MLB DRAFT

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network

Two years ago Saturday the 2014 draft headed into Day III.

Two years ago Saturday the Blue Jays were at home with Shelby Miller of the St. Louis Cardinals pitching a complete-game, three hit shutout.      

Meanwhile in Arlington, Tex. the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers 8-3. And I was in Arlington, but not to see Yan Gomes and Carlos Santana homer behind Josh Tomlin. Nope I went to see George Strait’s final concert at the space ship known as AT&T Stadium.

He had a few guests Cheryl Crow, Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Asleep at the Wheel, Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Vince Gill and Alan Jackson. 

It was a day he sang The Cowboy Rides Away for a final time in concert. 

More Diamondback action: RHP Jacob Polancic was the third Canuck invited to the workout at Chase Field by Arizona Diamondbacks scout Doug Mathieson along with C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets and RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) of the University of British Columbia. 

And the Diamondbacks grabbed Polanic in the third round. He was one of three Canadian high schoolers who had been clocked a 90 mph along with RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) who went to the Twins in the fifth round and RHP Austin Shields (Dundas, Ont.) of the Great Lakes Canadians who was selected in the 33rd round.

White Sox grab converted hard thrower: RHP Bryan Saucedo (Toronto, Ont.) headed to Riverside College in California two years ago as a position player. He struggled and this year showed on the campus of Davenport University in Michigan. The Chicago White Sox saw him off the mound and “saw him good" as they say, selecting him in the 14th round.  

And arriving to the party, fashionably late: The Blue Jays got into the game -- with the 522nd pick -- selected OF Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) of the Okotoks Dawgs in the 17th round. One of the youngest players eligible for the draft, Keyes is eligible to play for the Canada Junior National Team next year as well.

From the Shrine to Oklahoma: 2B Louis-Phillipe Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) knocked down fences for the Seminole State Trojans this year and Astros scout Jim Stevenson, our Canadian Baseball Network Scout of the Year in 2015, scooped him in the 22nd round. Stevenson also drafted his teammate Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Greenfield Park, Que.) in the fifth round. Stevenson used to coach at The Shrine known as Leaside's Talbot Park. 

More Diamondback action: Luke Van Rycheghem (Kent Bridge, Ont.) went to the Diamondbcks in the 23rd round. It is Doug Mathieson’s world ... the rest of the scouts are living in it. 

Updates on two former Jays scouts: Mike Pesce New York Mets. The first two players selected by the Mets were from his area which is an accomplishment in a scouting career: RHP Justin Dunn (Boston College) and LHP Anthony Kay (Connecticut). He picking up a National League championship last year. Jays scouting directot Brian Parker fired Pesce, replaced him with a scout he had worked with in Washington Nationals organization.

Mike Medici, Texas Rangers. Selected a sixth rounder RHP Cody Kyle of University of Kentucky for the Rangers. His selections Jason Leblebjian and Ryan Borucki, both late round picks are moving through the Jays system.

Twins go left: LHP Matt Jones (Whitby, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets and Canadian Junior National Team went to the Twins in the 28th round. Once again Walt Burrows, who used to cover the whole country as boss of the Canadian arm of the Major League Scouting Bureau has an eye for talent now that he is working for one team rather than 30. Jones had a scholarship to Montevallo University.

Full service with a smile: There are some distinctive voice heard over the conference call as each teams takes its turn: Dodgers Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves, Torii Hunter was a guest selector as he chose his son his son CF Torii Hunter for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 23rd round from Notre Dame. But the New York Mets went one better with a personal touch. Veteran scout Claude Pelletier, who signed Cy Young award winner Eric Gagne made the call on the Mets 28th round pick. Said Pelletier: “The New York Mets select I.D. number .... RHP Williams Sierra from Edouard Montpetit High School.”

Busy, busy in the 30th: Two-time Canadian Baseball Network scout of the year Wayne Norton selected OF Tyler Duncan (Sooke, BC) of the Victoria Eagles. Duncan, along with C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) had the best trip to the Dominican Republic among the hitters. The 6-foot-4 Duncan has committed to Crowder College. 

National pride: Not big-time players north of the border, the Washington Nationals selected CF Tristan Clarke (Brampton, Ont.) from Eastern Oklahoma State College seven picks after Duncan was selected.

Burgmann goes: And 12 picks later -- making it three in 19 choices -- the St. Louis Cardinals chose RHP Josh Burgmann (Nanaimo, BC) of the Vauxhall Jets. Burgmann was the No. 1 starter for Canada and has a scholarship to the University of Washington. Scouts liked his ability, but said his asking price was too high. That happened three years ago with one of the Canuck Juniors stud starters. His name was Cal Quantrill.  

As Jerry Howarth would say: 3s are wild: There were three more Canucks selected in the 33 round. Speedy CF Toby Handley (Whitby, Ont.) of the Stony Brook Sea Wolves batted lead off going to the Astros. That’s three Canucks headed to Kissimmee, Fla. -- if they sign.  

You can do it: No relation to Bobby Bouchey, The Water Boy, but RHP Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, BC) was good enough pitching for Louisiana at Monroe to entice the Jays, Canada’s Team, to select a second Canadian five picks later. He made some Friday night starts for the WarHawks going 5-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 13 games, walking 33 and striking out 72 in 70 innings.

Doesn’t matter who is in Austin Bob Wills is Still The King: And three picks later RHP Auustin Shields (Dundas, Ont.) of the Great Lake Canadians went to the Pittsburgh Pirates, making it three Canucks in eight selections. Like Burgmann, scouts complained about Shields asking price. Shields has a scholarhip to attend UBC where we understand they may have a couple of openings. 

Bowl him over with an offer if you can: OF Jake Wilson (New Lowell, Ont.) of the Great Lakes Canadians was chosen in the 39th round by the Boston Red Sox. Wilson has a scholarship to  Bowling Green State University. The Red Sox scout is Canadians coach Adam Stern. His brother Zac Wilson is playing at Davenport University.

Now there is a familiar name: The Blue Jays closed out the proceedings by selecting RHP Carter Loewen (Abbotsford, BC) in the 40th and final round as Jamie Lehman and Don Cowan finished strong. After watching the first 11 Canucks head elsewhere the Jays selected OF Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) of the Okotoks Dawgs in the 17th and RHP Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, BC) of Louisiana Monroe in the 33rd round.  

And while it may be over ... there is always one guy we missed or someone who writes to say "hey my son was born in Canada." So, we're 25 and holding. Right now. 

This year it was one more not two we missed ... Sure enough we found two more RHP Christian Lindsay-Young was selected from the Niagara County Community College by the Oakland A’s in the 23rd round.

And five round later RHP Jordan Scheftz was selected by the Red Sox from Saddleback College.

Lindsay-Young was born in Oakville, Ont. but a few months later moved to Hamburg, N.Y. while Scheftz was born in East York and then his parents moved to Irvine, Calif.

Teams: Diamondbacks 4, Astros 3, Blue Jays 3, Tigers 2, Reds 2, Red Sox 2, Twins 2, A's 1, Cardinals 1, Mariners 1, Mets 1, Nationals 1, Padres 1, Pirates 1, Rangers 1, White Sox 1.

Provinces: Ontario 15, British Columbia 7, Quebec 4, Alberta 1.