Keyes, Yerzy, Burgmann impress at Area Codes

RHP Josh Burgmann (Nanaimo, BC) of the Vauxhall Academy Jets had two outings for the Kansas City Royals scout team at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.  Photo: Student Sports.

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Josh Burgmann, Clayton Keyes and Andrew Yerzy all impressed at the annual Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.

RHP Burgmann (Nanaimo, BC) had two outings for the Kansas City Royals team, while teammate OF Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) had three hits in seven official at-bats.

C Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) had three hits in 11 at-bats for the New York Yankees.

A year ago OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) of the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians was the best player in the tourney. He went to the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round of the June draft.

There were roughly 200 college coaches, scouts, cross checkers and scouting directors at Blair Field.

Burgmann pitched three innings in the Royals 6-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The Vauxhall Academy Jet allowed four runs on two walks and five hits, while striking out three. His maximum velocity was 90.6 mph.  

His scouting report read ...
Right handed pitcher Josh Burgmann (Nanaimo, BC) was also impressive in his outing for the Royals. Burgmann worked in the 88-90 mph zone with his fastball that showed late life and worked both sides of the plate. He also flashed an 83-85 mph change up that was unhittable. His curve ball, while loose at times, worked in the 76-77 mph zone.

Keyes, who stars for the Okotoks Dawgs was hitless in two at-bats, while C Lenn Nakatsuka (Victoria, BC) of the Victoria Eagles, pinch ran and scored a run.   

In a 5-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics, Keyes was 1-for-2 two walks and a run scored. The ball left his bat with a 104.2 exit speed. 

Keyes singled in his only at-bat in a 1-0 win over the Texas Rangers, showing an exit speed of 102.1 mph.  

Burgmann worked two innings for the Royals in an 8-8 tie with the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed one run on four hits and fanned four, hitting 88.7 mph. 

Keyes singled, knocked in a run and walked with an exit speed of 84.9, while Nakatsuka was 1-for-3 with an exit speed of 74.3.

Keyes was hitless in his only appearance in a 3-3 tie with the Cincinnati Reds.

Yerzy singled in two at-bats as the Yankees beat the Reds 6-4 with the ball coming off his bat with a 91.5 exit speed. 

The Yankees lost 4-0 to the Reds as Yerzy was 1-for-3 with an exit speed of 98.6 mph. 

He also went 1-for-3 in a 6-4 loss to the Washington Nationals. 

And he was 0-for-3 in a 5-2 loss to the A’s with an exit speed of 111.27 mph. 

OF Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays competed at the Area Codes Underclassmen at Cerritos College in Norwalk, Calif. 

Davis, who had a double, was 4-for-5 with 2 stolen bases in the first game.   

The next game he was 2-for-3 with steal.

And in the final game he was 1-for-3 with walk and two steals.