Dawson Tweet was surrounded by baseball growing up. 

The 22-year-old infielder for the Welland Jackfish hails from Russell, Man., a small town of less than 2,000 located approximately 15 kilometres east of the Saskatchewan border and 340 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, not the first place one would think of as a baseball hotbed.

But Tweet had a father who was a baseball coach, a batting cage in his backyard and quickly developed a passion for the game.

“It was never easy,” Tweet said. “I was lucky. We had a batting cage in my backyard and my brother is only two years younger so we would always be back there after school as much as we could and dad was always great coming out throwing whenever we asked him. 

“I was very fortunate to have that baseball family. I was very lucky.”

Tweet played hockey at the high school level and enjoyed it, but baseball was always No. 1.

“My dad coached at collegiate level and so it was always part of our family and our everyday,” Tweet said. “He worked hard to build up the baseball around Russell. It became a thing. Me and my buddies always would go out and get extra reps and hang out whenever we could and it always seemed to be at the ball park.”

Tweet’s passion and talent led him to William Jewell College in Missouri. In two year with the Cardinals, Tweet recorded a .347 average with 36 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 83 RBI in 98 games played.

Click here to read the full article on BP Sports Niagara.