Tag: Jake English

Great Lake Canadians and Ontario Blue Jays impress at T12

TORONTO – The fourth-annual Tournament 12 featured some impressive familiar faces, and three combined no-hitters on the second day of games on Saturday, two of them thrown by Ontario squads and using all Canadian Premier Baseball League hurlers.

In the second contest of the day, Ontario Green used three CPBL arms to no-hit Alberta Red, finishing the game in a scoreless tie. The first hit of the game was a two-out infield single in the bottom of the fourth, from Great Lake Canadians infielder Tye Imeson, who had two of the team’s three total hits.

“It was a combined no-no and the pitch counts were really low, so they did a great job,” said Mike Steed, a coach with both Green and the Ontario Blue Jays program. “In 1-1 counts, all you’ve got to do is throw that first-pitch strike and you’re in control. The other team absolutely pitched well, there wasn’t a whole lot of offence on both sides. They kept the hitters off balance and changed eye levels. Good pitching.”

OBJ southpaw Harley Gollert got the start and in three innings of work he walked one and struck out six. GLC right-hander Jake English followed out of the bullpen with two perfect frames and three strikeouts, before OBJ righty Nathan Holmes finished it off with two walks, fanning two in his two innings.

“They were excited in the dugout, the guys who threw,” Steed said. “Harley and then Jake, as soon as they got the last out in the top of the seventh, Harley looked at me and said, ‘Hey, combined no-no,’ so they know what’s going on and it’s exciting for them.”

Ontario Black followed suit in the final matchup of the day with a combined no-no of their own, using three more CPBL pitchers to get the job done and take down Alberta Red 4-0 to head into Sunday.

Griffin Hassall, a 16-year-old right-hander from the GLC program, took the mound to start the game and battled through an early blister for three innings, walking two and fanning five. Fellow Great Lake hurler Mitchell Stemerdink walked three and added two strikeouts in two frames. OBJ southpaw Alex Jones completed the no-hitter, striking out six in his two innings.

“It’s pretty great for the kids,” said Chris Robinson, a coach for both Black and the GLC program. “That was an impressive, well-pitched game. All those guys threw really well. I know Hassel was battling over a little blister there, and he went out for the second inning and he didn’t care, he pitched right through it. It was good.”

The hurlers got some help from 16-year-old Blue Jays catcher Noah Naylor, who threw out three attempted base stealers, set the tone behind the plate, and helped his squad to face just three batters over the minimum in the matchup.

“I told them to trust their stuff,” Naylor said of the pitchers. “The fastball was live today, and I just told them to be confident in it, and obviously that’s going to help them have a good game…I just try to be my best behind the plate, give them that insurance that they can trust me back there. I know when they’re throwing, they’re comfortable throwing to me, they can trust me with runners on the basepaths, and also with just doing my job.”

Added Robinson, a former big-league catcher: “He’s separated himself. It’s pretty exciting to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a transfer that quick at this level, he gets rid of the ball so quickly. He’s got a great arm too but that was impressive.”

The Canadian Junior National Team catcher continues to improve with time, and has been nothing short of electric behind the plate at his second Tournament 12.

“He just keeps getting better every time I see him, especially behind the plate,” Robinson said. “It’s impressive. In my mind, there’s no doubt that he can catch at the next level, even now, and he’s still got a couple years to go. He’s a really exciting player.

“I know he’s going to draw comparisons to his brother [Josh, last year’s 12th-overall pick in the draft] forever, but that’s not fair because they’re two different players. But he’s got to be one of the more exciting catching prospects we’ve ever had in this country.”

Between the two CPBL-dominant no-hitters, Black lost an early contest against BC Orange 4-3, walked off on a wild pitch after battling through the fourth affair on Saturday.

Great Lake shortstop Adam Hall notched three of his team’s five total hits – one to keep the squad alive in the top of the seventh – and drove in two of Black’s three runs, adding two stolen bases and stellar defence. In three days of Tourament 12, the 17-year-old has made it clear why he is at the top of next year’s draft class.

“He brings a level of intensity every day to the field,” said Adam Stern, his coach with both Ontario Green and the GLC program. “He hates to lose, that’s the biggest thing you have to understand about Adam…That was a good game right there because you get to see when the game’s on the line what happens, who rises to the occasion, and he’s come up with big hits for us, he came up with big hits out here, and when the game’s on the line, you want him up there.”

