By IAN WILSON
The Moose Jaw Miller Express are coming off back-to-back summers that have seen the team emerge as a force to be reckoned with.
In that time, the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) East Division champs have won 71 regular-season games and lost only 41 contests.
Despite that success, the Miller Express have not been able to claim a WCBL title. After going to the 2022 final and losing to the Okotoks Dawgs, Moose Jaw bowed out in the second round of the postseason to the Medicine Hat Mavericks last year. They won’t have to wait long to exact revenge against the Mavs, as Moose Jaw plays host to Medicine Hat in their home-opening weekend on May 25-26.
The Millers and their fans hope this year will be different and the club will be able to convert regular-season prowess into the ultimate WCBL playoff reward – a nameplate on the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy.
To get to the promised land, Moose Jaw will need to do it without Dawson Tweet, who had a historic 2023 season that saw him named the WCBL’s Most Outstanding Canadian after setting a new league record by hitting safely in 36 consecutive games. The team’s most valuable player also led the circuit in batting average, runs and hits.
The Millers will, however, have 13 returning players – along with familiar skippers – who will look to lead them to regular season and playoff glory.
IN THE DUGOUT
The coaching staff of the Miller Express remains fully intact.
Eric Marriott, a former outfielder with Moose Jaw, is back as the head coach for a third straight summer.
He’ll be flanked by assistant coach Michael Gonzalez, who also returns for a third tour of duty, and pitching/strength coach Jeff Nicolosi.
Meanwhile, former Major League Baseball (MLB) player Dustin Molleken brings more than 15 years of professional pitching experience to the club as a consultant.
ON THE MOUND
The pitcher who collected the most wins in the WCBL in 2023 is back on the bump with the Miller Express this summer. Ethan Merk had an 8-1 record last year and dating back to 2022 the Regina righty is 9-2 with a 3.01 earned run average (ERA), two saves, and 72 strikeouts in 25 games and 89-plus innings for the Saskatchewan ball club.
Starting pitcher Matt Vasquez returns to action for Moose Jaw. During the WCBL regular season last summer, the southpaw went 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA and 40 Ks in 49.2 innings pitched. The senior hails from San Antonio, Texas.
Julian Gonzalez was excellent out of the bullpen for the Miller Express in 2023, going 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA and 33 strikeouts through 48-plus innings. The Keystone College senior is back for another summer in the WCBL. A right-handed pitcher, Gonzalez appeared in 24 games for Moose Jaw, including a trio of postseason outings. He also made a pair of regular-season starts.
Another Keystone College senior addition is Justice Ramirez, a righty who has a 4.02 ERA in 15-plus innings while working as both starter and reliever for the Giants.
Regina’s Takao Cookson heads to Moose Jaw after his freshman season with the Valley City State University Vikings in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In 59-plus innings, the righthander has a 3.03 ERA, a 1-2 record, two saves and 63 strikeouts.
Declan O’Hare joins the Miller Express as a two-way player from Iowa’s Central College. As a pitcher at the NCAA Division 3 school, the California senior has a 10-9 record, 4.53 ERA and 130 Ks in his 155 innings over five years. At the plate, O’Hare carries a .283 batting average, 85 RBI and 83 runs in 127 career games.
BEHIND THE PLATE
Catcher Wyatt Tweet will look to build on an impressive rookie season in Moose Jaw. The Russell, Manitoba native appeared in 34 regular-season games and another three postseason matchups for the Millers in 2023. He batted .313 with 27 runs batted in (RBI), 23 runs and three long balls in 134 at bats.
Tyler Shinn, a 6-foot-3 senior out of Salem University, will also wear the mask and chest protector for Moose Jaw. Shinn is a right-handed hitter from Woolwich Township, New Jersey. In 157 games with the Tigers, he has 20 homers, 134 RBI, 24 stolen bases and a .396 on-base percentage.
Another backstop in the mix is Garrett Dennis of Arkansas. The redshirt junior has managed to get into 24 games in 2023-24 at Middle Georgia State University, where he has produced 15 hits over 77 at bats.
AROUND THE HORN
Returning player Bobby Pokorney – a shortstop from Florida who appeared in 45 games for Moose Jaw last year – turned in stellar defence last summer while punching through 43 hits and scoring 32 runs in his 159 at bats. “Bobby Biceps” also took the mound in five games and struck out five batters in six innings as a reliever.
He will have a familiar face at first base in Austin Gurney. Since 2022, the pride of Campbell River, British Columbia has suited up in a total of 117 games for the Millers. He’s collected 85 RBI, 95 runs, 127 hits, 12 homers and 14 stolen bases in his time on the WCBL circuit. The lefty slugger is also able to slot into the lineup card as an outfielder.
Texan Thomas Soto has also signed on for another summer in Moose Jaw. In 2023, the Tyler Junior College sophomore infielder hit .293 with 19 stolen bases and 40 runs with the Miller Express.
New to the club this year is first baseman Elijah Bear, a sophomore who appropriately plays NAIA baseball for the Bruins of Bellevue University. He’s batting .297 with a .395 on-base percentage and 18 RBI through 26 games with the Bruins in 2023-24. The Texan is also capable of handling outfield duties.
Nathan Houston will look to increase his playing time this summer. The Melville, Saskatchewan infielder got into seven games in 2023. He is coming off a freshman season at Arizona Western College that saw him put up a .391 batting average, 46 RBI, 37 runs and 14 stolen bases in 51 games played.
The coaching staff hopes to see Luke LaChance return to the Ross Wells Park middle infield for a third straight summer. In his 87 playoff and regular-season contests with the Miller Express, the Doane University senior has a .281 batting average, 45 RBI and 41 runs.
IN THE OUTFIELD
Nebraska’s Nate Mensik will shag fly balls in Ross Wells Park’s outfield yet again. The Doane University senior was named the team’s most valuable player in 2022 and he was selected as Moose Jaw’s fan favourite last summer. The righty batter has suited up in 106 games for the Miller Express. During his 401 at bats, Mensik has a .312 batting average, 83 RBI, 87 runs, 16 home runs and 26 stolen bases. In addition, he’s proven to be a fearless fielder who isn’t afraid to crash into an outfield wall if it means making a catch.
Mitchell College senior Owen Robbins – a product of East Lyme, Connecticut – will travel north of the border to wear the yellow and black. In his 139 games at the NCAA Division 3 school, the righty batter has 36 doubles, 113 RBI, 103 runs and a .420 on-base percentage.
A couple other recruits from Keyston College are outfielders Darren Hagan and Robert Estrada. Both have been excellent hitters and base runners for the Giants this season. Hagan has a .410 batting average, a .503 on-base percentage, 38 RBI, 51 runs, 20 stolen bases and seven homers over 38 games. Estrada is a Venezuelan product with a .361 batting average, 51 RBI, 67 runs and 35 stolen bases in 69 games during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Home Ballpark: Ross Wells Park
Home Opener: 7:05 p.m., Saturday, May 25th vs. Medicine Hat Mavericks
2023 Regular Season Results: First place in East Division with 38 wins & 18 losses
2023 Playoff Results: Lost in second round to Medicine Hat Mavericks; 3-2 postseason record
WCBL Championships: 1999, 2002
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