Saskatoon Berries (baseball)

The Saskatoon Berries are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 2023, the team began play in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) in 2024. The Berries host games at Cairns Field.

Team history
Saskatoon has a long history with the WCBL, but was without a team for a decade after the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets folded in 2014. In March 2023, it was announced that Saskatoon had been awarded a WCBL expansion franchise that would begin play in 2024. The franchise is owned by Saskatoon Entertainment Group, run by father–son business partners Mike and Colin Priestner, which also owns the Saskatchewan Rush of the National Lacrosse League and the Saskatoon Blades of the Western Hockey League. The group signed a 10-year lease at Cairns Field and renovated the facilities there. The team launched a fan vote to name the new team. In July 2023, it was announced that Berries had won over the other nickname finalists, which included the Bridge Pigeons, Cobra Chickens, and River Pirates. Club president Steve Hildebrand called the name "uniquely Saskatoon." Before the end of the month, the team also unveiled its logo and team colours. Ahead of their inaugural season, the club announced a partnership with local minor baseball organizations that includes donating funds from game-day fundraisers.

In July, 2023, the Berries hired Joe Carnahan as its coach. Carnahan was a four-time WCBL coach of the year as manager for the Swift Current 57's, the team he helped lead to the WCBL championship three times. He also won three titles as a player for the 57's. In June 2024, the team added former Yellow Jacket and Major League Baseball pitcher Andrew Albers to its coaching staff. The team's inaugural season roster included eight players from Saskatchewan, including three pitchers hailing from Saskatoon.

The Berries played their first game in Regina on May 25, 2024, dropping a 5–4 game to the Regina Red Sox. The Berries hosted their first home game on May 28, losing again to the Red Sox by a score of 8–5 in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,200. The team earned its first ever win on May 31, defeating the Weyburn Beavers by a score of 5–0. The Berries' first home win came on June 1, when they defeated the Lethbridge Bulls by a score of 16–10.