it was a highlight of his young career.

“It was awesome, hometown everyone was here to cheer me on,” Larouche said. “I had my team with me. I was a little bit stressed at the beginning like always, but I hit the first two and I was like “alright, there you go.’”

Following the Dawgs' championship victory, he, too, was named a tournament all-star.

Larouche traces his power back to when he was 12 years old.

“All my coaches were like ‘this guy has power,’” Larouche said. “It’s pretty much my job. I know it’s an important thing, you either get on base early or you get the guys in. It’s really important to me.”

Uncommitted, Larouche wants to put an emphasis on his outfield defence and the mental part of the game before heading off to school, wherever that may be.

He’s in the right place to do it.

The Dawgs recruited Larouche through the 15U Ray Carter Cup in Saskatchewan and the three years he’s spent out west have already been beneficial for his development, he said.

“I feel like I developed even more power the first year I got here,” he said. “Then I developed more hitting tools and in the outfield. It’s been really fun.”

July 21, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Canada's Women's National Team is set to compete at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage this week from July 22 to July 26 at Rivets Stadium in Rockford, Ill.

Six nations will battle for a spot in the 2027 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals.

The Group Stage will feature Canada alongside Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, Australia and the host nation: United States. The top three teams at the conclusion of round-robin play will advance to the WBSC Finals, scheduled to return to Rockford in July 2027.

Canada enters the tournament looking to qualify for the Women's Baseball World Cup Finals after sweeping Puerto Rico in a three-game series in May. Eighteen members of Canada's roster have previous Women's National Team experience, providing the club with a veteran core heading into the tournament to lead the new athletes on the team. 

SCHEDULE

July 22nd Canada vs Hong Kong @ 12pm EST

July 23nd Canada vs Korea @ 4pm EST

July 24nd Canada vs Mexico @ 4pm EST

July 25th Canada vs USA @ 8pm EST

July 26th Canada vs Australia @ 4pm EST

WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER

Players

Lucie Anctil (QC)

Emily Baxter (ON)

Ela Day-Bédard (QC)

Ariane Domingue (QC)

Claire Eccles (BC)

Kyanna Faucher (QC)

Sophy Gagné (QC)

Alizée Gélinas (QC)

Liz Gilder (BC)

Andréanne Leblanc (QC)

Jaida Lee (NL)

Cassie Matlock (AB)

Frédérique Noël (QC)

Raine Padgham (BC)

Sarah Pengelly (BC)

Camille Proulx (QC)

Michelle Roche (BC)

Alli Schroder (BC)

Julianna Scott (AB)

Madison Willan (AB)

Coaching Staff

Anthony Pluta (BC) – Manager

Brittney Langlais (MB) – Pitching Coach

Kristy Watson (BC) – First Base Coach

Logan Wedgewood (AB) – Third Base Coach

July 21, 2026

By Jason Young

Winnipeg Goldeyes

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Sioux Falls Canaries broke the game open with six runs in the fourth inning and went on to defeat the Winnipeg Goldeyes 11-7 at Sioux Falls Stadium Tuesday evening.

Winnipeg took an early 1-0 lead when shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder doubled to lead off the game and later scored on second baseman Adam Hall’s ground out to third base.

Sioux Falls quickly evened the score in the bottom of the first on third baseman Michael Curialle’s two-out solo home run to right field and went ahead 2-1 in the third inning when first baseman Mike Hart homered to right with one out.

The Goldeyes jumped back in front in the fourth when catcher Raphaël Pelletier (Repentigny, Que.) belted a two-run home run to right with designated hitter Jiandido Tromp aboard, making it 3-2.

The Canaries’ bats exploded in the bottom of the frame. Designated hitter Jabari Henry hit a two-run home run to left to give the home side a 4-3 advantage. Later in the inning, consecutive RBI singles by shortstop Grady Mee, Hart, left fielder Anthony Hall, and Curialle extended Sioux Falls’ lead to 8-3.

Winnipeg refused to give up, however, scoring twice in the top of the fifth. First, centre fielder Noah Marcelo doubled to centre to bring in third baseman Ramón Bramasco. Marcelo then crossed the plate on Hall’s ground out to second, making it 8-5.

The visitors cut the Canaries’ lead to 8-6 in the seventh when left fielder Keshawn Lynch doubled and scored on Tromp’s single to right.

Sioux Falls increased its lead to four runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double to centre by Henry that scored Curialle and right fielder Josh Rehwaldt, making it 10-6.

The teams exchanged runs in the eighth. Didder trotted home on Bramasco’s sacrifice fly to right to bring the Goldeyes within three before Curialle hit a two-out double to right that drove in Anthony Hall with the game’s final run.

Chase Gearing started for the Canaries and went 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs – four earned – on 10 hits while striking out three batters and walking one.

Mitchell Lambson lasted 3 1/3 innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits while striking out four and walking one. James Colyer, Arij Fransen, and Quinn Waterhouse appeared out of Winnipeg’s bullpen. Fransen was activated earlier Tuesday after spending more than a month on the Inactive List.

The Goldeyes outhit Sioux Falls 15-13. Every position player in the game except Canaries centre fielder Joe Vos recorded at least one hit.

The series continues Wednesday at 6:35 p.m., with Winnipeg sending left-hander Tasker Strobel to the mound. Right-hander Christian Edwards is scheduled to start for Sioux Falls.

The Goldeyes return home to Blue Cross Park on Friday when they host the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in the opener of a three-game weekend series.

July 21, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs defeated the Brooks Bombers 6-2 in front of 4,522 loyal fans at Seaman Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Dawgs have now won back-to-back games and improved their season record to 29-11.

With the victory, they maintain their lead atop the WCBL’s Western Division.

The Dawgs’ bats were led by Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.

Jordan Kievman also had a big night with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, while Ricky Sanchez added two hits and two walks.

On the mound, the Dawgs received a quality start from Evan Lehnert who went six strong innings, allowing just one run and striking out six.

Grady Keljo then contributed a scoreless inning of relief before Dalton Hoffart came on in the eighth and worked his way out of a tough jam.

The Dawgs now head out on the road to take on the Lethbridge Bulls on Wednesday.

Their next home game will be on Friday against the Bombers. First pitch for both games is 7:05 p.m.

July 21, 2026

By Melissa Verge

Canadian Baseball Network

He could've been intimidating.

No matter what career field Duane Ward chose, the 6-foot-4 baseball player from New Mexico would've been for his sheer height alone.

Add to that, me, a Blue Jays obsessed teenager from the remote wilderness of New Brunswick, about to meet him, THE Duane Ward, a Blue Jays two-time World Series hero.

It was surreal.

I still remember seeing the list of instructors for the Blue Jays 2012 Honda Super Camp before signing up and reading their biographies from my parents desktop computer. The camp was an opportunity for young kids across the country to learn from the best, including former World Series heroes.

Duane was coming to Moncton, New Brunswick, and I would actually get to meet him?

I felt like the luckiest 16-year-old in the world (and the most anxious.)

I was intimidated before I even stepped out of my parents’ car for the Blue Jays Honda Super Camp.

But I found out quickly, Duane was not as intimidating as his accomplishments (such as his American League leading 45 saves in 1993) or his height made him out to be. His kindness made him the opposite. He was like the BFG (Big Friendly Giant) Roald Dahl wrote about, a book I had on my childhood shelf in N.B., and had read many times before 2012 came around and I met the BFG in real life. I'm certain, Duane was the friendliest giant to set foot on that field in Moncton.

In this piece I'm not going to refer to him by his last name, Ward, as is proper and taught in journalism school, upon second reference. It feels cold, impersonal.

And that wouldn't be genuine, it wouldn't be fair to who Duane was, because he was the opposite of that.

He was direct, an excellent teacher of the game.

And, he was kind. That kindness is what I want to focus on. I could spew the stats. He had an American League leading 45 saves in 1993, which is still a franchise record. He was the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, and he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

But I want you to understand who Duane was, and the impact I know he had on the game of baseball in Canada, and on young players who loved the game.

He must've met thousands of kids across Canada that 2012 summer, all baseball fanatics, all Blue Jays fans. But somehow, he made me feel special when we interacted at the camp.

I think it's important to remember him not just for the incredible athlete that he was, but how he made people feel.

And Duane made me feel important.

I remember a moment in the dugout where Duane took the Blue Jays hat off his own head, and gave it to me to have.

I also remember we played catch on the field.

Just playing catch with Duane, it felt like I had been transported into a dream I didn't ever want to wake up from.

I was just a kid from N.B., and he was a Blue Jays icon. But we weren't just literally on the same baseball field, he made me feel like we were on the same playing field.

It wasn't the only time we crossed paths. When I went back in 2013 for another Honda Super Camp, Duane was there once again. Whenever we met, he'd give me a hug and make me feel like he always had - important.

He made me feel like I could do anything, and was a part of the fire that fueled me to continue following my dreams of being a baseball writer.

We crossed paths again in Toronto. At the Blue Jays showcase at Rogers Centre in 2017, I interviewed him for a story.

He was a great teacher, and told me this then during the interview:

“It never hurts to try something new, you can go back to your old way but it never hurts to try. It might be better for you, it might not do anything for you, but try it, and listen when guys talk. That's how you learn.”

It was my mom who told me about his passing, she saw the news first. He passed away in Toronto at just 62, while in town for the weekend ceremony honouring he and his former teammates on the 1992 and 93 World Series winning teams.

I was shocked and deeply saddened.

It didn't truly hit me until I flipped through a photo album and saw the pictures of us from back in 2012 and 2013.

I was transported back to that 16-year-old kid, back to that baseball field in Moncton, where Duane was a big part of some of my most special childhood memories.

His accomplishments speak for themselves. He was an incredible baseball player.

But Duane was so much more than that.

In the brief times our paths crossed, he made me feel like my dreams were possible. He paid attention. He made a 16-year-old kid feel empowered.

He was a special baseball player, yes. But he's not frozen in my memory on the mound helping the Jays to victory.

He's there in Moncton, New Brunswick, handing me his hat.

He's graciously giving me his time in an interview at the Rogers Centre.

He's tall, yes, but no longer intimating. He's the BFG. He's kindness in a 6-foot-4 giant. He went out of his way to give a kid not just his hat, but hope that she could be something in the game.

For me, Duane Ward will forever be remembered as that - an incredibly special person.

The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy unveiled the names of the first 50 players that have been selected to participate in the Canadian Futures Showcase on Tuesday.

The Canadian Futures Showcase, which will take place from September 17 to September 20 at Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, B.C., is an annual national amateur baseball showcase hosted by the Blue Jays Baseball Academy.

The goal of the event is to showcase the best amateur baseball players born in Canada, from across the country, with draft and college eligibility.

The event brings together the best Canadian players and gives them the opportunity to compete in front of as many MLB scouts and college recruiters as possible.

July 19, 2026

Official Chatham-Kent Barnstormers News Release

The Goose has landed.

The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers are excited to announce the signing of right-handed reliever Shane “Goose” Gustafson.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander from Rocklin, California brings an impressive blend of collegiate and professional experience to the Barnstormers after spending time in the Cincinnati Reds’ organization.

Before turning pro, Gustafson starred at the University of Nevada, where he earned First-Team All-Mountain West honours in 2021 after leading the conference with a stellar 2.89 ERA.

Over his collegiate and professional career, the 27-year-old has recorded 392 strikeouts and 32 wins across 455 innings.

July 20, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Cedric De Grandpre tossed seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits, to pick up the win for the Atlanta Braves’ double-A Columbus Clingstones against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday.

The Canadian right-hander also struck out seven batters.

For his efforts, De Grandpre (Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Que.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (July 14 to July 19).

In his start, De Grandpre threw 63 of his 97 pitches for strikes and his seven innings matched a season-high.

In four starts with the Clingstones in July, the 24-year-old righty is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Overall, it was De Grandpre’s 10th win of the minor league season. He had six wins with the High-A Rome Braves before promoted to the Clingstones.

Selected in the 13th round of the 2022 MLB draft by the Braves, the ABC and Junior National Team alum is in his fourth professional season.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants

June 2 to June 7 - Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), Blue Jays

June 9 to June 14 - Tyler Boudreau (Middle Sackville, N.S.), Yankees

June 16 to June 21 - Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.), Royals

June 23 to June 28 - Tyson Moran (Wingham, Ont.), Royals

July 7 to July 12 - Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.), Rays

July 14 to July 19 - Cedric De Grandpre (Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Que.), Braves

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (July 14 to July 19)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (July 14 to July 19)

*This article appears courtesy of Alberta Dugout Stories and 650 CKOM.

July 20, 2026

By Scott Roblin

CKOM

Entering the fifth inning of the Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon, there was little in the way for offence for the host East Division.

In a span of four batters, the game at Cairns Field in Saskatoon flipped on its ear with the East driving home five consecutive runs, including a decisive, two-run homer off the bat of Medicine Hat Mavericks infielder Carter Roth to secure a convincing 9-2 win over the West Division.

“My goal there was just to swing as hard as I can,” Roth said. “We had a runner on and the boys in front of me gave me the momentum to just be myself there.”

Roth captured All-Star Most Valuable Player honours on Sunday, as he finished his day 2-for-3 at the dish with a pair of runs batted in and a run himself.

The first player in Mavericks history to win All-Star Game MVP, Roth said it was a unique weekend in Saskatoon putting aside usual rivalries to link up with players in his own division.

“You play against these guys every weekend and then all of a sudden it’s like, ‘You’re my best friend now,’” Roth said.

The East has dominated the All-Star Game in recent memory, taking home the last three midsummer classics in the WCBL.

With two hits and two RBIs himself on Sunday, Regina Red Sox infielder Justin Simard was quick to accept bragging rights over the West Division.

“Three years in a row, so I love it,” Simard said.

The victory for the East wrapped two days of festivities at Cairns Field, the first time Saskatoon has hosted WCBL All-Star Weekend.

Saskatoon Berries pitcher Adam Korte had previously thrown in the 2025 All-Star Game in Okotoks, Alta., but said the environment was much different as the hometown team.

“It’s way different,” Korte said. “It’s way better when you’re at home. The fans showed up, they were real loud for us and we really appreciate it.”

Korte and his Berries teammates Ethan Murdoch, Gael Salinas, Dallen Rude and Gavin Panks all received thunderous applause from the fans who braved the heat on Saturday and the wind on Sunday.

While Panks is a long way from his home state of Louisiana, he felt right at home surrounded by Berries faithful this weekend.

“It was amazing hearing our names being called before the game and hearing the applause in the crowd,” Panks said. “It was really special for all of us, I know that for sure.”

And that's a wrap on All-Star Weekend! What a blast!@wcbleague pic.twitter.com/8fncHhodva

— Saskatoon Berries (@StoonBerries) July 19, 2026

Fans had to wait a while for the first run of the game, as the West Division opened the scoring in the top of the third inning with a single from Elijha Hammill of the Sylvan Lake Gulls to bring a runner home for the 1-0 lead.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth, as Simard singled to the outfield to bring home his Red Sox teammate Will Togher from second base.

That was followed up by a Joe Madill double on the very next pitch, as he cashed in both Panks and Simard for the 3-1 lead.

After a Robert Gurney fly out, Roth stepped up to the plate in his first appearance and took West pitcher Aiden Maxwell over the wall in deep centre field to make it a 5-1 game.

Energy City Cactus Rats infielder Dan Kawanishi got the West back on the board in the top of the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly to score a run, but the East wasted no time in response.

The runs kept coming, with Simard and Swift Current 57’s outfielder Lucas Geisler driving in runs for the East along with a Team West throwing error to extend their lead to 8-2.

Panks added some insurance in the bottom of the seventh, as he blasted a Bradyn Schneider offering over the wall in right field for the solo home run.

“I knew he was going to try to go slider over the plate,” Panks said. “I told myself, ‘Stay on it.’ With the wind blowing the way it is today, I knew if I got it in the air it’d probably have a chance to go.”

Watching from the dugout, Korte said it was a big moment for one of his Berries teammates.

“It was electric, man,” Korte said. “We were hoping one of the Berries would just get a hold of one today. Off the bat, we knew it.”

Doused with a team cooler during his post-game interview on the field, Roth said it was a tight race for who would be named the game’s MVP.

“It was a little bit on the fence,” Roth said. “There’s a lot of guys with a few RBIs, I think it was teeter-totter. It could have gone to anybody, there were some spotlight moments for a lot of guys out there.”

All-Star Weekend wraps in Saskatoon

While players from the league’s 11 other franchises loaded up on buses to return to their home communities post-game, players like Korte got a bit of extra time to soak in the memories on the field.

His highlights not only included getting to pitch a scoreless second inning but also connecting with other East Division teammates he’d usually call rivals.

“The weekend was full of just meeting new guys, making new friends and seeing guys I already knew across the league,” Korte said.

“That’s probably the best part of the All-Star Game, just seeing all these guys in a less competitive environment and enjoying a ball game with them.”

The weekend, which was broken up into the skills events on Saturday and the All-Star Game itself on Sunday, earned the stamp of approval from several players including the MVP himself.

“Great work by Saskatoon,” Roth said. “It’s been so much fun, I feel like everything was taken care of super well and I just feel big time.”

Months of planning went into executing All-Star Weekend according to Berries president Steve Hildebrand, who was able to exhale following the last out on the diamond.

“Talking to the players from both sides, they love how relaxed (Saturday) was,” Hildebrand said.

“The season is a grind, if they can come do this and have some fun doing it, good for them. I think we provided that to them and we provided a great experience for everybody.”

Sylvan Lake has been tabbed as the host community for the 2027 edition of WCBL All-Star Weekend, with the Gulls sending a large contingent to Saskatoon to view the behind the scenes work.

Hildebrand said while the event is heading west to Alberta next year, the Berries will be interested in putting on All-Star festivities for a second time in franchise history in the years to come.

“I think you learn as you go along,” Hildebrand said. “We learned some things about hosting this event too and we look forward to having it again at some point.”

Berries executives are also not stopping at just the All-Star Game framework, with the possibility of larger events now able to take place at Cairns Field after gaining hosting experience.

“It’s not only All-Star, but beyond that whether we bring in kind of a world championship of some sort,” Hildebrand said.

“We can start looking at these things as we keep growing and learning more as we go.”

The chase for the WCBL championship will pick up again for the league’s dozen teams on Monday with four games on the schedule.

Long-standing rivalries which were able to be put on hold for two days at least in Saskatoon.

