Elliott: Top Canuck signing bonuses, 2021 included

Jd0vpwl2.jpg

Toronto Mets grad INF Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) of Wright State signed the sixth largest bonus by a Canadian.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Know a young ball player who is feeling down as he heads off to university?

You can understand his disappointment, as he was hoping to be drafted as a high schooler.

That didn’t happen ...

So, let me tell you a story and what did happen in the draft.

Away back in 2018, there was a high schooler. He was not drafted.

Not only was he not drafted he wasn’t mentioned amongst the best prospects by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. He was listed in a 16-way tie by Perfect Game’s as No. 1,000 (as a high follow) in the Scouting Service’s ranking of high schoolers. It’s tough to be tied for 1,000th and get drafted when only 1,214 high schoolers and collegians were selected.

So what did the player do? He kept working hard, listened to his coaches, went gap to gap and developed into one of the best college bats available in the draft last month.

And as the Milwaukee Brewers closed out the first round people heard “the Milwaukee Brewers select INF Tyler Black ... Wright State University.”

Black played for the Toronto Mets, Stouffville Yankees, Ontario Prospects and Markham Mariners. He was coached by the likes of talented baseball men: Chris Kemlo, Ryan McBride, Rob Butler, Joe Bowen, the Maple Leafs broadcaster and Hot Rod Black, TSN’s versatile broadcaster. And Rick Leitch, the Mets coach and former Salem International coach, helped get Black to the Wright spot.

Not a sniff as a high schooler ... then 33rd overall by Brewers scouts Taylor Green (Comox, BC) and Pete Orr (Newmarket, Ont.) as a college player.

That could happen to a young man you know years down the row.

Black wasn’t just the top Canuck selected, he was given a $2.2 Million US signing bonus, the sixth highest ever given a Canadian.

RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) remains No. 1 on our list, as the Pittsburgh Pirates gave him a $6.5 million singing bonus in 2010.

Next were RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) of Stanford and the Ontario Terriers ($3,963,045) to the San Diego Padres in 2016, LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) of the Whalley Chiefs (3.2 Million), to the Baltimore Orioles in 2002 and then the Naylor brothers, Noah and Josh (Mississauga, Ont.). The two Ontario Blue Jays grads went like this: Noah ($2,578,138) to Cleveland and Josh ($2.5 Million) to the Miami Marlins.

Besides Black, 11 other 2021s joined our updated list:

download.jpg

_ RHP Calvin Ziegler (Heidelberg, Ont.) a Great Lake Canadians grad, who wound up being the Mets No. 1 pick when an agreement was not reached with Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker ... $910,000

_ Top high school arm LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets, a fifth rounder to the Texas Rangers ... $850,000.

_ OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) of the Cal State Northridge Matadors and the Toronto Mets, who went in the fourth to the Oakland A’s ... $700,000

_ RHP Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) of Mississippi State and the Great Lake Canadians went in the fifth round to the Kansas City Royals ... $500,000.

_ LHP Adam Shoemaker (Cambridge, Ont.) of the Great Lake Canadians who went in the 11th to the Atlanta Braves ... $477,500

_ RHP Dominic Hambley (Victoria, BC) of the Victoria Mariners who went in the 18th to the Chicago Cubs ... $200,000.

_ INF Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC) College of Southern Nevada and the Vauxhall Jets, was a 14th round choice by the Toronto Blue Jays ... $157,500.

_ RHP Jordan Marks (Bright’s Grove, Ont.) of South Carolina-Upstate and the Great Lake Canadians was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the eighth ... $150,000.

_ OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) of the Southern Illinois Salukis, Okotoks Dawgs and Pembina Valley Orioles to the Brewers in the seventh ... $147,500.

_ LHP Thomas Ireland (Regina, Sask.) of Polk State, Team Saskatchewan, Inside Pitch Prospects, Martin Academy and the Regina Buffalos headed to the Rangers in the 13th ... $125,000


_ RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.) of the Prairie Baseball Academy and the Ontario Terriers to the Rangers in the 15th round ... $125,000.

download.jpg

RHP Jameson Taillon, who was born in Lakeland Fla. and attended high school at The Woodlands Tx. has been given the largest bonus by a Canadian. His mother is from Toronto and his father grew up in the Cornwall area.

