The McRae Men 1.0

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Mike McRae started off in college south of the border tending goal for the Colby College Mules.

And as all good goalies he learned about directing traffic so his team could clear the puck from the Colby zone. A two-way man, he also pitched and played outfield for the ball team, certainly learned how to steer traffic his way when he got into coaching.

McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.) is in his third season at Virginia Commonwealth Rams as an assistant coach in 2019-20. McRae leads VCU’s talented pitching staff.

McRae helped VCU to two-consecutive 34-win seasons and an Atlantic 10 regular season title in 2019. Three members of his pitching staff have gone on to play pro: Connor Gillispie and Sam Ryan were chosen in the 2019 draft. Gillispie went to the Baltimore Orioles and Ryan to Toronto Blue Jays. Ben Dum signed a free agent deal with the Minnesota Twins.

RHP Evan Chenier (Georgetown, Ont.) and RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.) are already at VCU while LHP Campbell Ellis (Georgetown, Ont.), RHP-OF Justin Humenay (Beaconsfield, Que.) and RHP Virot Siharath (Barrie, Ont.) on the way.

Those arms are the tip of the iceberg of Canadian talent McRae recruited south. In his 14 seasons with Canisius College in Buffalo as head coach of the Golden Griffins, he led a rebuilding project of the Griffins. He took over a team that won four games in 2004 and went on to win the program’s first two Metro Atlantic Conference championships as well as making the program’s first appearances in the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2015.

In all, McRae recruited players — from six provinces — who combined to earn 57 spots on the Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college team. McRae recruited them all and coached all but SS Conner Morro (Cheltenham, Ont.).

Canisius Golden Griffins to make the Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college team

2007

Third Team _ OF Ian Choy (freshman, Mississauga, Ont.).

Honourable Mention: C Kevin Reimer (sophomore, Steinbach, Man.).

2008

First Team _ LHP Shane Davis (Belmont, Ont.).

First Team _ 2B Kevin Mailloux (Windsor, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RHP Josh Sawatzky (senior. Altona, Man.)

Honourable Mention _ RP Ryan McGorman (Arden, Man.)

Honourable Mention _ C Kevin Reimer (Steinbach, Man.)

Honourable Mention _ OF Branson Joseph (Mississauga, Ont.),

Honourable Mention _ DH Ryan Asis (Mississauga, Ont.)

2009

First Team _ 2B Kevin Mailloux (Windsor, Ont.).

Second Team _ OF Ian Choy (junior, Mississauga, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ LHP Shane Davis (Belmont, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RP Ryan McGorman (Arden, Man.).

Honourable Mention _ 1B Brian Burton (Kitchener, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ OF Branson Joseph (Mississauga, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ OF Shayne Wilson (Surrey, BC).

2010

First Team _ 1B Brian Burton (Kitchener, Ont.).

Second Team _ SS Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.).

Second Team _ DH Ian Choy (Mississauga, Ont.).

Third Team _ OF Shayne Wilson (Surrey, BC).

Honourable Mention _ LHP Shane Davis (Belmont, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RP Andrew Van’tWout (Guelph, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ 3B Drew Pettit (Fonthill, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ OF Perry Silverman (Montreal, Que.).

2011

First Team _ SS Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.).

Third Team _ LHP Shane Davis (Belmont, Ont.).

Third Team _ 3B Drew Pettit (Fonthill, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ Brian Burton (Kitchener, Ont.).

2012

First Team _ RP Jon Fitzsimmons (London, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RHP Devon Stewart (Maple Ridge, BC).

Honourable Mention _ RHP Billy Martin (Mississauga, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RP Nathan Linseman (Arris, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ 1B Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ DH Shane Zimmer (St. Albert, Alta.).

2013

First Team _ RP Jon Fitzsimmons (London, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ C Brooklyn Foster (Langley, BC).

Honourable Mention _ 3B Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ DH Brett Siddall (Windsor, Ont.).

2014

First Team _ 3B Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.).

Second Team _ 2B Jose Torralba (Mississauga, Ont.).

Second Team _ DH Brett Siddall (Windsor, Ont.).

2015

First Team _ 3B Connor Panas (Toronto Ont.) *

First Team _ OF Brett Siddall (Windsor, Ont.).

Third Team _ RHP Devon Stewart (Maple Ridge, BC).

Third Team _ 2B Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ RHP Iannick Remmillard (Valleyfield, Que.).

2016

First Team _ RP Iannick Rémillard (Valleyfield, Que.).

Honourable Mention _ 2B Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ 3B Liam Wilson (Ayr, Ont.).

2017

First Team _ LHP J.P. Stevenson (New Glasglow, PEI).

Third Team _ 3B Liam Wilson (Ayr, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ LHP Zachary Sloan (Brampton, Ont.).

Honourable Mention _ SS Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.).

2018

First Team _ LHP J.P. Stevenson (New Glasglow, PEI).

Second Team _ SS Conner Morro (Cheltenham, Ont.).

Third Team _ 3B Liam Wilson (Ayr, Ont.).

2019

Honourable Mention _ SS Conner Morro (Cheltenham, Ont.).

(* Denotes Canadian Baseball Network college player of the year._