NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks centre fielder Brody Gardner squares up a ball for a hit in the Mavs' 7-3 loss Monday night at Athletic Park against the Okotoks Dawgs. Gardner is one of six Mavs named as WCBL all-stars.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Medicine Hat Mavericks will be well represented at the 2023 WCBL all-star game.
The Mavs will have six representatives at the league’s all-star game, which will be held in Okotoks at Seaman Stadium on July 15.
Pitchers Dylan Weaver, Dylan Esquival and Kyle Calzadiaz, along with infielders Brady Bean, Nathan Tarver and outfielder Brody Gardner, will don the Mavs red at the all-star game and will be joined by head coach Kevin Mitchell, a first-time appearance for all seven. This year marks the second year in a row Okotoks is hosting the all-star game.
“I really can’t wait,” Mitchell said. “I saw the other day they had close to 6,000 people there last year. I’m excited to see the best talent from this league all in one place, and to be part of the atmosphere is very exciting.”
Mitchell says the six Mavs chosen to compete at the all-star game showcase what they have to offer as a team.
“A lot of it is stat based, but it’s funny because the guys with the best stats are also the guys who work the hardest and who are doing the right things consistently,” Mitchell said. “Those things correlate more often than not. For the six guys we’re sending, I feel great about it.”
Heading into the Mavs’ Tuesday night contest at Regina against the Red Sox, Gardner leads the team in hits and batting average, collecting 48 in 30 games while batting .361. He is errorless in his 75 innings in centre field. The Asheboro, North Carolina product says the all-star game was a goal of his that came through showing up every day, being the best he could be.
“Just the work ethic of it and just being able to be in tune with yourself and know what you’re capable of,” Gardner said. “Also the work behind the scenes, not even in the games, just in the weight room and batting practice, just taking everything seriously.
“It’s something I do every day, it’s something I’m always around and I couldn’t ask for anything else better to do.”
Bean leads the Mavs in runs scored (27), stolen bases(10) and is tied for first in homers with three, the same as Tarver.
The Kennewick, Wash. product has played in all but one of the Mavs’ 33 games this season. He credits the time with his teammates for his success.
“It’s just having fun times with my new friends and just enjoying being out there with the beautiful sunshine,” Bean said.
On top of sharing the home run lead with Bean, Tarver leads the Mavs in RBIs (23), triples (two) and is the only player to appear in every single game. The all-star game was also a goal for the Phoenix, Ari. product, who takes pride in being recognized for his hard work on and off the field.
“It’s good to be recognized and shown that my hard work has reaped a good crop,” Tarver said.
While Calzadiaz only pitched a handful of innings at college this spring, the Walnut, Calif. product leads the Mavs’ bullpen in innings pitched with 29.1 and has the second lowest ERA on the team (3.68).
“After not getting to throw a lot of innings this year at school, it’s pretty great I was able to come out here and prove myself,” Calzadiaz said. “Get a chance to show I’m able to compete with these guys.”
His college teammate, Esquival, leads the Mavs’ starting rotation in strikeouts (39) and is tied for the team lead in wins (three) with Calzadiaz. He says the all-star selection as a starter means even more because he switched from a reliever to the new role this summer.
“Having to adjust to that new role and still being able to perform at an all-star level, it feels good,” Esquival said.
Weaver rounds out the Mavs’ all-stars while having the best ERA on the pitching staff (3.38) and the second most strikeouts out of the bullpen (21). He says it was a goal for himself to represent his school and his abilities at the game and is looking forward to how the Mavs representatives compare to the rest of the league’s best.
“There are definitely some big roles in our team (represented) and each of those guys contribute in a big way every day on the field,” Weaver said. “We have great pitching arms with the other guys selected and we have great bats, some great defenders.”
The Mavericks’ Tuesday night game at Regina was not complete by press time, visit medicinehatnews.com/sports for a full game story. The Mavs are back in action Wednesday at Regina for a rematch with the Red Sox.
