By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

We were in the midst of explaining to you “a few things” about the draft on Monday.

All of a sudden Canadians began getting drafted -- we were told the picks would be between the “4th-to-7th in a blanket,” yet it would up being “3rd-to-6th.”

Red Deer Braves C Nathan Flewelling (Red Dear, Alta.) went to the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round; Louisiana-Lafayette Rajin Cajuns’ RHP Louis-Philippe Langevin (Quebec, Que.) headed to the Kansas City Royals in the fourth and Mississauga North Tigers RHP Josiah Romeo (Mississauga, Ont.) went in the sixth to the Oakland A’s.

So back to some things you should know about the state of the game ...

_ Baseball has always been envious of the NFL and the NBA. Never mind the ratings or the TV contracts. More than once a new owner has asked me “how come we have to pay to develop a player for four or five years, when the NFL and the NBA get ready-made products?” My answer was always that A) baseball tougher game to learn, especially when roughly half your new, incoming talent are high schoolers; B) the NFL and NBA has universities and college as a developmental system and C) there are only so many players like John Olerud and Dave Winfield around.

_ After teams get passed the first five or six rounds of the draft, it’s apparent clubs are not paying for projection like they used to ... if you produce in college or university teams will draft a player and pay.

_ We used to tell players that they should try and get accepted at four-year schools. Now with the transfer portal things have changed. Instead of an incoming catcher looking at last year’s roster and seeing a graduating senior and a freshman ... and think that he’s in an OK spot, a coach can go to the portal and find two junior catchers. Now a lot of college rosters in the best conferences will be filled with red-shirt juniors and red-shirt seniors. How does a high schooler compete. Maybe junior college -- where you can pitch or play -- is the better destination and transfer to a four-year school in your junior year.

_ To give you a better idea of what college ball life it like with the transfer portal ... think of the major leagues having free agency at the end of each season -- for every player. Now, would that be a fine mess Ollie? As for the transfer portal ... coaches knock departing players for a lack of loyalty and departing players complain that the coach did not deliver on his promise.

_ The decrease in minor-league teams came about as soon as the minor-league union was formed. Management has to keep the cost down you know -- they aren’t making enough off the betting sites that they own.

_ There was a time when each incoming players would get at least three years to show if they belonged in the minors. Now it is a hurry-up offence from the day a player arrives in Arizona or Florida.

_ There is a talk a 20-round draft will become a 10-round draft. No more Mike Piazza, a 62nd rounder, getting elected to Cooperstown. Where do teams go for replacements? The independent leagues.

Draft Day I …

Draft Day II …

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Dedications

2022 _ Warren Bechard (Brantford, Ont.) -- whose son Jesse Bechard held most Kent State Golden Flashes hitting record andwhen retired. Warren was a constant promoter and supporter of this website. He was an enthusiast.

2023 _ Lynda Loewen wife of former first round LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) who passed at age 37 on Dec. 10, 2021. Loewen was selected fourth overall in North America in 2002 by the Baltimore Orioles and made the majors three times: A) as a starter, B) as an outfielder and C) as a lefty reliever.

2024 _ Jerry O’Hearn (Oshawa, Ont.) who made one trip to Ann Arbour to see his son, Keegan O’Hearn, single in his first at-bat in a Michigan uniform. He passed in October.

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This blog was suspended when three Canadians were drafted within 11 spots of each other in the 12th round ... and we did not have draft pages prepared on any of the three. So panic set in. Now back to the old action

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Blue Jays 11th round pick (337th): RHP Troy Guthrie, a high schooler from Parrish Fla.

Guthrie, ranked the 201st high schooler in his state by Perfect Game (and the 18th best arm) is a 6-foot-3 200 pounder, had committed to Florida Gulf Coast.

