On June 7th, six new members will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ontario, bringing the total number of inductees to 167.

Canadian citizenship is not required for induction into the hall, as the list of inductees includes men and women who have made an impact on baseball in or for this country, from various aspects, including playing, coaching, volunteering, umpiring, writing, and everything in between. To be inducted, one must be nominated and then receive a sufficient number of votes from the selection committee.

Greg Hamilton is set to be inducted in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame after nearly three decades (and counting) of involvement with Canadian national baseball teams. The long overdue inclusion of Hamilton represents the only coach to be enshrined in 2025.

Born in Toronto, Hamilton first got involved with Canada’s senior national team as a pitching coach back in 1992. In 1995, he was named the head coach of the Junior national team, a position that he still holds to this day. He has led the team to three medals in international competition, including a silver at the U-18 Baseball World Cup in 2012. He has been instrumental for the development of baseball in our country and has coached just about every notable Canadian that has gone on to play in the majors leagues in the last 30 years.

Hamilton doubles as the longtime general manager of the senior national team, having put together the rosters for the Pan-Am Games (2011, 2015), Olympics (2004, 2008), and each of the World Baseball Classics (debuting in 2006). He will once again lead the team that selects Canada’s roster for the 2026 WBC, which could end up being the best that Canada has ever put together on the world stage.

As discussed in our early look at Canada’s potential WBC roster before the season, there are a number of intriguing options that could make for a powerful and balanced lineup. The team will likely be led by major leaguers like Freddie Freeman, the Naylor brothers, and Nick Pivetta, but filling out the bottom of the roster with young players will be pivotal for Hamilton to build a team that gets passed the group stage.

Hamilton enshrinement later this week follows his induction into the Baseball Ontario Hall of Fame in 2023. In March, he was named as the 10th most influential person in Canadian baseball by the Canadian Baseball Network, a list that he topped back in 2011. Based on his ongoing involvement and commitment to baseball in Canada, he will continue to have his fingerprints on the game for years to come.

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