Former Kentville Wildcat CF Layton Cuvilier (Hantsport N.S.) is one of four Canucks who has helped the Sussex Community College Skylanders to a 17-0 start in JUCO Division II play.

March 28, 2023

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Blame Bill Byckowski.

He gets all the credit or all of the blame when it comes to explaining how many hours are spent each year updating our Canadians in College list and our Letters of Intent compilation (Matt Betts (Brantford, Ont.) basically does most of the work).

Way back in 1999, we asked Byckowski (Erin, Ont.) how many Canadians were playing college ball south of the border?

“Maybe 100,” Byckowski, then the director of the Toronto Blue Jays scouting department, “but there is no way you will ever figure it out.”

We took that as a challenge and in 2000 we found 450 Canadians playing the main part of their schedule south of the border. Later the total was updated to 597.

Growth has been steady seeing new highs in 2006 and in 2009 (739 players each year), again in 2012 (773), in 2013 (783), in (809), in 2015 (859) and again in 2022 (996).

The last time our crack researcher Pete Berryman, son of former University of Ottawa Gee-Gee Vanier Cup and Greg Cup champ, Tim Berryman, posted our 2023 Canadians he had 998 players.

And it went like this ... this week

RHP Hunter Canning (Dartmouth NS) of Sussex Community College Skylanders was added. He becomes No. 999.

Then, came CF Layton Cuvilier. also of Sussex a Division II JUCO. From what baseball hotbed and what province would our first-ever 1,000th player come from?

Ontario? British Columbia? Quebec?

Nope. Cuvilier comes from a town of 1,542 (2021 population): Hantsport N.S., which sits along the west bank of the Avon River’s tidal estuary. Cuvilier’s Skylanders have opened the season 17-0.

And finally LHP Tanner Maclean (Chalottetown, PEI) of Sussex, No. 1,001. Maclean is part of Island diamond royalty.

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So some more info on Mr. 1,000

This is Cuvilier’s second year at a junior collage after playing last spring at Sullivan County.

The two teams played each other throughout the year so Sussex coach Ramadan Mehmedi knew Cuvilier and after the season was over the former Kentville Wildcat transferred. Two years ago, he left Kentville for Dartmouth to join plenty of his former teammates from Nova Scotia teams. Dartmouth will host the nationals this summer.

The most influential person in Cuvilier’s baseball life is his father, Chris.

“He’s driven me to everything growing up, including other sporting events -- not strictly baseball,” he said. “My father always loved watching and talking about a game after and every night when I was younger watching big-league games with him in the living room.”

One of the biggest things that hooked him on the game came at a young age was the intermediate team in his hometown ... the Hantsport Shamrocks.

“They played every Sunday and for years I’d never miss a games working a ball boy and watching the game I love,” Cuvilier said.

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How the season has gone to date:

_ Cuvilier singled and knocked in a run in a 10-5 Sussex win over CCBC Catonsville. RHP Hunter Canning (Dartmouth NS) was the opening day starter, picking up the win as he allowed three runs -- two earned -- on three hits and three walks. He struck out one.

_ Cuvilier singled and knocked in a run as Sussex beat Lakeland Community College 8-6 to move to 2-0 on the season.

LHP Tanner Maclean (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) of the Sussex Skylanders.

_ Cuvilier tripled, singled and drove in a run in an 18-9 victory against Raritan Valley. LHP Tanner Maclean (Chalottetown, PEI) started and allowed on unearned run on three hits and a walk. He struck out seven. Jax Nyberg (Ajax, Ont.) pitched an inning of relief giving up three unearned runs on four hits and a walk. He struck out a pair.

_ Cuvilier was 2-for-3, knocked in a run and stole two bases in an 8-3 victory against Raritan Valley. Canning started and had a no decision pitching three innings allowing two runs -- one earned -- on one hit and four walks.

_ Cuvilier was again productive in a 7-4 Sussex win against Raritan Valley. Cuvilier was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs on a triple and a scoring fly ball on the Skylanders’ spring trip at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach.

_ Cuvilier had a pair of hits and drove in a run as Sussex beat Mohawk Valley 7-3. Nyberg pitched two scoreless innings allowing three hits and striking out a pair.

_ Cuvilier scored a run in a 6-1 decision over Mohawk Valley, where Trevor Mosley attended.

_ Cuvilier batted lead off with a pair of hits in a 10-8 victory over Montgomery College. Canning started and pitched 3 1/3 innings allowing six runs -- three earned -- on five hits and three walks, while striking out three.

_ Again Cuvilier was in centre field and again he had a pair of hits, going 2-for-2, driving in two as Sussex blanked North Central Missouri College 11-0. He also stole a base. Maclean pitched a complete game for the win, working six inning one hit and walking one. He struck out 12 in his dominant outing.

_ Cuvilier drove in a run in the five-run, bottom of the seventh as Sussex edged Scoutz USA 5-4. Nyberg gained the win in relief pitching 4 2/3 innings allowing two run -- one earned -- on two hits and three walks. He fanned five in all.

_ Cuvilier doubled in a pair in a 5-0 win against Clark State.

_ He did not play in an 18-8 win over Carin University. Canning pitched a scoreless to record the victory.

_ Cuvilier went 3-for-5, with a double and two stolen bases in a 9-5 win against Weschester Community College. The Canuck connection combined to work eight innings of the game. Canning moved to 3-0 pitching five innings, giving up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits and three walks. He struck out five. Maclean pitched the next three allowing one run on four hits and striking out three.

_ Cuvilier had two more hits and stole a base in a 16-0 romp over Rockland County.

_ Cuvilier was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and two stolen bases in an 8-2 win over Lehigh Carbon. Maclean moved to 2-0, pitching six innings and giving up two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits, while striking out seven.

Jax Nyberg (Ajax, Ont.) has aided Sussex to its 17-game win streak.

_ Cuvilier was 3-for-4 driving in a run and swiping a pair of bases in a 10-4 win to bump the Sussex record to 17-0. Canning pitched three innings allowing three runs on three hits and three walks. He fanned four and left with a no decision. Nyberg pitched three inning to gain the win as he was touched for one unearned run allowing two hits and a walk. He struck out four.

* * *

On the season ... Cuvilier is batting .510 with two doubles, two triples, 15 RBIs and a whopping OPS of 1.202.

And on the mound ... Maclean leads with an 0.86 ERA a 2-0 record and 30 strikeouts in 21 innings. Nyberg isn’t far behind with a 2-0 mark and a 1.38 ERA. He has struck out 15 in 13 innings. Canning is 3-0 with a 5.40 ERA. He has struck out 17 in 18 1/3 innings.

* * *

And Berryman found RHP Brock Bruneau (Fort Erie, Ont.) and OF Carlos Molines (Quebec, Que.) of Rhode Island.

The record-breaking count continues.

Elliott: Our first-ever, No. 1,000th Canuck college player south of the border is ...