Santa Barbara Foresters Start the 2024 Season the Weekend of June 8-9

Last season, the Santa Barbara Foresters fell one win short of an unprecedented fourth consecutive NBC World Series title with a 6-3 loss to Hutchinson Kansas Monarchs in the championship game.

With a new home playing field moving to Santa Barbara High from Pershing Park, and very few returning players, the road to Wichita in 2024 figures to have its fair share of intrigue.

“The returners that we have are big time leaders,” said Foresters Manager Bill Pintard, who will be leaning on that small group to translate his style of winning baseball to newcomers.

One of the key returning players is Westmont standout Daniel Patterson, who was voted MVP by his teammates at the end of the 2023 campaign. He played solid defense at third and first last summer, hit .288 with 17 RBI, and was a valuable replacement pitcher late in the season.

This season with Westmont, Patterson boasted a .376 batting average with a program-record 18 home runs and 53 RBIs in 50 games.

“I remember telling him last summer, if he comes back, he’s going to be my captain,” said Pintard of Patterson. “He’s vocal, and his bat and his offense is very vocal.”

In addition, Will Rogers will return after a breakout season playing both pitcher and catcher at the University of Michigan.

Rogers excelled in his regular role as closer for the Wolverines in 2024, but started on the mound in the Big 10 Quarterfinals against top-seeded Illinois and pitched 8.2 innings, with nine strikeouts as Michigan pulled off a 4-2 upset.

Mason Koch will also return to the mound for the Foresters after a solid season at Creighton, where he compiled a 5-1 record with a 3.29 ERA.

Among the Santa Barbara–area players who will join the Foresters this season, Santa Ynez High alum Jackson Cloud will bolster the pitching staff after two strong seasons at Cuesta College, where he has compiled a 12-2 win/loss record overall.

Dos Pueblos High grad Jesse Di Maggio will also join the Foresters this summer before enrolling at Westmont in the fall. Di Maggio was Channel League MVP this past season and finished the season with a .506 batting average and a school-record of 10 home runs in 28 games.

In addition, current UCSB relief pitcher Frank Camarillo will join the team shortly after the conclusion of the Gauchos’ NCAA Tournament run.

After several seasons at Pershing Park, the Foresters will be moving home games to Eddie Mathews Field on the campus of Santa Barbara High, beginning with the home opener on Sunday, June 9, at 2 p.m. against the Ventura Pirates. (Their season opens on Saturday, June 8, against the S.L.O. Blues in San Luis Obispo.) Heavy rains this year and a run to the postseason by the SBCC baseball team left the Foresters little time to perform much-needed field maintenance at Pershing Park before the start of the season, which led to the change of venue.

“The bullpens are in good shape; the field is in excellent shape,” Pintard said. “We are very grateful to Santa Barbara Unified School District and Santa Barbara High School, especially Athletic Director Todd Heil, for helping us out.”

It is yet to be seen what the change in venue will mean in terms of fan experience, as locals have become accustomed to Pershing Park, which has beautiful scenery, abundant parking, and close proximity to the beach.

However, Eddie Mathews Field has recently undergone renovations, and Foresters fans will find comfortable seating, a concession stand, and the team’s great taco truck from El Camino Catering. Season tickets will be available as usual, with single-game tickets purchased at the gate.

The Foresters are still in need of host families for the 2024 campaign. In addition to free season tickets, host families are invited to the Foresters’ annual Hall of Fame Banquet and have the unique opportunity to build relationships with some of the most talented college baseball players in the country.

More than 60 former Foresters have reached the Major Leagues, including about a dozen who are currently active.

For more information on becoming a host family, email info@sbforesters.org or call the office at (805) 684-0657. For more information on the Foresters and the complete schedule, see sbforesters.org.