Toronto Mets LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) went to pitch in the Draft League and wound up drafted by the Texas Rangers. This summer 11 more Canucks have been added to this summer’s roster.

February 21, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

A lot of people wanted to grow up to be “just like Mitch Bratt.”

And this summer seven pitchers will have that chance.

No less than seven pitchers -- 11 Canucks in all -- are among the initial group of players chosen for the first-half of the 2022 season of the Draft League.

The second year league will see the schedule expand from 68 to 80 games per team. While the first half of the season will be made up of college and high school amateurs, the second half will be composed of pro players, who have used up all of their amateur eligibility, and want to start their pro careers. The Draft League will be the first league with a hybrid amateur-pro format.

Last year, Toronto Mets’ LHP Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) was drafted in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers and was given an $850,000 bonus by the big league club. RHP Garrett Hawkins (Biggar, Sask.) was chosen in the ninth round and given $75,000 by the San Diego Padres.

The Ontario Terriers lead the initial grouping of Canucks with three players chosen, while the FieldHouse Pirates and the Toronto Mets had two each selected.

Former Ontario Terrier RHP Matt Brown (Oakville, Ont.) of Frontier College

Terriers (three): RHP Matt Brown (Oakville, Ont.), INF Austin Gomm (Mississauga, Ont.) and LHP Andre Wojtarowicz (Oakville, Ont.). Five other teams have current players or alumni on the rosters ... barring any injuries.

The rest of the Draft Leaguers ...

FieldHouse Pirate C Cam Gurney (Scotland, Ont.)

FieldHouse Pirates (two): C Cam Gurney (Scotland, Ont.) and INF Nate Ochoa (Burlington, Ont.).

Toronto Mets (two): RHP Turner Spoljaric (Lisle, Ont.) and RHP Zak Szabo (Whitby, Ont.).

Académie de Baseball du Canada (one): RHP Cedric De Grandpre (St-Simon, Que.).

Fraser Valley Cardinals (one): RHP Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC).

North Shore Twins (one): C Ben Columbus (North Vancouver, BC).

Vauxhall Academy (one): RHP Anson McGorman (Parksville, BC).

The season’s first half will begin June 2, and end July 16, with the second half running from July 22 until Sept. 6, with the loop’s championship. The mid-season break will be run at the same time as the the all-star break,

Players competing in the first half will have the opportunity to participate in a pre-draft pro day for scouts June 26-27. The league consists of six teams: Frederick Keys, Mahoning Valley Scrappers, State College Spikes, Trenton Thunder, West Virginia Black Bears and Williamsport Crosscutters.

Draft League Canucks

Player Position Hometown School/Commitment

Matt Brown, RHP, Oakville, Ont., Frontier Community College (IL)

Micah Bucknam, RHP Abbotsford, BC, Fraser Valley Cardinals/LSU (LA)

Ben Columbus, C, North Vancouver, BC, North Shore Twins/Wharton County (TX)

Cédric De Grandpré, RHP, St-Simon, Que., Chipola/Arizona State

Austin Gomm, SS, Mississauga, Ont., Parkland (IL)

Cam Gurney, C, Scotland, Ont., FieldHouse Pirates/Utah (UT)

Anson McGorman, RHP, Parksville, BC, Vauxhall Academy/Utah (UT)

Nate Ochoa, SS-3B, Burlington, Ont., FieldHouse Pirates/Alabama (AL)

Turner Spoljaric, RHP, Lisle, Ont., Toronto Mets/Oregon

Zak Szabo, RHP, Whitby, Ont., Toronto Mets/Troy (AL)

Andre Wojtarowicz, LHP, Oakville, Ont., Frontier Community College (IL)

_ MLB.com