Former Catcher Meyer Reflects on Two Summers with AppleSox

Former AppleSox catcher Cory Meyer had a rollercoaster ride in his two seasons with the AppleSox. From making history in 2018 to battling adversity in 2019, Meyer saw a lot in his two summers with the AppleSox.

Meyer played in 38 games (league and non-league) for the AppleSox in 2018 and 2019. He batted .273 with four home runs and 23 RBI in his two seasons for the AppleSox. On June 27, 2018, Meyer made AppleSox history by becoming the first player in team history to hit two grand slams in a league game. That same night, he set the team single-game RBI record by driving in eight runs. Meyer was also named a West Coast League All-Star in 2018.

Meyer spent this past spring playing his senior season at Boise State. He batted .381 in six games, all of which he started. He began his collegiate career as a freshman at Spokane Falls before transferring to Washington State, where he played two seasons.

Meyer reflected on his two summers in Wenatchee and the memories that he made in the Apple Capital of the World. Watch Meyer's full discussion with Joel Norman below.

NCWLIFE Channel to Replay 2019 AppleSox Game This Saturday

On Saturday, May 2, there will be baseball... At least on television.

The NCWLIFE Channel will rebroadcast the Wenatchee AppleSox’ June 15, 2019 game against the Walla Walla Sweets. Eric Granstrom will provide play-by-play coverage starting at 6:30 p.m.

Fans throughout the Wenatchee Valley can watch on Charter via channel 19, LocalTel via channel 12 or online, worldwide, at NCWLIFE.com/live-stream/

Be sure to follow along on the AppleSox Twitter account during the broadcast for highlights and stats. 

2018 AppleSox Alum Stainbrook Reflects On Summer With Sox

Troy Stainbrook lit it up as a closer for the AppleSox in 2018. He notched five saves and recorded a 0.54 ERA in nine appearances. His 0.54 ERA in WCL play is the lowest ever by an AppleSox pitcher to have pitched a least 15 innings.

He rode that success with the AppleSox into his senior year at Biola in which recorded a 2.11 ERA and struck out 53 in 41.1 innings. Stainbrook’s dominance on the mound in college led to being drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2019.

Watch his full discussion with Joel Norman below in which he reflects on his time with the AppleSox and discusses what it was liking being drafted and how his professional career has gone so far.

WCL Launches #StayHome4Baseball Campaign

The Wenatchee AppleSox and the rest of the West Coast League, launched the #StayHome4Baseball campaign, encouraging fans to stay home and flatten the coronavirus curve. The #StayHome4Baseball campaign challenges not only fans, but also baseball teams everywhere, at all levels, to help limit and ultimately stop the spread of COVID-19.

“All our teams are busy preparing for the season,” WCL commissioner Rob Neyer said, “but at the same time we’re thinking about our fans. We want them to stay safe, be healthy, and (yes!) join us at the ballpark this summer. But that’s probably not going to happen unless we flatten the curve. Soon! And all the doctors and epidemiologists tell us the same thing: Stay home now. So we’re asking our fans to stay home now, and later we’ll play as much baseball as we can play.”

Last week, the WCL announced that it planned to start the 2020 season on time. However, the league is still trying to do its part in the short term to ensure that the 2020 season can proceed as planned.

“The health and safety of our community members is our top priority right now,” assistant general manager Allie Schank said. “The AppleSox urge not just those in the Wenatchee Valley, but everyone across the country to follow CDC guidelines and stay inside to help flatten the curve. Support local businesses by ordering takeout if you can and make sure to check up on those in our community who may need extra help. We’re all in this together, so let’s stay inside now to bring life back to normal sooner.”

Sanderson Returns to Familiar Place to Coach AppleSox

Change is as much a part of the West Coast League’s very fabric as cowhide is to baseballs. Every season, teams expect a large majority of the previous season’s players to not return. 

The same goes for each team’s coaching staff. Seven different teams have changed head coaches for the 2020 season, so far. The AppleSox opened up the offseason coaching changes when they named Ian Sanderson their fifth head coach in team history on Sept. 19.

Last year, four teams began the season with a different head coach from the previous season (Bend, Kelowna, Ridgefield, Victoria). One of them, Kelowna, brought in a new head coach a year after making the playoffs. Sound familiar?

Don’t forget, teams at the major-league level have brought in new managers after making the playoffs. The New York Yankees came a win away from advancing to the World Series in 2017 with Joe Girardi, then hired Aaron Boone to replace him after the season.

After qualifying for the WCL playoffs for the first time in six seasons last summer, the AppleSox are looking to take the next step in 2020 and they believe Sanderson is the man to bring home another championship. Part of their reasoning for hiring Sanderson was due to his familiarity with the Valley.

“I used to go to Wenatchee AppleSox games when I was younger,” Sanderson said. “I have family in Wenatchee, so we spent summers there. Wenatchee is a special place and a nostalgic flashback for me from my childhood. I remember the stands being just jam-packed with excitement and buzz. I remember the nice weather and the sun setting over the hills in the fourth inning or so.”

Sanderson comes to the AppleSox after spending last season with the Victoria HarbourCats, who defeated the AppleSox in three games before falling to the Corvallis Knights in the West Coast League Championship. The HarbourCats finished tops of second in the WCL in innings, strikeouts, opponent batting average and ERA.

Sanderson currently works full-time as the associate head coach and pitching coach for Lower Columbia College, the 2017-19 NWAC Champions. It’s a program not only full of success, but also one with AppleSox blood. Lower Columbia College’s head coach, Eric Lane, employs Sanderson as his associate head coach and pitching coach. Lane played for the AppleSox in 2010 and then later served as an assistant coach in 2013. He played a part in helping his assistant become a member of the AppleSox family.

“He just talked about how fun it was as a player and just loves Wenatchee,” Sanderson said. “He’s already planning a trip to a game with a few ex-AppleSox that he played with and we’ll have to make it a fun weekend for them.”

