The Story So Far
2017-2019: new beginnings
Cardiff baseball first began to take shape in late 2017 when a few like-minded baseball fans got together to play some friendly games against opponents from over the border. Realising there may be an appetite for the sport in South Wales, things took shape in earnest in 2018, with the year used as a development phase ahead of joining the South West [of England] Baseball League from 2019.
A new league was marked with a new home field, moving from the initial temporary location at Heath Park to a new home at Pontcanna Fields, where the club still plays to this day. After a tough first half to the season, the Cardiff Merlins turned things around and secured a playoff spot with a win in the last game of the regular season, but the fairytale first season wasn’t to be as Cardiff lost to a more experienced Exeter side in the final.
2020-2021: a first title
Plans to build on the first year’s foundations were hit as the 2020 season was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2021, the league rebranded to the South West and Wales Baseball League and affiliated with the British Baseball Federation, the governing body in the UK. The Merlins played at the Single A level.
Strong hitting across the lineup saw Pat Anthony, Taka Kano and Nick South all place in the top 10 for batting averages in the UK, providing regular run support to high-quality pitching from Anthony, Kano and Ed Peebles. The Merlins won its division with a 16-2 record and secured a place in the final where, on a beautifully sunny afternoon in Taunton, Cardiff shut out the Cornish Claycutters in a 12-0 win to take the title.
2022: growth and expansion
2022 was a landmark year for the club as growing interest led to the creation of a second team, bringing baseball to more and more people in Wales. Merlins 1 and Merlins 2 both played Single A baseball in the South West and Wales Baseball League.
Merlins 1 compiled a 23-1 record to win the division, once again ensuring qualification to the playoff final, only to play out a close 8-6 loss against the Bristol Bats. Nick South was joined towards the top of the national hitting leaderboards by infielder Oscar Landlin and rookie outfielder Jamie Cunningham, while the pitching was led by Ethan Coles, Gerson de la Cruz, and Chanwook Song.
Meanwhile Merlins 2 experienced a positive year of player development and growth. A side made up of various players who were new to the sport suffered a number of close losses against more experienced teams, before notching its first win in the final game of the season against the Bournemouth Bears. The win came on the back of efficient pitching from Phillip Pallman, who was joined by outfielder Rhodri Cavell, catcher Martin Legge, pitcher Ahmed Moukachar, and shortstop Bradley Ward in being named as the team’s first all-stars.
2023: national glory
In 2023, Merlins 1 took its success to a new level. Winning its division with a 22-2 record, the regular season saw Saliya Wijesinghe throw the club’s first perfect game on the mound. In the South West and Wales Baseball League playoff final, a 15-3 win over the Taunton Muskets secured not only a title, but qualification for the British Baseball Federation’s national playoffs. Eiki Ito took to the mound for the semi-final and led the side to a 12-2 win against the Herts Ravens, before Wijesinghe threw a complete game shutout in the final as a 10-0 win against the London Mustangs crowned Merlins 1 national champions.
In its second season, Merlins 2 built on the previous year of development with five wins and significantly improved performances. Ahmed Moukachar was named as an all-star for the second consecutive year, joined by first baseman Sam Court and rookie outfielder Rhys Donovan.
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2024: restructures and development
2024 brought an unexpected double promotion for Merlins 1, bypassing Double A to be placed in British Baseball Federation’s Triple A tier. Despite a competitive start to the season and some league leading pitching from ace Saliya Wijesinghe, injuries and player unavailability took its toll as the side finished with a 10-17 record.
In Single A, Merlins 2 took a huge stride forward with an 18-8 regular season record. Pitcher Phillip Pallman secured 9 wins in 14 starts, supported on the mound by Chris Davies, Alan Bauer and Tomos Purnell. In his first season for the club, infielder John Geoffrey was voted the team’s best hitter after racking up 25 hits in 45 at-bats. A playoff run would prove a step too far, with defeats in regionals to the Bristol Buccaneers and nationals to the Cambridge Royals, but the season demonstrated the progress made in the previous two years.
2025: a step forward
2025 saw Merlins 1 playing Double A baseball in a newly established South Wales and West Baseball League division. In a highly competitive season, the side won a number of close games on its way to a 20-4 record which topped the division. A close defeat to the Taunton Muskets followed in the final, but qualification for the British Baseball Federation national playoffs was secured. Up against the Richmond Dragons in the quarter final, a short run looked to be on the cards as Cardiff trailed 10-0 in the bottom of the 5th inning, before an extraordinary comeback was completed by rookie third baseman Casey Hughes delivering a walk off hit to cap a 14-13 victory. A 15-5 win against the Guildford Mavericks secured a place in the national final, where the Merlins ultimately fell short against a strong Milton Keynes Bucks side, but it remained an encouraging first year of Double A baseball for the club. Eiki Ito celebrated consecutive years of being voted the team’s best hitter and MVP.
Merlins 2 consolidated its previous year of improvement, overcoming a slow start to the season to finish with a 17-7 record. Kristian Strevens was voted as the team’s best hitter, best fielder and Most Valuable Player, while outfielder Christian Joseph was named as an all-star alongside rookie pitcher and outfielder Greg Pearson. The side’s regular season performance secured its place in the British Baseball Federation’s national playoff qualifiers, but they were unable to get the bats going as they fell to a defeat in the face of a strong starting pitching performance from the Cambridge Royals.
2025 also saw the Cardiff Merlins make its mark on the global game. Merlins 1 outfielder Saskia Davies played a key role as the Great Britain Women’s National Baseball Team brought home gold medals in the European Championships, held in the Czech Republic.
2026 - onto the future
The British Baseball Federation oversaw a restructuring of the domestic game ahead of the 2026 season. Merlins 1 play in Division 3 (‘Low AAA/High AA’), while Merlins 2 play in ‘Low AA/High A’).
Both teams will look to build on recent growth and win games on the diamond, as the club brings baseball to more and more people in Cardiff and across Wales.