Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

2024 Ray Carter Cup: Director's Picks

August 29, 2024
Cam Black-Araujo/Josh Arce
Prep Baseball Canada

The 15U Ray Carter Cup signifies the conclusion of Baseball Canada's National Championship schedule each year and our staff was in attendance once again getting a look at the next wave of talent through the country. British Columbia took home the championship for the third straight year but there was a ton of talent on display in Laval beyond the winning roster.

This summer, our staff brought seven players from the 2023 Ray Carter Cup to the 2024 Future Games and the tournament allowed our staff to lock in on 2025 Future Games eligible prospects for 3-4 days. Below, we begin to break down everything our staff saw in Laval as we bring you scouting notes and video on 12 players who made an impact.

To view upcoming Ontario events, click here.
To view upcoming Alberta events, click here.
To view upcoming British Columbia events, click here.

‘27 RHP/SS Alekk Biasone (Quebec): Biasone immediately caught our eye with his athletic frame/movements around the diamond. In the box, he doesn’t get cheated hunting fastballs early in counts. There’s bat speed and a knack for the barrel as he was a table setter at the top of Team Quebec’s order. In the field he moves well and has range and hands that work with an accurate arm. On the mound, Biasone dominated in his start, spinning a complete game performance working 7 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, and 6 strikeouts. There’s feel for his 3-pitch mix with a fastball in the 81-83 T85 range with a 67-69 slider with downward action and a fading 76-77 change-up that induced soft contact. Good first look at Biasone who has the look of a prospect that could pop coming into his sophomore year.

‘27 RHP/C Tucker Jesson (Saskatchewan): Jesson was dominant in his quarter-final start against Ontario with a no-hit performance. He worked 7 innings allowing 0 hits, 0 runs, 3 walks while punching out 7. Jesson over-powered hitters with his fastball that held 79-81 T82 throughout his start. Jesson is still developing feel for his secondary offerings, but there is obvious size combined with a short/easy arm action that fills up the zone, making Jesson an intriguing follow going forward.

‘27 3B/RHP Mason Dubnov (British Columbia): Dubnov is one of the top 2027 prospects in British Columbia and his production, on the mound and at the dish, were both critical in the Blue Jays run to another 15U Ray Carter Cup Championship. The right-handed hitting infielder went 4-for-13 on the weekend with a triple, double, four RBI, four runs scored and two HBP, leading to a .526 OBP. Across eight innings on the mound, Dubnov didn’t allow an earned run (2 R) and had 13 punchouts to just two walks.

‘27 LHP/OF Deven Simonovic (British Columbia): Simonovic continues to impress our staff, flashing two-way potential at the Ray Carter Cup for the National Champions. Simonovic anchored the pitching staff working 10.2 innings allowing only 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, and racking up 19 strikeouts. Easy operation with a four-pitch mix for strikes with the ability to get whiffs in the zone. Offensively, Simonovic is selectively aggressive, swinging with intent on pitches in the zone. Only finished the tournament with 4 hits, but he found the barrel for hard contact throughout the week. Strong follow from British Columbia for years to come.

‘27 RHP/3B Gabe Fink (Alberta): Fink is one of the 2027 top arms in the country and was dominant across his two outings in Laval. 6-foot-1, 165-pounds right-hander with a quick-arm and especially tough on right-handed hitters. The fastball sat 81-84mph during his first outing, paired with a curveball at 73-74 and slider in the upper-70s. Across six innings, Fink didn’t surrender a run while allowing two hits, two walks and striking out 15. Showed feel for his entire arsenal and was able to generate whiffs on all three pitches. High-follow in Canada’s 2027 class and will be a fun watch throughout the remainder of his high school career.

‘28 OF/RHP Ethan Renaud (Alberta): Following in Jalen Jacob’s footsteps last summer, Renaud was the underclassmen at this year’s Ray Carter Cup who captivated you with what he can do on the field at his age. The body/frame and movements on the field grab your attention at 6-foot-2, 162-pounds and there’s arm strength that plays both in the outfield (86mph) and on the mound. The left-handed hitter isn’t overmatched against older competition and will only get better as he continues to see and become more comfortable with spin. The ball jumps off his bat with a line-drive approach and posted a peak exit velocity of 94mph at the Calgary Future Games Trials. Plenty of upside on the mound, as well, where he sat 77-80mph and allowed just one run over 3.2 innings in his start against New Brunswick. As a 2028, Renaud led Alberta in plate appearances and took home a silver medal.