Success is in Sanderson’s DNA. He saw firsthand what success the AppleSox achieved previously and is eager to return the team to that dynastic level that it previously held. The blend of that challenge and memories of summers from yesteryear brought Sanderson to the AppleSox.

“I think it’s about getting the right guys in and connecting with the community,” Sanderson said. “I want to build the fanbase to get excited again and build a winning attitude. We aren’t going to be an overly heavy roster where we have a new roster every day. A lot of guys are going to play two out of three days or three out of four days.”

As for his coaching style, Sanderson is focused on dominating with pitching. Naturally, with a pitching coach background, he wants to dictate games based on what his players can do on the mound. Sanderson wants to bring in “as many arms as possible,” because he believes that with the innings and pitch-count limits that schools place on pitchers, having as many options as possible on the mound is the best way to earn back-to-back playoff berths.

However, that doesn’t mean Sanderson isn’t creative about what can be done offensively. He told fans at February’s Hot Stove Party that he wants to “create chaos” every time AppleSox hitters step into the batter box.

“We’re going to let guys play a bit,” Sanderson said. “We’re not going to be sacrifice bunting a lot. We’re going to let guys hit and steal a lot of bases. I really liked that style that we played with the Victoria HarbourCats last summer while learning from Todd Haney: letting them learn to fail at stealing bases and try not to take the bat away with guys too much. Last year, the staff that we had recorded the fewest walks and we were No. 2 in ERA.”

AppleSox management conducted the search in early September and was pleased to find a quality candidate so early on in interviews.

“Ian was one of the first people who reached out to us,” general manager Ken Osborne said. “We obviously were familiar with his work with the HarbourCats, but were thrilled with his ability to communicate as well as his baseball philosophy. The fact that he has connections to the area makes it even better.”

The AppleSox and Sanderson both know that ultimately, winning is the goal in 2020. However, the biggest challenge confronting the AppleSox from reaching the peak of this climb is keeping as many players as possible for the bulk of the season or replacing them adequately. From July 29 to Aug. 8, 2019 (an 11-day span), a combined 15 AppleSox players who recorded at least 75 at-bats or appeared in at least 10 games on the mound were shut down for the rest of the season. The majority had been told by their head coaches that late-July to early-August would be the end of the summer ball season.

The central problem was that the WCL regular season didn’t end until Aug. 11 and the playoffs ended just under a week later. Many colleges were allowed to begin practicing once the calendar flipped to August and understandably chose to bring their players back from their summer-ball commitments.

When the AppleSox traveled to Corvallis for the final three games of the 2019 regular season, they brought 17 players with them and signed three pitchers to one-day contracts so that the best pitchers remaining could be rested for the postseason.

Remarkably, the Knights did not face a similar issue as the AppleSox. While AppleSox players hardly knew each other with the bulk of the roster consisting of late-season replacement players, the Knights hardly lost anyone significant. The eventual four-time defending West Coast League Champions and 2019 Perfect Game Team of the Year ended the regular season with 30 players on their roster, nearly double the number of active AppleSox players that same weekend. The Knights only lost five hitters from the entire 2019 season, four of whom recorded 15-or-fewer at-bats.

Sanderson, who faced the AppleSox’ skeleton crew in the postseason, believes that he is prepared to not make the same mistakes of a different regime from a year ago.

“Corvallis has found a way,” Sanderson said, “to find a majority of guys on that quarterly system and that’s what we’ve got to do. It was frustrating when we (Victoria) faced them in the championship round. The team that faced them wasn’t the team that got us to the playoffs. It’s not a knock on the guys who stayed, but it was just a different team. I think if we can control the roster and keep everybody around, I think it’s a much different league and the ‘top-heaviness’ goes away.”

Sanderson anticipates turnover on his 2020 roster. Too assume otherwise would be foolish, but his goal is to limit as much turnover as possible. That starts with communicating with players and their coaches better from the get-go, focusing on players who will be with the AppleSox for the majority of the season and having capable and planned replacements for those who don’t last the full summer. ­­

Division-I players may excite fans most, but it’s also critical to supplement the rest of a summer-ball roster with Division-II and junior-college players. Often times, junior-college players are looking to advance to the Division-I level and hope to put together a strong summer to convince college coaches that they are worth a spot on the top tier of college student-athletes. Sanderson, as a junior-college coach, knows that having control of these players in addition to their hunger are excellent reasons to make them members of the AppleSox this summer.

“We’re going to get as many of the best junior college guys that we can,” Sanderson said, “because those are the guys that are going to be the supplemental guys that fill in early and fill in later because I know what their schedules are. It’s going to be a mix of pop-in junior college players.”

The AppleSox were part of league’s elite at one point, winning five of the first eight WCL Championships. However, the league has also expanded since its inception in 2005. Seven teams battled in the division-less inaugural season with only two teams granted a postseason berth. In 2020, 12 teams in two divisions compete for four postseason berths, with only two teams from each division advancing to the playoffs.

The times have changed and now, so too must the AppleSox. With Sanderson and his forward-thinking mind at the helm, the AppleSox look to return to their previous glory with a strong start to a new era in 2020.

2019 WCL Saves Leader, Four Others Join 2020 AppleSox

The AppleSox have added pitching depth with this week’s roster additions. Head coach Ian Sanderson signed four pitchers from three different schools and a well-regarded high-school prospect.

Rance Pittman

After a stellar year with the Cowlitz Black Bears last summer, Rance Pittman joins the AppleSox in 2020. Pittman tossed 27 games last summer, all in relief, and recorded a league-high nine saves. Pittman has a 1.80 ERA in five relief appearances for Southeast Missouri this season.

Sanderson is very familiar with Pittman. In two years at Lower Columbia College, Pittman recorded a 1.80 ERA. Pittman went 1-0 as a sophomore with a 1.47 ERA in 18.1 innings across nine appearances.

