Nolan Weinmeyer, 17, is helping bring some Island representation to Canadian baseball.
Weinmeyer, who grew up in Sidney, was selected as a shortstop and second baseman for Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team. The Sidney resident got the call he’d made the team on Sept. 14; he’s the only player from Sidney and is one of two Vancouver Island players to make the 28-man roster.
“It was super cool because it was a goal of mine for a while, and when I got the call saying I was on the team, it was surreal, almost,” said Weinmeyer.
The decision, however, was less surprising to his dad, Brad Weinmeyer. “We’re really proud of him. I’m not so shocked—he’s put in a lot of work over the years,” his dad said.
“When he hit 13, you could see that it was what he wanted to do.”
Brad Weinmeyer said Nolan can credit his success to his coachability and his passionate work ethic. “We always call him the baseball rat because, you know, he is going to be at the facility. He’s always working at baseball,” Brad said.
Weinmeyer made his debut with the team in October when he joined them on a trip to the Dominican Republic, where they took part in the Dominican Fall Instructional Camp. The exhibition camp gave the team the opportunity to compete against Dominican Instructional League (DIL) teams – affiliates of Major League Baseball based in the Dominican Republic.
At the camp, Weinmeyer played a key role in helping Canada defeat the Kansas City Royals’ DIL team by closing out the game, retiring the Royals’ final three batters, and cementing the team's victory. He also helped turn the tide in Canada’s game against the San Diego Padres’ DIL team with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
But it wasn’t just his success on the field that Weinmeyer took away from the trip. “Just to see how life is down there, it was super eye-opening on how fortunate we are to be living here with all the stuff that we have.”
Making the Junior National Team is the most recent step in a baseball journey Weinmeyer has been on for most of his life. “My dad played—he was the coach when I was a kid – so I’ve been around it my whole life, and it’s been something that I’ve always really enjoyed.”
He’s come a long way since he began playing baseball at around three years old but is no stranger to representing Vancouver Island. He competed in Major League Baseball’s Pitch, Hit & Run skills competition in Seattle in 2018. Now, he plays for the Langley Blaze, who finished first in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League’s (BCPBL) premier division.
Like many young baseball fans, his favourite team growing up was the New York Yankees. He was inspired by players like Derek Jeter and, today, Alex Bregman. While he now plays in Langley, Weinmeyer says growing up on the Island had a unique impact on his baseball career.
“It was different for sure. When I was growing up, it wasn’t as popular here as it was in Vancouver or Toronto,” Weinmeyer said.
“I found a core group of guys that I played with my whole life, and then some coaches that helped us a lot. I think that really helped—playing with my friends growing up.”
Now, he hopes his success can set a standard for other young ballplayers on Vancouver Island.
“I think that it will help kids that are growing up in Victoria playing baseball to not look up to me, but see me as proof that just because you're from the Island, it’s not impossible.”
For some, playing for the Junior National Team might be a nerve-racking experience—players get cut and added for each trip. But for Weinmeyer, this isn’t something he worries about. “I go down there to play baseball. I don’t really think too much about that stuff.”
While making the national team was a milestone for Weinmeyer, it is just another step in his baseball journey as he sets his sights on college next year and, after that, the pros.
For now, though, he’ll focus on his next trip with the Junior National Team when they travel to Dunedin, Fla., for their next camp in April.
