Eight players returning to reigning WCBL champion Mavericks

By Dawson Thompson

Medicine Hat Mavericks

In 2018 Medicine Hat Mavericks fans were treated to a fantastic summer of baseball as the Mavericks, in the final year of the Western Major Baseball League, now known as the Western Canadian Baseball League went 38-9 through the regular season and won the WMBL Championship going through the Lethbridge Bulls, Edmonton Prospects, and Regina Redsox in the playoffs.

The 2019 Medicine Hat Mavericks will have quite a few familiar faces for The Mavericks fans to come and cheer on, as eight members of the championship winning team will return to defend their title.

Three pitchers have committed their summers to Medicine Hat as Jaymon Cervantes, Evan Sutta, and JR Pimental will all be back for their second season on the mound at Athletic Park.

In 2018 Cervantes made eight starts with the Mavs, and after an incredible year at Minot State University where Jaymon went 9-1, he will look to become an ace on the mound in 2019. Pimental, a product of Western Oklahoma University, and is from the Dominican Republic was a regular arm for the Mavericks in 2018 coming out of the bullpen. Pimental pitched 31 innings in 2018, in 11 games played with a record of 3-1. JR also pitched in four games in the playoffs and did not allow a run. Also making a return to Athletic Park, from Miami, FL and Tabor College, Evan Sutta will be looking for a longer stint with The Mavericks this season as his 2018 campaign was cut short with an injury early in the year. Sutta made two starts with the Mavericks.

The Mavericks will be sporting five returning position players for 2019. Outfielder, Julien Ly from Oklahoma Christian University. Infielders, Sal Rodirguez from Minot State University, and Medicine Hat product Nolan Rattai who attends Columbia University. As well, both Mavericks catchers from 2018 will be returning, Reed Odland from Allan Hancock University, and Enchant, Alta. Also, Colton Wright, who is from Surrey, B.C., and attends Northeastern State University is coming back for his third season with the Mavericks.

In 2018 Julien Ly led the Mavs with a batting average of .363. Nolan Rattai was a key piece to the Mavericks infield in 2018 as he led the team in doubles with 14. He also had a great playoff run, where he racked up 20 hits. Rodriguez, who spent lots of time interacting with all the fans at Athletic Park before, and after games will come back for 2019 looking to put more smiles on Hatters faces all summer long. Reed Odland appeared in 20 regular season games in 2018 as the back-up catcher, but played a bigger role in the playoffs as he had seven hits, and five runs scored in five games played. Lastly, home run leader of 2018 with nine home runs, catcher Colton Wright will be coming back to Medicine Hat for the third straight summer. Over the past two seasons Wright has racked up 109 hits, and also led the Mavericks with 47 RBI last season.

There will be quite a bit of local talent for Mavs fans to cheer on this summer as Reed Odland represents small town Enchant, Alta. Nolan Rattai is joined by infielder Zachary Stark as the only two players from Medicine Hat, and pitcher Owen Steele who played for the Yorkton Cardinals in 2018, and outfielder Russell Strilchuck are both from Calgary, Alta.

The 2019 Medicine Hat Mavericks home opener is on May 30 against the Brooks Bombers.