Join the entire Foresters family on January 28 to welcome three new members to the Foresters Hall of Fame: Texas Rangers 3B Josh Jung (pictured), Rangers coach Brett Hayes, and 11-year Major League pitcher Dana Eveland. All three went from the Foresters to make their big-league dreams come true, and in 2023, Josh and Brett became the FIRST FORESTERS to earn World Series rings in the bigs!
Links are below to get your tickets to the January 28 event at the Cabrillo Pavilion. Doors will open at 4pm and we’ll hear from our new inductees, as well as special guest Roy Howell, a former first-round draft pick from Lompoc High who enjoyed his own 11-year big-league career. Food, wine, and beer from great local sponsors will be provided, along with great baseball talk, along with updates on the Hugs for Cubs program. Be a part of this annual tradition . . . get your tickets today!
Josh Jung: This former Texas Tech Red Raider was with the Foresters in 2017, when he hit .341 and led the team with 20 RBI while playing lights-out defense. Two years later, Josh was chosen eighth overall (one of the highest Foresters draft picks ever) by the Rangers. He debuted in late 2022 and by the start of the ’23 season had grabbed the starting spot at the hot corner. He was a two-time AL Rookie of the Month, helping power the Rangers with 23 homers and 70 RBI on the season while earning a spot on the starting line for the AL All-Star Team. Josh was a key part of the team’s surprising run through the AL playoffs, and then hit .350 as the Rangers beat the Diamondbacks to win the franchise’s first World Series. He is the first Foresters player to earn a World Series ring.
Brett Hayes: A catcher with the University of Nevada, Brett was a Forester in 2003, where he helped the team to a runner-up finish in the NBC World Series (and an “American” championship, as the team the Foresters lost in the final to was from Taiwan!). He was drafted in the second round by the Marlins in 2005 and made his big-league debut in 2009. He later played for Kansas City and Cleveland, before moving into scouting. He became the Rangers bullpen coach in 2022 and in 2023 joined the celebration as his team won the World Series. That’s right . . . TWO Foresters helped win the Series! He’ll return to his coaching role in 2024.
Dana Eveland: Dana has pitched all around the world, starting at Hill College in Texas, then with the Foresters, and then 11 Major League seasons with 10 teams from 2005 to 2016 (including 2011 with the LA Dodgers!) . . . plus stints in Korea and Mexico! He is a regular player in the Foresters golf tournament and a big supporter of the Hugs for Cubs. His brother Kyle is also a former ’Ster.
Tickets for the event are $75 for adults, $25 for kids 5-17, and kids under five free. Come out and support the Foresters and Hugs for Cubs and have a great Hot Stove Baseball night!
Purchase your tickets at the Door!!
