C’s Chat – 2025 Vancouver Canadians C/3B #2 Jacob Lojewski

The latest C’s Chat is with 2025 Vancouver Canadians catcher/third baseman Jacob Lojewski.

Hailing from West Palm Beach, Florida, Lowjeski attended American Heritage Delray High School in Delray Beach, about 20 miles south of West Palm Beach. That’s the same school where Kansas City Royals second baseman Jonathan India attended. Lojewksi started his high school career by earning an All-County Honourable Mention and helping the Stallions win their 4A regional championship and finish second place in the state in 2017.

All-District Team and First-Team All-County honours for Lowjeski followed in 2018. One highlight of that season was a walk-off home run to help the Stallions win the HSBN (High School Baseball Network) March Madness Shootout championship. In 2019, he followed that up by batting .303/.435/.573 for a 1.008 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 32 games during the 2019 season. Lojewski was off to another stellar start in 2020 with the bat by posting a .998 OPS in nine games before COVID cut the year short.

On the travel circuit, Lowjeski piled up the awards while playing for the Florida Stealth, a program managed by former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Manny Sanguillen. Lojewski was named to four All-Tournament Teams and was named Tournament MVP twice in 2016. He was also named an All-American three times by Perfect Game in 2017.

Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers was where Lojewski played his college ball. His freshman season in 2021 saw him split time as a catcher and third baseman. He homered three times in 36 games, including a game-winning home run at Florida State on May 11. Behind the plate, Lowjeski threw out four out of nine base stealers for a caught-stealing rate of 44 percent. He ended the year on the summer college circuit back home with the Palm Beach Diamond Ducks and had an on-base percentage of .333 in 29 games.

The 2022 season started on a bad note for Lojewski as he suffered a thumb injury behind the pentagon in his first game of the season against Cincinnati on February 18 and that wiped out his entire sophomore campaign.

Lowjeski would leave behind the tools of ignorance for the left side of the infield in 2023 and he returned with a vengeance by slugging .606 in 60 games, thanks to 18 home runs, 16 doubles and 59 runs batted in. Eight of those RBI came against North Alabama on March 26. He also homered twice and drove six runs against North Florida on May 13 and went on to earn Third-Team Atlantic Sun Conference honours. Lowjeski also moonlighted on the mound as a knuckleballer and recorded four strikeouts in 9⅔ innings of relief.

A preseason All-ASUN pick heading into 2024, Lowjeski would earn another Third-Team Conference selection by hitting .320/.407/.560 for a .960 OPS in 56 games. He drove in 55 runs to go along with 36 extra-base hits, with eight balls leaving the yard, and a conference-leading 25 doubles. Lowjeski’s signature games were a seven-RBI game against North Florida and a 4-for-5 game with a home run to help the Eagles upset number one seed Austin Peay State in the first round of the ASUN tournament.

The Toronto Blue Jays signed Lowjeski as a free agent on July 22, 2024, on the backing of scout Adrian Casanova. Lowjeski’s pro debut came with Dunedin this season and he saw the majority of his playing time behind the plate once again by making 18 starts. Lowjeski reached base in seven of nine games in May, which included a four-game hitting streak. He got into nine more games in June and recorded a hit in six of them. After belting his first professional home run against Fort Myers on July 18, a game-tying blast in an eventual D-Jays victory, Lowjeski got the call to go to Vancouver on July 29.

Playing time for Lowjeski was limited as he saw action in only five games, recording a hit in three of them. He made his lone defensive appearance at Nat Bailey Stadium at third base against Hillsboro on August 10 and contributed a base hit and a run scored. His only start behind the plate came for the C’s came in Spokane on August 14 and helped the team get in the win column with a hit, a run scored and throwing out two runners trying to steal.

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Unfortunately, Lowjeski’s time in the Toronto Blue Jays system came to an end when he was released on August 15.

C’s Plus Baseball spoke with Lowjeski during the team’s homestand against Hillsboro earlier this month. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C’s Plus Baseball – When did you get started in baseball?

Jacob Lojewski – I started playing when I was four years old. Played in all the rec leagues, T-ball leagues. I always played like an age group ahead of myself every time, every season. When I got to high school, I kind of went a little far from home to play, to get to a better school, to have a better chance. It was called American Heritage in Delray. And then as a sophomore in high school, I committed to college, FGCU. I played there four years, pretty much played everywhere. After my fourth year there, I got the call from the Blue Jays.

CPB – What was that experience like going away from home?

JL – It wasn’t too hard. I was in Florida pretty much my whole life until now, because my college wasn’t far from home. In high school, I still stayed at home, but just a far drive every day to school. But yeah, this is my first time ever away from Florida, out of the country. So it’s an adjustment, but it’s pretty cool.

CPB – Looking back at your high school time, what would you say stands out for you? Any special game or special memory?

JL – Maybe my senior year in high school. It was 2020, which was COVID. Our season got cut short, but we were 11-0 to start the season, so that’s probably the best memory I’ve had there. 

