Elliott: Deschamps best of Canuck five at Fenway showcase

Former Academie Baseball Canada C Nicolas Deschamps (Quebec City, Que.). of TNXL Florida and the Florida Hurricanes Platinum 2021, was the best Canuck at Fenway Park and in New Hampshire.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

A year ago one dominant force at the The Future Stars Series International Week was Ontario Blue Jays David Calabrese.

Besides OF Calabrese (Maple, Ont.), the first Canadian the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim ever gave a six-figure bonus ($744,200 US) after selecting him in the third round.

First-rounders OF Zac Veen, selected by the Colorado Rockies and RHP Justin Lange who went to the San Diego Padres were on hand in 2019.

Last month seven Canadians were named to the World roster at Boston’s Fenway Park and five attended. The dominant Canuck force in the three-game series was C Nicolas Deschamps (Quebec City, Que.).

It was the only amateur event at a major-league park in 2020 and the only games in a big-league park with fans.

Deschamps of the TNXL Florida and the Florida Hurricanes Platinum 2021, twice doubled at Fenway in Game 1: hitting a drive down the right field line and his second into the right field corner for his second double.

In Game 3, Deschamps singled and stole two bases at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Concord, N.H., home of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He singled in the fifth and stole two bases.

Ontario Blue Jays’ RHP Nolan Mercado (Brampton, Ont.) and Vauxhall Academy Jets’ RHP Anson McGorman (Parksville, BC) each pitched as the World was edged 5-4 at Fenway.

Mercado held his own against the best from south of the border. Mercado worked two innings allowing one run on one walk and a hit. His fastball. which registered 89-91 MPH, resulted in a lot of weak contact and pop ups. Mercado has committed to the Connors State Cowboys.

McGorman pounded the strike zone with his 87-91 MPH fastball. He gave up three runs in two innings. McCorman, who has committed to Sacramento State, came on in relief in the sixth with the score tied 2-2. He had a 1-2-3 inning on a strike out and two ground balls.

OF Jackson Clemett (Calgary, Alta.) of Vauxhall was hitless in six at-bats, with two line outs. Clemett is headed to the University of Utah.

Also competing was:

INF Nathaniel Ochoa (Burlington, Ont.) of the Fieldhouse Pirates, who is set to attend Purdue.

Invited, but unable to attend were 3B Dominic Hambley (Victoria, BC) of the Victoria Eagles and RHP Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC) of the Fraser Valley Cardinals. He’s bound for the University of Washington.