Sandlots: Lillis-White, Kellogg, Botterill

* LHP Connor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) an Etobicoke Rangers grad, now with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds has earned NAIA pre-season honors. .... 2014 Canadians in the Minors … Canadians in College 2015 Canadian draft list …. Canadians in College 2016 Canadian draft list  Letters of Intent

By Bob Elliott Conor Lillis-White hasn’t thrown a pitch yet and already he’s made an impression.

LHP Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) the former Etobicoke Ranger, was named to the NAIA Pre-Season All-American Team. The 17-member squad was selected by the NAIA-Baseball Coaches Association (NAIA-BCA) All-America Committee.

Lillis-White led all NAIA pitchers last year with an earned run average of 0.46 in 78 2/3 innings pitching for the University of British Columbia Thurderbirds. A senior next spring, he was a 2014 NAIA Honorable Mention All-America selection last spring.

The UBC ace tied for first surrendering four earned runs in 15 games. He walked 34 and struck out 75 holding n 78 2/3 innings opposing hitters to a .159 average.

Lillis-White registered three wins over Thompson Rivers, two over Menlon and one each facing Concordia-Oregon, Oregon Tech, Corban, Simpson and Vanguard. He picked up a save against Menlo.

He was one of 17 players named to the team, send along by the NAIA’s Mike DeVader.

Carlos Contreras of Northwood (Fla.) is the top position player after the West Palm Beach, Fnative hit .453 – tying Dontavis Brown of Morris (SC) for the NAIA-lead in batting average a season. Contreras, a senior transfer, had 73 hits in 161 at-bats, with 25 doubles, seven homers and 59 RBIs. The 2014 NAIA All-America First Teamer was fourth in the NAIA with a .752 slugging percentage.

2015 NAIA Baseball Preseason All-America Team Name School Pos. Class Hometown Carlos Contreras Northwood (Fla.) C Sr. West Palm Beach, Fla. Taylor Eads Spring Hill (Ala.) OF Jr. Slidell, La. Jordan Eckley MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) OF Jr. Leawood, Kan. Jaime Gurroloa Science & Arts (Okla.) 3B Jr. El Paso, Texas Russell Harmening Westmont (Calif.) SP Jr. Oceanside, Calif.

Steve Karkenny The Master’s (Calif.) RP Sr. Chatsworth, Calif. Conor Lillis-White British Columbia SP Sr. Toronto, Ont. Connor Lynch Oklahoma City C Sr. Marietta, Ga. Aaron Marshall Ottawa (Kan.) 1B Jr. McPherson, Kan. Derek Moore Shawnee State (Ohio) SP So. Wheelersburg, Ohio

Orlando Olivera Missouri Baptist OF Jr. Miami, Fla. Mitch Peschon Northwestern (Iowa) OF Jr. Spirit Lake, Iowa Paul Pickerell Belhaven (Miss.) 2B Jr. Elizabethtown, Ky. Davon Poole Saint Mary (Kan.) INF Sr. Sacramento, Calif. Jeff Ricker Oklahoma Baptist DH Sr. San Bernardino, Calif.

Riley Swanson Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) SS So. Mount Vernon, Ohio Brandon Zywicki Missouri Baptist SP Sr. Rochester, Minn.

Kellogg is Grrrr-eat: Perfect Game Scouting Service ranked the best from the Cape Cod League earlier this fall and now come the detailed breakdown which has LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) an Ontario Prospects grad, graded 73rd on the top 200 prospects list.

Kellogg is 4-2 with an impressive 2.63 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 41 innings.

Evaluating the best individual talents PG had Kellogg as having the eighth best command and the ninth best change in the premier college summer college league.

Best Velocity: 1. Zack Burdi, rhp, Chatham Anglers.

Best Breaking Ball/Off-Speed Curve: 1. Alex Young, lhp, Falmouth Commodores.

Slider: 1. Cody Ponce, rhp, Brewster Whitecaps.

Changeup: 1. Marc Brakeman, rhp, Hyannis Harbor Hawks; 9. Ryan Kellogg, lhp, Bourne Braves.

Command: 1. Kevin Duchene, lhp, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox; 8. Ryan Kellogg, lhp, Bourne Braves.

TOP 200 Prospects 1. Walker Buehler, rhp, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (Vanderbilt/JR in 2015)

73. Ryan Kellogg, lhp, Bourne Braves (Arizona State/JR in 2015) As we’ve touched on, the Cape was fertile ground for crafty lefthanded starting pitchers in the summer of 2014. Kellogg is a name to add to that list with his solid four pitch mix and above average command. The powerfully built 6-foot-5 southpaw will not overpower hitters, working mostly at 87-90 mph with his fastball, but at times showed he had an extra gear and could reach for 90-92. He relies heavily on his 55 changeup, which he throws at 77-81 mph and shows late diving action. He mixes a short 80-82 mph slider as well as a 73-76 mph curveball with 1-to-7 action.

News from the west: As Matthew Gourlie has news on Team Sask splitting four games in Arizona.

Ryan Botterill, 15, was in Phoenix, Ariz. where he and Team Saskatchewan finished 2-2 at the Arizona Sophomore Fall Classic.

Botterill played with the Moose Jaw Mallards bantams this summer earning an invite from Baseball Saskatchewan to play at the Prospects Series in Regina and 15 were selected for Arizona.

Team Sask opened with an 8-0 win over Baseball Factory Red. They lost 2-0 to Garciaparra Baseball Group Navy from Southern California who finished second and then they lost 10-2 to MBA Idaho. In their final placement game they beat the Arizona Prospects 7-1.

Pop at Kentuck: Ontario Blue Jays grad RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) is at the University of Kentucky after being drafted in the 23rd round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Enthusing about landing Pop in his recruiting class, Kentucky coach told College Baseball Insider that Pop, recognized by Tournament 12 officials as the first player from the inguaral tourney to gain a scholarship, turned down $500,000 to attend Kentucky.

Scouts from other clubs say that the Jays did not make an offer.