Nine months ago, Blue Jays prospect Sam Shaw was in a major funk when the rookie level FCL Blue Jays faced the FCL Phillies. The Victoria, B.C. born <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-sign-highly-touted-canadian-high-school-draft-pick-sam-shaw-to-over-slot-bonus">ninth round pick from the 2023 MLB Draft</a> struck out at the plate to start the game and was struggling to find his mojo. 
Before the young Canadian outfielder went up to the batter’s box again, one of his coaches told him to &#8216;take a hack at it&#8217;. And when Shaw found himself in the batter’s box again, the Phillies’ pitcher made a critical mistake by throwing a middle-in fastball. The 20-year-old knew he smoked the pitch as soon as he hit it. That’s how Shaw hit his very first professional home run and turned things around. While it didn’t feel like his first one and the FCL Blue Jays lost the game, he knew that moment awoke something in him that day. 
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“Rookie ball is cool and difficult in its own way,” said Shaw, speaking to Blue Jays Nation. “It’s about learning what it takes to be a professional baseball player and finding ways to be successful.”
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For the Canuck, his time in the complex league has been all about work in progress and what it means to be successful. 
There certainly are challenges and slumps that come with playing baseball at a professional level. When they come, Shaw takes it one game at a time while continuing to have fun and work through it. Controlling what he can control and doing his best has been the name of his game. After all, whether he gets singles or lineouts in both baseball and life, he understands that staying even is what matters the most.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The Future of Canada Baseball 🇨🇦
Canadians Adam Macko, Damiano Palmegiani, Dasan Brown and Sam Shaw all represented the team they grew up cheering for at the inaugural <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpringBreakout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpringBreakout</a>! <a href="https://t.co/PqtdtBrL9t">pic.twitter.com/PqtdtBrL9t</a>
&mdash; Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1769144773980393660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Between 50 games in a season, virtually no fan attendance and veteran big leaguers’ rehab assignments, Shaw has had to find ways to work on himself in rookie ball for the past year and a half. 
“Getting better is why I fell in love with the game as a competitive guy,” said Shaw. “Being a good teammate and figuring out how to help your team win is the goal every day.&#8221;
Outside of baseball, Shaw enjoys pool and golf because both sports help him sharpen the mental side of his baseball game. Besides, taking his time and trusting himself has been important to Shaw and he’s now working to translate that into his game. 
Shaw’s time in Rookie Ball allowed him to connect with different Jays prospects and even big leaguers who were in town on rehab assignments, including future Hall of Fame candidate and fellow countryman, Joey Votto. 
“To play with someone like Votto was an honour and a cool experience,” said Shaw. “He is a nice guy and I should have picked his brain more but he gave me a few tips on what I could work on, which I think just shows how great of a guy he is.” 
The Canadian rookie also learned a lot from other Jays prospects and big leaguers like Addison Barger, Spencer Horwitz, Leo Jiménez, Kevin Kiermaier and Alek Manoah during their stints in the complex league as well. Their time in Florida allowed him to work into different conversations, so he can learn more about what kind of players they are. Kiermaier, in particular, took his time out of the day to talk to young players about how to be successful long term in baseball and how he manages to keep his outfield defence mechanics. 
 “I’m ready for the next step after playing my first full year,” said Shaw. “Hopefully, I can go up a level heading into this season and play my game and continue getting promoted up the ladder. I will have a chance to play in front of my family and friends if I can play my way to Vancouver this year, which would be a pretty cool experience and help me work towards my goal of playing in the big leagues.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝟔𝟎: 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑)
INF Sam Shaw (BC)<a href="https://twitter.com/VictoriaEagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VictoriaEagles</a>
2023, Toronto Blue Jays, 9th-round (No. 274) &#8211; Signed, $272.5k
Shaw was just drafted in July 2023 and had 40 plate appearances over nine games in Rookie to begin his pro… <a href="https://t.co/zngnCq1Ci4">pic.twitter.com/zngnCq1Ci4</a>
&mdash; Prep Baseball BC (@PrepBaseballBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepBaseballBC/status/1756029212627005611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 In the meantime, the outfielder will put his head down and understand what it takes to become a better player. With hard work, he knows he’ll be there soon, but he will control what he can because he knows his call-up won’t be up to him. 
Heading into the 2025 season, Shaw has worked on how to drive the ball more effectively and getting faster. For the young Canuck, becoming a five-tool player who can steal bases, hit home runs and doubles is his mission. He’s also aiming to play every position at an elite level because it’s an easy way to help his team win and give his teammates some rest. 
“I’m just excited to show what I can do on the field,” said Shaw. “My goal is to have fun and do my thing each day &#8211; I know I’ll be pretty successful that way and control the things that I can control.” The 20-year-old will keep working his way towards becoming a difference maker for the Toronto Blue Jays in the long run. His hope right now? Just keep improving, learning and hopefully making it into the big leagues in the next three to four years. 
Humble dreams, but for Shaw, it all <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/video/how-sam-shaw-went-from-victorias-little-league-legend-to-blue-jays/">began</a> when he came up to hit third for his team Beacon Hill nearly seven years ago during the provincial Little League championship game. Coming back against the juggernauts in Little Mountain was going to take a miracle, but that was until Shaw worked a full count and fouled one off. 
When he swung at the next pitch, Shaw changed the game &#8211; he drove the baseball out of the field to hit a walk-off grand slam in Hollywood Park.
Shaw knew when his moment was and the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. Armed with more experience and knowledge as he enters his third season with the Blue Jays, he continues to forge a path to playing in the big leagues. If the same Sam Shaw from the Hollywood Park shows up every day, he may just make it happen.
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Nine months ago, Blue Jays prospect Sam Shaw was in a major funk when the rookie level FCL Blue Jays faced the FCL Phillies. The Victoria, B.C. born <a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-sign-highly-touted-canadian-high-school-draft-pick-sam-shaw-to-over-slot-bonus">ninth round pick from the 2023 MLB Draft</a> struck out at the plate to start the game and was struggling to find his mojo. 

