Jake the Diamond Dog bringing joy across America in 2019

Jake the Diamond Dog will again be traveling to Minor League Baseball stadiums around the country in 2019.

Batdog Jake the Diamond Dog has become a fixture of the Minor League Baseball circuit, and that tradition will continue in 2019.

As a new performer, Jake V, takes over the role this season, his schedule is quite a bit lighter than in previous seasons, but more dates could be added, according to his agent Jon Terry of SRO Productions.

Among his duties are delivering the game ball to the pitcher, fetching water and towels for umpires, retrieving tossed bats and foul balls, and posing for selfies with fans.

All the dogs in the role have been male Golden Retrievers, dating back to owner Jeff Marchel’s original Jake in 1995.

“He literally talks to the animals and they understand,” Terry told Dog O’Day in an email interview last August. “Sounds crazy, but I’ve been around them too much to think otherwise.”

Jake V will debut for his rookie season on July 4 when the White Sox affiliate Birmingham Barons of the Double-A Southern League host the Twins affiliate Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Regions Field, then July 20 he will be in the Single-A Midwest League, where the Padres affiliate Fort Wayne TinCaps host the Twins’ affiliate Cedar Rapids Kernels at Parkview Field.

In August he has two games at the Single-A South Atlantic League Red Sox affiliate Greenville Drive when they host the Orioles affiliate Delmarva Shorebirds and Pirates affiliate Greensboro Grasshoppers at Fluor Field at the West End on August 2-3.

On September 1 he again visits Fort Wayne when the Blue Jays affiliate Lansing Lugnuts visit.

While it hasn’t been confirmed, we suspect his favorite movie is probably Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch. For more information on Jake the Diamond Dog, go follow on his Facebook page.

We will have more updates on batdogs, and team dogs in other sports, throughout the year.