Elliott: Cheong excels at Area Code Games - Updated
Ontario Blue Jays’ Philip Cheong (Richmond Hill, Ont.) impressed at the Area Code Games at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif.
August 12, 2024
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
The ink is barely dry on contracts signed by 2024 draft selections.
The hunt to find the best draft-eligible high schoolers began first at the East Coast Pro Showcase in Hoover, Ala. and then 240 of the best high school players in North America were invited to the Area Code Games at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif.
Over the years Canuck hitters, all three Naylor brothers – Josh, Bo and Myles (Mississauga, Ont.), 1B Scott Thorman (Cambridge, Ont.) and Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) have put on some memorable displays of power.
It wasn't so much of a power display when scouts gathered, but rather a complete game on display by Philip Cheong of the Ontario Blue Jays. More of a speedy ‘beep-beep’ Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) display.
Playing for the New York Yankees Cheong (Richmond Hill, Ont.), went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, an RBI, and he scored the tying run. In a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds Scout Team.
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LHP Shane Brinham (Vancouver, BC) and RHP Max Poirer (Nanaimo, BC) were with the Kansas City Royals.
Brinham, of the North Shore Twins, pitched in a 4-4 Royals’ tie with the Chicago White Sox. He took over in the third and worked two innings, allowing an unearned run. He allowed one hit, walked three and struck out one. He threw 40 pitches (20 strikes, 50%).
Poirier, an Okotoks Dawg, was also on the Royals, did not make it back from the World Cup qualifier with the Junior National Team in Panama. He pitched 1 2/3 inning in a win over the Dominican Republic allowing four runs — three earned — on four hits and three walks, while striking out a pair.
The Royals lost 2-0 to the Texas Rangers, beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 and tied the White Sox.
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Cheong's Yankees edged the MLB Breakthrough Series 2-1, beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-2, walked off the Reds and knocked off the White Sox 8-0.
LF Cheong, a former Toronto Met, was 0-for-1 with a stolen base against Breakthrough, played 2B against the Brewers and was 0-for-2 – with a line out to centre clocked with an exit velocity of 103 MPH – but scored twice, against the White Sox, he was 0-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, two runs scored and made a running catch in centre.
Stanford assistant coach Steven Rodriguez, left, with INF Phil Cheong at the Area Code Games in Long Beach.
Cheong is a Stanford commit, like RHP Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), now of the Colorado Rockies, and LHP Brad Drew (Waterloo, Ont.). He was spotted by Cardinal recruiters at the Future Games, went on an unofficial visit and assistant coach Steven Rodriguez was at Area Codes this week. Cheong has a GPA of 4.0.
He ran a 6.36 60 — as fastest man in spikes — at the Canadian Premier League’s Prospect Games in Dorchester, Ont.
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Scout’s review: “Philip Cheong is a stud … a second baseman/centre fielder, who can flat ot run. Some guys are fast with bad instincts. He has instincts on the bases.”
“Shane Brinham has exceptional, short arm action. Great deception … hard to pick up the ball. He was about 89-92 MPH with his fastball and he has a hammer curve ball.”
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And in the Underclass event (for 2026 drafts) Robert Omidi was with the Yankees.
Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.), a Fieldhouse Pirate, saw his club score a 7-0 win over the Washington Nationals, lose 9-3 to the Breakthrough Series, dropped an 8-2 decision to the Texas Rangers and lose 6-5 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Omidi was playing 2B as he went 0-for-2 against the Nationals, 0-for-2 against Breakthrough, had a bases-loaded walk in the loss to the Rangers and was 0-for-3 against the Brewers.