For a year, Canice Ejoh disappeared from baseball.
Now, the Barrie Baycats' star outfielder is back, but with renewed purpose.
The new year marks his return to the sport after a period defined by self-reflection, personal growth, and a reset of his relationship with baseball.
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Less than two years ago, Brampton native was one of the most dynamic players in the Intercounty Baseball League, combining elite speed with consistent production at the plate. He set a Baycats single-season stolen base record with 26 in 2023, followed by a hit record of 66 in 2024, and helped the club capture a championship in his second season.
Through his stellar play in the IBL, Ejoh earned an opportunity that spring to attend camp with the Ottawa Titans of the MLB-partnered Frontier League, alongside Baycats teammate Nolan Machibroda.
“It’s definitely a high standard there—something I was really open to, but ready to take on,” Ejoh said in an interview with Barrie360. “Other than that, the game isn’t too far off. Maybe a little quicker, but I think the [CBL] is pretty close.”
Both players were cut in early May before the season began. Machibroda returned to Barrie the same week. Ejoh did not.
“It was a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “Obviously, that wasn’t the plan going in. I was very confident in my ability to stay on the team.”
Ejoh said he was dealing with minor finger and shoulder injuries during camp, though he did not lean on that as an excuse.
From there, his absence signaled he wasn't taking the decision well.
Questions lingered around the Baycats clubhouse and across the league about his status. Even manager and general manager Josh Matlow admitted uncertainty about what the future held for the outfielder.
Ahead of the 2025 opener, Matlow presented Ejoh with his 2024 championship ring—but it would be his last time on a diamond for months.
While the physical setbacks in Ottawa were part of the story, Ejoh says the bigger challenge was mental.
“Whenever I step on the field, I always want to be at my best and feel at my best and want to be there,” he said. “Mental health is something that isn’t talked about as much, and I think I needed that time to really figure out who I was and the direction I wanted to go.”
Away from baseball, Ejoh stepped into a different rhythm. He didn’t pick up a bat or ball until December, instead continuing work outside the sport in Toronto while exploring social media content creation.
“I’ve always thought I’ve had that ability to inspire and influence others,” he said. “The summer gave me the opportunity to really take that on and create something greater for me.”
During that time, he also leaned heavily into fitness, spiritual wellness, and personal development, taking part in five- and 10-kilometre races and maintaining a structured training routine.
A key influence during that period was Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way.
“[It talks] about how things don’t always happen as planned, but those things lead you to something you didn’t expect and something that is actually meant for you,” Ejoh said. “What happened in Ottawa made me a better person. It made me more appreciative of life and all the opportunities I have and able to be more resilient.”
Barrie spent the 2025 season without its two-time All-IBL outfielder, but the idea of a return slowly began to take shape as the year went on.
“With all the time off and thinking about my career and how it ended last year, the one thing that was in my mind is that I’d rather go out on my own terms if that was the case,” he said.
When the league transitioned into professional status, that motivation sharpened further. Ejoh went to Florida to train before signing a contract with the Baycats on Dec. 23—a team he says was his first choice.
Manager Josh Matlow has previously called Ejoh the best outfielder he has ever seen.
Now back in the fold, the 29-year-old has his sights set on potentially rewriting the record book. He’s targeting his own stolen base record, confident he’s healthier than in 2024 when hamstring issues limited him.
“Maybe I didn’t have the opportunity to do it last year, but this is the year that I could really prove to myself and everyone that I can unlock something greater than my 2024.”
Looking back, Ejoh doesn’t frame 2025 as a setback, but as a turning point.
“It was a learning opportunity for me,” he said. “It helped me focus on other things in my life and really understand my relationship with the game.”
“It was a blessing in disguise.”
