Jackfish are bringing back the rookie of the year
Dadson is among 25 players on protected list of Intercounty Baseball League team
First baseman Brendon Dadson, the 2019 Intercounty Baseball League rookie of the year, is among the players the Welland Jackfish are protecting for next season.
Dadson, 23, hit .321, scored 23 runs and batted in 19 in 34 games in his first season in Canada’s oldest amateur baseball league.
The six- foot- three, 220pound native of Bowmanville, Ont., was named to the second all-star team as were righthanded starter Euclides Leyer and shortstop Wilson Soriano, whose playing rights are also being retained by the Jackfish.
Each of the IBL’s eight teams is allowed to protect 25 players. They remain on the protected list until they are either signed for the 2021 season or released.
Welland is protecting the following nine pitchers and 16 position players:
Pitchers: Chris Boatto, Matt Clingersmith, Rich Corrente, Casey Howard, Jared Mortensen, Tyler Wood, Christian Young, Austin Oulds and Leyer. Position players: Luis Bernardo, Aaron Dunsmore, Caleb Feuerstake, Matt Hilderbrandt, Robert Mackie, Greg Marco, Andrew Mercier, Brandon Nicholson, Bryce O’Farrell, Grant Okawa, Nolan Pettipience, Mattingly Romanin, Chris Shaw, Chris Thibideau, Dadson and Soriano.
Starting pitchers Leyer, who was 7-2 with a 2.57 earned-run average, and Clingersmith, who went 6-1 with a 2.60 ERA, led the Jackfish in victories in an inaugural season in Welland that was a success in the standings and at the gate.
A franchise that was founded in 2009 as the Mississauga Twins before relocating to Burlington two years later achieved two milestones in its first season in Welland.
A19-17 mark in the regular season marked the first above .500 finish and the best since going 17-19 in 2010. The Jackfish also advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
More than 15,000 people attended home games at Welland Stadium, which left the Jackfish second in average attendance behind the London Majors. The 2020 IBL season was cancelled due to COVID-19.