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WCL Victoria HabourCats

DeGoti and Clark Returning to HarbourCats

June 12, 2015 - West Coast League (WCL)
Victoria HabourCats News Release


VICTORIA, B.C. - The Victoria HarbourCats are happy to announce today that two fan-favourite players are returning to the fold.

Shortstop Alex DeGoti will be back for his third season as a HarbourCat when he arrives in time to play on the road for the HarbourCats on Monday, the start of a series against the Cowlitz Black Bears. DeGoti, the team's starting shortstop the last two years and a WCL all-star both seasons, has just completed his third season at Long Beach State.

Last year for the HarbourCats, DeGoti hit .296 with four home runs, 34 runs driven in, and 11 stolen bases.

First baseman Gabe Clark, who hit .291 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs in 40 games, will play for the HarbourCats on Saturday and Sunday in Bend against the Elks. He was selected in the 26th round by the Toronto Blue Jays in the MLB draft last week, and will stay ready for the jump to the pros while he works on a contract, or he could return to Oregon State again in the fall. He will play this weekend, then complete some academic requirements and is slated to rejoin the HarbourCats in Victoria the weekend of June 19, when the Cowlitz Black Bears are at Sports Traders Diamond at RAP.

Both were selected to the all-star game in Klamath Falls (which was not played because of rain). Clark won the WCL all-star game home run derby before the skies opened up.

"Any time you can return players to your team, I think it speaks volumes about those players and what they think of the market, the facility, and the overall program," said General Manager Jim Swanson.

"These aren't just quality players, they are leaders and they are quality people. Alex and Gabe are players our fans relate to, and they can help us as we battle to get into the playoffs. Alex and Gabe have known all along how much we wanted to bring them back to Victoria, and we think they will make everyone around them better - our current players will learn a lot from them."

Good seats are still available for the next homestand - Friday, June 19 on Blue Coyote/Mike's Hard Lemonade Night; June 20 for Anawim/McGregor Sock Toss; and June 21, for the first Father's Day Game in team history, sponsored by Outlooks For Men.

Clark was one of many players with HarbourCats ties to be drafted this week.

- RHP Dillon Tate, fourth overall, was signed to play for Victoria in 2013 but did not come

- OF Nathan Lukes, 7th round to Cleveland, from Sacrament State, a star with the 2014 team

- RHP Brett Helton, slated to come in 2014, by Pittsburgh in the 9th round

- P Austin Sodders, signed for 2014 but went to Corvallis, 17th round by Pittsburgh

- LHP Will Dennis of Seattle University, signed for 2014, 23rd round by Baltimore

- RHP Logan Lombana, 25th round to Minnesota, from Long Beach State, played for HarbourCats in 2013 and 2014

- Clark, 26th round, to Toronto

- Robbie Nesovic, UC-Santa Barbara, 27th round by Atlanta, member of 2013 HarbourCats

- LHP Quintin Torres-Costa, a 2014 HarbourCat out of Hawaii, 35th round by Milwaukee

The HarbourCats also announce that C Dane Fujinaka is leaving the team, needing to attend to personal matters, and is not expected back. Fujinaka, from Sacramento State but headed to Menlo College in the fall, was hitting .190 with two runs driven in and had played in all six games.

HARBOURCATS HOME GAME TICKETS ON SALE, ON-LINE

HarbourCats fans can get to the front of the line now by going on-line to purchase tickets for the 2015 season - that includes Father's Day (June 21) and special Fireworks Games, slated for June 30, and August 3.

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