* Hayden Jaco fields the ball as the Langley Blaze work outdoors Sunday afternoon at the McLeod Sports Complex’s football stadium. ....  Sign up for CBN Newsletter

 

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By Bob Elliott

Snow may be winning the battle vs. baseball in Canada.

The fluffy-white stuff, as the weather men call it, may be hitting .900 (9-for-10 provincially) in fact.

Yet, on the west coast?

All is well.

The Langley Blaze worked outside Sunday at the McLeod Sports Complex’s football stadium located adjacent to McLeod Athletic Park in balmy six-degree weather.

They took ground balls on the football turf and then ran the stairs.

The Langley operation has a head start on most organizations in the country and the Blaze also finish strong too.

Twice in the last six drafts the Blaze had the top Canadian drafted: INF Brett Lawrie who went to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008 and RHP Tom Robson, fourth round to the Blue Jays in 2011.

Two other years the top high schoolers were: Tyler O’Neill, third round in 2013 to the Seattle Mariners and Kellin Deglan, first round to the Texas Rangers in 2010,

In all the Blaze program, started by Doug Mathieson and the 18U team now coached by Jamie Bodaly have had 34 players drafted, some like Detroit Tigers farmhand Jordan Lennerton three times:

2001 _ LHP Ryan Lennerton drafted in the 24th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2002 _ RHP Scott Mathieson, 17th, Philadelphia Phillies, now pitching for the Yomuri Giants.

2003 _ RHP Jared Johnson, 43rd, Florida Marlins and RHP Evan Bailey, 49th, Anaheim Angels.

2004 _ OF Adam Parliament, 26th, Atlanta Braves, LHP Jon Hesketh, 42nd, Jays, RHP Jamie Metzner, 46th, Brewers, and 1B Jordan Lennerton, 50th, Toronto Blue Jays

2005 _ RHP Denver Wynn, 46th, Minnesota Twins and Jordan Lennerton, 41st, Brewers.

2006 _ RHP-OF Shayne Willson, 16, Twins, OF Tyson Gillies, 25th, Mariners, C Kyle Paul, 41st, Cleveland Indians and Hesketh, 38th

2007 _ RHP Kyle Lotzkar 1st, Cincinnati Reds, RHP Travis Nevakshonoff, 29th, Brewers and OF Ryan Jensen, 33rd, Brewers.

2008 _ OF Carter Morrison, 16th, Reds, RHP Stosh Wawrzasek 16th, Brewers, RHP J.R. Robinson, 31st, Jays,  Lawrie and Jordan Lennerton 33rd, Detroit Tigers.

2009 _ INF Wes Darvill, fifth, Chicago Cubs, Mike Monster, 25th, Reds, RHP Colin Kleven, 33rd, Phillies, RHP Rory Young, 39th, Astros, C Brooklyn Foster, 43rd, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Hesketh, 20th.

2010 _ RHP Mike Ellis, 35th, San Diego Padres, Deglan and Johnson, 26th.

2011 _ Dustin Houle, 8th, Brewers, Justin Atkinson, 26th, Jays and Robson.

2013 _ O’Neill.