When the Welland Jackfish moved to the area in 2019, executive vice-president, baseball operations and general manager Jason McKay quickly learned he would have to rely on talent from across Canada to put a competitive team on the field.

“We knew being the new team in the league we wouldn’t be able to compete very well for Ontario players,” McKay said. 

So, following a promising 2019 season in Welland that saw the team finish with a solid 19-17 record and win a round of the playoffs, McKay hit the road in search of talent.

“We made the decision to go coast to coast to bring in the best Canadian talent we can bring in, regardless of where they are,” McKay said. “If they’re local, great. If not, go outside the province.”

McKay and field manager Brian Essery travelled to British Columbia in the spring on 2020, a week before the COVID pandemic which wiped out the 2020 season. 

“That got us (pitcher) James Bradwell about three years later but opened up our pipeline which has worked pretty well,” McKay said. “There is such good baseball in BC.”

Indeed, Bradwell paved the way for fellow BC natives Steve Moretto, Matteo Porcellato, Brandon Hupe and newcomer Brandon Marklund to head east.

Toss in Albertans Scotty Gillespie and Greyson Barrett, Manitoba’s Dawson Tweet and Nova Scotia’s Jake Sanford and the Jackfish have left no stone unturned to field the best team possible.

The Jackfish also feature local talent Ethan Pasco and Brandon Underhill from Niagara Falls, Tyler Dupuis from St. Catharines and Welland rookie catchers Cole Cote and Ryan Potrecz.

“We’re a pretty Canadian team,” he said.

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