Ontario Terriers grad RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.) was the first Canadian plucked from the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the Northwoods summer league dispersal draft. Elliott pitched for Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs this spring and coach Todd Hubka. Photo: Cindy Adachi.

NORTHWOODS LEAGUE CONDUCTS DISPERSAL DRAFT

Thunder Bay, Ont. - With the Thunder Bay Border Cats forced to sit out the 2021 season, the Northwoods League recently conducted a dispersal draft from the Thunder Bay roster, which will allow the players to participate in the league this summer.

The contract rights of the eligible players selected revert back to the Border Cats for the 2022 season. A total of 21 players were chosen by the other 21 teams in the league with SS Harold Coll of San Jacinto College going first to the Battle Creek Bombers.

Mike Steed (Burlington, Ont.) was scheduled to manage the Border Cats. Now, he’ll return to his old stand with the Ontario Blue Jays.

The selection order (last place to first place) was based on the 2019 standings, the last complete season that was played in the league.

The top Canadian chosen was RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.) who pitched for the Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs in Lethbridge this spring. He is committed to the University of Iowa.

OF Jakob Newton, who played for the Border Cats in 2019, was selected by the Willmar Stingers. Newton (Oakville, Ont.) appeared in a team leading 61 games for Thunder Bay and batted .292 with three home runs and 23 runs batted in, while posting an on-base percentage of .396.

The complete selection order of the dispersal draft:

Rank Position Name Canadian Hometown School New Team

1. SS - Harold Coll _ San Jacinto College - Battle Creek

2. RHP - Evan Elliott Toronto, Ont. Prairie Baseball Academy/University of Iowa - Kokomo

3. LHP - Caden Griffin Ottawa, Ont. University of Missouri - Duluth

4. LHP - Jason DeCicco _ Eastern Illinois University - Lakeshore

5. OF - Khalid Collymore Mississauga, Ont. University of Montevallo - Bismarck

Oshawa Legionaires LHP Braden Babcock (Oshawa, Ont.) was selected by Green Bay in the Northwoods draft.

6. LHP - Braden Babcock Oshawa, Ont. Southern Illinois University - Green Bay

7. 1B - Daniel Cantu _ University of South Florida - Rockford

8. OF - Cameron Collier _ University of South Florida - Kenosha

9. LHP - Harley Gollert Toronto, Ont. Austin Peay University - Wisconsin

10. RHP - Ike Buxton _ Lipscomb University - Waterloo

11. LHP - John Lundgren _ University of North Alabama - Mankato

12. SS - Jackson Loftin _ Sam Houston State University - Fond du Lac

13. RHP - Jess Miller _ Centre College - Kalamazoo

14. RHP - Lukas Barry Mississauga, Ont. Connors State College - Lacrosse

15. RHP - Patrick Williams _ Lipscomb University - Rochester

Ontario Blue Jays grad OF Jakob Newton (Oakville, Ont.) was drafted by Wilmar.

16. OF - Jakob Newton Oakville, Ont. Florida Tech University - Willmar

17. INF - Jackson Beaman _ University of Missouri - Eau Claire

18. RHP - Sam Beuerlein _ Georgetown University - Madison

19. RHP - Zach Gagnon Sainte-Julie, Que. Tarleton State - St. Cloud

20. RHP - Ben Schoneman _ Colorado Mines College - Wisconsin Rapids

21. INF - Camden Traficante _ Stetson University - Traverse City

Eight Canucks selected in Northwoods dispersal draft of Border Cats