“Rance has been a bullpen guy with a lot of success,” Sanderson said. “He will show a high 80’s, low 90’s fastball and a good slider. Great young man to help some of our young arms develop.”

Isaiah Zavala

Freshman right-hander Isaiah Zavala comes to the AppleSox from the University of the Incarnate Word. He recorded a 2.18 ERA in four years at Southwest High School in San Antonio. Zavala earned all-state honors as a junior after posting a 1.33 ERA and hitting .370.

In college, Zavala has started each of the four games he has pitched in this spring and has particularly excelled in his last two times on the mound. He has not allowed any runs in a combined 13 innings and has given up just eight hits while striking out 10.

Michael McElmeel

Another member of the University of the Incarnate Word joins the AppleSox this summer. Junior Michael McElmeel has tossed 42 games in his three years of college so far and is another veteran arm joining the AppleSox. Last season, McElmeel did not allow any runs in any of his first eight appearances en-route to a team-best 25 appearances on the mound. He recorded an 8.35 ERA in 18.1 innings. This spring, McElmeel has a 10.13 ERA in seven appearances.

Michael DeFelippi

Despite logging just 9.1 innings in seven appearances, Michael DeFelippi excelled as a freshman at the University of the Pacific. He only allowed 11 hits and recorded a 2.89 ERA. DeFelippi has a 7.20 ERA in three appearances this spring.

DeFelippi put together two strong JV years at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego. He was part of an undefeated team his freshman year and was then named team MVP and Pitcher of the Year during his sophomore season

Jordan Thompson

The youngest player in this week’s roster reveal joining the AppleSox in 2020 might have the most exciting future. Jordan Thompson may still be in high school, but he has already garnered national acclaim. The 2019 Perfect Game All-American shortstop is committed to play at LSU next year. Last summer, Thompson hit .283 with 14 extra-base hits for the San Diego Show travel team. He also has excelled as a pitcher at the high school level, topping out as high as 93 mph.

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The AppleSox’ 2020 season begins on June 4 with a 6:35 p.m. non-league game against the Highline Bears. The home schedule is highlighted with Coyote Bobblehead Night on June 13, Fireworks Nights on July 3 and 20 and the West Coast League All-Star Game on July 20. The full schedule can be viewed below. Season tickets run as affordable as $130 and can be purchased online. Single-game tickets can be purchased by calling 509-665-6900.

Wenatchee Native Rubash Among Latest 2020 Player Signings

With less than 100 days until the start of the 2020 season, the AppleSox continue to compile their roster as they look to win their seventh league championship.

Two weeks ago, the AppleSox added Tyler Chipman, Chase Grillo, Jared Glenn, Brayden Spears, Gabriel Subirats and Bryant Nakagawa in the first wave of 2020 players.

Head coach Ian Sanderson has revealed the second wave of players to join his first AppleSox’ roster. Pitcher Jared Rubash, utilityman Logan Mercado, outfielders Marcus Lydon and Steven Riddle, infielder Zach Meddings and catchers Landon Wallace and Tyler Boggs all join the AppleSox roster.

Jared Rubash

Wenatchee High School senior Jared Rubash will join the AppleSox this summer before heading to the University of Oregon this fall. Originally committed to Yakima Valley, Rubash soon after switched to join Oregon. In addition to playing for the Panthers, Rubash spent the 2018 summer playing for the Apple Valley Blues for American Legion baseball.

“Rubash has a big upside,” Sanderson said. “He’s going to be in the Pac-12 where there is a lot of projected ability in the big right arm. Being a local guy, this gives fans a chance to see him perform against other college players before he heads to the University of Oregon.”

Logan Mercado

Utilityman Logan Mercado comes to Wenatchee on a high note after posting incredible numbers in high school. Mercado has hit .500 in 156 at-bats and recorded a 1.23 ERA in 24 games over his first three years at Tri-Cities Prep. That includes a stellar junior year when he hit .491 and recorded a microscopic 0.37 ERA. The Oregon commit will join the AppleSox as both a pitcher and a third baseman.

Marcus Lydon

Marcus Lydon joined the Oregon Ducks this season after playing his first two years of college at Seattle University and then Linn-Benton Community College. Lydon hit .188 in 36 games as a freshman and then .221 in 40 games as a sophomore. As a senior at Marist High School in Eugene, Oregon, the outfielder hit .515 and earned all-state honors.

Steven Riddle

Outfielder Steven Riddle is in his first year at the University of Nevada-Reno and looking to build off his strong final season of high school ball. Riddle hit .345 and stole 10 bases as a senior at Vista Murrieta High School in California. He also picked up League Championships in both his sophomore and senior seasons.

Zach Meddings

Zach Meddings put together a strong senior year before joining the University of Nevada-Reno, this fall. The infielder hit .322 in his four years at Franklin High School in Elk Grove, Calif. Meddings earned all-league honors and won a league title as a junior then again earned all-league honors as well as league MVP as a senior.

Landon Wallace

Landon Wallace comes to the AppleSox as a touted catcher and hitter. Wallace put together a stellar junior year at Roseville High School in California, hitting .452 in 26 games. Prep Baseball Report raves about the catcher’s bat speed and that paid off to the tune of 11 extra-base hits last spring. Wallace will attend the University of Nevada-Reno this fall.

Tyler Boggs

Tyler Boggs provides the AppleSox with a solid bat and catching depth this summer. The Yavapai College sophomore hit .275 in 36 games as a freshman and already has a .296 batting average through 13 games this season. Boggs kicked off the season on a high note by hitting a home run and driving in two in a two-hit season-opener against Glendale Community College on Jan. 31.

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The AppleSox’ 2020 season begins on June 4 with a 6:35 p.m. non-league game against the Highline Bears. The home schedule is highlighted with Coyote Bobblehead Night on June 13, Fireworks Nights on July 3 and 20 and the West Coast League All-Star Game on July 20. The full schedule can be viewed below. Season tickets run as affordable as $130 and can be purchased online. Single-game tickets can be purchased by calling 509-665-6900.

Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium to Host CCL Games for Two Weekends

Graphic by Ben Krueger

The Cascade Collegiate League, a summer college baseball league in the Pacific Northwest, will play 18 games across two different weekends this summer at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

CCL games will take place at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium June 19-21 and July 10-12. Both weekends will be packed with baseball games. Following one game on June 19, the CCL will play four more on June 20 before wrapping up the weekend with an additional four games on June 21. The CCL will follow the same schedule for July 10-12. The AppleSox are on the road for both of those weekends.

“We enjoyed competing with the Cascade Collegiate League last summer,” AppleSox owner Jose Oglesby said. “Every league has its own beginning and we hope to help them out while also scouting potential future AppleSox players. Hopefully, our fans won’t mind a couple of extra weekends of baseball at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium this summer.”

The CCL began operations in 2018 and completed its first season last summer. In addition to fielding six teams with a 24-game schedule, the CCL also will send a Showcase team, highlighting the best players in the league, to face off against five different West Coast League opponents this summer. The CCL Showcase team faced the AppleSox twice last summer, appearing in Wenatchee on June 3 and July 31, 2019. The AppleSox will welcome the Showcase team to Wenatchee on June 16 and 17.

“The CCL exists to develop and advance the careers of our players,” commissioner Ben Krueger said. “We are thrilled to strengthen our relationship with the AppleSox, their fans and the entire Wenatchee community.”

Last summer, 16 players from the CCL went on to be “called up” to the West Coast League. Three players (Jermaine Ducham, Ryan Isler and Henry Lenaburg) went from the CCL to the AppleSox.

Times, opponents and tickets for the two weekends in Wenatchee will be announced at a later date.

Chipman Highlights AppleSox' First 2020 Signees

The AppleSox’ 2018 Opening Day Starter will return to Wenatchee this upcoming season. Tyler Chipman and five newcomers will appear on Ian Sanderson’s first roster as AppleSox head coach.

Sanderson, who will also handle the AppleSox pitching coach responsibilities, is focused on building this summer’s team around pitching. He’ll start to achieve that goal by bringing five pitchers aboard along with a highly-touted catcher in his first wave of 2020 players.

In addition to the familiar face in Chipman, Sanderson has also signed catcher Bryant Nakagawa and pitchers Chase Grillo, Jared Glenn, Brayden Spears and Gabriel Subirats. Nakagawa comes from Saint Martin’s University while Grillo pitches at Spokane Falls but is committed to Gonzaga this fall. The final three pitchers are all from Boise State, a program playing its first baseball season this spring since 1980. Last summer, five different Broncos played for the AppleSox.

Tyler Chipman

The AppleSox’ 2018Opening-Day starter returns to Wenatchee after spending last summer in the Expedition League. The right-hander started 12 of the 14 games that he pitched in for the Badlands Big Sticks and struck out 53 batters in 58 innings. He finished 7-2 with a 4.34 ERA.

In 2018, Chipman went 1-0 with a 7.54 ERA in 13 games for the AppleSox. He recorded five scoreless outings and struck out 24 hitters in 37 innings. Chipman did not pitch at Gonzaga in 2019 and transferred to Yakima Valley College, where he will pitch as a redshirt freshman this spring. Chipman graduated from Cashmere High School in 2018. He earned First Team All-Caribou Trail League Honors every year and CTL MVP as a senior.

Bryant Nakagawa

At this past Sunday’s Hot Stove Party, AppleSox assistant coach Nick Brooks described Bryant Nakagawa as one of the top defensive catchers in the state of Washington at any level of college baseball. The St. Martin’s University catcher started 24 of 28 games last season and hit .227 as a sophomore. This season, he has started two of four games and has reached base twice via a pair of walks. Last summer, Nakagawa hit .283 with nine extra-base hits in 41 games for the Alaska Goldpanners of the Alaska Baseball League.

Chase Grillo

An incoming transfer to Gonzaga rounds out the first wave of AppleSox commits this summer. Chase Grillo went 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 12 games for Spokane Falls College last season and will wrap up his junior-college career there this spring before joining the Zags in the fall. Grillo also excelled for the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs of the Expedition League last summer. He went 3-3 with a 2.34 ERA over 30.2 innings in 18 appearances. He did not allow any runs in 12 games and also picked up a save.

Jared Glenn

The first of three Boise State recruits coming to the AppleSox looks to continue to the AppleSox history of incoming college freshmen pitchers to have success with the AppleSox. Jake Saum and Marco Gonzales, are just a few recent examples.

Glenn is committed to Boise State, but must first finish his senior year at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano, California this spring. Glenn and the Lions won their second consecutive Boras Baseball Classic South Championship last spring. Former AppleSox first baseman/outfielder Blake Klassen was teammates with Glenn for each of those titles. As a junior, Glenn went 3-1 with a 2.14 ERA in nine games.

Brayden Spears

Brayden Spears is set to begin his freshman season at Boise State this weekend. The 6-foot-6-inch right-hander went 5-3 with a 1.49 ERA in 11 games as a senior at Liberty High School in Brentwood, California. The year prior, Spears recorded a 2.91 ERA in 14 games. Spears earned All-Bay Valley Athletic League Second Team honors in each of his final two years of high school. In addition to baseball, Spears also lettered in water polo at Liberty. He earned district MVP honors in water polo as a junior.

Gabriel Subirats

Another freshman at Boise State will also join the AppleSox this summer. Gabriel Subirats went 1-2 with a 5.60 ERA in six appearances last year as a senior at Klein High School while also holding hitters to a .218 batting average and striking out 17.

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The next AppleSox roster announcement will take place on Feb. 26.

