Stars set to shine in Saskatoon with Berries hosting WCBL All-Star Weekend

For a few days this week, Saskatoon Berries pitcher Dallen Rude was told to stay patient and to not make any immediate plans over the Western Canadian Baseball League’s All-Star break.

That waiting game has paid off, as the Berries reliever will be introduced to raucous applause at Cairns Field as part of the East Division’s lineup on his home diamond.

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“It’ll be awesome,” Rude said. “Standing ovation, I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.”

Rude and four of his teammates will represent the Berries this weekend, as Saskatoon prepares to host WCBL All-Star festivities for the first time in the franchise’s young history.

Berries head coach Joe Carnahan said the competition was two days the organization has been eagerly awaiting to put on, with five of his players getting the chance to soak in the experience.

“It should be a great atmosphere here,” Carnahan said.

“I know the organization is going to do a great job running it and it should be exciting to have all the teams here. With the fan support we get and the support through the city, it should be a really fun two days.”

Rude is one of two replacements named this week by the host Berries for All-Star Weekend, as ace Michael Sall and relief pitcher Tanner Hosick have departed the team early for the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

In 15 appearances for the Berries this season, the Muenster athlete has posted a 4.00 earned run average with 17 hits allowed, 18 strikeouts and two saves.

“I was on standby just in case because I knew that they were leaving, sadly,” Rude said. “Just happy to go in place of them.”

Saskatoon Berries pitcher Adam Korte was named a replacement for the WCBL All-Star Game in lieu of pitcher Michael Sall, who has returned to school. (Steve Hiscock, Saskatoon Berries/Submitted)

The other replacement for the weekend was starting pitcher and fellow Muenster native Adam Korte, who will be participating in his second straight All-Star Weekend after representing the Swift Current 57’s last summer.

Korte has yet to register a loss on the mound this season, and has a 3-0 record with a 4.28 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 27.1 innings of work.

“We were waiting a little long there just to see who was going to replace them,” Korte said.

“Joe shot me the text — to be able to pitch in the All-Star Game is super exciting for myself and an honour to be able to do that.”

Saskatoon will send three position players for the hometown event in outfielder Ethan Murdoch, infielder Gael Salinas and catcher Gavin Panks.

Murdoch is also no stranger to All-Star events, but the slugging senior said it will be a unique experience getting to stand at the plate at Cairns Field for the East Division as opposed to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks.

“It will be cool to be on this side of it where the home crowd is rooting for you, not against you like in Okotoks,” Murdoch said.

Murdoch has been Saskatoon’s most consistent hitter this season, as he leads the team with a .403 batting average, 64 hits, 11 home runs and 47 runs batted in.

Not far behind is Salinas, who is second to Murdoch in most offensive categories and leads the team with 12 doubles.

“It’s going to show how good the town is and how much support we get from the people of the city, which is going to be great,” Salinas said.

Panks will be counted on behind the plate for the East Division, as he’s put up a .386 batting average with 49 hits and 33 RBIs.

He believes the rest of the league will get a glimpse as to what Berries baseball is about this summer.

“They’re going to see when we go out that we’re a very talented group,” Panks said.

“We’re going to compete, no matter the position. We’re very gritty when it comes to baseball and we’re going to have fun doing it.”

New look for All-Star Weekend

Salinas will be counted on right out of the gate on Saturday to deliver some hometown pride for the Berries, as part of a brand new skills competition over All-Star Weekend.

The Guanajuato, Mexico native has been chosen as Saskatoon’s representative for the inaugural WCBL bunt competition.

“It’s going to be hard,” Salinas said. “Tried practising a little bit, but the targets you can miss them by a little bit.”

For the first time, the WCBL has split up its All-Star festivities into a two-day event with the skills competition being held on Saturday and the All-Star Game itself going Sunday.

Berries president Steve Hildebrand said they wanted to add a new element to the weekend with the bunt competition and is expecting players to adapt on the fly.

“We got this from overseas, where they do it in Japan,” Hildebrand said.

“Basically you’ll see a point system on the field that they got to bunt into. They’ll have 10 bunt attempts, after that it’s just the guy with the highest score will win the bunt competition. I think there will be a little bit of strategy to it.”

Along with the bunt competition, Saturday’s slate of events will include a junior home run derby before the WCBL All-Stars look to drive the long ball at Cairns Field.

Murdoch will represent the Berries and while he’s determined to better his runner-up performance at the 2023 Home Run Derby in Okotoks with the 57’s, he’s in it for the crowd interaction.

“I’m just excited to do it at home,” Murdoch said.

“It’d be cool to win it, but I’m going to try to just enjoy it with the home crowd. It’ll be cool to see how they kind of get into it and I think it’ll be fun for them to have the hometown guy to root for.”

For Hildebrand and his team, it’s been a labour of love to put together the biggest undertaking for the franchise since its launch in 2024.

He’s hopeful the league will get to properly experience their facility and city over two days.

“I know there’s a lot of teams excited to come and just enjoy a full weekend of All-Star Weekend,” Hildebrand said.

“I think that part for me is the big thing, we love seeing new people (at) the ballpark and showing what Saskatoon is all about.”

Doors open for All-Star events on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with the bunt competition running at 4 p.m., followed by the junior home run derby at 5 p.m., the WCBL Home Run Derby at 6 p.m. and a Jordyn Pollard concert at 7:45 p.m.

Team East will battle Team West on Sunday afternoon meanwhile for the 2026 WCBL All-Star Game, which gets underway at 1 p.m.

Saskatoon Berries outfielder Ethan Murdoch, left, will be participating in the WCBL’s Home Run Derby on July 18, 2026 after finishing as runner-up in the event three years ago. (Steve Hiscock, Saskatoon Berries/Submitted)

Murdoch hired by WHL’s Broncos

While Murdoch is expected to but barrel to ball and crush home runs this weekend, he’s also preparing for a move to the ice later this fall.

Earlier this month, the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos announced the 23-year-old has joined the organization as the team’s new strength and conditioning coach.

Murdoch, who is from Swift Current, reached out to his hometown club to see if there would be any opportunity to put his strength training certificate earned at Marshall University to use.

Now, he’s earned the chance to wear the same blue and green logo he grew up idolizing.

“It’s the biggest thing in town,” Murdoch said.

“I used to be a stick boy, trainers’ assistant when I was 10 or 11 years old. In high school watching games, whenever I came home from college over Christmas break it was the winter games with my family.”

Carnahan was quick to say Murdoch has been one of his team’s biggest leaders this season and is confident the Broncos are getting a highly qualified individual.

“He’ll do a great job there,” Carnahan said. “With whatever he chooses to do in life, he’s going to do a good job. Just a good human being, hard worker and has a good head on his shoulders.”

Along with serving as the Broncos’ strength and conditioning coach, Murdoch will also conduct video work for the team as a performance analyst.

With his collegiate baseball career set to wind down this summer, he added it’s a chance to remain close to home and carry on in the Saskatchewan sports scene.

“I just want to get a chance to stay in sports and stay competitive if I’m not playing in the future,” Murdoch said.

“Just still having a little bit of skin in the game, I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun, good environment and get to work with some good athletes.”

Read more:

• MLB prospect Carter Beck returns to Cairns Field, Berries fall in 10 innings to Bulls
• Carter Beck returns to Saskatoon Wednesday night to attend Berries game
• ‘Over the moon’: Sask. slugger Carter Beck reflects on historic MLB draft selection