Quantrill top HSer at Ontario MLB camps

* RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) is the top Ontario high schooler for June, but is he signable or is he headed to Stanford University? ....  2012 Most Influential Canadians 2012 All-Canadian Team 2012 All-Canadian stats

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By Bob Elliott

No on knows for sure how the draft will unfold June 6-8.

Who will be the first Canadian player selected?

What we do know is who the best Ontario high school pitcher is.

And his name is Cal Quantrill.

The top Canadian prospect remain catcher Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) of the Langley Blaze; right-hander Nic Pivetta (Victoria, BC) with New Mexico Jr. College and third baseman Adam Nelubowich (Stony Plain, Alta.) of Washington State University.

Will Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), who pitches for the Ontario Terriers right-hander and the Canadian Junior National Team, be like Ryan Kellogg who wasn’t drafted until the 12th round by the Toronto Blue Jays and went to Arizona State rather than sign.

Kellogg, a graduate from the Ontario Prospects program, is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA for the Sun Devils, in three games making two starts. He’s walked one and struck out 13 in 15 innings.

The Toronto Blue Jays are not surprised at his success. They liked Kellogg but an agreement on a signing bonus could not be reached.

OK, name the last five Canadian pitchers to start as a freshman for a four-year school in California, Texas, Florida or Arizona.

Infielder Marcel Champagine (Bolton, Ont.) hit .371 at ASU in 2008 beginning the year as the starting shortstop. He was older, a junior college transfer, he wasn’t out of grade 12 like Kellogg.

Quantrill was the best arm on display at four Major League Bureau invite-only camps held in Mississauga, London and Etobicoke. He was clocked at 90-92 MPH.

Yet Quantrill, the son of former major leaguer Paul Quantrill, has a scholarship to Stanford University. Paul was drafted out of high school, attended Wisconsin and was drafted by the Boston Red Sox.

Talent, plus mom Alyson’s good looks and smarts.

“Quantrill has put on weight, he will be special, now whether he signs is another question,” said one scout who saw Quantrill throw.

The other Ontario players, all with the Canadian Junior National Team, who gained the attention of scouts for June:

Lefty Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.) also of the Terriers, was 85-90 MPH but was a bit erratic.

Right-hander Sean Ratcliffe (Ajax, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays, was 89 MPH off the mound with a solid pitcher’s frame. He had been catching initially and then combined both.

Right-hander Dylan Brooks (Dorchester, Ont.), Ontario Nationals, also hit the low 90s.

Infielder Malik Collymore (Mississauga, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays, affirmed himself as the “best position player on this side of the country.”

Catcher Owen Spiwak (Mississauga, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.

Outfielder Jamar Burnette (Toronto, Ont.) Canadian Junior National Team.

Infielder Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.) Windsor Selects.

Also showing well and eligible in June:

Catcher Tyler Hardie (Georgetown, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.

The best for 2014: 

Outfielder Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays “is a beast, a man among boys,” said one scout.

First baseman Mitchell Bigras (Sarnia, Ont.) Sarnia Braves.

Right-hander Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Toronto Mets.

And the best for 2015: 

Outfielder Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), Ontario Blue Jays, and outfielder Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.), Ottawa-Nepean Canadians.

“These two might have the biggest upside of anyone we saw all weekend,” said another scout.

Catcher Darren Shred (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.

“The four camps were good, there were a lot of young 2014-15 eligible players who looked promising,” said an evaluator.

Added another: “I didn’t see any diamonds in the rough this year.