PBR Ontario's Top Stories For The Year 2014: The Top 12 Stories Are Revealed
January 7, 2015
By Chris Kemlo and Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Ontario Director of Scouting and Ontario Editor in Chief
Top 12 Stories for The Year 2014
Although PBR Ontario started up just three months ago Chris Kemlo, PBR Ontario Director of Scouting, looks back at the year in review and put together a list of the top stories for 2014.
We would like to thank all who participated in the contest as well as all the student-athletes, coaches, parents, fans, and supporters, as without your help none of these stories could happen. Us at PBR are ready to bring even better coverage for Ontario in 2015.
After a two-day twitter contest for top story, we reveal the top 12 stories of 2014 for PBR Ontario.
No. 1A - 4 votes
Fieldhouse Pirates lead way with early commits
The fall season is a busy time for teams in Ontario as organizations travel across the U.S. on weekend tournaments for three week trips to play other travel teams and colleges of all levels to showcase their talents to recruiters and coaches.
Matt Baird took his 18u team the Fieldhouse Pirates on a 10 day trip to states such as Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas to play the likes of schools of Grayson CC, Southeastern CC, and Murray State out of Oklahoma to name a few.
To read full story please click here.
No. 1B - 4 votes
Hall and Davis Lead 2017 Class
The 2015 Ontario class this year is led by two big names, Demi Orimoloye and Josh Naylor. For the past few years, these two feared hitters have been the top two prospects in the Country, each being number one and number two on lists across North America as the top ranked Canadian prospects. Both players posses similar strengths, but will also contribute in different ways throughout the game.
We could easily find ourselves in a similar situation when it comes to the top two prospects in the 2017 class from Ontario, Adam Hall and Cooper Davis.
To read full story please click here.
No. 3 - 3 votes
If you are looking for a left-handed hitting catcher, the 2016 class from Ontario might be a good place to start.
Four catchers who all swing it from the left side are ranked in the top ten for the Ontario class of 2016.
To read full story please click here.
No. 4A - 2 votes
Toronto Mets 17U Win NABF World Series
This past summer saw the inaugural 17u Toronto Mets team continue their strong play right into the the 17u NABF World Series in Knoxville Tennessee.
A team built around their high powered offense highlighted by prospects such as Eric Senior, Max Wright, Ian Wilson, Ryohei Suzuki, Jesse Elliott, Justin Richards and Jaiden Hill, the Mets prevailed throughout numerous rain delays that saw Knoxville take in 3.66 inches of rain in less than 72 hours.
To read full story please click here.
No. 4B - 2 votes
Tournament 12 All-Ontario Team
For the past two years, Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar has put his time and effort back into Baseball Canada by hosting and taking on the role as commissioner for Tournament 12. This year was extra special as it marked the first major scouting event for myself and PBR Ontario, compiling the best talent across the whole country under the roof of the Rogers Centre.
With the amount of talent Ontario has to offer, players of all high school ages were separated over three teams, with one being labeled as the Future’s Team, which consisted mostly of 2016 and 2017 prospects.
Te read full story please click here.
No. 4C - 2 votes
PBR Ontario Hosts First Showcase
October 26, 2014 is a special day for PBR Ontario as it was our inaugural showcase, which saw 76 players from all over Ontario participate at the beautiful Out of the Park Sports Baseball complex in Scarborough, Ontario.
This marked the one and only event of 2014, and some of the top players in 2015, 2016, and 2017 classes were in attendance. Chris Valentine and Alex Schillig flew in from Ohio, as well some college recruiters from the New York region. It proved to be a very successful day for everyone involved.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7A - 1 vote
Prep Baseball Report Launches In Ontario
In the Middle of September Ontario launched as a Prep Baseball Report province. There were already 18 states on board but we at Prep Baseball Report are sure we have the right man in Chris Kemlo to make Ontario one of the top spots for PBR.
"When we decided to bring PBR to Ontario, we knew that it was going to take the right person to make it successful," stated Chris Valentine, Executive Director.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7B - 1 vote
Ontario Players Crack PBR Top 100
With the launch of Ontario this September, it gave us a limited amount of time to see players finish off the 2014 ball season. Putting together rankings of players whether it be city, state, or country, often ends up in a lengthy debate between scouts and coaches.
A top 100 list of all PBR states and provinces is a task that not too many would envy. When it came to Ontario players cracking the Top 100, there were a couple of no brainers. Everyone knew Demi Orimoloye and Josh Naylor would be at the top of the list for Ontario, and the only question left to answer is where they would fit in on a National stage.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7C - 1 vote
Release of the Class of 2015 Rankings, The Fight for the Top Spot
When PBR Ontario first launched in early September, it was right when Tournament 12 was beginning and players from all over Canada, not just Ontario were trying to make themselves into a household name with college recruiters and scouts.
This event was a great opportunity to see the top talent in Ontario and judge them against one another. It also played a big role in helping us put together our top 25 ranking list for the 2015 class.
The big question that will carry on when addressing the 2015 class will be the debate over who is number one, Demi Orimoloye or Josh Naylor.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7D - 1 vote
Release of the Class of 2016 Rankings
A big step for PBR Ontario was the release of the 2016 top 15 rankings. With numerous players having solid 2014 campaigns, and continuing to carry that strong play into the fall, it made for tough decisions when compiling the top prospects.
2016 looks to be a talented group of prospects, as we have already highlighted earlier that the strong point will be the strength that’s behind the plate with Luke Van Rycheghem at the top of the list at number one.
We at PBR take these rankings very seriously, as many schools keep a close eye on our lists to see if there is any moving around or somebody new has come onto the scene.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7E - 1 vote
Although PBR Ontario is new to Prep Baseball Report in 2014, I have already received plenty of feedback from players and parents about the knowledge and information they are taking away from our Recruiting Essentials archive. Whether it’s about the process of signing a letter of intent, college visits, or eligibility rules, PBR Kansas Director of Scouting Sean McCann has it covered.
To read full story please click here.
No. 7F - 1 vote
The Ontario Recruiting Trail
Every week, we update the top prospects who have signed their letter of intent and committed to the school of their choice. Along with updating recent commitments, we highlight schools that players have been receiving interest from, visits they have lined up for the future, and visits that have already taken place.
In addition to the recruiting trail, we have also reached out to prospects through Q&A sessions to get a sense of where they stand, and how they have found the recruiting process to be so far. This allows players to compare the process with their peers, pass along information and little tips or reminders, as well let players compare themselves to other teammates or opponents across the province and see where they fit in from a college recruitment standpoint.
To read full story please click here.
