Ontario鈥檚 Matteo Pare living his dream on baseball diamond
OCOEE, Fla. (BVM) 鈥� When he began playing baseball at 7 years old, Matteo Pare had already realized he found the sport for him. Growing up in Windsor, Ontario, Pare tried out other sports like lacrosse, soccer and hockey, but it was baseball, the same sport his dad played growing up, that he truly loved.
鈥淢y dad really pulled me into it because that was the sport he loved growing up,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淗e thought I would try it and just kind of see where it took me. Now that I look back at it, I鈥檓 pretty glad I stuck with baseball.鈥�
One of the biggest reasons for his passion for baseball came from the team just minutes away from Windsor across the Detroit River: the Detroit Tigers. Growing up during the Tigers鈥� World Series era, Pare idolized the likes of pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer.聽
Now, about a decade later, Pare is following the same path as his biggest MLB idols on the mound.
Throughout his youth baseball career, the now 6-foot-5, 210-pound Pare was always bigger than most of his teammates and opponents. Playing with both the La Salle Titans 鈥� who he won a championship with in his first season in 2013 鈥� and the Riverside Royals, Pare grew confidence in his game. By the time he was entering high school, that confidence turned into the realization that his baseball future was very bright.
鈥淕etting into that grade eight year, going into my freshman year of high school, that鈥檚 kind of when I realized I had something special with baseball,鈥� Pare said.
With his velocity increasing as a result of his continued growth, Pare鈥檚 competition began taking note of his dominance on the pitching mound as well. A hard worker who gives it his all no matter the situation, the Ontario native began holding himself to a higher standard, which served him well as he began playing with .
鈥淲indsor Selects was kind of a big step in my baseball career,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淛ust going from youth baseball to something more competitive, a much bigger league and just a lot more competition was really good for me. It helped me develop a lot more as a baseball player.鈥�
However, despite flourishing in travel baseball, Pare endured a unique experience in his early high school years. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting each of his first two years at St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic High School, and set to impact his grade 11 year as well, the pitcher and his family felt the best thing for his baseball future would be a transition south. That鈥檚 when TNXL Academy in Ocoee, Florida came into the picture.
鈥淲e were shut down again, and we knew that in order for me to get the scholarship I wanted, I needed to go elsewhere,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淲e reached out to Brian [Martinez] here at TNXL, and he gave me the opportunity to come down here. It鈥檚 been a miracle for what it鈥檚 done for my baseball career already.鈥�
Over the past two years, Pare has had the opportunity to play for the elite program that was founded in 2014, one that has developed several players into high-level college commits.
Back at the pond with . Feels good to be back with the boys in Florida. Looking forward to the NAA season.
— Matteo Pare (@MatteoPare_)
鈥淭NXL has been amazing,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 really know what competitive baseball is until you come down here to the South and play. It鈥檚 been amazing, just the way we practice everyday, the mentality, all the lessons that this coaching staff puts out for us. Being able to live and play baseball everyday is just kind of the dream that everybody has here.
鈥淚鈥檝e really developed since I鈥檝e gotten here. I鈥檓 really happy with what I鈥檝e done here.鈥�
Last year, Pare was part of a conference championship squad. However, the competition he sees every time he takes the mound for TNXL rivals that kind of atmosphere.
鈥淧retty much every game is like a conference final,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so competitive with the amazing talent on our side and the other side. Just being on the mound and going up against other top kids in the country really drives me. It really gives me that boost on the mound to compete.鈥�
Matteo Pare () on the bump.
Coastal () commit that鈥檚 impressed each time we鈥檝e seen him this summer.
Former FG w/ a physical 6-4, 210-pound frame. Athletic movements on the mound, fills the zone. Easy delivery. ||
— Prep Baseball Ontario (@PrepBaseballON)
While his time in Florida has given him new opportunities, Pare has not lost sight of his Canadian roots. He takes pride in representing his country, and has been able to do so recently by playing on the Baseball Canada Junior National Team.
