By: Frankie Benvenuti

Independent baseball is a difficult place to make a name for yourself in any city. 

Baseball savants in Ottawa will always remember the names Sebastien Boucher and Zac Westcott, both of whom are with the Ottawa Titans today, but in his two years in the nation’s capital, A.J. Wright has risen up the ascendancy, giving fans yet another name to clasp ahold of. 

It feels prophetic. Right from the beginning, Wright has given fans every reason to love him, belting a home run in the Titans' home preseason game in 2022. For many other cities, that wouldn’t have mattered, but for Ottawa - a city that had been starved of the sport for nearly 600 days - it signalled a return, one stronger than ever before. 

As the Titans' inaugural season rolled along, Wright continued his path of destruction, finishing the campaign with 12 home runs and 54 RBIs, while putting up a better-than-95 percent fielding percentage at third base. Of course, the team success followed, as the Titans reached the Frontier League Division Series, narrowly falling in a best-of-three series to the Quebec Capitales. 

Wright returned to the Titans for 2023, looking to take care of the unfinished business from a year ago, but smooth sailing it was not. After starting the season 2-1, the Titans’ baseball equivalent of a parachute malfunctioned, as they struggled out of the gate. 

“It wasn’t fun, it never is when you’re losing,” Wright admitted. “You have to stick to your game plan, and do what you know how to do. You just have to do your thing and hope you can figure things out.” 

For portions of the year, while the team was losing games, Wright’s bat has been hot. That can come with some frustration, but it’s nothing new. Baseball is the ultimate team sport, and sometimes, that’s just how it goes. 

“I’ll always be there to pick my teammates up if they’re struggling just as they are with me,” Wright said. “It’s very hard to be great for a whole season, and you’re going to have tough stretches, everyone is going to go through it. You have to pick other guys up when they need it.” 

Things haven’t been entirely negative, of course. Although Ottawa surely wishes they were in the West Division right about now, the playoffs are still within reach, although it will take a special effort to make it that far. 

“It has been a lot of up and down,” Wright said. “The past 20 or 25 games, we’ve been a lot better, but we’ve had some slip-ups here and there. We’re in a good spot to go on a run and sneak into the playoffs if we can, but the big thing now is we need to play our own game and let the rest take care of itself.” 

If the Titans are to make it that far, the Cherry Hill, New Jersey native will have a lot to do with it. Wright is on the cusp of setting a new career high in home runs, and looks a threat to do the same in the RBI department. 

After his preseason home run a year ago, Wright said that homers weren’t normal for him, and no one should expect too many. Now, every time he steps up to the dish, he’s a threat to go yard. 

“I never go up there trying to hit a home run,” Wright said. “I’ve just gotten a little stronger. Hits that used to be doubles into the gap are carrying over the fence, so it’s good, I’m hoping to have a few more in me before the end of the year.” 

At this point, however, all that matters for the rookie-2 is winning games. 

“I would love to get to 15, but I would rather win games,” Wright said. “If I hit 10 doubles and only two more homers, that’s fine with me. As long as we’re winning, staying in the race, and I’m doing what I can to help the team, that’s all that matters.” 

In their history, the Titans have enjoyed the home cooking of Ottawa stadium, playing to a 54-35 record. In August, that home-field advantage will be big, as the bus stays parked, with some huge games coming right at home. 

That is a monumental bonus for the Titans’ postseason hopes, but still, nothing is given, it needs to be earned. 

“We don’t have any more long bus rides, so we don’t have to worry about that,” Wright said. “You can sleep in your own bed, get to the stadium and have a normal routine. It makes it a little bit easier, but we still have to go out and perform.”