Shushkewich: Seven Canucks competing in prestigious Cape Cod League

Terriers and Junior National Team alum Hugh Pinkney (Toronto, Ont.) is one of seven Canadians playing in the Cap Cod League this summer. Pinkney is suiting up for the Bourne Braves. Photo: Rutgers University Athletics

June 28, 2023

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

As the College World Series is all wrapped up and the MLB Draft is just a couple of weeks away, attention now turns to the Cape Cod League, the prestigious collegiate summer baseball circuit hosting some of the country's top players.

This year, there are seven Canadians either taking part or at least suited up for one of the 10 teams so far this season, which started back on June 10.

Hugh Pinkney – C (Bourne Braves)

A freshman at Rutgers University this past spring, Toronto’s Hugh Pinkney impressed behind the plate, amassing a .267 average with a .716 OPS through 51 games and working as the club’s primary backstop, committing just four errors on the year. He collected 11 doubles and one triple to go along with 21 RBIs, helping the Scarlet Knights finish with a 33-23 record in the Big Ten Conference.

So far with the Braves, Pinkney has two hits through 20 at-bats with one RBI.

Matt Duffy – RHP (Bourne Braves)

Joining Pinkney in Bourne is right-hander Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.), who had an impressive junior season at Canisius College.

With the Golden Griffins, Duffy posted a 4.32 ERA through 14 outings and 83 1/3 innings, striking out 124 batters compared to 25 walks on the season. The Ontario product would finish the year named to the Rawlings Division I All-Northeast Region Team and was also named the MAAC Pitcher of the Year.

Duffy made three starts with the Braves, posting a 1.88 ERA through 14 1/3 innings while allowing just three earned runs compared to 16 strikeouts. The Braves released Duffy on June 26 and the starter currently sits third on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2023 Draft List.

Jackson Soucie – LHP (Hyannis Harbor Hawks)

Spending his freshman year at Wabash Valley College, southpaw Jackson Soucie (Cambridge, Ont.) worked mostly out of the bullpen and was a force for the Warriors, helping the club reach the JUCO World Series, making 10 appearances (three starts) and striking out 37 batters through 25 innings.

So far with the Harbor Hawks, Soucie has appeared in just one game, a relief appearance where he walked one and struck out another while throwing a clean inning. Soucie will be taking his talents to the University of Oregon this fall, joining fellow Canadians Matthew Grabmann (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Turner Spoljaric (Lisle, Ont.) on a Ducks squad that was one win away from making the College World Series.

Okotoks Dawgs Academy alum Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) is toeing the rubber for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod League. Photo: Okotoks Dawgs

Matt Wilkinson – LHP (Chatham Anglers)

As a sophomore with Central Arizona, Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) couldn’t have asked for a better start to his college baseball career.

With the Vaqueros last season, Wilkinson posted a 1.87 ERA through 53 innings as a freshman, helping the school win a National Championship title in the NJCAA. This past season, the left-hander only got better, finishing the year with a 1.07 ERA through 84 innings while striking out 136 batters, earning the 2023 NJCAA Baseball DI Pitcher of the Year Award for his efforts.

With the Anglers, Wilkinson has made two appearances, allowing just one hit through nine innings of relief work while striking out 10 betters compared to one walk. The southpaw also has one win and one save on record with Chatham so far and has yet to allow an earned run. For the fall, Wilkinson will be taking his talents to Arizona State University.

Émilien Pitre – INF (Cotuit Kettleers)

Hailing from Repentigny, Que., Émilien Pitre has spent the past two seasons suiting up for the Wildcats at the University of Kentucky.

While he only had four at-bats in his freshman year, Pitre saw an increased workload this past spring, amassing a .318/.440/.413 slash line through 223 at-bats with 16 doubles, one home run, and 51 RBIs, walking more than he struck out (42 vs. 35 respectively). He completed the season with a .853 OPS as well as 20 stolen bases, finishing second on the team while his RBIs and 71 hits were third on the Wildcats roster.

So far with Cotuit, Pitre has appeared in four games and has gone 4-for-16 with one RBI while playing shortstop for the Kettleers.

Antoine Jean – LHP (Falmouth Commodores)

One of the more experienced Canadians playing in the Cape Cod League this summer, Alabama senior Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) returns to Falmouth for a third stint with the Commodores. Jean missed all of this past season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last July but was cruising prior to the injury, posting a 3.48 ERA through 11 outings (six starts) as a junior.

Jean appears to be healthy now after missing the spring season with the Crimson Tide, as the left-hander has made three relief appearances so far with the Commodores. He has allowed six hits and three earned runs through six innings while striking out six while earning a win. Jean is eligible for the MLB Draft this summer and earned his undergraduate degree from Alabama this past spring as well.

Langley Blaze alum Connor Dykstra (Chilliwack, B.C.) is playing with the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox of the Cap Cod League. Photo: George Mason University Athletics

Connor Dykstra – C (Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox)

Chilliwack’s Connor Dykstra spent this spring at George Mason University, his second year with the Patriots. The righty-batter has been a regular on the roster since his freshman season, appearing in over 110 games dating back to last year.

This past season, Dykstra put up a .291 average, a .945 OPS, and a team-leading .520 slugging percentage on his way to 18 doubles and nine home runs (both of which also led the Patriots squad). The catcher also added 15 stolen bases and led the team in RBIs as well (48).

Suiting up with the Red Sox, Dykstra has appeared in four games so far this season and has gone 2-for-11 at the plate with one home run, two RBIs, one walk, and two runs scored.