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Dionne following in father's footsteps

March 1, 2022
Matt Betts
Feature Writer, PBR Canada

Like father, like son.

Stephane Dionne knows a thing or two about what his son and highly regarded Canadian prospect, Jimmy, is going through. He too was once trying to climb the ladder to baseball stardom.

But to truly understand how the Dionne’s became a baseball family, we need to go back almost 40 years - well before Jimmy was even born. 

It was the early 1980’s and a young Stephane caught a glimpse of a Montreal Expos game on television. He remembers vividly what drew him in.

“I saw Gary Carter with his charisma making a spectacular play,” Stephane recalls. “From there I wanted to play baseball, wear No. 8, and be like Gary Carter.”

Stephane started playing baseball at the age of 13 in Rimouski. Jimmy was three when he first picked up a bat and a glove. The elder Dionne went to Levis to play Junior Elite at 16. Jimmy was off to the Academie Baseball Canada. 

Next is where Stephane’s path features many twists and turns, while Jimmy’s has yet to be carved.

After a year overseas in France as a player-coach, Stephane returned to Florida to pursue the pro dream. He went from tryout camp to tryout camp, trying to stick with a big league organization. Then after three weeks in minor league camp with the Astros and still no contract, it was recommended that he go to the independent Northern League. It was there he met St. Paul Saints manager Tim Blackwell who invited him to be a bullpen catcher for the team.

In 1993, after a batting practice session with the Saints, Oklahoma City University recruiter Keith Lytle approached him. Having never signed a professional contract and with eligibility still remaining, Lytle offered him a scholarship at 23 years old. Four years later he graduated with honours and it was back to St. Paul, with a professional contract and still pursuing that ultimate goal.

The summer of 1998 was different though. 

He signed with the Madison Black Wolf, a team owned by Miles Wolff who he had met years prior while he was with the Saints. Those south of the border probably know Wolff as the President of Baseball America from 1982-2000 and owner of the minor league Durham Bulls from 1980-1990. In Canada, he’s better known for helping form the Quebec Capitales.

Wolff worked with Stephane in 1998, along with Michel Laplante, to help him bring the Capitales to Quebec City. Stephane played his final season for the Capitales in 1999 and ended the season as an assistant coach. He would return to the gold and blue in 2005 until 2009 in the same capacity.

And that’s when Jimmy’s baseball journey began.

“In my coaching years with the Capitales Jimmy would hang out at the stadium,” Stephane said. “He would be in the clubhouse and on the field during batting practice. I would even take him on road trips in the US. He was around baseball and pro players a lot. In 2009 I remember him playing video games in the clubhouse with Eric Gagné.”

Rubbing elbows with the 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner is a pretty good introduction to the game.

“Growing up with my father who played high level baseball was the best thing for me,” Jimmy said. “My dad showed me how to play baseball when I was only three years old and I loved it. He was always bringing me into the Capitales locker room and I met players like Eric Gagné. I wanted to be like my dad so baseball started to be my passion.”

And it appears his dad taught him well. Combine that with the fact his mother, Annick, was a strong athlete, Jimmy had quite the upbringing.

The now 6-foot-4, 195-pound left-handed pitcher and infielder appears to be well on his way to forging his own impressive baseball path. In 2019 he suited up in midget AAA for the Canonniers of Quebec. A strong season there helped him to his current destination, the Academie Baseball Canada. It was an exciting time, but in 2020 it didn’t go quite as he had imagined.

“When I joined the ABC in 2020, we didn’t play a lot of games and we didn’t go to the USA because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “But we had the chance to play against some Ontario teams that year.”

While no one could’ve predicted what had happened that year, it would’ve been understandable if Jimmy took his foot off the gas pedal, even a little. But with the help and support of his father, it never crossed young Jimmy’s mind.

“With the pandemic during my first year with the ABC, we weren’t sure that we would play a game in the summer,” he said. “I was very angry about that but I didn’t want to do nothing, so I kept working with my dad for the season. My dad and I were throwing the ball in the street every day in front of the house and I was hitting balls in my backyard. I also trained in my basement alone during that time.”

And that work paid off in his second year when baseball returned to a semblance of normalcy.

“In my second year with the ABC, we had the opportunity to play in the U.S.,” he said. “I had a really great season and that helped get me in front of the scouts who were watching our games.”

From there he headed down to Atlanta and had a very respectable showing. The event, combined with his strong play for ABC, opened another door.

“I also played at the PBR Future Games at Lakepoint in Atlanta for my country and I did pretty well,” he remembers. “After that, I received an invitation in October from the Canadian Junior National Team to go play in Dunedin, Florida at TD Ballpark (home of the Toronto Blue Jays Spring Training) for two weeks. It was the best experience of my life. I’ll also be back with the JNT in April in Florida for our second trip.”

As Jimmy progresses through his baseball career, his father watches on with pride and as his number one fan.

“His work ethic impresses me,” Stephane said. “For me it’s so great to watch him play and shoot for his dreams. I always told Jimmy never take anything for granted as a baseball player and he doesn’t. Annick and I are very proud of him.”

Jimmy has heeded his father’s advice and appears to be en route to a successful future, wherever that may lead.

“My goals in the coming year are to have a spot on the Canadian Junior National Team and to go play in the World Junior Baseball Championship,” he said. “I also want to commit to a good college where I can continue my baseball career and that will help me achieve my dream of playing in the big leagues one day.”

No matter where baseball takes him, Jimmy will always have someone by his side that understands. Lucky for him that person happens to be right at home.