(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com)
TRUMAN BARTMAN | themavericks.ca
How sweet! The first Mavericks home game of the 2026 summer season has arrived, and with it comes an opportunity to take on the WCBL’s defending champion Regina Red Sox on night one.
Before we look into what this matchup entails, I’d like to welcome you back to Mavs baseball. It’s been a long wait, and the streaky Medicine Hat weather in 2026 certainly hasn’t helped. I know each of you is eager to get back to Athletic Park to take in the action.
Flashing back to last season, the Mavericks’ playoff run ended abruptly at the hands of the same group they will see tonight. Several of the Mavs’ most valuable position players from last year have returned for another kick at the can in 2026. Most notably, the Mavs will have Evan Morrison, Johnny Vulcano, Blake Dale, and WCBL all-star Carter Roth as a part of a stacked infield grouping.
On the mound, Medicine Hat has experienced lots of changes to its pitching rotation, with only Diego Centella and David Heinen returning. It will be Derek Archer in line to start this evening, beginning his Mavericks tenure in style.
Archer spent his final collegiate season at Westminster College, appearing in over 70 innings. The St. Charles, Missouri native went 4-2 over his 12 starts, collecting 69 strikeouts, which ranked 3rd amongst Westminster pitchers.
It’s much the same for Regina on the pitching side, who will have Colton Bank, Vittorio Iacobucci, and Zander Oudie-Senger at their disposal for another go-around. However, it’s the re-acquisition of 2024 All-Star starter Daniel Crabtree that has the Red Sox staff looking extra dangerous.
To pair with Crabtree and company, a trio of WCBL champions will slot back in behind the plate for Regina. Spearheading the pack is veteran Brady Bye, who had a breakout season in 2025, making his first All-Star Game appearance and capturing WCBL Playoff MVP honours. Along with Bye, Daniel Castellanos and Rhett Hodgins each proved to be staples of consistency throughout the Sox run to glory.
With a new season on the horizon, a chance to start fresh for the Medicine Hat Mavericks presents itself. It’s the opposite for the Regina Red Sox, who will look to usher their good fortune from 2025 into 2026. Athletic Park is all prepped and ready to go as the WCBL season gets underway from Medicine Hat at 6:45 pm.