Canadian Spring Training 2019
March 9, 2019
Uncommitted Prospects To Watch
While our baseball season at PBR Ontario got underway at the beginning of February, we are at last headed outdoors for live games. Seven programs from Ontario have endured 24+ plus hours in a bus across America to open up their season under the palm trees at Boombah Sports Complex in Sanford, Florida. Here’s a few players from each squad that have yet to commit and are looking to raise their stock throughout the week in the Sunshine State.
Interested in attending a PBR Ontario event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.
Ontario Nationals
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Jack Hourahine SS / 2B / Monsignor Doyle, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 59 / POS: 6
Report: Just recently, Hourahine had a good showing at the New Year Open, displaying solid actions, range and a strong arm on the infield with a position velocity of 81. At the plate, the 2021 grad showed the ability to spread the ball around the field and looked noticeably stronger at the event in February. Twitchy actions and athleticism to his game, he's a good looking 21' that we get a look at all week |
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Justin McLean C / 3B / Cameron Heights, ON / 2019Rankings StateRank: 101 / POS: 19
Report: McLean is a right-handed hitting catcher from the Class of 2019 that shows current strength, standing at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. Pop times around 2.10 for McLean, he is also versatile showing the ability to man third base as well. Starts in an open stance from the right side of the plate, has the ability to find the gaps when he finished through his swings. |
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Jamie Chopping-Lawlor C / 3B / Jacob Hespeler, ON / 2020Report: A catcher with a big, strong frame, Chopping Lawlor impressed at the Canadian College Showcase with his bat. Using the strength from his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, he displayed some power and the ability to square up the ball at the event in February from the right side. While his bat will likely carry him, the 2020 grad showed some range from third base and will see time behind the dish as well. |
Fieldhouse Pirates
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Owen Ellis OF / SS / TA Blakelock, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 4
Report: Ellis is a 2021 outfielder who showed well at the New Year Open and doesn’t have too many holes in his game. At six-feet, 180 pounds, Ellis shows a simple, smooth approach at the plate from the right side and could show some pull power when he’s done filling out. Arm works well and is a solid defender, look for him to impress this week. |
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Tyler Coakley RHP / OF / Dr. Frank J Hayden, ON / 2020Rankings StateRank: 49 / POS: 21
Report: Right-hander from the Class of 2020, Coakley meets the eye test standing at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. Throwing from a high-3/4 arm slot, the arm plays and is clean with room to add velo as he matures. He locates his fastball well and looks comfortable throwing his breaking ball. |
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William Watson RHP / 3B / David Suzuki, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 4
Report: Watson will be an arm to follow this week and until he commits. The 2021 right-hander brings a fastball in the upper-80’s with clean mechanics. He shows good feel for his curveball that has sharp break and at 6-foot-5, 195-pounds he has current strength and is still growing. One of the top 21' prospects in the country. He'll be getting the start Wednesday vs a strong ABC team from Quebec. |
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Nathaniel Ochoa SS / OF / Assumption Catholic , ON / 2022Rankings StateRank: 26 / POS: 5
Report: A shortstop from the Class of 2021, Ochoa has lots of tools including his bat that impressed at the New Year Open. From the left side, he works the field and stays inside the ball with feel for the barrel. On the infield, Ochoa has good footwork, a strong arm and the ability to hit the first baseman in the chest from many different arm slots. The body projects and is a guy schools will want to know sooner than later. |
Ontario Yankees
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Justin Groves OF / C / St. Peter's , ON / 2019Rankings StateRank: 73 / POS: 16
Report: A strong, sturdy 2019 outfielder, Groves projects well on both sides of the ball. At 5-foot-11, 190-pounds, Groves displays power from the right side of the plate with an exit velocity of 88 mph. Shows arm strength from the outfield with some carry on his throws and has good reads and routes on balls hit to him. Also sees time behind the dish, he's a solid unsigned senior who can help a ball club. |
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Justin Green RHP / -, ON / 2019Rankings StateRank: 58 / POS: 23
