Adam Stern

In 2006, Adam Stern became a “Canadian icon.”1 The outfielder made an indelible impact on baseball north of the border for his inspired international play, starring in Canada’s upset of the United States in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. The second Canadian Jewish major leaguer after Goody Rosen, Stern played in 54 MLB games over four seasons (2005-07; 2010) with Boston, Baltimore, and Milwaukee.

Adam James Stern was born on February 12, 1980, in London, Ontario, to Jane, a nurse, and Joe, a restaurateur. His brother, Jason, represented Canada in international bobsledding competitions,

Stern lettered in track, not baseball, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in London. Likewise, his father favored a sport other than baseball – in his case, curling, a Canadian favorite. As a 2006 story noted, “Stern has never watched his father Joseph curl but has seen the trophies his father won in the sport. ‘Those were the only trophies in the house,’ said Stern, who joked with his father about them. … ‘My brother and I were track guys. We had the track stuff and he had the curling.’”2

Perhaps because Stern had grown up a few hours southwest of Toronto, the Blue Jays chose him in the 22nd round of the June 1998 amateur draft. Instead of inking a contract, Stern attended the University of Nebraska. His collegiate career got off to a slow start. In 1999, Stern had a team-low .197 batting average with just one home run and two stolen bases.3 He surged in 2000, making the Big 12 Second Team and finishing third on the Cornhuskers by hitting .356. Although he went without a homer, he had a dozen steals.4

Stern played for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2000. “He batted around .300 after leading the pitching-dominated league in hitting for the first half of the season, while stealing nearly 25 bases. … ‘I don’t have a lot of power,’ he said. ‘I rely on slapping the ball around and finding ways to get on base. With such great pitchers, you’re not going to hit lots of home runs, so it suited me well.’”5

In his last season at Nebraska, 2001, Stern hit .292. He made Third Team Big 12, although his average looks less impressive given the team’s collective .334 mark. Stern showed some power with five homers and added 27 stolen bases.6 In three collegiate years, he batted .307 and stole 41 bases in 49 attempts.

The Atlanta Braves selected Stern in the third round of the June 2001 amateur draft. Scout Tyrone Brooks signed him. Brooks, who joined SABR’s Board of Directors in 2025, recalled, “Watching Adam in college at Nebraska was fun as he could win games in just about every way (glove, arm, legs, bat).”7 Fewer than half of the players drafted in the third round that year ever made the majors; Jeremy Guthrie, picked 21 slots above Stern, had by far the most success with 91 wins over 13 seasons pitching for five teams.

Stern began his professional career with the Jamestown (New York) Jammers of the New York-Pennsylvania League. He missed six weeks owing to visa issues and another three with a hamstring injury, causing Jamestown manager Jim Saul to observe, “I’ve been in pro baseball 42 years and I’ve never had anything like that. … When we’ve been able to get him out there, he’s shown he has the talent.”8

Stern batted more than .300 in limited action in 2001. In 2002, he slumped to .253 with the Myrtle Beach (South Carolina) Pelicans of the Carolina League but did hit 10 triples and steal 40 bases. Injuries limited Stern to only 35 games for two minor-league clubs in 2003.9

In 2004, Atlanta promoted Stern to the Greenville (South Carolina) Braves of the Southern League, where he batted .322 with 27 steals. In August, he played in his first of two Olympics for Team Canada. He appeared in nine games, had eight hits, scored six runs, and drove in four.

On December 13, 2004, the Red Sox selected Stern in the Rule 5 draft. “We feel like he’s on the verge of turning the corner to become a major league player,” said Ben Cherington, Boston’s director of player development. “He gives us another option in spring training.”10

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein agreed, asserting, “His best days are ahead of him. … A lefty, with gap power and speed. He has some of the elements you’d like to see in a 25th guy, he can run and play defense.”11

Boston manager Terry Francona wanted to do right by Stern. “We have an obligation to the organization to have a good read on this kid by the end of spring and we’ll do that,” Francona said. “We already like what we see. … Is he ready to stay with us? That’ll be something we have to try to figure out.”12

Stern jammed his thumb sliding into second base in a spring-training game. “I’ll have a [soft cast] a day or two, until the swelling goes down,” he said. “Once I can swing a bat, I’ll be fine.”13 In fact, Stern had fractured his thumb and would miss more than two months of playing time. Soon after returning, he once again hurt his hamstring while rehabilitating in the minors and missed another three weeks.14

