By IAN WILSON
The Regina Red Sox are undergoing a major baseball operations shakeup.
The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) franchise announced on Thursday, Sept. 24th that longtime general manager Gary Brotzel – a founding member of the team – was stepping down and that Mitch MacDonald was being promoted from the role of assistant general manager to GM.
“It is difficult to put into words what the Red Sox and the baseball community in Regina have meant to me over the past 20-plus years,” said Brotzel in a press release posted on the Red Sox website.
“When we brought the Red Sox back in 2005, we wanted to build something that belonged to the community, and I am incredibly proud of what this organization has become. The championships, the players, coaches, volunteers, sponsors and, most importantly, the people who supported us along the way have made this journey incredibly special.”
Brotzel was key in raising finances and establishing a not-for-profit model for the organization when it joined the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) – the predecessor of the WCBL – in 2005. He served as team president and GM over the years and helped guide the club to league championships in 2011, 2012 and 2025.
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“I was thrilled to see the Red Sox transition to private ownership with Queen City Sports and Entertainment in 2025. It was important to me that the organization had a strong future, and I know the Sox are in very good hands with Mitch MacDonald, Gordon Pritchard and Brandt Sports & Entertainment. The Red Sox will continue to be leaders in the community, and I am excited to watch the organization continue to grow,” said Brotzel, who is a member of both the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and the Regina Sports Hall of Fame.
WCBL President Kevin Kvame applauded Brotzel’s efforts in making the Red Sox an integral part of the Regina sports scene over the decades.
“Congratulations Gary on your retirement,” said Kvame in a social media post.
“You have been a devoted man of integrity and passion from the first meeting when you and Bernie (Eiswirth) gave the pitch for Red Sox expansion. Leaving it in good hands my friend!”
Red Sox CEO Gordon Pritchard thanked Brotzel for his work with the team.
“First and foremost, we want to thank Gary for everything he has done to build the Red Sox into the organization it is today. His vision, commitment and passion for baseball in Regina have left an incredible legacy,” said Red Sox CEO Gordon Pritchard.
“More than twenty years ago, Gary was one of the people who had the vision and determination to bring the Red Sox back to Regina, and then dedicated an incredible amount of his time and energy to building the organization into what it is today. Gary’s impact goes well beyond wins, championships or what happened on the field. He helped create an organization that has provided opportunities and lasting memories for generations of players, coaches, volunteers and fans, while becoming an important part of Regina’s baseball community. Just as importantly, he has always understood that the Red Sox are a community organization and that we have a responsibility to contribute to the city and the people who support us.”
Added Pritchard: “On behalf of our ownership group and everyone associated with the Red Sox, I want to sincerely thank Gary for his leadership, his commitment and everything he has given to this organization and to baseball in Regina. We are incredibly fortunate to inherit what Gary and so many others built over the past two decades, and we look forward to carrying that legacy forward.”
In MacDonald, the Red Sox have a former player who won the league’s only hitting triple crown – finishing tops in homers, runs batted in and batting average – in 2010.
After his playing days wrapped up, he worked as an assistant coach with the Red Sox in 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2022. MacDonald was also the manager of the team from 2016 to 2018 and he most recently served in the role of assistant general manager.
“Mitch has been a part of the Red Sox family for nearly two decades, and there are very few people who understand this organization and the game of baseball at the level he does,” said Pritchard in a team statement.
“Mitch is one of the smartest baseball minds in our community. He understands the game from every angle, from being a player and coach to now working in management, and he also brings an analytical approach to our baseball operations. He is the perfect person to lead our baseball department going forward, and we are excited to see what he can accomplish as General Manager.”
MacDonald will oversee baseball operations for the Red Sox as they prepare for the 2027 WCBL season.
