Giants Coaching Staff Set for 2024

Fort McMurray, Alberta - The Fort McMurray Giants are excited to announce and welcome their coaching staff for the Summer of 2024 including Joe Ellison, Nathan Robl, Alex Escobar and Nico Saldias.

The Giants will be lead by Head Coach Joe Ellison (Mississauga, ON) who is entering his second year at the helm for Fort McMurray. In 2023, the team saw new heights as they broke and set the single-season Wins Record (30), qualified for their second straight WCBL playoff appearance and saw new in-season accomplishments throughout the Summer. General Manager Andrew Swagers is excited about the steps in the right direction and outlook on 2024, "Joe has a tremendous work ethic and has shown a consistent ability to recruit top level talent which I think is evident in our roster construction this upcoming Summer." 

Assisting the Giants this Summer will be Nathan Robl (Lyons, KS), Alex Escobar (Ceres, CA) and Nico Saldias (Pickering, ON).

Nathan Robl joins the Giants staff from McPherson College (KS) where he has been a long-standing staple in the institution as he finishes his third season on the coaching staff after graduating a Bulldog in 2021. At McPherson, Nathan serves as the Hitting Coach and Catching Coordinator. He will take on a similar role this Summer with the Giants. Nathan has ties to Fort McMurray having coached several former Giants players including standout Catcher Antonio Fernandez who played with the Giants in 2022 before attending McPherson College in 2023. Fernandez went on to play professional baseball after his graduation.

Next up, a familiar face returns to Fort McMurray but in a new role, Alex Escobar returns this Summer as the Pitching Coach after completing his playing career last Summer as pitcher with the Giants. Alex is beginning his collegiate coaching career in the Fall after a very successful playing career that included stops at Reedley College (CA) and McPherson College (KS).

Lastly, both a new addition and a new role with the Fort McMurray Giants, Nico Saldias joins the coaching staff as the Bench Coach in 2024. Nico makes his transition from the mound to the dugout after an injury this Spring that will force him into his coaching career earlier than expected. Saldias was slated to pitch this Summer for the Giants before this injury. 

Head Coach Joe Ellison on the position and hire, "I've known Nico since he was 14 years old, what happened to him was heartbreaking. He has always wanted to get into coaching after his career ended, obviously none of us thought it would happen this way but we're excited to have him on our staff. He will join us when he is able to and welcome in a new role that Andrew (Swagers) and I have really wanted to add, which is a younger coach, graduate assistant type, looking to get into coaching after playing. Nico brings a contagious energy to the field and I know once he's able to get out to Fort Mac the team will be ecstatic to have him around."

To learn more about the Fort McMurray Giants Coaching Staff, click HERE.