Jose Bautista coaches kids at Gordie Howe Sports Complex on Friday

Kids in Saskatoon had the opportunity to learn some tips and tricks from some of the biggest names in baseball on Friday.

At the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, José Bautista, Buck Martinez and José Berríos helped some eager young players improve their technique and have some fun.

The Toronto Blue Jays legends were in the city to appear as the guests of honour at the 62nd Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner at TCU Place on Friday evening.

Bautista said he was loving his visit to Saskatoon so far, and said working with the Kinsmen Club to help kids who might not otherwise have access to sports is a great feeling.

“Once they told me about the event and explained the cause, I couldn’t wait to get out here,” he said.

José Bautista gave some pointers to young fans in Saskatoon today

He will be featured at the Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner tonight at TCU place @CKOMNews @CJMENews pic.twitter.com/kipjJQDG0h

— Mia Holowaychuk (@miaholoway) February 2, 2024

Bautista – nicknamed “Joey Bats” for his home run prowess – said he hopes he left a positive impact on the kids by encouraging them and making sure they were having fun.

“Sometimes these kids just learn a lot by being around us,” he said. “Anything we do is not truly different or special; we are normal people as well … It’s good when they see their idols or people they follow on TV and just interact with them.”

Bautista, who helped revitalize baseball in Canada, said his time with Toronto was great.

“We created some great memories for ourselves and the fans, and that’s what was the most fun part about it,” he said.

He said it’s “awesome” to see his signature bat flip becoming more common in the MLB.

“It’s a celebration, sort of like when football players (celebrate a) touchdown or basketball players dunk,” he said.

“I think nobody means disrespect by it; it’s just a great way of doing something great within the game.”

His advice to anyone who is hoping to turn their passion for baseball into a professional career is to “just play ‘cause you love it.”

Martinez, the voice of Blue Jays on TV broadcasts, said it’s wonderful to see how much joy the kids in Saskatoon were getting out of the event.

“It’s great to see such a different, diverse level of skills, and some of them are really enjoying the fact that they’re making a catch or throwing a strike,” he said.

He said his advice for young catchers was simple: Work hard.

“That’s the fastest path to a college education,” he said. “I encouraged a couple catchers to work hard here today, and they were pretty responsive.”

For young players like Kovacs North, learning how to swing properly from Bautista was an exciting experience.

“You’ve got to scoop when you swing, just like you’re scooping a ball, and you’ve got to flick your wrist,” North said. “It’s definitely a fun sport.”

Chris Kolinski, the chair for the Kinsmen dinner, explained that community events like this are always meaningful, because many of the young players don’t have the opportunity to play sports.

“To be able to bring them out and hang out with some of baseball’s greatest players is extremely important,” he said.