AppleSox Add Three Pitchers With Arizona Connections

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington signed three pitchers to the 2024 roster on Friday. Garrett Ahern, Carter Seely and Samuel Round are three-right handers joining this summer’s team.

Ahern joins Cannon Peery as the second AppleSox signee from Grand Canyon University. Ahern has a 2.38 ERA with four strikeouts and four walks over 11.1 innings in six appearances as a freshman for the Antelopes.

The Gilbert, Ariz. native graduated from Campo Verde High School after earning first team all-region honors as a junior in 2022 and then second team honors as a senior in 2023. Ahern went 3-1 with a 2.26 ERA, 38 strikeouts and 11 walks over 31 innings in six games last year.  

“Garrett has already seen some innings for them,” Darlington said. “He’s recovering from an arm injury last year and is just getting back into the swing of things this spring. He’ll be wanting to get a lot of innings, wanting to get a lot of time on the mound and get polished up.”

Seely comes to the AppleSox from Central Arizona, where he has recorded a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts and nine walks over 14 innings in 10 games. His best outing out of the bullpen came on March 11 when he hurled three scoreless innings against Western Nebraska. 

The Selah, Wa. native graduated from Selah high school last spring after helping lead the Vikings to the Washington State 2A Tournament semifinals. He will get the opportunity to pitch back home when the AppleSox travel to play the Yakima Valley Pippins June 18-20.

“We expect him to come up here and see a ton of significant innings for us,” Darlington said “This is an important summer for Carter. I know it will be fun for him to pitch in front of his family and friends but also getting some significant innings in the West Coast League will be big for his development.”

Round returns to the AppleSox after thriving as a starter last season. He got the nod in the first game of the postseason after going 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 13 walks over 27 innings in seven games (five starts) in the regular season. He struck out a season-high 10 batters against Bellingham July 27 and went at least five innings in four-of-five regular season starts.

The Phoenix native has not pitched yet this season at Gonzaga. He was a Perfect Game Underclass All-American and Top-500 recruit while playing at Pinnacle High School in Arizona. Round was also a Prep Baseball Report Arizona Future Games Participant.

“I think we saw a lot of the highs of Sam last summer,” Darlington said. “Low 90’s fastball with a sharp, devastating slider that became his swing-and-miss pitch. Towards the end of last summer Sam was becoming our main guy, kind of our number one guy. We knew what we were getting every time he started.” 

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8. 

Fans are encouraged to come to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium on Wednesday, May 1 to cheer on former AppleSox head coach Ed Knaggs as he begins his run from Wenatchee to Corvallis. Knaggs is doing the run next month to raise awareness for youth mental health and will depart from Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium at 8 a.m. Fans interested in donating to be entered for a chance to coach the AppleSox for a game this summer can visit openingdayrun.com

Ever Want To Coach The AppleSox? Here's Your Chance

The Wenatchee AppleSox are partnering with former head coach Ed Knaggs and Opening Day Run to offer the opportunity for fans to coach for a game this summer.

The winner will get the chance to join the AppleSox for batting practice before a game and coach first base for an inning. He/she will join AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington and his assistants Mike Callia and Xander Orejudos to help lead the Sox to victory.

Interested participants will receive an entry for every $50 donation to Only7Seconds, one of the organizations that Opening Day Run will be benefiting. Simply put “Coach For A Day” in the comments with your donation on openingdayrun.com and you will be eligible for the promotion. 

Opening Day Run is an event by Knaggs to help raise awareness for youth mental health. Knaggs will run from Wenatchee, where he coached from 2001-14, to Corvallis, Ore., where he has coached since 2018. Knaggs won six league championships with Wenatchee, including each of the organization’s five West Coast League titles. He has since gone on to help the Knights win each of their last five championships. 

The run will begin on May 1 at 7 a.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Knaggs will head to the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail up to the Columbia River Bridge over to 9th Street before continuing on the Loop to 3rd Street and then hit Rock Island Road until it runs into Highway 28 to begin his run to Corvallis. NCWLIFE will be broadcasting live at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium from 7-8 a.m.

Loop to the “Old Wenatchee Bridge” that crosses over the Columbia where you end up on the east side at 9th street.  Continue on the Loop to 3rd St  (road that heads up to Costco) and then catch Rock Island Rd right there. 

“For anyone who is a baseball fan, Opening Day is a positive phrase connected with the sport,” Knaggs said. “I think of the parallels with Opening Day and how it is about hope, belief and dreaming. If we could wake up every day and it could be Opening Day, we would feel good. I talk with my teams each year midway through the summer as fatigue sets in. I tell them that if they can come to the ballpark and treat every day like Opening Day, then they will be at their best and can put their struggles behind them.” 

Opening Day Run is spotlighting Only7Seconds and Trillium Family Services, two organizations with connections to both towns. Only7Seconds is a Chelan-based organization whose goal is a world without loneliness. Their programs and resources inspire intentional connections by empowering people and equipping partners. Trillium Family Services is a Corvallis-based organization dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and their families ages 5-24 years. Personalized support including residential, outpatient, and school-based prevention programs are tailored to address the unique mental health needs of every young person in Trillium’s care.

To donate, please visit openingdayrun.com. Follow Opening Day Run on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates on Knaggs’ preparation for the run as well as updates on it once the run begins.

Four Righties From USC Upstate Added To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of four pitchers from South Carolina Upstate to the 2024 roster. Jackson Campbell, Braden Consaul, Caleb Costa and David James are all right-handed pitchers set to join this summer’s team.

Campbell has not taken the bump yet this season for USC Upstate but is coming off a nine-appearance freshman year in 2023. The right-hander comes to the AppleSox with previous summer baseball experience, shining in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League last season. Campbell recorded a 3.98 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 15 walks over nine appearances last summer for the Hamilton Joe’s. He did not allow an earned run in six of his appearances and recorded a season-high six strikeouts twice. 

“A guy that has a lot of talent but hasn’t fully developed yet and needs a summer out here to dial it in,” Darlington said. “He hasn’t seen innings yet this spring, which is always a good and a bad thing. Good for us in the sense that he’s going to be able to come out here and get a lot of innings but bad in the sense that he hasn’t gotten the chance to get out there this spring.”

Consaul’s 19 appearances last season were third-most on the Spartans en route to earning a Spot on the Big South’s All Freshman team. He has already made 12 trips to the bump as a sophomore and has a 3.78 ERA with 14 strikeouts and seven walks over 16.2 innings this spring. The Rochester, N.Y. native put together a dominant March, only allowing three runs over 10 appearances while racking up 12 strikeouts. Consaul recorded a 4.15 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 10 walks over 17.1 innings in 10 games for the Florence Flamingos of the Coastal Plain League. 

“He’s slowly been worked into a starter’s role,” Darlington said. “We expect him to get a few starts under his belt and then go from there. All the talent in the world. A really high ceiling guy that we’re excited to have with us.”

Costa has not pitched for the Spartans yet this season but made 11 appearances as a freshman in 2023 with three of them coming as a starter. He punched out 16 hitters and walked nine over 13.2 innings. The Charleston, S.C. native graduated from Oceanside Collegiate Academy in 2022, where he went 6-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 10 walks over 28 innings in seven games as a senior. Costa recorded a 3.72 ERA for Kingsmen Baseball of the Southern Collegiate Baseball League in 2022 prior to his freshman year of college.

“Hasn’t thrown yet in 2024 for a variety of reasons,” Darlington said,” but we’re expecting him to come in and be full go for us and be ready to compete. A guy we face in to a bullpen role but is gonna have lights-out stuff and fill it up. ”

James is in his sophomore year at USC Upstate and has pitched in six games this season. He has punched out 12 hitters while only walking five over 10.2 innings. The London, Ontario native started and dominated in four games for the Albany Dutchmen of the Perfect Game Collegiate League last season by posting a 0.83 ERA with 20 strikeouts and six walks over 21.2 innings. That performance came after a freshman year in which he made 14 appearances and fired 20.2 innings for the Spartans. 

