Before Kaleb Thomas could walk, he could throw a baseball. Now, he's one of Canada's top pitching prospects

Kaleb Thomas, right, is the first Indigenous player on Canada's Junior National Team and has his eyes set on the big leagues.

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 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.”

Thomas is from the Six Nations of the Grand River near Hamilton, Ont., a place where lacrosse is the sport all the kids play. But Thomas says he knew early, his passion was with baseball.

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.

“He loved it young,” says his mom, Cindy. “He loved the challenge.”

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.

“I spun the ball really well and had a strong arm,” Thomas recalls.

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 says the injury hasn’t swayed his determination, only made it stronger. He’s now getting ready to join Missouri State’s baseball team next fall, where he will attend on a full scholarship.

“I'm just going to do everything I can to prepare and be ready to play my first year.”

DREAMING BIG

In nearly every grade, Thomas was asked to answer the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Without fail, the answer was always “baseball player.” His mom recalls his teachers telling Kaleb to find a more “realistic dream.”

“He's had teachers tell him ‘you can't do that,’” Cindy says. “’Where you come from, you're not going to do that. You're not going to be a baseball player.’”

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.

“He's very focused,” Cindy says. “Has always been. When he had homework during school he always have it done before he went to baseball practice.”

BIG LEAGUES

Thomas had been pitching for less than a year when he committed to play for Missouri State. In the last 33 years, the team’s pitching coach has had 66 of his pitchers selected in the MLB draft. Thomas hopes to be another.

“The dream would be to play in the major leagues,” he says. “Pitching well and using that opportunity to be an influence for children all around the world.”

Right now, he’s a role model for kids in his community and says he doesn’t hesitate to give back.

“It means a lot to me, to be able to represent my community.”

As for his advice to kids pursuing their own dreams, he says never give up.

“Just follow the sport they want to play,” he says. “Take it as far as you can and see where you end up.”