“Obviously, after today we all go back to being opponents,” Korte said. “For today, we can be friends and enjoy this win together.”

July 15, 2026

Official Baseball Ontario News Release

The Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) is proud to announce the athletes who have been selected to represent Team Ontario at the 2026 19U Women's National Championship, taking place July 30 to August 2 in Saskatoon, Sask.

The roster features 14 of Ontario's top female baseball players, representing communities from across the province. The team will compete against the best provincial programs in Canada as they pursue a national championship.

2026 Team Ontario 19U Women's Championship Roster

The OBA congratulates all of the selected athletes and wishes Team Ontario the best of luck as they compete for a national title in Saskatoon.

Fans can follow Team Ontario's journey throughout the championship on the Ontario Baseball Association's social media channels and website.

July 19, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Canada's Women's National Team wrapped up exhibition play ahead of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage with a 7-1 loss to the United States on Sunday afternoon at Impact Field.

The United States broke open a scoreless game with a five-run third inning before adding two more runs to take a 7-1 lead into the seventh. 

Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.) continued her strong offensive weekend, going 2-for-3 with one RBI, while Claire Eccles (White Rock, B.C.) also collected two hits as Canada finished with eight hits.

Raine Padgham (Abbotsford, B.C.) got the start for Canada and was impressive through two scoreless innings, scattering just two hits while striking out four.

Canada's defence also turned two double plays in the contest.

The Women's National Team concludes exhibition play with a 1-1 record after defeating the United States 9-7 on Saturday.

Canada now turns its attention to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage, which begins on Tuesday, July 22, in Rockford, Ill. Canada opens tournament play against Hong Kong before taking on Korea (July 23), Mexico (July 24), the United States (July 25) and Australia (July 26). The top three teams in the six-team group will advance to the 2027 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals.

Women's National Team Roster

Exhibition Schedule

• July 18 – Canada 9, United States 7

• July 19 – Canada 1, United States 7 

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada vs. Hong Kong (Noon ET)

• July 23 – Canada vs. Korea (4PM ET)

• July 24 – Canada vs. Mexico (4PM ET)

• July 25 – Canada vs. United States (8PM ET)

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

Website: WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Rockford

July 19, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

On the ride home from Saturday’s game, I was trying to think of the last time Blue Jays fans left the Rogers Centre this happy after a regular-season win.

_ The statue they had been clamoring for for about 32 years or so when Joe Carter hit his walk-off homer against Mitch Williams to win Game 6 of the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

_ Fans went home with giveaways of replica World Series rings from 1992 and 1993.

_ And they went home with a win. The Blue Jays had kicked the crap out of the Chicago White Sox -- as Seattle Pilots manager Joe Schultz used to say after close wins -- by a 1-0 score.

(Well, maybe the fans went home that happy last Sept. 13 when the Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 13-4, clinching the American League East division on the final day of the season.)

Many of the members of the 1992-93 World Series team were there and the press was invited to Level 400 for interviews with players. We spoke with familiar faces like manager Cito Gaston, Hall of Famers Jack Morris and Paul Molitor, Pat Borders, Juan Guzman, Pat Hentgen, John Olerud, Ed Sprague, Devon White, Tom Henke and Carter himself.

We asked Carter, “How on earth was he going to stand outside the Rogers Centre through all of the cold and January on one foot?” Carter gave me a puzzled look. The Kingston joke didn’t land so I added, “That’s why they put up the statue.”

Now whether it was “I’ve had enough of talking to this old goat,” or whether they knew I had a good relationship with some players four or five asked “Have you seen Todd Stottlemyre? Did you see Al Leiter? Have you seen Pat Gillick? Did you get to talk to Duane Ward?”

Someone added “Ward is not here -- he was with us last night -- but he’s not at the game.”

Another pair of players also said, “We don’t know where Ward is.”

It was the fourth or fifth inning ... I did not give it another thought. I used to watch Hall of Fame closer Lee Arthur Smith lumber to the bullpen on his bad knees in the seventh inning.

I awoke this morn and thought of Don Drysdale, the Hall of Famer who died in a Montreal hotel room in 1993, Blue Jays broadcaster John Cerutti who passed the final day of the 2004 season and St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Darryl Kile, who passed in 2023. All passed during their sleep in a hotel.

Duane Ward? Could that be the reason he wasn’t there? Nah. He was as bullet-proof as any reliever I ever saw.

Then, I checked my email. There it was: at 8:56 AM. A release stating that Ward, 62, had passed. The first graph read: “It is with profound sadness that the Toronto Blue Jays mourn the passing of pitcher Duane Ward, one of the most accomplished and beloved relievers in franchise history.”

I should have followed the trail of hints from Saturday afternoon. But that is a selfish reaction.

My first reaction should be to extend sympathies to a champion Blue Jay.

His first spring in Dunedin I saw Ward in the bullpen -- before camp opened. He was throwing without a name on the back of his jersey.

I asked a coach who the heck is that? Because he threw hard.

“That,” said the coach, “is an arm surgery waiting to happen -- his delivery is too violent.”

That son of a buck could pitch. He was a workhorse that could pull a plow from dawn to dusk as set-up man and fill in for closer Tom Henke when needed. He threw 111 2/3 innings with 15 saves in 1988, 114 2/3 with 15 saves the next year, then 127 2/3 and 11 saves in 1990, 107 1/3 innings with 23 saves in 1991 and 101 1/3 innings closing out 12 games when the Jays won their first World Series in 1992. He averaged 112 innings over the five seasons.

After Henke departed to join the Texas Rangers as a free agent, Ward took over, saving 45 games and earning an all-star selection in 71 2/3 innings.

I’ll say this about Ward: Robbie Alomar and Ward probably met more Canadians, shook hands with more Canadians, and talked to more Canadians than any other Blue Jay, Both travelled coast to coast, with their pre-Tournament 12 tryout sessions, their JaysCare Foundation camps, Honda Super Camps and their participation in the T-12 tournament, than any other ex-Jay. Ward was known to young Canadians from Kelowna, BC to Moncton and beyond.

Each year at the T-12 (now the Canadian Futures Showcase) I ask instructors -- Devon White, Lloyd Moseby, Tanyon Sturtze and others -- the top 10 prospects they saw during the event. Ward’s list was always the same -- nothing but pitchers on his top 10 list.

Ward’s actual cause of death won’t be known until the coroner completes his examination. It could be the man with the violent delivery passed peacefully in his sleep.

Rest in peace.

Cam Gerla (Calgary, Alta.) hit a two-run homer for Okotoks Dawgs Black in the Road to Okotoks championship game.

July 19, 2026

Dawgs bring Morneau Cup home

By Matt Betts

OKOTOKS, Alta. _ The Morneau Cup will reside in Okotoks.

A seven-run bottom of the third inning powered the hosts to an 11-5 victory over the Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep in the championship game of the 19U Baseball Canada Road to Okotoks national championship tournament on Sunday afternoon at Seaman Stadium.

INF and Vernon College commit Cam Gerla (Calgary, Alta.) delivered the biggest blow of the inning with a two-run home run. Gerla said the long ball provided the spark his team needed.

“It was a 3-0 (count) and I got a take sign and saw the fastball pretty well,” Gerla said. “At 3-1, I saw it again and I took a rip at it and fouled it straight back. I said, ‘If I get it again I’m hitting it out.’ I thought I hit it too high. When it went out, I think I blacked out a little bit.”

For Dawgs head coach Jeff Duda, watching his team celebrate the victory brought him back to all the work it took to get to this point.

“I can’t say enough good things about this team,” Duda said. “We’ve got guys who have been here six or seven years and grown up through the program. The 6 a.m. weights, the two-a-days, travel, the field work, everything. For them to come out on top and reward themselves with the inaugural Morneau Cup, it’s a perfect end to a great season.”

While Okotoks never relinquished the third inning lead, the path to the championship was far from easy. After starting the tournament with wins over the Atlantic Frontier and Sylvan Lake, they dropped their third game to the Terriers.

Victories over the UBC Thunder, Etobicoke Rangers and Mississauga Tigers followed.

The final didn’t start well for the home side, as Gulls’ infielder and Southwest Tennessee Community College commit Dayne Liske swatted a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to stake the visitors to an early 2-0 lead. He would hit a second home run in the game, another two-run shot, in the sixth.

The Gulls, a second-year program, came into the tournament wanting to show they could compete with the top programs in the country.

Despite the loss, they went from trying to prove they belonged to a contender over the six-day event.

They started with a win over the Terriers before dropping their second game to Okotoks. From there, they reeled off five straight victories over the Atlantic Frontier, Abbotsford Cardinals, Terriers, UBC Thunder and Vauxhall Academy Jets,

It may not have ended the way he wanted, but Gulls head coach Josh Zanolli believes his team has nothing to hang their heads about.

“I don’t think I can be disappointed,” Zanolli said. “Being so young and new to this, and what we’ve done this week and how well we played, I have zero disappointment. I’m incredibly proud.”

As a veteran of the Dawgs program, Gerla is thrilled to be a part of the team that brought the title home.

“It feels awesome, I can’t wait to see our name on that trophy,” Gerla said. “It’s just an awesome group of guys. It was awesome being with them for four years.”

July 19, 2026

By Matt Betts 

Canadian Baseball Network 

When Baseball Canada announced the Road to Okotoks national championship in September of 2025, it created a buzz among high school programs from coast-to-coast. 

Ten months later, 16 of the top teams in Canada had fought their way through regional qualifiers to compete for the Morneau Cup at Seaman Stadium and Tourmaline Field in Okotoks, Alta. 

It was designed to be a best-on-best showcase of amateur teams, an event that had long been missing on the schedule. 

More than just a competitive environment, the tournament has proven to be a memorable experience in all aspects. 

Here’s what some of the programs are saying: 

Okotoks Dawgs head coach Jeff Duda 

“With our organization, all the volunteers, the Town of Okotoks, it’s gone off without a hitch. When we first found out about it, we had it circled on the calendar. There’s good showcase events out there, but you don’t really have that team aspect of it. I really hope it continues to grow and other organizations across the country attend those qualifiers and try to make a run at making it out here. I think it’s only going to benefit us as a country across the board.” 

Terriers head coach Ryan Pollard 

“I have nothing bad to say about this. It’s topnotch baseball, best teams around, it’s been so good. The event has been run right. I think it’s a great thing for Baseball Canada and all the teams around.” 

Sylvan Lake Gulls head coach Josh Zanolli 

“We don’t get to play the Ontario teams ever, we hear about them. But, until you get to see them with your owns eyes and play against them, same with the BC teams, we get to see where we’re at and where we need to get to.” 

Vauxhall Academy head coach Les McTavish 

“I’ve been around the Dawgs organization for 20 years, I knew they were going to run a very professional, exceptionally well run tournament. On our behalf at Vauxhall, they’ve exceeded our expectations. They do everything right. It’s first class, I’m proud to be a part of it.” 

Ontario Blue Jays head coach Connor Morro 

“It’s been awesome. A chance to have all the organizations that are here in one place, beautiful facility, weathers been great. Tourmaline Field and the stadium have been awesome for us. They do everything right here.” 

AHP Academy head coach Taylor Burns 

“I can’t speak highly enough of the Okotoks Dawgs organization and Baseball Canada for the level of effort they put into making this event a great experience for the kids. They went above and beyond. It’s exciting to think this will hopefully be an annual event that players across the country will get to compete in every year.” 

Abbotsford Cardinals assistant coach Max Ishikawa

“The inaugural Road to Okotoks was an exciting and memorable experience for the Abbotsford Cardinals. From the BC qualifiers, to the Okotoks draft, all culminating the Morneau Cup, our players were challenged and had the great opportunity to compete against the best programs across Canada.

This experience allowed our players to represent BC on the national stage, and face some of the top talent from all over the country.”

July 19, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

Will Zielinski was sitting in his living room with family by his side watching the picks pass in the 2026 Major League Baseball draft.

He knew there was a chance he could be selected and was certainly hoping to be.

Then, it popped up on the screen: Rd 20, pick 606, Detroit Tigers, Will Zielinski, Vauxhall HS (AB), CAN, P.

Just like that, a dream was realized.

“We were all watching the livestream of it and saw my name pop up,” Zielinski said. “I was just overjoyed, it was a special moment for everyone. I got lots of calls and texts from family members and friends who were happy for me. Growing up it’s something you strive for and to finally get there, it’s an amazing feeling.”

Anyone who knows the Vauxhall Academy Jets, or has seen Zielinski play, might recognize him for what he can do in the batter’s box.

RHP Will Zielinski (@willzielinski20)
2026, @VABjets @UCSB_Baseball recruit

Zielinski’s hot stretch continues, scoring the first run of the game with an RBI double deep into RF.

1-0 Vauxhall over OBJ through one via their hottest hitter.🔥@baseballcanada | #MorneauCup🇨🇦 https://t.co/1eJsZxfU0K pic.twitter.com/OBC0HnsSQI

— Prep Baseball Alberta (@PrepBaseballAB) July 18, 2026

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is routinely pencilled into head coach Les McTavish’s lineup in the middle of the order, including at the Road to Okotoks Baseball Canada national championship.

The Tigers, on the other hand, saw the potential on the mound.

Regardless of whether he goes the professional or college route, where he’s committed to the University of California, Santa Barbara, Zielinski is excited to develop as a pitcher.

“Just transitioning to more of a pitching mindset,” Zielinski said of his focus going forward. “Here in this tournament, I’m doing a lot of hitting. In the past I’ve been more of a hitter, but looking forward I think my path will be pitching. Learning what it’s like to be a pitcher.”

McTavish said Zielinski’s development on the pitching front has been impressive to watch.

Seeing players get drafted is nothing new to the academy. Earlier this year, they celebrated graduate Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) making his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“He’s diligent about paying attention to details,” McTavish said of Zielinski. “He’s hard working. We’re excited for him and his family. You're excited for the family to go through that process. Detroit picking him, the sky’s the limit for the kid.”

A lot remains up in the air for Zielinski. He could sign with the Tigers or return to Vauxhall for another year before suiting up for the Gauchos in the fall of 2027.

If he returns to the academy, McTavish is already planning the next stage of his development.

“Our plan right now, if he comes back to Vauxhall, we’re going to start him,” he said. “He’s always thrown out of the bullpen. When you throw out of the bullpen all of the time, you’re always coming in and trying to hump it as hard as you can. I think starting and learning to pitch, working yourself into trouble, working yourself out of trouble. His goal right now is to focus on his changeup.”

Born in Victoria, B.C., Zielinski made the choice to move away from home at a young age to attend Vauxhall, a decision he says has been great for his growth as a player and person.

“I had a great situation in Victoria, but Vauxhall was an amazing choice for me,” he said. “The commitment to baseball, the coaching, teammates and the environment is unreal. There’s nothing else like it in Canada.”

July 19, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

The Western Canadian Baseball League is thrilled to announce that the Sylvan Lake Gulls have been awarded the 2027 WCBL All-Star Game.

Following a phenomenal WCBL All-Star weekend in Saskatoon - where the Berries are hosting a full slate of activities that include a Bunt Competition, Home Run Derby, music concert and the All-Star Game itself - the league celebrations will head to central Alberta next summer.

"Sylvan Lake has shown their ability to operate a first-class franchise and ballpark in our league. The 2027 WCBL All-Star Game is in good hands and will be an event not to be missed next summer at Gulls Stadium," said WCBL President Kevin Kvame.

The Gulls will host the signature event for the first time in their franchise history and it will be another two-day celebration of baseball, the WCBL and the community of Sylvan Lake. The 2027 WCBL All-Star festivities are set to take place on Monday, July 12 and Tuesday, July 13.

Day one events will include a celebrity slo-pitch game, a special guest speaker and the ever-popular WCBL Home Run Derby.

The second day will showcase Sylvan Lake to visiting players, with community events during the day, followed by the WCBL All-Star Game that night.

"For the first time in league history, we are going to have an International Team versus Team USA format," revealed Aqil Samuel, president of the Sylvan Lake Gulls.

"We feel like 2027, our seventh season in the WCBL, is the perfect time to host a prestigious event like this. Our winning bid focused around our fans and the community in Sylvan Lake, as well as the central Alberta region."

Added Samuel: "We want to show the players, coaches, fans, and dignitaries from around our league what a special place it is that we call home. This is also an opportunity to show what a great facility we have, and what the Gulls fan experience is truly all about."

Tickets for the event will initially go on sale in September to season ticket holders with the Gulls and then be opened up to the public in early 2027.

"We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us and been a part of the Gulls family since 2021. Please join us and come celebrate in July of 2027," said Samuel.

Stay tuned for more information about the 2027 WCBL All-Star festivities in the months ahead.

July 19, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

Gael Salinas had the right touch.

The infielder with the Saskatoon Berries also had the crowd behind him at the first day of the 2026 WCBL All-Star Weekend festivities at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field.

During a first-of-its-kind event for the league, many participants in the Bunt Competition looked like they were trying to find the hang of it while trying to place balls on targets that hugged the first and third base lines.

There were definitely shuffleboard vibes for the All-Star batters, who came up empty if they missed the targets or had the opportunity to score one, two, four or six points with a well-placed bunt. Each competitor had 10 attempts to hit the targets.

Infielder Dan Kawanishi of the Energy City Cactus Rats jumped out to an early lead in the opening round by scoring eight points, but Salinas made things look easy a few hitters later by racking up 13 points.

Some competitors put up goose eggs in the frustrating event, while most remained in the single digits.

The final round featured a faceoff between Kawanishi and Salinas.

Kawanishi led off with seven points, but Salinas finished with nine, including six points on his last two attempts to claim the title of Bunt Competition Champion.

"It was actually pretty great. I was nervous at first but then just took a breath and remembered it's all for fun," said Salinas, who said he did not prepare for the event.

"At the end of the day, I was like, what's gonna happen is gonna happen ... just tried to hit the front of the grass and it worked out."

Added Salinas: "It's an honour, man. This organization has been great to me and Saskatoon has been great to me."

BUNT COMPETITION RESULTS

Maverick McCallister, Brooks Bombers ... 6

Joe Madill, Weyburn Beavers ... 0

Nick Sauve, Fort McMurray Giants ... 3

Justin Simard, Regina Red Sox ... 4

Dan Kawanichi, Energy City Cactus Rats ... 8

Lucas Geisler, Swift Current 57's ... 4

Kalem Haney, Lethbridge Bulls ... 0

Thomas Soto, Moose Jaw Miller Express ... 2

Maddox Shaver, Sylvan Lake Gulls ... 3

Gael Salinas, Saskatoon Berries ... 13

Cal Gates, Okotoks Dawgs ... 2

Nate King, Medicine Hat Mavericks ... 3

FINAL ROUND

Kawanichi ... 7

Salinas ... 9

July 19, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

He started off with a bang and finished with a bang.