“David is another one with a three-pitch mix, upper 80’s fastball and good offspeed that plays,” Darlington said. “Quality guy to grab for the summer. He’s only thrown 10 innings this spring so that means he’ll be able to throw a lot for us, which we like to see.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:35 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets are available for purchase now at applesox.com/schedule with admission as affordable as $8.

Three Red Devils Arms Join 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of three pitchers to the team’s 2024 roster. Michael Schwarz, Stephen Hammergren and Josh Mejia will all join this summer’s AppleSox squad. All three have pitched or currently pitch for Lower Columbia College under AppleSox and Red Devils pitching coach Mike Callia.

Michael Schwarz was signed to pitch for the AppleSox last summer before being shut down after the NWAC Championship. In two seasons with the Red Devils he recorded a combined 2.26 ERA with 149 strikeouts and 51 walks over 159 innings in 28 games (27 starts) while also earning Second Team All-NWAC West Region in 2023. Schwarz helped Lower Columbia win the first game of its eventual NWAC Championship run last season by holding Edmonds to one run on four hits, no walks and nine strikeouts in seven innings. The southpaw is in his junior year at Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he is teammates with 2023 AppleSox infielder Mason Persons. 

“He was a guy when we had him (at Lower Columbia) who was dominating teams by moving around the fastball and mixing in the secondary (pitches) ,” Callia said. “There are not many guys who are two-year aces in the NWAC. Mike Schwarz was at Lower Columbia. That speaks highly to the competitor that he is and his willingness to take the ball every weekend and rack up innings that he had said a lot about his pure grit and determination to go compete.”

Josh Mejia is in his freshman year at Lower Columbia and has a 2.63 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 11 walks over 13.2 innings in eight games out of the bullpen. He has not allowed a run in five of his outings and his best appearance was three-inning scoreless effort on Feb. 23 vs. Lane. The southpaw went 5-1 with a 3.26 ERA, 74 strikeouts and 32 walks over 11 games as a senior at Rogers High School in 2023. 

“Probably one of our hardest workers with the Red Devils this year,” Callia said. “He’s been an electric arm out of the bullpen. He brings a lot with his slider and fastball velocity. We’re excited to see how he competes against Division-I arms coming from a funky arm slot.”

Stephen Hammergren didn’t have to go far from home for college after graduating from Mark Morris High School. He hit .434 with nine extra-base hits and 28 RBI as a senior in 2023 while also only allowing one run in 23.2 innings over six games on the mound. Hammergren punched out 43 hitters while only walking 14 and allowing 11 hits. He has a 4.32 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 11 walks over 16.2 innings in six games with Lower Columbia.

“I can’t tell you how excited he is to join the AppleSox,” Callia said. “He tells me every day that he’s excited to spend the summer with me. He’s an electric arm out of our bullpen right now. He had a fantastic ”

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets for the 2024 season go on sale April 15. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets. Wenatchee’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. 

Listen to the latest edition of the AppleSox Podcast below to hear about the newest additions to the roster from pitching coach Mike Callia. Subscribe to the AppleSox Podcast today on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Current Freshman, Incoming Freshman Highlight Latest Roster Additions

A connection with a former member of the AppleSox headlines this week’s roster additions. Antonio Gianni, Adam Haight, Ethan Hubbell and Cannon Peery are four newcomers signed to play for this summer’s team.

Antonio Gianni is a utility player in his freshman year at Central Arizona College. He is batting .216 through his first 21 games with the Vaqueros. Gianni recorded a five-game hitting streak in mid-March that he batted .500 (6-for-12) over. He finished his high-school career strong with a .341 average and four home runs and 19 RBI in 28 games last spring at Cactus Shadows in Arizona.

“Antonio is a true definition of a utility guy,” Darlington said.” Plays a little bit of middle infield and all three outfield spots. From our phone calls with him he is the type of kid who is up for playing anywhere. Wherever you want play him, he’s going to be comfortable and he’s going to be able to produce.”

Adam Haight will be a freshman this fall at Oregon State after completing the summer season with the AppleSox. He is a senior at Cedar Park Christian High School and is the younger brother of 2021 AppleSox catcher Andrew Haight. Adam is an infielder and a right-handed pitcher who is ranked as the third-best member of the class of 2024 in Washington by Baseball Northwest. BVM Sports and Perfect Game both rated him the second-best player in his senior class. 

“He’ll be a true two-way player for us this summer,” Darlington said. “He gets on the bump and he’s got an upper-80’s to low-90’s fastball. A lot of upside on the mound as well as in the field.”  

Ethan Hubbell is in his sophomore year at Everett Community College and is in the midst of turning in another impressive campaign. He leads the Trojans in innings (37.1) and strikeouts (37) and is second in WHIP (0.83) and third in ERA (1.45). This comes after he finished fourth in innings (56.2) and fifth in strikeouts (30) as a freshman. Hubbell finished with a 3.34 ERA, only nine walks and two complete games in 11 games (eight starts) last season.

“Ethan is a guy who attacks the zone and fills it up,” Darlington said. “Not a ton of strikeouts, not a ton of swing-and-miss but it seems like every outing that he’s gone for Everett he’s gone deep in the games and always gives you a chance to win.” 

The Camas, Wash. native pitched in two games in the West Coast League last summer with the Nanaimo NightOwls. Hubbell surrendered three runs (two earned) in 1.2 innings on June 27 at Yakima Valley before bouncing back with only one unearned run in 2.2 innings on July 2 vs. Port Angeles. 

Cannon Peery is in his freshman year at Grand Canyon University and has appeared in five games so far. He graduated from Mountain Ridge High School in 2023 and was the sixth-ranked first base prospect in Arizona by Perfect Game. Peery hit .366 with 15 extra-base hits and 31 RBI in 29 games last spring and received an invite to Prep Baseball Report’s West Coast Games in the fall of 2022.  

“Everything we’ve heard about Cannon is that he’s going to be a pure hitter someday,” Darlington said. “He’s going to play a lot of first base for us, a lot of designated hitter and probably a guy that’s going to be tough to keep out of the lineup.” 

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. Single-game tickets for the 2024 season go on sale April 15. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets. Wenatchee’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023.

Six Players From In-State Colleges Added To 2024 Roster

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Friday the addition of six players from Washington colleges to this summer’s roster. Carson Boesel, Micah Bujachich, Max Hartman, Matthew Henning, Tyson Rutherford and Karsten Sweum are all signed to suit up for the AppleSox in 2024. 

Carson Boesel is a local product who graduated from Okanogan High School last spring and is in his freshman year at Spokane Falls Community College. The Malott, Wash. native has appeared in four games for the Sasquatch and did not allow any runs over the first 5.1 innings that he appeared in. Boesel surrendered three runs in three innings in his third appearance before then allowing five in his fourth outing. 

“It’s always nice to have those local guys who are talented enough to come play for us in the summer,” Darlington said. “He’s thrown some really good innings this year in his freshman year at Spokane Falls. They always have good arms and are sendings us good guys, so it was a no-brainer for us to have that local kid that is definitely talented enough to be here.” 

Micah Bujachich will be a freshman at Washington this fall after completing his senior year at Steilacoom High School. He shined as a two-way player last year, batting .432 in 15 games last spring while also recording a 2.81 ERA in eight appearances to lead Steilacoom to the 2A State Tournament. He was ranked the No. 20 overall player and No. 4 right-handed pitcher in Washington by Perfect Game last year. 

“Really talented arm with an upper 80’s to low 90’s fastball and a good breaking pitch,” Darlington said. “It’s hard when you don’t know a lot about these incoming freshmen, but Washington is high on him and really excited about what he will do for them. We expect him to come in and play a significant role for us because of that.”

After appearing in the WCL with a fellow North Division rival in 2023, Max Hartman switches his allegiance to the AppleSox this summer. He hit .193 in 38 games with the Bellingham Bells prior to his sophomore year at Washington State. Hartman recorded a six-game hitting streak from July 4-12 and hit .318 in that time. 

The St. Albert, Alberta native got off to a strong start to his second season with the Cougs, recording a hit in each of his first 10 games. Hartman recorded back-to-back three-hit games with 5 RBI in a doubleheader against Rhode Island Mar. 2 and has 10 multi-hit games so far. His .347 average is third-best on the Cougs and has batted leadoff in each of their last 17 games. 

