Tag: T12

CPBL well represented at the sixth-annual Tournament 12

Following a successful finish to the third Canadian Premier Baseball League season, many of the circuit’s players will continue to represent on the highest stage right at home, with 39 players and four coaches representing the loop at the sixth-annual Tournament 12. 

Heading to the prestigious Toronto Blue Jays-hosted event for his third time, Ontario Blue Jays shortstop Jaden Brown couldn’t be more excited for what his final appearance at the tournament may bring, and hopes to share what he learned from his previous experiences with those who may be less familiar. 

“I was really nervous the first time I came to T12,” the 16-year-old said. “I just didn’t want to mess up…But at the end of the day, it’s not really about that. It’s more about your attitude and how you show yourself on the field. Scouts realize you’re young and you’ll grow into it. 

“So if I could give advice to players coming in for the first time, it would be to not try too hard. Last year was easier because I was already there and I already knew how it would go, so I just went out and did my thing. And it’s still exciting for this year because this is going to be my last year and I just want to have fun with it.” 

Owen Diodati, a catcher in the Great Lake Canadians organization, is also heading into his third appearance at Tournament 12, and is grateful for everything he’s learned along the way, also looking forward to another chance to play at Rogers Centre. 

“In my first year of T12, it was the first time I really had a chance to play against good competition, and I was playing against the best kids in Canada, so in a way it was a wakeup call for me too,” Diodati said. “Obviously I struggled a little bit at the time, and it was tough the first year, but it gave me an idea of what it takes to be a good player and play at the highest level…

“This year is different because I know what to expect. The first year was kind of a whirlwind, playing at Rogers Centre and going through it all. Last year, I settled in and started to compete, and this year obviously I want to go in and dominate if I can do so.”

Beginning on September 13, Tournament 12 will take over Rogers Centre and play host to 160 of the country’s best up-and-coming college-eligible players. Among the 54 Ontario players selected to the Black, Navy and Green rosters, 39 hail from CPBL programs – representing the Fieldhouse Pirates, Great Lake Canadians, Ontario Blue Jays, Toronto Mets and Tri-City Giants organizations – in addition to four of the league’s coaches. 

The Futures Navy squad features eight CPBL players including Turner Spoljaric, Mitchell Bratt, Calvin Ziegler, Caden Shapiro, Owen Caissie, Riley Silva, Josh Niles and Cole Iantomasi. Navy also houses one CPBL coach in Brock Kjeldgaard. 

The Ontario Green roster has the highest number of players from the league with 18, including Brandon Deans, Lukas Barry, Nick Fraser, Matt Nolin, Zach Cameron, Graham MacNeil, Caleb Clark, Kieran Gagnon, Joel McKnight, Noel McGarry Doyle, Zach Gardiner, Blake Buckle, Ryan Farther, Noah Hull, TJ Schofield-Sam, Tye Imeson, Bryce Arnold and Drew Howard. Green is also home to CPBL coaches Adam Stern and Chris Robinson. 

Ontario Black is home to 13 CPBL players, with Caden Griffin, Keegan Pulford-Thorpe, Carter Seabrooke, Matt Duffy, Dasan Brown, Eric Martin, Diodati, Ryan Leitch, Brown, David McCabe, Biran Zapp, Tyler Hinrikus and Kenny Diclemente. The Black team is also host to CPBL coach Mike Steed. 

Cerantola one of country’s top young arms at Tournament 12

The Eric Cerantola on display at Rogers Centre during the fifth-annual Tournament 12 this year is an incredibly different one than the right-hander who put himself on the map at last September’s event.

From not knowing what the Blue-Jays hosted showcase was or what the prestigious tournament entailed, to taking the spotlight in the event just a year later, Cerantola knows that he has come a long way in a short time.

“Tournament 12 was a great experience and I really loved playing at Rogers Centre,” he said. “Honestly, I wasn’t quite familiar with what it was at the beginning of the year, but it was a really good experience, and good exposure at the same time. From last T12 to this one, I’ve matured a lot physically. My stuff has gotten better, I have cleaner mechanics, and it’s a lot better than it was last year.”

After joining the Great Lake Canadians program before last season began, the Oakville native’s appearance at Tournament 12 gave him a shot at the Canadian Junior National Team, with which he has become a mainstay. Between Team Canada and Great Lake, he has emerged as one of Canada’s top young arms, with more on the horizon.

“He’s grown a lot,” said Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national teams. “He’s got some gifts, obviously. You can’t take credit for teaching some of the things he brings to the table…He’s got size, he’s got an easy arm, he’s got great plane, and he spins the breaking ball.

“It’s just a matter of growing into that understanding and realization of the talent he has, and not getting too caught up in being in a hurry for all that to come together, and making changes rapidly…He’s got the makings of everything you’re looking for in a real, legitimate arm.”

