By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Baseball can bring families together, whether it’s weekend baseball tournaments, driving to different events across the country or playing catch in the yard on a Sunday afternoon.

That’s the exact case for Max and Eric Hartman.

The two brothers from St. Albert, Alta., who have both played for the Okotoks Dawgs, are now embarking on their own baseball journeys.

Max, an outfielder, is the elder brother and is currently a Junior at Washington State University. He has been carving out a starting role for himself on the Cougars squad since his sophomore campaign and is in the midst of a strong season in the Mountain Valley West Conference.

“I had a lot of at-bats last year, playing full-time with the Cougars as a sophomore and then playing summer ball with Wenatchee,” said Max. “That summer stint alone was almost 200 at-bats, and then coming back to WSU this fall, I knew my role coming into the new season was going to be a starter, and I just wanted to keep getting better. Eric and I put in a ton of work this winter, and that has helped me a lot this season.”

His younger brother, Eric, has chosen a different path. The versatile 18-year-old, who can play second base and the outfield, spent last season with the Dawgs and the Junior National Team before being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 20th round. After the draft, he opted to forego his commitment to the University of Michigan and sign with the Braves.

“I was really just trying to finish my high school year strong with the Dawgs, and I really wasn’t banking on getting drafted,” said Eric. “I was just staying present in the moment, day in and day out, and working on myself to get better on the diamond with the knowledge that I had a post-secondary opportunity in my corner.”

Last summer presented an interesting scenario for the Hartmans. The two brothers prepared for the draft process together, but Eric was the only one to hear his name called.

“It was pretty interesting,” said Max. “I had an advisor approaching me about potentially representing me for the upcoming draft process last summer, and then at the same time, Eric was really gaining some momentum with scouts and the MLB Draft. So I told them, ‘Why don’t we do a package deal and you represent both of us?’. Then the draft came, and we saw his name come across the board, and I could not have been more proud and excited for him. That’s such a big moment, and we, as a family, were all there to support him.”

Okotoks Dawgs alum Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) has had a strong start to his professional career with the Atlanta Braves’ class-A Augusta GreenJackets. *Photo: Augusta GreenJackets*

Normally, teams are willing to select high school players late in the draft because they are taking fliers on those who are considering post-secondary opportunities.

For example, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Kris Bryant in the 18th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, but he opted to honour his post-secondary commitment to the University of San Diego. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.) in the 19th round last summer, and he decided to head to the University of Florida rather than turn pro.

Eric had an opportunity to play collegiately for the University of Michigan and join a Wolverines squad that boasts Kurt Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.), Tate Carey (Windsor, Ont.), and Keegan O’Hearn (Oshawa, Ont.). But once he was drafted, things started to change, and the younger brother turned to his family to help with the decision process.

“Max has taught me a lot about baseball. I used to shadow his playing and movements, and his perspective helped aid in my decision to pursue pro baseball,” said Eric. “The decision was one of the toughest things I have ever had to do, and growing up, this was the moment that I was working for, and now I am seeing my name on the draft board. I was pretty stoked, and after consulting with my brother and my family, I knew signing with Atlanta was the right decision.”

“I think one of the benefits of our relationship and experiences is that I was able to lay out what the college baseball life is like for Eric and what he can expect playing D1 baseball,” said Max. “There are so many elements – the schoolwork, the transfer portal, playing the game and having to go to class – so after the draft, we got on the phone and we were able to bounce back the pros and cons of signing with the Braves or heading to Michigan. At the end of the day, myself and our family will support any decision he makes, and I could not be more proud of how he handled himself in the moment and the process.”

After signing with the Braves, Eric did not appear in affiliated baseball in 2024 and was placed in class-A Augusta to start the 2025 season. This past winter, however, the Hartman brothers were back where it all started at the Okotoks Dawgs facility, working in the cage.

“We were there every day,” said Max. “He was on break and so was I, so we were just working on our swings and playing on the field, the defensive side of the game. The Braves had done a ton of work with him following the draft, and he was able to help me out with my swing, most notably on my bat path to get it more refined. He and I have a strong relationship where we can give that feedback and perspective to improve our game.”

The same sentiments were echoed by the younger Hartman.

“We were just working on our swings and hitting in the cage, and I think because of our swings being so similar, we were able to provide that feedback to just refine things to the best they could be,” said Eric. “It’s a mental reminder for me because of how similar our swings are – I am able to see in real time what my approach looks like without having to go to the video because of those similarities, so I can make those notes for when I step in the cage and then relay what I saw back to Max to help him as well.”

Okotoks Dawgs alum Max Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) is batting .370 in 33 games for the Washington State Cougars this season. *Photo: Washington State Cougars Athletics*

Whatever the Hartmans worked on in Okotoks this past winter, it has helped them.

With the Cougars, Max has authored a .370/.447/.500 slash line with 34 runs generated through 138 at-bats and 33 games. His .947 OPS ranks third on the squad, and his 51 hits lead the team. He has also driven in 23 runs, walked 14 times, and stolen six bases (tied for the team lead). From the outfield, he has registered four assists.

Max’s .370 batting average currently ranks fifth in the Mountain West Conference.

In Augusta, Eric has followed suit with a strong start for the GreenJackets, going 12-for-49 (.245) while posting a .822 OPS with two doubles, one triple, and a team-high two home runs through 13 games. Both homers came in his first week in the Braves’ system (one of which was a walk-off to right centre field). On Opening Day, Hartman started in left field and batted cleanup, a spot he continues to find himself in.

For the GreenJackets, Hartman has suited up in 13 games and sits second on the team with nine RBIs.

It’s early in Eric’s season compared to Max’s, whose Cougars have 16 games left before the Mountain West Baseball Championships in late May. Similar to his younger brother last summer, Max is eligible for the MLB Draft this year, something the outfielder keeps in his mind, but notes that there is still work to be done before the summer rolls around.

“I have had some discussions with scouts over the years, so I think the interest is there, but my focus now is just finishing the season strong and doing what I can to help the Cougars this season,” said Max. “There’s the MLB Draft League later this summer that I could look towards to help improve my stock and a senior season here if needed, but at some point, I want to join the ranks where my brother is and play pro baseball. And I will keep doing everything I can both on and off the field to accomplish that goal.”

Should the time come, Eric might be the one having to sit on the phone with his brother to dish out advice about the pro ranks.

“Everyone here is just so talented,” said the younger brother. “You can’t take anyone for granted, but you have to put in the work, day in and day out. You have to ride the highs and lows and not beat yourself up when things aren’t going your way. I know with his talent, Max is set up well for the next step, and any team that drafts or signs him will benefit from his play on the field and his character off of it. I truly believe that.”

Brothers supporting each other in their baseball journeys is the stuff of Hallmark movies, and for the Hartman family, two brothers are forging their own paths that eventually could see them on opposite sides of the diamond.

Whether that happens or not is to be determined, but both Max and Eric will support each other wherever baseball takes them.

“It makes me super happy to see him doing so well,” said Max, speaking on Eric’s early success within Atlanta’s farm system. “We developed together and went to the same academies and teams, and I have high expectations for him, and he always exceeds them. I am just glad he and I have this connection where we can be honest with each other and support each other to get better on the diamond, as well as with our parents, who support our endeavour as well. I could not be more proud of him.”