“Good speed at the top of the order and brings a little bit of juice as well,” Darlington said. “If you know our park, there’s a bit of a jet stream out to right field so having a left-handed bat that’s going to get a ton of at-bats for you in the summer is a good thing.”

Matthew Henning is another incoming freshman at Washington committed to play for the AppleSox before heading off to college. The two-time Perfect Game West Region All-American honoree is in his senior year at West Seattle High School and was ranked the No. 6 overall player and No. 2 outfielder in Washington in Perfect Game’s rankings last November. BVM Sports ranked Henning the eighth-best prospect in the class of 2024 in Washington after he hit .298 with eight extra-base hits and 18 RBI as a junior last spring to help lead West Seattle to the semifinals of the 3A State Tournament. 

“It sounds like Washington is going to bring him in as a true two-way guy,” Darlington said, “so that will be the plan for us, to see what he can do on the bump as well as in the outfield. I expect some big things from Matthew. He’s arriving in early July and will be a second-half guy for us. I think our fans are going to really like Matthew Henning.”

Tyson Rutherford is in his second year of college baseball and is at his second school. He began at Yakima Valley College last year before transferring to Spokane this season. Rutherford posted a 3.79 ERA while striking out 70 and walking 30 over 73.2 innings in 13 games (all starts) last season. He has only made one appearance this spring with the Sasquatch, allowing three runs, striking out eight and only walking one in 4.2 innings. 

“A guy that has a mid-to-upper 80’s fastball,” Darlington said, “and a really nasty breaking ball that gets a lot of swings and misses. Tyson will have a chance to get into our rotation, especially early on since the NWAC guys are able to show up on the first day. May see him get a start or two early on and I think he’ll get a ton of innings for us.”

Glacier Park High School southpaw Karsten Sweum is in his senior year before heading to Gonzaga this fall. He recorded a 1.47 ERA while opponents hit .082 against him over 19 innings to earn First Team All-WESCO 4A and First Team All-Area Snohomish County. Sweum hit .479 with a .545 on-base percentage, 1.191 on-base plus slugging and 17 RBI. He also earned a 2022-23 Northwest Scout Games selection and a 2023 Area Code selection from the Kansas City Royals.

“He’s a kid that’s polished beyond his years,” Darlington said. “We expect a big role from him this summer. We expect him to either step into a rotation role or a lefty who is going to get us out of a tough situation out of the bullpen.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

To hear more from Darlington about this week’s roster additions, listen to the latest edition of the Wenatchee AppleSox Podcast below.

Four Former Players Crack MLB Opening Day Rosters

Four former Wenatchee AppleSox players have appeared on MLB rosters for the start of the 2024 season, which begins today, Mar. 28. 

Griffin Canning, Marco Gonzales, Drew Rasmussen and Michael Toglia will all begin the new season with their major-league ballclub. 

Canning, a 2020 Gold Glove winner and 2014 AppleSox alum, will pitch for the Los Angeles Angels for a fifth season. 

Gonzales, a 2010 West Coast League champion, opens up his 10th season in the big leagues with his third organization, the Pittsburgh Pirates, after an offseason trade. 

Rasmussen, a righty with the Sox in 2014, has a 2.97 ERA over his first four MLB seasons and looks to build off it in his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Toglia, the 2016 WCL MVP, cracked the Colorado Rockies Opening Day Roster for the first time in his third MLB season. 

Ten different AppleSox alums appeared in the majors last season. Twenty one former players have made it to MLB since the AppleSox began play in 2000. To learn more about former players appearing in the major leagues, please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros

The 2024 WCL season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Darlington Adds Four Players From California Colleges

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Thursday the addition of four players from California colleges to the 2024 roster. Jack Haferkamp, Ryan Halamicek, Elijah Pelayo and Jarren Sanderson are four newcomers signed to come to Wenatchee this season.

Jack Haferkamp is in his senior season at Santa Fe Christian High School and will head to UC Santa Barbara this fall. The outfielder is batting .238 through seven games but hit an eye-popping .493 with six home runs last season to earn All-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) honors. Haferkamp batted .337 in his junior season in 2022 and recorded 13 extra-base hits, two more than last season. 

The Carlsbad, Calif. native has racked up noteworthy honors ahead of July’s MLB Draft, including playing in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Perfect Game All-American Classic last August at Chase Field in Arizona. He also appeared on SB Live’s 2024 California preseason high school baseball all-state team and was also honored as among the top 48 2024 draft-eligible players in the pacific time zone by being named to the Area Code Select West Game in Los Angeles last month. Future Stars Series ranked Haferkamp as its 113th-best prospect on its top 200 draft-eligible high school players list last month.

We’re sure we’re going to have some major-league scouts watching him over the summer,” Darlington said. “One article that we looked into said he could go as high as the seventh round but it all depends on how his spring season goes. He’s going to play a lot of center field for us and can run down a ball in the gap. At the plate there’s a lot of power and a lot of speed, which fits into what we’re trying to do.”

Ryan Halamicek is a freshman right-handed pitcher at Cal State Northridge who has started all five games that he has pitched in so far. He had a 3.05 ERA over his first 20.2 innings before a tough outing on Mar. 16 when he surrendered six runs in five innings. Halamicek has struck out 11 and walked eight while recording a 2-2 record. 

The Yucaipa, Calif. native graduated from Redlands East Valley High School last spring.  He went 6-2 with a 0.96 ERA and 65 strikeouts as a senior. Halamicek recorded four complete games and earned all-league first team, All-CIF and All-Inland Empire honors while being named Spring Athlete of the Year in the Redlands Unified School District. He also was a water polo goalkeeper for four years and received first-team all-league as a senior.

“He has a really firm fastball with a good off-speed mix,” Darlington said. “We expect Ryan to come up here and probably be in a starting role for us throughout the summer. A guy that we can rely on on a weekly basis and a guy that we really think could be successful in this league and be a dude for us.”

Elijah Pelayo will be heading into his senior season at Cal State Bakersfield when he joins the AppleSox this summer. The infielder is batting .281 with five multi-hit games and 9 RBI through 20 games. Pelayo’s best performance came in a doubleheader against NJIT on Mar. 9 when he went a combined 4-for-5 with a pair of multi-hit games, 2 RBI, two stolen bases and two hit by pitches. 

The Pico Rivera, Calif. native previously played at Mt. San Antonio College from 2022-23 before joining the Roadrunners. He came on strong in his freshman year in 2022, batting .329 with 13 doubles, 19 stolen bases and 34 RBI in 43 games. Pelayo then hit .246 with 21 RBI in 2023 before transferring to Cal State Bakersfield. 

“Elijah is a huge pickup for us,” Darlington said. “He’s been Cal State Bakersfield’s everyday shortstop. I think his glove and his ability to lock down shortstop and just being an elite defender is going to get him in our lineup on a nightly basis. He reminds me a lot of Izzy Lopez from last season. Just a really elite defender who can make any play and any throw across the diamond.”

Jarren Sanderson is hitting .364 in his first six games of his freshman year at Cal State Northridge. He has started three games and recorded his first multi-hit game last Sunday with a 2-for-4 day against Cal Poly. The day before he drove in three runs for the second consecutive game. Sanderson is an infielder/outfielder who has made two starts at designated hitter and one at left field.

The Torrance, Calif. native graduated from Junipero Serra High School last spring and recorded a huge senior season. He collected first-team all-league and first-team All-Daily Breeze honors while also being selected to the 2023 Senior All Star Baseball Classic. Sanderson hit .588 with two home runs as a junior to earn first team All-CIF and first-team all-league en route to leading the Cavaliers to a league championship in 2022.

“Really, really good athlete,” Darlington said. “Jarren has really good speed. He’s a big kid at 6-foot-6, over 200 pounds and he’s just a freak athlete. He’s going to make our lineup better, he’s going to make us better defensively and just having a good athlete like that that can play multiple spots will be fun to watch this summer.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club set single-season franchise records for walks drawn, home record, home winning streak, sweeps and home runs hit in a single game in 2023. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Four More Returners Coming Back To AppleSox In 2024

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Friday the return of four AppleSox players who have previously suited up for the team. Fred Buckson, Jayden Holloway, Riley Sinclair and Wyatt Queen will return to Wenatchee for a second season in 2024.With the addition of these players the AppleSox now have 10 players signed to play this summer who were with the team previously. 

