By: Alexis Brudnicki

Canadian Baseball Network

The inaugural Canadian Premier Baseball League All-Star Game, powered by Rawlings, is set to get underway in less than a week, taking place at Arnold Anderson Stadium in Brantford on Wednesday, and the rosters have been finalized for the event, with selections from each program around the circuit.

Each team will host 23 players, with the highest number of participants coming from the Ontario Blue Jays program, at 15 selections. Team Red will house OBJ hurlers Jordan Balazovic and Jack Berczi, Toronto Mets pitchers Landon Leach and Niall Windeler, Great Lake Canadians arms Tyler Whalen, Jordan Marks and Jonathan Burkhart, and Ontario Nationals pitcher Jordan Bahnuk.

Behind the dish, the Red squad will feature Mets catcher Andrew Yerzy, OBJ backstop Noah Naylor, and Ryan Faragher from the GLC program. On the infield, Team Ontario is represented by Reilly Walters, the Nationals by Carson Burns, the Mets by Dondrae Bremner and CJ Yoannou, the OBJ program by Ryan Rijo and Cooper Lamb, and the Daniel Warkentin for the Canadians.

GLC outfielders Lucas Parente and Jake Wilson will also suit up for Team Red in Wednesday’s game, alongside Nick Howie from the Blue Jays and Ethan Hunt from the Mets.

Team Black will see GLC arms Austin Shields and Mike Mommersteeg on the mound, with OBJ hurlers RJ Freure, Noah Skirrow, Harley Gollert and Devin Green selected, along with Mets pitchers Matt Jones and Peter Joseph, Team Ontario pitcher Alexander MacKinnon and Nationals arm Daniel Weagle. Catchers Reese O’Farrell from the OBJ program, and Harris Voyatzis from the Fieldhouse Pirates will also play for the Black squad.

The infield for Team Black will house OBJ representatives Max Hewitt, Ryan Kula and Bryce O’Farrell, Great Lake selections Adam Hall and Ari Sechopoulos, Mets infielder Matt Turino, and David McCabe from Team Ontario. Outfielders Andy Leader and Rhys Cornell from the Nationals will suit up alongside Pirates’ outfielder Matthew Dessireault and Cooper Davis from the Blue Jays.

Before the game begins, seven players will participate in the CPBL Home Run Derby, set to start things off at six o’clock. One of Canada’s top high school prospects for Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft – set to begin with the first two rounds Thursday night – Andrew Yerzy, will represent the Mets in the derby after finishing tied for first at MLB’s Junior Home Run Derby last year during All-Star Game festivities at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

He will match up against OBJ derby participants Cooper Lamb, Ryan Rijo and Nick Howie, who is currently leading the CPBL with five home runs this season, Great Lake sluggers Adam Hall and Ari Sechopoulos, and Nationals hitter Andy Leader.