Cerantola’s arrival on the Canadian baseball scene was fast and furious, making strong impressions everywhere he’s been. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound hurler is grateful for the coaching and experiences he’s had with the GLC program, after his previous team folded and left him without a diamond to call home.

“Joining the Great Lake Canadians was a really good decision for me,” Cerantola said. “Before, I was with the Ontario Diamondbacks, and they don’t exist anymore, so I was looking for a place to play. The GLC saw me at a tournament in Oakville…when I started looking for a team, I gave them a call, and they were interested, so I went there to join them.

“I’ve evolved a lot as a pitcher since I joined their program. My mechanics, velocity-wise, everything has gone up and the mechanics are much cleaner, and overall everything has improved quite a bit.”

Beyond crediting his parents Lucy and Franco Cerantola for allowing him every opportunity he’s been afforded, the young pitcher is thankful for the experience and wisdom that has been passed onto him from GLC pitching coordinator Adam Arnold, who’s enjoyed watching the teenager’s progress.

“We continue to work on keeping athleticism in the delivery, and having a plan and a purpose, starting right when he picks up the baseball,” Arnold said. “We had Eric start throwing from a hands-over-head delivery to create some rhythm and fluidity throwing the baseball. That gave him a chance to start separating over the rubber, be on time, and ultimately sync his body.

“He started to show some consistency with it, working more freely with a better tempo and the athleticism, natural strength, and ability followed along…As he has matured as a baseball player, his daily process, mentality, and plan when he picks up a ball have given him a chance to iron out some of the smaller day-to-day adjustments it will take to be successful in this game.”

As he continues to get better and grow, Cerantola believes that he has truly begun to learn how to pitch.

“My biggest asset is my pitchability,” the righty said. “With my stuff, my breaking balls and my off-speed stuff to go with my fastball, that’s what my best offering is. And I try to go out there and compete every single outing.”

Facing pros, and heading into the U18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay with Team Canada just before Tournament 12, Cerantola has been helped over the last year by facing a higher calibre of competition than ever before, elevating his game.

“The junior team has been a great opportunity to get to face professional batters, and to get to learn really how to pitch against those kind of batters,” the Mississippi State commit said. “It’s completely different than being at home, playing against other high school players. You really have to bring out that third pitch and learn how to locate. If you don’t locate, the mistakes are bigger. But it’s been fun.”

When his team’s run in Thunder Bay comes to an end, Cerantola will return to the event that has been the highlight of his young career, looking to put everything he’s gained over the last year on display on his hometown stage.

“T12 last year was a really fun experience and the best thing I’ve done over the last couple of years so far,” Cerantola said. “I don’t think I’ve had anything quite like that, and our team made it that way. The team was a really fun group, and then add the fact that you’re playing in a major league stadium, there’s no better feeling than that.”

CPBL well represented at U18 World Cup in Thunder Bay and at Tournament 12

THUNDER BAY, Ontario – Following the finish of the second Canadian Premier Baseball League season, several of the circuit’s players will continue to play on the highest stages right at home, with eight current or former players competing at the U18 Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, and 39 players and five coaches representing the loop at the fifth-annual Tournament 12.

A graduate of the Toronto Mets program, right-handed hurler Landon Leach joined the Minnnesota Twins earlier this summer after being selected in the second round – 37th overall – of the draft. After getting his pro start in the Gulf Coast League, posting a 3.38 ERA over five games and 13 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts, the righty will help lead Team Canada’s staff at the World Cup.

Leach is joined by fellow Toronto Mets Dondrae Bremner and Denzel Clarke in Thunder Bay, along with Great Lake Canadians Eric Cerantola, Lucas Parente and Griffin Hassall, and Ontario Blue Jays Harley Gollert and Noah Naylor, currently the top-ranked Canadian prospect heading into next year’s draft.

“This is one of the biggest events overall,” Naylor said. “Playing against different countries, representing Canada across my chest, it’s definitely something to be thankful for and something to look forward to.

“Events as big as that, seeing other players go through it, like [former Mets player and 2016 second-rounder Andrew] Yerzy, Josh [Naylor, Noah’s brother and the 12th overall pick in the 2015 draft], and a whole bunch of others, it’s just something that I’ve always dreamed of being it, and to have that opportunity, I’m definitely pumped for it.”

In his third year with the Canadian Junior National Team, the 17-year-old catcher and third baseman from Mississauga is excited for the chance to play in the world tournament right at home, in front of the Canadian crowd.

“This is amazing,” Naylor said. “Having the home crowd behind you, and Greg [Hamilton, Baseball Canada’s director of national teams] has preached this a lot, having the sea of red in the crowd, it’s going to be an unreal moment for a few days, and I look forward to everything that comes along the way.”

