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Rankings - Updated 2021 BC Rankings

November 27, 2020
Jordan Broatch
BC Director of Scouting

BC Insider: Class of 2021 Player Rankings 

The updated 2021 Rankings are here. Thankfully, we were able to get a healthy look this fall and have been able to follow the players’ development through multiple social media platforms and communication with coaches across this beautiful province. 

As always, there are lots of re-classifications, and with the year 2020 has produced, we’ve seen more 20’s hanging back and turn into 21’s, and so on. We anticipate more to re-classify and will do our best to update the rankings as the landscape alters. 

Although this has been a trying year for us all, we are thrilled to bring you our updated and expanded 2021 rankings for the region of British Columbia.

THE TOP TEN

At the top of the list and maintaining his number one spot in the rankings is Micah Bucknam. The hard-throwing right-hander solidified his place back in the top ranking with a strong fall season, showing continued improvement to his stuff since his 2019 Futures Games appearance, as well as a strong Area Code outing in early August. The Washington commit looks to continue to rise in the national rankings and prove to pro scouts why he should be the first arm out of Canada to be selected in the 2021 draft. 

Bucknam consistently lived 90-93 in his outings after Area Code games and all through the fall, including a standout performance in an invite-only scrimmage in front of the Junior National team skipper Greg Hamilton. With elite command on his fastball and a sharp breaking ball, Bucknam has the stuff to be a pro arm. With the fall season over and winter upon us, Bucknam has time to add some velo to his fastball and continue to develop the feel he has for his off-speed moving forward into draft day.

Right behind Bucknam at number two is another hard-throwing right-hander Dominic Hambley. Currently one of the hardest throwing arms in the country, boasting a top fastball at 95mph and comfortably living in the 90-94 range, Hambley has shown that his arm strength will be his carrying tool for the Oregon State commit. By showing he can command his stuff consistently in 2021, he could make a case for why he should be the first Canadian off the board.

Loreto Siniscalchi rounds out the top three in 2021, sticking with the theme of hard-throwing right-handed arms. Siniscalchi is arguably the most consistent arm in the 21 class; every time you watch him pitch, he is impressive. The Washington State recruit comfortably lives 88-90 with the fastball and can flash a 91 here and there. He competes in the zone by throwing tons of strikes and has the best swing and miss pitch in the class: his changeup. 

Filling out the rest of the top ten arms are Nate Rosser at No. 7 and Cooper Crompton at No. 8. Both are right-handers with tons of upside, as they both run their fastballs up to 89 on the gun, and have quality breaking balls. Crompton, an Iowa Western commit, is 6-6, moves well down the mound, lots to dream on with the frame. Rosser, who’s uncommitted, is also built well at 6’4, has a fast arm and throws downhill. Rosser and Crompton are similar in their frames and mechanics, and both are arms that have a chance to become incredibly useful in years to come. 

The top-ranked position player in the 2021 rankings is uncommitted Jaden Lamothe. Coming in at number four in the ranking, Lamothe is arguably the best athlete in the class. A plus runner at a 6.5 60, Lamothe shows his athleticism all over the field, as he falls into the “super-utility” category of players. Jaden catches, picks it on the infield, and runs it down in the outfield. It’s tough to tell where he may end up position-wise at the next level, but regardless, his bat will keep him in the lineup. Lamothe has one of the best right-handed swings in the class, has power potential and catches barrels to all fields in-game. One of Canada’s most intriguing prospects, Lamothe will be a good follow to see how far his tools will take him.

Right behind Lamothe at No. 5 is shortstop Griffin Palfrey. The best infielder in the class who is also uncommitted boasts soft hands, a strong arm, and a big-time bat in the order. Lots to love with Palfrey, as his simple, repeatable swing plays in-game. He will be an impact guy in most college lineups right away and has a chance to see some National Team action soon. 

The top power bat in 2021 belongs to the ninth-ranked Treyson Smith. The physical first baseman has real juice from the left side, with exit velocity numbers as high as 104 mph and the ability to lock down the first-base position with a good glove. Smith, who recently committed to Bossier Parish, looks to build off a good 2020 fall and has shown improvements to his game since his 2019 T12 appearance. 

