*This article was originally published on Alberta Dugout Stories. You can read it here.

February 1, 2024

By Joe McFarland

Alberta Dugout Stories

It won’t be long before Landen Bourassa has the key to the city in Winnipeg.

The Lethbridge, Alta., native has become a staple of the starting rotation for the independent American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes over the past three years, while taking pride in becoming an involved member of the sports community.

In that time, he has posted a 20-11 record with a 4.17 ERA in 43 games for the Goldeyes, and is set to improve those numbers as he has a new contract with the team for 2024.

Fittingly, he signed it at the Home Run Sports Training Centre in Winnipeg while he was a guest coach at the annual Princess Auto Kids Winter Skills Camp.

“(The community connection) is kind of what keeps you coming back at the end of the day and just knowing how many familiar faces there are around the ballpark,” Bourassa told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.

“When people recognize you and you start to recognize people, it’s a really cool feeling to have that interaction of, ‘Hey, we’re in this together.’”

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Listen to Alberta Dugout Stories interview Landen Bourassa here.

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Coming off a career year where he led the league in wins (11) and complete games (two) to go along with a 4.62 ERA, Bourassa is hoping his 2023 is simply a sign of things to come.

GOOD BUT NOT EXCEPTIONAL

It was an up-and-down kind of year for Bourassa and the Goldeyes, who finished out of the playoff hunt with a 43-57 record.

The Albertan admits they didn’t win as much as they expected, but they felt competitive and were playing meaningful games down the stretch.

Bourassa did his part, especially near the end of the year, where he racked up seven straight wins between July 26 and August 29, pitching more than seven innings in all but two of those starts.

Looking back on the year as a whole, Bourassa says he was happy to stay healthy for the full season and was able to contribute when it mattered most.

“I think I was good but I wouldn’t say I was exceptional,” Bourassa said. “I think there were some times where I was exceptional and there were some times where I wasn’t that great.”

The University of San Francisco alum was also at the centre of a viral “mic’d up” moment on social media during the season, as he played it up for the camera by singing along to “The Ump Song,” a staple during Goldeyes games.

“Oh my god, I love that song,” he laughed. “They play it every single game and it’s just part of the routine and after over a 100 games played there, some things don’t change and I love that part.”

Bourassa adds it’s all a part of the entire game-day presentation at Shaw Park which makes the Goldeyes a big draw with 178,393 fans coming through the turnstiles in 2023, the third-most in the league.

O CANADA

While the Goldeyes sport a Canadian maple leaf on the arms of their jerseys, Bourassa was able to put the iconic maple leaf on his hat and jersey with Baseball Canada at the Pan Am Games Qualifier in Argentina.

It was a first time for the 26-year-old, as he wasn’t a part of the Junior National Team or any other national program before getting a call from head coach and director Greg Hamilton.

Bourassa credits current Prairie Baseball Academy coach Todd Hubka for making that connection and talking up the Lethbridge Bulls alum.

“Greg gave me a call one day when we were down in Chicago and just said, ‘Hey, are you interested in doing this?’” he said. “I was like, ‘Absolutely, this is a no-brainer kind of decision.’”

“It doesn’t matter where it is, what it is – if it’s Team Canada-related – I’m doing it.”

Canada went 3-1 in four games between June 16 and June 20, ultimately losing out on a tiebreaker and not qualifying for the 2024 Pan Am Games.

Bourassa, who was joined by fellow Albertans Matt Lloyd and Jordan Procyshen, came out of the bullpen in one of the four games, allowing a couple of runs against the Argentinian hosts.

While they didn’t achieve what they set out to do, it was still an experience the Albertan won’t soon forget.

“I think the moment for me where I was like, ‘Oh, this is real,’ was when I met (manager) Ernie Whitt in the locker room,” Bourassa smiled. “He thanked us for being there and he’s just the nicest guy.”

He also appreciated the opportunity to meet some new people and talk about their experiences in both baseball and life.

“It was such an unbelievable experience,” Bourassa said. “I had a tonne of fun, met a bunch of really good dudes and was able to spend some good time with them down in Argentina.”

THE TRAVEL BUG

Getting the chance to represent his country internationally also opened up Bourassa’s eyes to the potential of taking his talents around the world at some point down the road.

He would love to play for Baseball Canada again if Hamilton comes calling again.

If not, he says he was a sponge listening to long-time national players like Andrew Albers, Scott Mathieson and pitching coach Dustin Molleken share their stories in the dugout, at the hotel or in restaurants.

“It’s something I have definitely thought about, even with my USF roommate who was from Tokyo and always telling me that I needed to come play in Japan,” said Bourassa, referring to infielder Ken Hemmer.

“One of the things you learn from being around other guys is how many different opportunities there are around the globe.”

As fun as traveling sounds, he recognizes he’s still young and wants to take it a day at a time, enjoying every situation as it arises.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Right now, Bourassa is set on seeing the Goldeyes get into the playoffs in 2024.

He likes what he’s seeing out of the roster moves made during the offseason, including the re-signing of fellow veteran Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.), former Philadelphia Phillies draft pick Colton Eastman and former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Marshall Kasowski.

The team has also added pitching coach Mark Brewer, who is a long-time coach who spent the past 10 seasons in the Colorado Rockies’ farm system.

“There’s plenty of talent in that locker room,” said the 6-foot-4, 195-pound righthander. “Hopefully we can continue what we had in the second half as the pieces are definitely there.”

Goldeyes fans have also enjoyed seeing a fellow countryman grow up right in front of their eyes, which is a fact not lost on Bourassa’s manager.

“I’m very excited to have Landen back for 2024,” Logan Watkins said following the contract announcement in mid-December. “He’s meant a lot to this organization over the past few years.”

“With him being Canadian, I know the organization means a lot to him and I think he has a lot of pride being here and representing a team in his home country.”

And speaking of home, Bourassa has also been able to have family and friends visit for a few of his games, which is something he wasn’t able to do when he was at USF, especially in his last year after the COVID-19 pandemic.

While they might have been able to watch livestreams at home and text or call after games, it’s not the same as seeing a familiar face in the stands.

“Even getting my grandparents out to a game this year for the first time was pretty special,” Bourassa said. “I know they really enjoyed getting the opportunity to watch me pitch.”

It’s a joy many in Alberta are getting to share as his baseball journey continues.