35 Canuck drafts, 23 signings, 6 FA signs, Plus Links
* RHP Tom Robson (Ladner, BC), top Canadian in the 2011 June draft, signed with the Blue Jays for $325,000 US. Reported to Dunedin Tuesday. Letters of Intent
2011 Canadians in the June draft
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Canadians selected in the 2011 June draft of high schoolers and collegians:
1. 4th round (139 over-all) Blue Jays RHP Tom Robson 6’4” 205 lbs. Ladner, BC Langley Blaze/Canadian Junior National Team
Committed to Central Arizona Community College, Ranked 106th over-all by Perfect Game -- SIGNED $325,000.
TODD DEVLIN -- National Team Ace wants to pitch for Canada's Team
HOWARD TSUMURA -- Robson 'can't wait' to play for Jays
MARK BOOTH -- Robson hopes to get deal done quickly
2. 7th (219th) Cubs 1B Trevor Gretzky 6’ 4” 205 lbs., Thousand Oaks, Calif. -- SIGNED $375,000
Committed to San Diego State, Son of Wayne Gretzky
JANE SWITZER -- Meet the Gretzky who can't skate
BRIAN SMILEY -- Make way for Gretzky Junior
3. 8th (251) Brewers C Dustin Houle 6’1 205 lbs. Penticton, BC. Langley Blaze/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED, $150,000
Committed to Chipola College
4. 9th (296) Braves OF Chase Larsson 6’ 2” 220 lbs. Vancouver, BC, Cameron University -- SIGNED, $100,000 signing bonus.
Previous draft by Greg Smith of the Kansas City Royals, former North Delta Blue Jay with James Paxton
JACOB UNRUH -- Larsson, Tino Martinez DII Player of the Year award, signs with Braves
TODD DEVLIN -- Larsson wins the long chase
BRIAN LESTER -- Chase Larsson (Vancouver) makes 2011 a comeback year
5. 11th (355) Reds RHP Vaughn Covington, 6’4 210 lbs. Vancouver, BC, Vancouver Cannons -- SIGNED $150,000
Coming off Tommy John surgery expected to throw in September, 92 MPH last summer Drafted by Bill Byckowksi
6. 13th (417) Giants RHP Adam Paulencu 6’ 3” 190 lbs. Sherwood Park, Alta. Vancouver Island Baseball Institute -- SIGNED, but did not pass physical
Top Canadian selection from a Canadian school, One thing the Giants know is pitching
Sherwood Park arm goes to the Giants
ADAM MORRISSETTE -- Paulencu, Baseball Alberta boss, exports son Adam to SF Giants
7. 15th (459) Cubs C Justin Marra 5’ 10” 185 lbs. Toronto, Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED $110,000
Marra impressed at workouts for both the Brewers and the Jays, but it was the Cubs which were quickest on the draw
8. 17th (516) Royals SS Nic Cuckovic 6’ 2” 200 lbs Victoria, BC Riverside Community College -- SIGNED
Make a late charge leading up to the draft a year ago and some thought he'd go, Year later, Year stronger
9. 17th (526) A’s Sean Jamieson 6’ 1” 180 lbs Simcoe, Ont. Canisius College -- SIGNED
Co-Player of the Year for coach Mike McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.)
BRIAN SMILEY -- Pre-draft look
Jamieson Impressed A's scout Matt Higginson
10. 18th (571) Phillies RHP Jesen Dygestile-Therrien 6’2” 190 lbs Montreal, Que. Academie Baseball Canada/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED
Scout Alex Agostino (Montreal, Que.) scooped the best from his home province.
MARC ALEXANDER BLAIS -- Two from La Belle Province
11. 22nd (669) Cubs RHP Ethan Elias 6’3” 180lbs. Entwistle, Alta. Edmonton Prospects/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED
Committed to Central Arizona
SHERI LAMB -- Elias elated to be selected by Cubs
12. 23rd (721) Giants 3B Jonathan Jones 6’ 5” 205 lbs Lorraine, Que. Academie Baseball Canada -- SIGNED
Committed to Iowa Western, Scouted by his coach Ray Callari (Montreal, Que.)
MARC ALEXANDER BLAIS -- Two from La Belle Province
13. 26th (799) Jays INF Justin Atkinson 6’ 175 lbs North Surrey, BC Langley Blaze/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED, $100,000 bonus
Atkinson has signed a letter iof intent to Central Arizona and was drafted by scout Don Cowan.
