Catcher Chris Sargent was named the 2025 league MVP, the PBL announced Wednesday, after his historic RBI output. Sargent burned past the previous league record to 130 RBIs in just 80 games; with two weeks left in the season, Sargent had his contract purchased by the San Diego Padres.

Sargent finished tied for the league lead in RBIs with Boise’s Max Jung-Goldberg, who played 94 games. He also hit .384 and set a new Raptors franchise record with 35 home runs, second-most in the league this season. The Alabama native was in his second year in Ogden and played nine games in Double-A San Antonio to end the season.

Sargent and Ogden relief pitcher Nik Cardinal were named to the PBL postseason All-Star team.

Missoula’s Matthew Sox was named the PBL pitcher of the year. Grand Junction’s Reese Miller (reliever of the year), Boise’s Taylor Darden (rookie of the year), Missoula’s Roberto Pena (international player of the year) and Oakland’s Aaron Miles (manager of the year) also took home individual honors.

Ogden finished 52-43 in the 2025 season and lost 2-1 to eventual league champion Oakland in the first round of the playoffs. Reese Alexiades previously won the PBL MVP in 2023.

LONG BEACH NAMES

The Pioneer League has yet to announce Long Beach, California, as a new member of the league (presumed to be the relocating Grand Junction club) but the team is full steam ahead with its naming contest.

In an email Wednesday, the public relations firm representing the ownership group said the team has chosen six semifinalists out of 1,366 submissions. Those nicknames, in order, are: Coast, Cruisers, Grit, Groove, Parrots, and Regulators.

The team says it believes deals will be in place to play at Long Beach State’s Blair Field for the 2026 season.

MAMMOTH CELEBRATION

The Utah Mammoth hockey team announced plans for events it calls a “celebration” on the day of the team’s home opener.

Utah hosts Calgary on Wednesday, Oct. 15, in a game scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Activities begin at 4 p.m. on the Delta Center outdoor plaza with Shuffle, a cover band, playing music while activities and merchandise sales take place. In a repeat of last year’s opening-day festivities, the Mammoth players will walk a “blue carpet” through the crowd and into the arena at 4:30 p.m.

Doors to the arena open at 6 p.m. The team says every seat will have a free rally towel on it and fans are encouraged to be seated by 7 p.m. to witness “a special surprise moment” and pregame entertainment.

USU HOOPS ON TV

Utah State men’s basketball announced Wednesday the team will play on national TV 16 times in the upcoming 2025-26 season: 15 Mountain West Conference games and one marquee nonconference home game, most of which come on either FS1 or CBS Sports Network.

The biggest highlight is CBS picking up a USU home game on Jan. 31. The Aggies will host San Diego State at 11 a.m. on the big broadcast. USU’s Feb. 14 home game against Memphis will be on CBS Sports Network.