2010 Ridley award winner, Jay Lapp

  By Bob Elliott

The list of players scout Jay Lapp has drafted for the Milwaukee Brewers over the years outnumbers most scouts.

Alexandre Periard, Mark James, Mehdi Djebbar, Chris Dennis, Cam Robulack. Adam Arnold, Nicholas Bucci, Marcus Knecht, Nick Fogarty, James Kottaras and Chandler McLaren. 

Some signed with Milwaukee. Some went back to school only to re-surface, as Knecht did Tuesday with the Blue Jays, and others were released. But thanks to Lapp, the Brewers have been the most active club when it comes to drafting Canadians and with the most in the minors.

So, who did Lapp land in this year’s draft, which wrapped up on Wednesday?

Windsor right-hander Joel Pierce in the ninth round and North Vancouver outfielder Rowan Wick in the 18th.

A bad year? Not really.

How many Canadian scouts signed a pitcher currently closing games for a major-league club. Lapp, 48, drove from London in the midst of a storm to sign John Axford of Port Dover at an indoor workout inside The Baseball Zone in Mississauga before the 2008 season. Now, Axford has completed all four save opportunities for the Brewers.

That’s why Lapp, 48, is the winner of the Jim Ridley Award in memory of the late Jays scout as we hand out our 17th annual scout-of-the-year honours.

Periard has a 2-4 record with a 4.71 ERA at double A- Huntsville Stars, Dennis of Amherstburg, has six homers and 29 RBIs at class-A Wisconsin while teammate Nick Bucci of Sarnia is 3-2 with a 1.74 ERA, earning Midwest League all-star honours.

A total of 32 Canadians went in the 2010 draft, 10 fewer than a year ago. But the total of seven in the first 10 rounds was the second best since 2002.

Jays scouting director Andrew Tinnish and new Canadian head scout Jamie Lehman drafted seven homebrews to lead all teams.

SCOUTS HONOUR ROLL 

    PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE JIM RIDLEY AWARD 

Bill Scherrer Buffalo, N.Y. Marlins

Bill MacKenzie Ottawa Rockies

Tim Harkness Hampton, Ont. Padres

Ed Heather Cambridge Jays

Wayne Norton Port Moody, B.C. Orioles

Walt Jefferies Paris, Ont. Jays

Claude Pelletier Ste-Lezare, Que. Mets

Jim Kane Brampton Braves

Ken Lenihan Bedford, N.S. MLB

Dick Groch Marysville, Mich. Brewers

Walt Burrows Brentwood Bay, B.C. MLB

Alex Agostino Montreal Phillies

Howie Norsetter Sydney, Australia Twins

Greg Hamilton Ottawa Canada

Jim Ridley, a two-time winner.