Before the young Canadian outfielder went up to the batter’s box again, one of his coaches told him to 'take a hack at it'. And when Shaw found himself in the batter’s box again, the Phillies’ pitcher made a critical mistake by throwing a middle-in fastball. The 20-year-old knew he smoked the pitch as soon as he hit it. That’s how Shaw hit his very first professional home run and turned things around. While it didn’t feel like his first one and the FCL Blue Jays lost the game, he knew that moment awoke something in him that day. 
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
“Rookie ball is cool and difficult in its own way,” said Shaw, speaking to Blue Jays Nation. “It’s about learning what it takes to be a professional baseball player and finding ways to be successful.”

&nbsp;

For the Canuck, his time in the complex league has been all about work in progress and what it means to be successful. 

There certainly are challenges and slumps that come with playing baseball at a professional level. When they come, Shaw takes it one game at a time while continuing to have fun and work through it. Controlling what he can control and doing his best has been the name of his game. After all, whether he gets singles or lineouts in both baseball and life, he understands that staying even is what matters the most.

https://twitter.com/BlueJays/status/1769144773980393660

Between 50 games in a season, virtually no fan attendance and veteran big leaguers’ rehab assignments, Shaw has had to find ways to work on himself in rookie ball for the past year and a half. 

“Getting better is why I fell in love with the game as a competitive guy,” said Shaw. “Being a good teammate and figuring out how to help your team win is the goal every day."

Outside of baseball, Shaw enjoys pool and golf because both sports help him sharpen the mental side of his baseball game. Besides, taking his time and trusting himself has been important to Shaw and he’s now working to translate that into his game. 

Shaw’s time in Rookie Ball allowed him to connect with different Jays prospects and even big leaguers who were in town on rehab assignments, including future Hall of Fame candidate and fellow countryman, Joey Votto. 

“To play with someone like Votto was an honour and a cool experience,” said Shaw. “He is a nice guy and I should have picked his brain more but he gave me a few tips on what I could work on, which I think just shows how great of a guy he is.” 

The Canadian rookie also learned a lot from other Jays prospects and big leaguers like Addison Barger, Spencer Horwitz, Leo Jiménez, Kevin Kiermaier and Alek Manoah during their stints in the complex league as well. Their time in Florida allowed him to work into different conversations, so he can learn more about what kind of players they are. Kiermaier, in particular, took his time out of the day to talk to young players about how to be successful long term in baseball and how he manages to keep his outfield defence mechanics. 

 “I’m ready for the next step after playing my first full year,” said Shaw. “Hopefully, I can go up a level heading into this season and play my game and continue getting promoted up the ladder. I will have a chance to play in front of my family and friends if I can play my way to Vancouver this year, which would be a pretty cool experience and help me work towards my goal of playing in the big leagues.”

https://twitter.com/PrepBaseballBC/status/1756029212627005611

 In the meantime, the outfielder will put his head down and understand what it takes to become a better player. With hard work, he knows he’ll be there soon, but he will control what he can because he knows his call-up won’t be up to him. 

Heading into the 2025 season, Shaw has worked on how to drive the ball more effectively and getting faster. For the young Canuck, becoming a five-tool player who can steal bases, hit home runs and doubles is his mission. He’s also aiming to play every position at an elite level because it’s an easy way to help his team win and give his teammates some rest. 

“I’m just excited to show what I can do on the field,” said Shaw. “My goal is to have fun and do my thing each day - I know I’ll be pretty successful that way and control the things that I can control.” The 20-year-old will keep working his way towards becoming a difference maker for the Toronto Blue Jays in the long run. His hope right now? Just keep improving, learning and hopefully making it into the big leagues in the next three to four years. 

Humble dreams, but for Shaw, it all <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/video/how-sam-shaw-went-from-victorias-little-league-legend-to-blue-jays/">began</a> when he came up to hit third for his team Beacon Hill nearly seven years ago during the provincial Little League championship game. Coming back against the juggernauts in Little Mountain was going to take a miracle, but that was until Shaw worked a full count and fouled one off. 

When he swung at the next pitch, Shaw changed the game - he drove the baseball out of the field to hit a walk-off grand slam in Hollywood Park.

Shaw knew when his moment was and the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. Armed with more experience and knowledge as he enters his third season with the Blue Jays, he continues to forge a path to playing in the big leagues. If the same Sam Shaw from the Hollywood Park shows up every day, he may just make it happen.

<hr />

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