Prep Baseball Report

2019 Best Moments- PBR Spring Training


Chris Kemlo and PBR Canada Staff
PBR Ontario Director of Scouting

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2019 Best Moments- PBR Spring Training

While some were still wearing toques and mittens in Ontario, nine teams traded in the snow for sunshine as the first ever PBR Spring Training commenced in Sanford, Florida.

The event hosted two additional American squads and ABC Academy from Quebec during the seven days at Boombah Sports Complex which has four full turf fields backing onto each other.

The jam packed week had teams practice five times while playing six games as well as a Scout Day for position players. Seven days of non-stop baseball gave our scouts the chance to identify some new talent jumping onto the scene as well as some early looks at the senior class and the developments made during the winter.

Two standouts on the week were seniors Josh Anderson of the Ontario Yankees and Jacob Douglas of the Ontario Nationals. Both players were looking to do damage in every single at-bat and were the lone Canadians with a homerun on the week. Both players were named to the All-Tournament team while Douglas also claimed the MVP.

The two uncommitted infielders boarded the bus home with some accolades but they also returned to Canada with some interest from college coaches and recruiters. Not long after, Douglas committed to Seminole State (OK) and Anderson committed to Southeastern CC (IA).

We had a pair of pitchers from the Toronto Mets running their fastball in the upper 80s with 2019 left-hander Carter Seabrook topping out at 89 mph and 2020 Drew Howard touching 88 mph. Both uncommitted at the time, Howard cracked the All-Tournament team and is now committed to Chipola College while Seabrook committed to Seminole State (FL) shortly after Spring Training.

The week in Florida was also an important identifier for our staff looking at prospects to join the Canadian Future Games team in Atlanta. Seven players from Spring Training went on to join Team Canada in late July with a handful also going on to play with Junior Future Games team as well.

We couldn’t think of a better way to begin the year than under the Florida sun alongside some of Ontario’s top baseball programs. Players visited the University of Central Florida to take in a Division I game and stayed the entire week at the four-star Westin Lake Mary.

The first PBR Spring Training was a huge success and a blast for everyone involved. We look forward to doing it all over again, bigger and better, in just two and a half months.

“Playing on these beautiful diamonds after being in the cold winter for so long and playing indoors, it’s a breath of fresh air and it’s just been an unbelievable experience.” - Jonah Feldstein, Toronto Mets

“Thank you to PBR Ontario for the great Spring Training experience in Sanford, Florida for the week. I had lots of fun and they had a great hotel and great competition. Looking forward to what the future holds for this event.” - Will McCauley, Ontario Nationals

“The experience has been great, the atmosphere here and the competition has been unreal. The highlight of my week has been just playing with my teammates, getting down here in the warm weather and out of the cold and just getting a good practice in for the season.” - Bryce Arnold, Fieldhouse Pirates