Similar to last season, Fred Buckson joins the 2024 AppleSox on a 10-day contract. Buckson will arrive early in the season to provide infield depth and get an opportunity to immediately produce in the AppleSox lineup. He played in each of Wenatchee’s first five games of the season before eventually returning to the team in late July when Darlington was in need of an extra infielder. Buckson went 2-for-2 with a stolen base and a run on July 30 to help the AppleSox defeat Edmonton, 8-5, at home. 

The Silverdale, Wa. native is a junior in eligibility this spring but is playing in his fifth season of college baseball. Buckson raked in his first year at Vanguard in 2023, leading the Lions in at-bats (194), RBI (45), extra-base hits (22) and home runs (9) while finishing second in stolen bases (19). He played at Bellevue from 2020-21, combining to hit .274 with four home runs and 20 RBI over 33 games. Buckson played at Northwestern Oklahoma State University last spring and hit .275 in 20 games before transferring to Vanguard.

“He’s a talented guy,” Darlington said. “He played second base all last year for Vanguard. This year he is starting every day at shortstop. We saw a little bit of that last summer with us, his ability to flip from one position to the other. He’s a really good defender. I have a good feeling about Fred this summer and I think he’s going to help us a ton.”

Jayden Holloway joined the AppleSox late in the 2023 summer and left his mark prior to his freshman year of college.The freshman at Michigan State was signed in late July with Wenatchee dealing with a few injuries and departures. He shined immediately, recording two hits and scoring two runs in his second game with the AppleSox on July 29 against Edmonton. Holloway went on to record hits in eight of the 10 games that he appeared in, postseason included. He recorded consecutive three-hit games in the last two games of the regular season at Kelowna.

The Seattle native has two at-bats but has scored two runs in the early season. He graduated from Seattle Prep last spring and was teammates there with former AppleSox infielder Reeve Boyd. Holloway earned First Team All-Metro honors as a senior with four home runs, 24 RBI, 26 runs, and 10 stolen bases. He previously earned Second Team All-Metro honors as a junior in 2022. 

“Towards the back half of summer he was really absorbing everything we were telling him and polishing things up,” Darlington said. “I can only imagine how much better he will be this summer after a full year of work. He’s another one who handles himself professionally. He’s a quiet kid but he’s confident. For an incoming freshman to step up and produce the way he did shows how special he is. He’s got a really good mindset and I think he’s going to work his tail off and do whatever we ask of him.”

Riley Sinclair is the only returner to the AppleSox who did not play for the team in 2023. He got his first taste of the Apple Capital in 2022, when he was a part of Darlington’s inaugural club. Sinclair served primarily as a starting pitcher, starting six of the seven games that he appeared in and struck out 23 while walking 16 over 26 innings. The Camas, Wa. native’s best start came on July 22 when he tossed a season-high six innings and struck out a summer-best six while only allowing two runs on seven hits and two walks at Walla Walla. 

The right-hander did not pitch at Seattle U last season due to injury but appeared in 20 games with the Pilots from 2021-22, starting 12 of those games. His 4.06 ERA in 2021 led Seattle U while his 51 innings and 30 strikeouts were both fifth-best on the team. 

“Riley unfortunately has had the injury bug here the last few years,” Darlington said. “Probably one of the healthiest points was the summer he had with us two summers ago. I thought he was great for us, as well as stuff-wise, mound presence and the way he worked. One of my favorite things with this job is the guys who circle back and want to play for you.” 

Wyatt Queen appeared in one game with the AppleSox late last season and now earns a spot ahead of the 2024 campaign. He tossed 3.1 innings in a start against Bellingham on Aug. 3 and struck out four, walked two and allowed one run. Queen surrendered his only run in the opening frame and faced the minimum the next two innings. 

The Marysville, Wa. native is in his freshman year at Everett Community College and has pitched in three games this spring. Queen earned the win in each of his first two starts, striking out eight and only allowing one run in 5.1 innings at Yakima Valley. He followed it up by striking out nine and allowing two unearned runs in six innings vs. Spokane Falls. 

“I had gotten a tip last summer that he was legit,” Darlington said. “I messaged him on Twitter to see if he wanted to pitch for us and he has blown up now. He’s signed at Oregon State and he’s at Everett right now. He’s going to be their ace this spring. Whatever we can get from him this summer we will be grateful for. Confident guy, a dog on the mound who just goes after guys.”

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club has scored the most runs by any team in the WCL the last two seasons. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Six Returning Players Signed To 2024 Roster

Wenatchee AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Friday the return of six players to the teams’ roster for the 2024 season. Braiden Boyd, Evan Canfield, Jack DeDonato, Hunter Gibson, Quincy Vassar and Jadon Williamson will all return to the team this summer.

Each of them played for the AppleSox in 2023 and will be appearing in at least their third season with the AppleSox this summer. Three of them have local ties as DeDonato’s family resides in Wenatchee, Boyd is from Chelan and Vassar is from Brewster.

“These are our culture setters,” Darlington said. “These are guys who are going to have your back. There are a lot of conversations that happen in the clubhouse that happen without the coaching staff present so it’s important to have leaders of the team who have our back and know what we want to accomplish. I think they are going to set the tone.”

Braiden Boyd finished his first full season with the AppleSox in 2023 as a key multi-inning reliever. His nine appearances tied for fourth-most by an AppleSox pitcher. Boyd tossed three-or-more innings five times, including a season-high four innings on Aug. 4 at Kelowna to earn his third and final save of the season. The southpaw finished the summer 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA, 22 strikeouts and 17 walks over 22.2 innings ahead of his freshman year at Washington State.

Boyd got his first work at the college level on Aug. 1, 2022, when he struck out three hitters in two innings in a non-league game against the Cascade Collegiate League. That came following a remarkable junior season at Chelan High School, where Boyd earned 2022 Caribou Trail League Player of the Year and First Team All-CTL en route to a fourth-place finish at the 1A State Tournament. He followed that up by again earning First Team honors in 2023 and helped the Goats earn another berth at State. 

“A lot of our fans saw Braiden’s progression last summer,” Darlington said. “As we got later into the summer he got more significant innings for us. The thing that excites me the most is that he’s going to have a full year at a Division-I program. Nathan Choate does a great job at developing arms. I’m expecting Braiden to come in here and take a big step forward. I think he’s a guy who can come in here and compete for a spot in our starting rotation.”

No pitcher has appeared in more games than Evan Canfield over the last two seasons as he prepares for his third summer in Wenatchee. The Bothell native earned All-WCL Honorable Mention and recorded a 2.03 ERA in his second season with the AppleSox. The right-hander’s 12 appearances led the team and his 36 strikeouts were third-most. Canfield recorded five different outings of at least three innings, including a season-high 5.1 innings of shutout ball in a 5-1 win over Bellingham on July 25. His finest outing was his first of the season, when he tossed five shutout innings and struck out nine to earn the win against Springfield on June 7. 

Canfield went 4-0 with a 1.22 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 29.1 innings in nine games in 2022 in his first season with the AppleSox. He tossed at least three innings of relief four times, including five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against Kelowna on July 5. The right-hander’s finest work of the season may have been his final outing of the summer, a five-inning scoreless start against Walla Walla with five strikeouts on Aug. 5 to earn the win on the night the AppleSox clinched a playoff spot. 

Canfield is a redshirt sophomore at Edmonds this spring. He appeared in 10 games last season, recording a 4.63 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 22 walks over 23.1 innings in 10 games (four starts). He also previously pitched in the WCL in 2021, posting a 3.00 ERA with 12 strikeouts and five hits over 12 innings in three games with Port Angeles, including only allowing two runs on four hits and striking out seven AppleSox hitters in 5.2 innings on Aug. 4. 

