The Regina Red Sox are stepping into the batter’s box with momentum and anticipation as their season begins Thursday.
After a championship run, the club knows its opponents are the ceiling, ready to take their best shot at the defending Western Canada Baseball League champions. Despite being a target, it doesn’t bother them as coach Rye Pothakos tells us.
“We’re just going to play our brand of baseball and if we live in everybody’s head, that’s fine.”
However, the Red Sox are built for it. A strong returning core that helped anchor last season’s success is back in the mix, bringing familiarity, chemistry and a winning standard to the 2026 campaign. Guys like playoff MVP Brady Bye and pitchers Zander Oudie-Senger and Colton Bank.
“To have guys back and you know our homegrown guys, you know (Daniel) Crabtree is back as well and had a year off with an injury, so we’re looking for some leadership with those guys and (to) just set the tone for the new guys to show them the edge and the atmosphere,” Pothakos said.
Around them, Pothakos has reloaded the roster with a wave of young collegiate talent, including several NCAA players who are expected to make an immediate impact. Pothakos is pleased with his recruitment and excited to see what this season will bring.
“They’re all ready to go, on the offensive end, we’ve got Raine (Kreklewetz), (Mason) Tafoya, Mason Canter,” he said. “We’ve got a good group of guys, Matteo Pierre, he’s a U23 national team catcher for France, he’s got a few internationals so he’s ready to go too, we’ve got a good group.”
With new faces pushing for roles and veterans setting the tone, the competition has been tight since day one. Now, as the season begins, Regina isn’t just striving for wins — they’re setting their sights on the ballpark in hopes of bringing home back-to-back WCBL titles.
