March 21, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

If you’re a Canadian baseball prospect in search of your first professional contract, there are far worse ways to spend a month of the winter than showcasing your skills in Palm Springs, Calif.

Carson Barker (Alliston, Ont.) can attest to this.

From mid-January to mid-February, the 22-year-old catcher competed in the California Winter League, an eight-team circuit that recently concluded its 15th season.

“Palm Springs was absolutely gorgeous,” said Barker. “I loved Palm Springs. It was a really, really great experience.”

On top of the beautiful weather, Barker’s tenure in the California Winter League helped him land a contract with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans in early February.

“My experience in the league was very eye-opening and very educational,” said Barker. “Each coach or manager for the eight teams had 10-to-15 years minimum of professional coaching experience, and every single coach there was more than willing to help you.”

Barker, who has dreamed of playing professional baseball since he was a child, says the coaches helped him prepare mentally for the start of his pro career.

“They also taught us mechanical stuff,” said Barker, a Central Ontario Reds grad. “They helped us with our swings . . . fielding, everything. Across the 24 days and the 20 games I was there, I was able to get extra work with a coach every single day.”

And that’s what the California Winter League (CWL) is all about, according to its founder and president Andrew Starke.

Since the CWL’s inception in 2010, close to 900 of its players have gone on to secure pro contracts. Sixteen major league clubs have signed players from the league. Starke, a former All-Conference catcher at Mercer University, formed the league to give undrafted college players a chance to continue their baseball careers.

“I saw so many players who were finishing college and one, they felt like they didn’t have anywhere to go and two, they were uneducated about the opportunities for them,” said Starke.

“Creating the California Winter League has given us a chance to provide a platform for these athletes to keep playing ball and get seen by the people who might sign them or give them professional opportunities to further their careers. So many players think there’s just the major leagues and the minor leagues and that’s it. There are so many opportunities in the United States, like independent professional leagues or even playing internationally.”

The CWL is now the longest operating winter showcase circuit of its kind in the U.S. In 2024, 175 players suited up for eight different teams, including three with Canadian names: the Alberta Grizzly, the British Columbia Bombers and the Canada A’s. Starke says these names were chosen to appeal to the Canadians who winter in the region.

“There are so many Canadians that come down to the Coachella Valley in the Palm Springs market that we made up names to give them a team to cheer for, so it’s not just Palm Springs or a local city out here,” said Starke.

The 2024 regular season ran from January 25 to February 14. Three or four seven-inning games were played daily at one of their two fields. Each team played between 16 and 19 regular season contests. The playoffs took place from February 16 to February 18. The Alberta Grizzly defeated the Washington Blue Sox 5-3 in the championship game.

As noted earlier by Barker, CWL players benefit from the wisdom of the professional coaches involved with the circuit. Among the 2024 CWL managers were Stan Cliborn, Tom Vaeth, Casey Dill and former Toronto Blue Jays coach and Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren.

There are also scouts from several professional leagues at almost every game. In 2015, the CWL formed a partnership that makes it the exclusive winter league of the Frontier League. Starke says part of this agreement is that each of the 16 Frontier League teams guarantee at least one spring training roster spot for a CWL player.

Stark also takes great pride in the diversity of players the league has attracted.

“We had players from eight different countries – all across the globe,” said Starke of the 2024 CWL rosters. “There were players from Canada, United States, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia and South Korea.”

Other Canadians who played in the CWL this year included outfielders Canice Ejoh (Brampton, Ont.), Brandon Hupe (Vancouver, B.C.) and Clayton Loranger (Sherwood Park, Alta.). Barker roomed with Hupe and Loranger in a suite, along with four other players.

“There were a lot of really, really good players there [in the CWL] that deserved to be there and they were of the professional baseball caliber,” said Barker. “It was really great to have that eye-opening experience of what to expect when I step on the field whether it’s the Frontier League or anywhere in independent ball.”

Barker, who honed his skills at Genesee Community College, Lourdes University and the University of Ottawa, began the 2024 CWL season with the Alberta Grizzly before being moved to the Oregon Lumberjacks, managed by Ottawa Titans’ assistant coach David Peterson and Titans manager Bobby Brown. The Canadian catcher, who had five RBIs and eight walks in 14 games for the Lumberjacks, clearly made a positive impression and earned himself a contract with the Titans.

It’s an impressive jump for Barker who didn’t learn the catching position until he was in his senior year at Lourdes University. Until that point, he had been primarily a corner infielder.

“A bunch of our catchers had got hurt and [Lourdes] coach [Josh] Radford had asked if anyone would be interested in taking over that position and I was more than happy to help,” said Barker. “It was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the position, so I’m really looking forward to continuing my work behind the dish.”

Last fall, Barker returned to Canada to play his final college season with the Ottawa Gee-Gees under head coach Roberto Suppa. Suppa has been one of Barker’s most ardent supporters. He was the one who encouraged Barker to play in the CWL.

“Coach Suppa was so helpful in getting me to the next level,” said Barker. “I can’t thank him enough.”

After a month in Palm Springs, Barker is back in Ottawa and is looking forward to beginning his pro career with the Titans. He’ll report for spring training on May 1.

“I always wanted to play professional baseball, but across my ups and downs in college baseball, I wasn’t sure how I would make that a reality,” said Barker. “I’ve definitely taken an abstract path towards professional baseball and I’ve now accomplished my dream and I’m really looking forward to giving it my all.”