Front Office

Lawrence Vera has been a respected figure in Canadian baseball for over two decades, making an impact as both a player and coach at multiple levels of the game. He began his playing career with the Barrie Red Sox (2000–2008), earning OBA Player of the Year honors in 2006 before continuing his career at Niagara County Community College.

After transitioning into coaching, Lawrence spent time with the Barrie Red Sox (2008–2012) and Ontario Athletics (2012–2019), where he was named Coach of the Year in 2018. In 2019, he founded the Titans Baseball Club of the CPBL, building the program into a respected player development organization over five successful seasons.

Currently, Lawrence serves as General Manager of the Toronto Mets, overseeing program operations and player development. He also coaches within the organization and leads the Newmarket Hawks AAA program, continuing to guide young athletes in their pursuit of excellence on and off the field.

Rich Leitch is entering his 17th year with the Toronto Mets and currently serves as the Vice President of Baseball Operations, overseeing all aspects of the organization’s baseball program. In addition to his leadership role, he acts as the Mets’ Hitting and Catching Coordinator, helping guide the development of players across all age groups from 13U to 18U.

Since joining the program over 16 years ago, Rich has played a key role in growing the Mets from a small, single-age team structure into one of the most respected development programs in the country. He has helped nearly 300 players earn college baseball scholarships in the U.S., while overseeing the development of close to 60 Canadian Junior National Team players and 32 MLB Draft picks — including current Major Leaguers Jonah Tong, Denzel Clarke, Liam Hicks, and Tyler Black.

Before joining the Mets, Rich built an accomplished coaching career at the collegiate level. He began as an Assistant Coach at Salem University (NCAA Division II) in 1996 and became Head Coach in 2001 — one of the youngest in the nation at the time. During his tenure, Salem achieved one of the top turnarounds in the NCAA in 2003, improving by 13 wins and setting school records in both 2003 and 2005. He later served as an Assistant Coach at Davis and Elkins College in 2006.

As a player, Rich competed at Lake Michigan College before transferring to Salem University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a specialization in Physical Education. Beyond his Mets responsibilities, he has also contributed to the broader baseball community as a member of the CPBL executive and has coached multiple times in the Toronto Blue Jays Futures Showcase and with CPBL Premier Teams.

Rich resides in Whitby with his wife, Heather. They have two children — Regan and Ryan. Ryan, a former Toronto Met and Canadian Junior National Team member, was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2019 MLB Draft, later joining the Philadelphia Phillies organization after a standout career at Marshall University.