It could have been easy for Lucas Lind to throw his hands in the air and think that it just wasn’t meant to be his tournament.
The Moose Jaw native got the start on the mound in Team Saskatchewan’s opener at the Ray Carter Cup in Summerside, P.E.I. against the eventual silver medal-winning Team Quebec.
It didn’t go well for him as he allowed seven runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out four in a 10-1 loss.
Instead, the early adversity lit a fire under him to perform better, which started in Saskatchewan’s second game, where Lind started at second base and went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in during a 5-2 win over B.C.
Saskatchewan would finish fourth in the tournament while Lind was named the tournament’s top defensive player.
“Winning that award meant a lot,” Lind told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “Just being recognized on the top stage and showing myself that I can perform and compete at the top level.”
He’s been at that level for a while now and is hopeful it’s just the start of things to come.
A 2025 TO REMEMBER
This year’s tournament was Lind’s second as he was part of the team that went to Summerside in 2025.
However, it was a much different result for the right-hitting utilityman, as he picked up just one hit in four games while driving in one while striking out two batters in two relief outings as Saskatchewan finished fifth.
It was merely a blip on Linds’ radar though as he had an outstanding season in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s 15U ‘AAA’ division with his hometown Moose Jaw Canucks.
There, he hit .506 with nine home runs and 50 RBI while sporting an earned run average of just 0.60 with a 9-0 record and 97 strikeouts in 13 appearances.
That effort, for a team that sported a 34-3 record on the season, earned him Baseball Sask’s Minor Male Player of the Year.
“Coming into the year, I just wanted to be solid,” Lind said. “Having the year I had and being named the top player in the province meant everything to me just knowing everything I’ve done to get to that moment showed last year.”
UNDER PRESSURE
So what could Lind possibly do for an encore?
He admits the provincial award added an element of pressure because everyone had high expectations for him.
However, he welcomed that pressure with open arms and once again delivered on the field with the Canucks.
While the team wasn’t as successful, finishing 13-19, Lind was a shining star, hitting .543 with five doubles, five triples, seven home runs, 40 RBI and 37 stolen bases.
On the mound, he was just as good with a 6-0 record and 112 strikeouts in 11 games, posting an ERA of 2.08.
WHAT AN OUTING
When looking back on his season with the Canucks, one outing in particular stands out as jaw-dropping.
Against the Swift Current 57’s on Aug. 2, Lind struck out 16 batters in just five innings of work in a 6-2 Moose Jaw victory.
The first batter of the game, Lincoln Green, reached base on a dropped third strike, struck out his next batter, then allowed a Luke Mitchell two-run home run.
Aside from a couple of walks in the fourth and a single in the fifth, Lind struck out the side in each stanza, eventually picking up the victory.
“My fastball was the best it was all year,” he said. “It was the hardest I’ve thrown and the best ride I’ve felt I had in a while. Then it was also the best my changeup and curveball were, so that helped being able to overpower hitters.”
It was quite a way for Lind and the Canucks to close out the season, which they did that day.
Add in that performance at the Ray Carter Cup where he hit .389 with seven singles, four stolen bases and an RBI in seven games, and his name might be on the ballot again for more Baseball Sask postseason accolades.
DAWG-GONE GOOD
Heading into the offseason, Lind is hoping to add some size to his 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame.
He says he’s also looking to work on his mental game so that he “doesn’t allow my emotions to take control sometimes.”
The Moose Jaw Miller Express affiliate player is also planning a big move west to Okotoks to join Dawgs Academy in February, adding he’s feeling a bit nervous about things but is excited to get to work and take the next step in his baseball journey.
He’s taking the same route as fellow Saskatchewan athletes like Tucker Jesson and Matthew Tran, who helped the Dawgs claim the inaugural Morneau Cup earlier this summer.
Whether he makes the famed 18U Black team or starts off with the White or Red teams, Lind is hoping to simply keep making the same impact he has been over the last couple of seasons with the Canucks.
“My goal for 2027 is to just continue improving as a player and as a teammate,” he said. “When I’m in Okotoks, I want to get my name out there to college coaches, gain exposure, and hopefully get some offers by the end of the year.”
