Hudson Shupe is the godsend from Gonzaga for the Victoria HarbourCats. Shupe is going into his sophomore season with the Bulldogs in NCAA Div. 1 and may just turn the renowned basketball factory in Spokane into a university known for baseball, too.
Shupe, who leads the West Coast League in batting at .418, was named the top player in the second 20-player WCL Spotlight list released this week. The lists, released every two weeks, highlight the top WCL players with pro potential. A final season-ending list will be unveiled in August. The first WCL Spotlight list featured five players who were selected in the MLB Draft last week.
“It’s the first recognition of that type I have received in my career,” said Shupe.
“When you get a moment to step back, and take it all in, it makes you excited and proud to be recognized like that.”
It was a tweak here and there that made his breakout summer in Victoria happen.
“I changed my mechanics just a bit to be more efficient,” said the native of Richland, Washington.
“At Gonzaga, I had a base hit-mentality. I’ve worked with a hitting coach and brought more power and barrel consistency to summer ball. Baseball is about routine and consistency.”
The WCL is among several summer collegiate leagues across North America in which NCAA players can extend their seasons into the summer after their university seasons end in the spring.
“Hudson Shupe is an intelligent player who is very driven and athletic,” said HarbourCats head coach Todd Haney, who played five seasons in MLB.
“Hudson prepares himself well and has a good understanding of pitchers and what they bring. His goal is to play in MLB and he is locked in on what he wants to accomplish.”
That was on display again Saturday night against the Wenatchee AppleSox at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park as shortstop Shupe had a hit and a walk in three trips to the plate in a 4-3 victory that pushed the HarbourCats’ blazing home record to 19-1.
Two home runs by Tyler Davis out of Fresno State, his fifth and sixth of the season, led the way for Victoria. Reliever Logan MacNeil took the win.
“The Victoria crowds give you an adrenaline spike,” said Shupe.
“The crowds here get the boys going and that’s why we want home-field advantage in the playoffs.”
The Victoria-Wenatchee set features the cream of the North Division with the HarbourCats at 27-11 and AppleSox at 25-10 and the teams could meet in the post-season as the top-four teams will advance to the playoffs in the division.
“It’s a good match-up. They have lots of good players and we have good players, too, and I believe we hit better as a team,” said Shupe.
The HarbourCats and AppleSox complete their three-game set this afternoon at Royal Athletic Park.
“This is a fun rivalry against a very good team and every game against them is a battle,” said Haney. “They beat us at their place and we got them Friday night [8-4] here at home, where we absolutely love to play, and have the support of the fans. We hope to continue creating that momentum here at home.”
DIAMOND DUST: Two players from the Nanaimo NightOwls (17-18) were listed in the second WCL Spotlight ranking with right-fielder Jax Hisle, grandson of former Minnesota Twins star Larry Hisle, ranked at No. 10 and pitcher Bear Pinedo at No. 14 with 20 strikeouts in 11 innings pitched. NightOwls infielder Elijah Ickes, selected in by the Texas Rangers in the MLB draft last week, was listed in the first WCL Spotlight released this season.