When Team Canada’s tenure in Thunder Bay comes to an end after matching up against 11 of the best baseball-playing nations in the world, Tournament 12 will take over Rogers Centre to host 160 of the country’s best up-and-coming players. Among the 55 Ontario players selected to the Black, Navy and Green rosters, 39 hail from the CPBL, in addition to five of the league’s coaches.

“Tournament 12 was a great experience and I really loved playing at Rogers Centre,” GLC right-hander Cerantola said. “Honestly, I wasn’t quite familiar with what it was at the beginning of the year, but it was a really good experience, and good exposure at the same time. From last T12 to this one, I’ve matured a lot physically. My stuff has gotten better, I have cleaner mechanics, and it’s a lot better than it was last year.”

Added Naylor: “I look forward to T12 every year. Playing at a big-league ballpark, Rogers Centre, I love the park. I’ve been around it for a while, but playing in that event, around some great talent, and being around some great coaches, it’s definitely something to look forward to each year, getting different opinions and advice, and meeting new people. I’m going to try to make the most of this one.”

Before getting his first taste of the world competition in northern Ontario, the highlight of Cerantola’s young career so far was his first shot at the Blue Jays-hosted event in Toronto, and the Oakville native can’t wait for his second opportunity.

“T12 last year was a really fun experience and the best thing I’ve done over the last couple of years so far,” the 17-year-old said. “I don’t think I’ve had anything quite like that, and our team made it that way. The team was a really fun group, and then add the fact that you’re playing in a major league stadium, there’s no better feeling than that.”

CPBL contributors dominate T12 championship, Hall named MVP

TORONTO – Tournament 12 crowned its fourth different champion in four years of the Toronto Blue Jays-hosted event on Monday night, and with Ontario Black’s 6-3 win over BC Orange, 17 Canadian Premier Baseball League players and two CPBL coaches were named winners at the tail end of the five-day event.

The Black squad didn’t allow an earned run in its final game, showing some depth from the pitching staff. Ontario had contributions up and down the lineup during the entire event, with Toronto Mets infielder Leo Markotic and fellow Met Adam Plouffe each notching two RBI in the championship and Tournament 12 MVP Adam Hall, a shortstop with the Great Lake Canadians, driving in one.

“It was fantastic,” said Pete Orr, former big leaguer and coach with Ontario Black. “It’s a great opportunity for all these young men to be seen, and on top of that it’s a good opportunity to play at Rogers Centre. I remember getting the opportunity to do it when I was 17 years old and it was one of the greatest things I did, being out here and being a Blue Jays fan, it’s great.”

Orr, a part of a coaching staff that included Chris Begg, Tanner Watson, and former major leaguers and GLC coaches Adam Stern and Chris Robinson, was incredibly proud of the way his players performed throughout the five days and their six games of the event.

“They all played great, they really did,” Orr said. “They really took advantage of an opportunity to get seen by some important people. There were some really important people here this week, and people who are going to be evaluating them, and for the most part they really took advantage of it.”

Hosted by the Blue Jays Baseball Academy and named for tournament commissioner Roberto Alomar – who presented each player with an autographed Alomar bat during a tour of the Blue Jays clubhouse when their run at the event came to an end – the fourth-annual showcase was an even bigger success than in previous years.

“It was great,” Tournament Operations Manager TJ Burton said. “The competition was better than ever. All the teams competed. I don’t think there was one team that was far and away better than everybody else. The Ontario team and the BC team were the two best teams, and they faced in the finals so it was a great tournament all around and the kids did a great job.”

Black middle infielder Hall – also Canada’s top high school prospect heading into next year’s draft – was named the MVP of the event after impressing in all of his six games. The Bermuda-born native of London, Ont., went 8-for-18 with a triple, three walks, eight stolen bases, seven runs scored and six driven in.

“Obviously that’s pretty special,” Hall said. “I’m going to have to give [last year’s winner and Hall’s former Team Canada teammate Carson] Perkins a tease, saying that I’m following in the footsteps of a great pitcher. But it’s pretty special to be able to do that in your last year, as well as to win the tournament.”

Though he didn’t display every tool he was hoping to showcase, Hall was happy with the way his four-year run at Tournament 12 ended, with his best experiences at the event bookending his four chances to perform on the big-league stage at Rogers Centre.

“I would have liked to show a little more power,” Team Canada’s shortstop said. “I thought I was going to have a little more difficulty hitting, just because when people start to get to know who you are and your name is out there, it’s the same as in MLB. You’re going to face tougher pitching, and they’re going to pitch you harder, especially with the 1-1 count…But it went how I would have liked it to go.

