After much delay stemming largely from the pandemic followed by the MLB lockout, what seemed uncertain for so long is now finally here: professional baseball right here in our backyard.
While fans have been eager to get involved in their new team, the NoCo Owlz weren’t able to ease concerns about whether the season was actually happening (or rather, where it’s happening), until the very last second.
According to the team website, the 6500-seat "TicketSmarter Stadium" is being constructed over the next year at the Future Legends Sports Complex outside Windsor, Colorado. Future Legends will also feature an indoor soccer stadium and several intramural fields for local sports. While the large stadium is under construction, the "secondary stadium", which seats about 2500, has been under construction for months and was supposed to be finished in time for the Owlz' June 1st home opener. Rather, the Owlz announced they will be playing their “first few home series“ at nearby University of Northern Colorado's Jackson Field while the secondary stadium is completed.
A quick drive-by of the Future Legends Complex off Eastman Park Drive in Windsor revealed that the secondary stadium is certainly more than a few weeks away from first pitch. Fans should expect to attend games at UNC for the entirety of the 2022 season. All Jackson Field home games start at 4:05pm with first pitch for all Sunday games at 1:05pm. Tickets for games played at the college stadium are general admission, $10.
The Owlz season kicked off this week in Great Falls Montana, where the Windsor boys got routed 17-10 Wednesday evening followed by an 4-2 loss Thursday. Friday night started out hopeful with a strong 9 runs plated by the end of the third inning, but the hometown Voyagers completed the sweep with a walk-off 2-run shot in the 9th.
Hopefully this isn't a precursor for the campaign to come, but while our new local team works out the rust on the road let's meet the NoCo Owlz, their rivals in the Pioneer League, and what we can expect from them this summer.
The Pioneer League
The Pioneer League is a 10-team MLB partner league, meaning it does not have an affiliation with any MLB club but rather is sponsored by the MLB itself, acting as a prospects league and also "promoting the sport of baseball" outside of major market regions.
The Pioneer League is separated into two divisions, the North and South.
The PBL 96-game season begins on May 23rd and runs through the summer with the final regular season matchups concluding September 10th. The top two teams in each division play a one-game playoff to decide who advances to the three-game Championship series, which was won by the Missoula Paddleheads over the Boise Hawks in 2021.
Each team must cut down to a 25-man roster prior to Opening Day. Here are the Owlz who made the cut:
Your Noco Owlz
C- #1 Marshall Rich
IF- #31 Seth Strong
IF- #10 Alex Neilsen
IF- #16 Colton Adams
IF- #20 Ty Lewis
IF- #4 Jordan Garr
IF- #7 Kevin Higgins
OF- #2 Alex Jackson
OF- #18 Euro Diaz
OF- #6 Brian Dansereau
OF- #12 Alex Cornell
Highlights
Alex Jackson joins the Noco Owlz by way of Wichita State, where he excelled at multiple positions around the diamond. In 2021 Jackson brought his talents to the Colorado Springs Snow Sox, where he led the Pecos League in runs scored (80) and hit an incredible .417 with a .701 slugging %. 16 doubles, 4 triples, and 17 stolen bases reveal there isn't much this utility knife from Texas can't do...did we mention he also started a luxury athletic wear clothing line? Check out his full story here.
Alex Cornell brings some excitement to the Noco Owlz lineup. The Connecticut native took home the Pecos League batting title, sporting a ridiculous .476 average and only striking out 15 times all season to boot. Can he keep the bat hot in his new home? Learn more about the Owlz new outfielder here.
Seth Strong finds himself anchoring first base for Northern Colorado after destroying the Pecos League at the plate in 2021. Between Wasco and Bakersfield the slugger hit .456 while slugging .735, on his way to averaging two hits per game played. He also managed an extra-base hit in 21 of the 38 games he appeared in. Manager Cory Snyder: "He hits the ball really hard. He's a big kid that can really drive the ball." Get his full bio here.
Daniel Martins-Molinari has a great story, making the Owlz 25-man roster after a pre-Covid stint in Brazil to be with his ailing mother and play for Brazil's Men's Baseball Team. 2021 found him in the Pioneer League catching for Idaho Falls, where he raked .329/.421/.555 at the plate. Read about his journey here.
Colton Adams possesses the thing manager Cory Snyder wants to build the Owlz around: speed. In addition to being a seamless fielding shortstop, Adams displayed his quickness with 31 stolen bases in 2021 (second in the Pecos League). Top that with a .481 OBP and...you can't top that. Check out his story here.
Pitchers
RHP #3 Noah Parsons
RHP #17 Kyle Adkins
RHP #14 Jesse Bolt
RHP #19 Gaylan Young
RHP #8 Jordan Powell
RHP #21 Austin Schneider
RHP #24 Christian Griffin
LHP #33 Alex Smith
LHP #27 Will Buraconak
Highlights
Tyshaun Chapman is the new Noco Owlz reliever with a little bit of experience in the Pioneer League. He threw 51.1 innings in 2021 for the Billings Mustangs (most in late relief), and recently played rookie ball for the Kansas City Royals in the Arizona League. Chapman is known for his high strikeout rate primarily behind a mid-90s fastball, but also for his high walk rate. Reigning in that fastball could mean a trip back to a major-league affiliate for the young burner. Check out Chapman's full bio here.
Jerryell Rivera is the only drafted prospect playing for the Owlz, taken in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Angels. Rivera pitched for the Owlz in Orem for several seasons before getting called up to Single-A in 2021 where he struck out 13 in 12 relief innings. Back with the Owlz to start 2022, Rivera is a lefty with control who wants to show scouts he is ready to get called up again. Check out Rivera's full journey here.
Preston Snavely is a local Northern Colorado boy, hailing from Ft. Collins yet returning to the area after a long hiatus. Not long after he was selected by Rockies scouts to pitch at Coors Field in the 2017 All-Star/Futures game, he was off to Wichita State where Covid interrupted a promising career. Read about the hometown hurler here.
Chase Wilkerson was out of baseball, doing electrical and landscaping jobs until he decided to try out for the Pioneer league in Arizona. His mid-90s fastball drew the attention of the Owlz pitching coaches, and the organization used their inaugural selection (2nd overall pick in the PBL 2022 draft) on Wilkerson. Learn about the coveted Georgia native here.
Meet the Manager
Cory Snyder was a consensus All-American at BYU and a member of the very first US Men's National team with the likes of Mark McGwire and Barry Larkin. Drafted fourth overall in 1984 by Cleveland, he went on to play in over 1000 big league games and is a member of the prolific Cape Cod League Hall of Fame.
As a manger, the Owlz will be Snyder's fourth stint leading a club. Previously he entered coaching through the Golden Baseball League, graduating to the Mariners' organization as a hitting coach at the double-A and triple-A level 2011-2015. In 2016 Snyder entered the world of international baseball, coaching a championship team in Mexico before heading to manage in the Chinese Baseball League for two seasons.
Snyder returned to America and took a front office job with the Orem Owlz in 2019. After the Covid-19 pandemic hit amidst their move to Windsor however, Snyder is ready to get back into a more hands-on role. "That's what's going to be fun, just getting onto the field again and seeing ways we can make these guys better," he says. Catch up with the new Owlz manager here.
The Owlz play the first of a three game home series against the Rocky Mountain Vibes beginning Wednesday June 1 at 4:05pm. Let’s go Owlz! “Hoo” is with me?
The SportsLeaf will be following the Owlz closely on social media and releasing weekly recaps all season long. Want more player bios and current NoCo Owlz news? Go to northerncoloradoowlz.com
*all player bio info and images sourced from team website
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