Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016
 

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Right-hander R.J. Freure attended Robert Bateman High School in Burlington.

And this fall after attending a school named after Batemen, the legendary Canadian naturalist and painter, Freure has been busy painting some corners with the Pitt University Panthers.

With the Panthers in fall ball he pitched five scoreless innings allowing two hits and two walks, while fanning seven. 

Freure was the sole Canadian listed among the top 400 incoming freshman at the NCAA level, according to Perfect Game Scouting Service.

Freure, a former Ontario Blue Jays starter and reliever, was ranked 361st.

Actually, OF Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) who was headed to Washington State and OF Justin King (Okotoks, Alta.) who was supposed to head to Northern Kentucky were both listed higher in the top 400, but they aren’t on an NCAA campus.

Keyes was listed 205th, however, the outfielder decided to stay in high school, remains with the Okotoks Dawgs, is still young enough to play for the Canadian Junior National Team and is eligible for next June’s draft. King was ranked 345th before deciding on a two-year school -- attending the Indian Hills Community College in Iowa -- rather than a four-year institution.

Freure was named the Most Valuable Pitcher when the Ontario Blue Jays won the 18u Perfect Game BCS Finals PG national championship with a 4-2 victory over Tallahassee, Fla.-based Next Level 18u in the championship at Fort Myers, Fla.

He turned heads at the 2016 Perfect Game National Pre-Draft Showcase at Perfect Game Field Cedar Rapids in Iowa. He was clocked at 91 mph at Veterans Memorial Stadium and was ranked 10th on the Rawlings prospect list when the dust settled.

Freure pitched for the Canadian Junior National Team in Cuba, Houston and Florida as well as travelling south of the border the Ontario Blue Jays. Facing SBO Florida in Jupiter, Fla. he came on in the seventh to protect a 3-0 lead and maintain a perfect-game bid. Freure needed 18 pitches — 13 strikes — to strike out the side. 

Zach Pop and Matt Martin had held SBO Florida hitless, as the trio combined to face the minimum 18 batters. In the past he has credited Ontario Blue Jays pitching coach Mike Steed for helping his development. 

A total of nine Canucks were listed on the conference-by-conference run down of the top freshmen including RHP Sam Turcotte (Toronto Ont.) of Stony Brook, No. 1 in America East, while King was tops in the Horizon Conference before he moved to Indian Hills.
  
The other players identified and the conferences they play in are SS Peter Hutzal (Calgary Alta.) headed to Washington State, from the Okotoks Dawgs, like King and Keyes; SS Ethan Cummins (Mississauga Ont.) St. Louis and LHP Jack Berczi (Oakville Ont.) to Hofstra from the Ontario Blue Jays; RHP Mathieu Denualt-Gauthier (Candiac Que.) from Les Ailes du Quebec who is at North Carolina State and RHP Josh Burgmann (Nanaimo BC) who is Washington after playing with the Vauxhall Academy Jets. 
 
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/Hometown Committment
1. Drew Mendoza SS Minneola FL Florida State
205. Clayton Keyes OF Calgary, Alta. Washington State
345. Justin King OF Okotoks, Alta. Northern Kentucky
361. RJ Freure RHP Burlington, Ont. Pittsburgh

Class of 2016 College Recruiting Rankings
Top Division I Freshmen by Conference (2016-17 season)

Atlantic 10                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/Province Committment
1. Garrett Acton RHP Lemont IL St. Louis
42. Ethan Cummins SS Mississauga Ont. St. Louis

ACC                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/ Province Committment
1. Drew Mendoza SS Minneola FL Florida State
68. RJ Freure RHP Burlington Ont. Pittsburgh
72. Mathieu Denualt-Gauthier RHP Candiac Que. North Carolina State

America East                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/ Province Committment
1. Sam Turcotte RHP Toronto Ont. Stony Brook

Colonial                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/Province Commitment
1. George Kirby RHP Rye NY Elon
15. Jack Berczi LHP Oakville Ont. Hofstra

Horizon                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/Province Commitment
1. Justin King OF Okotoks Alta. Northern Kentucky

Pac-12                    
Rk. First Name Last Name Pos. Hometown ST/ Province Commitment
1. Jared Horn RHP Napa CA California
31. Clayton Keyes OF Calgary Alta. Washington State
56. Peter Hutzal SS Calgary Alta. Washington State
85. Josh Burgmann RHP Nanaimo BC Washington