AppleSox Add Callia To 2023 Coaching Staff

Head coach Mitch Darlington announced on Monday the addition of Mike Callia as the Wenatchee AppleSox’ pitching coach for the 2023 season.

Callia is in his first year as the Director of Player Development and Assistant Pitching Coach at Lower Columbia College and will join the AppleSox after the conclusion of the NWAC season in late May. He played three seasons for the Red Devils before transferring to West Texas A&M and wrapping up his playing career this past spring.

“The AppleSox brand is awesome,” Callia said. “It feels like they are in the postseason every year. You hear about the top West Coast League teams and the Wenatchee AppleSox are always up there. I’m really thrilled to get to Wenatchee and get going.”

Callia, a Renton native, comes to the AppleSox with a plethora of summer collegiate experience. He spent three years playing in the Expedition League from 2018-21 and played in the West Coast League with the Victoria HarbourCats in 2019. He appeared in 27 games over four years of summer ball, including 12 games in 2020 with the Western Nebraska Pioneers.

Callia remained with the Pioneers as their pitching coach in their transition to the Independence League in 2022. Under Callia’s guidance, Pioneers pitcher Griffin Allen won the Independence League Pitcher of the Year award with a 2.55 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 67 innings over 11 games (all starts). After helping the Pioneers win a league championship last season, Callia is excited to be back in the WCL in search of another championship. 

“The level of play (in the WCL) is a little bit higher, which I am really fired up about,” Callia said. “These guys come over to get better. They don’t come over here to just throw and have fun. They want to get better heading back to their colleges. That’s part of the job that I take very seriously. At the end of the day it’s not about how many innings can this guy pitch, it’s about how many productive innings he can throw.”

Callia spent three years at Lower Columbia but only pitched in 2019 and 2021 due to injury in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic. His strong 2021 season helped lead to a transfer to West Texas A&M as Callia posted a 3.41 ERA with 34 strikeouts and only nine walks over 31.2 innings in seven games, all starts. Callia was also an NWAC champion as a freshman in 2019.

“I am thrilled to have Mike joining our coaching staff in 2023,” Darlington said. “His energy and passion for developing pitchers will be a huge addition to the organization.”

Darlington, Callia and a to-be-named hitting coach will lead the AppleSox in the dugout for the 2023 season. The AppleSox won the 2022 North Division Second Half title to earn their 14th postseason appearance in 22 seasons. They swept the Kamloops NorthPaws in the North Division Semifinals but fell to the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship Game.

Stay tuned for the AppleSox’ full schedule in early November following the league announcement. Season tickets for the 2023 season are now available and tickets to all home games run as affordable as $145 for general admission bleacher seats while reserved premium seating is $245. Additionally, fans can get 10-ticket Value Admission Ticket Packs for $60. These 10 general-admission ticket punches can all be used at once or spread out over the course of the season over multiple games. To purchase 2023 ticket packages please visit applesox.com/season-tickets, call 509-665-6900 or email allie@applesox.com