The Barracudas de Montpellier are a French baseball team in French Division 1 Baseball Championship based in Montpellier, Hérault. They were founded in 1985. The team plays its home games at Veyrassi Sports Complex on the northern edge of the city of Montpellier.
History
Under Canadian coach Greg Hamilton, the team won three consecutive French leagues titles from 1993–1995. In 1994, the then 22-year old fellow Canadian pitcher Jeff Zimmerman would spend a season with the Barracudas. Five years later, in 1999, the righthander was selected for the American League All-Star team as 26-year-old rookie for the Texas Rangers. In his '99 season, Zimmerman went 9-3 with a 2.36 ERA for the AL West champs. In his career, the reliever would post a 17–12 record with a 3.27 ERA in 228.2 innings in the majors. Following the departure of Greg Hamilton after the 1997 season, the club had nine different managers from 1998-2008.
In 2009, Jean Michel Mayeur took over the helm and for three seasons was player/coach before becoming the full-time manager in 2012. Mayeur would remain manager through the 2022 season. In early 2010, local product Anthony Cros would become at the time, just the third French player to sign with a pro club in North America. The power-hitting righty spent 2010 with the Quebec Capitales before returning to the Barracudas the following season. Cros' number 55 is one of five numbers retired by the club to this date. In 2011 and 2015, the Barracudas lost to the Rouen Huskies in the French Series. The club has finished in the top 4 in the 11 team French Division 1 in every year but one since Mayeur became manager. In 2018, Montpellier pitcher Yoan Antonac, who came up through the Montpellier youth teams and academy, was the first player from the club to be signed by an MLB franchise. Antonac spent parts of three seasons in the Phillies system before returning to Montpellier in 2022.
In 2019, the club finished in third place in France with a 23–9 record, thanks in large part to Venezuelan ace Kevin Canelon, who finished 11–1 in 110.2 IP, with 125 K and a 0.49 ERA. The annual Challenge de France was held in Montpellier in 2019, where Senart edged Rouen in a thrilling final by the score of 7-5. Following the end of the 2019 season, the club said goodbye to former AAA Venezuelan shortstop Larry Infante. Infante, in his two seasons with Montpellier, batted .389 (63-for-162) with 27 runs scored, 1 HR, and 31 RBI in 44 games played.
After a year without baseball due to Covid-19, the 2021 Barracudas won the Challenge de France, qualifying the club for the 2022 CEB Cup, alongside 2021 French champions Rouen. Kevin Canelon, Erly Casanova and Owen Ozanich anchored the pitching staff, which finished with a league best 2.12 ERA. The Barracudas added power hitting infielder Ariel Soriano mid-way through the season. Youngsters Mathis Nayral and Pierre Doat made their division 1 debuts for the club.
In 2022, the Barracudas rotation, led by Kevin Canelon, Owen Ozanich and Mathis Nayral, led the FFBS in team ERA for a second consecutive year, posting a 2.34 team ERA. Offensively, Ariel Soriano led the charge, batting .338 with 1 HR and 18 RBI in 19 games. The team finished the season with a 12-7 overall record, bowing out in the semi-finals to eventual champion Rouen.
Eager to bring a championship back to Montpellier, the Barracudas finished the 2023 regular season with the best record in France, finishing first in their pool with an 19-5 record. The Barracudas, now coached by Ozanich and Giovanni Luciani, beat the Toulouse Tigers in the semi-finals before meeting the Montigny Cougars in the 2023 French Series. Playing in their first finals since 2015, the Barracudas were led by their pitching staff to a thrilling five game series victory. Youngster Ben Couvreur, at only 16 years of age, took home French Series MVP honors, while player/coach Owen Ozanich started and won the decisive game five at home in Montpellier. Kevin Canelon sealed the win by pitching in relief on back to back days!
