THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Border Cats have found their new manager.
The Northwoods League team announced on Thursday morning that 33-year-old Joe Ellison will be in charge of the dugout for the 2025 campaign.
Ellison, who is from Toronto, is the second Canadian manager in Border Cats history. Mike Steed was the first Canadian bench boss for the club in 2010 and 2011.
“As a Canadian and someone who grew up in Ontario, getting the privilege to lead the Border Cats is something truly special to me,” Ellison said in a media release.
“I look forward to working with our management to build a strong team centred around top end Canadian talent as well as our great group of returning players.”
Ellison spent the last two seasons as the head coach of the Fort McMurray Giants of the Western Canadian Baseball League.
He compiled a 50-62 record during his time in Alberta and helped the Giants to a franchise-record 30-win campaign in 2023.
Ellison is also the recruiting coordinator and pitching coach at the University of the Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
Prior to heading to Fort McMurray, Ellison held a variety of roles within the Ontario Blue Jays junior program from 2012 to 2022 and coached at McPherson College in Kansas.
He also played at Cisco Junior College, Connors State College, and South Dakota State University.
“We are extremely pleased to hire Joe as the new manager of the Border Cats,” Border Cats vice-president Bryan Graham said in the release.
“During the interview process, he checked all the boxes on what it takes to run a successful program at this level.”
Ellison is taking over from J.M. Kelly, who left the club to become the head coach of the Dodge City Community College junior college program in Kansas.
The Border Cats had a record of 62-75 during Kelly’s two seasons as manager.
