By JOE McFARLAND AND IAN WILSON
We have to admit: it’s not getting any easier to pick our annual “best of” roster from the Western Canadian Baseball League.
The standard of play continues to get even better each year with more and more players looking to make their mark on the summer circuit and beyond.
As we entered our third season of putting together the 26-man All-WCBL Team, we knew there would be some dogfights at several positions.
Some good players were going to invariably get left off the list as we weighed the pros and cons of trying to select the right mix of players in a season where it felt like every team could beat every other team on any given night.
This year, we watched more games and highlights than ever before, scouring stats sheets and game reports, and speaking with players and coaches to get a sense as to who made a major impact in 2025.
READ MORE: 2023 ADS All-WCBL Team
READ MORE: 2024 Dugout Stories All-WCBL Team
As we’ve done in the past, our roster consists of 15 position players including a designated hitter and two utility players, as well as 11 pitchers. We also included at least oneplayer from each team, with more prevalence given to top-performing teams. As always, we’ve also included a four-man taxi squad just in case the hypothetical roster needed to add a body or two.
We hope you enjoy taking a look back at the year that was and look forward to the ensuing debate.
C – Brady Bye – Regina
On a team that was seemingly written off with several players leaving early, the Regina Red Sox beat the odds to become WCBL champions, in no small part thanks to Brady Bye. The hometown hero had a great regular season, hitting .333 with nine home runs and driving in 39 runs, then followed that up by replicating that .333 while leading the league with 10 RBI during the playoffs, while also being a calming influence behind the plate, to earn Playoff MVP honours.
C – Bailyn Sorenson – Saskatoon
While many paid attention to the Saskatoon Berries offense, it was their pitching that might have been overlooked. Thanks to the work of Bailyn Sorenson behind the plate, the Berries ranked in the top three of most pitching categories. The Southern Louisiana University product wasn’t too shabby at the dish either, slicing a .278 batting average with seven homers and 33 RBI in 42 games.
1B – Ethan Menard – Saskatoon
Speaking of the Berries offense, one of the many major contributors was league MVP Ethan Menard. The All-Star Game MVP arrived a little later than everyone else, but he made up for it in a hurry, posting a .392 batting average (second in the league) to go along with 12 roundtrippers and 39 RBI in just 35 games. Of note, the University of Texas at Tyler slugger hit six homers in a stretch of three games, including a three-homer game against Medicine Hat on June 29.
2B – Carter Roth – Medicine Hat
It was hard to believe but Carter Roth seemed unstoppable at the plate early in the season, as he was sitting with a .500 batting average through June 14. The Doane University junior dipped below .400 for the first time on July 11 and eventually settled .380 to end the season, accompanied by five home runs and 54 RBI in 50 games. Roth was equally potent in the playoffs, posting a .429 average with four RBI in three playoff games against Regina.
3B – Connor Crowson – Okotoks
There isn’t much Connor Crowson hasn’t done since joining his hometown Okotoks Dawgs in 2021. The University of Montevallo product followed a splendid college season by hitting .401 with three home runs, 45 RBI and seven stolen bases in 47 games to be named the WCBL’s Top Canadian. He also factored in on the mound, getting two appearances in lopsided victories, striking out three in two innings of work. Crowson was once again a factor in the playoffs as well, hitting .286 with a homer and four RBI in four games.
SS – Matthew Fox – Regina
Just like Bye, Matthew Fox turned his game up when it mattered the most. During the regular season, the Goldenwest Community College freshman was everything the Red Sox could have asked for, hitting .330 with eight roundtrippers, 47 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Fox was in the conversation for WCBL Playoff MVP after posting a .405 batting average with a homer, three RBI, five stolen bases and outstanding defense to help the Red Sox capture their first Harry Hallis Trophy since 2014.
IF – Timo Aracena – Energy City
Entering his second season with the Cactus Rats, expectations were high for Timo Aracena. The Embry Riddle University infielder posted a line of .296/12 homers/30 RBI/four stolen bases as a member of the Edmonton Prospects in 2024. While his power numbers took a dip, he was a more well-rounded hitter this past summer, slashing a .362 batting average with four homers, 35 RBI and 14 stolen bases, striking out less and walking more. Aracena’s performance earned him a pro contract with the Westside Woolly Mammoths of the USPBL.
IF – Wilmer Henriquez – Swift Current
One has to wonder what kind of numbers Wilmer Henriquez would have put up had he played a full season with the Swift Current 57s. The Cameron University junior led the WCBL with 13 home runs despite playing in just 42 games. He also collected five doubles, 32 RBI and 30 runs scored to go along with a .270 batting average.
