The Orillia Sport Council will announce the winner of the coveted Orillia Athlete of the Year for 2023 on Feb. 15 at Rotary Place. Isabella Holmgren, Chas Sharpe and Wyatt Thompson have been nominated for the award. Today, we feature Thompson. Click here to read our profile of Holmgren and here to read our profile of Sharpe.
An Orillia baseball player shone on both sides of the border in 2023.
Wyatt Thompson had a stellar season on the diamond for the Orillia Royals last summer. The six-foot-five pitcher was the go-to hurler on his junior team, helping them win a North Dufferin Baseball League (NDBL) championship.
His talents were recognized outside Orillia as he was named the league’s top pitcher and also earned the NDBL’s most valuable player award.
“It meant a lot to me. It was pretty cool” to be recognized, the right-handed pitcher told OrilliaMatters.
Thompson began playing baseball when he was a kid and credits his dad for helping him become the player he has evolved into.
His strong play in the Orillia Royals system over the years helped him to get recognized.
In 2022, the Twin Lakes Secondary School graduate took his talents to Thomas College in Maine. Playing Division III baseball was a dream come true for the local lad.
This past season, as a sophomore, Thompson played in 13 games, recording a 4.18 ERA while compiling a 2-0 record. He had 10 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched. Twice in 2023, he was named the North Atlantic Conference pitcher of the week.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “It feels like the work I’m putting in is paying off.”
He also played basketball for Thomas College, serving as a key bench player for the Terriers.
The 20-year-old says he’s enjoyed putting his talents to the test against some of the best baseball players his age from around the United States.
“The competition is definitely a lot higher than I’m used to,” he said. “Back home you can make a mistake and get away with it, but here there is a lot less room for error.”
While happy with his performance to date, he knows his fastball is not what higher-level teams are looking for.
“I’m a junk guy,” he said with a chuckle. “I throw a lot of curve balls.”
Thompson’s goal is to finish his college tenure with Thomas College by winning the division championship. He has two more seasons left to achieve his dream.
Once Thompson has thrown his final pitch, he plans on coming back to Canada to get his pilot's licence.
“I’m currently majoring in finance,” Thompson explained. “But being a pilot is something I plan on exploring down the road.”
Thompson says he’s learned through achieving his dream of playing NCAA sports that anything is possible.
“This was a chance that I will never get again,” he said. “If I had tried and it didn’t work out, then I wouldn’t have been worse off because of it.”
In addition to his strong play on the field, Thompson has also put a lot of emphasis on his academics, earning a spot on the Dean’s List. He was an honour roll student at Twin Lakes as well.
“All the coaches and adults I’ve talked to have always said, "Worry about the classroom and getting good grades because that’s what is most important,' and it’s definitely true,” Thompson said.
None of the success is a surprise to one of his former Orillia Royals coaches, Mark Kuntz, who nominated Thompson for the athlete of the year award.
“He’s an incredible leader … who is loved by his coaches, teammates and officials” and always displays sportsmanship, said Kuntz.
“He is very proud of being from Orillia and represents (the city) with class,” said Kuntz, who noted the driven athlete always works hard, trains hard and is a “very good” student.
The Orillia Athlete of the Year Award will be presented during a Feb. 15 ceremony in the main floor Orillia Room of Rotary Place in west Orillia. The presentation is slated for 7 p.m. All are welcome.
-- With files from Tyler Evans
