Posts in Canadians in the Minors
Wilson: Albers’ baseball career comes full circle back to Saskatchewan

“He put the “battle” in North Battleford.

Following a playing career full of twists and turns that showed off his resilience, Andrew Albers has returned to his home province of Saskatchewan and he’s ready for the next chapter of his baseball life.

It’s been a full-circle time for Albers, who grew up watching Toronto Blue Jays broadcasts on television and tagging along at his father’s senior men’s baseball games.”

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Glew: California Winter League stint helps Barker land with Titans

“If you’re a Canadian baseball prospect in search of your first professional contract, there are far worse ways to spend a month of the winter than showcasing your skills in Palm Springs, Calif.

Carson Barker (Alliston, Ont.) can attest to this.

From mid-January to mid-February, the 22-year-old catcher competed in the California Winter League, an eight-team circuit that recently concluded its 15th season.

“Palm Springs was absolutely gorgeous,” said Barker. “I loved Palm Springs. It was a really, really great experience.”

On top of the beautiful weather, Barker’s tenure in the California Winter League helped him land a contract with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans in early February.”

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McFarland: Coutney focused on what he can control heading into second pro season

“Matt Coutney remembers the exact moment when he realized that professional baseball was going to be a grind.

In his final two seasons at Old Dominion University (2021-2022), the Wetaskiwin product played a total of 117 games.

On his way to playing 121 games in 2023 in the Los Angeles Angels’ farm system, it was a roadtrip to California when he started to understand what many others had told him about life in the pros.

“It was game 32 and I was thinking to myself, ‘I have 100 games left – there’s no way I’m going to be able to make it through this,’” Coutney told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast. “As the year goes on, you hit certain benchmarks – you make it another week, you make it another month – and the next think you know, the season is over.”

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