European Cup appearances
- 1994 Champions Cup (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- 1995 Champions Cup (Nettuno, Italy)
- 1996 CEB Cup (Zagreb, Croatia)
- 1997 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 1998 Champions Cup (Karlovac, Croatia)
- 2000 Champions Cup (Nettuno, Italy)
- 2001 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2002 Champions Cup (Regensburg, Germany)
- 2005 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2007 Champions Cup (Hoofddorp, Netherlands)
- 2011 CEB Cup (Montpellier, France)
- 2016 CEB Cup (Rouen, France)
- 2022 CEB Cup (Rouen, France)
- 2024 CEB Cup (Valencia, Spain)
Retired numbers
- 2 James Schwedhelm
- 12 Lahcene Benhamida
- 42 Laurent Cassier
- 55 Anthony Cros
- 58 Frederic Raynaud
2023
The 2023 season was a memorable one for several different reasons. The club started off the season with an 8-2 record under longtime manager Jean Michel Mayeur. In mid May, just prior to the annual Challenge de France, Mayer stepped down and handed the managing duties to his two assistant coaches, Giovanni Luciani and Owen Ozanich. The pair, both former pitchers, made the most of their new opportunity. While Rouen beat the Barracudas in the semi-final of the Challenge, the ballclub would take off in the second half of the regular season. From June through July, Montpellier won 10 consecutive games, climbing their way to first place in the regular season standings, a spot they would stay in all season.
National team position players Paolo Brossier (.331) and Dorian Bouniol (.337) led the way at the plate. As a team, Montpellier posted the top batting average in the French D1, finishing with a .283 collective clip. The pitching staff posted a combined 2.09 ERA, led by longtime ace Kevin Canelon (1.34 ERA), newcomer Daniel Gosselin (1.64 ERA) and rookie phenom Ben Couvreur (2.69 ERA). After finishing the regular season with a 19-5 record, it was onto the playoffs.
In the semi-finals against Toulouse, the Barracudas would drop game one 12-3 in a slugfest. The following day, a clutch Brossier homer would give lefty pitcher Daniel Gosselin all the run support he would need. The dual Greek/Canadian would go the distance, pitching the Barracudas to a 4-2, complete game win, salvaging a split in Toulouse.
In game three, back in Montpellier, Gosselin would pitch another complete game, a one-run gem to lead Montpellier to a 4-1 victory. The following day, the Barracudas bats came alive, leading the charge en route to an 8-1 win, backing the solid start of Couvreur and scoreless relief outing of Canelon. Montpellier was headed to the French Series!
The Barracudas headed north to the Parisian suburbs for games 1 and 2 of the 2023 French Series. In game 1, Montigny handed the ball to Venezuelan Robinson Maestre, Montpellier gave 16 year old Ben Couvreur the start. The young French lefty won the duel by the final score of 4-3, pitching 5.2 scoreless innings, punching out 8 batters before Canelon pitched the final 3.1 innings for the save. The next day, in a clash of the titans, Gosselin would lock horns with Montigny's own workhorse, Yorfrank Lopez. In another close contest, it was Montigny who would take the afternoon game, by the final score of 3-2. The French Series was now tied at one apiece, heading back down south.
On Saturday, September 16, 2023, the two clubs decided to give the ball to their game one starters, Maestre vs Couvreur, round II. In a pitchers duel, the Barracudas came away with a 1-0 extra innings win thanks to a 10th inning single by Steve Anderson. Couvreur was again dominant, going six scoreless before handing the ball to Canelon, who himself pitched 4 scoreless to earn the win.
On Sunday, September 17, 2023, up two games to one in the finals, Montpellier handed the ball to Daniel Gosselin. He would face a familiar foe, Montigny's Lopez. Lopez would out duel Gosselin, leading Montigny to a 4-2 victory, forcing a decisive game 5.
With little pitching left, manager Owen Ozanich took the ball for Montpellier. Against him, lefty Antoine Rault. Ozanich wasted little time getting settled in, starting off the contest with 21 consecutive strikes, while Montpellier's bats scored three first inning runs in support of their manager. Ozanich would make it all the way until the sixth inning, not allowing any runs or walks, while punching out 8 Cougars batters. Meanwhile, Montpellier continued to score. After 5.1 IP, Ozanich handed the ball to Canelon, who would go the rest of the way. Up 8-0 in the 9th inning, with two outs, Canelon would get the final Montigny batter out on a flyball to short center field which was caught by Paolo Brossier, giving the Barracudas their first title since 1995! Youngster Ben Couvreur, who pitched 11.2 scoreless innings in the series, was named 2023 French Series Most Valuable Player!
