Professional Independent baseball began in Marysville Thursday with the unveiling of the Marysville Drakes at Bryant Field.
The Drakes took over for the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox, who disbanded at the end of last summer. Both clubs have a similar goal, and that is to develop and teach young athletes the game of baseball with the hope that they can move along in their careers.
Bill Rogan, the Drakes field manager and long-time coach in the Pecos League, said his club will play hard each night of the 50-game – 33 at home – season.
“If we play poorly it won’t be for a lack of effort,” Rogan said prior to Thursday’s season-opener.
Drakes are 1-0 in the Pacific Division following a 26-6 win over Dublin Thursday at Bryant Field.
Leadoff hitter Drake Ayala had two hits and a pair of RBI, while Lyndon Weaver drove home six for Marysville on Thursday.
On the mound, Evan Nakagawa pitched five innings to get the win, allowing two earned runs on five hits in the process.
Marysville opens a two-game set at home against Vallejo today at 6:35 p.m. at Bryant Field.
The Marysville Drakes are a member of the larger Pecos League, which is an independent level baseball league covering as far east as Oklahoma. The Drakes will be in a league alongside Santa Rosa, Lancaster, San Rafael, Martinez, Vallejo, Monterey, Bakersfield and Lancaster.
Rogan said the winner of the Pacific league and Mountain division will square off in a world championship in early August.
The first-year manager in Marysville likes the lineup he is putting on the field each night starting with Ayala, who joined the Pecos League in 2021 when he met Rogan.
Ayala is 22 and has aspirations to move up in his career.
“He should be in a higher league in my opinion, but I am glad that he is here in Marysville,” Rogan said. “You are going to like watching him track down balls in the outfield and steal bases.”
There are players from all over the country, including as far east as Atlanta. Currently there is one player from the mid-valley in Live Oak native Erik Mitchell, who played locally at Sutter Union High School. Mitchell was in the lineup at third on Thursday and went 0-2 at the plate with a pair of walks.
Mitchell remembers attending Gold Sox games in the past and likes that he can develop his skills in an area where he grew up.
“When I was younger I wanted to play on this field for a local team,” Mitchell said. “I’m super excited.”
Rogan calls Mitchell a “baseball maniac,” who also coaches in his off time.
All the players have host families, including Rogan, for the duration of the season that could flow into August for the postseason.
