Sports teams are faithful to the recruiting pipelines they most trust.
That’s why the Victoria HarbourCats have had multiple NCAA baseball players from Oregon State, UCLA, Cal-Poly, Long Beach State and University of Hawaii on the roster over the years.
While those make geographic sense, the HarbourCats have also found a successful link to a place as unlikely as West Lafayette, Indiana. The Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten produced an efficient slugging-infielder in Harry Shipley for the HarbourCats last season. Victoria has now recruited Shipley’s middle-infield teammate at Purdue — Nick Evarts.
“We draw on the great networks that we have created and we continue to work those. Now, Purdue is turning into a good spot for us,” said HarbourCats managing partner Jim Swanson.
The West Coast League is a summer circuit in which university and college players participate after their NCAA seasons are over.
The HarbourCats also announced the signings Tuesday of outfielder Blake Wagenseller and pitcher Aidan Goicovich, both from Cal-Poly, and pitchers Tyson Cronin from Oklahoma Wesleyan, Ryan Rutherford of UC-San Bernardino and Jeremy Jess and Tyler Yoshihara, both of Pomona-Pitzer.
Signed to a 10-day tryout is Spectrum grad and pitcher Jacob Potter, currently playing at Allen Community College in Kansas.
The 2017 WCL runner-up HarbourCats have more than 30 players signed for the 2018 WCL season, which begins June 1 at Royal Athletic Park against the Wenatchee AppleSox.
The HarbourCats also announced they will wear Humboldt Broncos caps for their home opener to honour the 16 players and staff from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League team who perished in the recent bus crash.
“I have driven those same roads many times,” said Swanson, who was a goaltender with the Flin Flon Bombers in Junior A and Saskatoon Royals in Junior B hockey.
“This has jarred everybody in sports. It could happen to any team at any time.”
Swanson noted WCL teams like the HarbourCats also spend a great deal of time in bus travel during the summer baseball season in a league that stretches into eastern Washington state and Oregon. He said the HarbourCats have included extra hotel nights this season after games in Walla Walla, Washington, and Bend, Oregon, to avoid some overnight travel.
The HarbourCats donated all team merchandise sales from last week, totalling $2,424, to the Broncos memorial fund. The opening-game caps will also be used to generate money for the fund.
“It was a tough week for people across Canada, and we’re glad to do our part to help, even if in some small way,” said Swanson.
The HarbourCats are also selling Broncos stickers, available at the team offices at 1814 Vancouver Street, to help raise money for the memorial fund. The big stickers go for a suggested $10 and the smaller ones for $5.
