Playing three seasons with the same team in the West Coast League is about as rare as finding somebody on the Island who doesn鈥檛 have an opinion about ferries. In other words, players like that are hard to find in the high-turnover summer collegiate WCL.
The Victoria HarbourCats are going into their third season of existence and Alex DeGoti from Long Beach State will have been around for the entire ride. He will play his hat-trick season with the HarbourCats, which is a coup for the club considering he was a WCL all-star each of his previous two seasons in Victoria and a fan favourite.
鈥淎lex is Mr. HarbourCat. He鈥檚 our only three-year player and he鈥檚 earned that moniker,鈥� said Victoria GM Jim Swanson.
鈥淗e is a great leadership piece to our puzzle. The fans love him and he is great with the kids.鈥�
DeGoti makes his 2015 Royal Athletic Park debut tonight when the HarbourCats (5-7) begin a three-game set against the Cowlitz Black Bears (3-6).
鈥淚 definitely have a comfort zone in coming back to Victoria,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 remember the great crowds and the great energy the past two seasons.鈥�
A fluid shortstop who can also hit, DeGoti was .296 at the plate last season in Victoria with four home runs, 34 RBIs and 11 stolen bases and batted .286 with three homers and 21 RBIS in 2013. The native of Miami made his 2015 debut Monday in Cowlitz and is .214 in three games with two stolen bases.
鈥淲e have a lot of young talent this year, with some special players,鈥� added DeGoti of what he saw this week in the 1-2 set in Cowlitz.
While Long Beach State and 2013 and 2014 HarbourCats teammate Logan Lombana, a pitcher, got drafted and signed this year by the Minnesota Twins, DeGoti admits he struggled in his junior season at Long Beach State.
鈥淚 want to make the most of the playing time this summer in Victoria to get to the next level,鈥� said DeGoti.
Don鈥檛 bet against him, says Swanson.
鈥淎lex has a pro approach,鈥� said the Victoria GM.
EXTRA BASES: Shawn Kennedy II (0-2) is expected to get the start on the hill tonight for the HarbourCats.
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