OF – Carter Beck – Saskatoon
The legend of Carter Beck continues to grow. After being named the WCBL’s Top Canadian and Rookie of the Year in 2024, the Carnduff, Saskatchewan native was equally impressive this summer. The Indiana State University outfielder hit .385 with nine dingers, 43 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 43 games, then saved his best for the playoffs. Beck hit .469 in six postseason games with two home runs and nine RBIs, not the least of which being a walk-off extra-innings grand slam in the third-and-decided game three against Moose Jaw.
OF – William Edwards – Moose Jaw
With the loss of Nate Mensik to graduation, questions swirled about where the Moose Jaw Miller Express offense would come from. Australian William Edwards answered the call and then some, putting up a .364 batting average with 22 doubles, a triple, nine homers, 66 RBI (which tied the league’s single-season record) and 11 stolen bases to earn himself some MVP consideration during the season. The University of Sioux Falls junior came oh-so-close to breaking the league’s doubles record of 23, held by former Miller Aidan Stinnett.
OF – Zane Skansi – Okotoks
Flying under the radar in the voting for league MVP might have been Zane Skansi. The Campbellsville University senior and Okotoks Dawgs outfielder was in the top-eight of most major offensive categories through most of the year, finishing the season with a .363 batting average, 11 home runs, 45 RBI and 22 stolen bases in just 42 games. The WCBL Rookie of the Year also hit .235 with a homer and two RBI in four postseason games.
OF – Austin Gurney – Moose Jaw
If you look up “reliable” in the dictionary, chances are you will see Austin Gurney’s picture. The Moose Jaw Miller Express veteran might go down as one of the best to ever play for the team and his 2025 season was no exception. The Pikeville University senior posted a .364 batting average with six bombs, 61 RBI and nine stolen bases to put a cap on his outstanding WCBL career. Mensik also had a short but memorable playoff run, hitting .467 in three games before signing a pro contract with the Ottawa Titans.
DH – Barry Eiseman – Okotoks
After leaving the Dawgs in early-July 2024, Barry Eiseman felt like he missed out on helping the team capture their third-straight championship. The Reinhardt University senior was dedicated to playing a full season in 2025 and delivered in a big way. Eiseman finished third in the league in batting average (.395) to go along with four homers and 38 RBI in 35 games. He was also a contributor in the playoffs, hitting .375 in four games as the Dawgs fell short of their fourth consecutive title.
Utility – Ian Heck – Weyburn
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a two-way player as consistent on both sides of the ball as Ian Heck. The York University senior and Weyburn Beavers utilityman had a fantastic 2024 and followed that up with an even better 2025, particularly at the plate. Heck posted a .291 batting average with eight homers and 47 RBI in 53 games. On the mound, he was as solid as they come by going 2-4 with a 3.79 earned run average in 10 starts, striking out 59 batters in 59+ innings.
Utility – Cory Wouters – Saskatoon
Coming off an award-winning spring at McCook Community College, Cory Wouters was given a bit of a break on the mound with the Saskatoon Berries, opening the door to a more prolific season at the dish. The hometown kid hit .363 with 12 homers and 45 RBI in 43 games during the season, and made two relief appearances on the hill, going 0-1 with a save and a 5.40 ERA.
SP – Levi Abbott – Lethbridge
If it wasn’t for Westin Walls running away with the strikeout title, Levi Abbott would have captured the pitching triple crown in the WCBL. The hometown kid and Canisius University senior led the circuit in ERA (1.38) and wins (7), striking out 69 batters in just 52 innings of work. Abbott also threw two complete games and allowed just eight runs in his eight starts, earning him the WCBL Pitcher of the Year and consideration for League MVP.
SP – Josh Tucker – Sylvan Lake
Josh Tucker is the only member of an exclusive club after putting the wraps on his WCBL career. When the Sylvan Lake Gulls veteran handcuffed Jack Kalisky with a breaking ball in an August 1 matchup against Lethbridge, Tucker notched his 300th career WCBL strikeout. A consistent presence for the Gulls since their inception, Tucker went 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 10 appearances during the 2025 regular season and was even better in the playoffs, going 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts, striking out 15 in 13 innings of work.
SP – Westin Walls – Moose Jaw
The Moose Jaw Miller Express always seem to have one pitcher who defines “workhorse” and, in 2025, it was Westin Walls. The Terrell, Texas senior led the WCBL in innings pitched (72+) and strikeouts (89), while also posting a 4-5 record with a 6.22 ERA. Walls was also leaned on during the playoffs against Saskatoon, getting the start in game one and then pitching in relief in game three, going 1-1 with a 6.13 ERA in those two appearances.