He was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All American Florida Region Honourable mention in 2024 and 2023. He earned All Tournament Team honors with the Florida Surge 13U at the 2019 PG 13U World Series Qualifier in Fort Myers; with 5 Star National CF in the 2020 PG 14U Sunshine State Championships in St. Johns, Fla.; with 5 Star National 16U at the 2022 PG 16U World Series in Sanford, Fla; with Knights Knation in the 16U East Memorial Day Classic in Fort Myers in 2022; with Knights Knation Florida Marucci at the WWBA 2024 Grads or 16U National Championship in Marietta, Ga. in 2022; with 5 Star at the 2023 PG 17U National Elite Championship in Hoover, Ala.; with 5 Star National at 2023 17U Ultimate Baseball Championship East at Hoover, Ala.; with 5 Star/Top Tier Roos Mafia at 2023 WWBA World Championship at Jupiter and with 5 Star National at 2023 WWBA Southeast Qualifier in Marietta.

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Seventh Canuck pick selected: RHP Sean Heppner (Tsawwassen, BC), 12th round (355th) to the Cleveland Guardians, from University of British Columbia Thunderbirds.

A resident of nearby Point Roberts, Wash. who played for the Delta Blue Jays growing up he spent the summer with the Thunder Bay Border Cats of the Northwood League.

He was 6-2 with a 4.79 ERA in 14 starts, walking only 30 and fanning 107 in 71 1/3 innings. He recorded his victories against the College of Idaho, Oregon Tech, Corban, Bushnell, Oregon Tech and Embry-Riddle. He used only 100 pitches to strike out 16 in 6 1/3 innings in 6-1 win over College of Idaho and he had 11 figures in a playoff win over Embry-Riddle in eight scoreless.

More on Sean Heppner

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Eighth Canuck selected: C Connor Caskenette (Duncan, BC), 12th Round (364th) to Miami Marlins from the Purdue Boilermakers.

As a senior, Caskenette batted .309 with 11 doubles, 13 homers and 69 RBIs for a 1.004 OPS in 55 games. His best outing was six hits and nine RBIs with two homers in series against Northwestern. Not far behind four hit outings against Rutgers (double, homer, six RBIs), Michigan State, Indiana (double, homer, six RBIs)

The catcher had three hits against Stony Brook (with a double and homer, knocking in six runs) in a four game series against, facing Samford (double, homer, four RBIs), Iowa (four RBIs), Ohio State (two RBIs), Michigan (double, homer, two RBIs) and Illinois (RBI). As well he managed two hits against George Mason (three RBIs) and Cal State Fullerton (three RBIs), Northern Illinois (two-run homer), Illinois-Chicago (two solo homers), Ball State (doubled, homered, seven runs knocked in), Evansville (RBI) and DePauw (double, homer, two RBIs).

For more on C Connor Caskenette

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Ninth Canuck selected: INF Jack Lines (Okotoks, Alta.), 12th round (366th) to the Tampa Bay Rays from TXNL Academy and the Okotoks Dawgs.

Earned Rawlngs/Perfect Game Preseason All American Underclassmen First Team All Region Canada/Puerto Rico in 2024, Preseason Underclass All American Underclassmen First Team for All Region Canada/Puerto Rico in 2023, 2022 and 2021, as well as making All-Tournament teams at PG WWBA Florida qualifier.

For more on Jack Lines

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Blue Jays 12th round pick (367th): RHP Carson Messina, a high schooler from Summerville, SC.

Messina was ranked 137th nationally and No. 1 in his home state. He had committed to the South Carolina Gameocks. He was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All American for the Atlantic and made an All Region First Team; was a Preseason Underclass All American Atlantic Region Honourable Mention in 2021; a Preseason Underclass All American Atlantic All Region First Team in 2022 and a Preseason Underclass All American Atlantic - All Region First Teamer in 2023.

He gained All Tournament Team honors with Swingman at the 2016 PG Super25 11u Fall South Carolina Super Qualifier in Greenwood, SC; with Canes South at the 15U 2020 WWBA 2023 Grads National Championship in Marietta, Ga.; with Canes National at the 2020 WWBA Freshman World Championship in Southwest, Fla.; with Canes National 15U at the 2021 WWBA 2024 Grads or 15U National Championship at Marietta; with Canes National at the 2021 PG 15U World Series at Sanford, Fla.; with Canes National 16u at the 2022 PG 16U World Series at Sanford; with Canes National 16u at the 2022 16U Ultimate Championship East in West Palm Beach and he made the Showcase Top Prospect Team at the 2023 National Showcase in Phoenix.

