Tyler O’Neill was honoured as the 2018 Home Town Hero at the 20th annual gala, held Wednesday at Maple Ridge secondary.
He became the 43rd inductee, joining the likes of Larry Walker Jr., Cam Neely, Greg Moore, Karina Leblanc and Cindy Devine in the ring of honour.
Posters of the Home Town Heroes are hung in local schools, as role models for aspiring students.
Tyler grew up in Maple Ridge. He went to Webster’s Corners elementary, then Garibaldi secondary. He starting playing with the Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball Association before joining the Langley Blaze of the B.C. Premier League. He also represented B.C. and Canada, and was drafted in the third round by the Seattle Mariners before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, with whom he made his major league debut this past season.