CPB – Position-wise, we’ve seen you all over the place. Shortstop, I think that was kind of your main position in college, but what’s it been like getting used to all these different positions out in the field?

JL – Yeah, I’ve always tried to play any position I could. In college, I played mostly third and short, but I also played second and catcher. I even pitched a little bit in college. Being here, primarily, I was told I was gonna be a catcher, so I’ve been catching. I think I’ve had more games catching this year, but I like playing everywhere. It’s good to stay versatile.

CPB – How do you prepare when you know you’re going to be at third base one day or at short? 

JL – Just every day, make sure you have a routine. Like here, I’m doing catching stuff and infield stuff every day, so whenever I see myself on the lineup that day, I’ll be ready.

CPB – As far as catching goes, when did that start for you? 

JL – My first year in college as a freshman, I got converted to a catcher. And I caught a little bit my freshman year. I didn’t hit well, so I didn’t play much my freshman year. And then my sophomore year, I got hurt while I was catching, (it was) my thumb. So after that, I didn’t catch again until I got here.

CPB – How has the transition back to catching going for you now? I guess it’s taken a little bit of getting used to again?

JL – Yeah, it was pretty rough when I first got here. I wasn’t very good catching-wise, but I’ve gotten a lot better, and I feel way more comfortable now this year catching.

CPB – Going back to college for a second, what stands out for you when you look back in your time there?

JL – I think I just got way better as a hitter throughout college. You can see the transition or the progression each year. If you could look at my stats, I got a lot better throughout college, and I think that’s why I got here.

CPB – Who would you say has really helped you develop as a player there?

JL – I would say Brandon Romans and Rusty McKee, the two hitting coaches that I had there. They really spent a lot of time and helped me learn myself, learn my swing, and helped me just to get better. 

CPB – You wind up with the Blue Jays. How did that all happen? 

JL – I was actually still at school. We were working on a summer camp, and it was the third day of the draft. My area scout, Adrian Casanova, called me and said, ‘Hey, if we take you, are you okay with being a catcher?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, of course.’ And then the draft ended, I didn’t get picked, and I got a call maybe 10 minutes after the draft ended for a free agent deal, and I accepted.

CPB – You started off with Dunedin. What was that introduction like, getting used to the pro grind, so to speak?

JL – It was definitely different, playing every day. I haven’t been playing every day, but just doing stuff every day, six days a week. It’s definitely different than college, but I’ve definitely gotten used to it. It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy it. I make sure to have fun every day.

CPB – What would you say is the first thing that you’ve realized about pro baseball or what’s the biggest adjustment? What would you maybe tell yourself before you got here?

JL – Definitely control what you can control. Don’t worry about the moves that are being made in the organization, because you have no control over that. Just play, whenever you get the opportunity, just play the best you can. Don’t think about all those things that you can’t control.

CPB – Who have you been working with as far as your catching drills? 

JL – Rodrigo (Rodrigo Vigil) in Dunedin, who was the catching coach. That’s who I spent the most time with, and he’s helped me out a lot.

CPB – How would you describe yourself as a catcher? If you had to give a scouting report as your work behind the plate, what would you say about yourself?

JL – I would just say I’m an athletic catcher. I can adjust. I’ve played infield my whole life, so I can pick and throw, and I would just say athletic is a good description of me as a catcher.

CPB – Anything you have been working on, I guess, is it mostly blocking drills or throwing drills, or one thing you’re really trying to hone in on?

JL – Yeah, blocking was definitely the last thing to come into fruition. The receiving and throwing kind of came fairly quickly, but the blocking is what came last, so that’s what I put a lot of focus on. So, yeah, blocking would probably be it.

CPB – There are a few guys on the roster who have catching in their background as well. I guess it’s a chance you, I guess, to bounce ideas off each other and just talking about what it’s like being behind the plate?

JL – Yeah, definitely. All the catchers here have caught throughout college, so they definitely have a lot more knowledge than me. Aaron Parker here with Vancouver, just me being here a couple weeks, he’s already helped me and showed me a lot of things.

CPB – What’s it like trying to learn all these pitchers? Everywhere you go, it’s always a new pitching staff, but how do you go about trying to get used to all the pitchers here?

JL – For me, when the days I’m not playing, I’m always trying to be in the bullpen and warming up the relievers so I can just get a feel for them. When I was in Dunedin, it took like two weeks to get used to them, but once I was in there every day, making sure I was catching each pitcher and getting used to them.

CPB – How would you describe your daily routine right now? 

JL – Just make sure you get here on time and get in the weight room to stretch out, get ready or do your lift for that day. And then it’s usually catching drills first, then infield after, balancing out which day you’re gonna throw from catcher or which day you’re gonna throw in the infield so you can manage the load on your arm and then the hitting plan for that day after. 

CPB – Down in Dunedin, you had a chance to go to the Player Development Complex. What were your impressions of going in there?

JL – Yeah, that place is amazing. My favourite spot in there is the hitting lab with the Trajekt machine. You get to put any pitcher on there and face them live. I think that’s a huge advantage that we have there.

