Regina Red Sox 2025 Preview

By IAN WILSON

It’s time for the Regina Red Sox to convert their regular season success into playoff wins.

The Red Sox have qualified for the postseason three straight years and finished atop the East Division after two of those regular seasons.

Despite the playoff appearances, Regina has not won a game in the postseason since 2019, when the Red Sox lost to the Okotoks Dawgs in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) championship final.

The team has proven to be capable of building a roster that can claim victories with some regularity, but they need to pick up more wins when the games matter most.

COACHING

General Manager Mitch MacDonald – the only Triple Crown winning hitter in WCBL history – will oversee a coaching staff led by skipper Rye Pothakos, who enters his tenth season with the Red Sox. Pothakos has a scouting background that includes work for the Kansas City Royals and the Greek national team, and he was recently named a member of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.

MacDonald is in his 11th season with Regina as either a player or a coach and, in addition to his GM duties, he will serve as the club’s hitting coach this year.

Steven Butts returns for a third season as the pitching coach in the Saskatchewan capital. He calls Phoenix, Arizona home and is the head coach at North Valley Christian Academy.

Assistant coach Braydon Cobb is back for a second summer. The University of Regina business student worked with Butts at North Valley Christian Academy ahead of the 2025 WCBL season.

They’ll be joined by new assistant coach Brody Boyenko, who is originally from Saskatoon and studied at the Prairie Baseball Academy in Lethbridge. Boyenko was the pitching coach for the Swift Current 57’s in 2023 and is currently an instructor at Going Yard Baseball Academy.

Todd Stewart is back for a second season as the athletic trainer and massage therapist for the Red Sox. Stewart is the co-founder of Queen City Sports Massage & Associates.

PITCHING

A good chunk of the pitching staff that helped lead the Red Sox to the top of the East Division standings last summer will be back in the Queen City in 2025.

Key among them is lefty Colton Anderson, who was named the 2024 WCBL Most Outstanding Pitcher after going 6-2 with a 2.93 earned run average (ERA) and 64 strikeouts in 49 regular season innings. The Oklahoma product appeared in 11 games and made seven starts. During his lone playoff performance, Anderson racked up 10 Ks over seven innings in a losing effort while issuing just two walks.

“Colton was dominant from day one last year and we look forward to his savvy and competitive level every time he takes the ball,” said Pothakos.

Another southpaw coming back to Currie Field is starting pitcher Holden Hungerford. The dependable lefthander from California went 2-2 in his eight starts and collected 33 strikeouts and a 4.25 ERA in 42.1 innings on the bump last season with the Red Sox.

Local product Zander Oudie-Senger, a 6-foot-3 righthander, will suit up for a fourth straight summer of WCBL action. The reliever, who is capable of making the odd start for the Red Sox, is 7-3 with a 4.16 ERA and 65 Ks during his 46 games and 101-plus innings with Regina.

Ayden Page worked in nine games and 30-plus innings with the Red Sox in 2024. In that time, the righthander from Southwestern Oklahoma State University was 3-1 with 23 strikeouts.

“Ayden is a bulldog on the bump and gave us much needed quality innings,” said Pothakos.

“Ayden will be a versatile member of our pitching staff with the ability to start and also give us quality bullpen innings.”

Vancoucer’s Vittorio Iacobubucci – who had 17 Ks in 18 innings of relief with Regina last year – and hometown righty Jesse Lubiniecki, who picked up a win during his four games of bullpen work in 2024, will both be back, as will Nicolas Yard, who went 2-1 with a save and seven strikeouts in six relief appearances with the Red Sox.

Regina native Colton Bank is a lefty option who appeared in three games with the Red Sox in 2023 and 2024. The Valley City University hill topper will look to take on more innings this year.

New righthanders on the roster include innings eater Blake Johnson, who stands 6-foot-4 and pitches for Rogers State University; Texan James Adcox, who is described as a bullpen anchor; and Ryden Walker, who attends Taft Community College.