“He has been really good for us the last two summers,” Darlington said. “He has probably been our best reliever both summers. He’s a guy we can go to not just late in games but in the middle of one. It’s amazing how he comes out here in the summer and is relaxed and confident and just fills up the zone. Honestly one of the better relievers in the West Coast League the last couple of summers. You can pencil in where he will fit in our bullpen and build the rest of it around him.” 

The 2024 WCL season marks the fourth consecutive that Jack DeDonato will be a part of with the AppleSox. If DeDonato appears on the field for one regular-season game in 2024 then he will match John Gebbers (2000-03) as the only player to play in parts of four seasons with the AppleSox. He made his most appearances with the team last season, pitching in relief nine times. DeDonato did not allow an earned run in five of his outings out of the bullpen and finished the summer with 10 strikeouts and seven walks over 13.2 innings.

DeDonato made his AppleSox debut on Aug. 5, 2021, striking out three hitters and allowing one run over 1.2 innings of relief and then pinch hit two days later. Darlington added DeDonato to his inaugural season roster late in June 2022 and DeDonato appeared in three WCL games and two non-league games. The southpaw’s finest moment with the AppleSox came on Aug. 3 that summer, when he tossed five innings out of the bullpen to earn the win against Yakima Valley.

DeDonato enrolled at college ahead of the 2022 season but has not appeared in game action yet. He began his collegiate career at Washington State before transferring to New Mexico and now is at Lower Columbia under AppleSox and Red Devils pitching coach Mike Callia. He graduated from Mercer Island High School in 2021 after earning first-team All-State as a pitcher and first baseman as a senior. Perfect Game ranked him as the second-best left-handed pitcher in Washington after going 4-1 with 34 strikeouts and a 1.56 ERA in 20.1 innings.

“The biggest thing that sticks out to me with him is his leadership and the way he holds all of the other pitchers accountable,” Darlington said. “I feel like whenever you show up to the yard he is one of the first ones there. He’s always in the office trying to get better. How he sets the tone and handles his business day in and day out is so important in summer baseball. He’s working hard in the gym and he’s constantly doing the little things right. You need guys like that to set your culture in summer baseball.”

After spending the 2022 season primarily coming out of the bullpen, Hunter Gibson shined as a starting pitcher last season in Wenatchee. The right-hander tossed at least 5.1 innings in all three games and only allowed two runs over 17.1 innings while striking out 13. Almost as impressive as his ability to log innings was Gibson’s ability to limit walks, issuing just two. He recorded 2.70 ERA after his first seven appearances in an AppleSox jersey in 2022 following a five-inning shutout performance in relief against Corvallis on July 17 in which he struck out six, walked one and allowed one hit.

The Ellensburg native is in his redshirt junior year at North Colorado and his first season with the Golden Bears. He recorded a 2.96 ERA with 37 strikeouts and four walks over 27.1 innings in 10 appearances at Big Bend in 2021 as a freshman before redshirting in 2022. Gibson posted a 2.67 ERA with 74 strikeouts and 26 walks over 92.7 innings in 16 games (all starts) for the Vikings last spring.

“He was coming off an arm injury the summer before in 2022,” Darlington said. “I think that played a big reason into the summer with us, the bumps and the ups and downs. When it was his day to start last summer we were excited. We knew that we had a shot to win it if we just scored a few runs. He is the definition of a bulldog on the mound. Kind of a fiery kid who doesn’t care who he throws against and wants to go right at hitter. Doesn’t walk a lot of guys, which I love, just fills it up and lets his defense play. I think our team fed off that last summer.”

No pitcher has recorded more combined strikeouts over the last two seasons in the WCL than Quincy Vassar, who will also pitch for a third consecutive summer in Wenatchee. He has recorded 87 strikeouts in two summers with the AppleSox, including tying for fifth among WCL pitchers in 2022 (45) and tied for seventh in 2023 (42). The Brewster native recorded a 4.26 ERA in 2023 while his nine starts tied for the third-most in the WCL. Six of those starts were of at least five innings and he punched out a season-high seven hitters in five innings on July 5 at Port Angeles.

Vassar’s biggest performance in two seasons with the AppleSox came in Game 2 of the 2022 North Division Series, when he allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out eight Kamloops NorthPaws in seven innings to earn the victory as the AppleSox swept the series. Vassar tossed at least five innings in six-of-eight starts and struck out at least five hitters seven times in his first summer with the AppleSox.

Vassar is in his senior year at Vanguard and has a 4.43 ERA with 17 strikeouts and four walks over 22.1 innings in six appearances (three starts). The southpaw appeared in 17 games last season with the Lions for the fourth-most on the team. He had a 4.50 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 21 walks over 38 innings. Vassar recorded a 4.78 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just nine walks in 26.1 innings over 20 games (two starts) in his first year at Vanguard in 2022. The southpaw began his collegiate career at Bellevue Community College by posting a 1.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts and only eight walks in 28.1 innings over eight relief outings as a freshman in 2021. 

“I feel like Quincy is the kind of guy who summarizes AppleSox baseball,” Darlington said. “He’s that local kid who grew up watching the AppleSox and always wanted to be part of it. Now he’s had his time the last two summers to be a huge part of us. He’s coming back to put his mark on not only the wins and the losses but the record book as well as he is creeping in on a lot of AppleSox records. He’s a guy who, when I look back at my first two seasons, I can’t help but look back and smile because of the dedication and commitment he has for the AppleSox. He’s always the first guy when the season ends who tells you he’s coming back when you haven’t even offered any contracts yet. It’s going to be awesome to have him back for a third summer.”

Jadon Williamson proved himself as perhaps the most dominant multi-inning relief pitcher in the WCL last summer. He tied for third on the AppleSox in innings pitched despite making all 10 of his appearances in relief. He also tied for the team lead in strikeouts (42), also tied for the seventh-most in the WCL en route to earning All-WCL Second Team honors. Williamson recorded five outings of at least four innings in the regular season and then tossed 7.1 innings out of the bullpen on Aug. 8 in the postseason. His most important performance came on Aug. 3 when he tossed 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out seven against Bellingham in a 3-1 win. Williamson finished the summer with a 1.63 ERA and allowed one run over 7.1 innings in one postseason appearance. 

The Longview native is in his first season at Lewis-Clark State College after two seasons at Lower Columbia College that he concluded by earning NWAC Tournament MVP thanks to only allowing one run and striking out 14 over 8.2 innings of relief in the 2023 NWAC Championship Game against Tacoma. He posted a 0.43 ERA with 29 strikeouts and seven walks over 21 innings in five games last spring. 

Williamson’s first year with the AppleSox came prior to joining Lower Columbia as he pitched in two games late in the 2021 season. He spent 2022 with Cowlitz and recorded a 4.11 ERA with 26 strikeouts and 14 walks over 19.2 innings in 16 games.

“He was our horse in the bullpen,” Darlington said “It got into the sixth or seventh inning and you could hand him the rock and know what you’re getting. Up to a mid-90’s fastball at times, big physical body and has everything he needs. This is a kid who it wouldn’t surprise you to see his name in the draft some day. He’s just got to keep working and I know he will. It’ll be fun to see the improvements that he made from last summer.” 

The 2024 season begins on May 31 as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties at 6:25 p.m. at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. The AppleSox have 31 home games and play until mid-August. The franchise’s five West Coast League championships are second-most in league history and head coach Mitch Darlington’s club has scored the most runs by any team in the WCL the last two seasons. Season ticket packages are available for purchase now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

Listen to the latest edition of the Wenatchee AppleSox Podcast below as broadcaster Joel Norman caught up with Quincy Vassar to talk about pitching in a third summer with the AppleSox.

Darlington Adds Orejudos To 2024 Coaching Staff

AppleSox head coach Mitch Darlington has finalized his 2024 coaching staff with the addition of Xander Orejudos as his second assistant.

Orejudos will serve as Darlington’s first-base coach, work with infielders and assistant in hitting. This will be a return to the AppleSox for the Ellensburg native as he previously played with Wenatchee in 2022.

“I’m excited to get back to Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium, to see Mitch and to see all the boys,” Orejudos said. “It’s nice to be close to home but now I get to do it a different way. I think coaching a different group of guys whenever you can is good because they can help you grow as a coach.”