Futures Navy ran short on pitching in the fifth game of the day, matching up against a tough Ontario Green squad and leaving the field after six innings because of the tournament’s mercy rule, taking the 12-1 loss in a game prominently featuring players from the GLC program.

Green used three Canadians arms to get through the game, with right-hander Corben Peters taking the hill to start and allowing one run on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Fellow righty Garner Spoljaric followed with two perfect frames, and Dallas Hunter retired the side in order to secure the win for Ontario.

“It was a well-pitched game,” said Ontario Green coach Rick Johnston. “We swung the bats, the kids played really well. It was nice for them to go out and do what they did. Obviously there were some walks in there, but that’s going to happen, and we put the ball in play.”

Ontario first baseman Jameson Hart, an outfielder in the Great Lake program, paced the offence, going 2-for-2 with two walks and driving in three runs. 16-year-old GLC catcher Ian Jordan drove in the only run for the Navy squad, singling and walking in the game.

Kickoff tournament unofficially opens CPBL season

Let the games begin.

With the kickoff tournament done and dusted, and the Canadian Premier Baseball League’s exhibition matchups in the books, the inaugural season is set to start.

In pre-season games from Friday to Sunday, Dorchester’s Field of Dreams hosted the Fieldhouse Pirates, Great Lake Canadians and Ontario Nationals programs, while the Ontario Blue Jays, Toronto Mets and Team Ontario played out the eastern bracket in Scarborough at Dan Lang Field at the University of Toronto.

“It was great to get outside this weekend and play some games to get prepared for the season,” said Jimmy Richardson, Director of Player Development for the Fieldhouse Pirates. “Looking at the quality of play all weekend is an indication of why we started this league, with great players on every roster.”

Added Chris Robinson, the Director of Baseball Operations for the Great Lake Canadians: “The weather was cold, but it was good for our guys to get out. Any time you can play games in April, it’s a bonus.”

While the early games tested the players who haven’t seen much time out on the field, the opportunity to play and the calibre of competition were exciting for all those involved.

“You could certainly tell it was early as far as the defence was concerned,” said Ryan McBride, Vice President and Director of Baseball Operations for the Toronto Mets. “And the pitching was definitely ahead of the hitting.

“What was worth noting from what I saw was that there were five scouts present at the games at U of T on Friday and Saturday with representatives from the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, and Arizona Diamondbacks organizations in attendance.”

Added Jeremy Jayaweera, Ontario Nationals 16U Red manager: “It was very exciting for all three of our teams to get out and play. Offensively, working on having quality at-bats and seeing pitches was huge. For pitching, it was good to get through a rotation and see what the players could do. Working on all different pitches and different defensive situations was key, and a great weekend to work on all of it.”

While each team had several standouts throughout the weekend tournament, coaches noted especially impressive appearances from Canadians right-hander Austin Shields, who was up to 94 off the mound, from Mets’ arms Matt Jones and Nick Virdo, Blue Jays hurler Jack Berczi, and 2017 pitcher Jake English, from Great Lake.

Nats 18U outfielder Riley Perks impressed at the plate with quality at-bats every time he stepped up. 16U Nationals catchers Curtis Chambers and David Mendham held down the fort both behind and at the dish, totalling 13 hits and nine runs scored between them over the weekend.

With plenty to be excited about already, each of the teams involved is just looking forward to more.

“Our organization is very excited for the CPBL season to start,” Jayaweera said. “We have been preparing a long time for this and we are excited to play quality teams every weekend. The players’ development is the most important, and playing quality teams each weekend allows for all our players to keep improving.”

Said Richardson: “With the regular season starting this week, I’m looking forward to having my guys, each and every weekend, play against teams who are going to push their limits. For 28 innings each weekend, it is going to be a battle, and every team is going to be tough.”

Added Robinson: “What we’re looking forward to the most is the level of competition we will be playing every single weekend. Even with this short snapshot of what the league is going to be like, it is exciting to know every weekend our guys will be challenged. This is a great development opportunity for our guys and will only help when we get off into tournaments down south.”