Angel knocking on triple digit door for Ragin' Cajuns

RHP Conor Angel (Lachine, Que.) University of Louisiana at Lafayette

By Jacques Lanciault

Mirabel, Que. _ Quebec pitcher Conor Angel fired a cannonball at 98 MPH this fall during a training session with the University of Louisiana Rajun’ Cajuns.

So, the 21-year-old right-hander, who would normally have been drafted last June and probably have a pro season behind him today, continues to blast the radar in training with his team from in Lafayette, La.

But 2020 is not a normal year. In fact, had it not been for changes made to the rules for the draft of amateur players by major league teams last June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a change that limited the draft to only five rounds, Angel would certainly have been drafted and contracted by a team.

After seeing his winter 2020 season end in mid-March, the young man returned to Quebec where he sowed terror among the hitters of the Baseball League junior élite du Québec (LBJÉQ) ... before heading to university in mid-August for fall training camp for the NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 team.

I wrote “training camp,” because the fall season at the University of Lafayette there are not any games this year.

“We’re training very seriously this fall,” the 6-foot-6 pitcher emailed us, “but we’re not playing against other teams. The only games we play are between us only. “

When Angel writes to us that he’s training seriously, that’s no understatement.

“We have three strength training sessions every week … and we’re out on the field training as a team six times a week.“

To the question, “How’s it going with your fastball?” Conor’s answer is mind-blowing …

“My fastballs almost always go between 93 and 95 MPH… but one of my pitches I hit 98 MPH! “

Wow! It’s not far from 100MPH sir.