Ayami Sato: The First Woman to Play in Canadian Pro Baseball

The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club, one of the oldest sports teams in North America and the oldest baseball team in Canada, will make history opening day, May 11^th, when legendaryJapanese player, Ayami Sato, becomes the first woman to ever play for a professional men’s baseball team in Canada as well as the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL).

Sato has led Team Japan to six baseball World Cup champions and is considered to be one of the best female baseball players and pitchers to have ever lived. Throwing at nearly 80 miles an hour, Sato’s curveball has a higher spin rate than most MLB players. In addition, Sato was recently featured throughout the new Amazon Prime documentary, “See Her, Be Her” that shares the stories of seven women baseball stars from around-the-world and documents their contributions to growing the game.

“The excitement I feel playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season is similar to the excitement I felt when I first started playing baseball at the age of nine,” said Ayami Sato, legendary baseball player. “I can’t wait to play and I am really looking forward to opening day and seeing all of the fans in Toronto!”

Sato will be joining a team that is managed by Rob Butler who won a World Series ring with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. Cito Gaston, who managed the 1992 and 1993 World Series Champions, is a Special Advisor to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Babe Ruth hit his first professional homerun against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1914 and I am thrilled that the team will once again be making history with one of the great icons of the sport,” said Keith Stein, Toronto Maple Leafs CEO and Co-Founder of the Women’s Pro Baseball League. “We are proud to be part of this very important milestone in Canadian baseball and women’s sport.

For the Maple Leafs opening day on May 11^th, admission is free with the first pitch being thrown at 2:00 p.m. ET at Dominico Field in Christie Pits. For this season’s home opener, the Leafs anticipate it to be the most exciting, and largest attendance turnout yet for the club.

This season’s Maple Leafs sponsors include Mazda of Toronto who has been Ontario’s #1 volume Mazda Dealership since 2014 and Ontario’s leading Mazda destination for two decades. In addition to Mazda of Toronto, additional sponsors include Massage Addict, WaxOn, and New Era, an international lifestyle brand and market leader with an authentic sports heritage dating back 100 years. New Era has been a leading sponsor of the Toronto Maple Leafs for several decades.

“As the official cap of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club, we’re proud to stand alongside them in celebrating this truly historic moment – the debut of the first-ever woman to play in a professional men’s baseball team in Canada. As a longtime partner, we're excited to honour this moment and explore unique product collaborations that reflect the significance of her journey and inspire fans everywhere.” stated Rick Baetz, Managing Director of New Era Cap, Canada.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club, one of the oldest names in Canadian sport, with roots dating back to 1896, is a professional team that plays in the IBL. The Toronto Maple Leafs have won eight IBL championships since 1969, one of the most winningest teams in the IBL. Since 1969, Dominico Field at Christie Pits has been home of the Toronto Maple Leafs.