November 1, 2023

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Each year, the Canadian Baseball Network lists the top draft eligible high school and collegiate level players with Canadian ties eligible for the upcoming draft.

Our list is similar to Baseball America and the Perfect Game Scouting Service’s lists which covers 53 draft area (50 stats, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico and Canada). We concentrate on the Canadians.

Rankings are updated throughout the year and consider what scouts have to say from both sides of the border. The list also goes as far as the 2025 draft (which currently lists only high school students) and changes as the season goes along with the ebb and flow of talent.

With the No. 1 high school tournament of the year — the Perfect Game World Wood Bat tournament in Jupiter, Fla. — concluded, the most recent update is in the books. Here are five players from the CBN draft list to keep an eye on this next July when the draft begins during all-star week in Arlington, Tex.

Brendan Lawson – Ontario Blue Jays/Junior National Team

The consensus top Canadian prep player heading into the 2024 season is Lawson (Toronto, Ont.). That honour doesn’t extend to just high school players, as Lawson is currently leading the charge to be potentially the first Canadian drafted next summer, ranking high on the Canadian Baseball Network (#1), Baseball America (#27), Perfect Game (#40 with an upwards arrow), Future Star Series (#77), and Prospects Live Prep Stars Top 50 (#39) early draft rankings.

The 6-foot-3, Lawson primarily plays shortstop but can also play third base, with scouts believing a permanent move to the hot corner may be in his future as he continues to mature and grow into his frame (as well as with a plus arm). A name that is known in the Perfect Game circuit, Lawson has already earned multiple accolades, being named to the Showcase Top Prospect Team at this year’s National Showcase while also earning Preseason Underclass All-American All-Region First Team honours for Canada/Puerto Rico.

In the batter’s box, the lefty-batter has an easy swing that allows his hands to get through the zone quickly. With his frame and his hands high in his batting stance, he is able to drive the ball to all fields and can punish the ball over the fence on a moment’s notice with explosiveness that is timed well.

With a commitment to Florida, Lawson could decide to take the college route should he so choose but the Junior National Team alum will already be taking his talents south of the border to start next year.

Lawson will head to South Carolina to join P27, an academy that plays other surrounding academics and JUCO programs to expose them to other top prospects as well as play in front of scouts in the lower 48. A large contingent of P27 players find themselves continuing on to post-secondary ball while the academy boasts some pro players in Alfonsin Rosario (Cubs, sixth round – 2023) and Logan Wagner (Dodgers, sixth – 2022).

A strong showing with P27 will help cement his status as one of the top Canadian players heading into the draft, potentially following in the footsteps of former Blue Jays teammate Myles Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), who was the top Canuck selected last year at pick No 39 in North America.

Dante Nori – Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team

Son of former Toronto Raptors scout and assistant coach Micah Nori, Dante was born in Toronto before the start of the 2004 regular season. Dante only lived in Toronto for a few years while his father was with the Raptors but the dual-citizen and his mother later moved to Northville, Mich., where he has called home ever since.

An outfielder by trade, Nori could be one of the fastest high school players off the board early, with an 80-grade speed/run that saw him clock a 6.38-second 60-yard dash earlier this year only to beat that mark at the Area Code Games, coming in at 6.15 seconds.

Batting from the left side, Nori uses all of his 5-foot-11 frame to produce some sneaky power with his wide stance, using a small leg kick for timing as he drives the ball. He is currently the top-ranked Michigan prep player heading into the draft and has been making Perfect Game All-Tournament Teams since playing travel ball, most recently in the 2023 WWBA World Championship and the 2023 17U Ultimate Championship (East) while with Canes National NY Mets Scout Team.

That power was also on display as he was a finalist at the All-American Classic, belting 33 home runs and proving that he not only has fast feet but also fast-twitch hands.

Nori has a commitment to Mississippi State but could forego that if a team takes interest in the draft, as teams will certainly be interested in the outfielder next summer. A strong spring with Canes could boost his draft stock and could knock Lawson as the first Canuck off the draft board next summer.

Émilien Pitre - Kentucky

Infielder Pitre (Repentigny, Que.) is heading into his third season with the University of Kentucky and will feature as a prominent player on the 2024 squad.