The Canadians who have received six-figure signing bonuses ...

Year Round Team Position Name Hometown Province School/Team Bonus

2010 1 Pirates RHP Jameson Taillon The Woodlands TX The Woodlands HS $6.5 million US

2016 1 Padres RHP Cal Quantrill Port Hope Ont. Stanford University $3,963,045

2002 1 Orioles LHP Adam Loewen Surrey BC Whalley Chiefs/Junior National Team $3.2 M

2018 1 Indians C Noah Naylor Mississauga Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $2,578,138

2015 1 Marlins 1B Josh Naylor Mississauga Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $2.5 M


2021 1 Brewers INF Tyler Black, Stouffville, Ont., Wright State $2.2 M

2014 2 Mariners OF Gareth Morgan North York Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $2 M

2015 1 Braves RHP Michael Soroka Calgary Alta. Calgary PBF Redbirds/Junior National Team $1,974,700

2007 1 Mariners RHP Phillippe Aumont Gatineau Que. ABC/Junior National Team $1.9 M

2002 1 Rockies LHP Jeff Francis North Delta BC University of British Columbia $1.85 M


download.jpg

Langley Blaze grad Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) was drafted as a catcher.

2008 1 Brewers C Brett Lawrie Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $1.7 M

2001 28 Cards RHP Blake Hawksworth North Vancouver BC Bellevue (WA) Community College $1.475 M

2017 2 Twins RHP Landon Leach Pickering Ont. Toronto Mets/Junior National Team $1.4 M

2017 2 Orioles INF Adam Hall London Ont. Great Lake Canadians/Junior National Team $1.3 M

2016 2 Diamondbacks C Andrew Yerzy Toronto Ont. Toronto Mets/Junior National Team $1,214,100


2020 2 Padres Owen Caissie Burlington Ont. FieldHouse Pirates/Junior National Team, $1,200,004

2000 1 Braves INF Scott Thorman Cambridge Ont. Team Ontario/Junior National Team $1.125 M

2013 2 Cubs LHP Rob Zastryzny Edmonton Alta. Missouri $1.1 M

2010 1 Rangers C Kellin Deglan Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $1 M

2021 2 Mets RHP Calvin Ziegler, Heidelberg, Ont. Great Lake Canadians $910,000


2020 3 Trei Cruz, Toronto/Houston, Rice University $900,000

2021 5 Rangers LHP Mitch Bratt, Newmarket, Ont. Toronto Mets $850,000

1997 1 Padres SS Kevin Nicholson Surrey BC Stetson College $830,000

2019 3 Jays OF Dasan Brown Oakville Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $800,000

2020 3 Angels OF David Calabrese Maple Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $744,200


download.jpg

Former Toronto Met OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.)

2021 4 A’s OF Denzel Clarke, Pickering, Ont., Cal State Northridge $700,000

2002 2 Twins RHP Jesse Crain Toronto, Ont. University of Houston $650,000

2020 3 Cubs OF Jordan Nwogu Ottawa Ont. University of Michigan $678,600

2015 2 Yankees LHP Jeff Degano Surrey BC Indiana State $650,000

2013 3 Mariners OF Tyler O’Neill Maple Ridge BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $650,000


2018 3 Marlins OF Tristan Pompey Mississauga Ont. Kentucky $645,000

2002 2 Reds INF Joey Votto Etobicoke Ont. Etobicoke Rangers $600,000

2019 3 Yankees OF Jacob Sanford, Cole Harbour, NS Western Kentucky $597,500

2007 1 Reds RHP Kyle Lotzkar Tsawwassen BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $594,000

2016 5 Twins RHP Jordan Balazovic Mississauga Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $515,000


download.jpg

RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont. — Canada’s first capital) attended Niagara University.