The 6-foot-5 pitcher first found out he was part of the team during the fall of 2021. Last year, he finally got to take the diamond alongside some of Canada鈥檚 other young baseball stars, creating a proud moment for both he and his family.
鈥淏ack home in Canada, playing on the junior national team is just one of those prestige levels that we kind of strive for,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淚t was a big accomplishment. Participating with the team the next year was just an unmatched environment 鈥� The competition, and the way it developed me as a pitcher, pitching against older guys, just helped me get a basis of what the feeling is going to be like at the next level, and it allowed me to settle into that already.鈥�
Soon, Pare will continue to represent his homeland on another big stage. As he began playing in Florida, the pitcher鈥檚 dream of playing Division I college baseball became more attainable. While he narrowed his school choices down to East Carolina and Coastal Carolina, there was one choice that stood out in the end, and it was joining the Chanticleers.
I am extremely blessed and excited to announce my commitment to play Division 1 baseball and further my education at Coastal Carolina University. I want to thank my family, teammates, and coaches for their support.
— Matteo Pare (@MatteoPare_)
鈥淲hen I came down here, it really opened a lot of doors,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淚 was talking with a few schools, but it really came down to East Carolina and Coastal Carolina.
鈥淭he environment, the school, Myrtle Beach, the ballpark is gorgeous. The coaching staff, the players, all the athletic staff and academic staff were all very good. They knew what they were talking about. All the coaches were very strong with the program, they鈥檙e there to win.鈥�
While Coastal Carolina isn鈥檛 a Power 5 school and is probably not the first team that comes to the forefront when talking about college baseball for most, there is no denying the success the Chanticleers have had recently. The program has 18 NCAA Tournament appearances overall, 17 of which have come since 2001. In 2016, the Chanticleers reached their high-water mark with a surprise postseason run that ended in a College World Series championship.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not a Power 5 school,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淏ut the way I look at it, it really is just the way they develop everybody, the way they push out MLB prospects every year, how they鈥檙e able to exceed every year being a mid-major. It鈥檚 unmatched. I think it鈥檚 going to be an amazing environment for me to step into.
鈥淚t means the world. That鈥檚 always been the goal for me, to get a scholarship and play high-level baseball. Being able to play at Coastal is a dream.鈥�
The man behind the Chanticleers鈥� success is head coach Gary Gilmore, a former Coastal Carolina player himself before returning to his alma mater to take over the program all the way back in 1996.
鈥淗e knows how to win, and that鈥檚 what I love in a coaching staff,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淭alking with him and seeing his mentality 鈥� That鈥檚 what I looked for when I was deciding on where to go. Someone with a lot of coaching experience like he has, and what he knows and how he implements everything on the ball diamond and off the field. It was one of those things that really quickened the decision for me going there.鈥�
While Pare will look to add to the Chanticleers鈥� recent success over the next few years, his ultimate goal since he began playing the game has remained the same.
鈥淥bviously, the big goal is to get out of there in three years and move on to pro ball,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 always been the big dream.
鈥淛ust staying in the gym, staying throwing, staying on course and keeping the mentality of getting to there, and to keep going when I get there, will get me there. I think consistency and dealing with adversity are the two big things that would really get me to that point.鈥�
Pare knows that with how competitive baseball is, getting to the big leagues will not be easy. However, the hard work and dedication he has put into the sport has him in position to do so.聽
He has already achieved baseball dreams that may not have seemed attainable over the past few years, and it would not be surprising to see him make himself, his family, and his entire country proud yet again.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always been a very competitive stage just to get into the majors,鈥� Pare said. 鈥淓ven getting drafted is just an accomplishment in itself 鈥� Hearing my name on draft night would be one of the biggest, if not the biggest accomplishment of my life so far. I want that to happen, I want my name to be called that night, and for me, that would really satisfy me a lot with what I鈥檝e gone through in my baseball career so far. Making myself proud, and my family proud, would really mean a lot.鈥