Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the purpose of this list? 

A: This began in 1995 to promote baseball in Canada, creating interest in amateur players and alert people to potential players. 

Q: Does my name appearing on a list assure me of being drafted? 

A: No, it is a compilation of opinions and opinions change, the only opinions that really matters are those of the scouting director or area scout in the draft room, on draft day. 

Q: What makes you an expert on ranking players? 

A: Never claimed to be an expert, the list is compiled after conversations with scouts and scouting directors both in Canada and the United States. 

Q: How can a player go up on the list when he hasn't even played in during the winter months? 

A: Players improve or players show well at an indoor workouts. 
 
 
Q: It bothers me when a new list appears and I have dropped a few spots, is that natural? 

A: The first time I accompanied Blue Jays scouts on the road in 1990 for four days we went to a game at Huntington Beach, Calif. for the state championships. Three future MLB general managers were there and when the pitcher came out to warm up everyone crowded around the screen with guns. I said to the one scout 'shouldn't we move away, we're going to make him nervous?' The scout looked at me, raised an eyebrow and said 'if this pitcher is going to get nervous in front of 15 scouts with guns, what is he going to do when he has to throw a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded in a one-run game, with 45,000 people booing him at Yankee Stadium?' Cold, but that's the way the business is. If you choose baseball as a profession, or to help you get your education, there will be plenty of bumps in the road, a lot bumpier than a list of names. Learn to not let it bother you. Either cope, or ignore. Far greater worries lie ahead than dropping a few spots on a list. 
 

Q: What can I do to get my name on the list? 

A: Impress scouts. 

Q: Why would a scout tell you whom he would take in the draft? 

A: He doesn't. The question we always ask is who do you think will be the top Canadians drafted, not which Canadian will your team hope to select? 
 

Q: Why are so many Ontario players on the list? 

A: Heading into the 2006 draft -- and counting when only Canadians attending school in the US (1985-90) were eligible for the draft -- Ontario has had the most players drafted each year but 1997 and 2004 when British Columbia had the most drafted and Ontario was second. The reason? Population density. Total number of players drafted since 1985: Ontario 298, BC 202, Quebec 91, Alberta 68, Saskatchewan 25, Manitoba 17, Nova Scotia 14, New Brunswick 12, Newfoundland 3 and Prince Edward Island 3. 

Q: Do scouts go off talent or results? 

A: Few go off results, but signability (will the player attend a four-year university or sign go to a junior college, thereby giving a team until Aug. 15 to watch him develop) is an important an issue as projectability and ability. 

Q: Can a player expect to be drafted if he isn't on your list? 

A: Yes, it happens, for some, each and every June. 

Q: How can Player A be ranked higher than Player B when he doesn't play as well in my opinion? 

A: Some scouts look at projectability, that is, what they expect the player to be 4-5 years down the road and some players may have already peaked. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 
 
Q: Why do you include where players rank from other lists on your list? 

A: Everyone doesn't have access to the other lists. The more information the better. 
 
 

Q: How accurate have you been with your lists? 

