Toronto Mets right-hander Drew Howard (Whitby, Ont.) is a bit of a throwback player, according to Junior National Team head coach Greg Hamilton. The 5-foot-11, 17-year-old’s competitiveness has been a key to his success. Centennial Sports Journalism student Rachael Bishop recently caught up with Howard in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreSwift Current, Saskatchewan has only produced one major league ball player -- Brody Alexandre is looking to change that.Standing at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, Alexandre has made his mark at the youth levels of baseball in Saskatchewan and impressed at Tournament 12 last September. This spring he suited up for the Junior National Team in Florida. Centennial Sports Journalism student Robert Nicholas McVicar recently caught up with Alexandre in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreFieldhouse Pirates infielder Mason Dobie (Meaford, Ont.) played in Tournament 12 at the Rogers Centre last September. That helped the 17-year-old land a spot on the Junior National Team roster this spring. Centennial Sports Journalism student Marco Leal recently caught up with Dobie in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreFormer Kansas City Royals catcher Andy Stewart (Oshawa, Ont.) is a new member of the Canadian Junior National Team’s coaching staff. He shared his wisdom from his more than 10 years as a catcher in the professional ranks with the young players this spring.
Read MoreKevin Glew’s “But What Do I Know?” column discusses Jordan Romano, Cal Quantrill, Rowan Wick, Jacques Doucet, Fergie Jenkins, Ted Cox and Jim Kern.
Read MoreBaseball Ontario's suspends all player activities indefinitely.
Read MoreThe National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced on Saturday that it will close to the public beginning Sunday, March 15 at 5 p.m. ET. This precautionary measure is being implemented in accordance with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and government officials to limit opportunities for large gatherings and the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Read MoreOntario Terriers teams won one, lost one and tied two games in spring training action in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Friday.
Read MoreABC shortstop Emilien Pitre’s baseball goals for the immediate future are clear – to improve and to be a starter on the Junior National Team. The 17-year-old Repentigny, Que., native recently spoke with Centennial Sports Journalism student Keegan Lavigne in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreRHP Loreto Siniscalchi’s dominant performance over a heavily favoured Japanese squad at the 2016 Little League World Series helped pave his path to the Junior National Team. The 6-foot-3 right-hander, who has also honed his skills with the Langley Blaze, recently spoke with Centennial Sports Journalism student Bowen Assman in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreVauxhall Academy Jets pitcher Maddux Mateychuk (Dominion City, Man.), who was the sole representative from Manitoba on the Junior National Team this spring, credits his family for much of his success. The 6-foot-3 right-hander, who is named after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, recently spoke with Centennial College Sports Journalism student Brady Reid in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreBaseball Ontario adjusts, makes suggested measures for COVID-19
Read MoreThe Jays had played 55,762 innings in their 39-year history, including post season, when they began the 55,763rd Wednesday, Oct. 14 -- the seventh inning of the fifth and deciding game of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers. It was a six-out inning like no other.
Read MoreFor every baseball player, the goal is to be the best at his position. Giordano Mezzomo is a rare case. Not only can he pitch with velocity, he can hit with power. At 17, the Coquitlam, B.C., native, who has been a standout with the Coquitlam Reds and Junior National Team, hopes to harness his two-position advantage as long as possible. Canadian Baseball Network contributor Lukas Weese recently caught up with Mezzomo in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Read MoreThe London Majors have signed former big league prospect Jose Vinicio for the 2020 season.
Read MoreOwen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) drilled a solo home run off the centre field batter’s eye in the sixth inning while Brando Leroux (Markham, Ont.) scored three runs and went 3-for-3 in facing the Toronto Blue Jays who fielded a lineup featuring players from the big league club. The score read 22-6 in favour of the Jays, but it didn’t matter as the young Junior National Team players soaked in the experience of being a professional baseball player for a day.
Read MoreThe Ontario Blue Jays have announced a change in their recruitment process this season. Joe Ellison, director of baseball operations and Corey Eckstein, director of player personnel, will be recruiting players not solely from across Canada but also from all over the world.
Read MoreBaseball has already taken 17-year-old Canadian Junior Team pitcher Jack Seward to two different continents. He hopes that’s just the beginning. The native of Port Moody, B.C., took part in a training camp in Australia last season, before representing Canada at the U18 World Cup in South Korea. This spring he is training camp with the Junior National Team honing his skills ahead of the 2020 MLB draft.
is the No. 6 ranked pitching prospect on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2020 Draft List.
Read MoreWhen a batter steps up to the plate, one of the last things he wants to see is an aggressive pitcher with a variety of pitches. Great Lake Canadians and Canadian Junior National Team pitcher Calvin Ziegler (Heidelberg, Ont.) is one of those pitchers. He can control a large part of the game when his fastball is working. The 6-foot right-hander, who is the No. 7 ranked pitching prospect on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2020 Draft List, recently spoke with Centennial College Journalism student Connor Reid about his progress and future plans.
Read MoreLeft-hander Marcus Reyes was in his San Diego apartment, cooking bacon and getting ready to ace a Guitar Hero solo in June 2017 when he learned that the Toronto Blue Jays had selected him in the 38th round of the MLB draft. He was surprised and had thought his baseball career was over. Now, with three seasons in the Blue Jays’ organization under his belt, the happy-go-lucky 25-year-old has his sights set on pitching in the big leagues.
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