Elliott: Perfect Game hosts 12 teams from four provinces in national 18U tournament
Royal Field in Dorchester will play host to the 12-team 18U and the eight-year 16U nationals championships.
April 25, 2025
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Well, it’s a start. A good one.
The first Perfect Game International Canadian National Championship tournament takes place June 4-9 at Royal Field in Dorchester,
A total of 12 teams from four provinces will compete in the 18U age group and eight teams from two different provinces, will play in the 16U grouping.
It’s far from a national championship when you consider the provincial champions and host city usually at the Canada Cup or other Baseball Canada nationals. Yet, what this event gives evaluators and recruiters -- something which has never been done before -- is a chance to see the best play the best. The best have been together with the Junior National Team or the Canadian Premier League All-Stars, but these are the best teams.
When the event begins all 12 organizations can say that theirs is the best in “all the land.” At the end only one team will be able to stick out its collective chest and make the claim.
Eight teams from the CPBL include the Montreal-based Academy Baseball Canada, Fieldhouse Pirates, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Nationals, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, Team Ontario, Toronto Mets, Windsor Selects and the host Great Lake Canadians.
From the west coast are well-travelled Brewers Langley Blaze of the British Columbia Premier League -- oldest elite league in the country. They are regulars on fall and spring trips to Arizona, as well as the PG World Wood Bat championships in Jupiter, Fla.
Also coming east are the Webber Wildcats of the Baseball Alberta Elite League.
Usually in sandlot ball to paraphrase east is east and west is west and never the twin shall meet ... in Ontario the phrase is elite is elite and the OBA is the OBA and never the twain shall meet.
Former Baseball Canada nationals and Canada Cup champs, the Mississauga Tigers, play at the 18U OBA level round out the field. Good for organizers in that they opened the doors to anyone and everyone.
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At the 16U level, CPBL teams include ABC, Fieldhouse, Ontario Blue Jays, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, Toronto Mets and Great Lake Canadians, plus the Victus Prospects Ontario, formerly the Barrie Baysox of the Elite League of Ontario and the Mississauga Tigers of the OBA’s Central Ontario Association.
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18U Teams Location League Head coach
Academy Baseball Canada, Montreal, Que. Canadian Premier Karl Gélinas
Brewers Langley Blaze, Vancouver, BC BC Premier Jamie Bodaly
Fieldhouse Pirates, Burlington, Ont. CPBL Jordan Stamp
Great Lake Canadians, London, Ont. CPBL Jamie Romak
Mississauga Tigers, Mississauga, Ont. OBA Greg Byron
Ontario Blue Jays, Mississauga, Ont. CPBL Darren Shred
Ontario Nationals, Waterloo, Ont. CPBL Chris Iltshishin
Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, Ottawa, Ont. CPBL Chris Chenier
Team Ontario, Vaughan, Ont. CPBL Ryan Sattz
Toronto Mets, Toronto, Ont. CPBL Drew Roberts
Webber Wildcats, Calgary, Alta. Baseball Alberta Elite Cole Armstrong
Windsor Selects, Windsor, Ont. CPBL Chad Matton
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16U Teams Location League Head coach
Academy Baseball Canada, Montreal, Que. CPBL Mathieu Dion
Fieldhouse Pirates, Burlington, Ont. CPBL Josh Hare
Great Lake Canadians, London, Ont. CPBL Jeff Helps
Mississauga Tigers, Mississauga, Ont. OBA Sean Travers
Ontario Blue Jays, Mississauga, Ont. CPBL Conner Morro
Ottawa Nepean Canadians, Ottawa, Ont. CPBL Brad Fairholm
Toronto Mets, Toronto, Ont. CPBL Ryan McBride
Victus Prospects Ontario, Barrie, Ont. Ontario Elite Jake Hines