As a freshman, Pitre only found himself earning four at-bats while working mostly in a pinch-running capacity but became a full-fledge starter last year, appearing in 61 games split between shortstop and second. At the plate, Pitre slashed .318/.440/.413 with 51 RBIs and a .853 OPS, finding himself in the top three on the squad in almost every offensive category.

With a plus eye at the plate, he walked more than he struck out (42 compared to 35) and finished second on the team with 20 stolen bases. The lefty-batter doesn’t possess the most power but makes up for it with his high-grade contact ability. For his efforts this past season, Pitre was named to the SEC All-Defensive team (he posted a .981 fielding percentage with just five errors) and the All-Southeastern Conference, Second Team. Kentucky advanced to the super-regional this past season but bowed out after facing LSU, the eventual College World Series winner.

For the summer, Pitre joined the Cotuit Cutters in the prestigious Cape Cod Collegiate League and had a .343 OBP while going 15-for-62 (.242) against some of the top college arms in the country.

The Canadian Baseball Network, the Junior National Team alum is currently ranked at #3 behind Lawson and Nori respectively but could find himself moving up the charts if he can continue to swing a hot bat and play plus defence up the middle in the SEC.

Josiah Romeo – Mississauga Tigers/Junior National Team

Romeo (Caledon, Ont.) is one player gaining a lot of attention heading into the winter months. The Mississauga Tigers product currently finds himself ranked at #5 on the Canadian Baseball Network draft list and there is reason to believe he could make his way up the rankings as the draft nears if he continues to play well on both sides of the diamond.

A right-hander on the mound, Romeo was invited to the New Balance Future Star Series last month at Fenway Park. He was hitting the mid-90s with his fastball but he uses his 6-foot-3 frame to generate a lot of swing and miss, which compliments well with a plus-breaking ball that models as a sweeper/slider.

With a high-leg kick toward home, Romeo hides the ball well in his windup and is able to add some additional deception to go with his arsenal. At the Future Star Series, he went three innings and was commanding the strike zone, generating eight whiffs on the day to go along with four strikeouts and a clean sheet. He also recently impressed at the Canadian Futures Showcase, using his fastball and off-speed to get ahead of opposing batters.

On the field, Romeo suits up at shortstop and is no slouch both at the plate and in the field. He has a plus arm (evident by his pitching) that bodes well with his athleticism which could potentially have him stick at the spot if he no longer stays as a two-way player. He has an easy swing that has some decent pop while not moving too much of his body around while he’s at the plate.

Romeo is eligible for next year’s draft but not college-eligible until 2025. While he doesn’t have a post-secondary commitment at the moment, that may not be needed if he can continue to pound the strike zone and pitch clean innings next spring, as he will likely be one Canadian off the board in either day one or day two of the draft regardless of whether he is a pitcher or still considered a two-way player.

Micah McDowell – Oregon State

A little further down the CBN Draft List at #9 is McDowell (Kentville, NS), the second college player in the rankings and the lone Nova Scotia product featured for the time being.

A product of the Okotoks Dawgs Academy, McDowell had an unlucky break in that his freshman campaign at Oregon State was cut short due to the pandemic. Over his first three seasons with the Beavers (including the shortened season), McDowell also saw limited playing time due to an outfield that boasted numerous teammates who found themselves heading into pro ball, including Justin Boyd (Reds, second round – 2022), Jacob Melton (Astros, second – 2022), and Wade Meckler (Giants, eighth – 2022).

With those three gone from the program heading into 2023, McDowell saw an uptick in playing time and took advantage of the opportunity. He played in 56 games (started 54) and finished with a .342/.428/.509 slash line to go with a .937 OPS. His 47 RBIs finished fourth on the Beavers squad this past season and he also collected 15 stolen bases, finishing behind only Travis Bazzana, who is a top-five draft prospect heading into next summer.

With one outfield assist last year and a clean fielding record since stepping foot on campus, McDowell earned All-Pac-12 Honourable Mentions and will surely be a fixture of the 2024 squad that is looking to advance out of the regional.

As a senior, there is a high probability you won’t see his name go early in the draft but likely towards rounds 7-10 where college upperclassmen are normally selected. Should McDowell continue to hit well into the 2024 season, a turn into pro ball is definitely on the horizon.