Canucks Smith and Loewen reunited as college teammates in Hawaii

Former Abbotsford Cardinals and Junior National Team right-hander Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) is pitching for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. Photo Credit: Jay Metzger, UH Athletics

By Cam Black-Araujo

Canadian Baseball Network

When Cade Smith left the Abbotsford Cardinals early on in high school, also leaving teammate at the time Carter Loewen, Hawaii was just a vacation destination to both.

Now five plus years later, it’s their home and some 4,000 kilometres away, they are once again teammates.

The palm trees and 4,312 seats behind them at Les Murakami Stadium are proof that while they are teammates again, they are a long ways from their hometown of Abbotsford, as they now represent the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.

Les Murakami Stadium is home of the University of Hawaii Ranbow Warriors. Photo Credit: Jay Metzger, UH Athletics

Loewen was the first of the two to arrive on campus in the fall of 2016, around the time Hawaii’s head coach, Mike Trapasso, was in Toronto scouting the Blue Jays Academy Tournament 12.

“It was the last day of the showcase and this tall lanky kid from B.C. goes out to the mound was throwing 88-89 and you just saw the potential and high ceiling. I was immediately impressed,” raved Trapasso. “I looked on the roster and saw he was from Abbotsford as well and started laughing so I texted Carter who was in class back in Hawaii.”

Both players were quick to admit that a move to Hawaii around the age of 18 for college would be a big step for many, but the Canadian Junior National Team had them both prepared not only for the travel and lifestyle, but also the talent level that comes with playing in the Big West Conference.

The transition was smooth due to prior experiences but the bond shared between Canadian teammates playing any college sport in America is typically formed through comedic jabs from their southern neighbours.

“The team will kind of make jokes about Canada and the way we talk, so these jokes about Canada is something we share,” explained Smith, giggling as he proceeded to say “about” in the most Canadian way possible.

With more than 25 players hailing from beyond the island, often when they are away from the field they are immersing themselves in the Hawaiian culture and sometimes even consider themselves somewhat of “tourists.” Smith came back from his freshman year with a new skill, surfing, although his Hawaiian teammates may not agree it’s a “skill” of his just yet.

The weather or even the image of Hawaii had these boys oozing at the thought of going to school in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but there was much more that went into their decisions. Trapasso pointed out because they are so far from the mainland, they put an extra emphasis on their facilities to ‘wow’ recruits.

If their $12.2 million stadium wasn’t enough to ‘wow’ the recruits, their brand new $1.6 million clubhouse might be able to. Loewen reflects on the first time the players walked into it.

“It was unbelievable for everybody on the team. Everyone’s faces lit up,” said Loewen, a 40th round pick by the Blue Jays in 2016. “We saw our names above our lockers and how nice it was. It really made you humble and feel really good about the program.”

Loewen redshirted his first season after having arm surgery and pitched in just one inning last season as he was still recovering, but Trapasso says Loewen’s attitude and hard work have helped tremendously throughout the process.

Smith, a freshman last year, started six games and appeared in 13. Over 39 innings, he had a 4.62 ERA with 37 strikeouts to 11 walks. Smith was drafted in 2016 by the Twins in the 16th round and will likely look to re-enter the draft following his junior season next year.

Like any coach, Trapasso wants talented players on his team and that’s why he brought these two Western Canadians in, but their character is really what sealed the deal for him.

“They are just tremendous young men who have great character, so that’s where it starts. We want the right people in our program first and with those two it was a no brainer.”

Both players enter the 2019 season under very different circumstances as Loewen has only appeared in one game, he is looking to build that inning count back up and really, just wants to be proud of the way he pitches each time out. For Smith, a spot starter throughout the season, he will look to take that next step and solidify a role in the team’s starting rotation.

Coming off a winning season and returning the majority of their lineup, they lost their two pitchers with the most innings and will likely turn to these two Canucks to eat some of those up while remaining competitive.

Trapasso says Loewen lit a fire under the program to show them just how good some of the baseball is in Canada and because of that, the T12 is an event they try to attend each year now.

Thanks to these two Abbotsford natives, other Canadians are now more likely to get a shot at playing collegiate ball in paradise.