Former UBC Thunderbirds RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, BC) a seventh-round pick and ex-Langley Blaze RHP Jacob Zibin (Langley, BC), a 10th-round selection each received $1.2 million signing bonuses to top all Canucks.

August 23, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

We’re going to give you two groups of names.

They are far from household names ...

Group A: RHP Owen Murphy, an Illinois high schooler, RHP Burke Burkhalter, Auburn, C Drake Baldwin, Missouri State and David McCabe (Oshawa, Ont.) UNC Charlotte.

Group C (there is not a Group B): OF Chase DeLauter of James Madison University, RHP Justin Campbell, Oklahoma State, LHP Parker Messick, Florida State, 2B Nate Furman, Charlotte, OF Guy Lipscomb, Belmont University, RHP Dylan DeLucia, Ole Miss, RHP Javier Santos, a Georgia high schooler and RHP Austin Peterson UConn.

What the two groups had in common was it allowed both the Atlanta Braves and the Cleveland Guardians to give $1.2 million signing bonuses US to a pair of Canadians.

Those in the A group -- the Atlanta Braves -- saved money on Murphy (who signed $850,000 under slot), Burkhalter ($226,800), Baldwin ($2,500) and McCabe ($3,400), which enabled management to pay seventh round pick RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, BC) of Oregon $1.2 million -- $984,600 above the scheduled slot money.

The C group -- representing the Cleveland Guardians -- retained their allotted monies by signing DeLauter (saving $190,000), Campbell ($400,000), Messick ($110,000), Furman ($197,900), Lipscomb ($96,800), DeLucia ($9,200), Santos ($99,400) and Peterson ($36,000) which enabled them to sign former Langley Blaze RHP Jacob Zibin (Langley, BC) a 10th rounder for $1.2 million -- $1.048 million above slot..

Maier was the 215th player drafted in North America with his spot holding a value of $215,400. Selected 301st, Zibin’s slot had a price tag of $152,000.

Both were record bonuses for the seventh and 10th rounds.

* * *

There were other major players in Maier going to Atlanta.

From 1989-91 current University of British Columbia Thunderbirds coach Chris Pritchett and Joel Wolfe were teammates with the UCLA Bruins. The corner men has similar numbers in their three seasons.

Playing third base, Wolfe batted .348 in 129 games with 18 homers, 119 RBIs and a .959 OPS. At first, Pritchett hit .349 in 125 contests with 31 homers, 124 RBIs and a .995 OPS. The pair were drafted one round apart.

Maier pitched for coach Pritchett and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in the COVID-19 shortened spring, appearing in five games in 2020. UBC didn’t play a game in 2021, but Maier headed to the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox for 27 innings.

When Maier returned. after opening eyes of cross checkers in the Cape Cod loop, Pritchett introduced him to his close friend Wolfe after the right-hander transferred to the Oregon University Ducks.

After three starts -- including being named the opening day starter against the University of San Diego Toreros -- Maier injured his arm and didn’t pitch again.

Yet, Braves scout Cody Martin had seen Maier healthy and was interested. And heading into the draft Maier was not planning on signing. He wanted the ability to show what he could do over a full season. Then, the decision shifted to Braves’ president Alex Anthopoulos (Montreal, Que.).

Would Atlanta go over a million with a signing bonus? Was it nerve-wracking watching the Braves sign players and wonder if they would have enough left to sign his client?

“Not really because Adam was prepared to go back to Oregon,” said Wolfe, “but when Alex selected him, he was clearly prepared to meet Adam’s price. I’m glad Adam is happy.”

Pritchett was selected by the California Angels in the second round of the 1991 draft and made his big-league debut with the Angels on Sept. 6, 1996. His pro career spanned 13 years, playing 61 games in the majors (with the Angels and the Philadelphia Phillies). He spent 10 years with the Angels’ organization, and a year each with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and Phillies.

Taking over from Okotoks Dawgs Hall of Famer Terry McKaig (Vernon, BC), Pritchett began coaching the Thunderbirds after the 2015 season. During his tenure, the T-Birds have accumulated 163-112 record, including four berths to the NAIA World Series opening round as Pritchett earned West Coach of the Year honours in 2015 and was a co-winner in 2019.

As for Wolfe, he was selected in the third round in 1991 by the Oakland A’s, played five years in their system and one in the St. Louis Cardinals’ chain. He peaked in 1995 spending 11 games with the triple-A Edmonton Trappers. At Edmonton that season were the likes of future major leaguers Jim Bowie, Fausto Cruz, Mike Gallego, Jason Giambi, Damon Mashore, George Williams, Ernie Young, Scott Bankhead, Brad Brink, Mike Mohler, Anthony Telford, John Wasdin, Don Wengert, Steve Wojciechowski along with ex-Jays Alex Sanchez and bug-eating Mike Maksudian.

Then Wolfe rose to super agent status representing the likes of New York Yankees Giancarlo Stanton (who signed a 13-year, $325 million deal), Cards 3B Nolan Arenado (eight-year, $260 million deal), Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (a seven-year, $131-million extension), RHP Yu Darvish (six-year, $126 million), INF DJ LeMahieu (six-year, $90 million deal), Giants SS Brandon Crawford ($32 million extension), Braves C Travis d’Arnaud ($16 million extension) and many, many more.

