Barracudas de Montpellier
The Barracudas de Montpellier are a French baseball team in French Division 1 Baseball Championship based in Montpellier, Hérault. They were founded in 1985. The team plays its home games at Veyrassi Sports Complex on the northern edge of the city of Montpellier. According to mister-baseball.com's yearly ranking of European clubs, Montpellier currently stands as the 20th ranked club in Europe (as of February 2020).
History
Under Canadian coach Greg Hamilton, the team won three consecutive French leagues titles from 1993–1995. In 1994, the then 22-year old fellow Canadian pitcher Jeff Zimmerman would spend a season with the Barracudas. Five years later, in 1999, the righthander was selected for the American League All-Star team as 26-year-old rookie for the Texas Rangers. In his '99 season, Zimmerman went 9-3 with a 2.36 ERA for the AL West champs. In his career, the reliever would post a 17–12 record with a 3.27 ERA in 228.2 innings in the majors. Following the departure of Greg Hamilton after the 1997 season, the club had nine different managers from 1998-2008.
In 2009, Jean Michel Mayeur took over the helm and for three seasons was player/coach before becoming the full-time manager in 2012. In early 2010, local product Anthony Cros would become at the time, just the third French player to sign with a pro club in North America. The power-hitting righty spent 2010 with the Quebec Capitales before returning to the Barracudas the following season. Cros' number 55 is one of five numbers retired by the club to this date. In 2011 and 2015, the Barracudas lost to the Rouen Huskies in the French Series. The club has finished in the top 4 in the 11 team French Division 1 in every year but one since Mayeur became manager. In 2018, Montpellier pitcher Yoan Antonac, who came up through the Montpellier youth teams and academy, was the first player from the club to be signed by an MLB franchise. The tall righty is currently in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system.
In 2019, the club finished in third place in France with a 23–9 record, thanks in large part to Venezuelan ace Kevin Canelon, who finished 11–1 in 110.2 IP, with 125 K and a 0.49 ERA. The annual Challenge de France was held in Montpellier in 2019, where Senart edged Rouen in a thrilling final by the score of 7-5. Following the end of the 2019 season, the club said goodbye to former AAA Venezuelan shortstop Larry Infante. Infante, in his two seasons with Montpellier, batted .389 (63-for-162) with 27 runs scored, 1 HR, and 31 RBI in 44 games played.
European Cup appearances
- 1994 Champions Cup (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- 1995 Champions Cup (Nettuno, Italy)
- 1996 CEB Cup (Zagreb, Croatia)
- 1997 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 1998 Champions Cup (Karlovac, Croatia)
- 2000 Champions Cup (Nettuno, Italy)
- 2001 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2002 Champions Cup (Regensburg, Germany)
- 2005 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2007 Champions Cup (Hoofddorp, Netherlands)
- 2011 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2016 CEB Cup (Rouen, France)
Retired numbers
- 2 James Schwedhelm
- 12 Lahcene Benhamida
- 42 Laurent Cassier
- 55 Anthony Cros
- 58 Frederic Raynaud
2021 preview and schedule
On May 6, 2020 the FFBS announced that the 2020 season would be cancelled due to the coronavirus. After finishing third in the 2019 campaign, the 2020 version of the Barracudas hoped to reach the French Series and knock off perennial powerhouse Rouen. The club made some significant additions to the roster. In late 2019, they announced the signing of pitcher Owen Ozanich. The 31-year-old Ozanich, has played in the Australian Baseball League for Adelaide in 2011–2012 and for Parma in the Italian Serie A in 2019–2020 in addition to 8 seasons in Rouen where he went 91–15, winning 7 French championships.
The club announced the arrivals of Americans Andy Cosgrove and Patrick Cromwell for the 2021 season. The two ACC products (Cosgrove–NC State, Cromwell–Clemson) figure to make an immediate impact in the middle of the lineup. Cosgrove will catch the bulk of the innings alongside French catcher Fabian Kovacs. Back in 2021 will be familiar faces Mael Zan, Julien Monks, Clement Le Pichon, Nicolas Khoury and Paolo Brossier, all of whom will roam the Montpellier outfield for manager Jean Michel Mayeur. Mathis Guiraud, Ismail Pontiac and Fred Walter will fill out the infield around Cromwell. Antoine Villard, Luc Polit and Pontiac will be the main relievers in the bullpen but also play the field from time to time.
Current roster
PITCHERS
Kevin Canelon
Owen Ozanich
Yoan Antonac
Luc Polit
Antoine Villard
Lucas Khemache
Ismail Pontiac
Guillaume Saucier
Noah Enrione-Thorrand
CATCHERS
Andy Cosgrove
Nolan Soliveres
Fabian Kovacs
Ethan Kekenbosch
INFIELDERS
Ismail Pontiac
Antoine Villard
Mathis Guiraud
Patrick Cromwell
Arthur Bidaut
Mathis Nayral
Luc Polit
Fred Walter
OUTFIELDERS
Mael Zan
Paolo Brossier
Clement Le Pichon
Julien Monks
Nicolas Khoury
Andy Pitcher
Pierre Doat