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The AppleSox’ 2020 season begins on June 4 with a 6:35 p.m. non-league game against the Highline Bears. The home schedule is highlighted with Coyote Bobblehead Night on June 13, Fireworks Night on July 3 and the West Coast League All-Star Game on July 20. The full schedule can be viewed below. Season tickets run as affordable as $130 and can be purchased online. Single-game tickets, including MVP Cards, can be purchased by calling 509-665-6900.

Hot Stove Party Scheduled for Feb. 9

It might be the middle of winter but once again it’s time to talk baseball. The annual AppleSox Hot Stove Party is scheduled for Feb. 9 from 2-4 p.m. at Abby’s Legendary Pizza.

Team owner Jose Oglesby, head coach Ian Sanderson and other members of the AppleSox front office will be on hand to chat with fans. The AppleSox will also be giving away prizes to fans in attendance.

The AppleSox Hot Stove Party is free to season ticket holders and sponsors. All other fans can attend for $15 per person, including a pizza and salad buffet. Beer and wine is available for purchase.

Please call 509-665-6900, email info@applesox.com or select ‘Going‘ on the Facebook event to RSVP.

Sanderson Finalizes Coaching Staff

WENATCHEE, WA - AppleSox head coach Ian Sanderson has added a second assistant coach ahead of the 2020 season. Branson Trube will join the AppleSox as an infield and analytics assistant.

Trube is originally from Meridian, Idaho. He joins Nick Brooks, hired in November, as the two assistants on Sanderson’s coaching staff.

“Branson brings D-I coaching experience to Wenatchee as well as good summer ball coaching,” Sanderson said. “He will be working with our infielders, hitters and doing a majority of the analytics work for us this summer. I’m very excited to have him as well as Nick on board. I think we have put together a great staff to be successful.”

Like Brooks, Trube also played at Gonzaga and graduated in 2018. He hit .272 in his four seasons with the Zags. As a senior, Trube hit .289 with 8 home runs (tied, second) and 7 stolen bases (tied, first). With the addition of Trube, seven members of the 2018 Gonzaga Bulldogs have previously or will play/coach for the AppleSox.

After graduating, Trube coached at Mountain View high school where he helped lead the Mavericks to a state championship. He then spent the next summer in Fairbanks, Alaska coaching the Alaska GoldPanners, working under former AppleSox assistant coach Miles Kizer (2015).

This summer will be a homecoming of sorts for Trube. He spent three years playing summer college baseball, including the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Yakima Valley Pippins of the West Coast League.

“I am very excited to be joining Wenatchee for the summer,” Trube said. “As a former player in the WCL, I am looking forward to being back in the league and helping our players master their craft.” 

The AppleSox’ 2020 season begins on June 4 with a non-league game against the Highline Bears at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Season tickets run as affordable as $130 and can be purchased by calling 509-665-6900. MVP cards are also on sale. For $20, you receive four tickets that are good for any AppleSox game, excluding the 2020 All-Star Game. MVP Cards can be purchased here. Single-game tickets will go on sale at a to-be-announced date.

AppleSox Alum Brooks Returns to Wenatchee as Assistant Coach

WENATCHEE, WA - Thursday morning, AppleSox head coach Ian Sanderson announced that he has added Nick Brooks to his coaching staff for the 2020 season. Brooks graduated from Gonzaga in 2018 and played for the AppleSox in 2014. He currently is an assistant coach for Spokane Falls community college, specifically working with catchers and hitters.

Brooks returns to Wenatchee five years after playing for the AppleSox. The Auburn, WA, native hit .277 in 41 games and tied for the team lead with three home runs.

“I loved every minute of my time in Wenatchee,” Brooks said. “I was able to work on the little things that helped me grow as a player. I’m looking forward to coaching talented players from all over the country and giving them a similar opportunity that I had while playing for the AppleSox.”

Brooks represents AppleSox head coach Ian Sanderson’s first hire. He will look to add another coach to his staff.

“He will be working with the offense, catchers and a little outfield when he has time to work with them after catchers,” Sanderson said.

Brooks, pictured second from left, played 43 games for the AppleSox in 2014.

Brooks hit .242 in his four years at Gonzaga. His senior year, he hit .283 with eight home runs, 11 doubles and 20 RBI. Brooks led the Bulldogs with a .559 slugging percentage.

In high school, Brooks helped Auburn Mountainview win the 3A state championship. He hit .511 with four home runs and 42 RBI at the plate while also recording a perfect 11-0 record along with a 1.70 ERA in 12 appearances on the mound.

Following his time at Gonzaga, Brooks signed a professional contract with the Perth Heat in the Australia Baseball League for the 2018-19 season. Upon returning to the states, Brooks began his coaching career with the Spokane Expos covering their 16u program.

The AppleSox’ 2020 season begins on June 4 with a non-league game against the Highline Bears at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Season tickets run as affordable as $130 and MVP cards are also on sale. For $20, you receive four tickets that are good for any AppleSox game, excluding the 2020 All-Star Game. Both as well as 20-percent off 20th-season merchandise are available for purchase at the AppleSox office at 610 N. Mission St. #204.

AppleSox to Host 2020 WCL All-Star Game

For the second time in franchise history, the Wenatchee AppleSox will host the West Coast League All-Star Game. The AppleSox hosted the inaugural WCL All-Star Game in 2006 and will welcome the 13th mid-summer classic in WCL history to Wenatchee on July 20, 2020.

“I am very pleased that the WCL is bringing the All-Star Game back to Wenatchee,” Oglesby said. “We are looking forward to the opportunity to showcase our team our fans and our community. It will be a highlight of our 2020 season.”

Each summer the showcase event features over 40 of the WCL’s top players in the league’s annual exhibition.

New AppleSox head coach Ian Sanderson and his to-be-announced coaching staff will coach the North Division’s team and the 2019 West Coast League Champion Corvallis Knights coaching staff will coach the South Division.

