Sports
San Rafael Pacifics Seek Local Players, Coach
The Pacifics will play their inaugural Pecos League season after winning two straight Pacific Association titles and four in six years.
SAN RAFAEL, CA — A San Rafael professional baseball is seeking some local players and a coach to as it looks to resume a dynasty interrupted by the pandemic.
The San Rafael Pacifics have an unspecified number of roster spots to fill ahead of their June 9 opener against the Martinez Sturgeon, Pacifics manager Stephen Leonetti told Patch.
The Pacifics will be playing their inaugural Pecos League season after winning two straight Pacific Association championships and four titles over a six year stretch. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the coronavirus.
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The Pecos League is geared towards younger up-and-coming players with collegiate backgrounds who may have been overlooked in the amateur draft or are coming off injuries.
It’s also a great opportunity for players with backgrounds in affiliated ball looking for a second chance.
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Chicago White Sox catcher Yermín Mercedes, a 2021 All-Star candidate, is among the Pecos League’s most notable success stories.
The pandemic has created challenges for independent teams to find host families that are part enable players from different parts of the country to play for local teams.
“It’s tough because nobody wants to take in somebody they don’t know,” Leonetti said.
The upside is that fans will be able to see more players with local backgrounds than they might otherwise.
“This summer is going to be great because there’s going to be a lot of local talent,” Leonetti said.
The Pacifics are among three Bay Area teams who will compete in the six-team Pacific Division. The Martinez Sturgeon and the Santa Cruz Seaweed are the others.
The Pacifics are also looking for an assistant coach to join their staff. A high school coach or assistant coach with a passion for baseball would be an ideal candidate, Leonetti said.
The Pacifics open spring training June 1 expect to hold a tryout in early June (possible June 2) but Leonetti said the team has not yet confirmed it.
Anyone interested in trying out for the Pacifics is encouraged to email Leonetti at [email protected] or call or text him at (442) 232-7713.
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