Wolfe, is the son of Montrealers, who spent their summers in the Eastern Townships, and has his Canadian passport.

* * *

Zibin had a support staff as well.

His Langley Blaze coach Jamie Bodaly introduced him to Blake Corosky (Toronto, Ont.) of the True Gravity player agency in 2021.

“Jamie is, in my opinion, one of the best baseball development coaches in Canada,” said Corosky. “He knows what pro players look like and his record of players that have gone through that program and succeeded at the next level is substantial. Doug Mathieson and Jamie have built a positive, relevant and lasting program in Langley so when they call, I definitely pay attention”

Raza Malik, a partner in True Gravity, and Corosky knew of Jacob but with the complications of COVID-19, Bodaly thought “we might be able to help with some things ahead for Jacob.”

“I was on a plane to BC quickly thereafter to meet the family and was blown away,” said Corosky. Corosky said he was impressed with parents Carol Anne and Derek, who “were both welcoming, thoughtful and knew their stuff.”

Zibin’s agent Blake Corosky (Toronto, Ont.)

The agent described Jacob “as a humble young man who really fit what we look for as per talent and character.” The agent recalled a round of golf with his teenage client.

“Jacob told me how much he loves competition and wants to get better at everything he does,” Crosky said. “Most 16 year-olds don’t have that level of self awareness. I have been doing this a long time and was very impressed.”

Like Maier and Wolfe, it was not nail-biting and edge-of-the-seat time for Zibin and Corosky, who said “it wasn’t nerve-racking at all.”

Cleveland scouts Conor Glassey and Andrew Krause explained the Guardians organization and why it was a good fit for Zibin. Cleveland scouting director Scott Barnsby and Corosky talked throughout Day 2 of the draft. And hours after Zibin was selected a bonus had been agreed upon.

“The Guardians made it clear that Jacob was their priority, Scott knew pretty much what it would take to make Jacob a Guardian and somehow moved mountains to make that happen,” Corosky said. “Negotiation is easy when those you are representing have resolve and self belief. All of the Canadian high schoolers who we advised (two went to school) and Jacob understood their value and the options afforded them.

“We were not going to bend just to hear their name called. Hopefully we played a small part in that stance.”

A total of 316 collegians and high schoolers were selected in the first two days of the draft. Zibin was chosen 15 picks before Day II ended. Neither party wanted him to go to another team on Day III.

Corosky said his client had other considerations -- he could have entered the draft again in 2023. The agent said his client’s physicality and projection “were off the charts, he is extremely intelligent ... both he and his family understood the process and understood his options.”

Plus the University of South Carolina was waiting in the wings as well, as they concentrated on what the right fit professionally would be if he were to sign.

“Cleveland’s interest in Jacob was wire to wire going back to last fall,” Corosky said. “Their scouts did a tremendous job explaining their success developing pitching in general and high school pitching in particular. Their scouting director made it abundantly clear that Jacob was a target on draft day.

“The rest was just ensuring Jacob and his family were comfortable with that path.”

A year ago, Zibin was listed as being eligible for the 2023 draft. He made the decision that he would graduate from high school this year rather than next.

“No small feat and a credit to his tenacity,” said Corosky. “We began that process with MLB last fall when it looked like it would be possible and Jacob did what was necessary to follow through.”

So a pair of $1.2 million bonus babies on not a bad draft year for Canadians.

* * *

A total of 15 Canadians were drafted with 13 signing, 11 of them for six figures. Six more Canucks signed as free agents three for six six figures. So, in all 19 Canadians entered the minor-league systems -- 14 getting six-figure amounts.

Oregon and UBC alumnus RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, BC)

This list from 2022 starts with the top earners

1. RHP Adam Maier $1.2 million, North Vancouver, BC, Oregon University Braves 7th round.

1A. RHP Jacob Zibin $1.2 Million, Langley, BC, Langley Blaze Guardians 10th

3. INF Dylan O’Rae $597,500, Sarnia, Ont., Great Lakes Canadians Brewers 3rd

4. C Lamar King $502,800 Vancouver, BC, Calvert Hall College Padres 4th

5. INF David McCabe $476,500 Oshawa, Ont. North Carolina-Charlotte Braves 4th

6. INF Nate Ochoa $375,000 Burlington, Ont. FieldHouse Pirates Nationals 6th

7. RHP Cedric De Grandpre $237,500 St-Simon, Que. Chipola College Braves 13th

8. RHP Jonah Tong $226,000 Markham, Ont. Toronto Mets New York Mets 7th

9. LHP Adam Tulloch $125,000 Weston, Fla./Toronto Arizona State Guardians 15th

9A. C Ryan Leitch $125,000 Whitby, Ont., Marshall University Phillies FA

9B. LHP Jordan Woods $125,000 Oakville, Ont. Ontario Terriers Royals FA

12. RHP Eli Saul $120,000 Vancouver, BC Sacramento State Diamondbacks 13th

13. LHP Nathan Landry $112,500 Victoraville, Que., Missouri Red Sox 15th

14. RHP Austin Voros $100,000 Anjou, Que., Montreal Orioles Mets FA

Elliott: How Canucks Maier (7th) & Zibin (10th) set signing bonus round records