St. George teen wins MVP, gold at national fast pitch championship

All-Star Best Pitcher Nate Wylie of St. George, left, and All-Star Best Catcher Matt Airhart celebrate their honours at the U17 Men’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

A St. George ball player has struck gold at the national level and earned a spot on Team Canada.

Nate Wylie, a Grade 11 student at Paris District High School, helped the U17 Napanee Express capture the U17 Men’s Canadian Fast Pitch Championship in August. Napanee closed out the tournament with a 13-2 win over their rival Wilmot Thunder, powered by a relentless offensive attack and steady work on the mound from Wylie.

Wylie, 16, hit .800 in the playoff round and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He was also selected as the All-Star Best Pitcher during round robin play.

“It felt nice to be recognized,” Wylie said. “The final out of the game was my favourite moment — it was a pop-up, and I knew we had won gold.”

The teen finished the championship with standout numbers. He started five games and won all five, posting a 2.93 earned run average and a 1.16 WHIP. In the playoff round, he struck out 24 batters in three starts, carried a 2.77 ERA, and allowed just over one baserunner per inning. His batting average for the entire tournament was .533.

The Express faced teams from Newfoundland, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan before the gold medal match against Wilmot. Their only loss came in a tight round-robin game against Nova Scotia 1.

Wylie has been with Napanee for three years, choosing to leave St. George Minor Ball at U15 when no team was available in his age group. “The biggest turning point for me was the first year I went to a national championship with St. George,” he said. “We won a bronze medal, and I knew I wanted to keep playing at the national level.”

His parents, Sam and Tara Wylie, said his skill was evident early on. “Nate was always being asked to play up with older teams,” Sam said. “At 15 he was drafted by Wilmot to play U17 Nationals in New Brunswick, and this past summer he was drafted by the U20 St. George Aces to play in their national tournament in Saskatoon.”

They added that behind every individual award is the work of an entire roster. While they were proud of their son for his accomplishments, they both agreed, ““I think we were more excited about the team winning a Gold medal at the National level.”

Tara added, “This group of players and coaches have worked hard over the years to achieve this. While individual awards are great, and definitely something to be proud of, ultimately, it’s a team sport. Every player contributes. We know how hard everyone worked and were so happy for the team.”

Nate credits his development to coaches, teammates and players he has competed against in KFL men’s league action. He said what sets him apart is his approach on the mound, a steady mindset he leans on in big moments.

Now, the St. George pitcher is preparing for his next challenge. Wylie has been named to Team Canada’s U17 squad, which will travel to Argentina in October for international play.

For younger players dreaming of reaching that level, his advice is direct. “You have to work hard,” he said. “Even in winter months I am training, pitching and practicing whenever I can.”