McFarland: Yeager prepares for next step in baseball journey
Merek Yeager (Muenster, Sask.), shown here pitching for the Junior National Team. Photo: Baseball Canada
*This article was originally published on Saskatchewan Dugout Stories on October 15, 2024. You can read it here.
October 16, 2024
By Joe McFarland
Alberta Dugout Stories
Merek Yeager can’t help but laugh about his first experience in Toronto.
Invited to the 2023 Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase, he checked into his hotel then tried to figure out how to get to Rogers Centre.
With all of the skyscrapers, traffic, train stations and tourist attractions in front of him, Yeager started zig-zagging through a 20-minute walk which felt more like an hour.
It didn’t take long for the young hurler to realize he was a long way from home.
“As a kid from Muenster, Saskatchewan, it’s like a 10-minute walk to school – I can see the school from my house,” Yeager told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “This is a little different.”
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Listen to Saskatchewan Dugout Stories interview Merek Yeager here.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
He eventually made it and performed well, while the experience allowed him to be a savvy tour guide when he was invited back to the showcase this summer.
The 17-year-old has had some memorable opportunities in the last couple of years, as he looks to take the next step in his baseball journey.
ALL-SPORT ATHLETE
Believe it or not, Yeager wasn’t a fan of baseball when he took to the field for the first time.
He says his dad reminds him about crying along the fence during his debut in t-ball, but eventually he grew to love the game and the experiences with friends.
Growing up in the village of about 450 people, that core group stuck together all year in every sport, including cross-country, track and field, curling and hockey.
“It’s funny because our volleyball team was our soccer team, which was our badminton team,” Yeager said. “They were all the same kids.”
As a 15-year-old, he was invited to join Team Saskatchewan at the Canada Games in Niagara Falls in 2022, which turned out to be a life-changing event.
While Yeager struggled in his start during a semi-finals loss to Ontario, Saskatchewan managed to bounce back to beat B.C. in the bronze medal game.
The team featured a number of older players – like Carter Beck, Nathan Houston and Cory Wouters – which provided a learning opportunity for the first-time provincial player.
“I was a young dude at the time and had a lot to learn,” the hurler admitted. “I didn’t really know how to pitch yet as I was still kind of a thrower, so that was a big learning curve.”
Despite the rough outing, scouts were starting to take notice of Yeager.
He was also invited to his first Canadian Futures Showcase, which was held in Ottawa that September.
BUILDING MOMENTUM
With a new confidence after playing in some high-level events and learning a few lessons along the way, Yeager entered 2023 on a mission.
He helped the East Central Red Sox claim their first Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (SPBL)18U AAA title, then was invited back to Team Saskatchewan for the Baseball Canada 18U National Championships in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
The team finished in fourth place, while it gave Yeager an opportunity to reflect on being able to represent his province.
“It means everything to me honestly,” he said. “There’s been lots of people who have put lots of trust in me to perform well and represent our province well. I don’t take any of that for granted.”
The door opened once again for the Blue Jays Academy event, this time in Toronto, as well as his first chance to represent Canada.
Yeager also received his first phone call from Greg Hamiton, who told him he’d be joining Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team at the Dominican Fall Instructional League Camp.
“I remember putting on the jersey for the first time and I was like ‘this is so awesome.’”
Once again, he was filled with confidence knowing he could play with some of the best talent in the country.
FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME
Coming into 2024, Yeager had high expectations of himself.
Having had a taste of baseball at the highest level in the Canadian junior ranks, he wanted more.
Yeager was invited back to the Junior National Team for the Extended Spring Training Camp and Dominican Professional Academy Camp, pitching well in both.
He then returned home to pitch for the Red Sox, where he picked up seven wins and posted a miniscule 0.71 earned run average while striking out 65 batters in just 49 innings.
For his efforts, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound fireballer was named the SPBL Pitcher of the Year.
He represented Saskatchewan again at the Baseball Canada Cup, earning another fourth place finish, and pitched in one game for the Saskatoon Berries of the Western Canadian Baseball League, striking out two in one inning of work during a 6-0 win over the Swift Current 57s.
He also made one more trip east to Toronto for the Canadian Futures Showcase.
Looking back on it, Yeager was happy with his final performance at the annual event, as he felt he was truly able to soak it all in.
“Each time, it kind of feels like the first time and, honestly, there’s never really a dull moment there,” he said. “It’s just a good time where you meet lots of really good people, really good ball players, really good coaches – it’s just an experience you won’t forget.”
Yeager was also able to pitch in the final showcase game, which combines all of the best from the previous few days, which is something he was proud to do to cap off his 2024.
OFF TO COLLEGE SOON
Like many baseball players his age, Yeager is looking at his options as he approaches his high school graduation in the next few months.
He admits he’s been trying to keep it quiet on that front as he has a few schools in mind.
“It’s my plan to go to a junior college first and then hopefully transfer over to a good four-year school,” Yeager said. “I feel like I’m not developed yet and I don’t think I’ll get an opportunity to play (at a four-year school).”
Interested in sports medicine or kinesiology, he says academics are important for him as he wants to make sure he has his bases covered for life on and off the field.
For a young man from small-town Saskatchewan, it’s been a fun ride for Yeager the last few years.
And he hopes it’s only just getting started, as he hopes his journey also teaches young athletes about what is needed to chase their dreams.
“If you love the game, you’re going to put everything into it,” he said. “If you put everything into it, opportunities are going to come.”
Just don’t forget a map.