This spring, a Saskatchewan pitcher will be headed down to the sunny state of Arizona for spring training camp. Garrett Hawkins, the six foot, five inch pitcher hailing from Biggar, Sask., has been added to the San Diego Padres 40-man roster.
To prepare for his shot at the big leagues, Hawkins has been training over the winter at the Gorde Howe Sports Complex in Saskatoon. In between his regular workout routine, he throws four times a week to prefect his slider and 98-mph fastball.
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“(It’s) more of a try out for the big-league team, which is really exciting, but I am trying to treat it like any other spring training and get ready for the season,” said Hawkins.
The province has been rallying behind Hawkins, supporting him every step of the way. This year has been going particularly well for the 25-year-old athlete, as he was named the Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
“It is really exciting. I definitely don’t think about it during the season, but it is a nice reward at the end of the long season,” said Hawkins.
Hawkins went 9-1 overall with a 1.45 earned run average across 60 innings. He also broke a record this year after pitching 38.2 scoreless innings from April to August, making it the longest scoreless stretch in minor league baseball since 2015.
The Padres spring training will start mid-February in Arizona.
Watch the video above to learn more about Hawkins’ journey.
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