Lukes, Pivetta, Smith among ex-HarbourCats in the majors
September 6, 2024
Official Victoria HarbourCats News Release
Victoria, B.C. – After a busy 2024 that saw three more former HarbourCats make their MLB debut and where seven former and current players were drafted or signed as part of the 2024 entry draft, we felt it would be a good time to update you on the status of all of our former players who were active in affiliated pro baseball in 2024.
In total, 33 former HarbourCats plied their trade at the professional level this summer, including our longest term MLB players Nick Pivetta (Boston Red Sox) and Andrew Vaughn (Chicago White Sox), while Nathan Lukes (Toronto Blue Jays) made a long-awaited return to the Blue Jays big club late in 2024.
Three more players, Cade Smith (Cleveland Guardians), Jack Neely (Chicago Cubs) and Davis Wendzel (Texas Rangers), also made their MLB debuts in 2024.
In addition to those six players at the MLB level, five players were active on triple-A rosters, including our only other MLB player to date Alex De Goti, nine at the double-A level, five at the High A level, three at Low A, including 2024 draftees Sean Heppner and Hunter Omlid, and our other five 2024 draft picks still learning their way around development camps for their respective teams.
A full summary of all 33 players follows below (all stats and teams as of September 5, 2024)
Active Major Leaguers
Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) – Boston Red Sox
Our very first pitcher (2013), our very first draft pick (Washington 2013) and our very first player to make his Major League debut (Philadelphia 2017), Pivetta is still going strong and completing his fifth year with the Boston Red Sox, where in 2024 to date, he has made 21 starts, has a record of 5-10 and an ERA of 4.53, striking out 141 batters and walking 28 in just over 117 innings of work.
Andrew Vaughn – Chicago White Sox
A 2017 HarbourCat, Vaughn is finishing his fourth season in the bigs, all with the Chicago White Sox, and while the 2024 version of the team has been woeful, Vaughn is holding his own with a .237 average, 16 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) – Cleveland Guardians
Smith, a 2019 HarbourCat, made his MLB debut with Cleveland this summer and has been nothing short of fantastic for the Guardians, appearing in 65 games, all out of the bullpen, amassing a 6-1 record and a 2.18 ERA. Over 66 innings of work, he has struck out 88 batters, while walking 17, holding opponents to a .196 average during that span. Potentially in the running for 2024 Rookie of the Year.
Nathan Lukes – Toronto Blue Jays
Our 2014 Player of the Year, Lukes has had an up and down go of it with the Blue Jays since cracking the opening day roster in 2023, but in 2024 was hitting .333 for triple-A Buffalo before a thumb injury sidelined him for a bit. He was recalled to the Jays in September and has been on fire, hitting .455 with a double, triple and four walks in three games thus far in 2024.
Jack Neely – Chicago Cubs
Jack Neely, a 2019 HarbourCat, spent the better part of four seasons in the Yankees’ farm system after they drafted him in 2021, working his way up to triple-A, but was traded to the Cubs triple-A Iowa affiliate and then was called up to the big club and had his first MLB appearance on August 26. He has now appeared in four games for the Cubs with mixed success in just four innings of work.
Other Players who have played in MLB to date (and their current teams)
Davis Wendzel – Louisville Bats, triple-A Affiliate, Cincinnati Reds
Drafted by the Texas Rangers in 2019, 2017 HarbourCat Wendzel worked his way up to triple-A and then earned a call-up to the Rangers big club in 2024, where he appeared in 27 games and struggled at the plate hitting just .128 with a homer and two RBIs. The Rangers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds at the 2024 trade deadline and Wendzel is now with the Reds’ triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats. At the triple-A level, Wendzel is hitting .260 for the season, with 6 home runs and 34 RBIs.
Alex De Goti – Round Rock Express, triple-A Affiliate, Texas Rangers
An original HarbourCat that played for us in 2013, 2014 and 2015, De Goti has had an interesting pro career since being drafted by Houston in 2016. After working his way up to triple-A in the Astros system, De Goti was called up to the big club for a weekend in the 2021 Covid-19 season where in two games, he hit .333 with a pair of hits, a walk and an RBI. He then headed back to triple-A and following the 2022 season opted for free agency and signed with Miami, who promptly traded him to the Minnesota Twins. He played in 2023 for the triple-A St. Paul Saints, but was released in August of that year. In 2024 De Goti signed as a free agent with the Texas Rangers and has worked his way back to the triple-A level with the Round Rock Express. Ironically, Round Rock was the Astros triple-A affiliate when De Goti played for them while in the Astros system.
