2024 Award Winners
The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) has determined its most outstanding performers for the 2024 season.
The summer collegiate circuit that calls Alberta and Saskatchewan home has unveiled All-Star Teams, Most Valuable Players, the Rookie of the Year, the Most Outstanding Canadian, the Most Outstanding Pitcher and the Coach of the Year.
Here is a rundown of the major award winners of this year:
COOPER CIESIELSKI: REGULAR SEASON MVP
Cooper Ciesielski was a baseball-bashing beast this summer.
The outfielder with the Sylvan Lake Gulls tormented WCBL pitchers during the season.
In 47 regular-season contests, Ciesielski had a .382 batting average with 53 runs batted in (RBI) and 43 runs scored.
He finished tied for the league lead in home runs (13) and doubles (21), and stood alone in leading the WCBL in slugging percentage (.758), OPS (1.253), secondary average (.533) and isolated power (.376).
His lethal bat helped Ciesielski win the 2024 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, as selected by coaches from across the WCBL.
CONNOR CROWSON: PLAYOFF MVP
Connor Crowson earned the WCBL Playoff MVP title for his postseason heroics at Seaman Stadium in August.
The Okotoks product collected 11 hits over nine playoff games and helped the Dawgs defeat the Moose Jaw Miller Express in the championship final.
His final postseason hit was a decisive blow, a tie-breaking solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning of a winner-take-all third game of the series that delivered a 6-5 victory over the Millers. The big swing secured a third straight WCBL championship for the Dawgs and their eighth title in franchise history.
COLTON ANDERSON: MOST OUTSTANDING PITCHER
Steady, reliable, dependable.
Those are a few words that capture what Colton Anderson meant to the Regina Red Sox when he took the mound in the WCBL this year.
During a season that saw a number of lopsided scores crowd the box scores, the lefthander was a trustworthy pitcher for his coaches, teammates and the fans in Saskatchewan's capital city.
The 6-foot-3 senior pitched in 11 regular season games for the Red Sox, including seven starts, and allowed more than three earned runs in an appearance just once this summer.
In his 49 innings of work, the Oklahoma product went 6-2 with a 2.93 earned run average (ERA), 64 strikeouts and a save. Anderson finished tied for the league lead in wins while producing the fifth highest strikeout total.
Anderson's standout campaign has earned him the 2024 Most Outstanding Pitcher award.
CARTER BECK: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR & MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN
Carter Beck is just doing what comes naturally.
The result was a lot of walloped baseballs over the summer. It also meant a series of awards and accolades from the WCBL.
Beck, an outfielder with the Saskatoon Berries, has been named the Rookie of the Year and Most Outstanding Canadian for his phenomenal 2024 season in the WCBL.
The Carnduff, Saskatchewan native was exceptional this year in posting a .374 batting average, 53 runs, 11 homers, 19 stolen bases and 38 runs batted in (RBI) over 51 regular season games with the Berries. Beck also had a .458 on-base percentage and he had the fifth highest hit total (77) in the WCBL.
JASON CHATWOOD: COACH OF THE YEAR
After guiding the Sylvan Lake Gulls to a regular-season wins record, Jason Chatwood has been named the Western Canadian Baseball League's Coach of the Year.
The head coach of the Gulls earned the award after leading the central Alberta club to a 44-win season and a President's Trophy. Sylvan Lake went 44-12 in their 56 games and finished first overall in the WCBL regular season standings in 2024. Their victory total established a new regular-season wins record.
"This is very special to receive an award like this and I am extremely honoured. I honestly don't want to take too much credit as I feel it's a team award and a testament to the group that we had and how hard they worked," said Chatwood, a product of Innisfail, Alberta.
WCBL ALL-STAR TEAMS
The Western Canadian Baseball League has named its regular season all-star selections for the 2024 campaign.
The announcement includes a First Team All-Star squad and a Second Team All-Star roster consisting of pitchers, catchers, infielders, outfielders and designated hitters.
MITCH BALL MEMORIAL AWARD
The WCBL has named Kris Hartley as the top umpire on the summer collegiate circuit.
Aqil Samuel - the chair of the WCBL Umpire Committee - made the announcement, citing Hartley's professionalism and work ethic.