Shushkewich: Brinham, Cheong, Kitura, Kokotailo, Lascelles standouts at JNT Extended Spring Training

Ontario Blue Jays OF/INF Philip Cheong (Richmond Hill, Ont.) compiled a .308/.387/.462 slash line with two doubles, one triple, and five RBIs in the Junior National Team’s recent Extended Spring Training Camp in Florida. Photo: Eugenio Matos, Baseball Canada

April 29, 2025



By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The Junior National Team (JNT) finished up their Extended Spring Training Camp this past week, spending just over a week in Florida playing a host of different teams.

There were a bunch of familiar faces making the trek down, such as Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), Philip Cheong (Richmond Hill, Ont.), and Tim Piasentin (Port Coquitlam, B.C.). In total, there were 20 players in their last year of eligibility and just eight players with eligibility in 2026 or beyond (Gino De Santis (Chatham, Ont.) was the lone 2027 player). Jake Fehr (Delta, B.C.) was a late addition with Daniel Dykema (North Vancouver, B.C.) unable to take part.

The clubs they faced ranged from professional extended squads, including the Toronto Blue Jays (three times), the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees. They also played two games against the Fort Lauderdale Stars – a team of independent players looking for jobs for 2025.

For the trip, the JNT went 3-5, beating the Stars in both games while also besting the Yankees' extended squad.

Here is a summary of each game:

JNT (1) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Ext (3) 

Mathias McKenna (Rigaud, Que.) got the start for the Canadians and pitched three solid innings, allowing just one run while striking out four. He was followed by Max Poirier (Nanaimo, B.C.) and Ayden Schell (Toronto, Ont.), who pitched a combined five innings and allowed just one run. Poirier struck out five of the 12 batters he faced while Schell pitched two scoreless innings, allowing only one hit.  

The Canadians had just four hits but were patient at the plate, collecting eight walks. The lone RBI belonged to Felix Gosselin (Drummondville, Que.) while Piasentin, Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.), and Easton Kitura (Spruce Grove, Alta.) also got in on the action. Four Canucks also reached base via hit by pitch while Esteban Dessureault (Trois-Rivieres, Que.) and Kitura each added a stolen base. 

JNT (4) vs. Toronto Blue Jays Ext (5) 

This was a nail-biter of a game, as the juniors got off to a hot start, plating four runs in the first two innings, before the Blue Jays started chipping away at the lead in the fifth inning. A three-run seventh inning put Toronto ahead and the Canucks just missed out on the victory.  

The JNT put up five hits with three walks, with five different players finding ways to get on base. Austin Blair (Victoria, B.C.) led the charge with two RBIs while Schell accounted for two of the three walks.  

Keegan Russell (Whitby, Ont.) got the start for Canada and struck out three batters in one inning before leaving with elbow discomfort. Shane Brinham (North Vancouver, B.C.) and Will Hynes (Mississauga, Ont.) finished the day, striking out four and three batters respectively. All three pitchers combined for seven hits and 10 Ks on the day.  

JNT (6) vs. Ft. Lauderdale Stars (1) 

This was the first win of the trip for the JNT and it came from an outstanding effort in the sixth inning where the Canucks scored six runs.  

Four players had multi-hit days (Cheong, Piasentin, Kitura, and Lascelles) while Justin Rompre (Sainte-Anne-De-La-Perade, Que.) and Kitura both had two RBIs. Every player who appeared in the game reached base, and five players added a stolen base (Lascelles had two). 

The pitching was superb, with just one hit allowed to the Stars.  

Julian Sabourin (Ancaster, Ont.) got the start and permitted one run through three innings while Noah Powell (North York, Ont.) and Walker Kokotailo (Surrey, B.C.) each pitched three innings and did not surrender a hit. The group struck out 12 batters, with Powell fanning six of the 11 Stars he faced.  

JNT (0) vs. Philadelphia Phillies Extended (8) 

It was a tough day for the JNT, as the squad had rocky fifth and eighth innings in which the Phillies scored five and three runs respectively. 

The Canucks could only muster three hits, recorded by Cheong, Piasentin, and Jordan Jacob (Maple, Ont.). 

Duncan got the start for the JNT, pitching one scoreless inning and striking out one batter. He was followed by William Labonte (Okotoks, Alta.), two-way player Blair, and Fehr, who closed out the final two frames. Labonte had the longest outing, going three scoreless innings.  

