TORONTO – Kevin Pillar is becoming a sensation north of the border on the biggest stage in baseball.

And a Wausau family is paying close attention every step of the way.

The speedy 26-year-old Toronto Blue Jay outfielder is a regular on highlight reels and on ESPN's Baseball Tonight both for his Web Gems — spectacular fielding plays made on fields every day — and a hard-nosed, all-out approach that has endeared him to baseball fans in Toronto.

Pillar patrolled the outfield of Wausau's Athletic Park in 2010 as a member of the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Northwoods League. His host family during his stint in central Wisconsin was local hockey coaching legend Pete Susens and his wife Kim.

"It's an awesome feeling to be recognized by the fans and be appreciated for your hard work," Pillar said in a Tuesday phone interview. It's not something you ever set out for, but it's nice to have people recognize you and appreciate you putting it all out on the line."Pillar, who attended college at Cal State Dominguez Hills, is second among all Major League outfielders with seven defensive runs saved already this season, according to MLB.com, and he leads left fielders in defensive wins above replacement, according to ESPN.com.

Dream nearly sneezed away

Had the chips fallen just a bit differently, Pillar might not have had the chance to dazzle Toronto fans.

Last offseason, the Blue Jays acquired Michael Saunders from the Seattle Mariners, presumably to take over as a starting outfielder. That left Pillar fighting to earn a spot on the Major League squad in spring training, likely to ride the bench.

But an injury to Saunders opened the door for Pillar. He appeared to be the frontrunner to assume left field duties, which would have been the first time Pillar made the opening-day roster after bouncing around between AAA and the Majors — he was a September callup in 2013 and bounced back-and-forth in 2014.

Then a freak accident — a sneeze, of all things — nearly robbed him of his dream again.

A particularly violent pre-game sneeze caused Pillar to strain his right oblique muscle and the Blue Jays restricted him to non-baseball duties for a week in spring training.

"(The coaches) were very understanding and supportive… They nursed my injury to get me back to 100 percent. I am very thankful they viewed me as an important part of the team and that calmed the nerves and the feeling like I was missing my opportunity," Pillar said.

"I went into spring training with the mindset that there was a job to earn," Pillar added. "I worked hard in the offseason and went in, in the best shape and ready to compete for a job.

Pillar rebounded from the sneeze and earned the every day spot in left field entering the season.

Wausau a 'great experience'

Pillar generally hit leadoff in his time for the Woodchucks and his bond with the Susens family grew with each day.

"I made some good friends in Wausau, including my host family I lived with, and any time I go to the Midwest I try to see (the family)," Pillar said. "They are going to Minnesota when we play there and I look forward to seeing them there."

The Northwoods League can be a big adjustment for college players, who must switch from aluminum bats to league-mandated wood bats as they also adapt to a grueling schedule of playing and traveling almost every day of the summer.

"Wausau was definitely a very memorable and special time," Pillar said. "It was probably the closest you could get to the Majors as far as the schedule and playing every day and being away from home. It was a huge step in my career to play with a wood bat every day and learn how to play every day — playing I think it was 72 games in 80 days. It's a great intro to what pro ball is like."

His time in central Wisconsin also taught him about the importance of recognizing fans.

"Wausau was a great experience," Pillar said. "It was cool to represent a small community that really cares about the players that come from all over the country to play. Every aspect of it was great."

The Susens family has followed Pillar every step of the way on his winding journey to the Majors. A highlight for Kim was watching their former charge when he was called up to the Big Leagues in September and robbed a baseball legend who was nearing the end of his career.

"Kevin robbed Derek Jeter of a double in one of the final weekends of the year… and I was probably the only one cheering," Kim Susens said.

Going forward

Pillar got off to a torrid start at the plate, but has struggled a bit in May and is currently hitting .233 with a homer, 15 RBIs and 23 runs scored. One thing that has never wavered, however, has been his glove.

"I just enjoy making plays. I understand how important outs are in the big leagues," Pillar said. "Offensively teams are very good in this league and can take advantage if you don't make plays like that. I play the game with no fear and I'm not afraid of making a little contact. I with work on angles and jumps every day in batting practice."

His penchant for making spectacular catches has earned him a nickname — Kevin Glove — and perhaps a home in Toronto.

He will have fans not only in Canada, but here in Wisconsin. The Susenses are going to Minnesota to watch Pillar when the Blue Jays travel to face the Twins and are always checking up on how Pillar is doing.

"We have been in touch with him regularly and his family visited when he was with the Woodchucks; we met his parents," Pete said. "If they are on TV we will tune in and we are always going to them MLB site to see how he's doing each game. We listen on Sirius Radio whenever we can. It is great to follow him and it's just a real credit to what Kevin has done."

Mitchell A. Skurzewski can be reached at 715-384-3131 or on Twitter @MSkurzewski