Change in mental approach helping McTavish at the plate

By Lethbridge Herald on July 31, 2025.

CINDY ADACHI PHOTO Lethbridge Bulls Brennan McTavish attempts to slide into home plate next to Fort McMurray Giants catcher Rico Dimingo during a recent game.

 By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge Bulls infielder Brennan McTavish is having a strong summer with his hometown club in his first full season of Western Canadian Baseball League play after a mental change at Midland College helped him turns thing around the plate.

McTavish sat fifth on Bulls before last night’s game  with a .309 average (51 hits in 165 at-bats) and 35 runs scored , and  third in team home runs with six and  third in runs batted in with 37.

“The key was just to get at-bats,” said McTavish.

“I’ve been hurt the last couple of years with my UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament in elbow), but I just needed at-bats to get in a rhythm, and it’s been good since.”

McTavish thinks he has been seeing the ball good.

“Sometimes you’re gonna see it bad, sometimes you’re gonna see it good, but right now I’ve been seeing it pretty good,” said McTavish.

Midland College had  helped him mentally  for this summer in the WCBL.

“I have a tendency of being too tight at the plate (and) gripping the bat too hard … but (Midland has)  taught me to be loose and relaxed, which I think has helped,” said McTavish.

McTavish did not have a smooth start to his season at Midland this year.

“I struggled and our team was top five in the nation,” said McTavish.

“ It’s  hard to get back in the line-up after you struggle (a) little bit but at the end of the year I figured it out a little bit, I started hitting good and I played in the playoffs.”

McTavish was able to turn things around because he kept having that battle mentality.

He hopes to continue what he has been doing with the Bulls and carry that over to his final year at Midland College next season.

“Just keep (doing)  what I’m doing, thinking positively, being confident (and) believing I’m the best out there,” said McTavish.

McTavish hopes to find a Division I school after this next season at Midland.

Playing for the Bulls this summer has been a great experience for McTavish.

“It really matters if you wanna win and I think that’s with  this team, which makes it a lot more fun,” said McTavish.

The American Legion Elks and Vauxhall Academy guided McTavish in his career.

“Everybody wants to make sure you get to where you are and have success, so I think that’s helped me a lot,” said McTavish.