Canuck Juniors and Jays will hook up again this spring

Juniors to face Blue Jays on March 17th
 January 21, 2016

By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
For the fifth time in six years, the Junior National Team will face a split squad version of the Toronto Blue Jays during Spring Training.

This year’s contest is scheduled for March 17th at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, Florida.

“The relationship with the Toronto Blue Jays is tremendously important to Baseball Canada,” said Junior National Team Head Coach and Director of National Teams Greg Hamilton. “The Blue Jays have been great supporters of our National Teams program for a long time, so the chance for both organizations to play this game is truly something special.”

The first three editions of the annual contest (2011, 2012, 2014) took place at historic Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg before shifting to the Blue Jays Spring Training home, Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, in Dunedin in 2015.

Tickets for the March 17th match-up are $10 each and can be purchased on-line by clicking here.

The juniors will be in St. Petersburg for Spring Training from March 10-20 and hold daily games and practices at the Walter Fuller Complex with the exception of March 17th.  Opponents on the schedule include minor league clubs from the Blue Jays, Phillies, Yankees, Braves and Tigers, while a pair of games is scheduled against a Puerto Rican prospect squad put together by Major League Baseball.

A historical look: Junior National Team vs Toronto Blue Jays (SS)

March 4th, 2011 – Al Lang Stadium (St. Petersburg)
Blue Jays MLB players: John McDonald, Aaron Hill, Brett Lawrie, Anthony Gose, Adam Loewen
Baseball Canada alumni on Jays: Michael Crouse, Marcus Knecht
Future Jays draft picks on Canada: Tom Robson (2011)
Final Score: Jays 9 Canada 0

March 13th, 2012 – Al Lang Stadium (St. Petersburg)
Blue Jays MLB players: Brett Lawrie, Scott Richmond, Jose Bautista, JP Arencibia, Adam Lind
Baseball Canada alumni on Jays: Michael Crouse, Marcus Knecht, Dalton Pompey, Trystan Magnuson
Future Jays draft picks on Canada: Ryan Kellogg (2012), Nathan DeSouza (2012)
Final Score: Jays 10 Canada 2

March 11th, 2014 – Al Lang Stadium (St. Petersburg)
Blue Jays MLB players: Brett Lawrie, Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Munenori Kawasaki, Colby Rasmus, Aaron Sanchez, Dioner Navarro, Dalton Pompey, Brandon Morrow, Sergio Santos, Steve Delabar, Moises Sierra
Baseball Canada alumni on Jays: Michael Crouse, Marcus Knecht, Justin Atkinson
Future Jays draft picks on Canada: Zach Pop (2014)
Final Score: Jays 12 Canada 2

March 15th, 2015 – Florida Auto Exchange Stadium (Dunedin)
Blue Jays MLB players: Munenori Kawasaki, Dalton Pompey, Russell Martin, Jeff Francis, Michael Saunders, Andrew Albers, Devon Travis, RA Dickey, Matt Hague, Chris Colabello, Maicer Izturis
Baseball Canada alumni on Jays: Marcus Knecht, Justin Atkinson, Tom Robson
Final Score: Jays 17 Canada 3