There was no mystery to what Ethan Murdoch did on the diamond this year.

The outfielder with the Saskatoon Berries was the picture of consistency during the 2026 Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) regular season.

Through 278 plate appearances and 55 games, the Swift Current native posted a .358 batting average, .453 on-base percentage and a 1.069 OPS (on-base plus slugging).

He finished among the WCBL batting leaders in hits (82), doubles (17), home runs (14), RBI (62), walks (36) and at bats (229).

Numbers aside, Murdoch was a leader in the clubhouse and a reliable veteran with the Berries.

The league took notice of his performance and have rewarded the 6-foot-2 righty batter with the 2026 Most Outstanding Canadian award.

“I feel so proud when I hear the Canadian part of the award, for sure. Obviously, any accolade you get is a good achievement. It feels good, but yeah, I feel some sense of pride when you hear the top Canadian … you're representing your home country in a league that is close to home and means a lot to me,” said Murdoch, who also finished second in the WCBL’s MVP voting.

The regular season award is voted on by more than 20 WCBL coaches and members of the media who cover the league. Other finalists included Carter Roth (Medicine Hat Mavericks), Brady Bye (Regina Red Sox), Elijha Hammill (Sylvan Lake Gulls), Hudson Unger (Swift Current 57's) and Nash Crowell (Okotoks Dawgs).

“If they respected the season I had, then it means a lot to me to know that, because I really respect all the people around the league and in the media. The coaches, there's a lot of really good baseball people around the league, and if they felt that I was deserving of it, then that's something I'm really appreciative of, because I know it's a group that I respect,” said Murdoch.

The award was the cherry on top of a dream season for Murdoch, his final WCBL campaign.

The postseason ended with the Berries hoisting the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy as league champs for the first time in franchise history.

“I'm proud and happy to go out on top. Really, for me going into the season, it was more about us winning and going out with the big team win,” said Murdoch, who began his WCBL career with the Swift Current 57’s and played south of the border with McCook Community College and Marshall University.

“It shows me that all the work I put in and the long season, all the stuff you go through, was worth it. I handled it well and had good habits. I'm proud of myself for that.”

Added Murdoch: “I'm really grateful to have done it and have a good season, personally, but just looking back on it, I just wanted to have a good time and to win it all, accomplish both of those things, so I can't ask for much more.”

While his college baseball career is now behind him, Murdoch has decided to remain in sports and has taken a job as a strength and conditioning coach/performance analyst with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

“It's a fun transition for me. I'm enjoying the challenge and being in a new environment, working with some great athletes. I think that's something I really wanted to focus on when I was moving away from baseball is not completely getting out of sports,” said Murdoch.

“That's something that I enjoyed as much as anything when I was in college is just the training and challenging each other and working out and working hard day-to-day and that's something I get to still experience now, is I get to push these guys and help them get better, help them reach their goals physically.”

If his time at the rink proves to be anything like his time at the ballpark, Broncos fans can expect outstanding things from Murdoch.