This offseason has been unlike any that Roop Chanderdat (co-owner, GM and field manager) has been through since taking over the Majors with co-owner Scott Dart. By the time the first pitch is scheduled to take place on June 4, 2021, it will have been 660 days since the Majors last played in a league game (of course, there was one game played in there that preserved the 144-year legacy of Labatt Park – the Legacy Classic back on Aug 21, 2020).
Not only did this lengthy break give Chanderdat time to look at the talent he had on the roster, but it allowed him to ponder what he could add to it. Returning for the 2021 season are many local talents, such as infielder Carlos Arteaga (5th season), pitcher Owen Boon (6th season), outfielder Byron Reichstein (8th season), DH Cleveland Brownlee (11th season), and first basemen Josh Williams (2nd season). The Majors also brought back OF/P Robert Doyle (4th season) and utility player Evan Britt (3rd season), who add versatility to the roster.
The team will also see some familiar faces return, in veteran shortstop Keith Kandel, utility player Chris McQueen, outfielder Humberto Ruiz, and right-handed pitcher Dylan Brooks – each of whom took time off from the team.
Meanwhile, each year the team sees additions to the roster with the likes of new locals returning from school or new imports. With the travel restrictions, imports have committed to the Majors but will not be confirmed to join the roster until closer to the start of the season when restrictions are better known.
The team has added some Canadian talent in the form of local catcher Hayden Jaco, who played for Cameron University in 2019. Other additions to the roster include a former teammate of Jaco, infielder Tyler Wood from Winnipeg, MB, and fellow Winnipegger Adam Filmon, who will be deployed in the outfield.
Alongside the young talent will be Julian Johnson, who some may remember from his time with the IBL’s Toronto Maple Leafs – as well as his stint on the Majors’ roster for last year’s Legacy Classic game. Joining the pitching staff is Jose Vasquez, a young, tall hard-throwing right-handed pitcher from Cambridge who most recently pitched for a DI school (Northwestern) in Louisiana.
Chanderdat has focused his time on preparing his local talent – when able to – with keeping with COVID restrictions and ensuring everyone’s health is the top priority. The players, and the coaching staff, are working hard to get ready for Opening Day, which is scheduled for June 4 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Contributions by London Majors Staff and photos by Matt Hiscox Photography
