Ontario Blue Jays had the best 2014

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Like any one else we have cracks ... and sometimes one of our regular features falls though said crack.

Consider a 2014 item patched and “Done Right” as if Holmes on Holmes had fixed it.

We neglected to post our yearly look at which team had the best year getting players drafted.

Now, June of 2014 was not a banner year ... with 17 players drafted and three free agents signed. It was the lowest total since 1991 when Canadian high schoolers were made eligible for the draft. 

There were a number of contributing factor: a down year, players asking for amounts greater than clubs were willing to pay thereby heading to school and the second June in which the draft was reduced to 40 rounds (an average of eight Canucks were selected in rounds 41-to-50 the previous five years when the draft was 50 rounds). 

Once again the Ontario Blue Jays, coached by Danny Bleiwas, sat atop the pile with seven current players or alumni drafted. It was the fourth consecutive year they were top dogs come the three-day draft sessions. 

The Langley Blaze/Arizona Diamondbacks scout team coached by Doug Mathieson and Jamie Bodolay had three players.

Actually, the Diamondbacks team which travelled to Arizona had nine players drafted, when you count six pick-ups for the trip to the desert.

Last year the Ontario Blue Jays led with six players selected.

In 2012, the Ontario Blue Jays led with seven players selected.

In 2011 the Ontario Terriers and the Ontario Blue Jays shared the lead with four players drafted or signed.

The Academy Baseball Canada and the Toronto Mets shared top honours in 2010 with each program having four players selected.

The Langley Blaze and Alberta-based Vauxhall Academy were the most productive in 2009 with six apiece.

The Ontario Blue Jays had most in 2008 with six, edging the Blaze by one.

The top 10 list over the last six years shows the Ontario Blue Jays with 34 players drafted. 

The Ontario Blue Jays graduating players or alumni drafted, coached by Mike Steed, Sean Travers, Kyle DeGrace, Dino Roumel, Joey Ellison, Chris Nagurski and Bleiwas:

Mariners, 2nd OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
Blue Jays 10th RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Oral Roberts.
Reds 22nd INF Robert Byckowski (Etobicoke, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
Blue Jays 23rd RHP Zachary Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
A’s 35th OF Austen Swift (Etobicoke, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
Astros 38th RP-INF Michael Foster (Pickering, Ont.) Northeastern University
White Sox 40th Julian Service (Whitby, Ont.) Howard College

Langely Blaze/Arizona Diamondbacks graduating players or alumni drafted or signed as a free agent
Mariners, 2nd OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Brewers 16th LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) Vauxhall Jets
Marlins 22nd 3B-C Mitch Robinson (Cloverdale, BC) Langley Blaze 
Reds 22nd INF Robert Byckowski (Etobicoke, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Blue Jays 23rd RHP Zachary Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Mets 31st LHP Kurtis Horne (Sooke BC) Langley Blaze
A’s 35th OF Austen Swift (Etobicoke, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Padres 38th INF Louis-Philippe Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) ABC
Angels FA RHP Zak Miller (Surrey, BC) Arizona State

Okotoks Dawgs coached by AJ Fystro, Vince Ircandia, Frank Ingram, Allen Cox and Brandon Newell.
Cardinals 14th C Chris Shaw (Winnipeg, Man.) Midland College
Red Sox 14th C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.) Northern Kentucky University

Toronto Mets, coached by Ryan McBride.
Blue Jays 23rd RHP Zachary Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Astros 38th RP-INF Michael Foster (Pickering, Ont.) Northeastern University

Calgary Cubs, coached by Duane Sutherland
Rays FA C Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) Northwest Nazerene 

Nanaimo Pirates, coached by Scott Wallis and Justin Millward
Rangers 36th RHP Cody Chartrand (Nanaimo, BC) 

North Delta Blue Jays, coached by Jerry White.
Astros 39th INF Brad Antchak (Delta, BC) Northeastern Oklahoma A@M College

North York Blues, coach by Dennis Bailey.
Blue Jays 10th RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Oral Roberts.

Ontario Cardinals coached by Carlton James
Braves FA C Robert Tavone, Jr. (Whitby, Ont.) Urbana University 

Ontario Nationals, coached by Shawn Gillespie
Astros 6th RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) 

Ontario Prospects coached by Rich and Rob Butler
Braves FA C Robert Tavone, Jr. (Whitby, Ont.) Urbana University 

Vauxhall Jets, coached by Les McTavish
Brewers 16th LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.)

Whitby Chiefs coached by Carlton James
Braves FA C Robert Tavone, Jr. (Whitby, Ont.) Urbana University 

Academy Baseball Canada coached by Joel Landry.
Padres 38th INF Louis-Philippe Pelletier (Montreal, Que.)

Arizona State Sun Devils, coached by Tracy Smith 
Angels FA RHP Zak Miller (Surrey, BC)

Central Arizona College, coached by Jon Wente.
Astros 6th RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.)

Howard Hawks coached by Britt Smith. 
White Sox 40th OF Julian Service (Whitby, Ont.)

Lewis-Clark State Warriors coached by Jeremiah Robbins.
Rangers 36th RHP Cody Chartrand (Nanaimo, BC) 

Midland Chaparalls coached by David Coleman. 
Cardinals 10th C Chris Shaw (Winnipeg, Man.)

Mount Olive, coached by Carl Lancaster, 
Rays FA C Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) Northwest Nazerene 

Northeastern Oklahoma Northeastern Oklahoma A@M coached by Roger Ward
Astros 39th INF Brad Antchak (Delta, BC)

Northern Kentucky, coached by Todd Asalon.
Red Sox 14th C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.)

Northwest Nazerene, coach by Rocke Musgraves
Rays FA C Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) 

Oral Roberts coached by Ryan Folmar.
Blue Jays 10th RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) 

Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs coached by Todd Hubka and Blair Kubicek 
Rays FA C Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) Northwest Nazerene 

Urbana lue Knights, coached by Mike Goldschmidt.
Braves FA C Robert Tavone, Jr. (Whitby, Ont.) Urbana University 

Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners, coached by Jordan Blundell.
Rangers 36th RHP Cody Chartrand (Nanaimo, BC) 

Wake Forest Demon Deacons coached by Tom Walter.
Orioles 21st LHP John McLeod (Calgary, Alta.)

West Virginia Mountaineers, coached by Randy Mazey.
Astros 6th RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.)

Burlington Bandits, coached by Kyle McKinnon 
Braves FA C Robert Tavone, Jr. (Whitby, Ont.) Urbana University 

Lethbridge Bulls, coached by John Henry Marquardt and Scott Rhodes 
Rays FA C Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) Northwest Nazerene 

And as always the team with the best year was the Canadian Junior National Team coached by Greg Hamilton with 12 players, drafted or signed

Mariners 2nd OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays
Astros 6th RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Ontario Nationals
Blue Jays 10th RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Oral Roberts.
Cardinals 14th C Chris Shaw (Winnipeg, Man.) Midland College
Red Sox 14th C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.) Northern Kentucky University
Brewers 16th LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) Vauxhall Jets
Marlins 22nd 3B-C Mitch Robinson (Cloverdale, BC) Langley Blaze 
Reds 22nd INF Robert Byckowski (Etobicoke, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
Blue Jays 23rd RHP Zachary Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays.
Mets 31st LHP Kurtis Horne (Sooke, BC) Langley Blaze 
Astros 38th RP-INF Michael Foster (Pickering, Ont.) Northeastern University
Padres 38th 2B Louis-Philippe Pelletier (Montréal, Que) – ABC