Fitzpatrick: 2024 CPBL Prospect Games – Class of 2027: Jacob, De Santis, Rose, Crowley
The participants in the 2027 CPBL Prospects Game, held at Royal Field in Dorchester, Ont., on Friday night, line up for a group photo after the game. Photo: CPBL
August 3, 2024
By Trevor Fitzpatrick
Canadian Baseball Network
Day one of the CPBL Prospect Games on Friday had the top 2027 graduates take to Royal Field in Dorchester to show off their skills.
While rain did threaten earlier in the day, the clouds parted and the sun peeked out just in time for batting practice – almost as if mother nature knew it was time for baseball.
We talked with some of the top prospects as they took their batting practice:
Ontario Blue Jays 1B/3B Jalen Jacob (Vaughn, Ont.) was one of the 2027 graduates participating in the CPBL Prospects Game on Friday at Royal Field in Dorchester, Ont.
1B/3B Jalen Jacob
Hometown: Vaughn, Ont.
Current team: Ontario Blue Jays 15U
Who’s the most influential person in your life and why?
“My whole family, they drive me to be here and to be the person I am now.”
Who’s the most influential person in your life besides your family and why?
“One of my closest friends Mateo Alvarez (Vaughn, Ont.). He plays with the 14-year-old major team. He's been one of my closest friends supporting me throughout my whole life.”
What was your greatest day on a baseball field?
“When I was younger, about three or four years ago, OBAs with my old team (Scarborough Stingers). That was a really fun experience.”
Who’s your favourite player of all time and why?
“I’d say Ken Griffey Jr. I’m wearing his number right now. It’s just his swing. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want when you grow up?
“As a child, I always wanted to be a mechanic. I don’t know why, I just like cars, so a mechanic for sure.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned playing baseball?
“That you have to deal with failure. Failure is a big thing in baseball, I was taught that a lot growing up. Dealing with failure is the biggest thing you need to succeed.”
If a scout could only take away one thing about you to share with their program, what would you hope it is?
“My ability to play the corners. I have the size and build where a lot of people expect me to just be a power hitter, but I’m a guy that can play both corners.”
Great Lake Canadians catcher Gino De Santis (Chatham, Ont.).
C Gino De Santis
Hometown: Chatham, Ont.
Current team: Great Lake Canadians 15U
Who’s the most influential person in your life and why?
“My dad (Rocco). Just seeing the way he works, he’s a teacher, so I see him going through it and I want to pay all of it back to him through baseball.”
Who’s the most influential person in your life besides your dad and why?
“I’d say James McCann. I mean, everyone saw him get hit in the face the other day and get back in – I was shell shocked. I got hit in the hand once and I came out of the game. Meanwhile, he got hit by 95 [mph] to the face, his nose is bleeding, and had stuff in his nose. He also does a lot for charities and his family, it’s all unreal and what I want to do with my life too.”
What was your greatest day on a baseball field?
“Probably playing in the 13-year-old nationals with my old team (Riverside Royals) before I came here to GLC. I got to play against some of the best players in all of Canada. It was the kind of thing I was working so hard towards to that point, and that was just a special and surreal feeling.”
Who’s your favourite player of all time and why?
“Miguel Cabrera, growing up as a Tigers fan. I got to witness his 3,000th hit, his 500th home run, and he's a great person too. He does stuff for the community of Detroit and down in Venezuela. Seeing him come over to Detroit and getting to grow up watching him play was special. I want to be that great like him.”
If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want when you grow up?
“Something still in baseball, maybe analytics or management.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned playing baseball?
“Not giving up because there are days that you're going to fail. Baseball is a sport where you fail seven out of 10 times and you're still a Hall of Famer hitting .300. Not giving up and fighting through that failure is something that is hard to do and hard to get your mentality around.”
If a scout could only take away one thing about you to share with their program, what would you hope it is?
“My leadership. Being able to lead a pitching staff and getting to know my pitchers, because that's important. Being able to know who you're catching and knowing them as a person is really important to build them as players and you as a person.”
Terriers SS/RHP Lincoln Rose (Bridgenorth, Ont.) was the MVP of the 2027 CPBL Prospect Game on Friday.
SS/RHP Lincoln Rose
Hometown: Bridgenorth, Ont.
Current team: Terriers 15U
Who’s the most influential person in your life and why?
“My dad, he raised me and helped me become a better baseball player and better person throughout my life.”
Who’s the most influential person in your life besides your dad and why?
My mom, because she was also always taking care of me and helped me to stay positive whenever I wasn’t feeling good.”
What was your greatest day on a baseball field?
“When we made it to nationals in 13U, and got to go play against all of Canada.”
Who’s your favourite player of all time and why?
“Probably Jose Bautista. I always watched him growing up and tried to recreate the bat flip when I was younger playing wiffle ball in my backyard. He’s why I chose my number too.”
If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want when you grow up?
“An athletic trainer for an MLB team. Helping them stay healthy would be fun.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned playing baseball?
“Always stay positive. Even if you’re not performing well or not feeling well. Stay positive and look ahead for better days.”
If a scout could only take away one thing about you to share with their program, what would you hope it is?
“Hopefully my leadership. Me being positive and helping my teammates.”
Terriers OF/LHP Brett Cowley (Peterborough, Ont.)
OF/LHP Brett Crowley
Hometown: Peterborough, Ont.
Current team: Terriers 15U
Who’s the most influential person in your life and why?
“It’s probably my dad (Adam). He makes me a better person and always pushes me to be my best, but not just myself, but also better than everyone else. He makes me tap into things that I don’t think I can normally do.”
Who’s the most influential person in your life besides your dad and why?
“I’m not really sure, I find that for me, I just try to get better every day and there’s not really one person that I latch onto for that. I just go head down and go at it as hard as I can.”
What was your greatest day on a baseball field?
“There’s a lot of great days. Every day is great to be out here and playing, especially with great guys like there are here today. I can’t pick just one day because it’s always great to be out here.”
Who’s your favourite player of all time and why?
“My favourite player is Ken Griffey Jr. I find that with the position I play and how he went about the game, it’s so inspirational what he did. I try to model myself after some of the things that he did.”
If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want when you grow up?
“If I can’t make it to the pros, I want to coach at the highest level I can. I just love the game so much and anywhere that I can be around it is what I want to do.”
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned playing baseball?
“Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to a standard instead. When you get stuck comparing yourself to others, you always feel like you have to be better than them. It puts you in a tough mindset. If you think about getting better overall instead, you’ll always reach your goal eventually.”
If a scout could only take away one thing about you to share with their program, what would you hope it is?
“I hope they see I’m always working hard and helping my teammates. I always try to hold everyone accountable but also try to make sure they’re having a great time.”