He might not be the biggest player on the roster, but Jackson Martin is hoping to have biggest impact with the Moose Jaw Miller Express this summer.
At 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, the sophomore outfielder craves the opportunity to drive in timely runs or make big catches.
He’s been doing it his whole baseball career, which took the Grand Coulee native through Martin Academy in Regina, the Canada Summer Games with Baseball Sask in 2022 and, most recently, College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California.
Martin had an outstanding freshman season in 2024, hitting .322 with four home runs, 21 runs batted in, and five stolen bases in 40 games en route to being named to the Saskatchewan Dugout Stories All-College Team.
He followed that up this spring by hitting .230 with two roundtrippers, 16 RBI and two stolen bases in 36 games.
The left-hitting Ave Marie University commit has been a consistent performer in the early going of the Western Canadian Baseball League season, hitting .278 with seven RBI in his first nine games, as the Miller Express look to get themselves back to the championship for the third time in four summers.
Martin joined us for the Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast WCBL Season Preview Extravaganza, which helped us form our latest 7th Inning Stretch.
1. How excited are you to get going this summer with the Moose Jaw Miller Express?
Oh, I’m super-excited. Being back at home at Ross Wells, I grew up playing there in an 18U league and it’s a place I’ve really enjoyed playing at. It also factors in that I’ve had a good experience there with being able to put up numbers there. I’m excited to see what we can do with Coach Eric (Marriott) this year.
2. You’re on a team that’s fresh off getting to the WCBL championship in 2024. What are you hoping to bring to the table in terms of getting them over the hump to take home that championship?
Just the timely hits. I think they had a lot of those last year, but I’m hoping I can excel more in that this year. I feel that’s more of my game, being able to come up in big moments and being able to produce with guys in scoring position to get runs when we need it. Hopefully we can continue all the way and take it home this year and not fall short to Okotoks.
3. When you look at that roster, which has a few new faces like yourself, what excites you most?
Just meeting new guys, honestly, Just being able to connect with new guys and I have a couple of guys coming down from COD as well. It’s going to be fun traveling around with new guys and hopefully we can win it all, obviously. Just take it slow to start and capitalize in moments we need to and win when we need to win.
4. You’re just a short distance away from your hometown. How excited are you to get back there and enjoy some home-cooked meals?
Oh, super-excited being able to get back to my family. Getting some meals from mom and dad will be awesome.
5. When you walk in the door, what’s the first thing you’re asking them to make you?
Probably moose sausage. It’s just something that I’ve always loved having. It started with my grandpa, who always made it, and it just came down the family line. Hopefully they can have some ready for when I get home.
6. What does it mean to you to be able to have family and friends in the stands when you’re playing this summer?
It means a lot with my family and grandparents. They haven’t been able to come down to California to see me much, so being a quick 30-minute drive away from home for them, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it and I’ll appreciate it a lot being able to have them in the stands. Being able to perform, it truly helps me a little bit. It gives me a little more time to stay relaxed and perform for them, then take it from there.
7. What would it mean to you to bring a WCBL title back to Moose Jaw?
Oh man, that’s a great question. Being close to Moose Jaw growing up there, I’d go there all the time. Just coming back to a place that I grew up in and grew up by, I think it would mean a lot to me. I’m sure it would mean a lot to the people of Moose Jaw as well, to the coaches, to the program. Hopefully we can do it this year.
Tales of Baseball 