Dasan Brown Wins Player Of The Year, Joining An Elite Group
January 7, 2020
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Dasan Brown Wins Player Of The Year, Joining An Elite Group
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Dasan Brown OF / SS / Abbey Park, ON / 2019The 2019 Canadian Player of the Year was awarded to Dasan Brown, the 88th overall pick in this year's draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Since our inauguration in 2015, the top-ranked prospects in this province have gone on to play professional baseball and have success. Ever since the 2015 class broke onto the scene, Canada has produced plenty of talent, with the bulk coming from Ontario, and we take a look at current professional players, who came before Brown, as the best in their class. |
2015
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Josh Naylor 1B / St. Joan of Arc, ON / 2015Naylor, one of the best prep bats in his draft class, was selected with the 12th overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015. Naylor memorably made his debut this season in Toronto for the San Diego Padres at age 21. The highest-drafted position player ever to come out of Canada, Naylor's power tool was advanced as an amateur and was on display in a small sample size at the MLB level. He hit .249/.315/.403 with eight home runs in 94 games during his first year in the show. Those who witnessed Naylor in high school had the pleasure of watching one of the best prospects to come out of Ontario. |
2016
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Andy Yerzy C / 1B / York Mills Collegiate, ON / 2016The 2016 draft saw catcher Andy Yerzy go to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round. Since entering pro ball, he has split time behind the plate and playing first-base. Yerzy hit .297/.382/.452 with eight home runs in A and A- ball in 2018 but took a step back in 2019. However, he finished his season strong, hitting a huge walk-off home run in the playoffs for the eventual Northwest League champion, Hillsboro Hops. |
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Jordan Balazovic RHP / St. Martin's Collegiate SS, ON / 2016Balazovic, a right-hander now listed at 6-foot-5, 215-pounds was a 5th round selection by the Minnesota Twins in the 2016 draft. Ranked 2nd in his class to Yerzy, Balazovic has developed into a top prospect in the Twins organization. In the 2019 season, split between A+ and A ball, Balazovic posted a 2.69 ERA, 12.4 SO/9 in 93.2 innings pitched. At just 21 years of age, the once Auburn commit is one of the best Canadian prospects in the minors. |
2017
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Landon Leach RHP / Pickering, ON / 2017The Twins went after an Ontario-born arm again a year later, and doing so in the second round, selecting Landen Leach. One of the highest-touted high school arms of the decade in this province, Leach, a physical right-hander was up to 96 mph as an amateur. So far in his pro career, Leach has pitched to a 2.65 ERA in the Gulf Coast League. Leach was the Ontario Player of the Year in 2017, and the 7th ranked RHP in the draft class. |
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Adam Hall SS / 2B / AB Lucas, ON / 2017Ranked right after Leach in the 2017 class, shortstop Adam Hall of the Great Lake Canadians was also selected in the second round, and by the Baltimore Orioles. Hall's overall solid toolset with the ability to hit, run and chance to stick at shortstop, made him one of the top infielders in his draft class. Since entering pro ball, Hall has hit .301 with a .382 on-base percentage. Once a 6.45 60 runner, Hall stole 33 bases in 122 games in 2019. The path is fairly clear in the Orioles organization, and it'll be exciting following Hall as he makes his way up through the system during the next couple of years. |
2018
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Noah Naylor C / SS / St. Joan of Arc , ON / 2018Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 18 / POS: 1 PBR Draft BoardRank: 27 / POS: 2 HS Draft 100Rank: 14 / POS: 1
Naylor, the 29th overall selection by the Cleveland Indians, was arguably the top prospect in Ontario since his brother, Josh. A catcher/third baseman coming out of high school, Naylor has primarily caught at the professional level. In 2019, he hit .243, with 11 home runs in A ball, starting in 80 games behind the plate. The Mississauga native will have a chance to follow suit of his brother, in being the next member of this list to crack the big leagues. |