Report: Green is a long and lean RHP that sinks the ball and can work in his curveball with 11/5 shape that can act more as a slurve. The arm works and there is room to add strength. Intriguing and projectable arm to watch over the course of the week. |
Tri-City Giants
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Tyrone Barbosa C / RHP / St.Mary's, ON / 2020Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 8
Report: Barbosa, a catcher that shows a ton of current strength that translates to all areas of his game. The 2020 grad uses a toe tap to load and has a balanced approach from the right side, flashing power to his pull side and an exit velocity of 87. Behind the dish, Barbosa’s pop-time sits around 2.00 due to his sound mechanics and is 70 mph out the crouch. |
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Cameron Gurney SS / 2B / Pauline Johnson, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 31 / POS: 8
Report: A stocky middle infielder from the Class of 2021, Gurney shows smooth actions on both sides of the ball and still has tons of room to fill out and grow. Using a simple approach at the plate, he shows hard, line-drive contact to all fields and the power will come as he matures. Up the middle, Gurney moves well from side to side and gets the ball across the diamond at 73 mph. |
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Tyrese Bentola OF / RHP / Centennial, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 61 / POS: 10
Report: Bentola, a projectable 2021 outfielder, impressed at the plate and from the outfield at our first event of the year. At the plate, Bentola shows bat speed and hard contact from the left side and an exit velocity of 83. From the outfield, Bentola has clean actions and has whip and strength with the ball coming true out the hand. |
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Jackson Soucie LHP / PlayBall, ON / 2021Report: Soucie is a big, projectable left-hander that repeats his delivery well and is looking to carry momentum into this week from the New Year Open event. At the event, 6-foot-3, 195-pound Soucie showed clean actions on the mound, releasing the ball at a high-¾ arm slot. His velocity sat around 78-79 and he should have no issues topping that as he gets stronger. A young lefty with lots of upside. |
Toronto Mets
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Justin Carinci SS / 2B / Pickering, ON / 2020Rankings StateRank: 38 / POS: 4
Report: A quick, athletic 2020 infielder, Carinci is an all-around solid player who should impress this weekend. There’s whippy bat-speed and a quick hip twitch leading to hard-hit line-drives in the 84 EV range. He gains ground at the plate and shows the ability to drive the ball in the gaps. He moves well side-to-side in the infield and with quick hands, can play in the middle. Carinci has is a sub 7.00 runner with quick twitch actions who looks to have a big 2019, starting this week in Florida. |
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Sam Mitcham C / OF / Sinclair, ON / 2020Rankings StateRank: 50 / POS: 4
Report: Mitcham has continued to trend up and develop his game, along with his body by adding strength to his once was lean frame. The actions behind the plate play and the offensive side continues to make strides with more bat speed, balance and little wasted actions in his swing. Expect for him to look good at the plate while controlling a staff with some upper end arms this week. |
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Drew Howard RHP / SS / All Saints , ON / 2020Rankings StateRank: 9 / POS: 2
Report: Howard is a 5-foot-10, 155-pound right-hander who looks to make noise in Florida. A bulldog on the mound, Howard comes after hitters with a mid-upper 80’s fastball, while mixing in a downer curveball. His curveball is his go-to secondary-offering, and will record swings and misses with it. With added strength, Howard could continue to add ticks to his fastball and be an impactful arm at the next level. Expect for him to look good off the mound while also showing his athleticism at shortstop. |
Mississauga Tigers
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Ricardo Reyes SS / 2B / St. Jean de Brebeuf , ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 48 / POS: 10
Report: A 5-foot-9, 135-pound infielder, Reyes is our 48th ranked player in the 2021 class. At the plate, he displays bat speed with a clean path through the ball, getting set earlier and getting on plane before the point of contact will be crucial. The actions in the infield need refining, but their’s some arm quickness across the field. Reyes will be a good watch on the Tigers this weekend. |
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James Markham RHP / 3B / Our Lady of Mount Carmel, ON / 2021Rankings StateRank: 55 / POS: 15
Report: A 6-foot-2, 165-pound right-hander, Markham is an interesting arm on the Tigers roster. There’s some room to get stronger and more athletic in the future, and we look forward to Markham’s debut this week. He was high 70's with his heater a year ago, and can easily see him being a low 80's guy this week. |