Coming off a disappointing 19-29 (won-lost) season that saw the North Delta Blue Jays fall four games short of a playoff berth, the U18 BC Premier Baseball League team will hope to be among the top eight in 2014.
The Jays have six players back from last season's team, including their top batter in Ryo Takenaka. The Richmond resident hit .347 in 2013 with 11 RBIs and a pair of triples.
Also returning to the North Delta squad are outfielder Malcolm Boehm, who hit .288, Surrey resident Matt Gillen at second base, pitcher/infielder Dylan MacAhonic of Cloverdale, catcher Brock Morgan and pitcher/first base Evan Rogers.
MacAhonic pitched 57 innings a year ago and posted a 2.45 earned run average (ERA) with 38 strikeouts. Rogers, a .258 hitter last season with 13 RBIs, pitched just 17.2 innings a year ago but still managed 21 strikeouts.
Outfielder Curtis Hildenbrandt of North Delta will make the jump from the Junior Blue Jays, after hitting .330 with 17 RBIs. in the BC Junior Premier Baseball League last season.
The Blue Jays were the lone PBL team not in action last weekend, and will start their regular season schedule tonight at 5:45 p.m. at Mackie Park when the Whalley Chiefs are the visitors.