And then he had to wait and see if it was enough.

David Simmons, outfielder with the Energy City Cactus Rats, was the first contestant in the 2026 WCBL Home Run Derby and he set the tone early by launching five home runs in the opening round.

As that first round progressed, three other sluggers put up five long balls during an untimed event that saw each participant get 15 swings to see how many homers they could push out of NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon.

Rece Schuerman of the Sylvan Lake Gulls, Brett Petillo of the Fort McMurray Giants and the crowd favourite, Ethan Murdoch of the Berries, all matched Simmons total of five round trippers.

That set up a four-way tie for the lead, with the quartet of baseball bashers advancing to the second and final round.

Simmons once again led the charge and popped two homers on his first two swings. Another four long balls, including a pair in his final two hacks, gave him a total of six.

The Atlanta product had to sit and wait once more as a trio of hard hitters went to work.

Murdoch came up empty on his first seven swings, but managed five homers in his final eight attempts, falling just short of the bar set by Simmons.

Petillo also got to five home runs, just shy of the lead, while Schuerman launched four long balls.

"It feels pretty good. I've been in a few derbies and I've come in second place every time so to finally come out and get the dub, it means a lot to me," said an elated Simmons, who was pitched to by Cactus Rats head coach Jordan Blundell.

"I was trying to come out and set the tone early and I was able to do that ... there's a lot of talented guys in this so I'm glad I was able to come out on top in this."

Added Simmons: "This is my first time in this league and I'm having the time of my life."

The temperatures surpassed 30C on a sun-soaked day in Saskatoon but Simmons was unphased by it.

"I'm from Atlanta and we've got the humidity and everything, so the heat wasn't anything, it was normal for me. I sweat a lot but I love it. It makes me feeling like I'm working," said Simmons.

2026 HOME RUN DERBY RESULTS

Opening Round

David Simmons, Energy City Cactus Rats ... 5

Chris Franks, Moose Jaw Miller Express ... 2

Jack Wheatley, Lethbridge Bulls ... 2

Ethan Murdoch, Saskatoon Berries ... 5

Brett Petillo, Fort McMurray Giants ... 5

Blake Dale, Medicine Hat Mavericks ... 2

Owen Fernandes, Brooks Bombers ... 1

Brady Bye, Regina Red Sox ... 1

Rece Schuerman, Sylvan Lake Gulls ... 5

Rob Gurney, Weyburn Beavers ... 2

Jayden Lusk, Okotoks Dawgs ... 3

Keagan Knowler ... 2

FINAL ROUND

Simmons ... 6

Murdoch ... 5

Petillo ... 5

Schuerman ... 4

July 19, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Longtime Toronto Blue Jays reliever and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Duane Ward died this weekend while in Toronto for the unveiling of the Joe Carter statue that commemorated the Blue Jays’ 1992 and 1993 World Series-winning teams.

Ward was 62.

He passed away of natural causes, according to a statement issued by the Blue Jays this morning.

Ward arrived in Toronto on Friday. Todd Stottlemyre shared the following photo the same day with Ward in the back row on the right.

Great to be back in Toronto with the gang. Let’s go @BlueJays pic.twitter.com/cVkkgZoMWM

— Todd Stottlemyre (@ToddStottlemyre) July 18, 2026

“Duane will be deeply missed by our fans, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family. Duane will always be a cherished part of the Blue Jays family, and we will be forever grateful for his contributions to our organization and to baseball in Canada,” said the Blue Jays in a statement.

Selected in the first round (ninth overall) of the 1982 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves, Ward was dealt to the Blue Jays for Doyle Alexander on July 6, 1986.

From 1988 to 1992, the hard-throwing right-hander established himself as one of the best shutdown set-up men in the game, combining with closer Tom Henke to form the most overpowering and beloved bullpen tandem in franchise history.

In his five seasons serving primarily in a set-up role, Ward never made less than 64 appearances or pitched less than 101 innings. In 1991, the workhorse righty topped American League pitchers with 81 appearances and struck out a career-best 132 batters in 107 1/3 innings and finished ninth in the American League Cy Young voting. He followed that up by registering a career-best 1.95 ERA in 79 appearances in 1992 to help the Blue Jays to their first World Series title.

After Henke departed via free agency following the 1992 season, Ward assumed the closer’s role and excelled, topping the American League with 45 saves and 70 games finished in 1993, while allowing just 49 hits and striking out 97 batters in 71 2/3 innings. For his efforts, he was selected to the American League All-Star team and finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting. His 45 saves and 70 games finished remain single-season franchise records. His performance helped propel the Blue Jays to their second consecutive World Series title.

In 1992 and 1993, Ward was at his best in the Fall Classic. In a combined eight World Series appearances, he posted a 3-0 record with a 1.13 ERA while striking out 13 batters in eight innings, and also registering two saves.

In total, in nine seasons with the Blue Jays, Ward appeared in 452 games, the second-most by a pitcher in franchise history. He is also second in saves (121) and games finished (266).

“Duane was a cornerstone of Blue Jays baseball, appearing in 452 games from 1986 to 1995 and helping define an era of excellence . . . Whether setting the stage in the eighth inning or closing out wins, he will be remembered for the role he played in some of the greatest moments in Blue Jays history,” said the Blue Jays in their statement on Sunday.

Since his retirement as a player, Ward had been an active member of the club’s alumni in many charitable efforts. In recent years, he had been one of the lead instructors at baseball clinics for the Toronto Blue Jays Academy and the Jays Care Foundation.

For his efforts, Ward was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.

“We are heartbroken about the sudden passing of longtime Toronto Blue Jays reliever and 2020 inductee Duane Ward,” said the Canadian ball hall in a statement on Sunday. “From 1988 to 1992, Duane teamed with Tom Henke to form the most overpowering and beloved bullpen combination in Blue Jays' history. In 1993, he became the Blue Jays closer and set a franchise record with 45 saves and helped the Blue Jays to their second straight World Series title.

“On top of his accomplishments on the field, Duane was a loyal ambassador for the Blue Jays. He was an active member of the club’s alumni in many charitable efforts and in recent years, he had been one of the lead instructors at baseball clinics across Canada. We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and teammates.”

Online condolences for Duane Ward:

Baseball Canada extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Duane Ward.

A two-time World Series champion with the Toronto Blue Jays, Duane's impact on Canadian baseball extended well beyond his playing career. Through his work with the Blue Jays… https://t.co/vRnSwFLHk8

— Baseball Canada 🇨🇦⚾️ (@baseballcanada) July 19, 2026

I grew up surrounded by baseball, but I truly fell in love with it when I went to a Duane Ward baseball clinic where himself and former Jays from the 1992 World Series showed me first hand just how special baseball really is.

So sad to hear the news of his passing. 🤍🕊️ https://t.co/ozgrzHaYAq

— Jordan (@jordancicchelli) July 19, 2026

Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson, Okotoks mayor Tanya Thorn and Baseball Canada’s Director of Men’s National Teams Greg Hamilton gather at the press conference at the beginning of the Road to Okotoks national championship on Monday. Photo: Alberta Dugout Stories

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 19. You can read it here.

July 19, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

He has seen a lot of baseball over the last five days and, judging by the smile on his face, he couldn’t ask for anything more.

Baseball Canada Men’s National Teams head coach and director Greg Hamilton has tried to take in as many games as possible during The Road to Okotoks, sometimes running between Seaman Stadium and Tourmaline Field to catch parts of two games going on at the same time.

He admits his expectations were high going into the inaugural event and they have been met or exceeded in every way.

“The competitive nature of the event has lived up to everything we hoped for,” Hamilton said, who got his steps in and then some during the tournament.

“It’s compete first and compete for your program and what’s across your jersey, your teammates, and the energy level is just continuing to grow in a great baseball environment. It’s really exciting.”

Maybe the most impressive part in his eyes has been how the playing field has been level, with no team going undefeated during the round-robin and one pool even having four teams with 2-2 records.

“You just see the pride in each dugout every day and it’s just continuing to grow as we get deeper into the tournament,” the Baseball Canada architect continued. “It’s everything we’ve hoped for and then some.”

It also hasn’t hurt that Mother Nature has been very good to the tournament with sunshine and warm temperatures welcoming players, teams and fans each day.

Heading into Championship Sunday, Hamilton is excited to see who emerges from the semifinals – Dawgs Black, Vauxhall, Gulls Prep or Mississauga – and raises the Morneau Cup for the first time.

Which begs the question: what do you do for an encore when the event returns to Okotoks in 2027?

“It’s a little tweak here, a little tweak there, but the basic premise and concept has proven itself on and off the field,” Hamilton said.

“I think we have a very special event and it’s national in scale and scope – it’s just really, really exciting to be in the moment and look towards a bright future.

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories podcast about Day 6 of the Road to Okotoks national championship here.

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THE DAILY RUNDOWN

Saturday started with a play-in round with the second and third seeds in each pool being re-ranked to face each other.

Jalen Jacob and Tobias Skopelianos drove in two runs each while Zach Barker hit a solo bomb to help the Ontario Blue Jays past the Victoria Eagles 7-3.

Max Nantais-Vlahovich tossed a complete-game for the Mississauga Tigers, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out in a 3-2 squeaker over the Abbotsford Cardinals.

Kai Howard and Joseph Pereira homered as part of a five-run seventh to get the Etobicoke Rangers past the AHP Renegades 9-4. Jayden Kane led the way for the Renegades with a double, homer and two RBIs.

And the combination of Zach MacDonald and Lucian Barker provided solid pitching for Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep, striking out four while getting all the offence they needed in a three-run third inning to get past the Ontario Terriers 3-1.

Then it was onto the quarters, where Gulls Prep had to get back to it quickly. Lucas Gensler was all over it, throwing six scoreless innings and striking out four in a 5-0 win over the UBC Thunder. Bo Anderson led the offence going 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

It was the Calum Andersen show for the Vauxhall Jets as they blanked the Ontario Blue Jays 2-0. The Calgary product threw a complete game one-hitter, allowing just two walks while striking out six. Easton Kitura scored both runs for Vauxhall.

A second-straight 3-2 win on the day for the Mississauga Tigers as they snuck by the Langley Blaze. Carter Celerian’s RBI single in the seventh inning proved to be the winning run.

And Louis-Charles Larouche and Cam Gerla each had a pair of hits as Dawgs Black won a tight 5-2 decision over Etobicoke. The Rangers actually outhit the Dawgs 7-6 during the game.

SUNDAY SCHEDULE

The Road to Okotoks has now led us to Championship Sunday which will start with some rankings games. Atlantic Frontier will take on the Ontario Kobras while Team Saskatchewan battles DT Selects.

Then the semifinals will take centre stage with Vauxhall facing Gulls Prep at 11:30 MT and Dawgs Black going up against Mississauga at 12pm MT.

The Morneau Cup championship game will start at 4pm MT.

July 19, 2026

The Road to Okotoks semi-finals matchups are set for today.

Here is a summary of the scores from the play-in and quarter-finals games played at Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament on Saturday.

Sixteen of the top amateur baseball programs from across Canada are competing in the tournament that’s being played in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

Scores

Play-in games

July 18 - 10:30 a.m. - Ontario Blue Jays 7 Victoria Eagles 3

July 18 - 11 a.m. - Mississauga Tigers 3 Abbotsford Cardinals 2

July 18 - 1:30 p.m. - Etobicoke Rangers 9 AHP Renegades 4

July 18 - 2 p.m. - Sylvan Lake Gulls 3 Terriers Baseball 1

Quarter Finals Games

July 18 - 5:30 p.m. - Sylvan Lake Gulls 5 UBC Thunder 0

July 18 - 6 p.m. - Vauxhall Academy Jets 2 Ontario Blue Jays 0

July 18 - 8:30 p.m. - Mississauga Tigers 3 Langley Blaze 2

July 18 - 9 p.m. - Okotoks Dawgs Black 5 Etobicoke Rangers 2

Semi-Finals Games

July 19 - 1:30 p.m. E.T. - Sylvan Lake Gulls vs. Vauxhall Academy Jets

July 19 - 2 p.m. E.T. - Mississauga Tigers vs. Okotoks Dawgs Black

Finals

Winner of semi-finals games will face off at 6 p.m. E.T. at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, Alta.

July 19, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Joe Carter statue unveiled outside Rogers Centre

As part of its 50th season anniversary celebrations, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled a Joe Carter statue outside Rogers Centre in a pre-game ceremony yesterday to commemorate the club’s back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993.

The statue, which stands 15 feet tall and weighs 6,200 pounds, will be located in the Gate 5 and 6 area outside the Rogers Centre and is the first of a Blue Jays player.

The 1992 and 1993 rosters are engraved in two sides of the statue, while another is inscribed with the Tom Cheek’s famous “Touch ’em all, Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!” call.

Lou Cella and Omri Amrany of Roblatt Amrany Studio created the statue.

Blue Jays fans have been clamoring for a statue to commemorate Carter’s 1993 walk-off, World Series-winning home run off Philadelphia Phillies closer Mitch Williams for decades.

Twenty-eight players, coaches and front office executives from the 1992 and 1993 teams attended the ceremony. A photo was snapped of all the players and coaches in front of the statue and posted by the Blue Jays. And because I’m Blue Jays history nerd, I had to name each player in the photo (See below).

FRONT ROW – From left to right: Rance Mulliniks, Pat Tabler, Nick Leyva (coach), Gene Tenace (coach), Alfredo Griffin, Candy Maldonado, Devon White, Joe Carter, Dave Stieb, Al Leiter, Juan Guzman, Dave Stewart, Cito Gaston (manager), Rob Butler, Kelly Gruber

BACK ROW: From left to right: Jack Morris, Todd Stottlemyre, Pat Borders, Tom Henke, Ed Sprague, Paul Molitor, Pat Hentgen, Turner Ward, Danny Cox, John Olerud

Photo Credit: Andrew Lahodynskyj/Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club

Lopez records single at All-Star game

In the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez singled in the bottom of the ninth to record his first All-Star Game hit.

His family was in the stands and their reaction was captured on video here:

Got something in my eye 🥹 https://t.co/gfpK6UqYTd pic.twitter.com/ccsN03bkKu

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 15, 2026

Lopez, who spent part of his youth in Montreal, entered the Midsummer Classic as a defensive replacement for CJ Abrams in the sixth inning.

Since returning from the All-Star break, the 27-year-old infielder has continued his hot hitting, recording two hits for the Marlins on Friday and another yesterday.

Lopez, who has competed for Canada in the last two World Baseball Classics, is leading MLB in hits (130) and batting average (.335).

Smith fans two in All-Star debut

Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) struck out two batters while tossing a scoreless sixth inning for the American League in their 4-0 win in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

It was Smith’s All-Star Game debut.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander is leading the majors with 28 saves in his first full season as the Guardians closer.

Overall, he is 3-1 with a 2.78 ERA and has struck out 65 batters in 45 1/3 innings in 43 appearances this season.

Bratt makes second MLB start

Left-hander Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) made his second big league start with the Arizona Diamondbacks last Sunday. He allowed three runs on three hits in three innings to the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The D-Backs won the game 5-3.

On June 26, Bratt made his first MLB start against the St. Louis Cardinals and permitted one run, while striking out three, in three innings with about 20 friends and family members on hand at Busch Stadium.

The 23-year-old Toronto Mets and Junior National Team grad has been excellent for the D-Backs’ triple-A Reno Aces this season, posting a 2.41 ERA in 13 starts.

Anniversary of Orr’s mad dash for Pan Am gold

It was 11 years ago today that the Canadian senior national team won its second consecutive Pan Am Games gold medal in baseball when they beat the U.S. 7-6 in 10 innings in dramatic, walk-off fashion.

Played in front of 5,489 boisterous fans in Ajax, Ont., the Canadian squad trailed the Americans 6-4 heading into the bottom of the 10th inning. International baseball rules dictate that teams must start extra innings with runners on first and second base. With one out, Pete Orr (Newmarket, Ont.) flared a single to centre field to score Tyson Gillies (Vancouver, B.C.) to make it a 6-5 game.

American lefty David Huff then threw wildly when he attempted to pick Orr off first base and Skyler Stromsmoe (Bow Island, Alta.) darted home to tie the game. Orr aggressively dashed for third base and U.S. right fielder Brian Bogusevic threw the ball wide of the bag. Orr then scampered for home, while U.S. shortstop Tyler Pastornicky corralled the ball and threw it to U.S. catcher Thomas Murphy. Orr slid in safely in a close play at the plate and Canada won 7-6. It was an unforgettable sequence of events that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Canadian baseball history.

You can watch it here:

Twenty-sixth anniversary of possibly the worst trade in Blue Jays’ history

Today represents the 26th anniversary of arguably the worst trade in Blue Jays’ history.

With a 51-45 record and trailing the New York Yankees by just a game-and-a-half in the American League East, the Blue Jays, with Roy Halladay shipped to the minors and Chris Carpenter demoted to the bullpen, desperately needed a starting pitcher for the stretch run. With that in mind, Blue Jays general manager Gord Ash contacted his Texas Rangers counterpart Doug Melvin about right-hander Esteban Loaiza.

Loaiza had been a relatively reliable starter up until that season, however in 2000, he had posted a 5.37 ERA in 20 games and had been relegated to relief duties. But eager to make a move, the Blue Jays offered the Rangers 25-year-old right-hander Darwin Cubillan, who was 3-1 with a 0.55 ERA in triple-A, and one of the players on a list of middle-infield prospects that included Felipe Lopez, Brent Abernathy, Cesar Izturis and Michael Young.

At the time, Young was a 23-year-old second baseman toiling in double-A and was the lowest on the Jays’ depth chart. But the Rangers scouting staff liked his athleticism and versatility and Melvin asked for Young in the deal. Hindsight is, of course, 20-20, but the Blue Jays finished third in their division and Loaiza went 5-7 down the stretch and was even less memorable in his ensuing year-and-a-half with the Jays. And while Cubillan was a bust with the Rangers (10.70 ERA in 13 games), Young would be selected to seven All-Star games over the next 14 seasons. During that period, he recorded six, 200-hit campaigns, hit over .300 seven times and won a batting title in 2005.