“It’s a nice finish to T12 for me. It’s definitely nice to make it to the finals for once, and then to get the championship. I would say my first year went really well, the second and third years were kind of not bad, and coming this year it was similar to the first one. So it’s nice to start it off and finish it well.”

Great Lake right-hander Griffin Hassall got the start for Ontario in the final and the 16-year-old hurler allowed just one hit and struck out three in his two innings of work. Southpaw Adam Tulloch, also 16, followed out of the bullpen and gave up three unearned runs on one hit with two walks, fanning one Orange batter.

A third 2018 draft prospect, 6-foot-7, 215-pound Ben Abram was most impressive in his outing on the Black side. The right-handed Canadian Junior National Team hurler allowed one hit and struck out five over three innings, using just 17 pitches to do so and throwing only strikes, also notching the championship win.

“Ben Abram really impressed me with his pitching in the last game,” Hall said. “I thought that was really impressive. He pitched really well and that’s nice to see for the junior team as well. I was very impressed with that. He was locating everything, that was good. I’m glad I didn’t have to face him.”

Abram shared a similar sentiment to that of his Team Canada teammate.

“No matter what team I’m on, anytime Adam Hall is on my team he impresses me,” the tall righty said. “I have seen him at his best and at his worst, but I have seen some amazing plays. He’s made some amazing plays for me. He always seems to find a way on base. I love having him on my team.”

In his first chance to check out what the tournament had to offer, after playing professionally for his last 16 seasons, Orr was excited at what the future holds for Canadian baseball, noting a few major standouts from his team throughout the event.

“[Ontario Blue Jays catcher and Canada’s top 2018 prospect Noah] Naylor behind the plate was real impressive, he really was,” Orr said. “And of course Adam Hall, but there were other guys too. I thought some guys had great at bats, Leo in the last game had some great at-bats, and [Ontario Blue Jays outfielder Rashad] Collymore had some great at-bats in the last couple of games.

“[GLC outfielder] Lucas Parente had a great tournament. Anytime you hit with a 1-1 count, it’s hard to think you’re doing well. But for me watching someone and trying to evaluate him, all his swings were great and he played amazing defence in centre field, so Parente stuck out for me as well.”

The country’s top prospects drew an even bigger crowd of professional scouts and college recruiters than ever before, with the tournament consistently growing in that department each year.

“It was huge this year,” Burton said of the evaluating turnout. “We doubled in schools for sure, and there were a lot of pro scouts given that we had guys like Adam Hall and Noah Naylor playing here, but that’s what builds the tournament. That’s what makes the tournament and that’s why we do the tournament, is so the kids can have an opportunity to be seen. So the more schools and scouts we can get here the better.”

The championship victory was just the icing on the cake at the end of a successful tournament for all of the players invited to attend.

“You have to understand what the big picture is,” Orr said of balancing the showcase with the competition. “When you’re an athlete, as these kids will learn, that’s what you always try to understand every time you step out on the field – the big picture. And the big picture of this is for them to be seen. Of course it’s great to win, but this is a showcase. It’s more about them having an opportunity to be seen, but at the same time it’s fun to win, and winning is something you can learn from.”

Ontario Black used CPBL players to win T12 semi-final

Before Tournament 12’s championship game on Monday night, two semi-final matchups were played to determine who would head into the final. BC Orange took down Atlantic Maroon 2-1 to secure their spot just before Ontario Black – a squad featuring 17 Canadian Premier Baseball League players and two coaches from the circuit – defeated Quebec Blue 5-1 to stay alive.

The Toronto Blue Jays-hosted showcase event brought more than 160 of Canada’s top draft and college-eligible players to the big-league stage, beginning on Thursday with a combine for upwards of 60 professional scouts and college coaches and finishing with the championship, after 18 games and five days. Players from the CPBL’s Great Lake Canadians, Ontario Nationals, Ontario Blue Jays and Toronto Mets programs took part.

Ontario Black was paced by Great Lake outfielder Lucas Parente in the semi-final, who had two RBI-triples, one scoring the first run of the game and the other sparking a four-run fifth-inning rally to ensure that the fourth edition of Tournament 12 would see another new province as its winner. He added an impressive inning-ending catch in the fourth inning to help stave off Quebec.

“We were saying it all game, he’s been hitting the ball really hard,” Black coach Chris Begg said. “We’ve been watching him make great plays in centre field, he’s getting good reads off the bat right away, and we’ve been impressed with him. This tournament is the first time I’ve seen him and I really like him. He’s a gamer. He’s not a big guy, but you can see the power he shows, he hits the ball hard, and he runs well.”