Called up to replace fellow outfielder Jay Payton prior to his trade to Oakland, Stern made his major-league debut on July 7, 2005, in Baltimore. He batted eighth and played center field. The 25-year-old rookie grounded out in his first appearance against Daniel Cabrera with two on and two out in the second inning. In the fourth, Cabrera hit him with a pitch. He reached on a fielder’s choice in the sixth, after which he stole second base with the Sox down 2-1. “I haven’t seen somebody take a lead like that since I was in Double A,” Francona said. “He’s a fast kid. Probably had a touch or two of adrenaline to boot.”15 Stern did not score, and Boston lost the rain-shortened game 3-1.

On July 22, Stern hit his only homer in the majors in the ninth inning off former Boston pitcher Dustin Hermanson, a Chicago reliever. “I almost passed [Tony Graffanino] coming around first,” Stern said. “I don’t hit too many of them. … I was sprinting around like it was a double.”16 The hit proved a highlight for the Red Sox in an 8-4 loss to the White Sox.

Stern’s Boston tenure seemed over on July 31 when Epstein agreed to trade him and Kelly Shoppach to Colorado, but the Red Sox ownership blocked the deal.17 Stern reinjured his thumb taking batting practice on August 1918 and did not play again for Boston for nearly three weeks. When he rejoined the Red Sox, it was exclusively as a pinch-runner after having aggravated a shoulder injury while rehabilitating his thumb.19 Shoulder surgery on September 27 ended Stern’s season.20

Stern made Canada’s 2006 World Baseball Classic team, which included Jason Bay, Justin Morneau, and Paul Quantrill. Canada played the United States on March 8. “In the second inning, … Stern … hit a rocket to center field that seemed catchable. Ken Griffey couldn’t reach it, though, and Aaron Guiel came home for a 2-0 lead.”21

In the fifth inning, Stern, batting ninth, faced Gary Majewski with Canada shockingly up 7-0. Stern went the other way, slicing a deep drive that caromed off the left-field wall past Matt Holliday and rolled slowly toward Griffey, Jr. in center field. Stern slid home to complete the inside-the-park homer, although he could have scored standing. In a sign of Stern’s obscurity, play-by-play announcer Dave O’Brien mistakenly referred to him as Canadian teammate Stubby Clapp on the home-run call.22

The United States rallied, but again Canada’s unlikely hero stepped up. “In the eighth with the potential tying runs on base, [Chase] Utley drove the ball to the wall in center field, and Stern banged against the wall and made the catch, preserving the 8-6 lead.” Said Stern, “It hung up long enough for me to get under it.”23

Speaking about the upset win, Stern said, “We like to tell everyone we can play baseball, too. … We’re not just a hockey country.”24 However, “Over 162 [games], I don’t know if we’d fare so hot,” Stern admitted. “One game, you’ve got to go out there and bust it. That’s what we did. USA is the most talented. I won’t lie. It’s the time of year it comes down to one game, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.”25

The game and Stern’s strong 2006 spring training made a believer out of David Ortiz: “Dude, this guy is a good player. … All he has to do is learn … to hit lefthanders and that’s it. He’s going to be a superstar in the big leagues. … He’s got some unbelievable skills. He can throw, he can field, he can hit, he can run. What else do you want?”26

Stern made two spectacular defensive plays in consecutive games against Tampa Bay. On April 18, 2006, the Red Sox led the Devil Rays 7-4 with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. Stern made an “absurd snow-cone catch.” The following day, he “caught Toby Hall’s drive to left-center just before the wall. Stern slammed his face and both elbows into the unforgiving green structure. One second later, he was up, ball-filled glove held high with the surprised-happy smile of someone who’s found more than just a scintillating catch.”27

Regardless of his starring roles in these two games, Boston no longer had to keep Stern in the majors after the end of his required Rule V tenure, so on April 19 the team sent him to Pawtucket.

