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OTTAWA - Baseball Canada is thrilled to announce that Greg Hamilton has been named the winner of Baseball America’s Tony Gwynn Award for 2022 in recognition of his lifetime achievement and contributions to the game of baseball.
Hamilton, who’s held the title of Head Coach and Director of Men’s National Teams with Baseball Canada since 1998, joins a list of previous Tony Gwynn Award winners that includes Cal Ripken, Augie Garrido, Tom Kotchman, Jerry Weinstein, Keith Lieppman, Felipe Alou and Mike Brito.
“On behalf of Baseball Canada’s executive, board of directors and staff we’re thrilled for Greg and his family on this well-deserved honour,” said Baseball Canada CEO Jason Dickson. “I’ve known Greg for over 20 years and am constantly amazed by his work ethic, devotion to his family and Baseball Canada, and the respect that he has from all circles of the game.”
Hamilton’s involvement with Baseball Canada’s National Teams program spans over four decades. From 1992-1995, he was the Pitching Coach with the Senior National Team before taking over the Junior National Team program in 1996.
Hamilton joined Baseball Canada full time in 1998 as Director National Teams and Head Coach of the Junior National Team (U-18), positions he still holds today. He has been a member of the Team Canada coaching staff and has acted as General Manager for five World Baseball Classic events (2006, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2023), two Olympics (2004, 2008) and three Pan Am Games (2011, 2015, 2019) where Canada has collected two gold and one silver medal.
After a four-year playing career at Princeton University, where he also spent one season on the Tigers’ hockey team, Hamilton began a coaching career that brought him to Princeton University, Montpelier, France and the University of Maine.
Hamilton’s greatest impact in baseball and on the lives of others has been through Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team program, a program that he’s developed and nurtured since the late 90’s.
Realizing the need for high level competition to enhance the skillsets and expose Canada’s top high school players to college and professional evaluators, Hamilton forged relationships with Major League Baseball organizations that has allowed teams to train and compete against professional competition numerous times during a given calendar year.
Junior National Teams with Hamilton at the helm have qualified and played in 12 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups winning medals in 1997 (bronze), 2006 (bronze) and 2012 (silver).
Hamilton has coached over 300 players who’ve gone on to be selected in the MLB draft including 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau, 2004 National League Rookie of the Year Jason Bay, former MLB All Stars Russell Martin, Michael Saunders and Mike Soroka, 2002 top 10 MLB picks and former big leaguers Adam Loewen and Jeff Francis along with current and former pros Andrew Albers, Phillippe Aumont, John Axford, Jim Henderson, Brett Lawrie, Charles Leblanc, Bo Naylor, Josh Naylor, Tyler O’Neill, James Paxton, Nick Pivetta, Zach Pop, Cal Quantrill and Rowan Wick.