Canadian Junior National Team members Adam Hall, also a shortstop for the GLC program, and Noah Naylor, an Ontario Blue Jays catcher – currently the country’s top high school draft prospects for the 2017 and 2018 classes, respectively – each drove in a run in the matchup, with third baseman and Toronto Mets infielder Daniel Carinci adding an RBI of his own. After pinch-hitting in the top of the fifth, right fielder Antonio Cruz made an incredible diving catch in the bottom half of the frame to strand the bases loaded and keep the game where it was.

“We have some good leaders on this team, with the guys playing on the [Canadian Junior] National Team,” Begg said. “Then defensively this game we tightened up from our other games. Cruz made an unbelievable play in right field, that was huge, that was the turnaround play of the game right there. If that ball gets by him, it scores a couple of runs and then this is a one or two-run game.”

“Our guys on the mound have looked good, we’ve got guys who have good arms and have been able to throw strikes. With Noah behind the plate, he gives us some stability and shuts down the running game, so we’re pretty balanced all around.”

OBJ Right-hander Noah Skirrow got the start for the Black team, and after throwing four scoreless innings in its first game on Friday he threw four frames Monday, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. GLC righties Tyler Whalen and Mitchell Stemerdink combined for the final three scoreless innings.

T12 experience comes to an end for several CPBL players

After three days of games at Tournament 12, only one squad from Ontario remains, with 17 players and two coaches from the Canadian Premier Baseball League’s Great Lake Canadians, Ontario Blue Jays, Ontario Nationals and Toronto Mets programs left to fight for a spot in the championship.

Ontario Black made it into the semi-final round with big wins against Ontario Green, Alberta Red, and Quebec Blue, handed their only loss on a walkoff wild pitch against the tournament-leading BC Orange squad. Black will take on the team from Quebec once again Monday afternoon, with the winner heading into the final.

Against the Blue squad the first time around in Sunday’s first matchup of the day, Ontario Black held Quebec to just two hits in a 10-3 victory, using a six-run seventh inning to keep them alive in the fourth-annual tournament hosted by the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Great Lake Canadians outfielder Tyrell Hebert led the hitters, going 2-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, and two RBI, while his Black teammates Antonio Cruz and first baseman Kyle Bryan each drove in two runs of their own.

Toronto Mets right-hander Hayden Malenfant got the start for Ontario and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He was relieved by fellow right-hander Cameron Dyck, who shut Quebec out for three frames, walking two and fanning four.

“Our team is an exciting team to watch,” said Black and Great Lake Canadians coach Adam Stern. “It’s a very athletic team, a very dynamic team, guys can really run. It changes how you pitch to our guys because you know they’re looking to play an aggressive game, base stealing, our defence is very agile, and it’s a fun thing.

“Guys are throwing it over the plate for our team, and that stuff really can combine for having success in a tournament like this.”

Both the Futures Navy squad and the Ontario Green team saw their tournament runs come to an end on Sunday, Navy notching only three hits in a 5-2 loss to Atlantic Maroon and Green with an 8-1 win over BC Orange that wasn’t enough to keep the squad alive.

Three different players recorded knocks for the Futures team, all a part of CPBL programs. Heading into the Ontario Blue Jays program from the Mississauga North Tigers, 15-year-old infielder Tyrell Schofield-Sam singled in the second, before 16-year-old GLC infielder Cameron Sanderson added a single of his own in the fourth. Great Lake catcher Ian Jordan doubled and scored in the seventh.

15-year-old Canadians hurler Ryan Douglas took the mound in the fourth and allowed one unearned run on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts before the event came to an end for the squad in the second-last matchup of the day.

Sunday’s final game saw Ontario Green find the offence it needed just a little too late in the tournament, with four-time Tournament 12 participant Cooper Davis providing a spark from the top of the lineup that wasn’t enough.

“Every day he brings energy, excitement, and if he swings the bat like he did [Sunday], definitely plus offensive tools,” said Mike Steed, coaching Davis with both Ontario Green and the OBJ program. “He has a ton of energy at the top of the lineup and for me personally, that’s what every guy is looking for. Then he does what he does in centre field and he makes it easy on the pitchers when he can go run down balls left and right.”

On Sunday, Davis led his team in the contest with a single, a double, a walk, two stolen bases, two runs scored, and he drove in a run. He also showed game-changing speed in centre field, chasing down balls that looked like definite extra bases for the opposition. Green designated hitter and GLC outfielder Jameson Hart went 2-for-2 with two RBI in the win for Ontario, and the squad used five CPBL pitchers to keep BC’s offence at bay.

“It’s been amazing,” Davis said of the T12 experience. “It’s crazy looking back and thinking that I was 14 years old when I was first here. Everything [tournament commissioner] Robbie Alomar has done for me and everybody at Tournament 12 has been amazing.

