ICYMI - Elliott: New rules will seriously hurt Canadians draft chances

By BobElliott

Canadian Baseball Network

It may be impossible for grade 12 students to get a hair cut in most of Canada.

Yet, a lot of Canadian players -- high schoolers and collegians -- plus the rest of North America will take a hair cut.

What is the meaning of taking a hair cut? “In finance to accept a valuation or return that is less than optimal, especially to partially forgive a debt. Or to “take a bath,” meaning to suffer substantial or complete loss of an investment.”

The COVID-19 pandemic which has brought the NBA, the NHL and major league ball to a standstill apparently will give the annual draft a hit. A major blow. Nine years ago the draft consisted of 50 rounds, Last year it was 40 rounds.

This June, it will be five rounds ... under the new Basic Agreement. It means only 160 players will be selected in North America including the five rounds, compensation rounds and competitive balance picks — down from 1,217 in last spring’s 40-round draft.

There was talk to expand the draft to 10 rounds, but management wanted slot money cut in half. The union said no. After the fifth round, free-agent players can be signed for a maximum of $20,000 US. The eight-year total of Canadians selected from the sixth-to-40th rounds is 169, an average of more than 21 players per draft.

Happy haircut.

Worse, some close to the college situation say those college first-year players, who were red shirted or played little last spring could be weeded out unless there is a boost from the 11.7 scholarships given to each NCAA school. When this spring’s season ended after a few weeks, universities and colleges gave seniors an extra year. Then, they gave everyone an extra year. So last spring’s freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors will be next spring’s freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors ... plus there will be a new incoming class of freshmen.

It’s going to be a crowded clubhouse/dugout/team picture. Nine years ago the draft was chopped from 50 to 40 rounds. That cut off an average of eight Canucks in the previous five years.

It’s not that Canadian talent is slipping, it is the fact that there are not as many opportunities.

Major leaguers selected in the 6th-through-40th rounds the last eight years include: RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.), plus the first time they were drafted, RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) and C Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC).

Six-figure bonus were given to LHP Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.), INF TJ Schofield-Sam (Brampton, Ont.), INF Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.), RHP RJ Freure (Burlington, Ont.), LHP Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.), RHP Michael Brettell (Fonthill, Ont.), INF LaRon Smith (Spruce Grove, Alta.), Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.), Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.), Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.), RHP Jake Polancic (Langley, BC) and INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.).

Canadians drafted in the past eight years

(6th-through-40th rounds)

2019 -- 23 Canucks

Which included: 7th rounder _ LHP Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) Vauxhall Jets $250,000 signing bonus Mariners; 12th _ INF TJ Schofield-Sam (Brampton, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays $320,000 A’s; 18th _ INF Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) Auburn $493,000 Twins.

2018 -- 18 Canucks

Which included: 6th _ RHP RJ Freure (Burlington, Ont.) Pitt University $345,800, Astros; 14th _ LHP Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) Cloud County $125,000 Padres; 15th _ RHP Michael Brettell (Fonthill, Ont.) Central Michigan $125,000; Cardinals; 21st _ 3B Mitch Robinson (Surrey, BC) UBC, Yankees; 24th _ LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) Stetson, Mariners; 25th _ RHP Will McAffer (North Vancouver, BC); 25th _ INF LaRon Smith (Spruce Grove, Alta.) Okotoks Dawgs, $125,000, Twins.

2017 -- 21 Canucks

Which included: 7th _ Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) Kentucky, $147,500, Dodgers; 10th _ RHP Daniel Procopio (Toronto, Ont.) Niagara, Angels; 15th _ 2B Jared Young (Prince George, BC) Old Dominion, Cubs; 20th _ OF Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) Niagara, Blue Jays; 22nd _ C J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) Tampa, Marlins; 23rd _ RHP Jordan Scheftz, (North York, Ont.) Central Florida, Indians, $100,000; 37th _ INF Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) Phillies.

2016 -- 22 Canucks

Which included: 8th _ Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) Mississippi State, Tigers $181,000; 9th _ Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) Virginia $169,000; 11th _ RHP Jake Polancic (Langley, BC) Diamondbacks, 100,000; 24th _ 1B Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) UBC, Reds; 30th _RHP Josh Burgmann (Nanaimo, BC) Vauxhall, Cardinals;

2015 -- 24 Canucks

Which included: 9th _ INF Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) Canisius; 32nd _ RHP Will McAffer (North Vancouver, BC) Reds; 28th RHP Marc-Andre Berube (Trios Pistoles, Que.) Pitt University, A’s; 31st OF Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Twins; 32nd RHP Will McAffer (North Vancouver, BC) Reds; 34th OF Ben Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) Phillies; 36th INF Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.), Tigers.

2014 -- 16 Canucks

Which included: 6th _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Central Arizona, Astros; 10th _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Oral Roberts, Blue Jays; 16th + LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) Vauxhall, Brewers; 22nd _ 3B-C Mitch Robinson (Cloverdale, BC) Langley Blaze, Marlins.

2013 -- 19 Canucks.

Which included: 19th _ RHP Dylan Rheault (Sudbury, Ont.) Central Michigan. Orioles; 20th _ INF Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays, Astros; 22nd _ RHP Daniel Procopio (Toronto, Ont.) Toronto Mets/Windsor Selects; 26th _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope Ont.) Ontario Terriers; 30th OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) Ontario Blue Jays, Padres; 32nd _ Charles Leblanc )Laval, Que.) ABC, Brewers

2012 -- 26 Canucks

Which included: 6th INF Eric Wood (Pickering, Ont.) Blinn, Pirates, 9th _ C Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC) Blue Jays; 12th _ LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) Ontario Prospects, Cardinals; 20th _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Ontario Nationals, Reds.