Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Kawana Soares is one of three quality catchers on the Crabs roster this summer.

By Ray Hamill — Every Humboldt Crabs team has its own unique character and skillset, and almost a month into the 2023 season manager Robin Guiver has quickly recognized one key area that is thriving this summer.

“One strength of ours for sure is our catchers,” he said. “All three of those guys — Griffin Myers, Cubby Cortez and Kawana Soares — would be the No. 1 catcher on just about any (Crabs) team.”

The influential trio all bring different talent sets to the team, and all three have quickly made their presence felt.

Myers is batting .474 and has provided some power at the plate with two home runs, a triple, four doubles and 14 RBIs.

The versatile Cortez can play multiple positions and is “very athletic behind the dish,” according to Guiver.

Cortez is batting .333 and has been a difficult out with a team second-best 13 walks.

Soares, meanwhile, is batting .225 with seven RBIs and has been a defensive standout behind the plate.

All three are Division-I players.

Cortez plays for Reggie Christiansen at Sacramento State, Myers plays at Washington State and Soares is now with Nevada-Reno after playing at Cabrillo College.

The team’s pitching also has impressed the coaches through the early going.

“Our starting pitching has been really good. For the most part, our pitching has been good,” the manager said. “We’ve been getting very good starts from the weekend guys and the midweek guys, and if you get that you can win games.”

The Crabs won two midweek games this week against Seals Baseball, both by identical 5-2 scores, and will now turn their attention to The NorCal Warriors, who come to the Arcata Ball Park on Friday night for one game.

Alejandro Huezo of UC Davis will get the start on the mound after impressing his coaches last weekend.

“He pitched phenomenal at San Luis Obispo,” Guiver said.

Seals Baseball will return to the Arcata Ball Park for a pair of games on Saturday (6 p.m.) and Sunday (12:30 p.m.), before the Crabs play the Solano Mudcats on the Fourth at 12:30 p.m.

Crabs catcher Griffin Myers, right.