“For a guy to come back and give to a community like that, and set up an event that really gives us Canadian players a…head start is special. I got to see it when I was 14, before anybody else could. So for me and Adam [Hall, the second of just two four-year participants], it was huge for us, as we were getting into the scouting world.”

Currently one of Canada’s top high school prospects heading into next year’s draft, and with plenty of showcase experience, and lots of eyes on him with the OBJ program and Canadian Junior National Team, the Vanderbilt University commit couldn’t be more grateful for what Tournament 12 offers to all of its participants.

“It’s different than playing in a big showcase or a world tournament,” Davis said. “The worlds were amazing, but then you get to come here and say, Mike Trout played centre field here, or David Ortiz stood in that same box a week ago. It’s so cool to be able to play in the exact same spot as major leaguers do.”

Cooper Davis electric in his fourth Tournament 12 appearance

TORONTO – Cooper Davis knows better than almost anyone just what the Tournament 12 experience can provide.

Back for his fourth year in the showcase’s fourth year of existence, the 17-year-old Ontario Blue Jays outfielder finished his final T12 run on Sunday with the Ontario Green team, and he couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities he’s had at Rogers Centre.

“It’s been amazing,” he said. “It’s crazy looking back and thinking that I was 14 years old when I was first here. Everything [tournament commissioner and Hall of Fame second baseman] Robbie Alomar has done for me and everybody at Tournament 12 has been amazing.

“For a guy to come back and give to a community like that, and set up an event that really gives us Canadian players a jump at what Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report are doing [on the showcase circuit] is special. It really gives us a head start, because we get to see what it’s about.

“I got to see it when I was 14, before anybody else could. So for me and Adam [Hall, the second of only two four-year participants], it was huge for us, as we were getting into the scouting world.”

Now graduated from Tournament 12, Davis ranks his playing time at Rogers Centre right up at the top of his list of great baseball experiences, alongside his trip to showcase his skills at the home of the Boston Red Sox.

“I got to play at Fenway Park too and that was pretty cool,” he said. “When I was playing at Fenway, they had tours going on and when I was in the outfield, I could hear from the mics they were using, so I know everything about Fenway now. Basically, if baseball doesn’t work out I’m going to be running tours at Fenway.

“So those two experiences have been the best. It’s different than playing in a big showcase or a world tournament. The worlds were amazing, but then you get to come here and say, Mike Trout played centre field here, or David Ortiz stood in that same box a week ago. It’s so cool to be able to play in the exact same spot as major leaguers do.”

Finally entering his draft year after multiple seasons of showcases, tours with the Ontario Blue Jays and trips with the Canadian Junior National team, the Vanderbilt University commit is excited for what the future has in store, and knows that he can use the same tools that have provided excitement throughout his high school years as he forges forward.

“I try to bring as much electricity as I can,” Davis said. “That’s what I’ve really learned, working with guys like [former Blue Jays outfielders] Lloyd Moseby and Devon White here at T12, asking them how they do it every day.

“When you’re Canadian and up here you play twice a week, it’s easy to come out every single day with tons of energy because you’re only playing twice a week, but to learn how to do it for 162 games a year, I’ve definitely been picking their brain about that, but the biggest thing I need to bring is my electricity.”

In his squad’s final game of the tournament on Sunday, Davis led his team in the contest with a single, a double, a walk, two stolen bases, two runs scored, and he drove in a run. He also showed game-changing speed in centre field, chasing down balls that looked like definite extra bases for the opposition.

“Every day he brings energy, excitement, and if he swings the bat like he did [Sunday], definitely plus offensive tools,” said Mike Steed, coaching Davis with both Ontario Green and the OBJ program. “He has a ton of energy at the top of the lineup and for me personally, that’s what every guy is looking for. Then he does what he does in centre field and he makes it easy on the pitchers when he can go run down balls left and right.”

Steed has seen firsthand just how much progress Davis has made since his first venture at the inaugural Tournament 12, taking the field at just 14 years old with players four years older than he was, and the coach is looking forward to watching more of the same as his player continues his career.

“He’s grown tremendously,” Steed said. “He’s grown more so as a person, maturity-wise he’s just grown up. The game has always been there for him athletically, but now that he’s maturing and figuring out the mental part of it, he understands it. And his preparation, you can see him, he slows the game down. Everybody says to do that but if you watch him, he actually does it.”

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.

Adam Hall brings maturity and intensity into his draft year

TORONTO – Adam Hall is not the player he once was.

The Great Lake Canadians infielder is back at Tournament 12 for his fourth time in the event’s fourth year of existence. But throughout the months that have passed since Hall was originally selected to participate as a 14-year-old, he has a newfound maturity that has helped him to continue his growth in the game.