All tickets to the game will be general admission with ‘first come, first served’ seating. Tickets will go on sale for $10 at an aforementioned date. 2020 season-ticket holders will receive tickets to the 2020 WCL All-Star Game as a bonus for their season commitments. MVP punch cards will not be accepted.

If you have any questions, please email info@applesox.com or call 509-665-6900.

AppleSox Add Three Non-WCL Games to 2020 Schedule

The Wenatchee AppleSox have added three non-league games, one against the Highline Bears and two against the Cascade Collegiate League Showcase team, to their 2020 schedule.

With the addition of these three games, the AppleSox schedule now contains 57 games, 30 of which will be played at Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium. Last season, the AppleSox went 23-10 at home, league and non-league play combined.

Non-league games are effectively exhibition games and thus do not count against the AppleSox overall record. However, with 11 days off in June, the AppleSox wanted to fill the open days with as many home games as possible.

“Non-league games are an important part of our schedule,” general manager Ken Osborne said, “because we like to give our players as many opportunities as possible to prove themselves. Sometimes, these games are great for players who haven’t seen a lot of action in league play. Regardless, we love hosting as many home games as possible in the summer.

The Highline Bears will open up the AppleSox’ 2020 season with an exhibition game on June 4. This will be the third straight season that the AppleSox’ first home game is against a non-WCL foe. The Bears hail from just outside of Seattle and play in the Pacific International League.

The Cascade Collegiate League sends its showcase team to take on the AppleSox for the second consecutive summer. This past season, the CCL visited Wenatchee for exhibition contests on June 3 and July 31. This team will comprise of players from the CCL, a summer college baseball league which completed its first season this past summer.

AppleSox season tickets are priced as affordable as $130. To purchase your AppleSox season tickets, call 509-665-6900, email info@applesox.com or visit the team office at 610 N Mission St. #204 in Wenatchee.

Current season-ticket holders who refer a friend to become a season-ticket holder will receive a free 20th season hat or cap, your choice, while supplies last. All your friend has to do is mention to us that you referred them when they purchase their season tickets.

The full 2020 schedule can be viewed below.

WCL Releases 2020 Schedule

Friday, the West Coast League unveiled its 2020 schedule. The regular season begins on June 5 and ends on Aug. 9 with the last possible day of playoffs being Aug. 18. The AppleSox begin the season on the road and end it at home. They will be home for the Fourth of July and will play at home on three weekends.

While the WCL portion of the schedule is the majority of it, the entire schedule is not finalized. The AppleSox will look to add exhibition games against non-WCL opponents on as many off days as possible. Last season, the AppleSox hosted five non-league games against three different opponents.

Schedule Highlights

Welcome Back, Coach

Former AppleSox head coach Ed Knaggs (2001-14) returns to Wenatchee for the first time as a visitor when the Corvallis Knights visit the AppleSox, June 8-10. In 14 seasons as the AppleSox head coach, Knaggs led the Sox to five West Coast League Championships (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012) as well as a Pacific International League Championship (2003). The Knights hired Knaggs in 2017 as an associate head coach and he has helped lead them to championships in both of his seasons in Corvallis.

Long Opening Homestand

The AppleSox’ 2019 Home Opener is scheduled for June 8, the first of six consecutive home games. After facing Corvallis June 8-10 and Bellingham June 12-14, the Sox have four consecutive off days scheduled. However, at least half of those days will be filled with games against non-WCL opponents. Last season, the AppleSox went 23-10 at home, league and non-league play combined.

Toughest Stretch

The AppleSox’ most grueling part of the schedule is July 7-29 when they only have two scheduled days off, only one for the AppleSox All-Stars. July 16 and 20 are the only days off although July 20 is the All-Star Game. Twelve of the 18 games during that stretch will be played away from Paul Thomas Sr. Stadium.

We Meet Again

The Victoria HarbourCats ended the AppleSox’ 2019 season by scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning of the do-or-die Game 3 of the West Coast League North Division Championship Series on Aug. 15. The AppleSox won’t face the HarbourCats until mid-July 2020, but they’ll see plenty of them in that stretch. The Sox and Cats play a six-game ‘home-and-home’ with three games in Wenatchee, July 13-15, and then three more in Victoria, July 17-19. This series will also be fun to follow because it will be the first time that new AppleSox head coach Ian Sanderson faces his former team. Sanderson was the HarbourCats pitching coach for the last two seasons before being hired by the AppleSox in September.

Days Off

No day features more off days on the AppleSox’ 2020 schedule than Thursdays, when the AppleSox have just four games scheduled and five days off. The Sox don’t have any games currently scheduled for the entire month of June on Thursdays.

The full schedule can be viewed below.

AppleSox in MLB: End of 2019 Update

The 2019 MLB regular season has come to a close and now is a great time to look back at our AppleSox alumni. Six former AppleSox played in the majors this season. Here's how they fared...

Griffin Canning

In his first major-league season, Canning, a 2014 AppleSox alum and UCLA product, went 5-6 with a 4.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. The right-hander started 17 of the 18 games that he pitched in and tossed the fourth-most innings among Los Angeles Angels pitchers. Canning's best start of the year came on May 18 when he shut out the Kansas City Royals and struck out five in seven innings.

Marco Gonzales

After a breakout 2018 campaign, Gonzales out-did himself with a strong 2019 season. Gonzales posted career-bests in ERA (3.99), strikeouts (146) and innings pitched (203). The southpaw started on Opening Day in Japan as well as the Seattle Mariners' Home Opener, winning both en route to four consecutive wins to open his season. Gonzales tossed at least five innings in all but four of his 34 starts.

Blaine Hardy

In his sixth season in MLB, Hardy went 1-1 with a 4.47 ERA in 44.1 innings across 39 outings for the Detroit Tigers. Hardy recorded a 2.25 ERA in 10 outings in June. This was the third straight season that Hardy appeared in at least 30 games and he has pitched in 20-or-more games in every season.

