Albers, Molleken headed for Saskatchewan HOF
Former big leaguers and Baseball Canada alums Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) and Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) have been elected to the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame. Photos: Baseball Canada
May 26, 2024
The Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame will celebrate its 39th annual induction on Aug. 17, 2024 in Battleford, Sask.
Heading the class of 2024 are former major leaguers Andrew Albers and Dustin Molleken.
LHP Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) pitched parts of five seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners.
In 31 games -- 21 starts -- Albers was 8-8 with a 4.58 ERA. He walked 34 and struck out 91 in 139 2/3 innings.
The former Kentucky Wildcat was also a pillar of Canadian pitching staffs on the international stage, as recently as the 2023 World Baseball Classic in Phoenix, Ariz.
Albers broke in after being selected in the eighth round of the 2008 draft by the San Diego Padres and he was still pitching pro in 2021.
He wore the uniforms of affiliated teams with the rookie-class Padres, class-A Fort Myers Miracle, double-A New Britain Cats, the rookie-class Gulf Coast Twins, triple-A Rochester Red Wings, triple-A Buffalo Bisons, triple-A Gwinnett Braves and the triple-A St. Paul Saints.
He also pitched five seasons for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan and the Hanwha Eagles in Korea.
As well, he wore the uniforms of the independent Québec Capitales in the Canadian American Association and the Lancaster Barnstormers in the Atlantic League.
Outside of maybe Canada winning a Pan-Am gold medal or beating Team USA or Cuba, there wasn’t more joy in Canadian baseball community than July 4, 2016 when Molleken -- drafted from the Prairie Baseball Academy in 2003 -- made his major league debut with the Detroit Tigers.
In four games he pitched 8 1/3 innings with a 4.32 ERA, walking five and striking eight. It may not seen like a lengthy career -- but four games is four more than 98% of the planet.
RHP Molleken (Regina, Sask.) was like goalie Gary (Axe) Smith, who like the song says has “Been Everywhere Man.”
Molleken broke into affiliated ball at age 18 with the Gulf Coast Pirates, then moved up the ladder to the class-A State College Spikes, class-A Williamsport Crosscutters, class-A Lynchburg Hillcats, class-A Hickory Crawdads, double-A Altoona Curve, double-A Tulsa Drillers, triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox, triple-A Nashville Sounds, triple-A Columbus Clippers, triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
He also pitched four seasons for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan and was in indy ball with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League and the Capitales de Québec of the Canadian-American Association.
In all, he appeared in 534 games in 16 seasons, going 54-37 with 28 saves and a 4.37 ERA. He walked 312 and struck out 787.
Saskatchewan Hall of Fame 2024 inductees
Individual category
Andrew Albers, North Battleford, Sask. Majors
The late Eugene ‘Buck’ Gerbig, Maidstone, Sask.
Regan L’Heureux, Unity, Sask.
The late Harry Luhning, Lumsden, Sask.
The late Norman Mcinnis, Saskatoon, Sask.
Dustin Molleken, Regina, Sask. Majors
Rodney Palaniuk, Regina, Sask.
Sever Rose, Turtleford, Sask.
Stu Scheurwater, Regina, Sask. Major league umpire.
Larry Schrader, Regina, Sask.
The late Lee Taves, Mervin, Sask..
Stacy Walker, Calgary, Alta..
Team
Team Saskatchewan 1994 midget champions