It was bound to happen as the Bermuda-born native of London, Ont., got a little older and a little wiser, and spent more time on the field than ever before, but the results are still nice to see for the player expected to be at the top of the country’s draft class next June.

“There’s some on-field maturity he’s been going through,” said Adam Stern, Hall’s coach with both Ontario Black and the GLC program. “When you come here [to T12] early, there are no expectations; a little bit less pressure on yourself. The good ones find that when it’s your time and your year, and you can play with that pressure still, that makes you special.

“Some guys can’t deal with that and they try too hard and they don’t let the game come to them. Out here, he’s just playing baseball. He’s not concerned about anything else. He just wants to play baseball, and that’s a really special thing, because sometimes you get caught up in everything else, especially for the kids in their draft year.”

In addition to adding size and strength over the last four years, Hall feels as though he’s learned a lot about the game and has gained a better understanding of what to expect and how to make adjustments throughout.

“Obviously the physical maturity levels are up higher,” the shortstop said. “I’ve become a smarter player, knowing myself better and knowing how to control my emotions a little bit better as well, knowing what a pitcher is going to do to me a little bit more.

“I remember my first year I was coming here to T12 and I was facing 82 and I had to try to catch up to that, and now I’ve got to sit back, so that’s helpful. Sometimes it’s not good, but it’s part of being a well-rounded, more adjusted player too.”

Criticized for showing visible frustration out on the field, and becoming emotional when things aren’t going well, Hall believes that he is much better than he used to be in that department. The 17-year-old also knows that he may be occasionally misunderstood, and that being invested isn’t necessarily negative.

“I’ve grown a lot with controlling my emotions,” Hall said. “My intensity and my emotions are a good thing not a bad thing. Some people are going to say you can’t get mad out there, but that’s caring and I care about the game, so I’ve found a pretty good balance right now. There are still times that I need to bring it back a little bit, but it’s better to have to bring it back then to have to try to get it there.”

Taking each and every game very seriously, Hall knows that his intensity can be misinterpreted. He is often told that he doesn’t look like he is enjoying himself, but there’s nothing he loves more than playing the game.

“There are lots of people who don’t think that I’m having fun when I play because I’m so serious about it,” he said. “But there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s a great quality that I have, with my competitiveness. I may not be smiling out there, but I am having fun. It’s the competitiveness that I like and the way that I play the game is serious and always intense, so that’s just me. That’s how I play.”

There are a few traits – including the lack of smiling – that haven’t changed much for Hall over the years, consistently bringing his intensity and competitive nature to whatever team he is playing for and improving the level of play.

“He hates to lose, that’s the biggest thing you have to understand about Adam,” Stern said. “The best way I can put it is that he puts his hard hat on, goes to work, has an approach, but plays with a level of intensity, and I believe he brings the others around him with him.

“Obviously that’s what he wants to do. He wants to win the game and he hates to lose. 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.”

Added Hall: “I always bring intensity with me. That’s my main thing I always bring, that intensity. I never want to lose at all. Even out here in these games, I know it’s a tournament but it’s really a showcase. I find myself in these games getting into the game quite a bit.”

CPBL players lead the way on Tournament 12’s opening day

TORONTO – With four teams shut out of their respective matchups and plenty of early success on the mound, the first day of games at the fourth-annual Tournament 12 was highlighted by the arms featured on Friday at Rogers Centre, with multiple Canadian Premier Baseball League hurlers at the forefront.

“Pitching right now is ahead of these hitters,” said former Blue Jay Duane Ward, an alumni coach at every T12 event. “A lot of these hitters haven’t seen somebody like [Ontario Green’s] Landon Leach or [Ontario Black’s] Ben Abram, or some of these other kids who are throwing upper 80s and low 90s.

“Once they get to see them, the hitters will start turning up the notch a little bit to catch up to them. And I’ve seen a lot of great plays out here behind the pitchers. When you have a bunch of kids who have a lot of talent, on the same team, they’re going to make some good plays. That’s what a pitcher loves, being able to have those guys behind them.”

Leach pitched in Friday’s fourth matchup, the Toronto Mets and Team Canada hurler notching the highest velocity of the opening day of games with a 92 mile-an-hour fastball, striking out six in four innings of work. While he was certainly one of the showcase’s main attractions on the mound at the beginning of games, the teams have plenty left in the tank as the tournament continues.

“I’m looking forward to seeing more of these pitchers,” Ward said. “I know there are probably five or six more pitchers that I definitely want to see who haven’t thrown yet. They’ll probably throw [Saturday], so I’m looking forward to that. I’m please with what we’ve seen right now…I want to see these guys light up that radar gun a little bit, but also throw strikes.”

