Even before Kaleb Thomas could walk, he could throw a baseball. At two years old, he was swinging a bat. Now 18, Thomas is the first Indigenous player on Canada's Junior National Team, and he has his eyes set on the big leagues.
Kaleb Thomas, right, is the first Indigenous player on Canada's Junior National Team and has his eyes set on the big leagues.
“I sacrificed a lot to get to where I am today,” he says. “It takes a lot of hard work. I put in hours upon hours perfecting my craft and trying to be the best version of myself.” He started playing T-ball, then softball and his love of the game grew as did his talent; he was often playing with kids four or five years older.For most of high school, Thomas played short stop, but last year he switched full time to pitching, a position switch that has paid off: he’s now one of Canada’s top pitching prospects.Last year he was invited to play with Canada’s Junior National Team, but an injured arm kept him from playing in the U18 Baseball World Cup in September.
Thomas praises her son’s work ethic for getting him to where he is today. He puts in long hours at the gym, but is also a good student graduating this year as an Ontario Scholar, an award reserved for students who achieve an average of 80 per cent or above.