Keston Hiura

Hiura is the only member of this list to participate in the 2019 MLB Postseason, even if it was brief. Though the Milwaukee Brewers fell in the National League Wild Card Game, they might not have gotten to that point without the help of Hiura. The rookie infielder hit .303 with 19 home runs and 49 RBI. He saved his best for last as he hit .313 in September while the Brewers were depleted due to a key injury to Christian Yellich.

Tommy Milone

In his ninth major-league season, Milone went 4-10 with a 4.76 ERA in 111.2 innings across 23 outings. Though he was credited with just six starts, Milone typically pitched multiple innings after coming on in relief in the second or third inning. The Seattle Mariners opted to use an 'opener' before going to Milone 15 times.

Pat Valaika

In 40 games, Valaika hit .190 with one home run and 7 RBI for the Colorado Rockies. The bulk of his major-league playing time came in April and September, when he accrued 61 of his 79 at-bats of the season.

Refer A Friend, Get A Free Sox Souvenir!

The AppleSox are providing a special offer to returning season-ticket holders.

Once you renew your season tickets for 2020, refer a friend to become an AppleSox season-ticket holder. Once your friend signs up for season tickets and mentions that you referred him/her to us, we'll give you a free 20th season hat or shirt (your choice) as thanks!

For you to be eligible for the gift, you cannot refer someone who was a season-ticket holder in 2019.

This promotion will run for the entire month of October or until supplies are depleted.

AppleSox season tickets are priced as affordable as $130. To purchase your AppleSox season tickets, call 509-665-6900, email info@applesox.com or visit the team office at 610 N Mission St. #204 in Wenatchee.

Sanderson Selected As New Sox Skipper

WENATCHEE, WA – The Wenatchee AppleSox have named Ian Sanderson the fifth head coach in team history. Sanderson will replace Kyle Krustangel, who stepped down following the 2019 season.

“I am excited to add Ian to our team,” AppleSox owner Jose Oglesby said. “Ian brings his history of success in Victoria and Lower Columbia CC to Wenatchee. I am sure the success will follow him here as well. Ian knows the league and should be able to step right into what we are trying to accomplish. His enthusiasm and knowledge of the game will serve our players well.”

Sanderson brings a championship-pedigree to the AppleSox. He has coached at Lower Columbia College since 2015 as an associate head coach and pitching coach. The Red Devils have won the NWAC in four of the last five seasons, including each of the last three seasons.

Sanderson spent the last two seasons as the Victoria HarbourCats’ pitching coach and led his staff to a 3.65 ERA, second-best in the West Coast League in 2019. Victoria defeated Wenatchee in the Northern WCL Division Playoff Series, before losing to the Corvallis Knights in the WCL Championship Series this past August. He now moves south to continue coaching in the WCL.

“Ian will make an excellent addition to our team,” general manager Ken Osborne said. “He brings impressive experience as a coach at the collegiate level and I believe he is ready to make the jump to head coach for the AppleSox. We interviewed plenty of different and unique candidates and ultimately believed Ian was the best man for the job.”

Prior to coaching at Lower Columbia, Sanderson was the pitching coach at the University of Antelope Valley for the 2015 season after spending 2014 as Kent Meridian High School’s head baseball coach.

Sanderson also carries previous summer-ball coaching experience besides his time with the HarbourCats. His West Coast League debut dates back to 2016 when he was the pitching coach for the Gresham Greywolves, who eventually left the WCL after the following season. In 2017, Sanderson served as the pitching coach for the Fort McMurray Giants of the Western Canadian Baseball League.

Sanderson and the AppleSox kick off the 21st season in team history in June, 2020. The West Coast League will announce its full schedule in November. Season tickets can be purchased for as affordable as $130 by calling 509-665-6900 or emailing info@applesox.com.

Krustangel Resigns as AppleSox Head Coach

WENATCHEE, WA - Kyle Krustangel informed AppleSox management that after three seasons at the helm, he will not return to the AppleSox in 2020.

Krustangel cited the grueling calendar year between both coaching the Yakima Valley Yaks of the NWAC and then the AppleSox in the summer as the primary reason behind his decision.

“First off, I want to thank all the fans, season-ticket holders and host families,” Krustangel said. “I’d also like to thank team owner Jose Oglesby, general manager Ken Osborne, assistant general manager Allie Schank and every single person that has made my wife, Katie, and I feel at home. It’s been an unbelievable three years to work for an arms-open community. It’s one of the toughest decisions I‘ve ever had to make. Having this job in addition to my Yakima Valley College head-coaching job makes it tough to stay championship-caliber at both places. I didn’t want to only give 80-percent to both organizations, I wanted to give 100-percent and be all-in. I didn’t feel that I could give that by continuing to coach both team. It’s been exciting to see the new direction that the organization is going under Jose’s ownership and it was a pleasure getting to the know all the great people of the Wenatchee Valley.”

In each of his first two seasons, Krustangel kept the AppleSox in contention for a postseason berth until the final weekend of the season. Krustangel broke through this past summer with his first playoff berth at the helm and the team’s first since 2013. The 2019 AppleSox set single-season WCL team records in home runs (36), RBI (275), stolen bases (102), runs (348) and consecutive home wins (12). Krustangel’s 83 wins are the second-most in AppleSox coaching history.

“We’d like to thank Coach Kyle for his three years with the AppleSox,” Osborne said. “I was very proud of the young men who he brought in. They not only were exceptional ballplayers, but also great people off the field that represented the organization well. Returning to the playoffs was a huge goal and we were thrilled to get there this past season. We understand his decision and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

Krustangel coached three players to the WCL All-Star Game in his first season before sending four more in each of his two successive seasons. Curtis Bafus won co-WCL Pitcher of the Year honors under Krustangel in 2018 and both Colby Nealy and Troy Stainbrook were two former AppleSox to be drafted after playing for Krustangel.