Orejudos graduated from the University of Jamestown last spring and is in his first year as a student assistant coach with the Jimmies. He also served as first base in the fall as Jamestown got off to an 8-0 start.

His unique college journey should serve next summer’s AppleSox players well as they look to continue to climb levels of baseball. Orejudos began his college career at Columba Basin College in 2018 and his .356 in 46 games that year before following it up with a .358 mark in 28 games the next season. He transferred to Georgia Gwinnett but did not play in the 2020 or 2021 seasons due to injury. Orejudos then made his way to Jamestown and finished strong, first hitting .276 in 44 games a junior and then wrapping up his college career with a .325 mark in 46 games last spring.

Orejudos played with the AppleSox from start to finish in 2022 and became a regular with his defensive work at second base and his reliable bat. He hit .317 in 37 regular-season games and also a personal-best eight-game hitting streak from July 28-Aug. 5. Orejudos followed it up with a strong postseason, collecting hits in all three games, including recording a pair of multi-hit games in a Division Series sweep of Kamloops to open the playoffs.

“Xander will bring some really good perspective,” Darlington said. “I’m really excited to have Xander on this staff and bring him back to Wenatchee. He was supposed to be a 10-day contract but we had a dropout last minute and it all worked out. Xander ended up being a huge key in our success. He became our everyday designated hitter because his bat got hot and it was hard to keep him out of the lineup.”

The 2024 AppleSox season begins on May 31 at home against the Port Angeles Lefties. Season tickets can be purchased now for as affordable as $145 at applesox.com/season-tickets. The 2023 AppleSox recorded the best regular-season record in the last 10 seasons and tied the 2012 team for the second-most wins in franchise history. Twenty-one former AppleSox players have gone on to appear in an MLB game in the 23-season history of the team.

Callia Returns For Second Season As Pitching Coach

Wenatchee AppleSox pitching coach Mike Callia has reached an agreement to return to the team in the same role for the 2024 season.

Callia steered Sox pitchers to an impressive 2023 season in which they recorded a 3.35 team ERA, the fifth-best mark in the 16-team West Coast League and a stark improvement from the AppleSox’ 4.88 mark in 2022. AppleSox arms also finished among the top five in the WCL with 466 strikeouts (tied for third), a 1.33 WHIP (tied for fourth) and 224 walks (third fewest).

“I’m fired up to be back in Wenatchee and build off what we did last year,” Callia said. “I think I’m going to look back on (last) summer and really just enjoy all the experiences, just as far as the guys go and the places we were able to play. Working with Mitch and working with (former AppleSox assistant) Colton (Kelly) was an awesome time.”

Wenatchee shut out four teams to record its must shutouts in a season since 2014. AppleSox starting pitchers also tossed at least five innings in 63-percent of games and the team went 24-10 in those instances. Ten Wenatchee pitchers recorded more strikeouts than innings pitched, with Quincy Vassar and Jadon Williamson tying with each other for the seventh-most strikeouts in the WCL (42). Five of the AppleSox’ seven players to earn All-WCL honors were pitchers as Williamson and Toby Haarer appeared on the Second Team while Evan Canfield, Michael Cunneely and Ryan Martinez earned Honorable Mention.

Callia helped coach Lower Columbia College to their 15th NWAC Championship in the spring of 2023 in his first year as the Director of Player Development and Assistant Pitching Coach. Three of his Red Devils (Williamson, Easton Amundson and Joey Pearson) joined the AppleSox immediately after capturing the NWAC crown and left their marks on the 2023 AppleSox.

“Mike’s efforts last season were a huge part of our team finishing 20 games above .500,” general manager Allie Schank said. “His professionalism and preparation are evident both in the product that he puts forth with the AppleSox but also with Lower Columbia. He and Mitch were a natural fit working together in Wenatchee and we look forward to seeing what they do together in

Callia got his first taste of coaching at the summer collegiate level when he helped lead the Western Nebraska Pioneers to the inaugural Independence League Championship in 2022 as their pitching coach.

Callia spent three seasons at Lower Columbia College from 2019-21 and was a part of their NWAC Championship team as a freshman. He transferred to West Texas A&M in 2022, but did not pitch due to injury.

Prior to coaching summer ball, Callia spent three seasons playing in the Expedition League, two with the Pioneers and one with the Badlands Big Sticks. He previously played in the WCL with the Victoria HarbourCats in 2019, including pitching against the AppleSox in Game 1 of the North Division Series.

The AppleSox will announce their second assistant coach in the new year. The 2024 season begins at home against Port Angeles on May 31. Season tickets make great stocking stuffers and are available now for as affordable as $145. Purchase season tickets and other ticket packages now at applesox.com/season-tickets.

AppleSox Lock In 2024 Schedule

The full schedule is set for the Wenatchee AppleSox’ 2024 season, the 24th in team history. League and non-league opponents are locked in and the countdown to the 2024 season is on.

The AppleSox will play 31 home games and 27 road games during the 2024 season. The 19th West Coast League season kicks off on Friday, May 31 at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium as the AppleSox host the Port Angeles Lefties. 

The popular July 3 Fireworks Night, sponsored by the Kenady Group, returns in 2024 as the AppleSox host the Victoria HarbourCats for a three-game mid-week series July 2-4. A full promotional schedule will be released in the early spring.

The AppleSox will face each of the other seven teams in the northern division for a home-and-away three-game series during the 2024 season. This includes fellow West Coast League-founding members, the Bellingham Bells and Kelowna Falcons, in addition to series with the Edmonton Riverhawks, Kamloops Northpaws, Nanaimo NightOwls, Port Angeles Lefties and Victoria HarbourCats. 

Outside of divisional play the AppleSox will also host or travel to teams that are in the southern division for a total of four three-game series. June 18-23 will become a 509 battle as the AppleSox travel to the Yakima Valley Pippins June 18-20 before returning to Wenatchee to host the Walla Walla Sweets June 21-23 in a pair of friendly North Central Washington rivalry series. The AppleSox will also host the Yakima Valley Pippins July 19-21. They wrap up the 2024 season at Bend from Aug. 6-8. 

Wenatchee plays four non-league games starting with a June 3 game against the Redmond Dudes, the second year in a row that the Redmond Dudes have made the trip to Wenatchee. Dub Sea Fish Sticks will travel over for a game on June 17, making this the seventh consecutive year that the AppleSox have played at least one non-league game against the Fish Sticks. July 13-14 wrap up all non-league games for the season as the Cascade Collegiate League will send a showcase team to Wenatchee.

The West Coast League season will feature an All-Star Game for the first time since 2019. Wenatchee was slated to host the 2020 WCL All-Star Game, stay tuned to see what WCL team will be hosting the midsummer classic on July 17, 2024.

All AppleSox home games will start at 6:35 p.m. with the exception of the Fireworks Night on July 3 (7:05) and all Sundays (5:35). Stay tuned for an announcement on road game times for the 2024 season.

Ticket packages for the AppleSox’ 24th season are now on sale. Season tickets lock in your seats for all 31 home games and run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Double Play Ticket Packs for $65. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. Season tickets are also available at no cost to AppleSox fans if they host a player in 2024.  To purchase 2024 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com. 

Darlington To Return For Third Season As AppleSox Skipper

The Wenatchee AppleSox are proud to announce that Mitch Darlington will return for a third season as AppleSox head coach in 2024.

Darlington has led the AppleSox to the postseason in each of the last two campaigns, becoming the first AppleSox head coach in team history to achieve that feat. Darlington’s 64 wins through two seasons are already third-most in AppleSox history and 21 away from moving into second place.

“Coach Darlington brings a level of excellence and a refocused energy to the Wenatchee AppleSox,” general manager Allie Schank said. “The team culture and past recruiting success give me confidence that the future of the program is bright under Mitch's leadership. I'm looking forward to this upcoming season and I can't wait to see the impact Mitch has in the coming years.”

