Sandlots: Quantrill, LeBlanc, Stewart
* Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), left, didn't have his bubble burst pitching for the Morehead City Marlins. He was named the top prospect in the Coastal Plain summer league by the Perfect Game Scouting Service. .... 2014 Canadians in the Minors … Canadians in College 2015 Canadian draft list Letters of Intent
By Bob Elliott
RHP Cal Quantrill turned in his Cardinal uniform for a Marlins jersey this summer.
It fit just nicely thank you.
Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) was named the No. 1 prospect in the Coastal Plain summer college league by Baseball America earlier.
And now Perfect Game Scouting Service concurs, rating the sophomore ahead of 1B Alex Close of Liberty, RHP Nebraska’s Josh Roeder, Georgia RHP Jared Cheek and Old Dominion 1B Taylor Ostrich atop its top 20 list.
Quantrill, drafted in the 26th round by New York Yankees scout Denis Boucher (Laval, Que.) is not eligible until the 2016 draft.
With the Morehead City (NC) Marlins the former Ontario Terrier walked nine and struck out 33 in 23 innings going 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in four starts.
As a Stanford Cardinal he was 7-5 record with a 2.68 ERA in 18 games, making 17 starts. He fanned 98 and walked 34 in 110 2/3 innings.
_ SS Charles LeBlanc was named No. 6 on the Perfect Game top 30 prospect list from the 2014 Perfect Game summer collegiate league.
LeBlanc (Laval, Que.) hit .226 in 12 games with five RBIs for the Watertown Rams, starting eight for the Rams at shortstop, with two doubles. He also successfully stole all three bases he attempted to steal.
Committed to Pittsburgh, LeBlanc sits behind RHP Jon Escobar of Inverness Ill. Next come RHP Ryan Clark of Johnson City, NY, RHP Mitch Sewald of Mandeville, La., RHP Taylor Blatch of Stuart, Fla. and RHP Zack Brown, Seymour Ind. The summer loop is rated as the eighth-best collegiate summer league in North America.
LeBlanc was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers and scout Jay Lapp (London, Ont.) in the 33th round in 2013.
Sitting 20th is RHP Roberto Suppa (Connor, Ont.) of the Elmira Pioneers. Entering his senior year with the Cornell Big Red, Suppa was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2011 (26th round) by San Diego Padres scout Murray Zuk (Souris, Man.).
The 6-foot-5 Suppa was 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA in nine games, making seven starts, walking 31 and striking out 22 in 31 2/3 innings.
_ A change of scenery benefitted Devon Stewart (Maple Ridge, BC). A member of the coach Mike McRae’s (Niagara Falls, Ont.) Canisius Golden Griffins making 15 starts, he was moved to the bullpen in summer ball with the Anchorage Bucs.
Stewart pitched in nine games earning two saves and showed and increase in velocity, as he walked 11 and struck out 11 in 15 1/3 innings with a 1.17 ERA.
Last spring he was 6-5 with a 4.38 ERA as he walked 23 and fanned 43 in 90 1/3 innings.
Baseball America ranked Stewart in the No. 10 spot in its top 10 rankings from Alaska:
10. Devon Stewart, rhp, Anchorage Bucs (Sr., Canisius) The Canadian was a member of the Canisius rotation for three years and went undrafted this spring. He pitched exclusively out of the bullpen this summer and his velocity jumped, showing some of the best velocity in the league. Several teams tried to sign him, though he elected to return for his senior season. Stewart’s velocity was largely 87-90, touching 92 out of the rotation, but sat 92-94, touching 95 out of the pen with sink and arm-side run. He was a low-walk (2.6 career walk rate), low-strikeout pitcher (5.1) in school but reared back out of the pen with a 5.9 walk rate and 7.3 strikeouts. Stewart has a high-effort, drop-and-drive and herky-jerky low three-quarters delivery that leaves him falling off to the first-base side. His delivery is best suited for a relief role in pro ball. While his 80-83 mph sweepy slider has depth and could provide a tough same-side look, he throws the offering from a lower arm slot. His changeup has flashed average potential. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Stewart has an athletic, high-waisted build with room to get stronger.
Tourney play: The upcoming Texas/New Mexico tournament in Round Rock, Texas Sept 26-27 includes four Canucks. RHP Jeremy Sylvester (Regina, Sask.) and 3B Raphael Gladu (Trois-Rivieres Que.) both from Galveston College, CF Jager Toffan (Regina, Sask.) Blinn College and LHP Steven Dressler (Burlington, Ont.) Cisco College have been selected to play in the all-star tournament.