It has been an interesting season for the Victoria HarbourCats, with their full 2020 schedule cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however that has not stopped the team from preparing for the 2021 season and beyond, with the team announcing today that they have locked up Head Coach Todd Haney for the next three years.
Haney, who led the team to a 39-15 record and to within one game of the West Coast League Championship in his first season in 2019, was all set to resume the quest for Victoria’s first title this past spring, until the COVID-19 Pandemic put a big wrench in that plan.
Haney, who played in the College World Series with the Texas Longhorns and then played five years at the MLB level (Expos, Mets, Cubs, after being drafted and signed by the Mariners), has been popular in his two years in Victoria (his first as an assistant coach in 2018) and the decision to extend his contract one more year was an easy one according to Jim Swanson, HarbourCats GM and Managing Partner.
“Todd is an exceptional coach and leader for this program,” said Swanson, “and we couldn’t be happier to have Todd with us through the 2023 season. This provides stability and really aids in recruiting, with Todd, hitting coach Curtis Pelletier and pitching coach Mark Petkovsek working so closely together on bringing in talented players. The players we have love playing for our staff, and particularly under Todd’s leadership.”
Petkovsek, recently added to the staff, played 11 years at the MLB level (Rangers, Angels, Pirates, Cardinals), twice reaching double-digits in wins. He was a first-round draft pick in 1987 by the Texas Rangers. Petkovsek, 54, and Haney played together at Texas and in the College World Series.
Haney and his wife Kira are pleased to be calling Victoria their summer home for the next three seasons. “Kira and I absolutely love Victoria,” said Haney from his home in Waco, Texas. “We are thrilled to spend the next few summers with such great people in such a beautiful city.”
“The level of play in the WCL gets stronger every season” added Haney. “Many of the top collegiate players are calling the WCL home for the summer which is exciting from a developmental, competitive and scouting perspective.”
“We have a great coaching staff in place to assist our players in their continued development and ultimately reaching their goal of playing professional baseball.”
As far as summer goals, “My goal is to win the WCL championship. We have a first class organization that dedicates a tremendous amount of effort for our players to have the best summer of their lives. We have the best fans in the WCL, (league leading attendance since 2013)…I want to bring a championship to the city of Victoria.”
