Josh Torres enjoyed his 2024 summer as a Nanaimo NightOwls player so much, he’s bringing a friend this summer.
The righthander, who saw two-way duty last year but has focused in on his mound work at UC Riverside this spring, is returning to Serauxmen Stadium to work with veteran pitching coach Gorm Heimueller. And he has a lefty from his school joining him in Josh Martinez.
“This is our fourth season and this is happening a lot — guys want to return, and they are recommending the program to other quality guys,” said GM Tina Cornett. “Josh did a great job as a starting pitcher last year, we are excited to have him back, and the other Josh is a strong pitcher for what will be a deep staff for Gorm to lead.”
Canadian right-hander Darren Lowe-Gaillard is an interesting additon — from Toronto, he is also a recording artist with original tunes to his credit.
Announced today to the 2025 NightOwls team by Head Coach Cody Andreychuk:
RHP Josh Torres, UC Riverside, R/R, 6-0/185, San Bernardino, CA
LHP Josh Martinez, UC Riverside, L/L, 6-2/170, Menifee, CA
RHP Lino Zepeda, Cal State-LA, R/R, 6-2/175, Los Angeles
RHP Darren Lowe-Gaillard, R/R, 6-0/175, Carolina University, Toronto
RHP Dalton Hanson, R/R, 6-4/190, Scottsdale CC, Westminster, CO
Torres started seven games in the WCL last summer and was 2-1 with a 4.55 ERA, amassing 27.2 innings. He’s made three starts and posted nine appearances already at UCR. Martinez has also been busy this spring at UCR with 13 appearances and 29 strikeouts in 24 innings, as a lefty out of the pen.
Lowe-Gaillard, who played travel ball with Owls outfielder Alessandro Volpe, is an upper-80s slinger with an array of breaking pitches — he’s redshirting at Carolina University and excited to reunite in Nanaimo with Volpe and pitcher Vinny Bruno, an Italian with roots in Toronto.
Zepeda is an exciting signing, a workhorse at Cal State-LA, with eight starts and 38 innings already. Was a star in LA high school baseball and developed under Alec Adame’s staff at East LA College.
Hanson is a live young arm as a freshman at Scottsdale CC, where he is teammates with Owls infielder Ryder Florence. The Colorado product has seven college starts under his belt, with one appearance out of the bullpen.
