Wenatchee Applesox

The Wenatchee AppleSox is a collegiate summer baseball team playing in the West Coast League's North Division. The team is based in Wenatchee, Washington and was established in 2000 by owner Jim Corcoran. It has played its home games at Paul Thomas Sr. Field on the campus of Wenatchee Valley College. Asst. GM Ken Osborne became a stockholder in 2008. Corcoran and Osborne sold the team to retired Microsoft executive Jose Oglesby in 2018, with Osborne being appointed COO/GM. Osborne stepped down on Feb. 3, 2021, and assistant general manager Allie Schank was promoted to general manager.

Originally founded in 2000, the AppleSox played in the Pacific International League. During their time in the PIL, the AppleSox won the league's championship in 2003. Following the 2004 season, the AppleSox left the league and became a founding member of the West Coast League.

The AppleSox were the most successful franchise in the early years of the league winning five league championships and six division titles. Following the departure of head coach Ed Knaggs, the AppleSox faced a dark period that only saw one playoff appearance (2019). The team has seen a resurgence since the hiring of current general manager Allie Schank and head coach Mitch Darlington. Since 2022, the AppleSox have claimed one division championship (2024), one first half championship (2024), three playoff wins (2022 and 2024) and three straight playoff appearances (2022, 2023 and 2024).

Team history

2000–2013

The AppleSox began playing in 2000 and joined the Pacific International League. They marked the return of baseball to the Wenatchee Valley for the first time since the Wenatchee Chiefs suspended operations after the 1965 season. A member of the PIL until 2004, but then left the former to become a charter member of the West Coast League. The team won the PIL Championship in 2003 and has won five WCL Championships in the league's history, including back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.

2014

The 2014 season marked the first year AppleSox did not make the WCL Playoffs. The team got 30–24 in regular-season play. As the season concluded, Sox head coach, Ed Knaggs stepped down and AJ Proszek was selected to replace him, making Proszek the 3rd head coach all-time for the AppleSox. Proszek was a pitching coach for Wenatchee in 2013 and 2014. The changing of the coaching reins put an end to the 14-year run for Knaggs as the head coach in Wenatchee. He also had previously coached 22 seasons at Wenatchee High School.

2015–2016

The AppleSox went 43–65 over the next two WCL seasons, and were unable to reach the WCL postseason. They did feature two of the more prolific hitters in WCL history in each of the 2015 season and 2016 seasons. Keston Hiura, an outfielder from UC Irvine, set WCL records with 33 extra-base hits, 119 total bases, and 6 triples. Michael Toglia (2016) became the third AppleSox player to win league MVP, joining Mitchell Gunsolus (2012) and Steve Marquardt (2005). He hit .306 and led the WCL with 7 home runs. At the end of the 2016 season, A J Proszek announced that he would not return for a third season as the team's head coach. The team hired Kyle Krustangel just over a month later, on September 14, 2016.

2017-2019

Krustangel kept the AppleSox in playoff contention until the final weekend in each of its first two seasons, before finally breaking through in 2019. The AppleSox won 17 of their final 25 games and earned their first playoff spot since 2013. Krustangel quit following the 2019 season to accept the same job with the Yakima Valley Pippins. Ian Sanderson of Lower Columbia College was subsequently hired as the fifth head coach in AppleSox history.

2022

The AppleSox made the postseason for the first time under a first-year head coach in 2022 after winning the WCL North Division's second-half title. Mitch Darlington guided the team to a 27-27 record and a first-round sweep of the Kamloops NorthPaws before falling to the Bellingham Bells in the North Division Championship Game. Second baseman Joichiro Oyama won WCL co-MVP by breaking AppleSox single-season records for plate appearances (276), runs (54), stolen bases (42) and walks (42) while also tying for the single-season record for triples (6) and games played (54). He also broke the WCL single-season record for runs and stolen bases with his historic 2022 campaign.

2023

The Applesox are currently 3rd in the north division with a 12-4 record and are tied for first place with the division leading Bells. Easton Amundson (Liberty) leads the league in home runs (6) while Brandham Ponce (Washington State) is 4th in the league in runs batted in (15). Jadon Williamson (Lower Columbia) is tied for second in wins on the mound (2) and Cam Hoiland (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo) is third in ERA (0.60). 7,145 total fans have gone through the gates for an average of 794 per game.

On June 19, infielder Easton Amundson was named one of the players of the week. Amundson had hit three home runs and batted ten runners in over the week.