The 2023 AppleSox recorded the best regular-season record in in the last 10 seasons and tied the 2012 team for the second-most wins in franchise history. Seven members of the team earned All-WCL honors to help lead the team to its 15th playoff berth in 23 seasons. Wenatchee broke single-season records for home victories (21), home winning streak in league play (12 games), three-game series sweeps (eight), most home runs hit in a league game (four on July 13), players used in a single summer (55) and walks drawn (299). Wenatchee’s 19-8 record in the first half was the team's best mark in either half since the West Coast League adopted the two-halves playoff format in 2016.

In Darlington’s first season he recovered from a 12-15 start with a 15-12 finish to win the 2022 North Division second-half playoff spot. Wenatchee swept Kamloops in the first round to earn its first postseason series victory since 2013. Darlington’s AppleSox shattered single-season franchise records for walks, runs, stolen bases and RBI. Second baseman Joichiro Oyama was named WCL co-MVP after breaking single-season franchise records for runs, stolen bases, walks and plate appearances while also tying for single-season records for triples and games played.

“I think we took another step forward (in 2023),” Darlington said. “I think we are growing not only the brand, but growing the type of players that want to come in here and play for us and are creating a culture where a lot of a lot of guys are starting to hear about the AppleSox.”

Darlington will begin his third campaign as the AppleSox head coach in June. The 2024 West Coast League schedule will be announced next month. Stay tuned to applesox.com as well as westcoastleague.com for news on the 2024 season.

Fans can purchase season tickets now for the 2024 season by emailing allie@applesox.com or by calling 509-665-6900.

Seven AppleSox Earn 2023 All-WCL Honors

The West Coast League announced on Thursday the members of its 2023 all-league team and seven members of the Wenatchee AppleSox were honored.

Frankie Carney, Toby Haarer, Jadon Williamson, Evan Canfield, Michael Cunneely, Ryan Martinez and Brandham Ponce gave Wenatchee its most All-WCL honorees since eight players were recognized in 2019. Carney earned first team second baseman while Haarer and Williamson earned second team starting pitcher and relief pitcher, respectively. Canfield, Cunneely, Martinez and Ponce all earned honorable mention.

Carney, a redshirt freshman at UC Irvine, was the second straight Anteater to lock down second base and earn First Team All-WCL honors after Joichiro Oyama did so in 2022. Carney recorded the second-best batting average in the WCL (.356), which also marked the best by an AppleSox player to play in at least 40 games since former Anteater Keston Hiura in 2015. He recorded a team-best 17-game hitting streak from July 17 - Aug. 8, which was five games away from breaking the team record and the second-longest in the WCL. The San Diego native also finished second in the league with 40 walks, good for second most all-time by an AppleSox player, and led the WCL with 44 runs, third-most in a summer in team history. Carney reached base with at least a walk or a hit in all but six of the 42 games that he played in.

Haarer, a sophomore at Central Arizona, was one of the AppleSox’ most efficient starters in 2023 by going 5-1 with a 1.90 ERA in seven games. The right-hander led the team in wins, finished second in ERA and was the 10th pitcher in AppleSox history to start at least six games and record an ERA under 2.00. Haarer started each of the final six games that he pitched in and allowed three earned runs or less in each one. The Scottsdale, Ariz. native completed at least five innings four times and won each of his last four starts.

Williamson, a redshirt junior at Lewis-Clark State College, tied for third on the AppleSox in innings pitched despite making all 10 of his appearances in relief. He tied for the team lead in strikeouts (42), also tied for the seventh-most in the WCL. Williamson recorded five outings of at least four innings in the regular season and then tossed 7.1 innings out of the bullpen on Aug. 8 in the postseason. The Longview native’s most important performance came on Aug. 3 when he tossed 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out seven against Bellingham in a 3-1 win.

Canfield, a redshirt sophomore at Edmonds, was also a horse out of the bullpen for Wenatchee, recording a 2.03 ERA in his second season with the AppleSox. The right-hander’s 12 appearances led the team and his 36 strikeouts were third-most. Canfield record five different outings of at least three innings, including a season-high 5.1 innings of shutout ball in a 5-1 win over Bellingham on July 25. The Bothell, Wash. native’s finest outing was his first of the season, when he tossed five shutout innings and struck out nine to earn the win against Springfield on June 7.

Cunneely, a sophomore at Gonzaga, was the AppleSox’ second-most used pitcher after Canfield, recording a 3.81 ERA in 10 appearances. His control was impressive all season as he only walked six over 28.1 innings. The right-hander tossed six different outings of at least three innings with a season-high six of scoreless ball on July 22 in a 10-6 win over Nanaimo. Cunneely finished the summer strong with a 2.51 ERA over his final four games, spanning 14.1 innings. The Spokane native recorded a season-high seven strikeouts in four scoreless innings on June 27 against Port Angeles.

Martinez, a sophomore at Pacific, started all eight of the games that he pitched in and tossed at least five innings in six of them. He only walked seven hitters over 39.2 innings and recorded a 3.63 ERA with Wenatchee. The right-hander twice fired seven innings and was superb in both outings, first with no runs, five strikeouts and no walks on June 17 against Kelowna and then with one unearned run, four strikeouts and one walk vs. Edmonton in his final start of the summer on July 29. The Las Vegas native finished 3-2 but the AppleSox all but two of the games that he pitched in.

Ponce, a senior at Washington State, shined in his second year with the AppleSox by tying for the team lead in doubles (10) and increasing his batting average from .243 in 2022 to .279 in 2023. The Federal Way, Wash. native recorded an 11-game hitting streak from June 8-21, batting .418 (18-for-43) over it. Ponce put together a monster June, slashing .309/.390/.456 with seven doubles, a home run and 15 RBI. He also thrived in home games, batting .362 with seven doubles and 12-of-his-19 RBI.

The AppleSox ended the 2023 season with a 37-17 record, tied for their second-best in team history, and advanced to the North Division Series to earn its 15th playoff berth in franchise history. Wenatchee broke single-season records for home victories (21), home winning streak in league play (12 games), three-game series sweeps (eight), most home runs hit in a league game (four on July 13), players used in a single summer (55) and walks drawn (299). Wenatchee’s 19-8 record in the first half was the team's best mark in either half since the West Coast League adopted the two-halves playoff format in 2016.

2024 season tickets are now available for purchase by calling 509-665-6900. The 2024 schedule will be released by the WCL in November.

Monson Dominates But AppleSox’ Season Comes To An End

The Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Victoria HarbourCats, 4-2, in Game 2 of the North Division Series on Wednesday night at Royal Athletic Park.

Andrew Monson struck out five over five scoreless and hitless innings in his first start of the summer. He faced the minimum in the second and fourth innings and the only men to reach against him did so on three walks.

The HarbourCats broke open a scoreless tie two pitches into the sixth after Monson departed on a triple and a double. A two-run homer put Victoria up 3-0. They added an insurance run in the seventh and collected all six of their hits over their final three innings at the plate.

Wenatchee broke up the shutout in the ninth with two runs. Kyle Henington reached on a leadoff infield single and then Brandham Ponce singled to right and reached second on a throwing error that also allowed Henington to score. Izzy Lopez hit a two-out RBI single to plate Ponce four batters later with Wenatchee down to its final out.

The AppleSox recorded the third-best overall record in the entire WCL in the regular season but saw their 2023 summer come to an end. Wenatchee’s 37 regular-season victories were a 10-game improvement from a year ago and tied for their second-most in a summer in team history.

Stay tuned to AppleSox.com this offseason for news on the 2024 season, roster and much more.

AppleSox Look To Extend Series

The Wenatchee AppleSox travel to British Columbia tonight to face the Victoria HarbourCats in Game 2 of the North Division Series at 6:35 at Royal Athletic Park.

The AppleSox must win tonight to keep their season alive after falling to the HarbourCats, 6-2, on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Jadon Williamson tossed 7.1 innings out of the bullpen and Frankie Carney went 2-for-4 but the AppleSox could not take the series opener. Victoria took a 3-0 lead in the first to pull off the road victory.

The AppleSox face the tall task of needing to win twice on the road to advance to the North Division Championship Game. The HarbourCats went a WCL-best 25-2 at home in the regular season to set a new league record. The winner of this series will host the North Division Championship Game on Saturday night against the winner of the Bellingham-Kelowna series. The Bells shut out the Falcons, 1-0, in the series opener at Elks Stadium last night.

