In a series of interviews, we are speaking with the Ottawa Titans, Ottawa’s Frontier League baseball team, as a way to introduce the team to Ottawa, and Ottawa to the team.
AJ Wright has established himself as a crucial element in the Ottawa Titans roster. The 27-year-old third baseman has been in the red and white pinstripes since the inaugural 2022 season and is honestly one of the best players we’ve seen in Ottawa in the last decade of independent baseball.
Wright has been consistent and productive for all three of his seasons with the Titans, but in 2024 he is coming out of the gate as a stand-out offensive star, leading the team in nearly all batting statistics with an average of .317 and 8 home runs as this piece is going live.
At the end of May, Wright was named Frontier League Player of the Week, starting the season hot.
He started his professional career in the Empire and Pioneer Leagues in 2021, and won a championship with the Missoula Paddleheads, under the leadership of current Titans skipper Bobby Brown. It’s no surprise that Brown had AJ in mind when he was building our team because I can’t imagine a lineup without him.
{Interview has been edited for clarity and length.}
AJ Wright at 3rd Base. Photo: Guy Godin
Who was your favourite player growing up?
Growing up, there were a couple. I’d say mostly Chase Utley because I was a second baseman and shortstop guy growing up. Jimmy Rollins, too. So a big Phillies fan. I saw them every day and watched how they played the game. Going to a game at five, or six years old, it’s unusual for a kid to look at one or two players. They wander around, not paying attention. But I was always into it, always watching them because they’re not the biggest guys, and I’m not the biggest guy. But growing up, I was either number 11 for Jimmy Rollins or 26 for Utley.
Who your MLB team?
The Phillies, I’m from right outside Philadelphia. So I have no other choice, really.
Do you follow other sports other than baseball?
Yeah, pretty much all of them. Big Philadelphia fan. Eagles, Sixers, Flyers. I watch pretty much every game I can. Not so much other teams in the sport, generally, but for the most part, I’ll watch as many of the Philadelphia games as I can.
What is your favourite baseball memory?
When I was 11, I pitched a complete game in the state tournament to win it. That was pretty cool. And then in college, we won our conference for the first time as a program in 2017. The best pro experience was probably when I was out in Montana with Bobby [Brown]; we won the championship a couple of years ago.
What is your walk-up song?
Cowgirls by Morgan Wallen. I started listening to him before he got big, and I’m on top of his stuff when he has new music coming out. I could have picked any one he has, but that one just stuck out as soon as I heard it. I was like, “I might do that, see how it goes.” And I guess a year and a half now, it’s been pretty good. It’s working, I think, especially this year.
What’s your pregame meal?
I don’t really like to eat a ton before the games, but I’ll come in my usual time, probably between 1 and 1:30, have a little sandwich, maybe a ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, something, and then just kind of nibble on stuff up until the game.
What’s your favorite meal?
The past couple of years, have gotten big into chicken Caesar wraps. I don’t know why. I could eat that every day, probably for the rest of my life.
What’s your favourite sports movie?
One that’s grown on me the past few years is Remember the Titans. I think that’s a good one. Baseball, I couldn’t just pick one. I’d probably say there are a couple of sports movies with Kevin Costner that are good—Field of Dreams. There’s also Moneyball, it was pretty decent. I’ll go with The Sandlot, too, that’s a classic.
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What’s your favorite day off activity?
I’ll tell you what, I love laying in bed all day. I’d say if we have an off day and I’m just done laying in bed, we go to the MacLaren’s on Elgin, it’s a good spot for all of us. Major’s Hill Park is a good spot just to go and relax and catch a good sunset every once in a while.
What’s your favourite thing to do in Ottawa?
I haven’t got a chance to go to a Red Blacks game yet, but I’ve heard those are good. As a group, we pick either Lansdowne or Byward Market, go hang out, and get a bite to eat. There are a couple of good beach spots we go to and the sunset, as I mentioned, but it’s all good, there’s not a bad spot to go.
What would you be doing if you weren’t playing baseball?
I had a communications degree in college, so something along those lines, trying to stay within sports somehow as a writer or something.
Where’s your favourite place to play on the road?
Atmosphere-wise, I’d say Quebec. I don’t mind Sussex County, too. It’s a good place to hit and it’s closer to home. I get some family coming out there, too.
What is something that people would find surprising about you?
I don’t have many talents other than sports, but just a little fun fact: I’m the shortest male on my mom’s side of the family. Everyone else is taller than me. All the younger guys are taller, including my brother. He just graduated college, and he’s still looking to play [professional baseball]. He just got to Kansas to play in the Pecos League for a bit, and come August, hopefully, he can make it up here and join us. I never got to play with him growing up because we were always too far apart in age. So it’d be cool. Mom and Dad would like that.
What’s your dream vacation destination?
Anywhere in the world. I haven’t gone on many vacations. I feel like most of the travelling is from baseball. I’ve heard Hawaii was nice. Somewhere in Europe—Italy maybe, Greece. Those would be bucket list spots.
Is there something you’re looking for in Ottawa you haven’t found? Or something you’d like to do more of?
I think we try and do as much as we can up here. Maybe a good bowling alley or something competitive. I haven’t done that in a while, or a mini golf place—I love mini golf once in a while.
(AJ should check out West Park Bowling on Wellington for classic bowling vibes downtown. For miniputting, we love Mini Golf Gardens for some late-night 18 holes, and Mer Bleue Miniputt and Batting Cages for the best of both worlds.)
The Ottawa Titans play at Ottawa Stadium on Coventry Road. Advance tickets for Titans games can be bought online or at the box office.
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