Another Successful Future Games Completed For Team Canada

August 8, 2022
Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Canada Senior Writer

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EMERSON, Ga. - A Prep Baseball Report event that first began in 2011 is now more than a decade old. But the fun and interest received is anything but old when it comes to the Future Games.

This year’s showcase drew raves from so many in attendance watching 32 teams with players from 41 states and five Canadian provinces participating in front of approximately 350 college coaches.

“I'm not positive of the exact number of college coaches, but what stood out to me was how many schools traveled with the maximum number (3) of coaches in attendance,” related Shooter Hunt, vice president of scouting for PBR. “It is usually rare to see major head coaches out on the road, but the Future Games saw a plethora of BIG named head coaches walking around.”

What all coaches at LakePoint witnessed was impressive - to say the least - during the four-day event.

“I think the overall median level of talent was ultra impressive,” Hunt said. “There was so much to watch on each team throughout the entire roster that I felt like I was missing more than I was seeing. It's what makes the Future Games so special: there is something for every coach to watch for on each team. The staffs that brought multiple coaches were rewarded best because they were likely able to see the most.”

One major change made this year was with the schedules, each team playing different opponents from previous years at the Future Games.

“I LOVED the new schedule, and I think that it helped rejuvenate the kids and staff after a long summer of playing against the same regional talent,” pointed out Hunt. “It was especially evident when the Ohio boys took on Florida. Ohio played like it had something to prove, and with a plethora of SEC and ACC coaches watching, I thought that they made the most of that big stage.”

Canada lost close games with Mississippi and Alabama while tying Arizona in an eight-inning game.

“I liked the change of scenery for our players,” related George Halim, PBR Canada Director of Scouting. “We get to play northeast players in the majority of tournaments we attend, so to play guys from Arizona, Alabama and so on, it was an eye-opener for some of our guys. It sets a different bar for them.

“But if I had a fourth game, I would’ve played against a neighboring state. Schools watched our guys play in a perfect showcase format for three games this year. Last year Cam Macleod hit a clutch single up the middle at 11:15 p.m. in a game that felt like it meant something, and that was a unique environment for schools to watch him perform. I believe that’s because it was against Ohio, and we have history that goes back years. How can we not want to beat them?”

As for how Team Canada showed at the event, Halim was more than pleased.

“What stood out immediately was the workout day,” Halim noted. “Of all the years I’ve been to the Future Games, that was easily the most efficiently-run Day 1 that I’ve been to and the players loved it (kudos to Stevie Ballgame). Our advantage is that we can create an arena where the players can play up in a relaxed environment, in spite of hundreds of coaches in attendance. It definitely set the tone for the week.”

Team Canada had a lot of strong performances during the three games.

“I thought the Canadians cemented that they can compete with anyone down here,” Halim said. “Brendan Lawson was one of the best players in Georgia, and he did it quietly. He forced attention on himself by taking good swings and playing confident defense, and he’s been doing that all summer.

“Jorge Valdes didn’t turn right at first very much and swiped 5+ bags. He hits from the left side and has a chance to stick in center field.

“Esteban Dessureault isn’t flashy, but as a physical 2025, he hits from the left side.

“Evan Arnold put together competitive ABs coming off an injury a few months back. It’s a twitchy swing from the left side and he can defend at second base with the best of them (just needs size).

“Declan Spooner has a golfy swing at times but also possesses tremendous barrel feel and hits the ball hard. Pitchers like throwing to him, and while his transfer is a touch behind, he has arm strength and gets his throws on the bag regularly.”

"Asafa Jones came in with a lot of hype because schools hadn’t seen him much. I thought he had some of the hardest hit balls, and he did enough to prove that he can play as a left/left outfielder. But he’s stronger than most."

There was more that stood out in the eyes of Halim.

“On the mound I felt as though our staff competes with the best states in the company. Matt Brown is a 6-5 righty with a natural feel for pitching and athleticism, he just needs reps. Makaio Cisneros grew a few inches in the last few months and was up to 91 for the first time. As a 2024 with stuff that moves, he manages to pound the zone and locate. He’ll have bad misses, but will induce bad swings, too.

“Will Hynes has a chance to be one of the best 2025 arms around beyond Canada. His fluidity, effortlessness and feel for spin can’t really be taught, and he’ll be fun to watch. Owen Slater looks right when he pitches. Now at 6-3, he’s another loose and lanky righty who throws at moderate effort. He’s got strikes and spin, down in the zone and a natural feel for being a pitcher. Jacob Wallace has a way to go, but his arm and his stuff works.”

Hunt saw a lot to like in the team from Canada.

“Team Canada was easily one of my favorite teams,” Hunt said. “I loved the physicality that their left-handed hitters brought to the plate. Adding to their intrigue as a squad, they rolled out multiple big arms with starter-upside, and there were college coaches from coast-to-coast following them closely.”

Canada also showed well in the Junior Future Games.

“This was the first year we sent two Junior Future Games teams, and it was the best decision we made,” Halim explained. “The ability to grow our brand at the younger age groups is huge for what we can provide to players in Canada. A shot to play in Georgia with players from across the country, against players from all over America, we couldn’t ask for more. Our teams were pretty good, too.”

Hunt feels strongly that those participating, no matter the level, are more than worthy of being part of such a prestigious event.

“Every player at the Future Games has been evaluated by the PBR staff, so their presence alone means that they have next-level talent,” explained Hunt. “Many players had strong, breakout weeks, but even the guys who didn't see in-game success are still likely very much on college coaches' radars. I think it is important for those kids who didn't think that they performed well to understand that it was only four days, and college coaches are evaluating much more than whether or not they produced in that short window.”

A PBR thank you to all that participated and a special thanks to the players on Team Canada that gave their thoughts about the event (including what schools have been in contact with them since the event):

To view all the stats/articles related to the 2022 Future Games - Team Canada, click here.

To view the entire 2022 Future Games stats, including the Trackman/Blast Analytics, please click here.

Another Successful Future Games Completed For Team Canada

The Arms

Matthew Brown RHP / SS / Waterdown District, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 374 / POS: 112

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
The highlights for me were to play with players from all around the USA and Canada, play on a level where hundreds of scouts came to watch.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I started Game 1 against Mississippi and went three innings giving up one hit and no walks with four Ks.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
Being a part of Team Canada was a very cool thing, I felt like being from Canada everyone already had the bond when we got to the fields on Wednesday. The team was great and fun to play with all week.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was as top as it could be. facing batters I knew I had to bring my best stuff because they were there for a reason. Every batter one through 11 were going to be able to hit anything.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games can help me get a scholarship to schools after high school. More importantly, it will help my baseball knowledge and skill from what I learned this week from other pitchers and watching games.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
After this event I have been in contact with Purdue, College of Charleston, Louisiana Monroe, and Campbell.

Makaio Cisneros RHP / OF / All Saints Catholic secondary school, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 6 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 401 / POS: 117

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
I pitched two innings letting up zero hits while also getting up to 91mph and sitting 89-90mph.

PBR: Assess your performance.
My outing was very solid as I gave up no hits, with two Ks and 2 walks with only one run scored which was off a sac fly.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
It felt great to be selected to represent Canada at the Future Games and it was great to see all the other top players around the country and play alongside them. The Canada staff was also great and set a good vibe on the team.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The teams we played were very competitive. It was great to showcase my talents against top players from each state that we played.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
With scouts from almost every school in attendance, my name will start grabbing attention from many schools who didn’t know me before this event.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
Joey Hawkins (Missouri State), Lars Davis (Georgia State), Jeremy Hileman (Canisus), Scott Heath (Maine State), Matt Kennedy (Butler University).

Brett Getz LHP / LHP / Vauxhall Academy of Baseball, AB / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
Just being on the mound in front of the scouts and pitching to my best abilities.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I pitched pretty well, I was able to command both of my pitches and throw them each where I wanted to. I felt like I could trust my defense with whatever ball was put in play.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
The atmosphere was really awesome and having tons of cameras and eyes on you. It was cool because we were the only ones not from the USA so the other players would ask us a bunch of questions. We were representing more than our home areas being a part of Canada.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I probably faced the best hitters I have yet and it was really cool. Even when I wasn’t pitching, just seeing the other teams put out their best guys to compete against ours was really neat.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
By participating in this I believe it can help me get to the next level and I realize how much better I gotta get to become great.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I was not in contact with colleges during the tournament but after I pitched I got some interest in me now and hopefully that will continue to grow.

Will Hynes RHP / SS / Lorne Park Secondary, ON / 2025

Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 225 / POS: 46

Waiting to hear back from.

Wes Johnsto RHP / 2B / Senator O'Conner College School, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 10

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My Future Games highlights were definitely the fact we got to play against some of the best competition in the country, showcasing our skill and we got to do it in front of so many good schools.

PBR: Assess your performance.
My performance in the Future Games was definitely above my expectations. I had confidence going into it, but once I stepped out on the mound and looked up and saw all the people watching me, it boosted my confidence and it showed in my pitch control.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
I think being on Team Canada is definitely a huge honor as only the best in the country can play on the team and you're playing with the best. The one thing that stood out was the fact I took in, I'm playing with the best there is and from all over.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition at the event was top tier. Playing against their teams and players will get you better by challenging you physically and mentally. It was the best competition I've seen in my young career.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games has helped my future in the way of giving me the opportunity to perform in front of some of the best schools in the country. I may not have gotten the opportunity to play in front of these schools otherwise, which could change where I play after my college or change my future coaching opportunities.

Owen Slater RHP / Brooklin High School, ON / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
Getting to put on my country’s colours, showing my talents in front of so many college recruiters and playing with and against so many great players in an awesome facility.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I showed fairly well. I did not allow any hard contact and hit most of my spots. I was disappointed I did not beat my personal best in velocity, but overall I was happy with how I pitched.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
It was an amazing experience to represent my country. Not many players get the opportunity to do that. It is something I will cherish as the first time wearing the red-and-white and will be motivation for it not to be the last time.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
Every team was great. I only faced Arizona, who had some really talented future D-1 players. This is the only event that brings together this much talent from so many locations and having every game at the same facility makes it easy for us to watch the best players from all of the other states, too.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
I don’t know of another event that has so many recruiters and coaches attending. I’m hopeful that someone saw something they liked in me and will follow my progress over the next few years. Not many schools come to Canada so this opportunity to play in front of them will hopefully open some doors for me.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I have had a few more coaches follow me on my Twitter profile but none have reached out to me directly yet.

Carson Tehan RHP / OF / Sandwich Secondary School, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 6

Waiting to hear back from.

Jacob Wallace RHP / 1B / Chene Bleu Pincourt, QC / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
I faced a lot of good hitters at the event and I really had to choose what pitches to throw, otherwise they would smoke the ball.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I’m very proud of my performance.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
It was amazing. The thing that stood out for me was the fact that we were the only Canadians there.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was better than the competition we have back home. The hitters were fouling off some really good pitches and the pitchers were good, too.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
It can help you to get seen by a lot of college coaches.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I was talking to Hawaii, FIU and Missouri State before this event and during this event, too.

Hudson White LHP / Holy Heart, NL / 2024

Waiting to hear back from.

The Catchers

Keegan Drinkle C / 1B / Maple Ridge Secondary, BC / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My Future Games highlight was just being a part of the Future Games. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I performed well on the field.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
Being a part of Team Canada was awesome. The coaches were great and I got to see lots of talented ball players from other parts of the country.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
There’s lots of good competition and talent from all over the U.S. All three of the teams we played were great and had very talented players on them.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
It helps because you get to show how you play baseball and perform in front of lots of college scouts and it puts your name out there.

Declan Spooner C / 1B / North Shore Academy, BC / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
Playing in front of all the scouts.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I think I did pretty well, both hitting and catching wise.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
Being a part of Team Canada was a great experience. It was really cool how well we all got along together.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was very good. I loved playing against the best of the best

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games can help me stand out to coaches and build relationships

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
A couple of coaches followed me on twitter including Brandon Harmon, Jeremy Hileman, Braeden Ward, Ryan McClaran, George Brown.

David Stanley OF / C / Greenwood College, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 13 / POS: 3

Waiting to hear back from.

The Infielders

Evan Arnold SS / 2B / Blessed Trinity, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 3

Waiting to hear back from.

Oliver Clements SS / 3B / Vancouver College, BC / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
I feel my highlight of the Future Games was my defensive play because I felt it was quite good.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I feel that my performance was quite good taking into consideration that I was competing against the top uncommitted players in North America and that I have never played with/against such talented players. I feel that my performance at the plate was quite good even though I was facing high velo that I had never even seen before.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
I think it’s really cool to be a part of Team Canada and be able to represent them against all the American teams. What stood out to me was being on the same team as some of the top-ranked 2024s in the country and being able to see how they do things.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I am confident in saying that, that was the toughest competition I have ever faced. It was really cool to be able to talk to some of the talent from teams all over America.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games has opened my eyes to high school baseball and the recruiting process into college baseball and has shown me the kind of talent it requires to get to the next level. Playing in the Future Games has also assisted me in getting my name out there as a high school baseball player looking to play in college.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I have not been in contact with any schools.

Jesse Dale 3B / 1B / Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, ON / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 20 / POS: 1

Waiting to hear back from.

Esteban Dessureault 3B / 1B / Academie Estacades, QC / 2025

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My highlights were my good ABs with a lot of good contact.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I did well in the box with my hardest hit ball at 98.5 mph and a stolen base.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
It was an honor to represent my country with the best baseball player from Canada.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I faced great pitchers from the other teams and the level of competition was very high.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
The Future Games will help me to get a college degree at a big university and to live an experience I would never do otherwise.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I didn’t have a lot of time to communicate with coaches since the event ended.

Owen Fernandes 3B / RHP / Maple Ridge Secondary, BC / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
I had lots of fun meeting new teammates. This was definitely my favourite part of the trip. Also, pitching was the highlight of my playing experience.

PBR: Assess your performance.
My pitching was great, the best part of my performance. I found a few barrels while hitting but they couldn’t find a gap.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out.
I thought being a part of the team was great. We had great coaches that were very friendly and awesome to be around. My teammates were also great. It was a cool experience meeting some French guys and some guys from different parts of the country.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was like nothing I've faced before. It felt almost impossible to get a pitch by them without it being at least fouled.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Playing with the Future Games team can hopefully tell some college coaches that I was a kid chosen out of all of Canada.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
Almost instantly after I pitched I had three coaches reach out to my head coach.