His collegiate career didn’t start exactly as he had hoped, but Grier Peterson has quickly figured it out.
The Assinioboia native was 0-for-9 in his first two and a half games with the Victoria Golden Tide when he finally got the proverbial monkey off his back with a single against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades on March 29, 2025.
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound third baseman started to feel more comfortable, putting up a solid .290 batting average to go along with two doubles, nine runs batted in and 12 runs scored in 21 games.
Heading into his sophomore campaign, Peterson wanted to be a bigger piece of the puzzle and is doing that in spades.
The Moose Jaw Canucks alum has posted a .290 average with six doubles, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored in 19 games and there’s still another month of the season to go.
While the team has struggled out of the gates, he believes the talent is there to right the ship and make a charge for the Canadian College Baseball Conference World Series, which is set for May 21-24 in Lethbridge, Alberta.
We caught up with the Camosun College product recently for a quick Q&A to frame up our latest 7th Inning Stretch.
1. Numbers aside, how are you feeling about your season so far?
Last year, I felt a bit of the imposter syndrome that I always get when transitioning to a new level. This year, though, I see myself as more confident and established, which has allowed me to have fun on the diamond and play more freely.
2. Heading into the year, did you have any goals or expectations of yourself?
I had a great second half of the season last year, so coming into this season, I expected to be among the top third basemen in the league. With how things have gone so far, I feel I’ve met those expectations and want to continue improving throughout the second half.
3. How are the vibes in the clubhouse heading into the final month of the season?
With our team sitting at 3–17, there’s definitely a lot of disappointment as a group. We know that record doesn’t reflect the skill we have, so there’s a real sense of eagerness to show what we’re capable of over the next few weeks and finish the season on a high note.
4. What would it mean to you to win a CCBC championship?
Having won four provincial titles in minor and senior ball in Saskatchewan, winning at the collegiate level is something I want to prove to myself. It’s going to take another level of compete and grit.
5. How does a guy from Assiniboia get into baseball in the first place?
Baseball runs deep in the Peterson family. My grandfather, Norman Peterson, and great-uncle, Merlin Peterson, were members of the Aquadell Flyers team, which was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. My Dad Trevor also played for the Carlyle Cardinals who are in the hall as well. Growing up hearing stories from my grandpa and dad, it was hard not to fall in love with the game. Now, being older, I play with a lot of pride, especially coming from a small town. It also helped that baseball was one of the only things my friends and I had to do during the summer.
6. Any favourite memories or moments on the field growing up?
My favourite memory would be winning Midget Tier 1 Provincials in Yorkton and then competing in Westerns in Estevan. If I wasn’t playing, I was watching my sister Raina play softball, and those are some of my favourite memories.
7. Any advice or words of wisdom you would like to impart on those young kids just starting out on their baseball journeys and wanting to get to where you’re at now?
My advice would be to play with intensity and have fun, like you’re playing backyard wiffle ball with your friends.
Tales of Baseball 