The Regina Red Sox have named former major league pitcher Jason Grilli as the guest speaker for their annual dinner.

Nicknamed “Grilled Cheese”, Grilli spent 15 years playing for nine teams including the Florida Marlins, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays.

He was drafted 4th overall in the 1997 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants, and helped the Detroit Tigers to the World Series in 2006. He was named an All-Star as the Pittsburgh Pirates closer in 2013 where he also won 2 NL Reliever of the Month Awards.

He competed for Team Italy in 3 World Baseball Classic Tournaments in 2006, 2009 and 2013. In 2016, the Blue Jays traded for Grilli, who helped the team return to the AL Divisional Series and AL Championship Series for the second year in a row. He quickly developed into a fan favorite and endeared himself to Blue Jays fans for his stellar on-field performance and wildly passionate celebrations.

This year’s dinner goes April 25th