McFarland: For slugger Batiste, Futures Showcase is another learning experience
Ontario Blue Jays slugger Mikey Batiste (Mississauga, Ont.) recently won the Underclassmen Home Run Derby at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, Calif. Photo: Area Code Baseball/Instagram
September 17, 2026
By Joe McFarland
Alberta Dugout Stories
Don’t worry if you do a double take when you see Mikey Batiste step onto the baseball field.
The 16-year-old is used to getting that kind of reaction thanks to his 6-foot-4, 231-pound frame.
Then he swings the bat and even more heads turn with his exit velocities reaching upwards of 106.5 miles per hour (and growing).
It’s no wonder Batiste is widely viewed as the top Canadian prospect heading into the 2028 Major League Baseball Draft.
Yet none of the added attention and noise really seems to phase him.
“I understand that even though I have the high rankings and everything, I’m not where I want to be,” Batiste said. “You can always strive to be better, always try to be one percent better everyday, and work on the things that you struggle with or even improve the things you’re good at.”
Heading into his second Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase, he’s hungry to keep showing off his work ethic and willingness to learn as he always has during a well-traveled journey in the game.
Multi-sport upbringing
It could have been easy for Batiste to pick basketball instead of baseball as his favourite sport.
His dad, Michael Batiste, played hoops internationally before embarking on a coaching career that took him to the NBA with several teams, including Brooklyn, Charlotte, Orlando, Washington, Houston and, most recently, Toronto.
Feeling no pressure from his pops, the younger Batiste ultimately landed on baseball after watching his older cousin, Darius, play the game. Admittedly, he says he found himself initially attached to baseball because of the jerseys and “really nice socks.”
He kept dabbling in other sports, saying being a multi-sport athlete early on paid dividends.
“You can work different muscles playing different sports and be more physical and more athletic,” Batiste said. “It definitely keeps you in shape, I’ll tell you that.”
Northern exposure
After excelling in baseball everywhere he had gone, Batiste and his family moved to Toronto when his dad got a job as an assistant coach with the Raptors in 2023.
He immediately found a home with the Ontario Blue Jays, hitting multiple home runs with their 14U program.
Under coaches Connor Morro and Jared Kennedy, the switch-hitter has enjoyed the level of competition he faces as well as the opportunities for growth.
“For me, I take everything as a learning experience,” Batiste said. “What I’ve learned is that if I succeed, I succeed. But there is no failure – you just learn.”
Such was the case at his first Futures Showcase, which he admits was a challenge having to face the best in Canada with pitch speeds he hadn’t seen a lot of.
Instead of being down about having to make some adjustments on the fly, Batiste used it as motivation to get back to work to become faster, stronger and smarter at the plate.
Having a blast
Batiste has had a few opportunities to put his power on display so far this season and sometimes on the biggest stages.
Hitting third for the Blue Jays at the inaugural Morneau Cup in Okotoks, he launched a three-run rocket in the opener against the DT Selects.
Just a couple of weeks later, Batiste was back at it at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, California, capturing the Underclassmen Home Run Derby crown.
It was a special moment for the new champion as he has family that lives in the area.
“They got to see me do that and it was just such a blessing that baseball brought me on this journey to where it was basically a big family reunion,” Batiste said. “It was awesome and just so great to have amazing support.”
Come out and play
If he has it his way, Batiste wouldn’t mind adding another home run derby title to his resume before the end of the year.
While it’s not certain that he will be part of the field taking part in the Canadian Futures Showcase event on Sunday, he did hit four roundtrippers in last year’s derby at Rogers Centre in Toronto.
More than anything, Batiste says he just wants to “go play and have fun” as he sees some old friends and puts his skills on display for the coaches and scouts in attendance.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on myself,” said the uncommitted outfielder. “That’s what I’ve done in the past, holding myself to a high standard, but I just want to have a good time and play with some of the best players in the country.”
Batiste will be playing for Team Royal at the 2026 Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase.