Claire Eccles will become the first female to play baseball in the West Coast League.
Baseball Canada Women’s National Team pitcher Claire Eccles will make history as the first female to play baseball in the West Coast League.
The University of British Columbia broke the news themselves while revealing their star softball pitcher will join the Victoria Harbourcats as a left-handed relief pitcher for the 2017 season.
“I’m very excited. Victoria is really behind this team and I’m lucky to play for such a great organization as the Harbourcats,” Eccles told GoThunderbirds.ca. “I’ve been playing baseball for a long time and have been a pitcher for my entire career so when I switched to softball it just wasn’t the same. I’m obviously not going to be the fastest pitcher in the league, but I have some good off-speed pitches that will keep hitters on their toes.”
In terms of her softball career, Eccles has spent the last two seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds while also holding a roster spot with the Canadian National Team.
With the WCL, a summer developmental league, she will join some of the top collegiate level baseball prospects in North America. According to the report, Eccles’ pitching repertoire is built around her knuckleball and curveball.
“In 2017 things are much different in having an athlete like Claire who can compete at this level then ten years ago,” said Harbourcats general manager Brad Norris-Jones. “Her off-speed pitches and knuckleball are very good, so I feel she will be as effective as anyone coming out of our bullpen. All the scouting reports I’ve seen on Claire tell me she can compete at this level.”
Next: MLB trade rumors: 5 destinations for Mike Trout
The Harbourcats 2017 home opener will go down on June 5th at Victoria’s Royal Athletic Park against the Wenatchee Applesox.