JNT (3) vs. Toronto Blue Jays Extended (5) 

It was a rematch from earlier in the week, with the Canadians looking to swing things back in their favour.  

The Blue Jays got off to an early lead, plating a run in the first inning, before the Canucks responded with solo runs in the third and fourth innings. The Jays added four more through the fifth and seventh innings, and the JNT mustered a bit of a comeback in the ninth but fell short. 

Rompre hit a home run in the contest, a solo shot in the fourth inning, and Piasentin had a multi-hit day as well.  

McKenna, Poirier, and Schell were back in action against the Jays, limiting Toronto to eight hits and five runs.  

JNT (7) vs. New York Yankees Extended (3) 

This was another win for Canada, as they used a three-run eighth inning to put away the Yankees squad 7-3.  

Quinn Carson (Oakville, Ont.) and Dessureault each collected two hits, and Finn Hoeschen (North Vancouver, B.C.) added a double.  

Brinham got the start, going three innings and allowing three hits, one run, and one walk while striking out five. Hynes and Sabourin followed and tossed three innings each, allowing one run apiece.  

JNT (11) vs. Ft. Lauderdale Stars (3) 

The Canucks exploded for 11 runs against the Stars the second time around.  

Cheong collected two hits and three RBIs on the back of a double and a triple, while Piasentin, Gosselin, Omidi, and Taye Thierman (Calgary, Atla.) contributed doubles of their own. Kitura added two steals while Lascelles stole one base, with the JNT amassing nine hits and five walks. 

On the mound, Austin Blair started and struck out two in two innings. Kokotailo and Fehr followed suit, with the late addition registering three strikeouts in three scoreless innings. 

Okotoks Dawgs Academy right-hander William Labonte (Okotoks, Alta.) struck out four and allowed just one run in his three-inning relief outing for the Junior National Team in the final game of their Extended Spring Training Camp against the Toronto Blue Jays prospects. Photo: Eugenio Matos, Baseball Canada

JNT (2) vs. Toronto Blue Jays EXT (6) 

The Canucks had one last contest against the Blue Jays and fell just short, collecting six hits while making sure every player got at least one appearance in the game.  

The top three in Cheong, Omidi, and Rompre each collected a hit, while Lascelles, Hoeschen, and Schell also added a hit. Cheong, Rompre, and Hoeschen all hit doubles, and Lascelles collected his first triple of the trip, with Rompre and De Santis both being credited with an RBI each.  

Duncan got the start, allowing two runs and two hits while striking out three through two innings before making way for William Labonte (Okotoks, Alta.) and Noah Powell (North York, Ont.), who both pitched three innings apiece.  

Breaking Down the Numbers 

Hitters: 

PlayersABRHRBIBBSOHBPSBSAC FLY2B3BHRAVGOBPSLG
Blair3002020000000.0000.0000.000
Carson16023180010000.1250.1670.125
Cheong263853111312100.3080.3870.462
De Santis7101331010000.0000.3330.000
Dessureault12120161200000.1670.2860.167
Gosselin15235041011000.2000.2350.267
Hoeschen12330150002000.2500.3080.417
Jacob142102112100000.0710.2780.071
Kitura16563265802000.3750.5650.500
Lascelles15462561600100.4000.5710.533
Omidi24161381101000.2500.3570.292
Piasentin244922101201000.3750.4440.417
Rompre243351122012010.1250.2140.333
Schell12120380000000.1670.3330.167
Thierman9420350001000.2220.4170.333
Weinmeyer13010041000000.0770.1430.077
Total242345429301091723512210.2230.3440.302

Hit leader: Tim Piasentin (9) 
Run leader: Easton Kitura (5) 
RBIs leader: Philip Cheong, Felix Gosselin, & Justin Rompre (5) 
Doubles leader: Philip Cheong, Finn Hoeschen, Easton Kitura, & Justin Rompre (2) 
Triples leader: Philip Cheong & Elliot Lascelles (1) 
Home run leader: Justin Rompre (1) 
Stolen bases leader: Easton Kitura (8) 
Average leader: Elliott Lascelles (0.400) 
OBP leader: Elliott Lascelles (0.571) 
SLG leader: Elliott Lascelles (0.533) 

As a team:  

