Alumni Spotlight: Chris Leroux

The last alumni spotlight we highlighted some of the high-profile arms that came through our doors in the early 2000s and Chris Leroux is another one of those, pitching for three big league teams over parts of six seasons.

Leroux, now 36-years-old was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in 2002 (9th round) before heading to Winthrop University for three years before being drafted again, this time in the 7th round by the Florida Marlins.

The Mississauga native right-hander went on to pitch in six big league seasons and as well as some time in Japan with Tokyo Yakult Swallows. While he's just one of five big leaguers in Team Ontario history, some of his finest moments throughout his pro career came with a Team Canada uniform on as he appeared in eight tournaments between 2002 and 2019.

Most notably, he pitched in three World Baseball Classic's for the red and white and won gold at the 2017 Pan Am Games on home soil in Ajax, Ontario. 

Following his final pro innings in the winter of 2017, Leroux was back on television but not wearing a baseball uniform this time. Leroux was 'The Bachelor' on season 3 of The Bachelor Canada in what seems to have set him up for a career in the TV/radio industry following his playing days.

Leroux has since spent some time with Sportsnet Fan590 in Toronto covering the Blue Jays and you can still catch him on the radio from time-to-time with his baseball insight.

There was no doubt from a young age the Montreal-born hurler was primed for a lengthy career in the game but he surpassed even those expectations becoming a well-known name in the sport across the country.