2019 4 Padres RHP Matt Brash Kingston Ont. Niagara University $512,400

1997 1 Orioles OF Ntema Ndungidi Montreal Que. Academie Baseball Canada $500,000

2015 4 Reds CF Miles Gordon Oakville Ont. Great Lake Canadians/Junior National Team $500,000

2010 16 Yankees LHP Evan Rutckyj Windsor Ont. Windsor Selects/Detroit Jet Box $500,000

2021 5 Royals RHP Eric Cerantola, Oakville, Ont., Mississippi State $500,000,


2016 4 Diamondbacks RHP Curtis Taylor Port Coquitlam BC University of British Columbia $496,700

2019 18 Twins INF Edouard Julien Quebec City, Que. Auburn $493,000

2021 11 Braves LHP Adam Shoemaker, Cambridge, Ont. Great Lake Canadians $477,500

2007 1 Blue Jays RHP Trystan Magnuson Vancouver BC University of Louisville $462,500

2014 4 Brewers OF Demi Orimoloye Orleans Ont. Ottawa-Nepean Canadians/Junior National Team $450,000


download.jpg

Former Calgary Rockies RHP Chris Reitsma (Calgary Alta.)

1996 2 Red Sox RHP Chris Reitsma Calgary Alta. Calgary Rockies/Junior National Team $425,000

2005 3 Tigers C Chris Robinson Dorchester Ont. University of Illinois $422,500

2016 4 Rangers INF Charles Leblanc Laval Que University of Pittsburgh $415,000

2005 3 Indians OF Nick Weglarz Stevensville Ont. Team Ontario/Junior National Team $435,000

2006 4 Dodgers INF Kyle Orr Victoria BC Victoria Mariners/Junior National Team $435,000


2015 5 Cubs LHP Ryan Kellogg Whitby Ont. Arizona State $376,700

1997 1 White Sox RHP Aaron Myette Surrey BC Central Arizona Community College $375,000

2011 7 Cubs 1B Trevor Gretzky Westlake Village CA Oaks Christian HS $375,000

2018 4 Red Sox C-1B Kole Cottam Memphis, TN Kentucky, $375,000

2018 6 Astros RHP RJ Freure Burlington Ont. Pitt University $348,800


download.jpg

Former U of Illinois C Lars Davis (Grand Prairie, Alta.)

2007 3 Rockies C Lars Davis Grande Prairie Alta. Illinois $337,000

2011 4 Blue Jays RHP Tom Robson Ladner BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $325,000

2019 12 A’s T.J. Schofield-Sam Brampton Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $320,000

2009 6 Phillies RHP Steven Inch Edmonton Alta. Vauxhall Academy/Junior National Team $300,000

2004 7 Reds LHP Philippe-Alexandre Valiquette St. Laurent Que. Academie Baseball Canada/Junior National Team $300,000



2002 20 Padres C George Kottaras Markham Ont. Connors State College $300,000

1994 32 Mariners LHP Jordan Zimmerman Caresland Alta. Blinn Jr. College $300,000

2001 3 Braves OF Adam Stern London Ont. Nebraska $348,000

2019 26 Jays Jean-Christophe Masson, Levis, Que. Academy Baseball Canada/ Junior National Team $297,500

1999 3 Twins C Justin Morneau New Westminister BC North Delta Blue Jays/Junior National Team $295,000



2013 5 Orioles LHP Travis Seabrooke North Monaghan Ont. Ontario Terriers/Junior National Team $291,800

2013 10 Cardinals SS Malik Collymore Mississauga Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $275,000

2010 3 Blue Jays OF Marcus Knecht North York Ont. Connors State College $250,000

2010 4 Royals LHP Kevin Chapman Coral Springs FL Florida $250,000

2014 6 Astros RHP Brock Dykxhoorn Goderich Ont. Central Arizona College $250,000

1176222541ec2a2be2ec219e3e3837f7_p_vi_39957_1465656451.jpg

INF Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Greenfield Park Que.) was dealt by the Astros to the Mariners.