  • .223/.334/.302 slash line 

  • 0.645 OPS 

  • 54 hits / 12 doubles / 2 triples / 1 home run / 34 runs / 29 RBIs / 30 BB 

  • 23 stolen bases 

  • 17 hit-by-pitch 

Pitchers: 

PlayersIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Blair3.2276102014.73
Brinham5.26213901.59
Duncan32222416.00
Fehr57332405.40
Hynes67544506.00
Kokotailo63110401.50
Labonte66112601.50
Mckenna67222503.00
Poirier64323703.00
Powell61326713.00
Russell10001300.00
Sabourin64216311.50
Schell3.14333408.10
Total63.2533428446333.96

Team WHIP: 1.524 
Team FIP: 4.25 
Team ERA: 3.96 

Standouts: 

Walker Kokotailo – RHP 

White Rock Tritons hurler Walker Kokotailo is no stranger to the Junior National Team, spending time on the roster for the Dominican Trip last fall. The right-hander sits in the low-90s but has been hitting the mid-90s so far this spring.  

On this trip, the B.C. product allowed just three hits through six innings. He pitched three innings to close out the first Ft. Lauderdale Stars game and then was the second pitcher in the second contest against the Stars.  

He didn’t permit the Florida team to register a hit in his first outing, striking out three without allowing a walk and posting a 55.5% strike rate. His second outing saw the Stars find some contact, allowing three hits and one earned run, but he didn’t allow a single walk and racked up another strikeout.  

Kokotailo was the only JNT hurler to not allow a walk during his outings and tied William Labonte and Julian Sabourin with a 1.50 ERA through the same amount of innings. Currently uncommitted, Kokotailo should have his fair share of offers in the near future after a solid showcase in Florida. 
 
Shane Brinham – LHP 
 
A left-hander for the North Shore Twins, Shane Brinham was impressive during the Dominican Fall Trip (8 IP / 3 H / 1 R / 12 K) and continued that stretch into their most recent showing in Florida. 

Brinham came into the first game against the Blue Jays after starter Keegan Russell left his outing early with elbow discomfort, and the southpaw was effective, throwing 55 pitches (60% strike rate) while striking out four Toronto batters with two walks, three hits, and one run allowed (unearned). Brinham’s second outing was the start against the Yankees, and the B.C. product put together a similar outing, allowing just three hits, one earned run, one walk, while fanning five batters.  

His nine combined strikeouts led JNT pitchers on this trip, and he finished with a stellar 1.59 ERA through the 5 2/3 innings.  

With a commitment to the University of Michigan, Brinham has set himself up well for the rest of the summer, ranking at No. 10 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2025 Draft List.  
 
Philip Cheong – CF 

The Stanford commit suited up in every game for the JNT this trip, appearing in centre field and as the leadoff hitter in each contest.  

Cheong collected a hit in six of the eight games and led the team with 26 at-bats, compiling a .308/.387/.462 slash line with two doubles, one triple, and five RBIs. Cheong also added three stolen bases, three walks and three runs.

His best game was his second game against the Stars, where he went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple that cleared the bases and drove in three runs.  

Ranked No. 8 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s Draft List, Cheong will return to the Ontario Blue Jays to continue playing and will likely rejoin the JNT’s next trip when they face MLB Draft League teams later this year.  

Toronto Mets infielder Elliott Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) batted .400 and led the Junior National Team with six stolen bases during their Extended Spring Training Camp. Photo: Eugenio Matos, Baseball Canada

 
Elliott Lascelles – 2B/SS 

Playing second base and shortstop during the Extended Spring Camp, Elliott Lascelles led the JNT in numerous statistical categories. He topped the team in all slash line metrics (.400/.571/.533) and went 6-for-15 while walking a team-high five times. He also finished second on the team with six stolen bases.  

Lascelles was one of two players to collect a triple, and he reached base in seven of the eight games he appeared. 

The Toronto, Ont. product will be heading to Yale University following his high school playing days and will spend the summer with the Toronto Mets. He ranks No. 6 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2026 Draft Class list. 
 
Easton Kitura – OF 

Vauxhall Jets product Easton Kitura was flying on the base paths in Florida, collecting a team high eight steals while walking twice and being hit by five pitches. He also used his wheels to reach base on a bunt opportunity.  

Kitura posted an impressive .375/.565/.500 slash line and went 6-for-15 with two doubles.  

The Alberta product will return to the Jets and will likely find himself back with the JNT for the summer, with a commitment to the University of Miami in his back pocket as well.