Greg Hamilton is racking up the Air Miles in a memorable way.
The head coach and director of Baseball Canada’s men’s teams started the year off with an exciting run in the World Baseball Classic, taking the country to the knockout round for the first time in the event’s history.
He followed that by heading up the Junior National Team’s eight-day Extended Spring Training Camp trip to Dunedin, facing several teams’ top young prospects.
The squad is now taking part in another spring staple, the Dominican Republic Professional Academy Camp, for games against another 11 rosters worth of MLB prospects.
Each year, it’s an eye-opening few weeks for the high school athletes, who get to learn from some of the best in the country, travel the world and see how they stack up against pro players.
“I’ve always believed that if you do development right and you’re patient and persistent, you’re going to end up with the best possible outcome in terms of performance,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.
“It’s about making sure that players understand what their strengths are going to be within the game and understanding that what they bring to the table is going to be good enough if they really bear down and focus on it and commit to the process of development.”
Once the Dominican trip is over, the players and coaches will head back to their respective home teams and get ready for a busy summer, as will Hamilton, who has an extra stop on his busy itinerary.
SETTLING SOME SCORES
The Road to Okotoks isn’t your typical national championship.
While most tournaments have the best from each province battling it out for Canadian bragging rights, the latest edition to Baseball Canada’s summer agenda will see the top programs from across the country face off for national supremacy and the Morneau Cup.
The event will also settle a few bets as many have claimed to be the best but haven’t been able to prove it on the field.
Baseball Canada added it as something to investigate in its 2023-2028 strategic plan, and worked with the Okotoks Dawgs to bring the idea to life for the 2026 season, something Hamilton couldn’t be more excited to see.
“It’s an opportunity for all the programs in the country that aspire to be the best in terms of their program versus others to tee it up and give them a chance to knock heads in an ultra-competitive environment,” said the Baseball Canada architect.
“It’s all about representing your program, representing your teammates, and trying to be successful and trying to win a best-on-best across the country.”
Each team will have to go through a regional tournament at the end of May, with 13 teams set to take part in the Prairie Qualifier in Lethbridge and Vauxhall.
Pool A will feature the Calgary Bucks, HR Sports Academy (Manitoba), Okotoks Dawgs White, Gulls Prep and Vauxhall Academy. Pool B sees ATHX Academy, Calgary Premier Blues, Okotoks Dawgs Red and Team Saskatchewan. And Pool C has AHP Academy, Calgary Cubs, Parkland Twins and Webber Wildcats.
The top three teams from the Prairies will advance to Okotoks for the Morneau Cup from July 14-19, where the best 16 academy programs from across the country will be represented.
WEARING A SCOUT’S HAT
It was also important for Hamilton to see another side of all the players who might be in the running for future Junior National Team (JNT) spots.
Unlike a bullpen, session in the batting cage or showcase, he loves the idea of seeing how players interact with their teammates and play within the roles they have on their respective clubs.
Hamilton sees it in a similar light to the WBC where program pride will likely add an extra spark to the competition.
“You’ve got to be able to make plays or pitches or get hits when it’s timely and when it matters,” said the head honcho. “You’ve got to handle adversity and pressure, and you’ve got to be a good teammate, which ultimately leads to the best memories, too.”
Putting on his scouting hat, Hamilton is hoping to see players who love to compete, that understand who they are as players and that they’re comfortable in being part of the team and care about their teammates as much as they do about winning.
They’ll be the same things college and pro scouts in attendance will also be keeping a close eye on over the course of the tournament.
“These programs are proud of their name, their namesake, and they’re proud of what’s across the front of their jerseys.”
SETTING THE TONE
Hamilton says the fever pitch for baseball is on.
People can’t get enough of the game thanks to the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series last season and are starting to realize just how good the Canadian talent pool is after the WBC.
Add in the facilities and quality of coaching, the game here has come leaps and bounds since he started with Baseball Canada in 1992.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame legend says getting the monkey off their back and getting into the knock-out round of the WBC and playing the United States as well as they did is a sign they are on the right path.
He says Canada’s roster also has a solid nucleus of players who will be back whenever the next tournament is held, and some young talent knocking on the door in the minor leagues already.
Hamilton says the bar has been set high by the 2026 squad.
“I thought we had a very competitive group that really enjoyed playing for each other,” he said. “They really, really got what it meant to put Canada across their jerseys and play for their country. They really embraced that and ultimately delivered and performed.”
It’s an energy he hopes to see as he travels around Canada again this summer, especially when the Road to Okotoks culminates with the Morneau Cup in July.