‘27 3B/RHP Colton Ullyett-French (Alberta): Ullyett-French was Alberta’s aircraft carrier on offence throughout the week as he went 7-for-13 (.615) with a double, two walks and HBP. Physically-advanced for his age at 6-foot-3, 220-pounds has the ability to impact the baseball in ways not many Canadian 2027s can (102.8mph EV). On the mound, the Okotoks Dawgs product sat 81-84mph over one inning and picked up all three outs via the strikeout. Spotty command but the stuff is overpowering for his age when working in the zone. One of several high-profile players in Alberta’s loaded 2027 class.

‘27 LHP/OF Jaden Simpson (Ontario): Simpson continues to impress as one of the top 2027 prospects from Ontario with up-side on both sides of the ball. On the mound, he started the quarter-finals game for Team Ontario and he dominated, working 7 innings allowing 3 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and 13 strikeouts. After a first inning single and triple that scored the only run in the game, Simpson cruised, flashing some of the better pitchability in the class, working backwards with real feel for the CB. It wasn’t his best offensive week, but we’ve seen plenty of Simpson to know that he’ll be more than fine in the box with his twitchy swing from the left-side with a leadoff profile. Simpson is one of the more exciting 2027 in the province and will be on the scene for years to come.

‘27 RHP Mathieu Levesque (Host Quebec): Levesque turned in one of the best pitching performances of the tournament as he worked a complete-game no-hitter against the eventual champions, British Columbia. On Day Two, Levesque needed just 84 pitches over seven innings as he allowed two runs (0 ER), three walks and struck out four in the 7-2 win. Right-handed pitcher with a long, lanky frame and a fastball that sits 77-80mph with reactive ease. It’s a two-pitch mix right now with the fastball/curveball and while the breaking ball needs some development, he showed the ability to locate it.

‘27 RHP/OF Raphael Contant (Host Quebec): Contant took the mound in Host Quebec’s opener and was dominant from start to finish, allowing just one hit, one walk and 7 K’s in a complete-game shutout over Ontario. Right-handed pitcher with taller stature, feel for the zone and feel for the breaking ball with a vertical look and depth. The fastball sat 77-79mph and impressively needed just 76 pitches (56 strikes) to get through the game. Another one of several highly intriguing arms hailing from Quebec to take the mound in Laval.

‘27 RHP/OF Alex McGrath (Newfoundland): McGrath had one of the better hitting performances at the Ray Carter Cup slashing .458/.480/1.063 collecting 11 hits with 3 doubles in the middle of the Newfoundland lineup. McGrath also got a start on the mound working 5 innings allowing 2 hits, 0 runs, 6 walks, and 2 strikeouts. One of the top two-way talents from the east coast, McGrath continues to impress on both sides of the ball.

‘27 LHP Josh Mills (Alberta): Mills arguably was arguably the most dominant pitcher at the Ray Carter Cup as his strikeout-to-walk numbers were stunning. Over nine innings, Mills racked up 19 punchouts without allowing a walk and surrendered just four hits and one run. 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, already works with a four-pitch mix (CB/SL/SPL) and our staff has seen the fastball up to 84mph. Strike-thrower with quality stuff that allows him to get away with mistakes over the plate. Mills has closed out the year with plenty of momentum and it’ll be fun to where his stuff is at following winter training and development.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
2024 Barrie Baycats Scout Day ON 09/10 Vintage Throne Stadium
2024 Ontario Yankees Scout Day ON 09/13 The Competitive Edge
2024 Bullettproof Scout Day ON 09/15 Welland Sports Complex
2024 Whitby Canadians Scout Day ON 09/22 Iroquois Park Sports Centre
2024 London Badgers Scout Day ON 09/23 Dan Pulham Field
2024 Aurora-King Jays Scout Day ON 09/24 Stewart Burnett Park
2024 Bearcats Scout Day ON 09/25 Bechtel Park
2024 Toronto Fall Open ID - Session 1 ON 09/30 Connorvale Park
2024 Toronto Fall Open ID - Session 2 ON 10/01 Connorvale Park

RECENT NEWS