By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The top six Canadians drafted signed by Friday’s close deadline.

Seven Canucks were given six-figure signing bonuses.

In all, 14 of the 23 drafted Canadians signed.

Of the other 10 unsigned ... one returns to school for his senior year, one JUCO players transfers to a four-year school, seven high schoolers head off to university in the fall and another enrolls in junior college.

A year ago 16 of the 27 Canadians drafted signed with major-league organizations, led by Ontario Terriers grad RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) who went eighth over-all to the San Diego Padres, C Andrew Yerzy (North York, Ont.) a second round pick to the Arizona Diamondbacks as 12 Canucks in all received six-figure bonuses. 

So, good year or bad?

Good if you were one of the six to sign a solid six-figure offer and good if you were one of the players with a scholarship to a solid school. But bad, if you were ignored altogether and worse than that if you are Toby Handley (Whitby, Ont.) who received a call from the Seattle Mariners a week ago which went like this: “We want to sign you, can you be here tomorrow?” Ah, there is a slight matter of needing a work visa. The Mariners did not have time to wait the required two weeks to get one and moved on. Thanks for the call, bub.

Handley was the America East Player of the Year for the Stony Brook Baseball Seawolves this spring batting .342 with 17 doubles, eight triples five home runs, 34 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and 45 walks. Handley led the America East in stolen bases, walks and triples. He was the drafted by the Houston Astros in 2016 draft in the 33rd round but chose to return to school.

So, let’s take a look at the 14 who signed starting with the seven who wound up with six-figures amounts ...

_ RHP Landon Leach (Pickering, Ont.) of the Toronto Mets signed a $1.4 Million US bonus from the Minnesota Twins, after being selected in the second round (37th over-all in North America). Slot money for the spot was $1,846,100, He was signed by Twins scout Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC). Leach walked away from a scholarship to the 23-ranked Texas Longhorns.

_ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) of the Great Lake Canadians also went in the second round -- 60th over-all -- to the Baltimore Orioles. Orioles scout Chris (The Big Prairie Dawg) Reitsma (Calgary, Alta.) and O’s scouting director Gary Rajsich gave the former London Badger slot money of $1.3 Million. Hall said goodbye to a scholarship to eighth-ranked Texas A&M.

_ RP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) of the Kentucky Wildcats was grabbed in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pop, who had one outing after a mild flexor sprain April 29, signed for $147,500, less than the slot value of $182,200. He had played for the Brampton Royals, the Toronto Mets and the Ontario Blue Jays.

_ RF Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.) a Seminole State College Trojans freshman was drafted in the 12th round by former Leaside coach Jim Stevenson, who gave Lacroix a bonus of $125,000 to get him to turn pro. He had another year of JUCO if he wanted to go back. He got his visa this week so he leaves to go play next 4-5 days.

_ OF Eric Senior (Toronto, Ont.) of the Midland College Chaparrals was chosen in the 13th round by the Washington Nationals and given a $100,000 bonus. He was drafted in the 23rd round in 2015 by the Oakland Athletics and scout Matt Higginson (Oakville, Ont.) after playing with the Toronto Mets and earning Tournament 12 MVP honours. 

_ 2B Jared Young (Prince George, BC) chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round. He forgoes his senior year with the Old Dominion Monarchs after being given a $100,000 bonus. He was assigned to class-A Eugene Emeralds in Northwest League playing in his first game Friday night.

_ RHP Jordan Scheftz (North York, Ont.) was selected in the 23rd round from Central Florida by the Cleveland Indians and given a $100,000 bonus. 

The other seven who signed included one junior ...

_ OF Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) the only Canadian drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Scout Jamie Lehman (Brampton, Ont.) chose the Niagrara Unniversity Purple Eagle in the 20th round and gave him a $40,000 bonus.

The rest were seniors, with little leverage like ...

_ RHP Daniel Procopio (Toronto, Ont.) also of Niagara, who was selected in the 10th round and was given a $10,000 bonus, less than the slot money of $134,900 but the young man has a chance in the Los Angeles Angels organization,

_ OF Raphael Gladu (Trois-Riviéres, Que.) a 16th rounder from the Louisiana Tech Rajun Cajuns.

_ INF Louis Boyd (North Vancouver, BC) an Arizona Wildcats senior was a 24th rounder, was given a $5,000 bonus by the Seattle Mariners. Boyd used to play with the North Shore Twins. 

 
_ C J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) a Tampa Spartan senior, went in the 22nd round and was handed a $2,000 bonus by the Miami Marlins. Osborne is a former Whitby Chief and Toronto Met.   

_ RHP Kyle Thomas (Mississauga, Ont.) from the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers was chosen in the 30th round. The former Oakville Royals was given a $1,500 signing bonus. 

_ And finally, the last man to sign was 2B Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.) of Mike McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.) Canisius College Golden Griffs. The former Windsor Select went in the 33rd round and was given $1,000.  

Those drafted who were unsigned ...

_ RHP Christian Lindsay Young (Oakville, Ont.) after two seasons helping the Niagara County Community College Thuderwolves to the NJCAA Division III World Series, was chosen in the 21st round by the Cincinnati Reds. He chose to pitch for the West Virginia University Mountaineers next spring.  

The six high schoolers off to university in the fall. many of whom turned down offers from teams ths summer are ...    

_ RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) of the Chilliwack Cougars was draffted by the Twins in the 16th round but he is headed for the University of Hawaii.

_ INF Jason Willow (Victoria, BC) of the Victoria Mariners was drafted in the 24th round by Orioles. He is bound for the University of California Santa Barbara Gauchos.  
    
_ OF Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays was chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th. Davis has a scholarship to play for the 19th-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores.

_ INF Dondrae Bremner (Toronto Ont.) of the Toronto Mets was selected in the 31st round by the Reds. Bremner is going to become a University of Cincinnati BearKat.

_ INF Trei Cruz (Toronto, Ont.) was selected by his grandfather Jose Cruz’s Houston Astros in the 35th round. His father Jose Cruz, Jr. played for the Jays. Trei is off to the hallowed halls of Rice University and play for the Owls.

_ INF Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) was chosen in the 37th round by Philadelphia Phillies scout Alex Agostino (Montreal, Que.). Julien has signed to attend Auburn University and play for the Eagles.

And two are head to junior colleges ...

_ OF Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) of the Okotoks Dawgs was chosen in the 15th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is headed to the Central Arizona Vaqueros. 

_ INF Rhys Cratty (Surrey, BC) of the Langley Blaze was chosen in the 40th round by the Detroit Tigers. He is going to the Polk State Eagles after turning down an offer from Sacramento State.