The best 2019 draft eligibles for next June gathered on the weekend in Chicago.

The 11th annual Under Armour All-America Game saw American Team score an 8-2 victory at Wrigley Field. INF Bobby Witt, Jr. of Colleyville, Tex., walked twice, was hit by a pitch and hit three run home run in the top of the ninth to earn MVP honours. Derek Diamond of Ramona, Calif., was the Kelly Kulina winner and OF Jerrion Ealy of Carthage, Miss. won the Gatorade G Award. Riley Cornelio, from Monument, Col. gained the win, while the losing pitcher was Matthew Allan of Sanford, Fla. 

3B Cesar Valero (Calgary, Alta.) of the Okotoks Dawgs was the only Canadian invited to the event. Valero faced RHP Will Childers, of Evans, Ga. and LHP Avery Short from Indianapolis, Ind. Short was rated 69th over-all in the top 500 high schhoolers in North America and  Childers was ranked 221st. Valero was ranked 193rd. 

RHP Jack Leiter, son of former Blue Jays LHP Al Leiter and an MLB Network analyst. Leiter allowed two base runners on a walk and an infield hit, but struck out the side: OF Erik Rivera of Caguas, Puerto Rico; Maurice Hampton of Arlington, Tenn. and SS Sanson Faltine III, of Richmond, Tex.

Cesar Valero
POS: INF
HT: 6’1″ WT: 186
B/T: R/R
Graduation Year: 2019
HOMETOWN/TEAM: Calgary, AB/Okotoks Dawgs
HIGH SCHOOL: Foothills Composite
COLLEGE VERBAL: Oregon State

Twitter: @CesarV_24

By Andrew Atkins
Baseball Factory

Carrying on the tradition of outstanding Canadian players, like Josh Naylor, Bo Naylor and Gareth Morgan, to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, infielder Cesar Valero will put his tools on display at Wrigley Field on July 20th. A member of the Canadian Junior National Team, Cesar has performed well against high-level professional and amateur players over the past year.

He is a smooth-fielding infielder with quick, active feet and soft, sure hands. He can play all of the infield spots capably, with good instincts and a feel around the bag up the middle. Cesar’s right-handed swing is efficient and direct. He uses the whole field well with a line drive approach that can handle velocity well. Accustomed to facing top competition on a big stage, look for Cesar to shine in this year’s game.

You can watch the Baseball Factory's video of Cesar Valero here.