Another top two-way player in the class goes to number six, Jed DeCooman. The physical outfielder has the hit tools needed, as his pure right-handed swing produces quality results in the game. The Cal State Bakersfield commit not only is one of the top bats in the class but also proves he can pitch a bit, too, running his fastball up to 88 on the gun with overall a good three-pitch mix. Projects more as a position player, but having the ability to contribute on the mound is a huge plus. 

Rounding out the top 10 is also the top catcher in the class, Jake Vrlak. With good leadership skills and the ability to control the arms he is catching and the running game, Vrlak has the makeup it takes to stay behind the dish at the next level. The bat is a bonus as well, as he has shown power to all fields and the ability to get on base. He is currently uncommitted, although it won’t be much longer until a school chomps at the bit to sign a quality player at a premier position.


 UNCOMMITTED SPOTLIGHTS

The 2021s in BC show impressive versatility, athleticism and can offer value to the right college program looking to add a piece to help win ball games.

Mario Ricci C / RHP / Notre Dame Secondary School, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 4

Report: Ricci is a solid young switch-hitting catcher who has shown the ability to handle high-calibre BC pitching behind the dish. He shows good footwork, quick hands, and a decent throwing arm. Before the COVID shutdown, we saw Ricci handle left-hander, and San Jac commit Giordano Mezzomo well, calling a good game and tacking on a solid opposite-field base hit from the left side of the plate. At the IP showcase last February, Ricci capped out with a 92 MPH exit velocity and showed consistency with his approach from both sides of the plate.

 

Kyle Dodds-Eng RHP / 1B / Hugh Boyd, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 49 / POS: 15

Report: Dodds-Eng opted to reclass to the 2021 class and will play an overage year for the North Delta Blue Jays. He will sit at around 80MPH with a change-up breaking ball mix for off-speed and throw a ton of strikes on the mound. He has some room to grow into his 6-foot-1 height at 170 pounds, and with size and some functional strength gains should see an uptick in his velocity. He classifies first as a pitcher but has some stuff with the bat as well. A sleeper on the mound with some upside. 

Brayden Mayencourt 2B / C / Fleetwood Park, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 33 / POS: 3

Report: Mayencourt is a solid catcher/middle infielder out of the Whalley Chiefs organization. He showed us some power potential at our Whalley Open ID as one of the only players who left the yard on the day. He has a smooth left-handed swing with a comfortable loft to his pull-side gap. Defensively, behind the plate, he showed some nice receiving tendencies and blocked the ball well. His POP floated between 2.00-2.1 in the showcase and recorded a 77 mph positional velocity from behind the dish. He has good footwork and hands in his ground ball work in the infield, with a clean transfer and quick delivery. Mayencourt does many things well, and with some foot-speed increases and functional strength gains, he should continue to develop into a dependable utility player. 

Noah Lefebvre C / OF / Dr Charles Best, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 40 / POS: 6

Report: Lefebvre is a reliable backstop and outfielder out of the Coquitlam Reds program. He showcased some quickness with his bat at the Whalley Open ID and solid metrics on his throws and POP times to second base. Offensively, he has a quiet load and forward motion, enabling a still head at contact and the ability to spray the ball to all fields. Lefebvre has a lot of room to grow. He has a good base of fundamentals, and with added strength, he could see himself develop into a solid nab for college programs looking for a versatile catcher/infielder. 

Jack Taylor SS / 2B / Yale Senior Secondary, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 28 / POS: 2

Report: Taylor showcased at the Abbotsford Scout Day as one of the best defensive infielders at the event. He has clean footwork and glove actions with smooth transfers and throws to the bag. He showed some athleticism throwing from multiple arm slots with ease and made his plays look routine. Offensively, he has a quiet approach with an easy load utilizing a leg kick that he can control through his forward move. He matched the plane well and showed some bat-to-ball skills that project with some additional size as a gap-to-gap hitter. Taylor would benefit significantly from some gains in the weight room and put on some weight to compliment an impressive base of fundamental and technical skill.

DO NOT SLEEP ON

The title says it all, these players have made considerable jumps to their game, and we expect them to continue this trend up the rankings as we head into the winter, a crucial time for players to make significant gains and come out loud in 2021.

