Fitzpatrick: Resilient Dykema looking strong at Futures Showcase

North Shore Twins outfielder Daniel Dykema (North Vancouver, B.C.) had to reset after a labrum injury sidelined him earlier this year. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays Academy

September 18, 2025

By Trevor Fitzpatrick

Canadian Baseball Network

Last year was on track to be an incredible one for Daniel Dykema (North Vancouver, BC).

The two-way threat from the North Shore Twins was a key contributor in BC’s gold medal win at the Baseball Canada Cup that year, and he was a Canadian Futures Showcase all-star.

That season was meant to be his final one of high school. He was committed to join Cloud County Community College in 2025 and even received an invite to the Junior National Team’s training camp.

Then, everything came crashing down. A partial tear of his labrum forced him to the sidelines, and saw him decommit from college to reclassify as a 2026.

“It was hard at first, I missed a full senior season,” he said, “It took two months for me to go, ‘you know what, it’s all right. I had to take time to reset everything. Blank slate everything for this year.”

His reset hasn’t appeared to slow him down in the slightest. This season, he’s earned another invite to the Canadian Futures Showcase and is still ranked as the fourth best Canuck available on the 2026 Canadian Baseball Network draft list.

So far this showcase, he’s impressed with his 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame and exit velocities off his bat upward of 105 mph as he continues the search for a new college to commit to – if he’s not taken in the draft, of course.

The battle back to get to this point was a long one, the shock of which was tough to bounce back from. An excellent support system kept the young star on track, though.

“My head coach Parker Kynoch and hitting coach Steven Moretto (New Westminster, B.C.) helped me all the way. We’d (Dykema and Moretto) text and talk every week throughout the injury, it was really good to have him in my pocket.”

There may not be a better person who could’ve been there to help Dykema than Moretto.

A five-year veteran of Sacramento State, he hurt his knee in 2022, requiring surgery. He fought hard to return to play in 2023 and helped the Intercounty Baseball League’s Welland Jackfish win their first Dominico Cup.

Dykema has followed his lead and then some, surging back to a level that may be even higher than before he got hurt.

“Obviously, I was set up well, then the injury just gave me time,” Dykema explained, “I never had a spring to myself before this, I used it to figure things out. I was really down, but honestly, I think I’m a better player overall because of it.”

At this year’s showcase, he’s already knocked in a run for Team Red during a win over Team Navy on Wednesday. His team has one more game to go in the showcase at 9 p.m. Thursday against Team Grey.