2010

Final Project list                Actual list

1. Jameson Taillon            1. Jameson Taillon

2. Kellin Deglan                 2. Kellin Deglan

3. James Paxton               3. Marcus Knecht

4. Marcus Knecht              4. Chris Bisson

5. Chris Bisson                  5. James Paxton 

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 30 (19): 63%

Overall 32 (29): 91.0%

2009
Final projected list               Actual list

1. James Paxton                    1. James Paxton 

2. Jake Eliopoulos                 2. Jake Eliopoulos

3. Josh Garton                      3. Wes Darvil

4. Adam Nelubowich             4. Steven Inch

5. Mitch Clarke                      5. Chad Stang

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 30 (23): 77%

Overall 43 (36): 83.7%

2008 
Final projected list               Actual list

1. Brett Lawrie                     1. Brett Lawrie

2. Jordan Meaker                  2. Andrew Albers

3. Carter Morrison                 3. Brad Furdal

4. Lionel Morill                      4. David Francis

5. Mike Crouse                      5. Marcel Champaigne

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 25 (19): 76%

Overall 32 (29): 91%

2007
Final projected list               Actual list

1. Phillippe Aumont              1. Phillippe Aumont

2. Kyle Lotzkar                     2. Kyle Lotzkar

3. Trystan Magnuson            3. Trystan Magnuson

4. Lars Davis                         4. Lars Davis

5. Tim Smith                         5. Mitch Hodge

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 25 (20): 80%

Overall 35 (27): 77.1%
 

2006
Final projected list               Actual list

1. Kyle Orr                           1. Kyle Orr

2. Jonathan Waltenbury        2. Jonathan Baksh

3. Shayne Willson                 3. Jonathan Waltenbury

4. Jimmy Van Ostrand           4. Jimmy Van Ostrand

5. Chris Kissock                    5. Chris Toneguzzi

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 80%

Ranked in the top 30 (20): 67%

Overall 38 (31): 82%

2005
Final projected list               Actual list

1. Nick Weglarz                  1. Chris Robinson

2. James Avery                    2. Nick Weglarz

3. Chris Robinson               3. James Avery

4. Scott Richmond              4. Brad Cuthbertson

5. Brad Cuthbertson           5. Chris Leroux

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 30 (20): 67%

Overall 43 (35): 81%
 

2004
Final projected list                         Actual list

1. Philippe-Alexandre Valiquette   1. Mike Nickeas

2. Mike Saunders                           2. Craig Langille

3. Mike Nickeas                            3. Philippe-Alexandre Valiquette

4. Alexandre Periard                     4. Sebastien Boucher

5. Sebastien Boucher                    5. Mike Saunders

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 30 (21): 70%

Overall 38 (32): 84%

2003
Final projected list                 Actual Results

1. Brooks McNiven                1. Brooks McNiven

2. Jamie Romak                      2. Jamie Romak

3. Dustin Molleken                 3. Cory Stuart

4. Ryan Braun                         4. Ryan Braun

5. Cory Stuart                         5. Matt Linder

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Ranked in the top 30 (23): 77%

Overall 46 (36): 73%


2002
Final projected list                Actual Results

1. Adam Loewen                      1. Adam Loewen

2. Jeff Francis                           2. Jeff Francis

3. Jonathan Lockwood              3. Joey Votto

4. David Davidson                    4. Jesse Crain

5. Chris Robinson                     5. Chris Leroux

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 80%

Top 30 (24): 80%

Overall 48 (35): 73%

2001
Final projected list                   Actual Results

1. John Axford                         1. Adam Stern

2. Lee Delfino                         2. Judd Richardson

3. Adam Stern                          3. John Cole

4. John Picco                          4. Steve Nelson

5. Steve Nelson                        5. Lee Delfino

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Top 24 (24): 100%*

Overall 44 (33): 75%

*(Rich Harden, a 2000 draft, signed before the close period of the 2001 draft, thereby making him ineligible).

2000
Final projected list                    Actual Results

1. Scott Thorman                        1. Scott Thorman

2. Michael Reiss                        2. Shawn Hill

3. Shawn Hill                           3. Nom Siriveaw

4. Stephen Reiss                        4. Cory Agar

5. Jordan Gerk                          5. Geoff Smart

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Top 25 (17): 68%

Overall 46 (28): 61%


1999
Final projected list                    Actual Results

1. Reggie Laplante                      1. Justin Morneau

2. Justin Morneau                       2. Shawn Hill

3. Brad Rogers                          3. Phil Devey

4. Jason Bay                            4. Reggie Laplante

5. Alex Groleau                         5. Todd Shiyuk

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 80%

Top 25 (16): 64%

Overall 46 (26): 57%


1998
Final projected list                    Actual Results

1. Ryan Grantham                        1. Lee Delfino          

2. Lee Delfino                              2. Tim Nelson

3. Kareem Johnson                       3. Steve Murray

4. Dustin Emberley                      4. Ryan Grantham

5. Steve Murray                           5. Dustin Emberley

Percentage of players drafted in any order:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Top 20 (16): 80%

Overall 31 (20): 65%


1997
Final projected list                 Actual Results

1. Kevin Nicholson                   1. Kevin Nicholson   

2. Aaron Myette                        2. Ntema Ndungidi

3. Ntema Ndungidi                    3. Aaron Myette

4. Brad Drew                            4. Robbie Vael

5. Jason Gooding                      5. Jason Gooding

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 100%

Top 20 (14): 70%

Overall 41 (19): 46%


1996
Final projected list                   Actual Results

1. Chris Reitsma                       1. Chris Reitsma      

2. Yan Lachapelle                      2. Yan Lachapelle

3. Cody McKay                         3. Chris Mears

4. Chris Mears                           4. Cody McKay

5. Jeff Guiel                              5. Greg Heffernan

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 80%

Top 20 (13): 65%

Overall 40 (19): 48%


1995
Final projected list                    Actual Results

1. Ryan Dempster                      1. Ryan Dempster    

2. Aaron Myette                         2. Cody McKay

3. Yan LaGrandeur                     3. Blaine Forton

4. Trevor Bishop                        4. Chad Ricketts

5. Sean Riley                              5. Pierre-Luc LaForest

Percentage of players drafted:

Ranked in the top 5: 80%

Top 20 (13): 65%

Overall 31 (21): 68%