Canton Terry was in his apartment in Indianapolis when he got the call. The catcher’s baseball career had come to an end it seemed. He had just finished his final season at Wabash College where he had hit .310, while adding 17 doubles and 44 RBI. With him about to enter the workforce, Terry could have easily chosen to hang up his cleats for the final time. Instead, after an inquiry from General Manager Bruce Rosselli, the lefty hitter signed a temporary contract with REX Baseball.
The contract was for two weeks. Terry was supposed to come to Bob Warn Field to fill a void until the other REX catchers were back from injury and done with their college seasons. Instead, Terry thrived for Wabash Valley’s Own. Through the first seven games, the catcher was hitting .455 with two doubles and four RBI while earning six walks. With that success came the offer of a full season contract. The time had come to make the decision between a 9 to 5 job or chasing the dream of baseball. Terry chose to chase the dream and signed a full contract with the REX on June 8, 2021. Terry said of his journey back to baseball, “I had finished my college baseball season in early May with no intention of continuing my career. I was a week away from starting my 9 to 5 job when I got a call from Bruce asking if I could fill in for a few games after their catcher got injured. I showed promise in those few games and ended up playing with the REX the entire summer.”
With the REX, Terry found a love for America’s Pastime again. He said of his time at the REX, “’Fun’ would be an understatement for my experience playing with the REX this summer. You get the real feeling of what it would be like to play professional baseball. Kids wanting an autograph after every game, playing in front of hundreds sometimes thousands of fans. Not to mention the regular fans learning your names and the hecklers that love to announce their opinion of you. It’s what makes the games seem like more than just a college summer league. Each game was fielded by some of the highest quality of college baseball talent, which helped me take my game to another level. This summer made me fall in love with the game again.” Terry became one of the most trusted catchers for the REX last season behind the plate. He also had success in the batter’s box. He ended the season with a .245 batting average, six two-baggers, one home run, 13 RBI and 28 walks.
Now, Canton Terry is going pro. Last week he signed with the Cologne Cardinals out of Germany and will be playing at the highest level of professional baseball that Europe has to offer. Terry said of how the REX helped get him to the professional level, “Without the opportunity I was given with the REX, I would probably be sitting in a cubicle 9 to 5 Monday-Friday. Instead, I’m continuing my love for the game and accepted a contract to play in Europe’s highest level of professional baseball. The REX gave me an opportunity to grow as a ball player and improve my skills in every aspect of the game. It helped me grow as an individual and a teammate, as well as make my love for the game the strongest it has ever been.”
Good luck in Germany Canton Terry! REX Nation is rooting for you! Go Cardinals!
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