Canadian Baseball Hall to welcome Class of 2025

Glancing across the Rogers Centre field to see his name on the stadium's Level of Excellence still leaves former Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista with a "surreal" feeling. 

TORONTO – Glancing across the Rogers Centre field to see his name on the stadium’s Level of Excellence still leaves former Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista with a “surreal” feeling.

“It’s a good reminder of the time that I spent here, 10 years, it’s a long time,” Bautista said. “A full decade and a lot of good memories and a lot of good times here.”

Sporting a white Blue Jays jersey as he took in a recent game with family in a suite at the ballpark, the memories remain strong for one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

The bat-flip homer in the 2015 playoffs was his signature moment with Toronto but Bautista delivered countless highlights in a Blue Jays uniform. Bautista, who played for eight teams over his 15-year big-league career, will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday in St. Marys, Ont.

“I got a call from (Hall director) Scott Crawford and he broke the news to me,” said Bautista, who lives in Tampa, Fla. “(He) kind of caught me off guard, but I was extremely surprised but at the same time humbled and honoured.

“It was a pleasant surprise for sure and it was really exciting.”

The Class of 2025 also includes former MLB pitcher Erik Bedard, junior national team head coach Greg Hamilton, and Amanda Asay, a longtime women’s national team star. Asay will be inducted posthumously.

The Hall’s veterans committee has elected former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League legend Arleene Noga and Gerry Snyder, who played a key role in bringing the Expos to Montreal in 1969.