Montpellier Barracudas Ready to Strike Hard in 2025
The Montpellier Barracudas are swimming in troubled waters… but always on the right side of the pond! French champions in 2023 and winners of the French Challenge in 2024, the Hérault side confirm their status as a heavyweight in French baseball. As the 2025 season dawns, they aim to once again assert themselves among the elite and target a return to the final after their third place last year, behind Savigny Lions and Rouen Huskies.
But this year, Montpellier are aiming even higher. Out goes the Brossier/Ozanich duo, and in comes a major signing: Canadian manager Tim Smith. Having played in the American minor leagues for the Royals and Rangers, he brings top-level experience. A masterstroke for the Barracudas, who are banking on his leadership to guide a team built for victory.
A Solid Squad and Key Reinforcements
On the roster front, the Montpellier side can rejoice at the full-fitness return of Ben Couvreur. Injured early last season, the young local pitcher will be a precious asset, particularly in the famous quota of 7 innings pitched by a local player. Around him, a well-stocked bullpen with Polit, Andrades, Deleau, Gouttefengeas, Scheurer… and the indestructible Ozanich, whose retirement still seems a mirage.
Montpellier can also count on the offensive power of Douglas Rodriguez, who arrived from PUC last year and posted batting statistics well above national averages. Another XXL signing: American Jacob Defries (Rouen in 2024), who boasts impressive batting performances and could well be the season’s game-changer.
To compensate for the departure of Venezuelan pitcher Kevin Canelon to La Rochelle Boucaniers, the Barracudas have set their sights on another Venezuelan pitcher, Anderson Vera, who played for PUC in 2023. It remains to be seen whether the Barracudas’ strategy, which doesn’t rely as heavily on foreign pitchers as other clubs, will pay off.
An Enticing Schedule
The season will kick off with a perilous trip to La Rochelle, where the Boucaniers, bolstered by Canelon’s arrival, will be keen to assert themselves. Another major change for Montpellier this year: the presence of a new rival in the South, Béziers, which will considerably reduce long trips and preserve the players’ energy.
They will also have to face a packed season, as, alongside the inevitable French Challenge where they will defend their title, they will have to travel to Rouen in June 2025 for the European Cup and deliver a better performance than last year.
With a well-established squad, ambitious recruits, and a new captain at the helm, the Barracudas seem ready to bite even harder. See you on the diamond to find out if the fishing will be as good as promised!
