Thunder Bay, Ont., – The Thunder Bay Border Cats are excited to announce their first round of player signings for the 2026 Northwoods League season. Returning under the direction of second-year manager Joe Ellison are catcher Trey Fikes, shortstop Manny Alberto, and pitcher Makaio Cisneros. Close to a dozen players, who played for the Cats in 2025, are scheduled to return for this year’s campaign, which begins Monday, May 25, in Iowa against the Waterloo Bucks.
Fikes, one of the top defensive catchers in the NWL, is back for his third season in Thunder Bay. The 5’10”, 200-pound junior from the University of Nebraska, batted .290 last season in 28 games with 13 runs batted in. A native of Steele, MO., Fikes has hit .293 in 67 career games with the Cats with two home runs and 27 RBI.
Alberto, who hails from Aurora, Ont., was a Northwoods League All-Star in 2025 when he batted .306 in 48 games with nine doubles, two home runs, and 39 runs batted in. The 6’2”, 190-pound sophomore from Western Kentucky University was second on the team in hits (56), RBI (39), and stolen bases (20), while also providing great defence in the middle of the diamond.
Cisneros is another Canadian product from Whitby, Ont., and is currently in his sophomore season at Pensacola State Community College in Florida. The 6’1”, 190-pound righthander had a solid first year on the mound with the Cats as he appeared in six games, going 1-0, with a 2.42 earned run average, and 29 strikeouts in 26 innings of work.
The Border Cats home opener is set for Friday, May 29, at 7:05pm at Port Arthur Stadium against the Eau Claire Express with a post-game fireworks show to follow. For season ticket information email info@bordercatsbaseball.com or call (807) 766-CATS.
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The Thunder Bay Border Cats are a proud member of the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Entering its’ 33rd season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in history with 26 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, nearly 2400 NWL alums have been drafted and over 410 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series Champion Max Scherzer, two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford and World Series Champion and Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (ATL). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (BAL) and 2023 World Series Champion, MLB All-Star, MLB Gold Glove, two-time Silver Slugger winner and two-time All-MLB first team shortstop Marcus Semien (NYM). League games are viewable live on Northwoods League+ (atwatch.northwoodsleague.com).