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Blue Jays 13th round pick (397th): C Brock Tibbitts from Indiana.

The 6-foot-4, 225 pounder hit .313 with 12 doubles, two triples, four homers and 43 RBIs this spring. In 46 games he had a .876 OPS. Before an injury in April of 2024, he had started 149-consecutive games dating back to February of 2022, the third-longest streak since at least 2008 without missing a game. He finished one hit shy of 200-career hits and was a career .313 hitter with 154 RBIs.

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The 10th Canuck selected: LHP Ryan Magdic (Beamsville, Ont.) 14th round (406th) to the Oakland A’s from Missouri.

The former Ontario Royals lefty was 1-3 with a 4.63 ERA and two saves in 11 games -- making four starts, walking 11 and fanning 37 in 35 innings. He had his best outing giving up one hit on three hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings facing Georgia. He worked six innings against Auburn giving up four hits and four runs.

He pitched two scoreless against each of Cal Poly (three strikeouts), UC San Diego (one walk, four strikeouts), Purdue Fort Wayne (three whiffs), Arkansas (three Ks) and Florida, as well as 1 2/3 scoreless facing Vanderbilt (one whiff).

More on Ryan Magdic

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Blue Jays 14th round pick (427th): INF J.R. Freethy from the Nevada Wolf Pack.

The 6-foot, 205 pound switch hitter. Was a teammate of RHP Theo Millas (Port Moody, BC) who went 2-1 with a 3.31 ERA in seven games -- making six starts. He walked six and struck out 22 in 32 2/3 innings.

A Rocklin, Calif. resident, Freethy completed his third season with the Wolf Pack in 2024. This past spring he was one of just two Nevada players to appear in all 51 games, making 50 starts. He batted .303, led the team in runs scored (45) and on-base percentage (.414), and shared the team lead in triples (three) while tying for second on the team in home runs (10) and coming in second in slugging (.579). He also drove in 37 runs and had 18 doubles. Over his three seasons (2022-24) with the Wolf Pack, Freethy batted .280 with 15 homers and 61 RBIs, along with being named Mountain West Player of the Week on one occasion in 2023. He had a 10-game hitting streak batting .357 (15-for-42) with six doubles, two homers, and seven RBIs.

He had three-hit outings at UC Riverside (homer, three RBIs), San Francisco (homer, double, RBI), CSUN (two doubles), San José State (double, triple, three RBIs) and against San Diego State (four RBIs). And he managed two-hit games against San Francisco (double, RBI), San Diego State (double, RBI), New Mexico (homer, two RBIs), UNLV, Pacific (two RBIs), Fresno State (two homers), Oregon State, Utah Tech (homer, double, four RBIs), Air Force (solo homer), New Mexico (solo homer, two RBIs),

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The 11th Canuck selected: RHP Cohen Achen (Calgary, Alta.) 14th round (429th) to the Baltimore Orioles from Lindsey Wilson College.

Achen went 5-5 with a 5.04 ERA in 12 starts striking out 101 in 64 1/3 innings to become first player in program history to record more than 100 strikeouts in multiple seasons. He also became Blue Raiders’ all-time strikeout leader (341). The right-hander earned wins over St. Andrews, Goshen, Concordia, Campbellsville, and Cumberland giving his 23 career wins with the Blue Raiders which rank third in program history. Also he ad four double-digit strikeout games, including fanning a season high 16 against Goshen on Feb. 24.

The senior was 6-4 with a 3.16 ERA in 12 starts in 2023 when he earned Canadian Baseball Network Third Team honors. He compiled a 7-3 mark with a 4.25 ERA in 12 starts in 2022 and 5-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 13 appearances (seven starts) in 2021. He had an extra spring due to COVID making two starts at Big Bend in 2020.

More on Corey Achen

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Blue Jays 15th round pick (457th): RHP Jonathan Todd from the Western Carolina Catamount.