Rachel Robinson turns 104

Happy 104th Birthday to Rachel Robinson!

She is the inspiring and courageous wife of Jackie Robinson.

She lived with Jackie during his season with the Montreal Royals in 1946 and was pregnant with their first child. She has often spoken highly of her time in Montreal and her neighbors in the city rallied around her to help her during her pregnancy.

“When I hear of bad things that are happening in other places – where people are fighting or being violent and are trying to exclude African-Americans – I think back to the days in Montreal,” Rachel Robinson told the Globe and Mail in an interview in 2013. “It was almost blissful.”

After her husband died in 1972, Rachel established the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which continues today. According to its website, the Foundation “has provided educational opportunities, through the awarding of four-year scholarships coupled with mentoring, job placement and leadership development opportunities to highly motivated college students with financial need” for more than 50 years.

No. 1 overall pick in 2026 MLB draft has Canadian connection

Thanks to HamHockeyPast on X for pointing out to me that the father of Roch Cholowshy, the UCLA shortstop the Chicago White Sox selected first overall in this year’s MLB draft, played his first 20 pro games for the Short-Season Class-A Hamilton Cardinals in 1991.

In those 20 contests, Dan Cholowsky, an infielder from Yonkers, N.Y., batted .232 with a home run, six RBIs and six stolen bases. He went on to play parts of seven seasons in the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies organizations, making it as high as triple-A before retiring in 1998. In total, he batted .253 with 64 home runs and 117 stolen bases in 785 minor league games.

Delgado reached fifth deck at SkyDome

Twenty-eight years ago today, Carlos Delgado became the first left-handed hitting Blue Jays player to hit a ball into the fifth deck in right field at SkyDome.

He did so in the fifth inning against Yankees left-hander Andy Pettitte in a Blue Jays’ 9-3 win.

The ball travelled an estimated 467 feet.

Rest in peace, Ron Hunt

On Friday, veteran Montreal Expos book author and longtime baseball writer Danny Gallagher reported that former Expos second baseman and leadoff hitter Ron Hunt had died at the age of 85 after batting Parkinson’s disease.

In parts of four seasons with the Expos from 1971 to 1974, Hunt batted .277 and had a .390 on-base percentage in 509 games.

In 1971, he was hit by 50 pitches. That’s the most any MLB player has been hit by in a season since Hughie Jennings was hit by 51 pitches in 1896.

My condolences to his friends and his family.

July 18, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

OKOTOKS, Alta. = The play-in game between the Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep and Terriers at the Baseball Canada Road to Okotoks national championship was extra special for starting pitchers Zach MacDonald and Jack Perry.

)MacDonald, (Lacombe, Alta..)and Perry, (Mississauga, Ont. native, may have grown up almost 3,500 kilometres apart, but they’ll both soon call Ann Arbor, Mich. home after committing to the University of Michigan last year.

For seven innings on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Seaman Stadium, however, they remained rivals.

MacDonald, who was picked up from the Webber Academy Wildcats, and the Gulls would walk away with the win, 3-1, to advance.

MacDonald allowed just one run over 6 2/3 innings in his start.

It was the second time Sylvan Lake downed the Terriers in the tournament after beating them 5-0 earlier in the week.

MacDonald was well aware he was facing his future teammate.

“It was good,” MacDonald said with a smile. “It was the first time meeting him this week, it was nice to put name to face. He reached out to me on Instagram prior to this tournament. We exchange some words, pumped each other up, wishing each other a good tournament.”

Perry, who permitted three runs in six innings in his start for the Terriers, confirmed the back-and-forth banter, although he admitted there was a little bit of trash talk on his end.

“I was texting him earlier this week letting him know we were going to beat him, but we didn’t get it done,” Perry said. “It’s always nice being able to look across the diamond and see someone that will be there with me. He did a fantastic job today, too.”

Perry, a 2026 graduate, will arrive on campus in the coming weeks to begin his college career. MacDonald will have to wait a little longer as a 2027 grad.

Both hope to anchor Michigan’s rotation in the years to come, and if Saturday’s game was any indication, the Wolverines should be optimistic.

Not to mention Wolverines head coach Tracy Smith seems to love his Canadian pitchers.

Left-hander Connor O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.), right-hander Kurt Barr (St. Joachim, Ont.), right-hander Tate Carey (Windsor, Ont.)) southpaw Shane Brinham (North Vancouver, BC) and new, New York Mets sign Keegan O’Hearn (Oshawa, Ont.) all played important roles on Smith’s pitching staff past and present.

It was Smith and pitching coach Brock Huntzinger who helped make up Perry’s mind on his future college home.

“The academics are No. 1, it’s a beautiful campus, beautiful facilities and it’s always nice when you have a staff as excited as you are for you to get on campus,” Perry said. “Tracy Smith is a leader. It’s easy to like the staff. Brock is someone I like talking to and I enjoy talking baseball with him.”

With his high school career coming to an end in the weeks ahead, Perry feels the Road to Okotoks experience will benefit him well as he continues in his career.

“It’s hard to come out here and not be like ‘oh my goodness,’” Perry said. “The stadium is beautiful and you have to recognize the competition is amazing. I love being in those high pressure situations.”

July 18, 2026

Baseball Canada

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Canada's Women's National Team erased a late deficit to defeat the United States 9-7 on Saturday afternoon at Impact Field, earning a comeback victory in the first of two exhibition games between the clubs ahead of the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in Rockford, Ill.

Trailing 7-6 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Jaida Lee (St. John's, Nfld.) doubled with one out and later crossed the plate with the game-winning run to complete the comeback.

The United States jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the opening inning before Canada answered immediately. Ela Day-Bédard (Gatineau, Que.) highlighted the response with a two-run double that tied the game at three.

After the Americans regained the lead in the second inning, Canada responded again in the bottom half. Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.) drew a bases-loaded walk before Day-Bédard delivered an RBI single to give Canada a 5-4 advantage.

The United States answered with two runs in the third inning to reclaim the lead and carried a one-run advantage into the sixth before Canada evened the score. Cassie Matlock (Edmonton, Alta.) delivered an RBI double to tie the contest and set the stage for Canada's decisive seventh-inning rally.

Day-Bédard paced Canada's offence, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs, while Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) collected two doubles and drove in a run. Canada finished with 11 hits and showed patience at the plate by drawing six walks, with Kyanna Faucher (Beauce, Que.) reaching base twice via the free pass.

Canada used four pitchers in the victory. Michelle Roche (Burnaby, B.C.) made the start before Sarah Pengelly (Burnaby, B.C.) and Day-Bédard each worked two innings in relief. Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Rivières, Que.) closed out the game with a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two.

Canada and the United States will wrap up their two-game exhibition series on Sunday at Impact Field in Rosemont, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. E.T.

Canada begins tournament play on July 22 against Hong Kong, followed by games against Korea (July 23), Mexico (July 24), the United States (July 25) and Australia (July 26). The top three teams in the six-team group will advance to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals in Rockford in 2027.

Women's National Team Roster

Exhibition Schedule

• July 18 – Canada 9, United States 7

• July 19 – Canada vs. United States, 5:00PM ET (Rosemont, Ill.)

WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage Schedule
*All games at Rivets Stadium

• July 22 – Canada vs. Hong Kong (Noon ET)

• July 23 – Canada vs. Korea (4PM ET)

• July 24 – Canada vs. Mexico (4PM ET)

• July 25 – Canada vs. United States (8PM ET)

• July 26 – Canada vs. Australia (4PM ET)

July 18, 2026

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

OKOTOKS, Alta. _ Sylvan Lake Gulls Prep wanted to put themselves in the conversation with the top programs in the country.

And they’ve done it.

In just their second year of existence, the team not only qualified for the inaugural Baseball Canada Road to Okotoks national championship tournament, they have advanced to the quarter finals with a 3-1 win over the Ontario Terriers on Saturday afternoon.

But, that’s not a surprise to head coach Josh Zanolli.

“The program itself is in good shape,” Zanolli said. “It shows where our program is at compared to where we think everyone else is at. We really like the group we have from where we started to now. The players see we’re not as far away as we think we are. We beat some good teams.”

The Gulls program runs in partnership with St. Joseph’s High School Baseball Academy in Red Deer. Many of the players attend the school throughout the academic year before suiting up for the prep team in the summer.

The majority of the roster resides in central Alberta, with a few players set up with billets.

“The school’s helped,” Zanolli said. “The summer’s been fun. The kids have been all in. I think this is what most of these kids who are looking to play at the next level are looking for now. It’s pretty evident being here this week, the level of play has gone up in the last five or six years.”

Infielder Dayne Liske (Drayton Valley, Alta.), a Southwest Tennessee Community College commit, has been with the program since its inception and is taking pride in forging the path for future players to follow.

“It’s been great,” Liske said.

“I’ve grown as a person and a player. I feel like my development has progressed a lot. The coaches are great, it’s a great staff to have. When I’m older, it will be cool to say I was on the first ever team because I think it will keep growing.”

With his team competing for the Morneau Cup, Liske admits there’s motivation to put the program on the map.

“It’s good playing against the best and proving where we’re at,” he said. “We want to draw attention for other players. I think we’re getting better at that as we go along.”

Zanolli sees the mindset every game from the dugout, crediting his players for showing up in the big moments.

The future is bright, he believes.

“That’s been a big thing, they think they belong with the better names in the country,” Zanolli said. “We’re not a fluke and nice little story.”

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 18, 2026. You can read it here.

July 18, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

On a hot summer day, a cold ice shower was just what the doctor ordered for Louis-Charles Larouche.

It was a deserving gift for the Dawgs Academy slugger after he put on what can only be described as a clinic at the first-ever Morneau Cup Home Run Derby.

Already having hit three homers in gameplay during the inaugural 19U national championship, he was looking forward to the opportunity to represent the home team in the derby.

And he didn’t disappoint, hitting seven over the fence in the first round and another 10 in the championship against Zach Barker of the Ontario Blue Jays.

“I never thought 10,” Larouche laughed as he reflected on his expectations going into the final round. “I felt like I had an empty tank with like 30 seconds left on the clock, so I just put my all into it.”

While he’s more than happy with his performance and a new piece of hardware, Larouche says there’s more business to take care of before the weekend is out.

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Listen to the Alberta Dugout Stories’ Road to Okotoks Day 5 podcast here.

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TRUST IN HIS COACH

The competition was set up with seven teams to be chosen at random, along with the host Dawgs, to select one player to take part in the Home Run Derby.

Each contestant had two minutes to tee off, along with a 30-second timeout to grab some water and get encouragement from their teammates.

With Dawgs Black co-head coach Jeff Duda throwing behind the cage, Larouche says he was able to get into a rhythm pretty early on.

“I’ve been hitting with him for a long time,” said the San Jose State University commit. “I know I’ve been doing well with him, so I know the timing and everything, so I felt like he was the guy to do it.”

He got the crowd into it right away as he hit seven homers to advance to the final, matching the total put up by Barker.

BOMBS AWAY

Like two heavyweights facing off at pre-fight weigh-ins, a certain on-field host (OK, it was the writer of this story) randomly had Larouche and Barker stand in the batters’ boxes at Seaman Stadium to cross their bats for a little fun before they got to work.

And the two hammed it up for the crowd.

“I was built for this, honestly,” Barker said. “I trained for this. Ready to go. Swing’s feeling good. Let’s do this thing.”

Larouche responded.

“Since the day I was born, I was built to hit at a home run derby,” said the Montreal native. “Hometown advantage, so we’ll just have fun. Let’s go.”

The Dawg then did what he’s quickly becoming known for around his academy.

Tanks. Bombs. Dingers. Whatever the vernacular, the 19-year-old delivered, much to the delight of many in attendance.

He also received a golden bat for his efforts from Rawlings Canada. Barker came away with a silver bat.

EYE ON THE BIG PRIZE

Larouche likely spent the night resting and relaxing after putting on a show during the derby.

As nice as it was to win an individual event, he says his focus is heading straight back to his Dawgs teammates as they get ready to take part in playoff action at The Road to Okotoks.

They finished the round-robin in first place in their pool with a 3-1 record, including a 16-0 victory over the UBC Thunder to close out action on Friday.

The Dawgs get the bye to the quarterfinal, which they will play Saturday night at Seaman Stadium.

“We’re pretty confident,” Larouche said. “I feel like we should just keep that energy all the way up. The same energy we had on the bench, same hitting, same pitching, we just have to be ready to go.”

The ultimate goal is in sight for the left-hitting slugger, as he hopes to be a major factor in helping the Dawgs claim the inaugural Morneau Cup.

“It is the tournament that everyone in Canada wants to win right now at this age,” Larouche said. “It would be like a dream to lift that trophy at the end.”

The semi-finals and championship game will be held on Sunday in Okotoks.

July 17, 2026

Official Chatham-Kent Barnstormers News Release

The Chatham-Kent Barnstormers are pleased to announce the signing of right-handed reliever Adam McKillican.

Standing 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, the Comox, British Columbia native arrives in Chatham-Kent with an impressive professional résumé. McKillican spent four seasons in the Texas Rangers and Colorado Rockies organizations.

Over his collegiate and professional career, the 28-year-old has logged nearly 350 innings, collecting 31 wins while striking out 330 batters.

Before beginning his professional career, McKillican was a member of the 2021 NAIA National Championship team at Georgia Gwinnett College, adding championship pedigree to an already accomplished career.

July 17, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Ottawa, Ont. - Following a four-day pause, the Ottawa Titans kicked off the second half with a bang, defeating the Down East Bird Dawgs by an 8-5 on Friday night.

AJ Wright gave the Titans the lead in the first, sending a two-run shot 364 feet to right for his 10th home run of the season. It marked the fifth consecutive season of ten or more homers for the veteran third baseman.

Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) got the start coming off a rough two-inning outing and looked solid through the first three frames.

The Titans extended their lead in the bottom of the third as Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) sent a solo shot to right, putting the Titans up 3-0 and picking up his second hit of the night on his seventh long ball of the year.

Jake Steels doubled, Myles Smith got plunked, and Thomas Ferroggiaro extended the lead to 4-0 on an RBI single.

In the top of the fourth, Grills worked himself into a bases-loaded jam on a pair of singles and a hit by pitch. With one away, Trey Law reached on an error to make it 4-1. The Bird Dawgs plated another four runs, including a three-run blast from Kalae Harrison, to take a 5-4 lead. Only one of the five runs against Grills in the frame was earned.

The Titans took back the lead that same inning. Michael Fuhrman and Taylor Wright each singled to put runners on the corners, and Jackie Urbaez singled to bring in a run to tie the game at five apiece.

AJ Wright grounded out, but not without another run coming in to put the Titans back on top, 6-5.

Grills picked up his second win of the season, going six innings and allowing five runs, one earned, on six hits and a walk while striking out five. The veteran Canadian lefty notched his first quality start of the year.

Steels drove in a run in the sixth to make it 7-5, and Ferroggiaro drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth to make it 8-5.

Liu Fuenmayor looked dominant through two innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Brett Garcia picked up his 10th save of the season to close out the game with a scoreless ninth.

AJ Wright went 1-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs while picking up his tenth home run of the season. Jake Steels went 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI. Thomas Ferroggiaro went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a walk. Taylor Wright went 3-for-4 with a walk, four runs, and his seventh home run of the season.

The Titans are back in action with the second of a three-game series against the Bird Dawgs on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium. Next week, the Titans hit the road for a six-game swing with stops in Tri-City and Trois-Rivières

July 17, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs defeated the Sylvan Lake Gulls 5-2 in front of 6,340 fans at Seaman Stadium on Friday night.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) who went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Cal Gates also turned in a strong performance, finishing 1-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, a stolen base and a walk.

On the mound, Brody Forno (Okotoks, Alta.) delivered another strong start, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out nine.

Grady Keljo and Brody Burnette combined for 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to seal the victory.

Five Dawgs will represent Okotoks at the WCBL All-Star Game on the weekend in Saskatoon before the club travels to Energy City Metro Ballpark to face the Energy City Cactus Rats on Monday.

The Dawgs then return home to Seaman Stadium on Tuesday to take on the Brooks Bombers.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 18. You can read it here.

July 18, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

When you give up five runs in the first inning of a baseball game, it would be easy to just admit it isn’t your day.

But when your team evens it up by the time you go back out for the second inning, those feelings go away pretty quickly.

Such was the case for AHP Renegades hurler Sam Davis as he took to the bump on Thursday against the Etobicoke Rangers at The Road to Okotoks.

Just thinking it was a brand new 0-0 game, the 6-foot-6 southpaw began to deal while his offence provided plenty of breathing room with six runs in the third, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth to provide a mercy-shortened 15-5 decision.

For his part, Davis finished the day without allowing another hit or run while striking out eight to finish the complete game.

“When I pitch, I pitch for the team and nothing else,” Davis told Alberta Dugout Stories. “I pitch to win and tell my team that any way I can do that, I’m satisfied with it.”

The Beaumont native has shown time and time again why Greg Hamilton added him to the Junior National Team earlier in the year, including the Prairie Qualifiers, where he tossed a six-inning gem against Webber Academy, striking out 10 in a 7-4 victory.

He is a big reason the Renegades find themselves going into the play-in round after a 3-1 round-robin at the main event in Okotoks.

“We’re super-pumped to be here after working all year with early mornings in the winter and coming in every day,” Davis said.

“Just showing off what we can do in the qualifier, beating some really good teams, and now we’re here playing our best ball.”

He says it’s a tight-knit group who can win in a variety of ways and has a truly balanced offense, as witnessed during his start when all but one starter in the batting order registered a run batted in.

It’s an approach the Renegades believe can allow them to lift the Morneau Cup on Sunday.

“I have absolute confidence in my team and our lineup to go up and beat any team here,” said the 16-year-old Virginia Tech University commit. “To put in all the work we have and to lead up to this moment, it would be absolutely unbelievable to win it all.”

The Renegades will face the Rangers in the play-in round on Saturday morning.

Renegades Win!! Despite giving up 5 runs in the top of the 1st, we storm back to win 15-5!

- Mitzel, Sudyk, Harsch, Szpak, Shulha all with multi-hit games
- Sam Davis CG W, 0 BB 8 K

We sit at 2-1 with a round robin game remaining, and have guaranteed a spot in the playoff round pic.twitter.com/1VPlvsli7O

— AHP Renegades Baseball Academy (@AcademyAhp) July 17, 2026

THE DAILY RUNDOWN

Josh Holden homered and drove in two while Carter Celerian also had a two-RBI morning as Mississauga beat Atlantic Frontier 11-5.

