Taggart targets Team Canada

Grimsby’s Aiden Taggart recently returned home from a trip to the Dominican Republic with the Canadian Junior National Team (U18). Photo: BASEBALL CANADA

It has been a whirlwind of baseball activity for Aiden Taggart this year.

The 17-year-old, Grade 12 student at West Niagara Secondary School recently finished up his season with a trip to the Dominican Republic with the Canadian Junior National Team (U18).

Canada played 12, nine-inning games in 12 days versus Dominican League affiliates of Major League teams.

“It was a lot of baseball, a lot of sun, lots of fun,” Taggart said.

Taggart was scheduled to throw between seven and nine innings and ended up tossing six innings.

“I did pretty well,” he said. “It was some pretty good competition. These are professional guys, 16-19, all exceptional talent. The hitters didn’t see a pitch below 90. Some guys there had a couple of million dollars in signing bonuses. There were some pretty highly touted international prospects so obviously some pretty good competition.”

Taggart said the level of talent was an eye-opener.

“I think it helps us understand how good we have to be but it also gives us a sense of confidence. For me, I had a pretty good outing there and it helped my confidence,” he said.

The plan was to get as many players exposure as possible, Taggart said.

“Winning is fun, everyone wants to win, but the goal down there was a more of a development approach, letting everyone get some innings in and have some competition against these professional guys and get out feet under us.”

Next up, the Canadian National Team is going to select 20 players to play at the World Baseball/Softball championship qualifier.

“Everyone has an opportunity to go. It was seeing how they performed against this good competition and helping everyone get better so that those 20 guys that do go in the fall are prepared,” he said.

Taggart would love nothing more than to get that opportunity.

“That would be phenomenal. Wearing the red and white to go to the DR to play professional teams is cool but going to international competition to play against other national teams, that’s definitely what my goal is,” he said.

Taggart, who participated for Team Ontario at the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, had an incredibly hectic summer.

He was a member of the 2023 Canada Cup Youth Team for Ontario that played in Regina as well as the All Prospect Team assembled at the Jays Future Showcase at Rogers Centre. It was his second year to be invited to the showcase. The showcase brings together talent from across Canada to a major event for scouts and recruiters to see. The coaches then selected two prospect teams from the attendees to play the final game where Taggart pitched in late-inning relief.

Taggart also plays club ball for the Fieldhouse Pirates of Burlington, who are members of the Canadian Premier Baseball League. He was selected from the all-star weekend activities to pitch with the Canadian Premiers team that competed in the World Wood Bat Underclass World Championship in Fort Myers, Fla. The following week, he was pitching for the Blue Jays Scout team at the World Wood Bat Championship in Jupiter before heading to the Dominican.

Taggart plans to take some well deserved time off before ramping up his workouts for next season.

“Heavy in the weight room, try and gain some weight and strength,” he said. “Probably start a little earlier in the year and do some drills to make sure my arm is staying healthy and fix some mechanical tweaks I want to make.”

Taggart features a four-seam fastball that tops out at 90 miles-per-hour, an effective change up and sharp slider. He plans to add a curve to his repertoire this winter before heading out with the Junior National Team in April for more games versus Major League affiliate teams from the Florida State League. 

He is also weighing offers from schools for next season.

“I have some interest right now from a couple of universities but no decision yet. Probably make up my mind in the fall or spring,” he said.

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