The 6-foot-6, 225-college senior was the Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week in after earning a pair of saves against Harvard with four strikeouts … Recorded a season-high five strikeouts over a season-long 4 1/3 innings against North Carolina-Greensboro … Was listed on the NCBWA Midseason Stopper of the Year Watch List … Named first-team All-Southern Conference by the league’s head coaches and second-team All-SoCon by the voting media.

Todd made a team-high 24 appearances -- one start -- finishing with a 2-2 record and seven saves, third in the Southern Conference … Posted a 4.00 ERA over 36 innings, allowing 16 runs on 29 hits with 13 going for extra bases … Recorded 49 strikeouts with at least one K in 23 of his 24 appearances with 13 walks … Recorded two or more strikeouts in 17 of his appearances … Limited opponents to a team-best .213 batting average against … Made one start, tossing two innings in the midweek at Charlotte. * * *

Blue Jays 16th round pick (487th): RHP Colby Martin from Southeastern University Fire.

The 5-foot-11, 195 pound, Lititz, Penn. native was 1-0 with a 4.41 ERA in 17 games. He walked 11 and struck out 31 in 16 1/3 innings. Was a teammate of Austin Villalobos (Kirkland, Que.) who .378 with 31 hits, 22 RBIs, and hit two homers. He was Sun Conference Tournament MVP for his 7-for-13 performance over Fire’s four wins, leading to a fourth straight Sun Conference Tournament win. Through the stretch he had five RBIs. In a 7-2 win over University of Science and Arts, he notched his third three-hit performance of the season with two RBIs and a double helping to push the Fire through to the Avista NAIA World Series. Started 18 games in 31 appearances.

Opposing batters were held to a .155 batting average over the stretch ... In his inaugural appearance for the Fire he notched five strikeouts over two innings in a 5-3 win over Ottawa Braves University ... Made his appearance in the NAIA opening round delivering a perfect three strikeout inning in a 10-2 win over Mount Mercy.

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Blue Jays 17th round pick (517th): INF Gavin Smith, a Chandler, Az. high schooler.

The 6-foot-2 175-pounder was ranked the 19th best high school prospect in the draft the 19th best in Arizona and the fourth in his state. He was committed to Harvard.

This season he earned Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason All American West All Region Second Team in 2024, Preseason Underclass All American West Region Honourable Mention in 2023 and 2022. With the Scottsdale Dirtbats he earned all tournament honors it seemed like every time his club visited Surprise, Az.; at the 2023 18U Fall National Championship Protected by G-Form, the 2023 17U PG Fall National Championship Protected by G-Form, 2021 15U WWBA West National Championship and the 2021 15U WWBA West National Championship. With the Huskies, he made the All Tournament Team at the 2020 Perfect Game 14U West Elite Championship in Surprise, Az. He made the top prospect team at the 2021 West Coast Top Prospect Games in Irvine, Calif. and the 2021 Sunshine Southwest Showcase in Surprise, Az.

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The 12th Canuck selected: LHP Dane Burns (Dryden, Ont.) 17th round (497th) to the Kansas City Royals.

Burns was born in Dryden, before moving with his family to Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and finally Celina, Tex. where he attended high school. His father Chris Burns was a San Jose Sharks selection (ninth round, 195th overall in the 1992 NHL draft). Chris Burns played 56 games in goal for the Thunder Bay Flyers in the United States Hockey League from 1990-92, the University of Denver for 15 games from 1992-94 in the Div. I Western Collegiate Hockey Association.)

This summer he pitched for the Keene Swamp Bats in the New England college league. He was 0-1 with 10.24 ERA in five games (one start) but what drew scouts attention was 16 strikeouts (six walks) in 9 2/3 innings. He has committed to Mississippi State.

For more on Dane Burns

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The 13th Canuck selected: OF Micah McDowell (Coldbrook, NS), 17th round (514th) to the Miami Marlins from Oregon State.

A senior, he hit .382 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 33 RBIs, scoring 42 runs, He started 39 games with a 1.117 OPS, finished with 15 multiple-hit games, nine multi-RBI efforts and a 17 consecutive-game hitting streak.

Enjoyed a four hit games against Tulane (two RBIs), hit two home runs, including a fifth-inning grand slam with six RBIs in the finale against UCLA. He also had three hits against UC Irvine (RBI), UCLA (solo homer), Washington State (double, RBI) and New Mexico.

