The Yorkton Cardinals begin their 2016 quest for the Western Major Baseball League championship this weekend with a home-at-home series against the rival Melville Millionaires, but who exactly will be playing for the Cardinals this season?
In total, head coach Bill Sobkow and assistant coach John Zeeban have recruited 18 new faces to the Cardinals.
Nineteen, if you count new coach Bryn Biancalana, who replaces former Cardinal player and coach Kameron Mizzell, who opted to remain in the United States this summer after winning the 2015 MABL National title with the Georgia Barons last year.
Biancalana, originally from Omaha, Nebraska, brings to Yorkton a wealth of baseball experience having grown up in and around the game in a professional manner as his father Buddy Biancalana spent parts of six seasons in the MLB winning a World Series title in 1985 with the Kansas City Royals.
He鈥檚 also one of the lead instructors at the Perfect Mind, Perfect Motion (PMPM) Baseball Academy in the US.
Player-wise, all but three pitchers will be new to Yorkton this season, including five pitchers.
Right handed pitchers Justin Johnston (Calgary, AB, VIBI), Luke Lucas (O鈥橣allon, MO, SW Baptist University), Spencer Jackson (Louisville, KY, Eastern Kentucky University), Austin Douglas (Canon City, CO, University of Texas 鈥� Rio Grand Valley) and Edward Pena (Mission, TX, University of Texas 鈥� Rio Grand Valley) will join returning hurlers Kody Rock (Canora, SK, Mayville State), Jamie Whitehead (Calgary, AB, SW Baptist University) and hometown hero Derek Marshall (Yorkton, SK, Lindenwood) on a Cardinal pitching staff that will look to keep opposing batters off-balance despite not possessing one left handed pitcher.
Receiving their pitches will be three new catchers, as Hunter Hisky (Kansas City, MO, SW Baptist University), Ben Schanding (Paris, KY, 麻豆传媒AVeast CC) and Jacob Cuch (Airdrie, AB, University of Dickinson) all make their way to Yorkton for the first time to join the redbirds.
The entire infield 鈥� as well as the outfield 鈥� will take some time in getting to know as well, as not one player will be back from 2015.
Garret Kizer (Schertz, TX, Tarleton State) will play first base this year for Yorkton while Canadian middle infielder Chance Wheatly (Bawlf, AB, Lethbridge College) will be one half of the double play threat.
Caden Rosholt (Cedar Park, TX, University of Texas 鈥� Rio Grand Valley) and Elias Macias (Pembroke Pines, FL, St. Charles CC) will be competing amongst one another to see who will be the second half of the double play duo at shortstop.
A pair of large bodies will compete with one another to see who will man the hot corner in 2016 as the 6鈥�3鈥�, 205-pound Dylan Borman (Camrose, AB, Lethbridge College) and 6鈥�5鈥�, 235-pound Luke Wilkinson (Brea, CA, Northwest Missouri State) have been brought in both for their defence as well as their imposing presence at the plate.
In the outfield Billy Clapperton (Calgary, AB, University of Arts & Science) will be the only true right fielder on the Cards, while a trio of centre fielders 鈥� Cory Canterbury (Wentzville, MO, St. Louis CC), Daniel McFarland (Louisville, KY, Eastern Kentucky University) and Garrett Fort (Ankeny, IA, Northwest Missouri State) will battle to see who wins the coveted centre fielder position and who will be relegated to left field and backup.
Offensively Wilkinson, McFarland, Kizer and Fort should lead the way with the rest of the players doing their part to keep the offence rolling.
In total there are six freshmen, seven sophomores and eight juniors on the 2016 edition of the Yorkton Cardinals.
The 2016 season will kick off this Saturday as the Cardinals travel to Melville for a 7:05p.m. game against the Millionaires.
They鈥檒l then host those same Mils on Sunday at Jubilee Park for their 2016 home opener, also scheduled for 7:05pm.
