Dawgs' Ircandia ranked 14th most influential Canadian

Okotoks Dawgs founding and managing director John Ircandia has been named the 14th most influential Canadian in baseball on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2023 list. Photo: Okotoks Dawgs

February 20, 2024

Official Okotoks Dawgs News Release

Okotoks, Alta. – The Okotoks Dawgs Baseball Club and the Dawgs Baseball Academy (the “Dawgs”) are proud to announce that founding and managing director, John Ircandia, has been ranked as Canada’s 14th Most Influential Person in Baseball by the Canadian Baseball Network (“CBN”).

The annual rankings are a “Who’s Who” in the sport and include current and former Major League owners, executives, players, coaches, scouts, and broadcasters.

The 2023 rankings were led by Alex Anthopoulos, who, as president and general manager of the Atlanta Braves, has built a perennial powerhouse in Major League Baseball. Other notables include Rob Thomson, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, Edward Rogers of Rogers Communication, owners of the Toronto Blue Jays at No. 4, Cooperstown Hall of Famers, Larry Walker and Fergie Jenkins who were ranked fifth, outstanding Canadian broadcaster, Dan Shulman who was recognized as the 10th Most Influential, Greg Hamilton, manager of Canada’s National Teams, at No. 11, and Blue Jays slugger, Vladimar Guererro who came in at No. 12.

In ranking Ircandia as the 14th Most Influential, the CBN recognized the phenomenal success of Ircandia’s Dawgs both on and off the field. With crowds exceeding 4,500 fans per game, 150,000 per summer season, the Dawgs were the third top draw in all of summer college baseball according to the U.S. online resource, Ballpark Digest. Further, based on a poll conducted by the same U.S. resource, Seaman Stadium, home of the Dawgs, was recognized as the “Best Ballpark in Summer College Baseball in North America.”

On the field, the college Dawgs captured back-to-back championships in the Western Canadian Baseball League, Canada’s premier summer collegiate circuit. Dawgs players also garnered success in the professional ranks with Kody Funderburk making his Major League debut with the Minnesota Twins, MLB All-Star, Andrew Kittredge moving from the Tampa Bay Rays to the St. Louis Cardinals and Alejo Lopez seeing action with the Cincinnati Reds.

Meanwhile former Dawg, Jacob Melton, a second-round pick of the Houston Astros has been ranked among the club’s top prospects and Academy grads, Gavin Logan, Tristan Peters, Matt Wilkinson and Matt Lloyd are rising in the ranks with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.

In MLB’s coaching ranks, original Dawg, Calgary’s own, Jim Henderson, who enjoyed success as a relief pitcher with the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers, was named assistant pitching coach for MLB’s Brewers.

Further, not resting on past successes, the Dawgs also added a number of fan-friendly upgrades to their extraordinary $25-million, state-of-the-art, complex including the popular Kore 4 (+14) Corner, the Dawgs Beach Bar and the Golden Sombrero Cantina. This offseason under Ircandia’s guidance the Dawgs are adding a new 80-foot ribbon videoboard and to address swelling crowds, an all-new seating section, expanded patios and field level suites.

The CBN also noted the extraordinary success of the Dawgs Baseball Academy now training over 125 youth players under the tutelage of former Giants minor leaguer, general manager, Tyler Hollick and head coaches, former Can-Am Pitcher of the Year, Jeff Duda, Lou Pote, who won a World Series ring as a pitcher with the Anaheim Angels, and Tyler Milton.

This off season the Dawgs have invested in state-of-the-art technology to offer further development opportunities to their young athletes. With a challenging schedule that includes extensive competition against leading U.S. travel teams, the 18U Dawgs have been ranked as the third top youth team in North America by prestigious U.S. scouting service, Perfect Game.

In addition, the Dawgs Academy has enjoyed phenomenal success in attracting scholarships for graduating players to such elite U.S. baseball programs as Oregon State University, University of Oregon, Washington State University, University of Washington, University of Tennessee, University of Miami, Arizona State University, University of Utah, University of Michigan, Missouri State University and St. John’s University. In fact, this past fall, nationally ranked Oregon State spent two weeks training with the Dawgs at Seaman Stadium.