As well he produced two-hit outings playing Washington (triple), Washington (two doubles, RBI), Portland (triple), Utah (double, homer, three RBIs), CSUN (homer, two RBIs), Michigan (double), Texas Tech (double, two RBIs) and New Mexico

More on Micah McDowell

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Blue Jays 18th round pick (547th): RHP Holden Wilkerson, a 6-foot-4, 205-pounder from the Virginia Military Institute (VA).

Wilkerson, at 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, was 1-2 with a 7.85 ERA in four starts. He walked eight and struck out 29 in 18 1/3 innings ... Had a season-ending injury, with his lone win against Binghampton pitching 6 2/3 innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts ... Named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.

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Warning issued: One Canadian scout in an opposing draft war room turned and told a colleague, close to the Blue Jays scouting department: “You should tell your guy he had best take a Canadian -- doesn’t matter if you make it the 20th round. Tell him he has to understand the Canadian culture. If you don’t select one Canadian out of 21 selections you insult a lot of amateur coaches and ball fans.”

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The 14th Canuck selected: INF Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.), 19th round (561st) to the St. Louis Cardinals from Trenton Thunder, P27 and the Ontario Blue Jays.

Lawson batted .344 with one double, two RBIs and 12 walks, along with 10 strikeouts and a .908 OPS in 10 games in the Draft League. With P27 he competed at Perfect Game Academies Showcase and showed an exit velocity clocked at 102 MPH in May and the same month was at the Perfect Game Academies Showcase at Truist Park in Atlanta where he also showed the same exit velocity.

For more on Brendan Lawson.

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The 15th Canuck selected: RHP Owen Pote (Sherwood Park, Alta.) 19th round (569th) to the Cincinnati Reds.

Pote was an impressive 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA in eight games, making four starts, for the Sylvan Lake Gulls. He walked 14 and struck out 17 in 22 2/3 innings. He attended a pre-draft workout in Mesa, Az. an the invite of the Chicago Cubs. He has committed to Barton College.

Owen’s father Lou Pote pitched five seasons in the majors with the Anaheim Angels -- including winning the 2002 World Series -- and Cleveland appearing in 129 games. He was 4-4 with a 3.56 ERA and six career saves. He is currently coaching the Okotoks Dawgs in the Western Canadian summer college league.

More on Owen Pote

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The 16th Canuck selected: RHP Vicarte Domingo (Vancouver, BC) 19th round (570th) to the San Diego Padres from the British Columbia Thunderbirds and the Edmonton Riverhawks.

Domingo went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA in 16 appearances (two starts) striking out 55 and walking 15 in 41 innings with five saves, second on the UBC staff. Fanned season-high 11 in 4 2/3 innings against Lewis-Clark State. He pitched a season-high seven innings in final appearance, allowing two runs to Lewis-Clark State.

This summer in Edmonton, he was 5-0 record with a 0.93 ERA in five starts with 32 strikeouts and four walks in 32 innings.

For more on Vicarte Domingo

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Blue Jays 19th round pick (577th): 1B D’Marion Terrell, high schooler from Alabaster, Alabama.

At 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, the Auburn commit was a 2024 PG Preseason All-American and All-Region First Team. He gained all-tournament honors with TPL National 17U at the 2023 WWBA 2024 Grads or 17U National Championship in Marietta, as well as the 2023 17U Perfect Game Deep South Ultimate Championship in Hoover, Ala., 2023 PG 17U BCS National Championship at Fort Myers, Fla.; the 2023 PG 17U Hoover Invitational in Hoover, 2023 18U Deep South Fall Classic in Hoover, the 2023 18U Deep South Fall Select at Hoover, and 2023 17U All American Classic. Plus with TPL American 17U he gained the same honor with 2023 17U PG Alabama World Series in Hoover and with the Thompson Warriors at the 2024 PG High School Showdown at Hoover.

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Blue Jays 20th round pick (607th): SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek from the University of Southern California Trojans.

