A young Leasider focused on academics, athletics and philanthropy is heading for a very bright future.
As a kid who loved playing catch with his dad, Elliot Lascelles was drawn to baseball at an early age.
From t-ball to Leaside summer baseball camp, Lascelles’ interest in the sport quickly became a passion. During camp, coach Eric Stickney encouraged Lascelles to try out for a high-level team.
Though he was one year younger than the other kids, Lascelles ended up making the squad and for the next decade played Leaside AAA ball with teammates a year or two older than he was.
But for Lascelles, academics was just as important as athletics.
The 16-year-old Lascelles was always on the Principal’s List for students in the top 10 per cent in academics at his school, Upper Canada College. He was also a member of the Academic Council and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Club, having completed his bronze and silver awards.
So, when universities started showing interest, the athlete’s ultimate choice of school was not surprising.
Lascelles, a six-foot, left-handed hitting shortstop, has played elite baseball in the Canadian Premier Baseball League for the Toronto Mets since 2023.
With his powerful bat-to-ball skills and his tremendous speed, he was named to the Canadian National Junior roster this past fall. Playing against high-level teams in the Dominican Republic in October, Lascelles had the chance to compete with and against some of the greatest players from North America.
Only 2.4% of males who play baseball in high school in the U.S. end up playing the sport in Division 1 colleges and universities.
Lascelles was recruited by more than 20 D1 schools.
Ultimately, he chose to attend Yale to study economics.
As the well-spoken Lascelles notes, “academics are really important to me,” adding that he also really liked the coaches, “who have a track record of success.”
At Yale, he’ll also be able to be the starting shortstop.
With a full schedule filled with academics and baseball, you’d think that Lascelles would have little time for any other activities. But he also runs varsity track, and in 2018 created the Leaside Baseball Used Equipment collection for kids in the Dominican Republic and Thorncliffe Park – a program which still runs today.
Lascelles attributes his success to his many coaches, including John Watt and Stickney with Leaside Baseball, who, he says, taught him “sportsmanship and the fundamentals of the game.” Other coaches over the years, he adds, taught him leadership skills, worked with him on skill refinement and connected him to top baseball schools in the U.S.
His at-home team, including brother Oliver, dad Eric and mom Karinne Chan, have also played a major role in his achievements.
Lascelles is enthusiastic about his future at Yale. “The higher level of baseball really excites me; it will be a chance to improve a lot with really great coaches.”