The trio of Kaleb Walker, Lucian Barker and Dylan Robinson allowed just five hits while striking out five as Gulls Prep doubled up the Abbotsford Cardinals 4-2.

The surprise of the day came from the Ontario Kobras as they got their first win of the tournament with a 9-5 decision over Vauxhall Academy. Cody Kee had three RBIs in that one.

Zach Barker hit a three-run homer and that was enough as the Ontario Blue Jays shut down the Etobicoke Rangers 4-1.

Every single starter drove in at least one run while Jackson Bradford allowed just two hits in five innings of work as Team Sask mercied the Ontario Terriers 14-0 in five innings.

RBI doubles from Sloan Reid, Jayden Kane and Gabe Fink, along with a homer from Tyler Diprose, helped AHP come back from a 4-0 deficit to upend the Victoria Eagles 6-4.

Carter Bestebruer and Tyler Klemo drove in three runs apiece as the Langley Blaze took out the DT Selects 16-6.

L.C. Larouche picked up his third homer of the tournament while Taye Thierman also went yard as the host Dawgs Black mercied the UBC Thunder 16-0. Matthew Tran and Zander Guedes also combined to throw a four-inning no-hitter in the shortened contest.

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories Day 5 Road to Okotoks podcast here.

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July 18, 2026

Here are the scores from the fourth day of Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament.

Sixteen of the top amateur baseball programs from across Canada are competing in the tournament that’s being played in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

Scores

July 17 - 10 a.m. - Mississauga Tigers 11 Atlantic Frontier 5

July 17 - 10 a.m. - Sylvan Lake Gulls 4 Abbotsford Cardinals 2

July 17 - 12:15 p.m. - Ontario Kobras 9 Vauxhall Academy Jets 5

July 17 - 12:15 p.m. - Ontario Blue Jays 4 Etobicoke Rangers 1

July 17 - 2:30 p.m. - Team Saskatchewan 14 Terriers Baseball 0

July 17 - 2:30 p.m. - AHP Renegades 6 Victoria Eagles 4

July 17 - 4:45 p.m. - Langley Blaze 16 DT Selects 6

July 16 - 4:45 p.m. - Okotoks Dawgs Black 16 UBC Thunder 0

Final Round-Robin Standings

Pool A

Okotoks Dawgs Black 3-1

Sylvan Lake Gulls 3-1

Terriers Baseball 2-2

Atlantic Frontier 0-4

Pool B

UBC Thunder 2-2

Abbotsford Cardinals 2-2

Mississauga Tigers 2-2

Team Saskatchewan 2-2

Pool C

Vauxhall Academy Jets 3-1

Victoria Eagles 2-2

Ontario Blue Jays 2-2

DT Selects 0-4

Pool D

Langley Blaze 3-1

AHP Renegades 3-1

Etobicoke Rangers 2-2

Ontario Kobras 1-3

July 17, 2026

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

You've heard of that expression, "He took one for the team.''

Ron Hunt took one for the team too often, meaning the Expos, Mets, Dodgers, Giants and Cardinals. He took pitches in the ribs, head, wherever, any way possible to get on base. Often, Hunt would just stand at the plate and let the ball hit him.

With no power so to speak and choking way up on the bat, Hunt figured he would try to get on base anyway possible. It would take bravery and courage to stand at the plate and wince when a fastball hit him. Hunt was never gun-shy. He crowded the plate, daring pitchers to hit him or give him a pitch to hit.

The beanings and subsequent concussions led to Hunt getting beaned broadside by Parkinson's.

Hunt, 85, died today after a long battle with Parkinson’s and other illness -- after almost 66 years of marriage.

"I have problems with my memory,'' Hunt was telling me in an interview in January, 2021. "I’ve got the shakes. I take medication. I take pills. I do rehab once a week.''

Sadly, Parkinson's was cruel to Hunt. His memory in many instances was robbed just like it is for Alzheimer's patients. When I asked him what he remembered about Jim Fanning, the Expos GM during his tenure, he replied, "Who is Jim Fanning?'' When I asked Hunt what he remembered about Expos president John McHale, he replied, "Who is John McHale?''

A few seconds later, Hunt would tell me, "I don't remember who the general manager was.''

When I asked Hunt if he had a favourite Expos teammate, he had no answer. When I asked him if there was a teammate he didn’t like, he had no reply. See how devastating Parkinson's can be. 

Parkinson's didn’t stop Hunt from his duties for many years as a cattleman at the family's Whispering Pines acreage located about 40 miles from St. Louis. 

Hunt said he would often practise in front of a mirror to get ready to get hit by a pitch on purpose. Some opposing pitchers would often complain that Hunt never made any attempt to get out of the way.

"He was diagnosed when he had a heart valve put in,'' Mrs. Hunt said of the Parkinson's scenario. "We thought nothing up to that point because we saw no symptoms but apparently they saw something in the hospital when he was recovering from the heart-valve operation.

"It has progressed over the years. That's what Parkinson's does. I give him CBD oil. It stops the shaking. He has problems with his balance. That is his problem.''

Mrs. Hunt says those beanings, according to their doctors, are blamed in part for the memory losses. There were a lot of concussions in high school where he played football, getting hit in the head too many times by opposing players. Even shakes, rattles and rolls of the head when hit in the main part of the body can help cause concussions. Hunt was so good at football that he was courted by Ohio State and Northwestern.

"I will tell you this. There were a lot of concussions in high school,'' Mrs. Hunt said. "But the concussions he received in the pros were more severe than in high school. 

"I remember one when he was with the Giants. It was in Philadelphia and I was listening to the game in San Francisco. Willie Mays had hit a double and Ron got flagged home. It was a close play. Cookie Rojas of the Phillies took the cut-off throw and threw the ball and hit Ron right on the side of the head. The throw was right on the number, right at the plate. They did not wear helmets then.

"They took him straight to the hospital. They kept him there for a couple of days. His head was so swollen. He couldn't get a hat on. It was a just a few days and he was back in the lineup.’’

Hunt told me he was “knocked out’’ by Rojas’ throw.

When I brought up all those HBP, as it's indicated in the boxscore from his days with the Expos, Hunt replied, "That was in 1971, right? I took the pitches all my life. I got hit a lot. They thought I was a Montreal person and they would hurt me but I couldn't let them know it.''

Yes, that season, Hunt was hit 50 times, a major-league record for many years. And as he said, he would rarely if ever challenge the pitcher or tell them to knock it off if he got hit. If he hit the dirt, he would simply get up and trot down to first.

"I remember the old park, Parc Jarry,'' Hunt said. "I enjoyed the fans, the money, the hunting and fishing and I'm still in contact with (broadcaster) Jacques Doucet. I played for the fans. The owners can kiss my ass.  

"I got fined, too. This catcher Bob Barton (with the Padres) was getting in my face so I asked Gene Mauch what I should do. He said to take his mask off and hit him.

"So I took his mask off and hit him in the face. I was fined $250 and suspended for two games. I paid the fine out of my salary. I asked Mauch to pay the fine and he said, 'F*** you.' So I said to him, 'F*** you.' ''

Hunt's wife met her future husband at age 15 and he said the “happiest day of my life’’ was Sept. 15, 1960, the day of their marriage. He also knew his birthday was Feb. 15, 1936. His memory didn’t cheat him on those two dates.

Funny, eh, how the hard-drive of one’s brain could fetch him some memories but not other memories. Weird.

"It was a fun life. Not many people can say their husband played in the big leagues,'' Mrs. Hunt said. "I've got scrapbooks from every year he played. The game was different back then. Now, it kind of sucks. They don't do the sacrifice, the bunt, none of that stuff anymore. That's boring. There's no strategy.''

Hunt got hit 243 times during his career, a mark he held for years. The great Nolan Ryan, who once gave Hunt the greatest compliment by saying he was a "great competitor'', hit Hunt four times in 1971.

Hunt was also tough to strike out. He fanned only 382 times in 6,158 plate appearances. Amazing.

"Ron, you know, caused things to happen,'' his wife said. "It was a job. His job was to get on base. That's why he was a lead-off hitter. He really gave 100% for every team he played for.''

July 17, 2026

Official Toronto Blue Jays News Release

On Thursday, the Toronto Blue Jays announced its 2027 regular season schedule, which begins at Yankee Stadium against the New York Yankees on Thursday, March 25 – MLB Opening Day.

The Blue Jays will welcome fans back to Rogers Centre for the Home Opener presented by TD on Friday, April 2, taking on the Seattle Mariners.

Below are highlights of the 2027 Blue Jays regular season schedule:

• 48 interleague matchups include games at Rogers Centre against the Milwaukee Brewers (April 5 to 7), Philadelphia Phillies (June 11 to 13), San Diego Padres (June 25 to 27), and Atlanta Braves (August 6 to 8).

• The annual Canada Day celebration punctuates a nine-game homestand. Over the nine games, fans will see the San Francisco Giants (June 21 to 23), San Diego Padres (June 25 to 27), and Los Angeles Angels (June 29 to July 1). Canada Day is always one to circle on the calendar as the team dons the red jerseys and the giant Canadian flag stretches across the outfield.

• Following the All-Star Break, the team is at home for 10 games from July 16 to 25, featuring the Detroit Tigers (July 16 to 18), Chicago White Sox (July 19 to 22), and Texas Rangers (July 23 to 25).

• Fans can end the summer in style with a Labour Day Monday matchup against the Boston Red Sox (September 6).

• Fan favourite programs return for 2027, including Loonie Dogs Nights presented by Schneiders and Jr. Jays Sundays presented by Ontario Honda Dealers, with the full Promotions and Events Schedule to be announced this offseason.

• The team takes on the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre from September 21 to 23 before closing out the season at home for the fifth-straight year with Fan Appreciation Weekend presented by TD from September 24 to 26 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

• Plan the trip! Fan-favourite road trips are on deck again for 2027:

• Pittsburgh Pirates – June 4 to 6

• Detroit Tigers – June 18 to 20 (Father’s Day)

• Minnesota Twins – July 26 to 28

• Cleveland Guardians – August 13 to 15

• Los Angeles Dodgers – September 13 to 15

• Seattle Mariners – September 17 to 19

The 2027 Blue Jays regular season schedule is attached and available at bluejays.com/schedule. The schedule is subject to change. The Spring Training, broadcast, and Promotions and Events schedules, along with regular season game times, will be announced at a later date.

July 17, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

The bashers of baseballs and deployers of dingers are set to deliver a home run haul.

The contestants in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Home Run Derby, which is part of the circuit's All-Star Weekend festivities, have been announced.

Set to go on Saturday, July 18 at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon at 6 p.m., the homer contest will include a representative from all 12 teams in the WCBL.

Here's a closer look at the field:

EAST DIVISION

Ethan Murdoch, Saskatoon Berries ... The outfielder with the Berries will be a fan favourite for the purple-clad home crowd. He also brings experience to the event. Murdoch was the runner up in the 2023 Home Run Derby when he was a member of the Swift Current 57's. The Marshall University student has been exceptional for Saskatoon in his second year with the club. He is currently among the WCBL leaders in batting average (.403), on-base percentage (.489), OPS (1.158), hits (62), doubles (12), RBIs (44) and, of course, home runs (10).

Chris Franks, Moose Jaw Miller Express ... He's helped the Millers produce a balanced attack at the plate this season, and Franks will look to show off what he can do Saturday night. The lefty slugger from Wooster, Ohio is a league leader in RBsI (39), on-base percentage (.483), OPS (1.071), hits (49), doubles (11), triples (4), stolen bases (12) and walks (31). The long-time Ashland University pupil has four round trippers this season.

Blake Dale, Medicine Hat Mavericks ... The power numbers for Dale check a lot of boxes for Home Run Derby qualifications. You can find his name in the leaderboards for RBIs (39), doubles (16) and, yes, homers (7). In his 176 at bats with the Mavs in 2026, the infielder from Kansas Wesleyan University and third-year Mav has also produced 44 runs and eight stolen bases.

Brady Bye, Regina Red Sox ... Without question, he's ready to kiss a lot of baseballs goodbye. The defending WCBL Playoff MVP has been launching long balls all season. Bye has been a constant presence among the stats leaders for home runs (10), RBIs (45) and at bats (147). The Regina third baseman also has 31 runs and nine stolen bases for the Red Sox.

Keagan Knowler, Swift Current 57's ... The toughest nomination decision for this event came out of Mitchell Field, where bash brothers Knowler and Jake Hiromoto have been blasting bombs throughout the summer. Hiromoto has 13 homers, while Knowler has a dozen as the pair have been duking it out for the WCBL lead in home runs all season. The Ontario native gets the nod here. Knowler has a .422 on-base percentage, 28 runs and 31 RBIs in 116 at bats, while also putting in 21-plus innings of mound work for the 57's.

Rob Gurney, Weyburn Beavers ... A phone call to brother, Austin, may be in order. The elder Gurney participated in three WCBL Home Run Derby competitions as a member of the Miller Express and now Rob gets the spotlight. The catcher with the Beavers has four homers this season but will seek to top that amount on Saturday night. The native of Campbell River, B.C. also has nine doubles, 20 runs and 18 RBIs with Weyburn this year in 111 at bats.

WEST DIVISION

Jayden Lusk, Okotoks Dawgs ... A lefty hitter with a .298 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage, Lusk appears to be an underdog in this event with just one home run this WCBL season. However, the North Hills, California product did pump out eight dingers in 53 games at Vernon College during the 2025-26 campaign. He also has 22 RBIs with the Dawgs this year in 84 at bats.

Rece Schuerman, Sylvan Lake Gulls ... Here's another competitor who looks like a long-shot to win the derby. The catcher with the Gulls has a .307 batting average and two home runs, but Schuerman also has nine doubles in his 75 WCBL at bats. The Gonzaga University student will look to upset opponents in Saskatoon.

Kalem Haney, Lethbridge Bulls ... He won WCBL All-Star Game MVP honours in 2023 and now he'll look to add to his All-Star hardware. The veteran middle infielder with the Bulls and Vauxhall Academy grad has excelled at the plate this year, registering 39 runs, 45 hits, 29 RBIs, seven doubles, 11 stolen bases and four homers across 127 at bats.

David Simmons, Energy City Cactus Rats ... The outfielder has a trio of homers in the WCBL this season, to go along with 22 runs, 27 hits, 15 RBIs and six doubles over 101 at bats. He'll look to pump up the power numbers in front of a boisterous Saskatchewan crowd.

Owen Fernandes, Brooks Bombers ... He's a two-way threat who can get the best of opponents on the mound or at the plate, but Fernandes will only have to worry about what he can do with his bat on Saturday. The Yavapai College student has bombed out five homers in just 51 at bats with Brooks, while producing 12 runs, 12 RBIs, a .294 batting average and a .390 on-base percentage. Fernandes has also logged 31 innings for the Bombers.

Jordan Breen, Fort McMurray Giants ... The Breen Machine is ready for the All-Star scene. While getting in just 59 at bats this season, the Fort Mac native has picked up 15 hits, including a pair of doubles and a round tripper. In 23 games at Clarke University, Breen bashed three homers while posting a .364 batting average.

DERBY RULES

Six participants from the East Division will compete against six competitors from the West Division in the opening round.

Each round will consist of 15 swings and no timeouts. First round totals will not carry over to the next round.

The top two players with the most home runs will advance to the second round, regardless of which division they represent.

If finalists are tied after the second round, each competitor will take part in a five-swing round and that format will continue until a winner is determined.

July 16, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs lost 8-3 to the Sylvan Lake Gulls on Thursday night.

The loss snapped the Dawgs’ four-game winning streak and dropped their season record to 27-11.

The Dawgs and Gulls are now tied atop the WCBL’s Western Division standings.

Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) and Eric Machej (Edmonton, Alta.) led the Dawgs’ offence with a pair of hits each.

Ricky Sanchez also had a strong night, going 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

On the mound, Brody Papay started and permitted two runs, while striking out five, in 4 2/3 innings.

The Dawgs now head home for a rematch with the Gulls on Friday night at Seaman Stadium.

July 17, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Saskatchewan Dugout Stories

It’s not the way he drew it up, but Pryor Dyck will take the first win for Team Saskatchewan at the Morneau Cup.

The Watrous native admits the nerves were prevalent heading into the bottom of the seventh and were amped up even more when his old friend, Cade Britz, came up with bases loaded and none out.

The leftfielder battled and earned a walk, driving in Casey Rauckman for the walk-off 1-0 victory over the UBC Thunder.

You could almost sense the sigh of relief from the dugout after two very close losses, including a similar 1-0 setback just a day earlier against the Abbotsford Cardinals.

“Definitely picks up the confidence,” Dyck told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “It was tough to begin the tournament with two losses, but I think the boys are back up and ready to go at it again tomorrow.”

The Going Yard Academy hurler certainly did his part to make sure his team could pick up the victory, twirling a complete-game three-hitter, allowing just one walk while striking out seven on 85 pitches.

“The curveball was definitely working – I could flip it in any count and that helps a lot,” said the 18-year-old righthander. “My fastball had some ride on it, and I was able to hit my spots.”

RHP Pryor Dyck
2026/27, @Goingyard1 / @BaseballSask@PB_Uncommitted

Stellar performance from Dyck who spins a complete game shutout as Team Sask gets the W in a must win game here on Day 3.

CG, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

FB 83-85
CB 70-73
CH 77-78@pryordyck |… pic.twitter.com/Bu47dIHO82

— Prep Baseball Alberta (@PrepBaseballAB) July 16, 2026

The Road to Okotoks has been a special one for the Team Sask group with many having been together at several events, including the 2025 Canada Summer Games.

To go out on top would mean the world to the group as many are heading off to college in the fall.

“It would mean more than anything to me right now,” Dyck said. “Winning bronze at the Summer Games was huge and felt amazing, but winning the first Road to Okotoks would be a surreal feeling.”

Team Sask rounds out the round-robin on Friday against the Ontario Terriers.

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories podcast about Day 4 of the Road to Okotoks here.

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THE DAILY RUNDOWN

In other action around the Morneau Cup on Day 3 of the round-robin:

Jake Carriere’s three-run homer in the top of the seventh provided the breathing room needed for the Abbotsford Cardinals, as they won a fantastic 7-3 game against the Mississauga Tigers.

Bo Anderson hit a two-run round-tripper and drove in another run as Gulls Prep mercied Atlantic Frontier 12-1.

Luke Laird got into the home run party with a two-run shot in the seventh inning to provide some breathing room as the Langley Blaze edged the Ontario Kobras 5-2.

Will Zielinski continues his unreal Morneau Cup tournament, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs to lead Vauxhall past the Ontario Blue Jays 9-6.

The AHP Renegades and Etobicoke Rangers were involved in a wild matchup where the Rangers struck for five runs in the first inning. The Renegades drew even with a five-spot of their own in the bottom half of the inning, then they scored six runs in the third, three in the fourth and another in the fifth to walk-off mercy the Rangers 15-5. All but one AHP hitter had a run batted in, while Sam Davis went the distance on the mound, striking out eight.

Spencer Gordon’s sixth inning grand slam put it out of reach for the Victoria Eagles as they downed the DT Selects 16-6. He drove in two other runs in the contest.

And a shocker to end the day as Dawgs Black fell 6-5 to the Ontario Terriers. Noah Currah’s RBI double in the sixth stood up as the winning run in that one.

STANDINGS AFTER DAY THREE

Pool A
Dawgs Black – 2-1
Gulls Prep – 2-1
Terriers Baseball – 2-1
Atlantic Frontier – 0-3

Pool B
UBC Thunder – 2-1
Abbotsford Cardinals – 2-1
Team Saskatchewan – 1-2
Mississauga Tigers – 1-2

Pool C
Vauxhall Academy – 3-0
Victoria Eagles – 2-1
Ontario Blue Jays – 1-2
DT Select – 0-3

Pool D
AHP Renegades – 2-1
Langley Blaze – 2-1
Etobicoke Rangers – 2-1
Ontario Kobras – 0-3

July 17, 2026

Here are the scores from the third day of Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament.

Sixteen of the top amateur baseball programs from across Canada are competing in the tournament that’s being played in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

Scores

July 16 - 11:30 a.m. - Team Saskatchewan 1 UBC Thunder 0

July 16 - 12 noon - Abbotsford Cardinals 7 Mississauga Tigers 3

July 16 - 2:30 p.m. - Sylvan Lake Gulls 12 Atlantic Frontier 1

July 16 - 3 p.m. - Langley Blaze 5 Ontario Kobras 2

July 16 - 5:30 p.m. - Vauxhall Academy Jets 9 Ontario Blue Jays 6

July 16 - 6 p.m. - AHP Renegades 15 Etobicoke Rangers 5

July 16 - 8:30 p.m. - Victoria Eagles 16 DT Selects 6

July 16 - 9 p.m. - Terriers Baseball 6 Okotoks Dawgs Black 5

Standings

Pool A

Okotoks Dawgs Black 2-1

Sylvan Lake Gulls 2-1

Terriers Baseball 2-1

Atlantic Frontier 0-3

Pool B

UBC Thunder 2-1

Abbotsford Cardinals 2-1

Mississauga Tigers 1-2

Team Saskatchewan 1-2

Pool C

Vauxhall Academy Jets 3-0

Victoria Eagles 2-1

Ontario Blue Jays 1-2

DT Selects 0-3

Pool D

Etobicoke Rangers 2-1

Langley Blaze 2-1

AHP Renegades 2-1

Ontario Kobras 0-3

July 16, 1026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

The Sultans of Soft Contact are ready to roll.

Roll it down the baseline, that is.

The field is set for the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) Bunt Competition, which is part of the All-Star Weekend festivities taking place on Saturday, July 18 at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon.

All 12 WCBL teams will be represented in an event that is a first of its kind for the league.

While each competitor's bunting skills have yet to be put on full display, here's a closer look at the participants:

EAST DIVISION

Gael Salinas, Saskatoon Berries ... The hometown favourite has put bat to ball at a steady rate this season. The native of Guanajuato, Mexico is batting .401 with a .497 on-base percentage through 147 at bats in the WCBL, while scoring 43 runs, cranking out 59 hits, producing 38 RBIs and hitting 12 doubles.

Thomas Soto, Moose Jaw Miller Express ... A veteran shortstop in his fourth season with the Millers, Soto leads the circuit in stolen bases, with 36, and he could set a new single-season WCBL mark for swiped bags this year. The Texas infielder has a .355 batting average, .464 on-base percentage, 52 runs, 26 RBIs, 13 doubles and 25 walks in 155 at bats this summer.

Nate King, Medicine Hat Mavericks ... Will King be crowned this weekend? Mavs fans certainly hope so. The catcher and corner infielder from Lindsay, Ont., is in his second season with Medicine Hat and he's been a key offensive contributor, posting a .329 batting average in his 82 at bats this year.

Justin Simard, Regina Red Sox ... Simard has been a familiar face at Currie Field for years and he was one of the playoff performers who helped deliver a 2025 WCBL championship to Regina. The Californian will try to show off his soft touch despite having the ability to hit the ball great distances. In his 126 at bats this season, he's batting .381 with a .451 on-base percentage, 23 runs, 18 RBIs and six stolen bases.

Lucas Geisler, Swift Current 57's ... The Saskatchewan native will be aiming for the baseline targets after putting up stellar numbers so far this summer. Geisler has a .381 batting average, .451 on-base percentage, 23 runs, 18 RBIs and six swiped bags.

Joe Madill, Weyburn Beavers ... A student at Cochise College in Arizona, Madill has 25 runs, 29 hits, 16 RBIs, 23 walks five home runs and five steals for the Beavers this season in 118 at bats. You can bet he gives a dam about this competition.

WEST DIVISION

Cal Gates, Okotoks Dawgs ... The speedster from Indiana University does almost anything he can to get on base, including dropping down a well-placed bunt. Gates is among the league leaders in batting average (.429), on-base percentage (.521), OPS (1.114) and stolen bases (25).

Maddox Shaver, Sylvan Lake Gulls ... Can he shave enough off of a pitch to touch chalk but keep it in bounds? That's the test facing Shaver, who has been a standout for Sylvan Lake this year. In 95 at bats, he has a .472 on-base percentage, .326 batting average, 34 runs, 19 RBIs, six homers, 18 walks and 14 stolen bases.

Jack Wheatley, Lethbridge Bulls ... The middle infielder from Calgary will look to whisper sweet nothings to bat-bound baseballs as he seeks to compel them towards the targets on Saturday. A Vauxhall Academy graduate, Wheatley is batting .308 with a .423 on-base percentage, 21 runs and five stolen bases this season.

Liam Kirsh, Energy City Cactus Rats ... The Ontario product will use his persuasive skills with the lumber this weekend. The Indiana State University student has a .500 on-base percentage through his first 27 at bats in the WCBL this year.

Maverick McAllister, Brooks Bombers ... The pride of Thrall, Texas will seek to prove that not everything is bigger in Texas, particularly exit velocities. In 140 at bats with the Bombers this summer, McAllister has registered 27 runs, 52 hits, 24 RBIs, 10 doubles, 15 stolen bases and three round trippers.

Nick Sauve, Fort McMurray Giants ... Rounding out the bunt competition is the catcher from Fort Mac. The Okanagan College pupil has 19 runs, 21 hits, 22 RBIs and eight home runs in 91 WCBL at bats.

Stay tuned for more details on the WCBL Bunt Competition and other All-Star festivities on the league social media accounts and website.

July 16, 2026

Baseball Canada

Winnipeg, Man. – Baseball Canada has announced the 20-player Women's National Team roster that will represent Canada at the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage, set for July 22-26 in Rockford, Illinois, where the team will look to secure one of three available berths to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, scheduled for July 21-27, 2027, also in Rockford.

Seventeen athletes return from the squad that swept Puerto Rico in three games in May to qualify for the Group Stage, while 15 players bring previous Women's Baseball World Cup experience.

Thirteen members of the roster helped Canada capture the bronze medal at the 2024 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals in Thunder Bay, Ont., including Lucie Anctil, Emily Baxter, Ela Dy-Bédard, Sophy Gagné, Alizée Gélinas, Liz Gilder, Andréanne Leblanc, Jaida Lee, Cassie Matlock, Raine Padgham, Michelle Roche, Alli Schroder and Madison Willan.

Veteran Claire Eccles will compete in her fourth Women's Baseball World Cup, having helped Canada win a silver medal in 2016 before earning bronze in 2018. Liz Gilder, Alli Schroder and Madison Willan also return from Canada's bronze medal-winning team at the 2018 Women's Baseball World Cup.

Sarah Pengelly brings additional Women's Baseball World Cup experience after representing Canada at the 2023 WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage in Thunder Bay.

The roster also includes two athletes who will make their Women's National Team debuts on the international stage. Kyanna Faucher and Camille Proulx earned their first national team selections after participating at Baseball Canada's Women's National Team Development Camp in Cary, N.C., last October.

"This roster is a great reflection of the strength and growth of our program," said Anthony Pluta, manager of the Women's National Team. "We have a talented group of athletes who have gained valuable experience competing together on the international stage, and that veteran presence will be incredibly important as we prepare for another World Cup. We're confident in the talent, depth and leadership that we'll bring to Rockford as we compete for a place in the 2027 Women's Baseball World Cup Finals."

After training in Winnipeg, Man., from July 13-15, the squad will travel to Rockford, Ill., where the team will continue its preparations from July 17-21.

Prior to the start of World Cup competition, Canada will face Team USA in a pair of exhibition games on July 18 and 19 in Rosemont, Illinois.

The coaching staff is led by Anthony Pluta, who has served as manager since 2023 and guided Canada to a bronze medal at the 2024 Women's Baseball World Cup. He is joined by pitching coach Brittney Langlais, first base Coach Kristy Watson, and third base Coach Logan Wedgwood. All four coaches were also part of the staff that led Canada to a three-game sweep of Puerto Rico in May to secure the country's place in the Group Stage.

Women's National Team Roster

Exhibition Schedule

• July 18 – Canada vs. United States, 11:30AM ET (Rosemont, Ill.)

• July 19 – Canada vs. United States, 5:30PM ET (Rosemont, Ill.)

July 15, 2026

By Rhett Vasseur

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs put on a show on Wednesday night in front of a packed Seaman Stadium crowd of 6,233 fans when they defeated the Medicine Hat Mavericks 11-1.

It was a game the Dawgs led most of the way after an eight-run third inning.

The Opening Ceremonies for The Road to Okotoks tournament were held before the game, where each of the 16 teams were introduced to the crowd.

The Dawgs’ offence was led by Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) who had a home run and two RBIs.

Jacob Wrubleski (Okotoks, Alta.) came up big as well, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Matt Evans (Tillsonburg, Ont.) also came through with a pair of hits to drive in two runs, while Eric Machej (Edmonton, Alta.) clubbed a pinch-hit home run in his first game of the season for the Dawgs.

On the mound, Tyson Willis started and went six strong innings, allowing just one run and striking out three. Logan Rumberg (Saskatoon, Sask.) came on to work a scoreless seventh.

Lincoln Berg then closed out the contest by fanning two batters while pitching a scoreless ninth.

With the win, the division-leading Dawgs improved to 27-10 on the year.

The Dawgs will now head out on the road to take on the Sylvan Lake Gulls on Thursday.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 16. You can read it here.

July 16, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

Will Zielinski can lay claim to something no one else can at The Road to Okotoks.

The Victoria native and Vauxhall Academy two-way standout was among the 12 Canadians taken in last weekend’s Major League Baseball Draft, as he was chosen in the 20th round by the Detroit Tigers.

Other teams at the Morneau Cup championship had players selected including the Langley Blaze (Sean Duncan and Cole Dorland) and Mississauga HPP Tigers (Damarcus Rideout-Carter), but none of them have played in the inaugural 19U national championship.

Zielinski has been fantastic through his first two games, hitting three singles and two doubles in six at-bats, driving in five runs. He has also picked up a save in Wednesday’s 5-4 thriller over the Blaze.

“Every kid dreams of it growing up and to hear your name being called is unforgettable,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories.

“It was lots of joy with my family and I got lots of text messages from people rooting for me. It was just a fun weekend.”

Just a couple of days later, the Baseball Canada Junior National Team member was on his way to the first-ever national academy championship, saying it’s been on everyone’s mind since it was first announced last winter.

They breezed through the Prairie Qualifiers but hadn’t really seen each other since that time as many headed back home or to their summer college team after the high school year finished in June.

It hasn’t phased the Jets as they are 2-0 after two games, in a pretty good spot to make it into the playoff rounds on Saturday.

Zielinski says the team has called this tournament their “final destination,” the last thing they do together before going their separate ways, and they would love nothing more than to win the first Morneau Cup.

“Oh gosh, that would be unreal,” he said. “This program is just about winning and doing whatever you can do to win. It’s the ultimate goal and that’s what we all strive for.”

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories discuss Day 3 of the Road to Okotoks here.

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THE DAILY RUNDOWN

Starting off the day at Tourmaline Field, it was Clark Heimbecker, Mikey Batiste and Zach Barker driving in three runs apiece as the Ontario Blue Jays hammered the DT Selects 15-3.

A nailbiter at Seaman Stadium’s first game took place as Vauxhall held on for a 5-4 win over the Victoria Eagles. Kaleb Bozek went 3-for-3 with two RBIs while Matthew Getz also drove in two for the Jets, who were up 5-1 going into the bottom of the sixth before the Eagles got two in their half, another one in the seventh, and were threatening again before Zielinski shut the door.

The Ontario Terriers picked up their first win with an 8-1 triumph over Atlantic Frontier. Max Postic picked up two doubles and five RBIs to lead the Terriers’ charge.

Sam Sugden hit a three-run double on a wild play where he ended up being caught in a rundown and those were the insurance runs for the Langley Blaze as they downed AHP 6-2.

A two-run third-inning homer from Nate Alefounder was the difference as the Etobicoke Rangers cruised to the 9-2 win over the Ontario Kobras.

Matt Stevenson drove in three while Tyson Dyck, who was picked up at the Morneau Cup Draft from Webber Academy, provided six solid innings on the mound as the UBC Thunder downed the Mississauga Tigers 11-4.

The only blemish on a great outing from Mitchell Rauckman was a Ryland Peters solo home run in the fifth as the Abbotsford Cardinals edged Team Saskatchewan 1-0.

And in the final game of the day, Louis-Charles Larouche hit his second round tripper of the tournament, driving in three, as Dawgs Black downed Gulls Prep 8-2. Kadyn Armitage also drove in three for the home squad.

STANDINGS AFTER DAY TWO

Okotoks Dawgs Black – 2-0
Vauxhall Academy – 2-0
UBC Thunder – 2-0
Etobicoke Rangers – 2-0
Ontario Blue Jays – 1-1
AHP Renegades – 1-1
Victoria Eagles – 1-1
Langley Blaze – 1-1
Terriers Baseball – 1-1
Gulls Prep – 1-1
Abbotsford Cardinals – 1-1
Mississauga HPP Tigers – 1-1
Team Saskatchewan – 0-2
Atlantic Frontier – 0-2
Ontario Kobras – 0-2
DT Selects – 0-2

July 16, 2026

Here are the scores from the second day of Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament.

Sixteen of the top amateur baseball programs from across Canada are competing in the tournament that’s being played in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

Scores

July 15 - 10 a.m. - Ontario Blue Jays 15 DT Selects 3

July 15 - 10 a.m. - Vauxhall Academy Jets 5 Victoria Eagles 4

July 15 - 12:15 p.m. - Langley Blaze 6 AHP Renegades 2

July 15 - 12:15 p.m. - Terriers Baseball 8 Atlantic Frontier 1

July 15 - 2:30 p.m. - UBC Thunder 11 Mississauga Tigers 4

July 15 - 2:30 p.m. - Etobicoke Rangers 9 Ontario Kobras 2

July 15 - 4:45 p.m. - Okotoks Dawgs Black 8 Sylvan Lake Gulls 2

July 15 - 4:45 p.m. - Abbotsford Cardinals 1 Team Saskatchewan 0

Standings

Pool A

Okotoks Dawgs Black 2-0

Sylvan Lake Gulls 1-1

Terriers Baseball 1-1

Atlantic Frontier 0-2

Pool B

UBC Thunder 2-0

Mississauga Tigers 1-1

Abbotsford Cardinals 1-1

Team Saskatchewan 0-2

Pool C

Vauxhall Academy Jets 2-0

Victoria Eagles 1-1

Ontario Blue Jays 1-1

DT Selects 0-2

Pool D

Etobicoke Rangers 2-0

Langley Blaze 1-1

AHP Renegades 1-1

Ontario Kobras 0-2

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 15, 2026. You can read it here.

July 15, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

To some, he’s Louis-Charles. To his teammates, he’s L.C. To the baseball world, he’s introducing himself as a big-time hitter.

Louis-Charles Larouche made his mark on the inaugural Road to Okotoks on opening day, going 2-for-4 with a home run, three runs batted in and one run scored as the hometown Dawgs Academy knocked off Atlantic Frontier 11-1.

The Montreal native’s first-inning roundtripper showed why he will be participating in Friday’s Home Run Derby.

Having never seen the Atlantic Frontier pitchers before, Larouche says he wanted to be aggressive.

“I’m not really a complicated guy,” the San Jose State University commit told Alberta Dugout Stories.

“I just like to see pitch, and if I like it, I’ll just swing at it.”

Like all other teams, the Dawgs felt getting a win on the first day was very important to set the tone, especially with the 19U national championship being held in their hometown.

“We know everyone’s coming for us,” Larouche said.

“We’re the team to beat, we’re the home team, and we have a little pressure, so we just took that pressure off our shoulder first. It’s good to get the first one out of the way.”

The Dawgs will face Gulls Prep on Wednesday, the Ontario Terriers on Thursday and the UBC Thunder on Friday before the weekend’s playoffs.

The ultimate goal for everyone is to be the ones lifting the Morneau Cup on Sunday afternoon.

“There would be no words for it,” Larouche said. “It would be so awesome. We’ve prepared for this since the beginning of the winter and that is the ultimate goal.”

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Listen to the Alberta Dugout Stories podcast from Day 2 of Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship here.

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THE DAILY RUNDOWN

Opening Day started with the Etobicoke Rangers coming away with a 2-1 win over the Langley Blaze. Cooper Doan was outstanding in the contest, striking out 11 while allowing just two hits in six innings of action.

AHP Academy was the first Alberta team on the field and they manhandled the Ontario Kobras 12-2. It was the definition of a team win with eight players registering RBIs, including a three-hit day from Michael Szpak.

A battle of the west coast saw the UBC Thunder down the Abbotsford Cardinals 8-5. Jeffrey Qi led the way offensively with a homer and four RBIs.

A great performance on the mound again came from Kayden Militello as he went six innings striking out 10 and allowing just three hits as the Victoria Eagles blanked the Ontario Blue Jays 4-0.

A big offensive game for utilityman Will Zielinski saw him go 3-for-3 with four RBIs to pace Vauxhall past the DT Selects out of Quebec 11-1 in a mercy game. Calum Andersen and Graham Thiessen combined to allow just three hits while striking out 12.

Braxton Bussing was outstanding, tossing a complete game three-hitter to lead Gulls Prep past the Ontario Terriers 5-0. The Coronation native allowed just two walks while striking out six. Dayne Liske homered and drove in three for the Gulls.

A solid back-and-forth affair between Team Sask and the Mississauaga HPP Tigers saw the Tigers coming away with the 5-2 victory. Kash Berg and Jarrett Rude drove in the Sask runs.

And the nightcap saw the host Okotoks Dawgs Black mercy Atlantic Frontier 11-1. Aside from Larouche’s performance, Alex Machej also drove in three with a pinch-hit three-run double in the final inning.

July 15, 2026

Here are the scores from the first day of Baseball Canada’s Road to Okotoks national championship tournament.

Sixteen of the top amateur baseball programs from across Canada are competing in the tournament that’s being played in Okotoks, Alta., from July 14 to July 19.

Scores

July 14 - 11:30 a.m. - Etobicoke Rangers 2 Langley Blaze 1

July 14 - 12 noon - AHP Renegades 12 Ontario Kobras 2

July 14 - 2:30 p.m. - UBC Thunder 8 Abbotsford Cardinals 5

July 14 - 3 p.m. - Victoria Eagles 4 Ontario Blue Jays 0

July 14 - 5:30 p.m. - Sylvan Lake Gulls 5 Terriers Baseball 0

July 14 - 6 p.m. - Vauxhall Academy 11 DT Selects 1

July 14 - 8:30 p.m. - Mississauga Tigers 5 Team Saskatchewan 2

July 14 - 9 p.m. - Okotoks Dawgs Black 11 Atlantic Frontier 1

Standings after Day 1

July 12, 2026

Official UNLV Athletics News Release

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV baseball program had five of its own selected on the second and final day of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday, the most the program saw in a single draft since six Hustlin' Rebels were selected in the 2018 draft.

The Cleveland Guardians chose junior Carson Lane and senior Parker Dillhoff in the 14th and 18th round, respectively, junior Jase Evangelista was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 14th round, junior Ryan Marton (Toronto, Ont.) was picked up by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th round, while the Los Angeles Angels chose senior Jack Salmon in the 19th.

Lane established himself as one of the Mountain West's top pitchers during his three seasons at UNLV, earning All-Mountain West First Team honors in 2025 while collecting multiple conference, national and academic accolades. Academically, the Huntington Beach, California native was a two-time CSC Academic All-District® selection (2025, 2026), two-time Academic All-Mountain West honoree and 2024-25 Mountain West Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.

As a junior in 2026, Lane appeared in 14 games with 13 starts, compiling a 3-4 record over 62 1/3 innings. He struck out 70 batters while recording eight strikeouts in three outings and at least six strikeouts in five starts, finishing with double-digit strikeout totals in four or more batters in 11 appearances.

Lane enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign in 2025, earning All-Mountain West First Team recognition after leading the Rebels with 85 strikeouts, the third-most in the conference, while posting the Mountain West's second-best ERA (4.23) and a 6-4 record across 15 starts. During conference play, he ranked second in wins (5), third in strikeouts (61) and fourth in opponent batting average (.230). He was instrumental in UNLV's first no-hitter since 2003, tossing eight hitless innings with nine strikeouts against Fresno State to earn Mountain West Pitcher of the Week and College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Week honors. Lane also struck out a season-high 10 batters against Milwaukee and recorded at least four strikeouts in 11 starts while surpassing five innings pitched eight times.

As a freshman in 2024, Lane appeared in 15 games with nine starts after earning a spot in the Rebels' starting rotation during the season. He logged 40 2/3 innings while issuing just 15 walks over 192 batters faced and recorded a then-career-high four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of relief during a victory over UNR. In his three-year career, Lane produced nine victories with 179 strikeouts in 181 2/3 innings of work.

Evangelista's lone season in the Scarlet & Gray saw the Riverside, California native make 19 relief appearances where he ranked third on the team with 64 strikeouts. He threw 46 2/3 innings with 34 runs (32 earned) where he walked 18 batters and went 4-1 overall with a team-high four saves. Evangelista recorded a 6.17 ERA, a 1.48 WHIP, gave up 51 hits and held opponents to a .282 batting average. The junior right-handed pitcher posted back-to-back saves against Cal State Fullerton (March 17) and San Jose State (March 28) as well as back-to-back saves against Fresno State (May 8) and San Diego State (May 15). Among his notable outings saw him throw 2.0 scoreless innings against Santa Clara (Feb. 27) striking out three batters, as well as throwing 2.0 scoreless innings against New Mexico (April 2) striking out three batters. He struck out a season-high six batters against SDSU on May 15.

Marton appeared in 13 games with four starts, producing a 2-3 record with a 6.16 ERA, 22 strikeouts and a 1.32 WHIP in 19 innings of work. The Toronto, Ontario native gave up 15 runs with 13 of them earned, walked nine batters and recorded 1.69 strikeouts per game. He held opponents to a .219 batting average for his second straight collegiate season. Marton struck out two batters in his season debut against Cal State Fullerton (March 17) where he threw one inning and gave up no runs. The right-handed pitcher struck out a season-high six batters in the regular season finale against San Diego State, going a season-high 4 2/3 innings.

Dillhoff made 15 starts on the mound, throwing a team-high 69 1/3 innings and struck out a team-best 94 starters. The Lebanon, Ohio native gave up 80 hits, 66 runs (58 earned) and 43 walks. He went 4-5 overall, recorded a 1.77 WHIP on a .288 opponent batting average. Dillhoff pitched a complete-game seven-inning run-rule win against Utah Tech (March 21) where he gave up seven hits on one earned run with nine strikeouts. The left-handed pitcher struck out double-digit batters three times, including 10 against Bradley (Feb. 21) where he was one of four Rebel pitchers to help the squad strike out a combined 22 Bradley batters, the most in one game in program history. He also struck out a career-high 12 batters against San Jose State (March 28) in 5 2/3 innings. Additionally, Dillhoff threw 6.0 innings against Milwaukee (May 1), striking out 11 batters.

Salmon, the lone position player drafted by UNLV, played in 49 games with 45 starts, all in left field. The Newport Beach, California native ranked 52nd in the nation in on-base percentage (.485), which led the team. He recorded a .344 batting average with 154 at-bats, 42 runs scored, 53 hits, 10 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 32 RBIs, 28 walks and a team-high 15 hit-by-pitches. Salmon posted a .481 slugging percentage, a .485 on-base percentage, stole four bases, notched a sacrifice fly and garnered a .960 fielding percentage. He earned five three-hit games, including back-to-back three-hit games against Grand Canyon (April 12) and Utah Tech (April 14). Salmon drove home a season-high four runs against the Lopes (April 12). Furthermore, Salmon was hit-by-a-pitch in three straight games (March 29, March 30, April 2) and twice in back-to-back games (April 8 - Arizona State, April 10 - Grand Canyon).

July 12, 2026

Official Canadian Baseball League News Release

CHATHAM, ONT. – The North All-Stars scored four runs in the last three innings of Sunday’s 8-4 win in the Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham.

All-star game Most Valuable Player Canice Ejoh went 4-for-5 and scored three times in the win. The Barrie Baycats outfielder also stole a base.

Noel McGarry Doyle, Ejoh’s teammate, drove in two runs on a pair of ground outs and also had two hits. Kitchener’s Petey Kiefer doubled home a run, while Barrie’s Wandy Ciprian and Hamilton’s Tyler Duncan, the home run derby champion, both hit solo homers.

Toronto’s Nick Veselinovic earned the win in relief. He allowed an unearned run in the sixth inning. Barrie right-hander Frank Garces started on the mound and gave up three runs on three hits with two walks and a strikeout in an inning.

London second baseman Cristian Inoa hit a two-run home run for the South All-Stars. Chatham’s Austin Gurney singled, doubled and drove in a run, and London’s Trent Lenihan added an RBI.

London’s Dustin Davidson gave up an unearned run in an inning of relief to take the loss. Welland’s Ben Abram started and was charged with three runs on three hits in two innings. He walked one and struck out three.

July 14, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Tom Poole, of the Tampa Bay Rays’ class-A Charleston RiverDogs, topped all Canadians in the affiliated minor league ranks in hits (9), batting average (.563) and OPS (1.430) during the past week.

For his efforts, the Calgary native has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week (July 7 to July 12).

Poole started off the week by collecting two hits and two walks to help the RiverDogs to a 9-2 win over the Hill City Howlers on Wednesday.

The Canadian outfielder then added a double, a walk and an RBI the following day in the RiverDogs’ 7-3 loss to Howlers.

He followed that up by going 1-for-2 with two runs, two walks and an RBI to help his club to a 15-1 victory on Friday before recording a single in Saturday’s contest.

But Poole saved his best for last when he went 3-for-3 with two runs, two walks and an RBI to help propel the RiverDogs to a 13-4 win over the Howlers on Sunday.

In total, in six games last week, Poole has a .680 on-base percentage with six runs and five RBIs.

A Langley Blaze and Absolute Baseball Academy alum, Poole, 23, is batting .308 with four home runs and 27 RBIs in 37 games for the RiverDogs this season.

2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners

Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers

April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies

April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians

April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves

April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets

May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals

May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays

May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks

May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants

June 2 to June 7 - Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), Blue Jays

June 9 to June 14 - Tyler Boudreau (Middle Sackville, N.S.), Yankees

June 16 to June 21 - Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.), Royals

June 23 to June 28 - Tyson Moran (Wingham, Ont.), Royals

July 7 to July 12 - Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.), Rays

Top Canadian Minor League Batters (July 7 to July 12)

Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (July 7 to July 12)

July 13, 2026

Official Canadian Baseball League News Release

CHATHAM, ONT. – Evan Morrison, Chatham-Kent's all-star second baseman, became the first Canadian Baseball League player drafted to Major League Baseball when the Texas Rangers selected him in the 10th round on the weekend.

Morrison, 23, is slashing .333/.417/.433 in his second season with the Barnstormers. His nine doubles are third in the CBL, and he ranks seventh with 25 runs. The Wheatley, Ont., native represented the South squad in Sunday’s All-Star Game.

Morrison batted .402/.470/.582 with six home runs, six triples, 15 doubles and 49 RBIs in 58 starts at shortstop for Grand Valley State University in 2026 – his sophomore season with the Lakers after playing one campaign apiece at McPherson College and the University of Waterloo.

He opened the college season on a 31-game hitting streak and garnered American Baseball Coaches Association First-Team All-American, Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association Second-Team All-American, and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year honours.

More than 40 players from the 108-year-old league – previously the Intercounty Baseball League – have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the league following their MLB careers.

July 13, 2026

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA – Baseball Canada has announced the list of athletes invited to the Women's National Team Training Camp, scheduled to take place from July 13-15 in Winnipeg, Man., before continuing in Rockford and Rosemont, Illinois, from July 17-21 in preparation for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage.

The training camp will culminate with Canada's participation in the six-team Group Stage, set for July 22-26 in Rockford, Illinois, where Canada will compete against Hong Kong (July 22), Korea (July 23), Mexico (July 24), host United States (July 25), and Australia (July 26). The top three teams will advance to the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Finals, which will also be held in Rockford from July 21-27, 2027.

Prior to the start of World Cup competition, Canada will face Team USA in a pair of exhibition games on July 18 and 19 in Rosemont, Illinois.

The training camp roster includes 18 players who helped Canada sweep Puerto Rico in a three-game series in May to secure the final Americas qualification spot for the WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup Group Stage.

The Women's National Team coaching staff is led by Manager Anthony Pluta, with Brittney Langlais, Kristy Watson, and Logan Wedgwood serving as assistant coaches.

The training camp in Winnipeg features workouts on July 13 and 14 before and intersquad game at Blue Cross Park beginning at 9am on July 15.

Women's National Team Training Camp Roster

Lucie Anctil (La Pocatiére, Que.)
Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.)
Ela Day-Bédard (Gatineau, Que.)
Ariane Domingue (Terrebonne, Que)
Claire Eccles (Surrey, BC)
Kyanna Faucher (Beauce, Que.)
Mikael Fields (Shortts Lake, N.S.)
Sophy Gagné (Sainte-Martine, Que.)
Alizée Gélinas (Trois-Riviéres, Que.)
Liz Gilder (Port Moody, BC)
Océane Lambert (Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Que.)
Elly Lasorsa-Godmer (St-Joseph-du-Lac, Que.) 
Andréanne Leblanc (Mont-Saint-Hillaire, Que.)
Emma Lecompte (Kelowna, BC)
Jaida Lee (St. John’s, Nfld.)
Cassie Matlock (Edmonton, Alta.)
Fréderique Noël (Bois-des-filion, Que.)
Raine Padgham (Abbotsford, BC)
Sarah Pengelly (Burnaby, BC)
Camille Proulx (Laval, Que.)
Michelle Roche (Burnaby, BC)
Alli Schroder (Fruitvale, BC)
Julianna Scott (Calgary, Alta.)
Madison Willan (Edmonton, Alta.)

Bold indicates member of WNT that participated in series against Puerto Rico

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 13. You can read it here.

July 14, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Alberta Dugout Stories

Jason Dickson has talked a lot about The Road to Okotoks recently.

But now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Baseball Canada has actually taken the road to Okotoks, Alberta … and he likes what he sees.

The national championship between 16 of the top 19U baseball programs in Canada is set to take place at Seaman Stadium and Tourmaline Field from July 14-19, culminating with the tournament winner taking home the Morneau Cup.

During his first trip to the Seaman Stadium Complex, which is home to the summer collegiate Dawgs of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) and Dawgs Academy, Dickson discussed what he expects out of the inaugural tournament.

Here’s what he had to say in a question-and-answer session with Alberta Dugout Stories:

Q: First off, why Okotoks?

When we started looking at this tournament, it was something that we wanted a little bit different environment, where it was less maybe about being from a showcase perspective and really get into that compete level and really see what the kids can do.

It’s going to help them on the scouting side and the school side. It helps us pick our national teams in really understanding … how do they actually compete when it gets tough? And so the next kind of slice to that, or layer to that is, we’ll amp it up when you put them in front of a big crowd, right? It’s very different when the game’s on the line and there’s a big crowd.

Then you start looking around the nation at spots that have a stadium that, you know, we feel these players are worthy of playing in. Who has the fan base that will create that exact environment that we want? And also, you know what, for the kids, a really special moment that they’ll remember playing in front of all these kids and all those people. And as you start to look across the country, it gets narrowed down pretty quickly. And Okotoks popped up on our list very early and we started those conversations with (Dawgs Managing Director) John (Ircandia) just around how we fit that into the schedule and use of the stadium and the partnership. And I think it was the natural fit. I think the things that we were looking for in the field that we wanted and the environment that we wanted and the fans we wanted, I think this is how we quickly got it narrowed down to here.

Today’s press conference brought Baseball Canada, the Okotoks Dawgs, Mayor Tanya Thorn and community partners together ahead of the inaugural edition of the Road to Okotoks! 🇨🇦🏆

Thank you to our hosts and the entire Okotoks community for helping bring the pursuit of the first… pic.twitter.com/wXJwgat4MG

— Baseball Canada 🇨🇦⚾️ (@baseballcanada) July 13, 2026

Q: This is your first trip here. Now that you’ve got eyes on it and you’ve looked around, what are your first impressions?

Yeah, I mean, obviously our staff have been in here quite a bit, and we’ve hosted national championships out this way, and obviously on social media you can see everything, but I’ve never had the opportunity to be [here] in person, but it’s everything that everybody’s talked about. And I’m really excited to see this place full and see the crowd. And for the kids at the end, they’re really excited for those players to get that opportunity to play in front of those crowds like that. We hope that they all become college players and move on to the pro ranks. And this might give them a little taste of what that looks like.

Q: This is an event that’s been years in the making. So, going from concept to the eve of this event, what are the expectations that you have now and have those changed since Baseball Canada announced The Road to Okotoks last fall?

The concept of a tournament like this as a best-on-best has been a long time in the making. We have national championships each year at Baseball Canada, different age classes. So, we’re in that business of understanding how to kind of get everybody under the umbrella. And, we really wanted to figure out, okay, how do we capture, that private world or that academy world or that travel baseball world? Because I think we firmly believe that baseball is better when everybody is under the same umbrella and we’re all proud of that Canadian flag and really supporting baseball in Canada.

And to get that from concept to today, I can’t even begin to tell you the number of calls that we’ve had, Greg (Hamilton) and I, the number of calls that we’ve had with Greg and I and John and with teams and with everybody who’s kind of in that baseball network to say, ‘What does it look like if we do this? What does it look like if we do that? How do we shape some of those things, leading into it?’ So, I’m excited to, seeing some of the kids on the field today working out, games get started tomorrow.

I’m probably the happiest person that we’re getting to finally get this thing launched to see what we’ve got. And like anything with a first-year tournament, you start compiling that list of … OK, what worked, let’s keep it, make it better. What didn’t work, how do we improve it or change it? What did we miss? We’re going to enjoy it, but obviously we never stop working on it and we’re probably our own worst critics to try to make the tournament better. But at the end of the day, it’s all to make sure that the experience is best for the kids and we work hard to make that happen.

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories full interview with Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson here.

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Q: That kind of leads into my next question, which is that evaluation piece, what does that look like? What will you be looking for and what will you be looking to tweak, enhance, or build on?

I think like one of the biggest challenges we face, we face it with a lot of our other championships too … these teams will turn over from year to year and the strength will kind of go up and down. And I think that’s always been the challenge when the discussion starts around. Who’s the best or who’s better than who?

I think as we go through some of those qualifying tournaments and figuring out how to get the schedules right and create the best games, I think we’ll look really closely at that. I mean, we’re not handicapping a schedule to make it even. I mean, that’s not the purpose. We want best-on-best, but just understanding kind of where everybody fits in and how they’re doing and whether it was a weak year for somebody or a strong year for somebody. I think that’s important to us.