Stern batted just .258 in AAA ball and never again played for Boston. “I’ve got to get used to the swings, the ups and downs,” he said. “Some days are good, some are bad. I haven’t really found my swing. … Every day is a grind trying to figure it out. … Sometimes you feel lost. It’s gotten better. Earlier in the season, pitches I used to crush, I was missing them.”28

Despite Stern’s struggles, teams continued to try to acquire him. The Red Sox put Stern on waivers after the 2006 trading deadline as the first part in a maneuver to send him to the Orioles for catcher Javy López. Tampa, trailing Baltimore in the standings and thus in a preferential position, foiled the maneuver by claiming Stern, causing Boston to pull him back from waivers.29 Stern soon suffered yet another hamstring injury in the minors and went on the 60-day disabled list, which ended his time with Boston. After the season, the team sent Stern to the Orioles as the player to be named later, completing the López deal.30

In 2007, Stern spent most of the season with the Norfolk (Virginia) Tides of the International League, batting .270 and stealing 17 bases. Those were decent enough numbers for a young player – but not good enough for a 27-year-old to earn a promotion. He played in just two games for Baltimore in 2007 with neither a chance in the field nor a plate appearance.

The Orioles released Stern, hitting just .221 for Norfolk, on June 13, 2008. He again played for Team Canada in the 2008 Olympics but hit only .182.

The Brewers signed Stern on January 15, 2009. He played for Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic and went hitless in two plate appearances. Stern split his 2009 season for Milwaukee between its AA and AAA teams, batting .285 overall.

Off the field, Stern married Jenna, a fellow Canadian and a teacher, in 2009. They have two sons (Braylon and Beckett) and a daughter (Maya).31

Stern played in just six games with Milwaukee, all in 2010, his first in the majors since 2007. In spring training in 2009 and 2010, he roomed in spring training with the Brewers’ first-round pick in the 2008 draft, fellow Canadian Brett Lawrie. “Brett’s father, Russ, thought it would be a good idea, a 30-year-old living with a 19-year-old,” said Stern. “He’d never played a season of pro ball and he’d say: ‘Hitting .300 shouldn’t be too hard my first year, should it?’” said Stern. “I told him no way. He may have hit .500 in high school or with his elite team, but the daily grind wears you down. We all told him no way he could hit .300.”32

Stern had no hits in eight at-bats with the Brewers, playing his last big-league game on May 31, 2010. He finished out the season – and his playing career – with Triple-A Nashville.

That November, Stern opened the largest indoor baseball facility in Canada, based in London. He said, “There’s nothing like this anywhere else.” He declined to reveal exactly how much capital he invested in the venture. “A lot,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a large commitment. Turf is not cheap.”33

Stern scouted for the Red Sox from 2013-2018.34 He has served as Canadian Scouting Supervisor for the Royals since 2020. As a coach in the Great Lakes Canadian program, Stern helped players get ready for college and professional baseball. “We’re adamant when the guys leave, that’s not the end of the road,” he said. “We stay connected with them through their seasons. We reach out to their coaches. Some of the kids have been here from a young age. For those that have already gone, it’s tough enough to adjust as a freshman.”35

Stern worked with Eric Cerantola, who had split his time with hockey, and within baseball, between the outfield and pitching. He successfully “transitioned Cerantola into a full-time pitcher.”36 Cerantola pitched for Kansas City’s AAA affiliate in 2025 and for Canada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic before making his MLB debut with the Royals on May 6, 2026.

Though he didn’t leave a big mark in the majors, Adam Stern remains a major force in Canadian baseball. Beyond his contributions as a player on the international stage, he has become a developer of young talent that may affect the game for a generation.

Last revised: September 1, 2026

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and Bill Lamb and fact-checked by Dan Schoenholz.

Photo credit: Adam Stern, Trading Card Database.

Notes

1 Chris Snow, “Stern caused quite a stir,” Boston Globe, March 13, 2006: D2.

2 Howard Ulman, Associated Press, “Canadian at home in baseball,” Bangor (Maine) Daily News, February 28, 2006: C6.

3 Nebraska season statistics, static.huskers.com/Baseball/1999/teamcume.htm (accessed March 24, 2026).

4 Nebraska season statistics, static.huskers.com/Baseball/2000/teamcume.htm (accessed March 24, 2026).

5 Dane Stickney, “Summer leagues lets {SIC}Stern display batting skills,” Daily Nebraskan, October 4, 2000, www.dailynebraskan.com/summer-leagues-lets-stern-display-batting-skills/article_b211d470-30dd-5870-bce8-5616a093739a.html (last accessed March 26, 2026).

