There was a time when British Columbia players dominated the draft.

1B Justin Morneau (New Westminster, BC), RHP Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, BC), LHP Jeff Francis (North Delta, BC), LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC), OF Jason Bay (Trail, BC) and LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC).

And then there was that free-agent sign/MVP/Hall of Fame candidate OF Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC).

An indicator of the next year’s draft is always who shows at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif.

And four BC boys were in Long Beach and will draw attention at the annual Tournament 12 next month:

_ RHP Theo Millas (Burnaby, BC) of the Langley Blaze and the Junior National Team. He has committed to pitch for the LSU Tigers.

_ LHP Justin Thorsteinson (Langley, BC) of the Blaze and the Junior National Team. He is headed to play for the Oregon State Beavers.

_ RHP Jack Seward (Port Moody, BC) of the Coquitlam Reds and the Junior National Team. He has committed to pitch next spring for the San Jacinto Gators.

_ And C Connor Caskenette (Cowichan, BC) of the Mid Island Pirates were all in California for the Area Codes.

Now most years a forecast like this would mean BC would be the early-morning favourite to be posing with T12 commissioner Robbie Alomar. Under the new format this year players could be scattered amongst teams from different provinces.

When the 2019 tourney was announced it had a re-shaped format with six Canadian teams rather than eight (as enrollment fell from 160 players to 150). Puerto Rico and the US were scheduled to play to cap off the tourney. Logistics of bringing the teams were too difficult to overcome.

From the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy website