Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast

Episode #360: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Part 2

After unfortunately missing this year's special Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony, we circled back to bring you some conversations with the baseball people recognized. Last week, we chatted with executive director Tracey Kinsella and the families of inductees Reno Lizzi and Mel Kowalchuk. This week, we sit down with inductees Orv Franchuk and Dr. Randy Gregg to talk about their journeys in baseball and what it meant to be recognized with this year's class.
4:20 - Orv Franchuk
30:12 - Randy Gregg

Episode #359: Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Part 1

After unfortunately missing this year's special Alberta Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony, we circled back to bring you some conversations with the baseball people recognized. We start this episode by chatting with the Hall's executive director, Tracey Kinsella, before we hear from Reno Lizzi's daughter, Brenda, and Mel Kowalchuk's son, Darin. This is the first of a two-part series as we will chat with fellow inductees Orv Franchuk and Dr. Randy Gregg on next week's program.
6:11 - Tracey Kinsella
15:19 - Brenda Lizzi
28:12 - Darin Kowalchuk

Episode #358: Celebrating the 2025 Baseball Sask Awards

Baseball Sask celebrated the best of 2025 with its annual awards banquet on Oct. 18 and we bring you a trio of the winners on this week's show. Hear from Male Player of the Year Kane Kaufmann (Regina), Junior Female Player of the Year Rylee Lenius (Saskatoon) and Builder of the Year Justin Eiswirth (Regina). Check out our new story about the Baseball Sask Awards here.
3:40 - Kane Kaufmann
14:47 - Rylee Lenius
24:59 - Justin Eiswirth

Episode #357: Gavin Logan

it’s admittedly been a while since we last caught up with Oyen’s Gavin Logan. After being selected in the ninth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks, it’s been a rollercoaster couple of years as he’s tried to make a name for himself. The Dawgs Academy and Okotoks Dawgs alum had a breakthrough of sorts this year, starting the season with the High-A Hillsboro Hops before getting an unexpected call to the Triple-A Reno Aces. He made the most of the week-long promotion, went back to Hillsboro, then back to Reno where he hit three homers in three games and was a steady presence behind the plate. The 25-year-old then spent the rest of the year with the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles. All told, he hit .233 with eight homers and 31 RBI in 64 games. It was a productive season that Logan hopes will help cement himself as an option for the Diamondbacks heading into 2026.

Episode #356: Garrett Hawkins

Garrett Hawkins may have had one of the more unforgettable 2025 seasons of anyone out there. Fresh off Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him for most of 2023 and all of 2024, we weren’t sure how he would bounce back. The Biggar, Saskatchewan native and Vauxhall Academy grad was out-of-this-world good, starting the year with San Diego’s High-A team in Fort Wayne, going 8-1 with eight saves and a 1.43 ERA in 32 relief appearances. That earned him a promotion to Double-A with San Antonio, where he continued to shred opposition bats, going 1-0 with two saves and a 1.69 ERA in 13 appearances. All told, the former Lethbridge Bull and Swift Current 57 had 80 strikeouts in 60 innings of work. Hawkins’ return earned him the Padres’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year, something he’s proud of, but wants even more heading into 2026, now that he’s defined his new role as a high-leverage reliever and source of inspiration for Western Canadian ball players. Could a big-league debut be in the cards for next summer?

Episode #355: Celebrating the WCBL Awards

We're back after a week hiatus to bring you all the news and notes from the baseball world in Alberta as the season winds down. Then we take a look at the Western Canadian Baseball League awards, which have been unveiled through a series of announcements. Our Ian Wilson stops by for a recap plus a look back on the year that was before we hear from Most Outstanding Pitcher Levi Abbott of the Lethbridge Bulls, Most Outstanding Canadian Connor Crowson of the Okotoks Dawgs and Most Valuable Player Ethan Menard of the Saskatoon Berries.
5:34 - Ian Wilson
23:15 - Levi Abbott
32:54 - Connor Crowson
40:18 - Ethan Menard

Episode #354: Tyler Hollick, Daril Rodriguez, Jayden Kane & Jaxson Smith Peterson

The baseball season might be winding down, but still plenty to talk about. We start with Wednesday’s big news from Baseball Canada that the inaugural Morneau Cup will be hosted by the Okotoks Dawgs, bringing together 16 of the best academy programs in Canada. We hear from Tyler Hollick of the Dawgs about how we got here and what’s to come over the next few months. Then we recap the Canadian Futures Showcase with Home Run Derby champion Daril Rodriguez (Red Deer/St. Joe’s Academy), Jayden Kane (Fort McMurray/AHP Academy) and Jaxson Smith Peterson of Prep Baseball Canada.
5:46 - Tyler Hollick
17:14 - Daril Rodriguez
33:24 - Jayden Kane
50:24 - Jaxson Smith Peterson

Episode #353: Shane Dawson, Jr.

It's been a while since we've done a one-guest episode, but when a former Toronto Blue Jays prospect comes calling, especially when the current team is almost clinching the AL East pennant, you take advantage of the situation. Shane Dawson, Jr. was a 17th-round pick of the Jays in 2012, spending six years in the organization before handing it up after the 2019 season. He came back home to do some coaching, where he is now a head coach and technical director with Parkland Minor Ball. Dawson was a guest way back on Episode #12 of the show, so it was great to catch up to talk about his journey, what he's been up to recently, and his thoughts on playing for a young up-and-coming coach in the Blue Jays system by the name of John Schneider.

Episode #352: Abby Szilagyi, Zach MacDonald & Mitchell Rauckman

The season might be winding down but there's still plenty to talk about and several athletes we want to introduce you to before the year is up. We get through the week that was in news, then we hear from Abby Szilagyi (Okotoks) after she helped Team Alberta claim silver at the Canada Summer Games. Then we head to the Canadian Futures Showcase, which starts next week, to get to know Zach MacDonald (Central Alberta) of Webber Academy and Mitchell Rauckman (Saskatoon) of Going Yard Academy.
7:07 - Abby Szilagyi
17:17 - Zach MacDonald
35:36 - Mitchell Rauckman

Episode #351: Ethan Renaud, Rogan Rivard & Reece Hemmerling

We take a look back at a busy week of news before hearing from another trio of great guests. We get to know Dawgs Academy utilityman Ethan Renaud (Okotoks) and Vauxhall Academy outfielder Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville) as they get ready for the upcoming Canadian Futures Showcase in Toronto. Then we check back in with Reece Hemmerling (Beaumont) after he was named an All-West Coast League Honorable Mention for his outstanding season with the Edmonton Riverhawks.
7:13 - Ethan Renaud
17:49 - Rogan Rivard
31:50 - Reece Hemmerling

Episode #350: Sydney Klebanosky, Tyson Kajmowicz & Ethian Mayuk

We take a look back at another busy week of baseball as we look at some of the big pro storylines as well as the national championship season wrapping up. Then we go a little more in-depth with the Canada Summer Games, which was historic for having Women's Baseball finally added to the docket. To make things even better, Alberta captured the silver medal in the event. We hear from first base player Sydney Klebanosky (Spruce Grove), who was a major contributor for the team. Then we head to the Men's event, where Dawgs Academy hurler Tyson Kajmowicz (Calgary) checks in to talk about their fifth-place finish and his invite to the Canadian Future Showcase. And we wrap things up by heading back to the Baseball Canada 18U National Championships in Fort McMurray, where the host Oil Giants claimed bronze. We check in with utilityman Ethian Mayuk to talk about what it was like winning a medal on home turf.
6:59 - Sydney Klebanosky
19:00 - Tyson Kajmowicz
31:09 - Ethian Mayuk

Episode #349: Kevin Kvame, Dayne Liske & Nolan Dezotell

The summer college season has wrapped up and national champions are coming to a close, but that doesn't mean we don't have plenty to talk about around the baseball world in Alberta and Saskatchewan. We sit down for a conversation with Western Canadian Baseball League president Kevin Kvame to recap the season and look ahead to what might be big topics for the offseason. Then we get to know Drayton Valley's Dayne Liske after he represented Alberta at the Canada Summer Games and has been named to the Canadian Futures Showcase roster. We wrap things up with Regina Trappers head coach Nolan Dezotell as the team gets ready to host the Baseball Canada Men's National Championship this weekend.
5:49 - Kevin Kvame
28:38 - Dayne Liske
38:25 - Nolan Dezotell