A tough act to follow
Quentin Becquey faces a daunting task. Especially when he looks at the starting line-up. Gone are Defries, Smith, and Masson. That’s 41% of the Huskies’ runs scored and driven in that he’ll need to replace. Gone is Vincent, likely the best pitcher of the season, and Igami, who ranks in the top 5. To make matters worse, 44% of the Huskies’ strikeouts have flown the coop. Gone is Moulin, who continues his world tour of baseball, from Australia and Japan to Germany, and Mercadier, who’s trying his luck in North America. Gone is captain Dylan Gleeson, leaving Rouen without a captain or an experienced catcher, and who will be sorely missed both in the line-up and in the dugout.
Hopefully, the Huskies’ coach enjoyed his first title celebration last October, because now he’s got a completely different team to manage. Fortunately, he’s gained experience after a 2024 season packed with emotions, tough moments, and dramatic turnarounds, culminating in a triumphant finish. He’s made his mark, imposing his vision of baseball, listening, and learning, which is always a good sign. If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed, it’s his hunger to win it all. The championship, of course, the challenge, even more so after last year’s disappointing showing, and the European Cup, because it’s set to take place in June in Rouen, and Europe is the benchmark for performance at the Huskies.
To replicate the triple crown achieved by Keino Perez in 2016 and Boris Marche in 2022, Becquey asked his management to recruit. They first turned to the French talent pool. Back comes Luc Viger, whose versatility and professionalism will be a boon, and Kenny Esposito, who’s expected to take a big step forward by joining the Rouen team. Also back, after a year off, is Bastien Dagneau. His return is crucial, especially if the powerful hitter quickly regains his coordination and timing. They then looked abroad. The big signing is Jake McKenzie, the starting third baseman for the Quebec Capitales, who just spent the winter in the Australian Baseball League. He’s a powerhouse, a hitter with a great eye, capable of hitting with force and a menace on the base paths. His mid-April arrival can’t come soon enough. The Huskies also dipped into the college pool with Austin Roccaforte, a profile similar to Defries, and found a solid outfielder in Logan Flood, an interesting combination of speed and power. That trio should at least match, and likely surpass, last season’s trio. On the mound, Scott Bellina comes with impressive credentials from the German Bundesliga. Expect him to dominate in the French Championship as well. There’s a bit more uncertainty surrounding Daniel Gore, whose credentials are more modest, but the Capitales’ boss, Patrick Scalabrini, assured the Huskies’ head scout, Xavier Rolland, that he wouldn’t be disappointed. The Huskies have managed to rebuild their core of foreign players.
What’s more intriguing is how the youngsters will integrate alongside the established stars like Blondel, Brainville, Harrison, Toubeaux, Bert, Prioul, and the others. On the mound, Axel Laval-Quesney should see more action and start carving out a spot in the Huskies’ rotation. Behind the plate, Ruben Cerda will surely get his chance. Players like Tisca, Terlizzi, and Lebouc, who saw varying degrees of action last season, will need to start making their mark. Becquey isn’t afraid to hand responsibilities to prospects, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities to do so this season.
F.C. Photo credits Rouen Huskies