Others in Affiliated Pro Ball
Triple-A
Joe Record – Durham Bulls, Triple-A Affiliate, Tampa Bay Rays
Another original HarbourCat, along with Nick Pivetta and Alex De Goti, Record has been toiling in the minors since being drafted by Minnesota in 2017. He moved to the Astros in 2020 and worked through stints on the injury list to a spot in AAA, eventually signing a free agent contract with Tampa for the 2024 season. With the Bulls, he has appeared in 42 games, amassing a 4.31 ERA, striking out 62 batters in just over 53 innings of work.
Chase Meidroth – Worcester Red Sox, Triple-A Affiliate, Boston Red Sox
Drafted by the Red Sox in 2022, Meidroth, a 2019 HarbourCat, has worked his way up the minor ranks quickly to AAA Worcester, where he is having a solid year to date, hitting .300 with seven home runs and 49 RBIs.
Wyatt Young – Syracuse Mets, Triple-A Affiliate, New York Mets
A flashy high-schooler when he played for the HarbourCats in 2016, Young went to Pepperdine and then was drafted by the Mets in 2021. He has spent most of his time at double-A Binghamton (with former HarbourCat Rowdey Jordan, see below), but had call ups to triple-A Syracuse in 2022, 2023 and once again at the end of the season here in 2024. Overall in his time in the minors, Young has appeared in 384 games and is hitting .262 with 16 home runs and 133 RBI.
Harrison Spohn while playing for the HarbourCats in 2019. Photo: Christian J. Stewart
Harrison Spohn – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Triple-A Affiliate, Miami Marlins
2018/2019 HarbourCat Spohn was signed as a free agent by Miami in 2022 and has moved quickly up the minor league ranks, spending most of 2024 with the double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, where over 89 games he had seven home runs and 29 RBIs. He also struggled at the plate, fanning 117 times. He was called up to triple-A Jacksonville in September and has appeared in three games to date with two walks and six strikeouts in nine at bats.
Double-A
Travis Kuhn – Arkansas Travelers, Double-A Affiliate, Seattle Mariners
A 2017 HarbourCat, Kuhn was drafted by the Mariners in 2019 and quickly rose through the low minor ranks, where after a one game appearance at triple-A Tacoma in 2021, earned a spot on the double-A Travelers in 2022. He has been there since and in 2024, has appeared in 42 games with a 4-6 record and 3.4 ERA striking out 62 batters in 53 innings of work.
Kekai Rios – New Hampshire FisherCats, Double-A Affiliate, Toronto Blue Jays
Drafted by Milwaukee in 2018, Rios, who caught for the HarbourCats in 2017, has bounced around the minors since then, eventually landing in the Blue Jays system where he played in Vancouver and then found his way to the AA level with the FisherCats. He struggled with an injury and rehab assignment in 2024, only playing in 18 games and while he was technically promoted to triple-A Buffalo in late July of 2024, he was then released on August 2nd.
AJ Block – Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Double-A Affiliate, Kansas City Royals
Signed as a free agent by the Royals in 2020, Block, who pitched for Victoria in 2017, worked in the low minors for two seasons and then missed most of 2023 on the injured list. He returned healthy for 2024, pitching for the High A Quad City River Bandits and earned a call-up to the double-A Naturals in September of 2024.
Carter Loewen – San Antonio Missions, Double-A Affiliate, San Diego Padres
Originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016. Loewen, a 2018 HarbourCat, opted to go to school (Hawaii) and then signed a free agent contract with San Diego in 2020. Since then he has battled injury and has now worked his way up to the double-A Missions, where in 2024, he has appeared in 36 games and amassing a 5.16 ERA.
AJ Lewis – Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A Affiliate Colorado Rockies
A 2018 HarbourCat, Lewis was signed as a free agent by the Rockies in 2020 and has steadily worked his way up to the double-A level with the Yard Goats, where in 2024 to date, he has seen limited action, appearing in just 24 games and hitting .197 with 10 RBIs, four of which came in one game against Portland on May 22nd.
Shane McGuire – Midland RockHounds, Double-A Affiliate, Oakland As
The HarbourCats Player of the Year in 2017, McGuire was drafted by Oakland in 2019 and quickly moved up the ranks, landing in double-A Midland for the 2023 season where he has been since. Over his four-year minor league career to date, he has appeared in 270 games, hitting .246 with nine home runs and 112 RBIs.
Rowdey Jordan – Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Double-A Affiliate New York Mets
The Mississippi State speedster played in Victoria in 2018 and was then drafted by the Mets in 2021, ascending quickly to Binghamton in 2022 where he has been since. In his minor league career to date, Jordan, through 352 games, is hitting .234 with 27 home runs and 160 RBIs. He has 67 doubles and 70 stolen bases as well.
Adam McKillican – Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A Affiliate Colorado Rockies
The HarbourCats Pitcher of the Year in 2017, McKillican was signed as a free agent by the Texas Rangers in 2021 and then moved to the Rockies organization with Spokane in 2022 and Hartford in 2023. The injury bug then hit and McKillikan missed most of the 2024 season, appearing in just four games, three on a rehab assignment in Rookie ball and one more in Hartford on August 15th before going back on the injured list yet again.
