May 19, 2020

By Jonathan Hodgson

Canadian Baseball Network

Before he starts to pen a new chapter in his baseball story, coach Corey Eckstein isn’t about to let a lost last season with the Abbotsford Cardinals go to waste.

The long-time coach with the B.C. Premier League club revealed plans last week for the establishment of the Eckstein Bursary to be awarded annually to a Cardinals player.

Eckstein (Abbotsford, BC) has been a prominent figure in Abbotsford and Fraser Valley baseball since joining the Cardinals in 2006 as an assistant coach of the senior team. From there, he became the head coach of the program’s 16U team for three years, before returning to the senior team as head coach for the remainder of his time with the program, with the exception of a short break near the end of 2015 and spending 2016 behind the scenes.

In 2009, Eckstein founded Sandlot Baseball BC and assumed control of Yale Baseball Academy. The Fraser Valley Baseball Academy was formed in 2018, bringing the Cardinals, Yale, University of the Fraser Valley, and Sandlot under one umbrella in a move to unify the baseball efforts in the region.

Beyond the Fraser Valley, Eckstein has been an area scout with the Kansas City Royals since 2013, earning 2014 American League Championship Series and 2015 World Series rings. He was on the coaching staff of Canada’s Junior National Team for four years, winning silver medals at the 2011 IBAF World Qualifier in Columbia, and 2012 World Championships in South Korea. Finally, he has coached at the T12 tournament (2015-18) and has enjoyed tenures with Team B.C. and the University of the Fraser Valley.

In December of 2019, it was announced that Eckstein would be joining the Ontario Blue Jays in August as the program’s first director of player personnel. The plan called for him to coach one final season in Abbotsford this spring before moving east.

That was before the COVID-19 pandemic threw a nasty hook.

The BCPBL was forced to cancel the 2020 season, effectively ending Eckstein’s time in the dugout at Delair Park without the opportunity to write out a final lineup card in a place where he oversaw a program and grew roots in the community for 14 years.

Despite the disappointing finish with the program, Eckstein was not about to let his last season go to waste, with the establishment of the Eckstein Bursary.

Each year, players in the Cardinals program will have the opportunity to write a handwritten letter to Eckstein explaining why they are deserving. Eckstein will select one player annually to receive the $500 bursary.

The 2005 inductee into the Abbotsford Sports Wall of Fame envisions the bursary recognizing players for different reasons each year.

“One year it might be a hardship case, while the next year it could be someone who portrays the leadership qualities that I try and instill in all of my players,” Eckstein explained. “Players will be rewarded for being leaders in their community, giving back to the game of baseball, being a conscientious student, and leading by example both on and off the field.”

Eckstein said in a statement that the Abbotsford Cardinals and Delair Park will always hold a special place in his heart, and it is important to him that he is able to continue to help one player each season.

He explained by saying, “This program has allowed me to grow up, mature, fail, and pick myself back up over the last 14 years. The least I could do is help support one player from afar. Selfishly, I hope I receive many letters from players each year as it is the relationships with the players that I will miss the most.” 

The part of Eckstein’s transition that is still going ahead as scheduled, if not as planned in the pandemic, is his family’s upcoming cross-country move. The Eckstein squad, which includes his wife Kourtni, sons Kohen and Hudson, and daughter Parker are set to make the journey to their new home in Ancaster, Ont.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever anticipate moving across the country in the middle of a pandemic,” Eckstein admitted. “Our house has been packed for weeks, which has made it difficult to keep our kids busy, but we are making the most of our remaining time in B.C. We have our health so, as chaotic as it has been, that's all that matters.”

Eckstein recently tweeted a poll asking his followers whether he should fly or drive.

The consensus answer: Road trip.

“Joe Ellison (Ontario Blue Jays director of baseball operations) will be making the trek with me,” Eckstein explained. “My hope is to stop and visit my baseball friends across the country as we work our way back to Ontario.”

The pair will depart Abbotsford on June 19 and are scheduled to make seven stops along the route to their new home in Ancaster, Ont. to visit baseball friends. The rest of the family will fly out on July 1.

After pouring so much into the Cardinals program and growing deep roots in British Columbia’s lower mainland and beyond over the last 14 years, Eckstein is excited to take a swing at a new challenge with the renowned Blue Jays program.

“I haven't been this excited in a long time,” said the Vernon College baseball alumni and member of Canada’s Junior National Team in 2003. “I am not looking at coming in to reinvent the wheel, but I am excited to put my own spin on how we do things and how we conduct ourselves. When you lead an organization of this size, you can't be afraid to keep people accountable and have tough conversations. I look forward to putting my head down and getting in the trenches with all of our staff members.”

Though not on site just yet, Eckstein has already started some of his duties with the Blue Jays. Some of those tough conversations have already taken place, albeit unexpected. Due to the health and safety considerations and travel restrictions in place due to the pandemic, the Blue Jays were forced to suspend their season until further notice, which cancelled their spring training trip to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The season suspension, as well as the closure of the team facilities until further notice, also led to staff layoffs unfortunately becoming necessary.

Although not the way he anticipated starting his time with the program, Eckstein believes this time will be a blessing in disguise for the Blue Jays.

“The pandemic has allowed us to better prepare for when things get going again after the pandemic,” Eckstein said. “We have a lot more exciting stuff rolling out here soon that we are extremely excited about as an organization.”

One announcement that has already been rolled out, is the establishment of the Canadian Super Series.

Beginning in 2021, the Canadian Super Series will see the Blue Jays face the Okotoks Dawgs Academy in an annual summertime showcase pitting two of Canada’s most successful high-performance youth academies against each other in an exhibition for yearly bragging rights between the two prestigious programs.

The idea for the Super Series has been around for a couple of years and reached the finish line after Eckstein received a call from Dawgs Academy head coach and pitching coordinator Jeff Duda.

“We literally agreed to the Super Series within 10 minutes,” Eckstein recalled. “Any time I can enhance our schedule on home soil against quality competition, that's what I will do. OBJ has a very extensive U.S. schedule and I believe that we owe it to our parent group to allow them to watch their children play if an opportunity like this presents itself.”

Plans call for the Canadian Super Series to alternate locations annually, beginning next June in Toronto and returning to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, Alta. in 2022.

“Its going to be a fun, competitive weekend of baseball and I have no doubt that this will turn into a much bigger event in the years to come,” Eckstein said.

As his time in Abbotsford winds down, and with no practices to run or lineup cards to write out, Eckstein has had opportunity to reflect on the achievements, moments, and people that have made his time in Abbotsford so special.

“Obviously our BCPBL championship years in 2016 and 2018 stand out, but there were so many years prior to then where we were at the bottom of the barrel trying to become a competitive program. We went from being walked all over, to being respected, to sometimes being feared,” Eckstein remembered.

He added that he is proud of each player who has graduated from the Cardinals program, as well as the assistant coaches who he has worked with.

“Derek Florko was a big part of the Cardinals organization who is now a double-A hitting coach with the Angels, and Taylor Bratton, who moved here from Ontario, is now affiliated with the Padres as an associate scout,” Eckstein pointed out. “All of these are small victories in my eyes.”

Community service, player graduations, career advancement for his coaches, and a winning expectation built. Corey Eckstein leaves quite a legacy with the Abbotsford Cardinals, and as he starts his new journey with the Ontario Blue Jays, a piece of his heart will remain at Delair Park as evidenced by the Eckstein Bursary.

“I hope to receive many application letters for the bursary every year, as it is the relationships with the players that I will miss the most,” Eckstein concluded.