Six Mavs named to 2024 WCBL all-star game
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 12, 2024.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews For the third year in a row, the Medicine Hat Mavericks have a half dozen all-stars. The Western Canadian Baseball League announced the East and West division rosters for the 2024 all-star game hosted at Okotoks’ Seaman Stadium on July 20. Pitchers Jack Novak and Jacob Petersheim, along with infielders Marshall Burke and Tyler Vanneste, catcher Nick Thibodeau and outfielder Jordan Phillips will don the Mavs red at the all-star game. It will be a first-time for five of the six Mavs, Phillips made his first all-star game with the Edmonton Prospects in 2022. Mavs’ head coach Kevin Mitchell will lead the East division coaching staff, making his second all-star appearance. It’s the third year in a row the all-star game has been held in Okotoks and the participants for the home run derby are still to be announced. Heading into play Thursday, Petersheim leads Mavs’ pitchers in innings pitched (43.2) and has the second best ERA in the league (2.68). The Broadway, Vir. product has recorded 28 strikeouts and three wins in six starts and eight appearances. Novak is also on the league leaders page, tied for 10th in the WCBL in strikeouts (35) with teammate Braedon Davis. Novak, a product of Highlands Ranch, Col., has a 5.45 ERA in 33 innings pitched, recording four wins in four starts and nine appearances. On the hitting side, Phillips has rose through the league rankings, sitting first in hits (57), ninth in home runs (six) and fifth in RBIs (38). The Houston, Tex. product is hitting .368 on the season and has appeared in all 35 games the Mavs have played. He leads the team in runs scored (39). Thibodeau is also high in the WCBL rankings. The Burlington, Ont. product is seventh in the WCBL in home runs (seven) and sixth in RBIs (37). He’s missed games with injury but is still hitting .348 with 40 hits in 29 games. Vanneste is in his third season in the WCBL and will make his first all-star appearance. The Warman, Sask. product has the seventh best batting average in the league (.382) and has 42 hits, 18 RBIs and two home runs in 27 games. Vanneste also leads the Mavs in hit by pitches with nine. The Mavs final all-star representative in Burke has led the team off throughout the season, hitting in the one-spot. The Kingwood, Tex. product has the sixth most hits in the WCBL (50), leads the Mavs in triples (three) and is tied for the stolen base lead with five, alongside 2023 all-star Brady Bean. Burke has one home run and 22 RBIs in 34 games. 13-12