2024

On June 17th, Evan Canfield was named pitcher of the week. Canfield threw eight strikeouts in the AppleSox's 2-1 win over the NorthPaws.

On July 9th, Evan Canfield, Jonathan Fitz, Max Hartman, Quincy Vassar, and Garrett Ahern were selected to represent the AppleSox in the 2024 all star game in Bellingham.

The AppleSox qualified for the playoffs for the third straight season after winning both the first and second half. The AppleSox met the HarbourCats in the North Divisional Series for the second straight year winning in three games. The AppleSox hosted the Bells in the North Division Championship Game winning in a 1-0 shutout. The AppleSox then travelled to Portland to face the Pickles in the WCL Championship Game for their first appearance since 2013. The AppleSox led the game 5-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, but the Pickles would rally to win the championship 6-5.

2025

The AppleSox are currently tied with the Bells for first in the North Division with an 11-4 record. Utility player Noah Fields (Texas Arlington) has an RBI count of sixteen. On the mound, Max Muendes (Cal State Northridge) has won two games. Karsten Sweum (Gonzaga) and Alec Johnson (Loyola Marymount) have both thrown seventeen strikeouts. Blake Sandvik (Everett Community College) has an ERA of 0.75. 10,914 fans have attended Wenatchee's twelve home games for an average of 876.

Outfielder Brady Bean (Portland) was awarded player of the week on June 2nd.

Ballpark traditions

Kid's choir

AppleSox games feature a special seventh-inning stretch. Local kids are invited out to the field with the team's mascot, "Coyote", to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

Strikeout socks

The AppleSox hang embroidered socks from a clothesline on the press box, each time their pitcher strikes out an opposing batter. After five strikeouts by AppleSox pitching the team's guest services workers toss socks to fans in the seating area.

Race the Coyote

Long-time AppleSox mascot Coyote rounds the bases each night in a race against an AppleSox youngster. He still hasn't beaten any kids in the daily race, but has accumulated a few wins on various "Mascot" nights over the years, when he races other local mascots instead of children.

Ketchup and Mustard Race

During the fifth inning of each home game everyone's two favorite condiments race each other from the left field foul pole to the right field foul pole.

Tommy Watanabe Award

AppleSox pitcher Tommy Watanabe died late in the 2017 season to the shock of the team and his family and friends. He left an indelible mark on all whom he interacted with and the AppleSox began honoring him the following the season with an award in his name. The Tommy Watanabe Award is annually presented to the AppleSox player who best shows passion and respect for baseball as well as those who play or work in the game. Wenatchee native Jacob Prater was presented with the inaugural award in 2018.

Tommy Watanabe Award Winners

* 2018: Jacob Prater
* 2019: Johnny Sage
* 2021: Michael O'Hara
* 2022: Joichiro Oyama
* 2023: Jake Putnam
* 2024: Jack DeDonato

Section 'A'

The fans at Paul Thomas Sr. Field take a special liking each year to the AppleSox first base-coach, giving him a loud ovation each time he jogs to the coaches box. The tradition began with the fans in section A along the first baseline in 2006 and has spread across the entire stadium.

Results by Season

First Half Championships

* 2024

Second Half Championships

* 2024
* 2022

Division Championships

PIL

* 2002
* 2004

WCL

* 2005
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2024

League Championships

PIL

* 2003

WCL

* 2005
* 2006
* 2009
* 2010
* 2012

Notable alumni

* Jason Hammel (2001)
* Cole Gillespie (2004)
* Clay Mortensen (2005–2006)
* Blaine Hardy (2006)
* Tommy Milone (2006)
* Steve Ames (2008)
* Chad Smith (2008)
* Trevor Brown (2010)
* Marco Gonzales (2010)
* Zack Weiss (2010)
* Pat Valaika (2011)
* Taylor Jones (2012)
* James Kaprielian (2012)
* Simon Rosenbaum (2014)
* Brandon Bailey (2014)
* Drew Rassmussen (2014)
* Griffin Canning (2014)
* Trenton Brooks (2014)
* Keston Hiura (2015)
* Tyler Burch (2015-2016)
* Michael Toglia (2016)
* Matt Fraizer (2016)
* Ryan Kreidler (2016)
* Casey Legumina (2016)
* Alek Jacob (2017)

References

External links

*

{{Washington Sports

Amateur baseball teams in Washington (state)
Sports in Wenatchee, Washington