6 Nebraska season statistics, static.huskers.com/Baseball/2001/teamcume.htm (accessed March 24, 2026).

7 Tyrone Brooks email, April 11, 2026.

8 Guy Curtright, “Draft pick endures visa red tape, injury,” Atlanta Journal, August 26, 2001: C9.

9 2006 Boston Red Sox Media Guide: 303. 2007 Baltimore Orioles Media Guide: 200.

10 Bob Hohler, “No plans to trade Ramirez,” Boston Globe, December 14, 2004: C5.

11 Chris Snow, “Lombard is one centered center fielder,” Boston Globe, February 21, 2005: E6. “The Sox love Stern’s arm (it would be the best in the Sox outfield) and his speed (he’d be the fastest player on the team).” Chris Snow, “Simulation is a real success for Schilling,” Boston Globe, June 21, 2005: F5.

12 Howard Ulman, Associated Press, “Red Sox low-key on steroid tests,” Bangor Daily News, March 3, 2005: C9.

13 Chris Snow, “Ramirez goes three for one,” Boston Globe, March 7, 2005: D5.

14 Nick Carfardo, “Schilling heading west to heal,” Boston Globe, June 2, 2005: E6.

15 Amalie Benjamin, “Stern, Cora step right in,” Boston Globe, July 8, 2005: E7.

16 Chris Snow, “Wakefield, Red Sox get knocked around,” Boston Globe, July 23, 2005: C3.

17 Chris Snow, “Rocky pique is high,” Boston Globe, August 2, 2005: D1.

18 Gordon Edes, “Foulke again hit hard, this time by teammate,” Boston Globe, August 20, 2005: D3.

19 Chris Snow, “His offense isn’t in full swing,” Boston Globe, September 8, 2005: E5.

20 Chris Snow, “Foulke regrets surgery delay,” Boston Globe, September 24, 2005: C5.

21 Ken Davidoff, “Could be ending right from the start,” (New York) Newsday, March 9, 2006: A72.

22 “A World Baseball Classic INSIDE-THE-PARK home run! Adam Sterns races around bases in upset of USA!,” www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPU1Y2da4io (accessed March 31, 2026).

23 Murray Chass, “Canada Beats the U.S. at Its Own Game,” New York Times, March 9, 2006: D1.

24 Bob Nightengale, “Chance of elimination leaves USA rooting for Canada,” USA Today, March 9, 2006: 7C.

25 Nick Carfardo, “All eyes trained on Stern,” Boston Globe, March 9, 2006: C7.

26 Chris Snow, “Makeup games are in Ortiz’s future,” Boston Globe, March 21, 2006: E6.

27 Amalie Benjamin, “Stern catches some attention on way out,” Boston Globe, April 20, 2006: C8.

28 Chris Snow, “Hansen starting to hone his skills,” Boston Globe, May 19, 2006: C6.

29 Gordon Edes, “Stern isn’t waving goodbye yet,” Boston Globe, August 8, 2006: D3.

30 Gordon Edes, “Ortiz out sick, so lineup starts from scratch,” Boston Globe, August 29, 2006: D5.

31 Hank Daniszewski, “And you are?: Adam Stern, owner of Centrefield Sports,” London (Ontario) Free Press, November 23, 2015, lfpress.com/2015/11/22/and-you-are-adam-stern-owner-of-centrefield-sports (accessed March 26, 2026).

32 Bob Elliott, “A Stern influence on Lawrie,” Toronto Sun, January 15, 2012, torontosun.com/2012/01/14/a-stern-influence (accessed March 26, 2026).

33 Nicole Laidler, “Extra bases,” Business London, July 2011: 13.

34 Alex Speier, “The man who caught Trout named the Canadian scout,” Boston Globe, December 15, 2018: C5.

35 Ryan Pyette, “Great Lake Canadians beat COVID border barrier with talent, recruitment,” London Free Press, February 28, 2021, lfpress.com/sports/baseball/great-lake-canadians-beat-covid-border-barrier-with-talent-recruitment (accessed March 26, 2026).

36 Tyler Horka, “‘In His Genes,’” Jackson (Mississippi) Clarion-Ledger, June 7, 2019: 3B.