2016 5 Astros INF Abraham Toro-Hernandez Greenfield Park Que. Seminole State College $250,000

2019 7 Mariners LHP Adam Macko Stony Plain, Alta. Vauxhall Academy $250,000

2004 16 Brewers RHP Alexandre Periard St-Eustache Que. Academie Baseball Canada $243,000

2003 4 Braves 3B Jamie Romak London Ont. London Badgers/Junior National Team $240,000

2004 11 Mariners OF Mike Saunders Victoria BC Tallahassee College $237,500


2010 4 Padres INF Chris Bisson Orleans Ont. Kentucky $234,000

2007 4 Royals RHP Mitch Hodge Vancouver BC White Rock Titons/Junior National Team $225,000

2019 5 Cubs Josh Burgmann Nanaimo BC Washington $225,000

2016 33 Pirates RHP Austin Shields Dundas Ont. Great Lake Canadians $205,000

1995 3 Rangers RHP Ryan Dempster Gibsons BC North Shore Twins $200,000


2004 5 Rangers C Mike Nickeas Vancouver BC Georgia Tech University $200,000

2007 6 Reds RHP Evan Hildebrandt Abbotsford BC Abbotsford Cardinals/Junior National Team $200,000

2007 16 Mariners RHP Colin Buckborough Niagara Falls Ont. Bullett Proof/ Junior National Team $200,000

2015 18 Reds LHP Isaac Anesty Guelph Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $200,000

2001 18 Cubs RHP Dominic Hambley, Victoria, BC Victoria Mariners $200,000

yan.jpg

ABC grad HP Yan Lachapelle (Gatineau Que.)

1996 3 Blue Jays RHP Yan Lachapelle Gatineau Que. Academie du Baseball Canada $185,000

2001 5 Brewers RHP Judd Richardson Caledon Ont. Miami of Ohio $185,000

2016 8 Tigers OF Jacob Robson Windsor Ont. Mississippi State $181,600

1993 2 Brewers SS Danny Klassen Leamington Ont. Port St. Lucie, Fla. $180,000

2010 7 Brewers RHP Joel Pierce Windsor Ont. Tecumseh Thunder/Junior National Team $175,000


2001 5 Mariners 2B John Cole Kanata Ont. Nebraska $170,000

2003 5 Yankees RHP Cory Stuart White Rock BC University of British Columbia $170,000

2016 9 Tigers INF Daniel Pinero Toronto Ont. Virginia $169,600

2001 5 Dodgers RHP Steve Nelson Cole Harbour NS Dartmouth Mooseheads $165,000

2021 14 Blue Jays INF Damiano Palmegiani, Surrey, BC, College of Southern Nevada, $157,500


images.jpg

Team Ontario grad Chris Leroux (Mississauga, Ont.)

2005 7 Marlins RHP Chris Leroux Mississauaga Ont. Winthrop $152,000

1997 2 Indians RHP Robbie Vael Surrey BC Eastern Utah $150,000

2008 16 Blue Jays OF Mike Crouse Port Moody BC North Shore Twins/Junior National Team $150,000

2009 15 Dodgers 3B Jeff Hunt Cambridge Ont. Intercounty Terriers/Junior National Team $150,000

2010 10 Astros LHP Evan Grills Whitby Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $150,000


2010 16 Blue Jays OF Dalton Pompey Mississauga Ont. Oakville Royals/Junior National Team $150,000

2010 32 Rangers RHP Steve McKinnon Duncan BC Nanaimo Pirates/Junior National Team $150,000

2011 8 Brewers C Dustin Houle Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $150,000

2011 11 Reds RHP Vaughn Covington Vancouver BC Vancouver Cannons/Junior National Team $150,000

2021 8 Tigers RHP Jordan Marks, Bright’s Grove, Ont. University of South Carolina-Upstate $150,000


download.jpg

Former Ontario Blue Jays RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.)

2017 7 Dodgers RHP Zach Pop Brampton Ont. Kentucky $147,500

2021 7 Brewers OF Tristan Peters, Winkler, Man. Southern Illinois $147,500

2009 5 Cubs SS Wes Darvill Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $142,000

2012 7 Brewers LHP David Otterman Vancouver BC University of British Columbia $141,700

2008 11 Rays RHP Brad Furdal Ancaster Ont. Intercounty Terriers/Junior National Team $140,000


1995 24 Blue Jays LHP Mark Curtis St. Albert Alta. Penscaola Jr. College $135,000

2015 34 Phillies OF Ben Pelletier Varennes Que. Patriotes Rive Sud/Score International $135,000

2008 16 Reds OF Carter Morrison Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $132,000

2006 7 Twins 1B Jonathan Walterbury Whitby Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $128,500

