Keaton Husband bleeds Weyburn Beaver blue.
Growing up, he remembers going to games at Tom Laing Field, even getting the chance to be part of their “10th Player” promotion when he was in third or fourth grade.
Husband suited up as an affiliate player for one game in 2024, getting in one at-bat during a loss to Medicine Hat.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pound hurler wanted more, so he turned his attention to having a solid freshman season at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington, Minnesota.
He went 4-2 with a 7.38 earned run average in nine games, including three complete games, striking out 21 batters in 39 innings of work.
His performance earned him an invite to come back to the Beavers this summer, where he hopes to work on his velocity and his off-speed arsenal.
Husband is also hoping to lean on the experiences of veterans like Ian Heck and Ethan Webster as he aims to do his hometown proud.
The righthander was a guest on Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast for our WCBL Season Preview Extravaganza, which gives us the background for our latest 7th Inning Stretch.
1. How excited are you to get things going this summer with the Weyburn Beavers?
I’m very excited. Looking forward to playing for my hometown. I grew up watching the Beavers so it’s pretty special to play for them this summer.
2. I know you got into one game with them last summer. How cool was it to be in that hometown park where you were watching games and playing minor ball games there as well?
Yes, absolutely. I got one pinch-hit at-bat in my senior year of high school and it was definitely a very surreal moment. It was so cool watching guys come to Weyburn and play for the Beavers. I was the “10th Man” once when I was in third grade, so it was really cool to walk out on the same field and be wearing a Beavers win while helping my team win.
3. Who did you idolize from the Beavers when you were growing up?
There was one catcher named Corey. I don’t even know his last name. But he would come to our baseball practices and his work ethic was something I really idolized. He was a hard-nosed guy and knew his stuff. He was also willing to pass his knowledge onto an eight-year-old who just wanted to know everything he could about the game.
4. You’re coming off your freshman season of college ball. How did you feel about your performance?
My freshman campaign … I was definitely proud of it. Being a 17-year-old kid who went down to a different country, had to learn a lot about living on his own, I’d say I had a pretty good freshman season. I went 4-2 with a couple of really strong complete games. I’m just looking to do that for the Beavers, not necessarily with starts but going out and getting solid innings and helping my team win.
5. What was the biggest learning curve for you going down there: the baseball or having to cook for yourself?
Hahaha! Probably having to cook for myself. I’ve played baseball my whole life and I understand the game at a pretty deep level. I never really had to cook for myself as I was fortunate enough to have a mom and dad who valued nutrition very much as I was growing up. They were able to cook for me all the way through so cooking for myself had to be the biggest learning curve.
6. When you get back home after college and drop your bags, what are you hoping they will cook for you?
It would definitely be steak and mashed potatoes. That’s my go-to for whenever they ask me what I want for supper. Steak and mashed potatoes – get some good protein in and some carbs and away we go. No more pasta from college!
7. What would it mean to you to win a WCBL championship with the Beavers?
Back to the hometown thing, bringing a championship home to my hometown would be extremely successful. I watched the Beavers growing up, walking out on that field, I remember sitting in the stands, watching those guys and wanting to be like them. Just because, as a kid, you just want to be like the older kids. If we were able to bring home a championship, it would mean a lot to my city and my family about how I’m truly bringing it home to where I was born and raised.
A special shout-out to Sam at Highway 39 Photography for supplying us with the main image for this story. Make sure to check out her work on Instagram.
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