Draven Zeigler, is a 6-foot-4 pitcher out of Louisiana State University – Shreveport, one of several righty pitchers from that school who are heading north to play in Regina. The others include reliever David Hankins and Calvin Shepherd.

Arizona’s Ryan Mixey is expected to have a spot in the starting rotation during his first season in the WCBL. The 6-foot-3 righthander spent the last two summers pitching in the Northwoods League.

Another new starter the Red Sox have added to the mix is Kai Langford, a 6-foot-5 top of the rotation pitcher from Mineral Area College with a dominant fastball.

BATTING

Outfielder Jackson Syring will bring his tough-as-nails attitude back to the Queen City this summer. The Kansas product was a well-rounded offensive force in the WCBL in 2024. In 50 regular season matchups, he posted a .404 batting average, scored 59 runs, produced 51 runs batted in (RBI), launched seven homers and stole 10 bases. Syring also led the league in being hit by pitches after getting plunked 17 times. During the first game of the postseason, he was struck in the face by an offering. Syring stole a base and scored a run before going to the hospital.

“Jax was the heart and soul of the Red Sox in 2024, playing the game with desire, emotion and leadership. He was a force at the plate and played outstanding defence, making a number of unbelievable, game-changing catches,” noted Pothakos.

Centre fielder Silas Butler is also coming back to roam the outfield with Syring. The speedster played 50 games for the Red Sox last summer. In those games, the Point University product had a .316 batting average, 19 stolen bases, 30 runs and 28 RBI.

New outfielders include Jordan Tucker (Rogers State University); Luis Fuentes (Rogers State University); Dane Watts (Southeastern Louisiana University); Jory Graves (Bismarck State University); Matt Melancon (Nicholls State); and CJ Robertson (Keiser University).

Regina is bringing back local utility player Brady Bye, who collected 28 hits through 35 games with the Red Sox dating back to 2022.

“Brady is set to begin his second full season with his hometown Red Sox. In 2024, Brady had a breakout season, splitting time at the catcher position,” said Pothakos.

“He’s known for his excellent game-calling skills and his ability to handle the pitchers effectively … adding power from the left side of the plate, Brady is a hard-nosed competitor who plays the game with emotion and passion.”

Angelo Franco will suit up for a second season with Regina as a third baseman and designated hitter. The Port Moody, British Columbia product had a .306 batting average in 22 WCBL games last summer.

New infielders include Jalen Seward (Salt Lake Community College); Sam Baker (Point University); shortstop Jack Dunn (Columbia College); third baseman/shortstop Riley Bender (Mary Hardin-Baylor University); first baseman Mark Hamre (Scottsdale Community College); and shortstop Elian Collado-Martinez (Keiser University).

A pair of brothers will join the Red Sox family, as well. Kaleb Lemos and his younger brother, Dominic Lemos, will make the trek from Eastvale, California. Kaleb was an infielder with Regina for nine games last summer and had a .321 batting average in 28 WCBL at bats. Dominic is a solid catcher who can also handle third base reps.

The Red Sox have no shortage of new options behind the plate. James Wright is a catcher/first baseman who studies at the University of Northern Colorado, and Jaden Collura is a catcher/utility player from Nicholls State University in Louisiana.

Rhett Hodgins, meanwhile, is a Regina backstop who plays for Taft College. He got a taste of WCBL action with the Red Sox in 2023 when he played one game and picked up a hit in a late-season matchup against the Sylvan Lake Gulls.

Home Ballpark: Currie Field

Home Opener: 7 p.m., Thursday, May 29th vs. Swift Current 57’s

Indian Head Rockets Tribute Game: 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 11th, Swift Current 57’s at Regina Red Sox

2024 Regular Season Results: 1st place in East Division with 38 wins & 18 losses

2024 Playoff Results: Lost in opening round series to the Moose Jaw Miller Express; 0-2 record in postseason

View 2025 Regina Red Sox Roster

WCBL Championships: 2011 & 2012