Usselman, Thomas, Chee-Aloy lead juniors to win over Phillies
Langley Blaze left-hander Reece Usselman (Langley, BC) allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings in his start for the Junior National Team against the FCL Phillies on Tuesday. Photo: Baseball Canada
May 31, 2022
Baseball Canada
The Junior National Team is participating in a Pre-Draft Training camp for the next 12 days based out of the Toronto Blue Jays’ Player Development Complex (PDC) in Dunedin, Fla.
The juniors will play seven games against Florida Complex League (FCL) squads from the Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies organizations while also competing in intersquad games and workouts.
In the junior team’s first game on Tuesday, Reece Usselman (Langley, BC) and Kaleb Thomas (Hagersville, Ont.) limited the Philadelphia Phillies Florida Complex League (FCL) squad to just one run while Cameron Chee-Aloy (Toronto, Ont.) belted a home run as part of a 3-for-5 game at the plate to lead the juniors to a 7-1 win.
With the game taking place at the Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla., the juniors jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third on a Myles Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) sacrifice fly before scoring three times in the fifth with Hugh Pinkney (Toronto, Ont.) cashing in two on a triple while Ty Doucette (Dartmouth, N.S.) added an RBI single.
Chee-Aloy’s homer came with two out in the sixth on a fly ball to right field while Ty Hamilton (Orleans, Ont.) added an RBI single in the seventh.
Usselman worked five scoreless innings allowing just one hit and a walk while striking out four before Thomas took the mound for the last four innings and gave up one run on three hits and walk to go along with three strikeouts.