Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to host baseball camps for FlexWork Sports baseball camps

Bob Nightengale, USA TODAYWed, April 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM UTC

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to host baseball camps for FlexWork Sports baseball camps

Toronto Blue Jays All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero, one of baseball’s most popular stars, is hoping to make an impact off the field too, becoming the first brand ambassador for a premier youth sports experiential company.

Guerrero, 27, who signed a two-year contract, will be the face of FlexWork Sports’ baseball programming across Canada, USA and other global markets. He will host 11 youth events the next two years for youth and family, with the first two being held in Hamilton, Ontario on July 30 and Aug. 24 in Toronto.

“I was born in Canada, play in Canada, and want to give back to the kids who grew up watching me across the country and around the world,” Guerrero Jr. said in a statement. “This partnership gives me the platform to show them what’s possible.

“After hosting an incredible event with FlexWork Sports in Toronto last year, I knew I wanted to build something bigger with lasting impact.”

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FlexWork Sports works with hundreds of athletes, but wanted Guerrero after seeing him work at their baseball camp a year ago and watching how the kids gravitated towards him. There were 1,200 kids who flocked to Guerrero’s double session camp a year ago in Toronto.

“Just the way all the kids lit up when he walked in," Adam Van Rees, FlexWork’s chief business offer told USA TODAY Sports in a Zoom call. “I mean, you're going to have that with most professional athletes. But it's just a different level when you bring that superstar level in, and layer that in with that personality."

Said Forrest West, founder and CEO of FlexWork Sports: “One of the reasons we choose Vladdy is that he’s kind of a big kid himself. I mean, he’s running around the kids. He’s probably more excited than a number of them. He didn’t really know what to expect, but once he got out there, he just shined. He loved it."

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Really, Guerrero, 27, was the prototype athlete and personality FlexWork has been seeking all along, and they’re now hoping their relationship lasts much longer than the two-year contract. They’re hoping to have camps featuring Guerrero in Canada, the United States and in the Dominican Republic, where he lives in the offseason.

FlexWork Sports has conducted more than 2,000 youth-sports experiential events in 44 states and 18 countries, featuring about 700 athletes, including Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Kyle Schwarber and Fernando Tatis in baseball, as well as Saquon Barkley, Karl-Anthony Towns and Cameron Brink.

“I think the biggest thing is the investment we put into the quality of our events," West said. “There are other companies out there that have athletes that come out, wave to the kids, say a few things and leave. Our athletes come to the camps. They're there for the full length of the camp. They interact with all the families. We have them go through the stands to do high fives, do Q&A. We really focus on the experiential side, making sure that each kid gets to interact with that athlete.

“It's like we want our camps to be full of instruction, of sport and play, but we also wanted to have that feel of Disney where you show up and it's truly like a performance, kind of a major activation with the athlete. We want that to be reflected with the quality of athletes we work with."

FlexWork began with eight events in 2019, expanded to 24 events in 2021, which included four of the top five NFL draft picks. The company now is projected to have about 385 events this year.

“I think the right kind of momentum is the partner with the right one or two athletes across each major sport and create these ambassadors, multi-year partnerships" Van Rees said, “so we can build out some programming with them that can last well beyond even their playing days. Candidly, Vladdy's got a long time to go, but we're really excited about working with him for years to come, even extending into retirement.

“He's generational talent and personality, and we think there's one or two of those guys, maybe three, in each major sport. There's only a handful of guys that can really connect from a personality standpoint, as well as what their on-field ability is, and obviously, Vlad is at the top."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to host baseball camps for FlexWork Sports

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