Royals Make Splash; Sign Former MVP Takamatsu
GUELPH - The Guelph Royals Baseball Club is excited to announce today the signing of infielder Garrett Takamatsu.
Takamatsu, 25, signed with the Royals after being granted his release from the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the offseason.
The 2021 IBL MVP has batted a lifetime .340 with 22 home runs in 110 career games since joining the IBL in 2018, the same season he won the league's Rookie of the Year award.
The former Ontario Blue Jay has professional experience as well, having played parts of two seasons with the Quebec Capitales of the Frontier League in 2022 and 2023.
Takamatsu, who also managed the Maple Leafs to a finals birth in 2022, said he is thrilled to walk into the Royals clubhouse and reunite with many of his former teammates from his time with the OBJs.
"After six years with Toronto, a scenery change was needed. It will be refreshing to wear the Royals uniform and play alongside many teammates that I grew up with, as well as my former manager Dino Roumel. The band is getting back together and I'm pumped to be playing with my childhood core."
Roumel said he is equally as excited to reunite with Takamatsu, one of the league's best players.
"We are so excited to have Garrett here this season. We have known each other for years and I could not be happier to be reunited with him. We add a talented baseball player and easily one of the best hitters in the league. Tak was the MVP in the league a couple of years ago and if healthy, should be one of the favourites to win it again. He is another high-character guy in the clubhouse and on the field.