The Kamloops NorthPaws’ coaching staff grew on Friday and remains all-Canadian.
Sammie Starr, an assistant coach for the UBC Thunderbirds’ baseball team, will be an assistant coach for the NorthPaws during their inaugural West Coast League season next summer, according to a NorthPaws’ press release.
The former infielder from Toronto played four seasons for the Thunderbirds before being selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 34th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft.
He played for five years in the Orioles’ minor league system, reaching AAA before transitioning to coaching within the same organization.
NorthPaws’ head coach Cole Armstrong, from Surrey and featured here, crossed paths with Starr in the minors and coached with him sporadically at UBC.
“He’s just a phenomenal baseball mind,” Armstrong said in the press release. “As soon as I applied for the NorthPaws job, he was the first guy I thought of. It just seemed like a natural fit.
“As far as young coaching talent in Canada, he’s as good as it gets.”
Starr said it was an easy decision to join the club.
“It will be great,” Starr said in the press release. “I’m more defensively focused and Cole has more knowledge on the offensive side of the game and with the catchers.
“I love the college age group and impacting players at that age. It was almost a no-brainer to jump on board.”
NorthPaws' consultant Sean Wandler told KTW the club is likely to have three coaches on staff — Armstrong, Starr and a yet-to-be-named pitching coach.
