Cooper, Wright showcasing skills at plate & on mound for Mavericks stretch drive

“With our limited roster space you need guys who can do multiple things,” said Vessella. “You got to move people around, you play every day. So, just having them around is a really good addition to our team.”

Cooper has essentially split his summer between the mound and batter’s box, with nine of his 19 appearances in a Mavericks uniform this year coming as the team’s designated hitter.

Though, Cooper is no stranger to splitting his time between offence and defence.

“I’m pretty used to it because I do that at school,” said Cooper. “I had 30 at-bats and got 10 innings on the mound, so I’m used to it. It’s what I got to do to get ready for the season and obviously whatever I can help this team do.”

Cooper started out slow with no hits in his first three games at the plate, but has turned it on as of late with a two-RBI performance against the Moose Jaw Miller Express last Saturday.

His confidence at the dish is something that Vessella took note of, giving him the green light to swing away against the league’s top arms.

“Coop did a great job, he’s been having great batting practice lately,” he said. “So, we’re like, ‘Go get them baby.’”

Through nine games Cooper has five hits, five runs, two RBIs, and a .192 batting average while also holding a 1-1 record as a relief pitcher with a 7.52 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

The Anaheim, California product said he knows how rare of a position he’s in, which allows him to get in more games than most of his teammates in the bullpen.

“None of the other pitchers really get to hit,” said Cooper. “So, getting to help any way I can is definitely something that I love doing.”

On the other end of the spectrum, mid-season pickup Wright is getting used to throwing the ball a little bit more.

Photo courtesy of Scott Roblin

Setting up shop at third base for the first few weeks of his tenure in Medicine Hat, Wright pulled Vessella aside and made a request to add a new position to his repertoire.

“He told us when he first got here that he could pitch,” said Vessella. “We were like, ‘Yeah go ahead.’ We saw him throw bullpen and said, ‘Oh, you’re going to pitch.’ He’s going to throw a little more too.”

When Wright took to the mound against the Brooks Bombers on July 14, it was his first time throwing a pitch in competitive action in over two years.

“I threw a fair bit my freshman and sophomore years,” said Wright. “Then junior and senior year I didn’t pitch at all, so [Saturday] was my second outing after a two year break. So, it’s coming back slowly but it’s been good so far.”

It’s safe to say that Wright hasn’t showed any signs of rust in his two appearances so far this year, allowing just two hits and zero earned runs over two innings of work with a trio of strikeouts.

Although he only faced nine batters over that stretch, Wright forgot the toll it could take on his body.

“I was kind of surprised after my first outing how sore I felt after,” he said. “You kind of forget how much it takes out of you out there, to be really giving it all you got every pitch. As opposed to just kind of throwing it maybe 70 or 75 percent in the infield.”

At the plate it’s been a strong season for the senior as well, racking up 15 hits and eight RBIs in 14 games with a batting average of .254.

“I really like doing both,” said Wright. “I’ve enjoyed being able to add something else that I can contribute to the team. Also, just looking forward to continuing to do both going forward because it’s fun to be able to go out there and swing it sometimes, then get on the mound when the team needs you to as well.”

Although they rarely pitch or bat in the same game together, Cooper said it’s encouraging to have another player on the team whom he can pick the brain of either throwing fastballs or making contact on the barrel.

“It’s super encouraging that he’s hitting really well, but he’s going to do whatever he can to help the team win,” he said. “Which I think is super important, especially when we’re going to make a run like this. We have a 17-inning game, we have a game the day before where we used seven pitchers, so it’s super important to have guys that can do everything.”

A two-game series gets underway for the Mavericks on Tuesday night on the road against the Edmonton Prospects, while their next home game comes Friday hosting Melville.

by Scott Roblin

Cooper, Wright showcasing skills at plate & on mound for Mavericks stretch drive

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