14. 26th (803) Padres RHP Roberto Suppa 6’5" 205 lbs Connor, Ont. Toronto Maple Leafs and Canadian Junior National Team
Has committed to Cornell University
15. 29th (874) Diamondbacks 3B Carter Bell 6’2” 180 lbs Courtenay, BC Orgeon State University -- SIGNED
Bell is the only Canuck still playing after the top-seeded Beavers won their NCAA regional
16. 29th (890) White Sox, Dustin Hayes 6’2 180 lbs Langley, BC Coquitlam Angels -- SIGNED
Attended White Sox workout south of the border, playing senior
17. 30th (912) Mets LHP Jake Hansen 5’ 11” 180 lbs Fort Macleod, Alta. Fort Macleod Royals/Spitz Canadians/Tean Canada Junior National Team
Impressed Claude Pelletier (Ste-Lezare, Que.) throughout the spring
18. 33th (999) Cubs LHP Sheldon McDonald 5’ 11” 205 lbs Spruce Grove, Alta. University of British Columbia -- SIGNED
Coach Terry McKaig's (Vernon, BC) most dependable starter is selected
19. 33th (1018) Twins INF Steven Wickens 5’10” 170 lbs. Whitby, Ont. Florida Gulf Coast University -- SIGNED
Former Ontario Blue Jays INF anchor
20. 34th (1042) Red Sox LHP Ben Dartnell 6’ 2” 200 lbs. East St. Paul, Man. Vauxhall Academy
Battled arm problems this spring for coach Les McTavish but still impressed
21. 34th (1049) Yankees RHP Skylar Janisse 6’ 4” 200 lbs. Maidstone, Ont. Windsor Selects/Canadian Junior National Team
Ex-Jays and Expo LHP Denis Boucher (Lachine, Que.) selects national team stalwart
Oakland Grizzley signee drafted
22. 35th (1053) Mariners OF Cory Scammell 6’5” 210 lbs Edmonton, Alta. Edmonton Cardinals/FX Academy/Canadian Junior National Team -- SIGNED
Scammell showed high ceiling playing for coach Mark Randall, legendary scout Wayne Norton (Port Moody, BC) in the hunt
23. 36th (1109) Yankees RHP Ryan Thompson 6’ 1” 180lbs Fort McMurray, Alta. Franklin Pierce University
After transferring from UCONN he dominated: 13 BBs, 114 Ks in 95 IPs, 11-1, 1.23 in 13 starts
24. 37th (1126) A’s 3B Eric Wood 6’2” 195 lbs. Oshawa, Ont. Ontario Blue Jays
And we were told he was a free agent
Three Durham players selected
25. 37th (1129) Blue Jays RHP Leslie Williams 6’ 2” 220 lbs. Scarborough, Northeastern University -- SIGNED
18 BBs, 77 Ks in 95.0 IPs, while going 5-6, 3.89 in 13 starts
26. 39th (1189) Blue Jays RHP Chris Cox 6’ 1” 210 lbs. St. George, Ont., Canisius College
34 BBs, 46 Ks in 44 IPs, 1-6, 5.32, two saves Described as the May best stuff in the conference, 95 mph
BRIAN SMILEY -- Pre-draft look
27. 40th (1231) Phillies 1B Brendan Hendriks 6’2” 180 lbs. Cochrane, Alta. Vauxhall Academy/Canadian Junior National Team
Alberta continues a strong run this June, strong as Hendriks' arm
REAGEN SULEWSKI -- Hendricks drafted
28. 41st (1241) Brewers 3B Jalen Harris 6’2” 210lbs. Toronto, Victoria Mariners -- SIGNED
Spent the spring in B.C. and has excellent hands and arm.
29. 42nd (1266) Royals INF Joey Hawkins 5’ 11” 170 lbs. Whitby, Ont., Ontario Blue Jays
Committed to Missouri State, drafted by Jason Bryans (Windsor, Ont.)
30. 42nd (1279) Blue Jays LHP Shane Davis 6’ 2” 189 lbs. Belmont, Ont., Canisius College -- SIGNED
Fifth-year senior holds many Griffs records
31. 43rd (1309) Blue Jays LHP Jake Eliopoulos 6’3” 180 lbs Newmarket, Ont. Troy Jet Box
A sandwich pick of the Jays in 2009, a 14th rounder in 2010 and now the 43rd?
32. 44th (1331) Brewers OF Steve Adam 5’ 10” 160 lbs. Tecumseh, Ont. Windsor Selects
Fastest player in the country? Beep-Beep!
33. 45th (1362) Mets RHP Andrew Marra 5’ 11” 180 lbs La Salle, Ont. Windsor Selects/Canadian Junior National Team
Has a commttment to the University of Toledo
34. 46th (1388) Indians RHP Robert Nixon, Welland, Ont., Adelphi University -- SIGNED
11-2, a 1.43 ERA, threw record 10 complete games
Adelphi's anchor of the rotation
35. 50th (1519) Jays RHP Eric Brown 6’1” 185 lbs Thunder Bay, Ont. University of British Columbia -- SIGNED
First Bay draftee since Chris Toneguzzi?
Players drafted:
Drafted by: Blue Jays 7, Cubs 4, Brewers 3, A’s 2, Giants 2, Mets 2, Phillies 2, Royals 2, Yankees 2, Braves 1, Diamondbacks 1, Indians, Mariners 1, Padres 1, Reds 1, Red Sox 1, Twins 1, White Sox 1. By Province: Ontario (including one going back a generation) 17, British Columbia 8, Alberta 7, Quebec 2, Manitoba 1.
Free-agent signings (6): RHP Brandon Kaye (Langley, BC) -- Signs as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays after pitching for the University of Biritsh Columbia. Assigned to Vancouver Canadians Single-A, Northwest League.
OF Marc Bourgeois OF (Granby, Que.) — Signs as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks after playing for Southern Mississippi. Assigned to Yakima Bears Single-A Northwest League.
C Dan Welch (Victoria, BC) — signs with Oakland A’s as undrafted free agent, after playing for the University of Dayton.
RHP Cory Hall (Regina, Sask.) — Signs as an undrafted free fgent with Kansas City Royals.
1B Luke Willson (La Salle, Ont.) -- Signs as an undrafted free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays and if the NFL draft does not work out with the Rice University Owls, he'll give baseball a try.
LHP Rob Cooper (St. Anne, Ont.) -- Signs as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.