Takamatsu returns to Quebec Capitales as player

Garrett Takamatsu (Burlington, Ont.) is leaving his job as field manager of the Intercounty Baseball League's Toronto Maple Leafs to return to the Frontier league's Quebec Capitales as a catcher and infielder. Photo: Toronto Maple Leafs

December 21, 2022

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Garrett Takamatsu is leaving his job as field manager of the Intercounty Baseball League's Toronto Maple Leafs to return to the Frontier league's Quebec Capitales as a catcher and infielder.

Takamatsu, 24, became the youngest manager in Leafs history when he replaced Damon Topolie near the end of the 2022 season and almost guided them to the league championship before the Leafs fell to the London Majors in the final.

"He wants to try and continue his dream of the pro life,'' Leafs team governor and chief operating officer Ty Crawford said in a phone interview. "The Quebec team thought enough of him that they wanted him back down there.

"He's so humble, he never talks about himself. He's so confident in himself. He has a lot of leadership qualities.''

In 2022 with the Capitales, the Burlington, Ont. native hit .291 with two homers and 23 RBIs in 40 games. The former standout at Central Oklahoma, Indian Hills in Iowa and Central Alabama was voted the Intercounty's MVP in 2021 as a member of the Leafs, hitting .419 with 13 doubles, 12 homers and 38 RBIs.

Crawford hopes to have a new manager in place by the end of December or early in the new year.

In other Leafs' news, Roger Lajoie has stepped down as vice-president of business operations and Crawford wished him good luck in "future endeavours.'' Lajoie had been with the Leafs off and on over the years, mostly as an official scorekeeper.

Lajoie has a lot on his plate because he's a host on The Fan 590 Radio, is an official scorer at Blue Jays' games and he recently got a job as a sports-book supervisor at the Pickering Casino Resort east of Toronto. Last May, he stepped down as director of marketing for the NHL's Ottawa Senators.