Players with Missoula Ties Making Strides at Next Level of Professional Baseball

MISSOULA, MT - The Missoula PaddleHeads Professional Baseball Club is less than a month away from the beginning of Spring Training with a report date for all players set for May 15 in the Garden City. The defending Pioneer League Champions will soon return to Allegiance Field at Ogren Park in pursuit of their sixth league championship in franchise history. Professional baseball has been a fixture in Western Montana since 1999. The success of the Osprey, and PaddleHeads franchise has not only been showcased by championship success, but also by the success of those that have advanced to the next level. 

Nearly 100 players that once appeared with the Osprey  have made their way to the Major League Level with many making an impact.  Current St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldshmdt began his career in Missoula in 2009 appearing in 74 games with the Osprey prior to making his Major League debut in 2011 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Texas native has gone on to appear in the All-Star game 6 times in his esteemed career that looks to be far from over. But the story of Goldshmidt only scratches the surface. For many players that once suited up in the Garden City, their story in higher levels of professional baseball is just beginning. 

With the Major League Baseball season currently in its early stages, there are a pair of players with Garden Cities ties that are currently seeing their first opportunities come to fruition at the Big League level. The journey for catcher Jose Herrera toward the majors has been a long road. The native of Venezuela made his debut in professional baseball at the age of 17 in 2014. Herrera would make his first appearance in Missoula that season as well before returning in 2016 appearing in 36 games with the Osprey. That would only be the beginning as Hererra would spend 7 seasons in minor league baseball. After appearing in 443 games across all levels of minor league baseball, Herrera made his major league debut on April 9 with the Diamondbacks and remains on their active roster.  

Soon after making his professional debut in 2015, pitcher  Jhoan Duran would take the hill in Missoula in 2016 at the age of 18. The native of the Dominican Republic would then spend the next 5 years in the minors in the systems of the Diamondbacks, and Minnesota Twins before making his major league debut on April 8 this season.

The PaddleHeads entered uncharted territory in the 2021 season, their first as an independent professional franchise. Despite that change, the winning culture in Missoula remained intact as the PaddleHeads would dominate the Pioneer League on their way to its fifth title in franchise history.  Furthermore, some of the players that had a hand in this championship success are also seeing that translate to the next level of professional baseball. 

PaddleHeads Reliever Mark Simon was the league's most dominant closer in 2021 finishing with 80 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched to earn the Pitcher of the Year Award in the Pioneer League. On the back of that success, Simon would sign a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization on January 28. 

The Texas native is currently with the Vancouver Canadians of the Northwest League having appeared in 4 games so far this season. Simon proved to not be the only one to advance to affiliated ball as players like pitcher Palmer Wenzel (Ashville Tourists), and outfielder Kyler Castillo (Jupiter Hammerheads) have also advanced in minor league baseball. 

Pitcher Andrew Bash would enjoy great success in his time in the Garden City last season finishing 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 4 starts with the PaddleHeads before signing a contract with the Blue Jays organization in June of 2021.  The California product would spend the rest of the season with the Dunedin Blue Jays. Similar to other prospects that came before him with ties to Missoula, that would prove to not be Bash's last stop. The former Lancer made the jump to AAA appearing with the Buffalo Bison this season. 

Bash received his initial call to the Blue Jays while the PaddleHeads were on a road trip in Ogden, Utah opposite the Raptors. He would get the good news while standing in a narrow hallway outside the visitors clubhouse at Lindquist Field on a swelteringly hot Utah summer night. Obviously, a lot has changed for Bash since that early summer evening. His successes has seen him advance to being just one step away from a major league roster. Will he be the next player with ties to Western Montana to appear on baseball's biggest stage? Only time will tell. But one thing is clear. The stories of some of baseball's future stars may be starting right here in the Garden City.

The PaddleHeads will open the 2022 regular season at home on May 25 opposite the rival Billings Mustangs. Single game, and season tickets are available now for the 2022 season. Visit gopaddleheads.com to learn more, and to stay up to date on all the latest from the PaddleHeads front office.