I think it’s really important to see that these kids get the showcasing, the social media and that the scouts are watching and we know that that’s happening. Our coverage on social media and the run up to this event I think has been outstanding in really trying to see the pride kind of come out from the different programs, help the kids understand this isn’t just a regular tournament I’m going to. There’s a lot on the line. I really am playing for the club that’s on the front and, you know, I really am fighting to see who is the best in Canada.

So, I think it’s looking at all of those elements, as well. And then operationally, the Dawgs have done a tremendous job here and their staff. We talk all the time just around little things of how can we do certain items better, and whether it’s just the logistics of the whole thing, we’ll look at everything to make sure both the Dawgs and Baseball Canada have a lot of pride in delivering on the concept and what the product looks like, so we’ll be pretty tough on ourselves when we start to evaluate how to make it better.

Q: I’m assuming you’ll get lots of feedback along the way?

We’ve been getting feedback, we’ll get some more feedback, and I’m sure we’ll have continued feedback. Like with most of these events, your ears are open and you listen to all comments. I mean, whatever form they come in, sometimes people are a little fired up and sometimes they’re, it’s maybe a helpful thought and sometimes maybe they’re looking at it through their lens or a broader lens. But we’re open to all of that because I think it’s very important to listen to what everybody has to say.

We also understand sometimes it’s hard to keep everybody pleased. It’s a big country. It’s a big country and you know what? It’s a big competition.

The inevitable is this: there’s going to be one team that’s going to be very, very happy. And there’ll be some other teams that will be disappointed that they didn’t win it, but hopefully they’ve got some fire and hunger to come back and try to tackle it again. I think we’re open to everything that kind of comes our way, because at the end of the day, it’s not about our pride and ego. It’s about how do we deliver the best for the kids and the teams.

Q: Last question for you: what does the future look like for this event?

I think we understand that this final tournament is a 16-team tournament. At least that’s where we are now. I don’t know if we would expand it to more than that.

But I think you’re going to see the qualifiers to get in the tournaments expand. And we’ve got three now. Obviously, the more interest that comes in, we have to create more qualifying events for that. So, on the positive side, some of the teams that may not be here this year have already committed to coming next year. And maybe they passed on it this year just because of a planned schedule or a financial commitment that they’ve already committed to other events or some of those other pieces. But we’ve heard from a few more that are looking to get in. So, when you fast-forward five years from now, we had 29 that kind of started this thing, we’re hoping to make it 35, 40, 45, 50 … the more the merrier on really getting programs from across the country to kind of fight it out to get to this final 16 team event.

July 13, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Canada will be well-represented at the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) and Chicago White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) will be on the American League roster, managed by Toronto Blue Jays skipper John Schneider.

Meanwhile, Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez, who spent part of his youth in Montreal and has played for Canada at the last two World Baseball Classics, will be on the National League team, along with Freddie Freeman, whose parents are Canadian, who was selected to the Midsummer Classic for a 10th time.

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) was voted to start at first base for the AL, but he has declined his invitation to rest a lower back issue that has plagued him for much of the first half.

Here is some trivia about the Canucks that have been chosen for the All-Star Game over the years:

– The first Canadian selected was Huntsville, Ont., native George Selkirk, an outfielder with the New York Yankees, who toiled in the 1936 contest. Selkirk walked in a pinch-hit appearance in that contest.

– Fort William, Ont., native Jeff Heath started in right field for the American League in the 1941 All-Star Game and hit fifth in their order behind Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio. The Canuck slugger went 0-for-2 with a walk before being replaced by DiMaggio’s brother Dom.

– Three players born in Canada – Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.), Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.) and Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) – were selected for the 2008 classic. This represents the highest number of Canadian-born ever chosen. Although technically that number was equaled this year with Smith, Peters and Guerrero Jr. (who has declined his invitation). Lopez, who will also play in this year’s game, was not born in Canada but maintains dual Canadian/Dominican Republic citizenship.

– In 2008, Morneau became the first Canadian to win the All-Star Home Run Derby when he defeated Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton in the final round. In 2023, Guerrero Jr. duplicated Morneau’s feat when he won the derby.

– The two hits Morneau recorded in the 2008 All-Star Game are the most by a Canadian in the Midsummer Classic.

– With his sixth this year, Guerrero Jr. has equaled Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) for the most All-Star Game selections for a player born in Canada. Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) was selected to five.

– Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.) and Eric Gagne (Mascouche, Que.) were chosen to three All-Star games each – the most by a Canuck pitcher.

– Jenkins’ six strikeouts in the 1967 contest tied an All-Star game record. Among the players Jenkins fanned in that contest were Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew and Rod Carew.

– Guerrero Jr. became the first Canadian-born player to hit a home run in the All-Star Game when he connected for a solo shot off Corbin Burnes in the third inning of the 2021 contest at Coors Field. The American League won 5-2 and Guerrero Jr. was named MVP.

– No Canadians were selected for an All-Star game between Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) in 1978 and Walker in 1992.

– Three Canadian pitchers – Jason Dickson (Miramichi, N.B.), Jeff Zimmerman (Kelowna, B.C) and Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) – were selected for All-Star games in their rookie seasons in 1997, 1999 and 2019 respectively. Peters has become the first Canadian position player to be selected in his rookie season. Peters is also set to become the first player from Manitoba to compete in the MLB All-Star Game.

– When the All-Star game was held at Olympic Stadium in Montreal on July 13, 1982 – 44 years ago today – it was the first time that the Midsummer Classic had been played outside of the United States. Almost 60,000 fans crammed into The Big O to watch the National League club – which featured five Montreal Expos (Al Oliver, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter and Steve Rogers. Jim Fanning also served as a coach for the NL.) on its roster – defeat the American League 4-1. Rogers started the game and registered the win. Right-hander Jim Clancy was the sole Toronto Blue Jay on the American League squad. He pitched a scoreless fourth inning. It’s also interesting to note that Montreal native and Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Jim McKean umpired third base.

– On July 9, 1991, the All-Star game was held at the Skydome in Toronto. Three Blue Jays – Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter and Jimmy Key – suited up for the American League squad, who downed a National League team, whose roster featured Expos Dennis Martinez and Ivan Calderon, 4-1. Fittingly, Key was the winning pitcher, while Martinez took the loss. Former Expo Andre Dawson homered in the fourth inning for the National League.

-The only player to have represented the Expos and Blue Jays in the All-Star Game in different seasons was Ron Fairly. He was selected as a member of the Expos in 1973 and while with the Blue Jays in 1977.

-The first Canadian member of the Blue Jays to be earn an All-Star Game selection was Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) in 2001. Russell Martin (Montreal, Que., 2015), Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C., 2016), Guerrero Jr. (2021 to 2025) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont., 2022-23) have since followed.

-In 2023, Philadelphia Phillies skipper Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.) became the first Canadian to manage an All-Star team. He guided the National League to a 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

July 12, 2026

Baseball Canada

WINNIPEG – British Columbia is back on top once again.

British Columbia captured its second consecutive Women’s National Championship gold medal with an 8–1 win over Québec in the 2026 championship game.

B.C. opened the scoring in the first inning when Emma Lecompte (West Kelowna, BC) singled, stole second and came around to score on an error. The offence continued to build from there, breaking the game open with three runs in the third and three more in the fourth.

Kailyn Guenther (Chilliwack, BC) led the way at the plate, collecting four hits and driving in three runs. She delivered a two-run single in the third inning to extend B.C.’s lead to 4–0 before adding another RBI single in the fourth.

Jaida Lee (St. John’s, Nfld.) also helped her own cause, driving in runs with singles in both the third and fourth innings while almost going to distance on the mound. Lee limited Québec to one run over 6 1/3 innings, striking out four and working around traffic with help from a strong defensive performance behind her.

The victory caps another strong national championship run for British Columbia, which successfully defended its title and claimed back-to-back Women’s National Championship gold medals.

Lasorsa-Godmer Walk-Off Double Sends Québec to Bronze

Québec 2 – Blue Royal capped its Women’s National Championship with a dramatic finish, walking off Ontario 7–6 in the bronze medal game.

Ontario opened the scoring in the second inning when Reese Velocci (Toronto, Ont.) worked a walk and later came around to score on a groundout from Caitlin Tomotsugu (Vaughan, Ont.). The offence added three more in the third, highlighted by a two-run single from Emma Howorth (Toronto, Ont.) and an RBI fielder’s choice from Victoria Curro (Etobicoke, Ont.) that gave Ontario a 4–0 lead.

Québec answered right back in the bottom half, using four runs to tie the game. Clara Dupont (Saint-Martine, Que.) and Frédérique Noël (Bois-des-Filion, Que.) opened the inning with back-to-back singles before Élodie Ciamarro (Mont Saint Hilaire, Que.) brought home Dupont on a groundout. Camille Proulx (Laval, Que.) followed with an RBI double, and Charlie Marcotte (Repentigny, Que.) later delivered a double to help bring Québec even at 4–4.

Ontario moved back in front in the fifth when Emily Baxter (Oakville, Ont.) reached on a dropped third strike and later scored on a single from Curro. Québec responded again in the sixth, with Elly Lasorsa-Godmer (St-Joseph-du-Lac, Que.) singling, stealing third and scoring on a fielder’s choice from Ciamarro to tie the game 5–5.

The back-and-forth continued in the seventh when Ontario loaded the bases and took a 6–5 lead on a walk from Tomotsugu. But Québec had one final answer in the bottom half. Maika Dumais (Quebec, Que.) opened the inning with a single and came around to score on a single from Marcotte, tying the game at 6–6. Moments later, Lasorsa-Godmer delivered the walk-off blow, doubling to left field to score Justine Martinet (Mont Saint Hilaire, Que.) and secure the bronze medal for Québec.

Lasorsa-Godmer led Québec with the walk-off double and two hits, while Marcotte added a pair of run-scoring hits. Dupont, Noël and Proulx also helped spark the offence in the comeback win.

Placement Matchups

With the loss in the bronze medal game, Ontario closed the tournament in fourth place after pushing Québec to the final inning in one of the most dramatic games of championship day.

Manitoba finished its week on a winning note, defeating Saskatchewan in the fifth-place matchup, while Ontario 2 earned a win over Nova Scotia in the seventh-place game to round out the final day of competition.

July 12, 2026

By Abby Fralic

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs earned an 8-7, 10-inning victory over the Regina Red Sox on Sunday at Currie Field.

Jacob Wrubleski (Okotoks, Alta.) sparked the Dawgs’ bats, going 2-for-3 with a home run and a double, two runs and four RBIs.

Cal Gates also had an excellent game, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base. He knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning with a triple.

Brody Burnette earned the win after closing out the game with 2 1/3 innings of relief.

Earlier, Dalton Hoffart contributed two scoreless innings in relief.

The Dawgs will now return home to face the Medicine Hat Mavericks on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories on July 11. You can read it here.

July 13, 2026

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

No one could have imagined the kind of memorable rookie season that Tristan Peters was going to put together.

Even the Chicago White Sox outfielder seems a little gobsmacked when talking about all that has transpired, particularly on Friday and Saturday.

Entering Friday night’s game against the Athletics, he was hitting .292 with 19 doubles, five home runs and 30 runs batted in over his first 88 games.

Peters then went off, hitting for the cycle, driving in five runs and writing his name in the history books as the fourth Canadian to accomplish the feat.

Less than 12 hours later, the Dawgs Academy and Okotoks Dawgs alum was selected as an injury replacement for Athletics’ first baseman Nick Kurtz for the upcoming MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

an exciting chapter in Tristan Peters' story 📚 pic.twitter.com/3XoOtD7jc9

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) July 12, 2026

“It’s surreal – it doesn’t feel real at the moment,” Peters told reporters after the announcement was made. “I can’t believe this is all happening. It feels like all at once. I’m just so grateful. It’s been some of the most fun I’ve had playing baseball with this team.”

It’s another incredible chapter in his well-documented journey from his hometown in Winkler, Manitoba to the big leagues.

GETTING A CHANCE

Heading into the 2026 season, there were some question marks as to whether Peters was even going to be an everyday player with the White Sox.

Traded during the offseason from Tampa Bay, where he made his MLB debut in 2025, the 2019 Western Canadian Baseball League Top Canadian and Playoff MVP was joining a team that was coming off being the worst in the bigs.

Peters earned a spot out of Spring Training and kept doing what was asked of him.

“I know there was a lot of bunting in the beginning and just trying to figure out who I am at the big-league level,” said the Southern Illinois University grad. “They (the White Sox) gave space for that, too. Just an incredibly supportive group and that’s helped me thrive.”

He says he simply wanted to make the most out of every opportunity he was given to showcase the player he can be – an every day Major Leaguer.

RIDING AROUND THE BASES

Hitting ninth and playing centre field in his 89th game of the season Friday night, Peters was also at the centre of the hometown broadcast as he was mic’d up for CHSN.

He got his first at-bat in the bottom of the third and hit a double into the gap in right-centre field off Aaron Civale.

Later on while he was patrolling the outfield, the broadcast caught him saying, “I’ll tell you what, if I get out once, I’m done being mic’d up, I’ll take it off. If I keep getting hits, I’ll keep it on.”

Peters then hit a scorcher off the glove of first baseman Joey Menenes in the fifth inning for an RBI single.

Facing reliever Justin Sterner in the bottom of the seventh, the 26-year-old hit an absolute rocket over the fence, which kickstarted what turned into an eight-run inning where he found himself back up to the plate nine batters later.

With Mason Barnett on the mound, the former Savannah Bananas outfielder drove one just inside the first base line and he was off to the races, sliding into third and the history books.

“When I hit the ball, I was thinking three,” he said of the triple, which allowed him to become just the second Canadian since 1900 (George Kottaras did it with Milwaukee in September 2011) to hit for the cycle in a major league game.

According to MLB.com, Peters is just the fifth player in MLB history to record a cycle while batting ninth in the lineup.

“I’m honoured – it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” he said in his post-game media availability. “Blessed to do it in front of these fans. This city. It’s just incredible.”

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Little did he know, the cycle was just the beginning of a crazy weekend.

Peters got the call about the All-Star Game Saturday morning, which he admits was a pipe dream at the start of the season.

“I guess toward the end of this first half, I was like ‘OK, maybe there’s a chance,’ but there’s a lot of really, really talented players in this league,” he said.

His mind immediately went to his family, as he and his wife Erin welcomed their first child, Elaine, in Spring Training.

“Shout out to my wife, she’s incredible,” Peters smiled. “She’s almost a single mom half the time, I’m gone so often. She’s a super mom, really. She lets me sleep at night, she takes care of the baby. She’s the real hero in this situation. I’m so proud of her. She’s such an amazing mom.”

Back in Okotoks, fellow Chandler-Gilbert Community College grad Tyler Hollick was at a loss for words thinking about how Peters has gone from the quiet high school kid roaming around the Seaman Stadium complex and WCBL champion with the Dawgs in 2019 to a bonafide big leaguer and MLB All-Star.

“He’s a testament to trusting the program, being a great teammate and extremely hard worker,” the Dawgs’ president of baseball operations told Alberta Dugout Stories.

“Couldn’t have happened to a better kid and we are so proud of him. Hopefully this is just the beginning as it’s been an amazing season.”

Peters becomes the second Dawg to be named to the MLB All-Star Game, following pitcher Andrew Kittredge in 2021.

July 11, 2026

By Ian Wilson

Western Canadian Baseball League

Nathan Flewelling was flexing at the All-Star Futures Game.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) event held on Sunday - part of the 2026 All-Star festivities at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia - showcases the top prospects in the game and Flewelling made the most of his only at bat in the sixth inning by launching a two-run homer over the right-field fence with two out.

The Innisfail, Alberta product and former catcher with the Sylvan Lake Gulls of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) helped boost the American League Futures to a 6-1 victory over the National League Futures and secured the Larry Doby Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award as a result.

“It was a complete honour to be here, obviously amongst some really talented players,” said the No. 2 prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system during an interview with MLB.com.

“Just very grateful to be here. And it was a pretty surreal moment being able to do that.”

Flewelling, who was presented the award by Hall-of-Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr., said in a post-game press conference that he was trying to soak in the event as much as possible.

"I wanted to kind of take a piece from everybody and better myself and gain the experience of being here, so hopefully when the day comes it's just smooth sailing and I go right into it, so I just wanted to take away the experience and obviously learn a bit from the great coaches and the great players here," said the 6-foot-2 lefty slugger.

"Being here under the bright lights is really cool and letting all the hard work pay off and just playing free is what's allowed me to just do that."

The 19-year-old backstop, a third-round pick of the Rays in the 2024 MLB Draft, has been having an outstanding season with the High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods. Through 73 games, Flewelling has 52 runs, 16 long balls, 12 doubles, 47 runs batted in (RBIs), 55 walks and a .394 on-base percentage.

In breaking down his blast during the Futures Game, Flewelling admitted he was hunting a fastball.

“He had just walked a guy, and I knew he was going to try to be aggressive,” Flewelling said of the 96-mph offering from pitcher Wen-Hui Pan.

“I was looking first-pitch heater right down in the zone. And that's where I got it, and the rest is history from there.”

Flewelling also told reporter Anthony Castrovince that he has a long ways to go before he realizes his dream of playing in the major leagues.

“Obviously I'm still young, and I think there's a long ways to go in my development,” noted Flewelling.

“I'm still learning every single day, but I don't really put a timeline on it. I'm getting more ready every single day, so I think it could be soon. I'm really willing to impact the Rays team, and I'm excited to get up there one day and hopefully help them out.”

Flewelling was the winner of the 2023 Canadian Futures Showcase Home Run Derby and he made a big impact as a 17-year-old with the Gulls in just 20 WCBL games in 2024. That season he swatted five home runs, produced 19 RBIs and posted a .329 batting average.

During an interview with Alberta Dugout Stories earlier this year, the St. Joseph Academy graduate said he went to work on his game following his first pro season in 2025.

“I made some swing adjustments – nothing crazy – just trying to dial in my bat path to try to limit some swing-and-miss a little bit, then just continue working on my catching,” said Flewelling.

“Just take it one day at a time and continue to build off what I did last year,” he added.

“As long as I keep the same things that I was doing last year and the same routines, I think I’m going to have the same kind of year and hopefully be even better.”

After finding his power groove this season, and showing it off in the Futures Game, Flewelling seems to have taken his game to the next level.

It's a bright future indeed.