10 Things To Look Forward To In 2018
May 1, 2018
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Ontario Insider: 10 Things To Look Forward To In 2018
10. Baseball Season Begins This Week
After a long winter, outdoor baseball is finally back this weekend with the EBLO, Canadian Premier Baseball League, and the Premier Baseball League of Ontario beginning their seasons. Players have been hard at work in the cages, weight rooms and practice facilities getting better over the winter but now it’s time to get outside and start the season. Opening Day…The two best words in the baseball dictionary.
9. Future Games
The PBR Future Games will take place August 1-4 in Indiana and the potential talent pool for Team Canada has never been stronger. The first Future Games Trials took place in Kitchener in early April and many players from the 2020 class stood out including LHP Ben Adams, LHP Campbell Ellis and 3B/RHP Graham MacNeil. Players will be evaluated further during game play this season and there will be additional trials in the coming months. The Future Games are a great showcase for Canadian baseball talent and with many advanced 2020 and 2021 players this year’s team is going to be very competitive in Indiana.
8. 2019 Pitching
The 2019 pitching class is shaping up to be extremely strong and is headlined by Junior National Team left-hander Keegan Pulford-Thorpe. The Toronto Mets product current sits at number 121 on Prep Baseball Reports top 2019 prospects and continues to make progress. Clean mechanics, fastball command and a developing feel for the breaking ball makes him one of the top pitchers in the province and one to watch this year. Evan Elliott from the Ontario Terriers has developed nicely over the last year and was named to the Junior National Team for it’s extended spring training trip. The big righty is developing into a power pitcher was a strong lower half and a solid arm action. The fastball has been up to 90 and there should be more in the tank. Ontario Blue Jays arms Caden Griffin, Brandon Deans and Nick Fraser are all primed for a big 2018 as they continue to develop command and consistent breaking balls. All of these pitchers remain uncommitted and will be great additions to any school that sign them.
7. Tournament 12
The Toronto Blue Jays Academy will be hosting the sixth annual T12 in September providing an excellent opportunity to play in front of pro evaluators and college coaches. New for this season are tryouts throughout Ontario as the Academy will host events in Windsor, Dorchester, Ajax and Ottawa. Spreading out the tryout locations will provide the opportunity for more players from across the province to attend an event and showcase their capabilities. Players fourteen and older are encouraged to try out for a spot on one of the two Ontario teams for the showcase tournament.
6. Emerging Talent Throughout Ontario
The talent level has never been higher in Ontario especially among younger players. This spring, Prep Baseball Report has attended and hosted events throughout Ontario and the talent has been remarkable. This is a testament to the strong coaching and programs that have emerged throughout the province. This is providing players the opportunity to not only play but also get better each and every day as they try to live out their baseball dreams. This talent will be on full display on fields all over Ontario this summer.
5. Uncommitted Talent
There are still many talented uncommitted players in Ontario that will succeed at the next level. 4 of the top 20 players from the class of 2018 remaining uncommitted: RHP Evan Chenier, 1B David McCabe, RHP Griffin Hassall and SS Evan Wilcox. Of the 2019 class, second ranked LHP Keegan Pulford-Thorpe and third ranked 3B TJ Scholfield-Sam have yet to commit and are both members of the Junior National Team. No player from the 2020 class has made a commitment yet but there is definite high-end talent available and schools better act fast over the next year.
4. Ontario Alumni Shining Down South
It has been a very successful spring for many Ontario natives playing in US colleges including Tristan Pompey and Nick Trogrlic-Iverson. Pompey has starred at the University of Kentucky and was named to the Golden Spikes mid-season award list and was a preseason all-SEC first team selection. The switch-hitting outfielder has shown an athletic/power combo and has all the tools to be an impact player at the next level. Right-handed pitcher Trogrlic-Iverson is having a stellar season as a sophomore at Central Arizona and is one of the best Junior College pitchers in the USA. He is committed to Gonzaga after this season but enters draft season as one the best Canadian pitchers eligible to be drafted.
3. Eric Cerantola and Ben Abram
Eric Cerantola and Ben Abram have been stand out performers in Ontario over the last two years making a name for themselves at every major competition possible including the Under 18 World Championships and Tournament 12. Both pitchers stand over 6’5” inches tall and have continued to develop into their graduating season. Cerantola is committed to Mississippi State while Abram is slated to attend Oklahoma in the fall and both have the ability and mindset to be successful at the next level from day one. With a strong spring with the National Team under their belt, both pitchers will look to build off their national team experience and showcase their abilities before the MLB draft.
2. Noah Naylor
Noah Naylor, the number one ranked player in Ontario’s 2018 class had a very good spring with the National Team solidifying his draft stock for the upcoming MLB amateur draft. The Texas A&M commit sits number 36 on Prep Baseball Report’s Draft 100 and is the number two ranked catcher on the list. Naylor has all the tools to be an impacted player in this game for a long time and the projectable power that excites evaluators. Over the next month, scouts will be getting their last look at Naylor in game action with the Ontario Blue Jays.