Blue Jays add former women’s national team standout to High-A staff
TORONTO — The Blue Jays shall be including Ashley Stephenson, certainly one of Canada’s most embellished baseball gamers internationally, to the teaching workers of their High-A affiliate in Vancouver for the 2023 season.
Stephenson is the second girl employed to a training position by the Blue Jays previously two seasons, following Jaime Lever, who joined the group as a Minor League hitting coach in ’22. Eleven ladies labored in on-field teaching roles with Major and Minor League golf equipment final season, a quantity that continues to develop.
“I am really excited for this opportunity,” Stephenson mentioned in a press launch. “I’ve loved baseball and the Blue Jays since I was 3 years old, and never really imagined that I’d be able to have a career in the game, let alone with my favourite team. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and develop as a coach all while doing my best to help our players reach their ultimate goal.”
Stephenson was an unique member of the Canadian Women’s National Team going again to 2004, enjoying with that membership till her profession wrapped in ’18. At that point, Stephenson instantly jumped into a training position, serving to to guide Canada to a bronze medal on the COPABE Women’s Pan-American Baseball Championships in ’19.
In 2022, Stephenson grew to become the primary girl to handle the Canadian Women’s National Team when it hosted the United States for a five-game collection. She was later named Baseball Canada’s coach of the yr.
While all of this was occurring, in fact, the Blue Jays have been watching.
In August of 2022, Stephenson was invited to the Blue Jays’ new Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Fla. Stephenson spent every week there working with younger gamers.
“Ashley had been on our radar as a coaching candidate for a while before we invited her to come and help out at the complex. Seeing her work with our players and alongside our staff gave us more than enough confidence in her ability to succeed as a coach,” mentioned Joe Sclafani, director, participant improvement. “We are elated to now have her as part of our staff in Vancouver and are excited to see her continue to grow as a coach as well as the impact she’ll have on our developing players.”
In February, Stephenson will take a depart from her job as a highschool trainer to hitch the Blue Jays for camp. Stephenson graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor of Education and Wilfred Laurier University with an an honors Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology. While at Laurier, Stephenson, a gifted multi-sport athlete, received OUA championships with the hockey staff in 2002, ’04, ’05 and ’06, profitable nationwide event MVP when her staff received the Canadian championship in ’05.
The High-A Vancouver Canadians, coached in 2022 by fellow Canadian Brent Lavallee, shall be stocked once more with a number of the Blue Jays’ high prospects, most of whom shall be 20-to-23 years previous, a yr or two faraway from being drafted.
For many of those gamers, an task to Vancouver is their first alternative to go to Canada. Now, with Stephenson on board, they’ll be studying from one of many nation’s finest.