2003 48 Mets SS Jonathan Malo St-Roch-de-l’Achigan Que. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M $125,000

download.jpg

White Rock Tritons’ Chad Stang (Surrey, BC)

2009 8 Brewers OF Chad Stang Surrey BC Midland College $125,000

2017 12 Astros RF Jonathan Lacroix Montreal Que. Seminole State College $125,000

2018 14 Padres LHP Erik Sabrowski Edmonton, Alta. Cloud County CC $125,000

2018 15 Cardinals RHP Michael Brettell Fonthill Ont. Great Lake Canadians/ Junior National Team $125,000

2018 25 Twins C LaRon Smith Spruce Grove, Alta., Okotoks Dawgs/Junior National Team $125,000


2019 27 Braves Indigo Diaz, Langley, BC, Michigan State $125,000

2020 5 Pirates RHP Logan Hofmann Muenster, Sask. Northwestern State $125,000

2021 13 Rangers LHP Thomas Ireland, Regina, Sask. Polk State College $125,000

2021 15 Rangers RHP Evan Elliott, Toronto, Ont., Prairie Baseball Academy, $125,000

2001 6 Blue Jays SS Lee Delfino Pickering Ont. East Carolina University $122,500

38b58b5c491b9ec7002dfc652f23_Gallery.jpg

Ontario Blue Jays grad OF Jon Baksh (Mississauga, Ont.)

2006 7 Blue Jays OF Jonathan Baksh Mississauga Ont. Florida Tech University $122,500

2007 6 Mets RHP Guillaume Leduc Boucherville Que. Academie Baseball Canada $120,000

2003 40 Twins RHP Adam Hawes Victoria Harbour Ont. Connors State Jr. College $118,000

1993 2 Expos RHP Martin Mainville Montreal Que. Academie Baseball Canada $115,000

2000 6 Expos RHP Shawn Hill Georgetown Ont. Team Ontario $115,000


2011 15 Cubs C Justin Marra Toronto Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $110,000

2004 7 Brewers RHP Craig Langille Bedford NS Dartmouth Juniors $107,000

2003 4 Giants RHP Brooks McNiven Vernon BC University of British Columbia $105,000

2007 35 Pirates RHP Tom Boleska Burlington Ont. High Point University $100,000

2008 16 Brewers RHP Stosh Wawrzasek Langley BC Langley Blaze/Junior National Team $100,000

Ontario Terriers grad INF Brandon Dailey (Brantford, Ont.)

Ontario Terriers grad INF Brandon Dailey (Brantford, Ont.)

2010 34 Reds SS Brandon Dailey Brantford Ont. Ontario Terriers/Junior National Team $100,000

2011 9 Braves OF Chase Larsson Vancouver BC Cameron University $100,000

2012 6 Pirates 3B Eric Wood Pickering Ont. Blinn College $100,000

2012 15 Yankees RHP Dayton Dawe London Ont. Ontario Terriers/Junior National Team $100,000

2012 26 Blue Jays RHP Nathan DeSouza Milton Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $100,000


2013 13 Mariners 3B Lachlan Fontaine North Vancouver BC North Shore Twins/ Junior National Team $100,000

2013 20 Reds C Morgan Lofstrom Kelowna BC Okanagan Athletics/Junior National Team $100,000

2015 10 Blue Jays C Owen Spiwak Mississauga Ont. Odessa College $100,000

2015 17 Reds 2B JD Salmon-Williams Brampton Ont. Ontario Blue Jays $100,000

2015 22 Reds RHP Darren Shred Brampton Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $100,000


download.jpg

Former Langley Badgers RHP Jake Polancic (Langley, BC)

2016 11 Diamondbacks RHP Jake Polancic Langley BC Langley Blaze $100,000

2016 23 Diamondbacks 1B Luke Van Rycheghem Kent Bridge Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team $100,000

2017 13 Nationals OF Eric Senior Toronto Ont. Midland College $100,000

2017 15 Cubs INF Jarred Young Prince George BC Old Dominion University $100,000

2017 22 White Sox RHP Bryan Saucedo Toronto Ont. Davenport University $100,000


2017 23 Indians RHP Jordan Scheftz North York Ont. Central Florida $100,000

Players in BOLD played in the major leagues ,