2022
Playing without Cuban ace Erly Casanova proved to be more difficult than expected for the 2022 version of the Barracudas. Kevin Canelon, Mathis Nayral and Owen Ozanich anchored the Barracudas pitching staff, which again led the French D1 in ERA despite the absence of Casanova. Infielder Ariel Soriano returned for a second season with the club. Power hitting first baseman Steve Anderson stepped in at first base to bat alongside Soriano in the heart of the lineup. Japanese two-way Kenjiro Sugiura was a useful two-way for Mayeur.
While Casanova departed, Mayeur's French talent returned in 2022. Two-way player Ismail Pontiac, outfielder Paolo Brossier, catchers Fabien Kovacs and Pierre Doat all produced solid seasons. Mathis Nayral, who made his French national team debut in 2021, emerged as a key arm on the mound. Veterans Clement Le Pichon and Mathis Guiraud also contributed in starting nine. Mael Zan was productive when in the lineup.
Former Phillies minor league pitcher Yoan Antonac came back to France and joined the club. While limited on the mound due to an apparent arm injury, the big righty contributed at first base and at the plate, even launching a home run in June's Confederations Cup against Tenerife. Montpellier bowed out to perennial powerhouse Rouen in the semi-finals.
Montpellier sent the most players of any club team to the September 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in Germany. Owen Ozanich, Kenjiro Sugiura, Kevin Canelon, Ariel Soriano, Fabian Kovacs and Paolo Brossier made the trip. Ozanich announced his retirement following the tournament, hanging up the spikes after 12 seasons and 100 wins in Europe, the last two spent in Montpellier.
2021
After finishing third in the 2019 campaign, the 2020 version of the Barracudas hoped to reach the French Series however they, along with all the other clubs in France were forced to wait, as the 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid-19.
The club has made some significant additions to the roster. In late 2019, Montpellier announced the signing of pitcher Owen Ozanich. In early 2021, the Barracudas signed Cuban workhorse Erly Casanova.
Canelon (7-3, 1.75 ERA), Cuban righty Erly Casanova (7-1, 2.25 ERA) and Ozanich (4-2, 0.86 ERA) anchored the rotation.
Two Americans, Patrick Cromwell (.280/.430/.404) and Andy Cosgrove (.266/.406/.405) joined the club, Cromwell played infield at Clemson University while Cosgrove arrived after stints at NC State and in the minor leagues (Twins organization).
Nine Barracudas returned from US college seasons. Fabien Kovacs, Mael Zan, Julien Monks, Luc Polit, Nolan Soliveres, Nicolas Khoury, Ismail Pontiac, Fred Walter and Paolo Brossier all played in the states in early 2021 and came back in the south of France to solidify manager Jean Michel Mayeur's team.
The Barracudas finished the regular season 17-3, second in their pool behind Senart.
In September 2021 Montpellier went 4-0 in the annual Challenge de France, taking home the club's first title since 2006. Montpellier's pitching staff led the tournament in ERA and strikeouts. Mathis Nayral, Owen Ozanich, Erly Casanova and Kevin Canelon each won a game. Canelon took home tournament MVP honors. Paolo Brossier, Ariel Soriano and Clement Le Pichon homered in a 15-1 win over Rouen in the final. The Barracudas earned a spot in the 2022 CEB European Cup.
The defending French champions, Rouen Huskies, knocked the 2021 Barracudas out of the playoffs in the semi-finals; taking the best-of-five series three games to one.
Current roster
PITCHERS
Kevin Canelon (VENEZUELA)
Daniel Gosselin (GREECE/CANADA)
Ben Couvreur
Owen Ozanich
Corentin Deleau
Valentin Blanc Jouvan
CATCHERS
Fabian Kovacs
Pierre Doat
INFIELDERS
Ismail Pontiac
Yoan Antonac
Oscar Bustamante (USA)
Riley Spring (AUSTRALIA)
Kenjiro Sugiura (JAPAN)
Greg Cros
Julien Monks
OUTFIELDERS
Paolo Brossier
Clement Le Pichon
Douglas Rodriguez (VENEZUELA)
Mael Zan
Nicolas Khoury