Windsor's Jacob Robson Once Again Answers the Call for Team Canada at World Baseball Classic
When the Canadian national baseball team calls, Windsor's Jacob Robson is always ready to respond. The 31-year-old outfielder is currently in Puerto Rico with Team Canada, which opens pool play in the World Baseball Classic on Saturday against Colombia.
"Some of the best baseball I've ever played has been in red and white," Robson said. "Those people with the national program were the genesis of me believing in myself."
How Baseball Canada Shaped Robson's Career
It was the national junior team program that helped Robson develop confidence in his abilities. "When I was in Grade 11 in 2011, I tried out for the Windsor Selects and got cut," Robson recalled. Not long after that disappointment, he attended a showcase event in London where Greg Hamilton, the national junior team head coach and senior team bench coach, first noticed him.
"I wasn't invited, but I asked if I could go," Robson explained. He attended with friend Damion Smith, who would be drafted the following year by the Arizona Diamondbacks. While Smith was added to the junior team, it was an email that Robson sent with his mother's encouragement that ultimately landed him a spot with the national junior team.
"I heard they were looking for a leadoff hitter that was fast," Robson said. "The email said, 'You should give me a look.'" He drove to Toronto with his father for another camp, where Hamilton saw him play and added him to the junior national team.
"Greg Hamilton saw something in me," Robson reflected. "I don't know what it was because I didn't have a good workout in Toronto. The rest is history."
Beyond Management: Hamilton's Guidance
Hamilton did more than just manage Robson on the field. After winning a silver medal with the national junior team alongside fellow Windsorite Brett Siddall in 2012, Robson began considering his post-high school options.
"I thought about a small school in Michigan," Robson said. "Greg said, 'No, wait for something bigger.' By the end of Grade 12, I had every D1 school talking or offering me and then I got drafted."
He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 30th round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft but opted instead to attend Mississippi State University. In 2016, he was taken in the eighth round by the Detroit Tigers, and in 2021 he made his MLB debut.
Continuing the Professional Journey
Robson is now headed into his 11th professional season, having recently signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent partner league of MLB.
"I just love to play and still feel that way," Robson said. "I'm really happy with that setup. The league is the best independent league and plays a lot of games, and the way I am as a player, the longer the season and the more at-bats I get, the better."
As Robson prepares to represent Canada on the international stage once again, his journey serves as a testament to the impact of national development programs and the importance of perseverance in professional sports.
