Regina Red Sox GM Gary Brotzel retires, Mitch MacDonald to take over

Gary Brotzel, who has led the Regina Red Sox since the team’s rebirth in 2005, is stepping away from his role as the team’s general manager.

Mitch MacDonald, who has been with the team for 13 seasons as a player, coach and manager, is set to take over the role for the 2027 season.

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“Brotzel played a pivotal role in bringing baseball back to Regina at the Western Canadian Baseball League level, raising the necessary finances and building a community-owned, not-for-profit organization that took the field in 2005,” the team said in a statement.

“Since the organization’s return in 2005, Brotzel has served as President or GM, and has been instrumental in building the Red Sox both on and off the field. Under his leadership, the Red Sox captured WCBL championships in 2011, 2012 and 2025.”

Brotzel was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Regina Sports Hall of Fame in 2022, the team noted, and has received awards recognizing his volunteerism and community service.

“It is difficult to put into words what the Red Sox and the baseball community in Regina have meant to me over the past 20-plus years,” Brotzel said in a statement.

“When we brought the Red Sox back in 2005, we wanted to build something that belonged to the community, and I am incredibly proud of what this organization has become. The championships, the players, coaches, volunteers, sponsors and, most importantly, the people who supported us along the way have made this journey incredibly special.”

Brotzel said he was “thrilled” to see the team transition to private ownership last year.

“It was important to me that the organization had a strong future, and I know the Sox are in very good hands with Mitch MacDonald, Gordon Pritchard and Brandt Sports & Entertainment,” Brotzel said.

“The Red Sox will continue to be leaders in the community, and I am excited to watch the organization continue to grow.”

Gordon Pritchard, the team’s CEO, thanked Brotzel for his contributions to the team.

“His vision, commitment and passion for baseball in Regina have left an incredible legacy,” Pritchard said in a statement.

“More than 20 years ago, Gary was one of the people who had the vision and determination to bring the Red Sox back to Regina, and then dedicated an incredible amount of his time and energy to building the organization into what it is today.”

Pritchard said Brotzel’s impact on the team extends beyond anything on the field.

“He helped create an organization that has provided opportunities and lasting memories for generations of players, coaches, volunteers and fans, while becoming an important part of Regina’s baseball community. Just as importantly, he has always understood that the Red Sox are a community organization and that we have a responsibility to contribute to the city and the people who support us,” Pritchard said.

“We are incredibly fortunate to inherit what Gary and so many others built over the past two decades, and we look forward to carrying that legacy forward.”

MacDonald, meanwhile, first joined the team as an 18-year-old player back in 2006. After a stint with the Miami Marlins, he returned to the Queen City in 2009 and played with the Red Sox through 2012, becoming the only player in WCBL history to win the Triple Crown, along with his three league championships with Regina (2011, 2012 and 2025).

He transitioned into coaching and management, first serving as an assistant coach in 2014 before becoming the team’s manager from 2016 to 2018. After that, he served as assistant general manager for the team.

“Mitch has been a part of the Red Sox family for nearly two decades, and there are very few people who understand this organization and the game of baseball at the level he does,” Pritchard said.

“Mitch is one of the smartest baseball minds in our community. He understands the game from every angle, from being a player and coach to now working in management, and he also brings an analytical approach to our baseball operations. He is the perfect person to lead our baseball department going forward, and we are excited to see what he can accomplish as General Manager.”