Liam Bushey 3B / SS / MEI, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 12 / POS: 2

Report: Bushey’s physicality is easy to get excited about as at 6-foot-3 200-pounds, Bushey has some size to a smooth lefty swing that can only get quicker. He runs a 7.04 60-yard dash, and moves well around the corner infield spots. With age, he will likely continue to build on some size, and with the addition of some strength, he will enjoy building on his 93 MPH exit velocity. He has a smooth swing from a tall stance and moves forward well, holding onto his rear hip hinge smoothly through his swing. He shows a comfortable loft in his level swing and useful extension through the ball. Bushey is a player that coaches and scouts are excited about in the Lower Mainland and is a guy to watch as he continues to mature and develop into his body.

Trent Lenihan 3B / 1B / Earl Marriott , BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 4

Report: One of the bigger bats in his class, Lenihan reclassed from 2020 and continues to impress with his bat. He has shown loud contact and has improved his swing mechanically over the calendar year. At 6-foot-4 215-pounds, Lenihan is the author of a few impressive bombs in the past that have created a buzz around the Premier Baseball League, including one well over 400 feet in his home ballpark in White Rock, blasting it halfway up the trees in straight away CF. He has shown improvement in his defensive movements at third and first base, showcasing smooth hands, a low base and deliberate footwork. Lenihan is a big body and has shown growth and development in his on-field product and strength; any college looking for a big right-handed bat at the corner infield spots should be interested in this player who can only get better with development.

Kurisu Ueta RHP / OF / Pitt Meadows secondary, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 26 / POS: 10

Report: Ueta was one of the best two-way players that showed at our Whalley Open ID last summer. He is a physical body at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, with a clear commitment to the weight room. He moves well in the box and outfield, showing pop in his bat and running a 7.1 60-yard dash. He has extension to spare in his swing, with a smooth and rhythmic load. He showed consistent contact in his rounds with good backspin to his pull-side. On the mound, Ueta was up to 84 while sitting 81-82 for most of his bullpen. He showcased multiple pitches, including a big curveball and splitter/change-up combo. He increased his command and velocity as the bullpen went on, and it was easy to see he has the makeup as a potential college starting pitcher in the future.

Jake Vrlak C / OF / West Point Grey Academy, BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 10 / POS: 1

Report: Vrlak is widely considered the top catcher in the 2021 class. We first saw him at the 2019 BC Selects camp, where he was an underage catcher fearlessly directing traffic and taking control of the pitching staff in intersquad competition. This North Shore Twins product has noticeably committed himself to the weight room in the last calendar year and sees dividends in his swing. He is compact and quick to the ball, and last February, he topped at 96MPH in his exit velocity in batting practice rounds (90 MPH across front toss rounds). His swing is very repeatable and should project to be a line drive gap-to-gap hitter in the early stages of his collegiate career, potentially more as he develops and gains confidence. In the past, he has recorded a 7.06 60-yard time, the fastest catcher in the class to complement his athleticism. Defensively, he records a 2.00-2.1 on average in his throws to second, demonstrates easy movements and consistent actions in his receiving and blocks the ball well. There is a ton to look forward to with Vrlak in his collegiate career, and he will be able to slide into a lineup and take control of the game at any level. High baseball IQ, and high work ethic, significant

Maguire Wakelyn RHP / Yale Secondary , BC / 2021

Rankings  StateRank: 24 / POS: 9

Report: At our Abbotsford Showcase, Wakelyn was up to 85 MPH after sitting 82-84 for most of his bullpen. Wakelyn possesses a funky right-handed delivery and swagger on the mound bound to frustrate opposing teams with his impressive pitch ability. Wakelyn showcased a unique three-pitch mix, and coaches have reported that he has only recently committed himself to disciplined weight room and plyo-ball programs. At 6-foot-2 165 pounds, Wakelyn has room to fill out and grow into his frame to help add a few ticks onto his velocity on his tailing fastball. He has good tempo to his stride and will rush hitters and help them bait on his best pitch, a change-up with late drop to his arm side and a 10-15 MPH deficit. He tunnels well, with an arm-side fastball change-up combo and a breaking ball that shapes well off both. Wakelyn will continue to grow to be a highly deceptive right-hander with stuff that could project as a starter or a multiple innings swingman out of the pen. He was a lot of fun to watch at the Abbotsford showcase, and it will be interesting to see what changes he undergoes as he continues to mature and develop physically.