“We are thankful for Coach Krustangel’s years of service with the AppleSox,” Oglesby said. “It’s said that baseball teams take on the personality of their coaches. During Kyle’s tenure, the AppleSox showed resiliency, competitiveness and sportsmanship. They played the game the right way. We will miss him but know he will remain part of the AppleSox family.”

AppleSox management has begun the search for the fifth head coach in team history.

Nine AppleSox Earn 2019 All-WCL Honors

Monday morning, the West Coast League announced its 2019 All-League Honors and award recipients.

AppleSox pitcher Jake Saum earned first-team honors. Catcher Hunter Montgomery, shortstop Kody Darcy and outfielder Ryan Altenberger all earned second-team honors. Blake Klassen, Kodie Kolden, Seth Kuykendall, Cole McKenzie and Johnny Sage all received honorable mentions.

Saum, an incoming freshman at UCLA, went 4-1 with a 2.80 ERA in nine games, seven starts. He tossed at least five innings in all seven of his starts including a season-high eight on Aug. 7 against Ridgefield. Saum struck out 54 batters, sixth-most in the WCL, and punched out a season-high 10 batters on July 11 against Bend. He was one of four AppleSox All-Stars and also started Game 1 of the North Division Series against Victoria on Aug. 13. Saum tossed seven shutout innings and struck out 10 to lead the AppleSox to a 5-1 victory over the HarbourCats.

Montgomery, an incoming junior at Portland, hit .230 with 5 HR and 26 RBI in 38 games. He primarily caught or DH’d, but also saw brief action at first and made on appearance on the mound. Montgomery’s five homers were third on the team and his 26 RBI tied for second. His 14 extra-base hits were second-most on the AppleSox. Montgomery’s finest game was a 4-for-5 effort against Cowlitz on June 28. The catcher hit a home run, stole a base, scored two runs and drove in four in a 10-2 AppleSox victory. Montgomery would drive in four runs two more times on July 14 and 16, the latter of which he hit his only grand slam of the season.

Darcy, an incoming sophomore at Xavier, hit .305 with 6 HR and 27 RBI in 39 games. He played all four infield positions and even pitched once. He led the Sox with 27 RBI while his six home runs tied for the team lead and he recorded 12 multi-hit games, four of which were three-hit efforts. Darcy both tied and set the AppleSox single-season team home-run record with his fifth and sixth bombs of the year. His best game of the year was on July 11 when he he went 3-for-4 with 7 RBI and finished a single short of the cycle.

Altenberger, an incoming junior at Xavier, hit .289 with 6 HR and 26 RBI in 43 games. He played every position on the field except for first base and catcher. Altenberger finished seventh in the WCL in walks with 31 and recorded eight multi-walk games. He tied for the team-lead in home runs and led the AppleSox in extra-base hits with 16. Altenberger was one of four AppleSox All-Stars and he reached base three times, homered and drove in four in the mid-summer classic. His finest effort of the season came on July 17 against Kelowna when he went 2-for-3 with two walks, a home run, a run scored, and 3 RBI in a 6-4 win.

Klassen, an incoming freshman at Arizona, hit .338 with 1 HR and 25 RBI in 44 games. He recorded 14 multi-hit games and ended the season on a 20-game on-base streak. Klassen’s .338 batting average was fourth-best among qualified WCL hitters and his .455 on-base percentage was second-best. He led the AppleSox with 36 runs and five sacrifice flies and tied for the team-lead with 13 stolen bases. Klassen’s seven hit by pitches and 27 walks were both second-most on the AppleSox. His 3-for-4 effort with 1 RBI and two stolen bases against Yakima Valley on June 9 was his best game of the summer.

Kolden, an incoming sophomore at Washington State, hit .290 with 3 HR and 26 RBI in 42 games. He played second, short, third, left field and even pitched once. Kolden led the AppleSox in at-bats (169) and hits (49) and finished second in doubles (10) and third in stolen bases (12). He recorded a team-best 11-game hitting streak from July 9-21, batting .365 (19-for-52) over it and seven of his 15 multi-hit games this summer came during the streak. Kolden’s best game was a 3-for-5 effort against Kelowna in which he reached base four times, homered, doubled, walked drove in two and scored four times.

Kuykendall, an incoming junior at Western Oregon, went 2-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 10 games, six starts. He tossed at least five innings in all six of his starts and tossed six in Game 2 of the Division Series. The right-hander punched put 43 batters in 41.1 innings and struck out a season-high seven batters four times. Despite allowing seven hits and two walks on July 12, Kuykendall still struck out seven in six scoreless innings for his best start of the season. Before joining the rotation, Kuykendall tossed at least three innings of relief in two of his four relief outings.

McKenzie, an incoming senior at Purdue, hit .370 with 1 HR and 12 RBI in 29 games. He started in center field and batted third in every game that he played in, providing a steady middle-of-the-order bat and defender. Though he didn’t qualify for the WCL batting title, McKenzie did lead all AppleSox batters that played at least 10 games. He tied for third in the WCL in hit by pitches with eight. McKenzie recorded at least one hit in all but six games and collected 12 multi-hit games, four of which were three-hit efforts. He earned a berth in the 2019 WCL All-Star Game, but did not play due to injury. McKenzie’s best game came on July 3 against Kelowna when he went 3-for-5 with a double, a hit by pitch, two runs and 2 RBI.

Sage, an incoming senior at Purdue, hit .327 with 1 HR and 26 RBI in 37 games. He led the AppleSox with 17 multi-hit games and reached base in all of his final 24 games. Sage also led the AppleSox with 11 doubles and tied for the most stolen bases with 13. His .327 batting average was eighth-best in the WCL, marking the second consecutive summer that he finished in the top 10 in the league in batting. On Aug. 2, Sage became the second recipient of the AppleSox’ Tommy Watanabe Award and his best game was four days prior when he went 3-for-3 with a double, two walks and two runs scored in a 7-6 win over Portland.

Below is a full look at previous AppleSox award-winners in the WCL.