Andrew Monson makes his first start of the summer with the season on the line. The incoming junior at Sacramento State went 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA, 23 strikeouts, 7 walks and 11 hits over 14 innings in five games out of the bullpen. Monson last pitched on July 28, tossing 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed two inherited runners to score by walking the first three hitters that he faced but then silenced the Riverhawks the rest of the way, striking out six and earning the win in an eventual 13-inning victory. Monson pitched once against Victoria,

Davis Franklin tosses for the HarbourCats in attempt to lead them to the North Division Championship Game. The incoming sophomore at Puget Sound was 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA, 30 strikeouts, one walk and 21 hits over 25 innings in 13 games (1 start). Franklin earned the save against the AppleSox with a 1-2-3 ninth inning and two strikeouts on July 15. The southpaw last pitched on Saturday, recording a scoreless ninth inning against Edmonton to earn his fourth save of the summer.

Fans can tune in to the action tonight and all season long on KCSY Sunny FM. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m. You can listen online worldwide at kcsyfm.com, the TuneIn radio app or on one of the following translators.

• 93.9 FM in Wenatchee

• 95.3 FM in the Lake Chelan Valley

• 97.7 FM in Omak, Riverside, Tonasket and Oroville

• 98.1 FM in East Wenatchee, Rock Island and Quincy

• 101.3 FM in Brewster and Pateros

• 106.3 FM in the Methow Valley

All West Coast League games are video broadcast on wcleague.watch.pixellot.tv.

Williamson's Herculean Relief Effort Not Enough In Game 1

The Wenatchee AppleSox fell behind, 0-1, in the North Division Series with a 6-2 loss to the Victoria HarbourCats on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

Jadon Williamson tossed 7.1 innings out of the bullpen but Wenatchee could not overcome giving up three runs in the top of the first. The incoming junior at Lewis-Clark State College struck out five, walked one and only allowed five hits out of the bullpen after entering with two outs in the first inning.

Victoria took an early lead thanks to a three-spot in the first inning and never looked back, cashing in on two walks, two hit by pitches, an error and an infield single. They added two more runs in the fifth thanks in part to two AppleSox errors and then scored a final run in the ninth on three walks and a wild pitch.

Frankie Carney reached base in each of his first three plate appearances with two singles and a walk and finished 2-for-4 while also stealing second in the fifth. Carson Ohland singled twice and scored in the sixth while Sebastian David recorded hits in his final two at-bats to finish 2-for-4. The AppleSox were 27-6 in the regular season when out-hitting opponent but their 8-6 difference on Tuesday was not enough.

The AppleSox had two opportunities to potentially change the momentum of the game but could not. An inning-ending double play with runners at first and third in the bottom of the first failed to get the AppleSox on the board after one full inning. Brandham Ponce singled in a run in the third inning with the bases loaded but Carney was thrown out at home on a perfect relay while trying to give Ponce a 2-RBI single and cut the deficit to one.

The AppleSox must win on Wednesday night to continue their season and force a winner-take-all Game 3. Game 2 is at 6:35 p.m. at Royal Athletic Park and can be heard on KCSY Sunny FM at 93.9 FM in Wenatchee, kcsyfm.com worldwide and at other translators across central Washington found on applesox.com/listen-live. Pregame coverage presented by Kenady Real Estate Group begins at 6:10 p.m.

2023 North Division Series Begins Tonight

The Wenatchee AppleSox begin the postseason tonight with the best-of-three games North Division Series against the Victoria HarbourCats. 

These two teams split the regular-season series against each other. The AppleSox won all three games in the Apple Capital of the World June 9-11 before the HarbourCats took all three games in Victoria July 14-16. The series in June was the AppleSox’ first sweep at home while the series in July was the only time that they were swept this summer.

This is the 15th time in franchise history that the AppleSox have made it to the postseason and the third time in the last four years after missing the playoffs from 2014-18. Head coach Mitch Darlington has qualified for the postseason for the second time in as many years at the helm, becoming the first AppleSox head coach in AppleSox history to make the postseason in each of his first two seasons.

Wenatchee finished the regular season with a 37-17 record. Its 19-8 record in the first half was the team's best mark in either half since the West Coast League adopted the two-halves playoff format in 2016. The AppleSox also broke single-season franchise records for home victories (21), home game winning streak in league play (12), three-game series sweeps (eight), most home runs hit in a league game (four on July 13), players used in a single summer (56) and walks drawn (299).

Second baseman Frankie Carney finished the regular season with a .356 average in 42 games, the second-best in the WCL. It’s also tied with 2015 alum and fellow UC Irvine product Keston Hiura for the third-best mark by an AppleSox hitter to play at least 40 regular-season games. Carney ended the summer on a 16-game hitting streak, the longest by an AppleSox player this summer and the third-longest in the entire WCL.

Victoria won the second-half title by going 19-7 in it and finished 38-15 overall. The HarbourCats' 25-2 record at home broke their franchise's and the WCL's single-season record. They also shattered the league record for stolen bases with 150 steals, breaking their record of 149 a year ago. The HarbourCats also led the WCL in runs (359), hits (510), RBI (296), total bases (685), batting average (.282), on-base percentage (.388) and slugging percentage (.379). Gonzaga commit Hudson Shupe led the team with a .353 batting average, third-best in the WCL.

The AppleSox and the HarbourCats have met in the postseason once before in 2019. Victoria won the final two games of the series to take the series. Wenatchee won Game 1 behind seven shutout innings, 10 strikeouts, four hits and no walks from Jake Saum. The HarbourCats broke open Game 2 with a three-run fifth inning to earn a 7-2 win to even the series. Game 3 was an instant classic as the AppleSox, down to their final out, scored four runs in the top of the ninth to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 7-5 lead. Wenatchee failed to record an out in the bottom of the inning as Victoria walked it off to clinch the series and earn a berth in the West Coast League Championship Series. Current AppleSox pitching coach Mike Callia pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in Game 1 against Wenatchee.

The AppleSox send Samuel Round to the mound for the first game of the series. The incoming freshman at Gonzaga went 2-0 with a 3.66 ERA, 30 strikeouts, 13 walks and 21 hits over 27 innings in seven games (five starts) in the regular season. Round tossed at least five innings in each of his last four starts and allowed three runs or less in every game that he started. The right-hander pitched against Victoria in relief on June 11, allowing one run on two hits, two walks and two strikeouts over 1.1 innings.

The HarbourCats will start Daniel Gonzalez, an incoming freshman at Louisiana Monroe. The right-hander had no record with a 3.17 ERA, 19 strikeouts, three walks and six hits over 11.1 innings in five games (two starts) prior to the postseason. His last appearance came four days ago when he started and tossed a 1-2-3 first inning against Edmonton on just 11 pitches. Gonzalez faced the AppleSox on July 15, firing scoreless fifth and sixth innings.

Tickets for tonight’s game are available for as affordable as $5 and can be purchased at applesox.com/2023-schedule. The series shifts to Victoria for Game 2 tomorrow night and Game 3 will be played on Thursday at Royal Athletic Park, if necessary.

AppleSox End Regular Season 20 Games Over .500

The Wenatchee AppleSox fell to the Kelowna Falcons, 12-8, in the final game of the 2023 regular season on Sunday night at Elks Stadium.

Wenatchee (37-17, 18-8 second half) entered the game knowing that it was locked in as the third seed and would host Game 1 of the North Division Series against the Victoria HarbourCats on Tuesday night at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

The AppleSox led 4-1 after two innings but could not hang onto the lead. Jayden Holloway recorded his second consecutive three-hit game, Carson Ohland singled in a pair in the second and Izzy Lopez hit an RBI single in the first. Frankie Carney reached on a bunt single in the second to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. He finished the regular season second in the WCL with a .356 batting average and tied with 2015 alum Keston Hiura for the third-best batting average by an AppleSox player who appeared in at least 40 games in a single summer.

The team will practice on Monday in preparation for the first game of the postseason on Tuesday night at home. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday in Victoria, also at 6:35 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, will be played at Royal Athletic Park on Thursday night. Tickets for Tuesday night’s game can be purchased now at applesox.com/2023-schedule.