SP – Blake Johnson – Regina
While he left the Red Sox at the All-Star break, Blake Johnson was on some kind of run during the summer. The Rogers State senior was in a battle with Abbott for the league’s top pitcher, finishing the year with a 2-1 record, 55 punchouts and a 1.81 ERA in eight starts. His record doesn’t paint the full picture though, as Johnson seemingly left games in good shape only to have the opposition put up some late runs against the Red Sox bullpen.
SP – Luis Diaz – Medicine Hat
Another inning-eater, Luis Diaz opened the year as a long reliever before moving into the Medicine Hat Mavericks starting rotation. The Ottawa University junior posted a 2-1 record with a 3.74 ERA in 14 appearances, including three starts, striking out 49 in 55+ innings of work. Diaz was just as good in the playoffs, going 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA in two appearances against the eventual champion Regina Red Sox.
RP – Ashe Ammerlaan – Fort McMurray
If the Fort McMurray Giants had moved onto the playoffs, you have to think Ashe Ammerlaan would have received the Westin Walls treatment. The Montreat College hurler was a strikeout machine during the summer, posting 70 Ks in just 36 innings, including a 15-whiff performance against Lethbridge on July 25. Ammerlaan finished the season with a 2-3 record with a 4.25 ERA in 12 games, including six starts.
RP – Ayden Page – Regina
Watching Ayden Page work during the playoffs was a sight to see in 2025. The Regina Red Sox reliever was good during the regular season, putting together a 2-3 record and a 5.22 ERA in 17 appearances, averaging a strikeout per inning pitched. It was during the postseason where the Southwestern Oklahoma senior left it all out on the field, going 2-1 with a miniscule ERA of 0.46 in five appearances. That includes an outstanding five-inning relief appearance in the deciding game three of the WCBL championship against Sylvan Lake.
RP – Heath Hachkowski – Brooks
When the Brooks Bombers needed a solid performance out of the bullpen, Heath Hachkowski was always there to answer the call. The Red Deer native and Benedictine University Mesa junior received some consideration for WCBL Reliever of the Year after going 3-1 with three saves and a 1.86 ERA in 12 appearances, striking out 32 batters in 19+ innings of work. He also twirled a scoreless inning of relief in the Bombers’ first-round series against Okotoks.
RP – Garrett Lundmark – Sylvan Lake
One of the subplots in the outstanding WCBL championship series was how Ayden Page went toe-to-toe with Sylvan Lake reliever Garrett Lundmark. The Mayville State University righthander was really good during the regular season, posting a 3-1 record and a 3.00 ERA in eight appearances. Lundmark then went on an insane run in the playoffs, going 1-0 with a 0.79 ERA in four appearances, striking out 17 in 11+ innings to earn some early playoff MVP consideration.
RP – Mickey McClaskey – Sylvan Lake
The Sylvan Lake Gulls have always been a good pitching team and 2025 was no exception with hurlers like Lundmark and Mickey McClaskey. The Gonzaga product was fantastic out of the bullpen during the regular season, going 2-2 with four saves and a 3.08 ERA in 16 appearances. The WCBL Reliever of the Year was also outstanding during his first three playoff appearances before giving up six runs in a 10-7 game two loss to Regina.
RP – Donovan Gamez – Lethbridge
When the Lethbridge Bulls needed to close the door on a game, they called upon Donovan Gamez to get the job done. The Our Lady of the Lake University righthander was as automatic as they came from the bullpen, going 1-0 with eight saves and a 1.68 ERA in 15 appearances, striking out 24 in 16 innings. Gamez also struck out three of the four batters he faced in one inning of playoff work against the Sylvan Lake Gulls.
TAXI SQUAD
As is usually the case, there were plenty of standout performances during the season that just missed making the cut thanks to numbers at their respective positions.
For this year’s taxi squad, we thought we would find one player from each of the final four teams and try to find a player at each major position (pitcher, catcher, infield and outfield).
On the mound, we look to Saskatoon Berries hurler Matt Whitney, who had previously made our All-WCBL Team with the Fort McMurray Giants. The West Texas A&M soutbpaw went 7-0 with a 3.68 ERA in 10 starts for a team that set the league mark for wins in a season. Behind the plate, Okotoks Dawgs utilityman Logan Grant may have only played 22 regular season games but hit .307 with three homers and 17 RBI before having an outstanding postseason handling the Dawgs pitching staff. In the infield, Jaden Flores of the Sylvan Lake Gulls was steady as they come with a .331 batting average, six homers, 32 RBI and 24 stolen bases before being a big contributor to the Gulls’ lengthy postseason run. And finally, outfielder Rafael Jackson of the Regina Red Sox was a major presence at the top of the order to post a .353 batting average, six roundtrippers, 38 RBI and 22 stolen bases before swiping another five postseason bags.
It was another fantastic season on the field for the Western Canadian Baseball League with many other players who put in outstanding performances. Who did we miss? What do you think of our list? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media channels.
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