INF Jason Willow

Hometown: Victoria, BC

Bats/Throws: R/R.

Height/Weight: 6’ 2”, 175 lbs.

Teams: Victoria Mariners/Canadian Junior National Team/Royals Scout Team/C-UC Santa Barbara

Coaches: Mike Chewpoy, Greg Hamilton.

Twitter Handle: @Jason_willow7

On other lists: Ranked 272nd on Baseball America's top 500 list (05/05/17), down 83 spots ... Listed 201st on Perfect Game's top HSers and College combined list (25/05/2017), not listed on previous top 500 combined list ... Ranked 175 on Perfect Game top 500 high school list (05/05/17), up 14 spots ... Listed 189th on Perfect Game top 500 HS list (4/3/17), up seven spots ... Ranked 182nd on Perfect Game's top 500 HSer in North America (02/02/17) ... 49th on Baseball America top 100 HS (11/23/16) ... 178th on Perfect Game’s top 500 (11/07/16).

Perfect Game scouting report

201. Jason Willow, ss, Langley Secondary School
R/R, 6-2/175, Victoria, B.C
College Commitment: UC Santa Barbara

Willow is a lanky 6-foot-2, 175-pound infielder who is the latest top Canadian prospect from British Columbia and the Langley Blaze program. He has very limited exposure to scouts in the United States but has made the most of it, showing impressive raw bat speed and power potential at last summer’s Area Code Games, especially when challenged by pitchers with plus velocity fastballs. Willow’s power comes pretty easily and he has plenty of room to get stronger and fill out physically.

History shows that players from the Langley/British Columbia background traditionally get drafted higher than many anticipate, as some teams are better positioned to heavily scout them over an extended period. That could definitely be the case with Willow.

2017 season _ Leading up to the draft: Attended Seattle Mariners private work out at Safeco iin Seattle. Invited to Milwaukee Brewers work out but could not attend since he was co-valedictorian at Lambrick SS ... Dominican summer trip: Hit .146 (6-for-41) with two doubles, three RBIs, .445 OPS in 13 games ... Run-scoring single facing MLB Prospects ... Doubled and singled facing the Yankees ... Run-scoring single facing Cubs ... Two singles facing the Mets ... Extended spring trip: Hit .267 (4-for-15) with a double, two RBIs and .722 OPS ... Singled in win over Jays ... March trip to FLA: Batted .130 (3-for-23) ... Singled against the Phillies ... Inside Performance winter showcase, North Vancouver: Best prospect of the 53 high schoolers in front of 24 evaluators and recruiters from 19 pro and college teams.

2016 season _ Cuba trip: Two singles in the same inning ... RBI single in loss ... Fall Florida trip: Run-scoring fly ball facing Astros ... Tournament 12: Ran 6.7 60 for BC Orange ... Area Code Games, Long Beach: Hit home run, a missile line drive down the left field line that really carried well and tucked in just over fence by the foul pole ... Dominican summer tour: Single in a run against the Brewers ... Double to left against the Astros ... Two-run single against the Rays ... Had two singles against the Yankees ... March trip to FLA: reached on an infield single stole second against Toronto Blue Jays for the only hit by the Juniors ... Doubled and a stolen base against Braves ... Knocked in run against Jays.

2015 Fall trip to ESPN: RBI single vs. Braves ... Singled against Braves

Honours: 2017 season _ Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-American, All-Region Teams Canada/Puerto Rico Region.

Perfect Game Scouting Report, David Rawnsley.: A “willowy” 6-foot-2, 175-pound athlete with long arms and legs who gets lots of whip and raw bat speed to his swing and impacted the ball very hard in batting practice as well. He’s a young Canadian to watch carefully. A Canadian standout at the event, he continued to swing a hot bat, just missing a long home run that went foul and making hard contact in a couple of other at-bats. He’s a very interesting young athlete and one that scouts hadn’t seen before.

Baseball America Scouting Report, Hudson Belinsky: In his BP rounds, Jason Willow showed a short, slightly downhill righthanded stroke geared for backspin, and he generated impressive life off the bat, showing power and the ability to hit line drives to the opposite field gap and up the middle. Willow has shown impressive power potential, both in batting practice and in game action, but he’s also swung and missed at a few pitches on the outer half.

What they are saying _ “Great set of hands, knows what he is doing out there.” _ Duane Ward.

“Just a great athletic player. He can play centre or shortstop.” _ Tanyon Sturtze,

“Smooth-fielding INF with strong arm.” _ Mario Diaz.

Dustin Saracini CBN Podcast Nov. 8, 2016

VID: Going deep Area Code Game home run

Jeff King: Willow shining bright

Mario Annicchiarico Mariners upset Eagles