{"id":373174,"date":"2025-12-28T14:08:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T14:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/373174\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T14:08:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T14:08:10","slug":"saskatchewan-pitchers-dream-comes-true-a-shot-at-major-league-baseball","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/373174\/","title":{"rendered":"Saskatchewan pitcher’s dream comes true: a shot at Major League Baseball"},"content":{"rendered":"

Garrett Hawkins is on the cusp of making it to the big leagues.\u00a0The pitcher from Biggar, Sask., has been added to the San Diego Padres 40-man roster.<\/p>\n

Being on the roster gives Hawkins an automatic invite to the Padres spring training camp this February in Phoenix, Ariz.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s definitely what everyone kind of works towards and just know you’re kind of one step closer to making it,\u201d said the lanky, 6-foot-5-inch right-hander.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a roller-coaster ride for Hawkins on his way toward the big leagues.<\/p>\n

\"GarrettHawkins was named the Padres minor league pitcher of the year in 2025. (Chanss Lagaden\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Growing up in Biggar, Hawkins played on local teams as a youngster before coming into Saskatoon when he was about 14.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first opportunity I would have had to coach him was in 2014,\u201d said Jordan Draeger, the owner operator and head coach at Going Yard Baseball Academy in Saskatoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a part of a really special pitching group that we had coming up from the same age as him,\u201d Draeger recalled. \u201cThere was Logan Hoffman and Connor Sparks as well, and they went on to win the national title at the Canada Cup for Baseball Saskatchewan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides his imposing physical features, Draeger says it\u2019s Hawkins\u2019 attention to detail that makes\u00a0 him stand out.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s very focused on his craft,\u201d Draeger said. \u201cHe fully understands every aspect of pitching and his ability to hone in on, like, small details and make minor changes that don’t affect the rest of his flow and his rhythm.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"TwoHawkins, left, works out with Jordan Draeger several times a week at the Gordie Howe Baseball Complex in Saskatoon. (Chanss Lagaden\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Hawkins attended the University of British Columbia on a scholarship, but the pandemic derailed the last couple of years there.<\/p>\n

Instead, he was able to play in the\u00a0 MLB Draft summer league in New Jersey.<\/p>\n

The Padres took notice and drafted Hawkins in the ninth round of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft.<\/p>\n

After spending time in A ball, Hawkins had a setback when he experienced soreness in his pitching elbow. That led to Tommy John surgery in 2023, and Hawkins spent the next year rehabbing at the Padres training facility in Arizona.<\/p>\n

Hawkins said several other players were recovering from injuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe group of guys there was really good,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone’s there for the same purpose \u2026 just trying to get healthy.\u00a0 But it\u2019s still tough \u2026 you’re not out playing, which is kind of what you’re there to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AHawkins has thrown as high as 98 mph since coming back from surgery in 2024.<\/p>\n

(Chanss Lagaden\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Hawkins had been drafted as a starting pitcher, but when he returned to the mound this past season the Padres had moved him to the bullpen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a cold day,\u201d Hawkins said of his first time back after a year of rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I threw the fifth and sixth inning. It was the first time in the bullpen so I was probably more focused on how I was going to get ready to go in the game because just starting you have so much more time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I struck out four, no runs, so yeah, it went pretty well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Switching from being a starter to a reliever turned out to be a great move for Hawkins.<\/p>\n

He pitched in A ball for the Fort Wayne Tincups, where at one point he went 38 and two-thirds innings without allowing a run.<\/p>\n

He was promoted to Double A with the San Antonio Missions where he had\u00a0 a sparkling 1.69 earned run average.<\/p>\n

For his efforts the Padres named Hawkins its minor league pitcher of the year and, subsequently, added him to their40-man major league roster.<\/p>\n

He says the move to the bullpen taught him not to overthink before entering a game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think even starting [pitching], I would build myself up so much that I would, I don’t know, get antsy, feel too excited,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThis year I’ve definitely learned, just don’t think and just trust yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AThe 6-foot-5-inch Hawkins throws a fastball, slider and is working on a splitter. (Chanss Lagaden\/CBC)<\/p>\n

Hawkins is working out in Saskatoon over the winter to be ready when the Padres training camp opens in February.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hawkins has been throwing four times a week, though not off a mound, while also helping out at the academy with some of the younger players.<\/p>\n

His pitches include a fastball (up to 98 mph), a slider and he\u2019s working on a splitter.<\/p>\n

Being on the 40-man major league roster has a number of advantages.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 40-man gets you an invite to big league spring training, so you get a chance to make the big league team out of camp, which is probably the biggest difference,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also easier to get called up from the minors.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou obviously have to perform, but every minor leaguer has to be put on the 40-man to get called up to the big leagues, whereas, if you’re on it already, you don’t have to take that extra step.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s preparing to take it to the next level at spring training camp in Arizona where he\u2019ll face big league hitters.<\/p>\n

It is a huge step, but Hawkins keeps reminding himself it\u2019s the same game and the same 60 feet six inches between home plate and the pitcher\u2019s rubber.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t want to miss the opportunity when it comes, you know, kind of just be as ready as I am at all times whenever they need me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Garrett Hawkins is on the cusp of making it to the big leagues.\u00a0The pitcher from Biggar, Sask., has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":373175,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[435],"tags":[49,48,462,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-373174","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-mlb","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=373174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/373175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=373174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=373174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=373174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}