(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com)
BY TRUMAN BARTMAN. THEMAVERICKS.CA
As the days get longer and the grass grows greener, all signs point towards the return of baseball season in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Following a disappointing finish to the 2024 WCBL season, which saw the Medicine Hat Mavericks lose in Round 1 to the Saskatoon Berries, a new crop of players look to surpass last year’s results. Looking ahead to who will lead the pack for the Mavs, a mix of household names and newcomers make up this year’s group.
At the beginning of any new season, a level of uncertainty clouds over Athletic Park as fans and players await the Mavs’ home opener. To clear up some of that uncertainty, here are the players you can expect to be donning red, black, and white.
Leading the charge in the dugout is first-year Mavericks head coach and Valley City State assistant coach Jonathon Thornhill. Ryan Reed from Mid-America Christian University and former Mavericks reliever Cesar Rodriguez will be posted up alongside Thornhill as assistants.
The Valley City State takeover doesn’t stop at Thornhill, as the Mavericks’ catching crew includes Jamel Chabot and returning Maverick Jaden Babiuk. The duo will look to shift their collegiate success to the WCBL as both hit above .330 for the Vikings.
Scattered along the infield, a few familiar faces slot in. Tyler Vanneste, Blake Dale, Evan Morrison, and Johnny Vulcano will be neighbours once again this season as the vets return for another go-around. Vanneste is coming off an All-Star season that saw him boast a .325 batting average. Both Dale and Vulcano spent collegiate seasons in new places, with Dale transferring from McCook Community College to Kansas Wesleyan University and Vulcano moving from Ottawa University to Doane University.
Johnny Vulcano isn’t the only Doane Tiger infielder who joins the Mavericks, as his teammate, Carter Roth, will follow him up north as well. Although Roth was born in Canada, Medicine Hat is a long way from his hometown of Stratford, Ontario.
As for Evan Morrison, he grew up in the city, making the journey significantly shorter than his fellow counterparts.
Expected to put on several kilometres this season, Jeremy Freeman Jr. and Adam Vulcano join as utility options for Med Hat. Freeman Jr. is a speedster who broke Ottawa University’s stolen base record. For Adam Vulcano, he makes his third appearance within the Mavericks system after playing in parts of 2023 and 2024. Neither player will have a concrete home, which gives coach Thornhill the flexibility to move them wherever he sees fit.
Taking a trip beyond the infield, one of the Mavericks’ 2024 mainstays returns to his rightful place in left field. Micah Dvorak found his rhythm throughout last summer and became known for his consistency at the plate. He will look to replicate that same success with two new running mates in Aaron Vulcano and Yusei Uzawa.
Uzawa hails from Chiba, Japan, but spent time playing at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado. He’s one of two Japanese-born players who will join the Mavs, as freshman Hikaru Mikami headlines the Mavericks’ pitching crew.
Alongside him will be two more foreign-born arms in Luis Diaz (Mexico) and Diego Centella (Panama). Both pitched for the Ottawa University Braves and make up 2 thirds of the trio set to join. Fawster Voytko, the final member of that trio, checks out as the tallest player on the Mavericks roster, standing at 6 ‘4″.
Staying on the theme of collegiate teammates making the trip up north. Garrick Levesque and Xander Roberts of Tabor College reunite for one last go-around. After a disappointing end to the Tabor Blue Jays’ season, the graduated seniors will have one more crack with the Mavs to go out in style.
For AJ Doll, Graham Stack, and Luke Barrientos, a new journey with brand-new teammates will begin as the three pitchers will be the sole representatives from their schools. Jesse Alfaro, on the other hand, steps in from CSU San Bernardino, a place where he and Tyler Vanneste have shared the field.
Left to introduce are four pitchers. Throwing from that side are Danny Retzlaff and Tyler Spruiell, two freshmen who are set to make their WCBL debuts. Away from the mound, both starred on the gridiron in high school. Spruiell played Quarterback at Lubbock-Cooper, while Retzlaff lined up at Linebacker for Centennial High School. These two gridiron standouts will be looking to make a names for themselves up north.
Two names that Mavericks fans may remember are Ryan Dexter and Max Hudlow, who return as the only vets within the Mavs staff. Last season, Adam Golby was the only pitcher to return for another season, so it is a step up, but still a limited turnaround.
This group will represent the Gas City over the next 4 months in pursuit of the team’s 4th Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy. The season kicks off on May 28th against the Okotoks Dawgs, who have claimed the last three WCBL titles. For baseball fans, opening day is a holiday in itself. The yearly tradition remains circled on many calenders, especially in Medicine Hat. Soon enough, Athletic Park will be packed with fans and high expectations as another summer at the diamond commences.