Caleb Ricketts – Reading Fightin’ Phils, Double-A Affiliate, Philadelphia Phillies
Drafted by the Phillies in 2022, 2018 HarbourCat Ricketts moved quickly through Rookie and A ball, earning a spot on double-A Reading for 2024. He has battled through some injuries this season to appear in 75 games (71 at catcher), hitting .219 with seven home runs and 91 RBIs.
High A
Indigo Diaz – Hudson Valley Renegades, High A Affiliate, New York Yankees
Diaz, a hard-throwing pitcher for the HarbourCats in 2017, was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2019 and later traded to the Yankees in 2022. He has battled injuries over his minor league career to date including a rehab assignment in 2024, but is now back with the Renegades and has appeared in 10 games since his return on July 25th.
Jack Owen -Lansing Lugnuts, High A Affiliate, Oakland A’s
The HarbourCats and West Coast League Pitcher of the Year in 2017, Owen was originally drafted by St. Louis in 2019, but opted to attend Auburn and later signed as a free agent with the A’s in 2021. He rose quickly to the double-A level where he has been since the 2022 season. Overall in the minors, he has a 17-8 record and 4.52 ERA, having appeared in 106 games and a total of 221 innings pitched.
2022 HarbourCat Joseph Redfield is doing well so far in the Angels minor league system. Photo: Victoria HarborCats
Joe Redfield – Tri-City Dust Devils, High A Affiliate, Los Angeles Angels
The 2022 HarbourCats Player of the Year was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round in 2022 and since then, has spent just over half his minor league time (64 of 124 games total) with Tri-City. In those 124 games, Redfield is hitting .264 with six home runs and 59 RBIs. He has 51 walks, 30 stolen bases and 84 runs scored in that same time span.
Dakota Hawkins – Brooklyn Cyclones, High A Affiliate, New York Mets
Pitcher of the Year for the HarbourCats in 2019, Hawkins was signed as a free agent by the Mets in 2023 where he saw minimal time at the Rookie and A level. In 2024 he was assigned to double-A Brooklyn, where he has appeared in 26 games, amassing a 4-4 record with nine saves and 4.30 ERA. He has struck out 72 batters while walking 23 in just over 81 innings of work. In late July Hawkins earned a call up to double-A Binghamton, appearing in two games for the Rumble Ponies.
Matthew Clayton – Cedar Rapids Kernals, High A Affiliate, Minnesota Twins
A catcher for the HarbourCats in 2018 and 2019, Clayton was signed as a free agent by the Twins in 2023 and has performed well thus far in 2024 in the minors. With Ft. Myers (A, 35 games) and now Cedar Rapids (double-A, 7 games) Clayton is hitting .269 with three home runs and 19 RBI.
Low A
Noah Takacs – Bradenton Marauders, Low A Affiliate, Pittsburgh Pirates
A 2022 HarbourCat and local Victoria native, Takacs was signed by the Pirates as a free agent in 2023. He promptly went on the injured list to have Tommy John surgery and is now working his way back from that having appeared in 27 games thus far in 2024, all in relief, 20 of which with the Rookie League Pirates and seven with Bradenton. In those 27 games Takacs is 5-7 with three saves over 39 innings of work.
Sean Heppner – Lynchburg Hillcats, Low A Affiliate, Cleveland Guardians
A 2023 HarbourCat, Heppner was one of seven former HarbourCats drafted or signed in the 2024 draft and was immediately moved to Lynchburg, the Low A affiliate of the Guardians. To date, he has appeared in five games, amassing a 5.06 ERA while striking out 13 and walking eight batters in a total of 10.2 innings of work.
Hunter Omlid – Fresno Grizzlies, Low A Affiliate, Colorado Rockies
A 2019 HarbourCat and another of the seven HarbourCats drafted or signed in the 2024 draft, Omlid was immediately put to work at Low A Fresno, appearing in two games, where in four innings of work, he struck out six and walked two, giving up one run on just one hit.
MiLB Development Camps
Other than Sean Heppner and Hunter Omlid (noted above), the remainder of the HarbourCats 2024 draft picks and free agent signees, were not officially assigned a team to close out 2024 and remained in the development camps of their respective clubs. This includes:
Ryan Magdic, 2023 HarbourCat (Oakland A’s)
Lucas Ramirez, 2024 HarbourCat (Los Angeles Angels)
Connor Dykstra, 2024 HarbourCat (Seattle Mariners)
Jesse Brown, 2022-2023 HarbourCat (Miami Marlins)
Jagger Beck, 2024 HarbourCat (Houston Astros)