Leach matched up against Ontario Blue Jays hurler Noah Skirrow in what was the most anticipated contest of the first day, with Ontario Black hosting Ontario Green, a game that saw Skirrow’s Black squad come away with a 4-1 victory. The 18-year-old OBJ righty threw four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, walking three and striking out seven to keep his team in the matchup.

Great Lake Canadians middle infielder and Ontario Blue Jays outfielder Cooper Davis saw their first game action in the same affair, on opposing teams for the first time as the only players to participate in all four years of Tournament 12. For Black, Hall singled, was hit by a pitch, drove in a run, scored a run and stole three bases for his squad on Friday, while Davis notched the only hit his Green team got off of Skirrow.

“The guys played great,” said former big leaguer and OBJ infielder Pete Orr, coaching on the Black staff. “I thought [16-year-old OBJ catcher Noah] Naylor behind the plate had a great day catching, blocking balls, and making some throws. Obviously the way the guys ran the bases was nice to see, and of course a couple guys stand out but there’s a lot more opportunity for other guys to show the people here what they can do.”

Never having had opportunities like the current players are experiencing at Tournament 12, Orr signing as a free agent in 1999 with the Braves organization and playing pro ball for 16 seasons before taking on this coaching opportunity, the native of Newmarket, Ont., is excited about what it means for young Canadians, and how it can help continue the progression of the game north of the border.

“This is great,” Orr said. “Any time a player at any level gets an opportunity to make an impression on people who make important decisions, it’s a great thing. If you’re in high school and you get to play in Rogers Centre, that would be pretty neat on its own. I hope the guys appreciate that, the players.

“At the same time you’re playing in front of all these scouts, college recruiters, and it’s just an opportunity. If you’re not on the radar already, put yourself on the radar. If you are, just either confirm the positive things they say or change their minds if someone has seen you in the summer and you didn’t have a great game. You have an opportunity here to change people’s minds.”

The Futures Navy squad led by a majority of CPBL players had two games on the first day of action, the first a pitching duel and the second with an offensive outburst, both finishing without a winner. Against the defending champion Prairies Purple team, they ended in a scoreless tie after seven innings and a game-changing injury.

The Futures team, featuring players who will be eligible for the draft in 2018 and 2019, looked as though it would take a lead in the top of the sixth when, with a runner on first, 16-year-old GLC catcher Ryan Faragher sent a two-out hit to the wall in left field for extra bases.

“I’m watching the ball thinking [the runner] is going to score,” said Nigel Wilson, former big-league outfielder and coach on the Navy squad. “I’m watching the runner telling him to go ahead, and then I’m trying to pick up the guy who hit the ball at second base. I’m looking and looking and I thought he fell in between and I thought, where is he? I look at home plate and he’s rolling around and I thought, oh no.”

Faragher went down almost immediately after making contact, having trouble with his knee and eventually limping off the field and heading to the hospital. The runner came around on the play, but his run was disqualified when the out was made before the injured native of London, Ont., could reach base.

“I don’t think he rotated on his back foot,” Wilson said. “It was his back side, and I don’t know 100 per cent but I think his upper body rotated and his lower half didn’t. So it was his knee and he’s heading to the hospital and I hope he’s fine. He walked out of here, which was a good sign.”

Futures pitchers Eric Cerantola, Carter Seabrooke and Noah Paterson combined for the shutout on the Navy side, with Carson Campbell, Tanner Bercier and Brody Frerichs no-hitting the younger team through 6 1/3 innings, eventually allowing just one base knock.

“The pitching was good,” Wilson said. “Our starter [Cerantola] was good. He did well. The younger guys, and it’s not only them, but they’ve got to get used to the 1-1 counts [that every player begins their plate appearance with]. These are going up thinking no balls, no strikes, and they’ve got to be more aggressive at the plate. It just takes a little bit to get used to…

“We are underdogs, and I thought we played well. We played good defence…Guys just need to be a little more aggressive at the plate. You want to try to show what you’ve got, so at least swing.”

The final game of the day between Navy and Quebec Blue ended with an 8-8 finish after their seven innings of play.

Quebec took an early lead, scoring once in each of the first and third frames, before its younger counterpart put up an eight-spot in the fourth inning, thanks to five hits, four walks, and two wild pitches. Chipping away for two runs in the fifth, the Blue squad added four in the sixth to knot the game.

The event hosted by the Blue Jays features more than 160 of the country’s top draft and college-eligible players, competing on the major league field for more professional scouts and college coaches than at any showcase in the nation. Tournament 12 is named for its commissioner, Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar, who is joined by fellow alumni coaches Ward, his father Sandy, Mario Diaz, Lloyd Moseby, Tanyon Sturtze, Devon White, George Bell, and Carlos Delgado, all supporting the development of Canadian baseball.