Martin-Grudzielanek, son of former Montreal Expos INF Mark Grudzielanek. transferred to USC prior to the 2023 season from UCLA. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder spent two seasons at UCLA, he owned a .297 average, hitting eight home runs, 12 doubles and four triples in 76 games played. Despite missing some time this year, Martin-Grudzielanek hit .284 with 13 RBIs. As a red shirt freshman in 2023, the infielder had a .302 average, driving in 40 runs and scoring 40 more. He had seven homers, 10 doubles and two triples in 2023, while slugging .475.

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The 17th Canuck selected: OF Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) 20th round (611th) to the Atlanta Braves from the Okotoks Dawgs and the Junior National Team.

During the Junior National Team’s extended spring tour against the Blue Jays, Pirates, Rays and Orioles first and second-year pros he hit .263 with a double, triple and three RBIs with an .883 OPS in seven games going 4-for-5 stealing on the base paths. He was a Michigan commit.

His brother Max Hartman played for the Junior National Team, Perfect Game Championship team with Okotoks in 2022 and is junior at Washington State University, after playing two seasons in West Coast League with the Bellingham Bells and Wenatchee AppleSox.

More on Max Hartman

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Totals

Canadians selected: 17, compared to nine in 2023

By Province: Alberta 5, Ontario 5, British Columbia 4, Quebec 2 and Nova Scotia 1.

By organizations: Junior National Team 9, Okotoks Dawgs 4, Academy Baseball Canada 3, Sylvan Lake Gulls 2, University of British Columbia 2, Calgary Coyotes 1, Calgary River Cats 1, Edmonton RiverCats 1, Mid-Island Pirates 1, Mississauga North 1, North Delta Blue Jays 1, Ontario Blue Jays 1, Ontario Royals 1, Northville HS 1, Red Deer CarStar Braves 1, Sherwood Park Athletics 1, Toronto Raptors 1, UBC Thunder 1.

By major-league organizations: Tampa Bay Rays 3, Kansas City Royals 2, Miami Marlins 2, Oakland A’s 2, Atlanta Braves 1, Baltimore Orioles 1, Cleveland Guardians 1, Cincinnati Reds 1, New York Yankees 1, Oakland A’s 1, Philadelphia Phillies 1, San Diego Padres 1 and St. Louis Cardinals 1.

Warning goes unheeded: Toronto Blue Jays made zero Canadian selections.

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Free-agent signs

Blue Jays sign INF Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.) from the FieldHouse Pirates and the Junior National Team.

Gregg at 6.7 60 at the National Showcase at Chase Field in Phoenix and earned Rawlings/Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All American All Region First Team for Canada/Puerto Rico.

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Ray sign C Tyler Herron (Grande Prairie, Alta.) from Illinois State University.

He batted .328 with six doubles, a triple, a homer and 17 RBIs in 35 games, making 31 starts, finishing with a .711 OPS. He had a 3-for-4 day with four RBIs in a 14-4 win over Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. This summer he was with the Lima Locos in Great Lakes Summer League.

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Totals including free-agent signs

By Province: Alberta 6, Ontario 6, British Columbia 4, Quebec 2 and Nova Scotia 1.

By organizations: Junior National Team 9, Okotoks Dawgs 4, Academy Baseball Canada 3, Sylvan Lake Gulls 2, University of British Columbia 2, Calgary Coyotes 1, Calgary River Cats 1, Edmonton RiverCats 1, FieldHouse Pirates 1, Mid-Island Pirates 1, Mississauga North Tigers 1, North Delta Blue Jays 1, Ontario Blue Jays 1, Ontario Royals 1, Northville HS 1, Red Deer CarStar Braves 1, Sherwood Park Athletics 1, St. Albert Cardinals 1, Toronto Raptors 1, UBC Thunder 1.

By major-league organizations: Tampa Bay Rays 4, Kansas City Royals 2, Miami Marlins 2, Oakland A’s 2, Atlanta Braves 1, Baltimore Orioles 1, Cleveland Guardians 1, Cincinnati Reds 1, New York Yankees 1, Oakland A’s 1, Philadelphia Phillies 1, San Diego Padres 1, St. Louis Cardinals 1 and Toronto Blue Jays 1.