CPB – Is there any pitcher you select?

JL – Yeah, I face Gerrit Cole all the time. 

CPB – Is there anything else that has helped you develop at the Player Development Complex? Any other bells and whistles? 

JL – Yeah, all that stuff’s good, but I think it comes down to the coaches that are there. They know a lot and they really care and just try and help you. So I think the coaches are what’s helped me the most.

CPB – Are you into analytics or exit velocity or launch angle or stuff like that? Or is it just basically see ball, hit ball?

JL – I wasn’t before, but now that I have all this information in front of me, I’m trying to understand it more. Obviously you want to try and hit the ball hard and you want to try and hit it harder than 95 miles per hour.

CPB – How would you describe your approach at the plate?

JL – Well, you gotta look at the report you have on the pitcher first, see what he throws, what he throws most often. And pretty much usually I’m just sitting on a fastball, being ready for the fastball. If I’m ready for the fastball, on time for the fastball, then I can adjust to the off-speed.

CPB –  You got your first pro home run not that long ago. Talk about your first pro experience with the D-Jays?

JL – It was frustrating, just not playing much, not putting up numbers that I wanted to, but I’ve definitely learned a lot. The home run felt great. I’ve definitely got better as a hitter. I just feel getting more experience and more time, I’ll be able to be at the potential that I know I can be.

CPB – I know there’s the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) system down in Florida and now it’s back to regular umpires here in the Northwest League. Has that been a huge adjustment?

JL – Well, yeah, I kind of got used to the ABS, so it’s definitely a lot different here. I think the ABS was cool and I liked it a lot. So it actually is an adjustment coming back to not having ABS.

CPB – When you found out you’re going to Vancouver, I know sometimes (Dunedin manager) Gil Kim likes to have fun with some players before letting them know in the news, but was there any story like that for you?

JL – No, we just finished a game, came to the locker room, and we just had a full team meeting and that’s when Gil said to me and Alexis (Alexis Hernández) that we’re going to Vancouver.

CPB – You had a chance to see Tri-City and now this is your second series here. What have you noticed so far from the Florida State League to here?

JL – Definitely the way the ball sounds and feels off the bat. I guess because the less humidity, the ball just feels way better coming off the bat in these northern areas.

CPB – You got a chance to hit here at Nat Bailey Stadium, what were your initial impressions of hitting here?

JL – I think the fans are amazing, like this atmosphere is crazy, but so far I don’t like this field because the ball doesn’t travel anywhere.

CPB – How do you approach that knowing that this isn’t going to be a place that the ball’s really going to fly?

JL – I guess you just gotta think low line drives, hit it hard and when you hit one that you feel is good and they catch it, you gotta forget about it and just take the positive out of that at bat and know that you beat the pitcher, but the ball just stayed up and they caught it.

CPB – Did you have a favourite major league team growing up?

JL – Yeah, the Tampa Bay Rays was my team.

CPB – Favourite player?

JL – Evan Longoria.

CPB – It must have been a real treat for you to have Kevin Kiermaier here right now. Did you have a chance to talk to him?

JL – Yeah, we talked about the Rays teams that I grew up watching and I told him that I used to watch every single game from 2019 to 2022. I got a chance to talk to him about players on the team and all that stuff. It was pretty cool.

CPB – Did you ever see the Rays or the Jays at the Trop?

JL – I only went to one game. Watching on TV is kinda my preferred way. You get to see the whole field. You get to see close-ups. I think it’s better than actually going in person.

CPB – Final question, I know you just got here, but I’m sure you’ve seen all the different uniforms that Canadians have. White, red, black, blue, gray, the lumberjack uniform. Do you have a favourite?

JL – I haven’t actually seen the lumberjack. I’ve seen pictures of the lumberjack one, but it’s not in my locker yet but that one probably would be my favourite.

Jacob Lowjeski File

• Born – November 16, 2001, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• Height/Weight – 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
• Bats/Throws – Right/Right
• Uniform Numbers – Wore number 4 for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles from 2021-2024. Wore number 4 for the Palm Beach Diamond Ducks in 2021. Wore number 37 with Dunedin in 2025.
• Professional Debut – May 2, 2025, for the Dunedin Blue Jays at the Daytona Tortugas.
• First Professional Hit – May 9, 2025, for Dunedin at Fort Myers. RBI single off Jacob Kisting. 
• First Professional Home Run – July 18, 2025, for Dunedin versus Tampa. Homered off Justin Lange.
• C’s Debut – July 31, 2025, at Tri-City.
• First C’s Hit – August 2, 2025, at Tri-City. Doubled off Yeferson Vargas.
• Instagram – @jlojewski.04
• Now You Know – Lojewski was the first player from Florida Gulf Coast University to play for the C’s since 2013-2014 catcher and Peterborough, Ontario native Mike Reeves.

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Thanks a million to Jacob Lowjeski and Canadians broadcaster Chris Georges for this episode of C’s Chat and all the best to Jacob in his future endeavours.