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New Faces For Team Canada - The Arms

With the official roster being released yesterday for the upcoming Junior National Team spring training in St. Petersburg beginning March 6, we take a look at the arms on the mound who will be making their first appearance for the JNT.

With a total of 17 arms on the roster who could see time on the bump, 9 of them are fresh faces. We take a look at those arms below and are excited to continue to follow them as the build up and get ready for spring training. 

William Watson RHP / 3B / David Suzuki, ON / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 2 Report: Coming off an up and down 2019, JNT rookie right hander looks to take the next step and show off the off-season growth. The 2021 Kansas State commit put on a show at the 2019 PBR ProDay, earning himself Top Pitcher honours, showcasing a high 80s fastball and a devastating split. While there were battles with inconsistency, Watson looked to figure it out by fall as he closed his outdoor 2019 season up to 92mph in a very strong inning of work on a cool September evening.A big, strong body, Watson will look to use added strength and his long levers to again catch our attention in 2020. Debuting in the red and white, Watson will need to complement his fastball with his full arsenal as he adjusts to a big jump in competition.

Caleb Clark LHP / 1B / Orillia Secondary School, ON / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 16 / POS: 3 Report: One of the more impressive pitchers at T12, Clark showed why he is a must watch 2021 left hander. He uses 3 pitches effectively all around the zone that gets hitters off balance and generates lots of swings and misses. The FB sat around 83mph, but the frame suggests we could see a spike in the spring. His slider can be devastating, from that ¾ slot he spins it well with enough deception to fool hitters in either box. Another young arm on this team, Clark will look to make an immediate impact for his new squad and show why he’s been talked about for years as one to watch.

Noah Takacs RHP / OF / Oak Bay, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 3 Report: This will be the first time Takacs is able to pull on his jersey with Canada across his chest, and rightfully so. The Sacramento State commit was always on top of his game last year with an easy, repeatable delivery and the ability to make quality pitches with his entire repertoire. It’s a three-pitch mix with the curveball being and out pitch with depth and spin at 12/6 shape. At times we would like to see it thrown harder but over time that should come. Look for Takacs to fill the zone and work up and down and to both sides of the plate. Exciting opportunity for the BC native.

Gio Mezzomo OF / LHP / Centennial, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 Report: Potential two-way player, Mezzomo really shined on the mound at T12  with a smooth, quick arm from a clean ¾ slot and made quick work of hitters with a fastball/curveball combo that was down right dirty at times. The fastball sat in the 86-88 range while his curveball had 1/7 shape with swing and miss action. There is some life in the bat as well for the left on left athlete and he should be able to contribute in many factors for the Junior National Team.

Cedric Degrandpre 1B / RHP / Academie Baseball Canada, QC / 2020 Report: The big right-hander out of Quebec can offer some two-way appeal as the 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-hander could see some at-bats come his way but will definitely see time on the mound this March for the JNT. We saw De Grandpre real good in Georgia this year at the PBR National Championships where he was 88-89 mixed with a sharp curveball and the ability to get on top and work downhill.

Vic Domingo RHP / 3B / Saint Thomas More Collegiate, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 4 Report: Domingo, a strong right-hander from British Columbia, stands at 5-foot-10, 190-pounds and dominated during his two innings of work at T12 with his fastball/curveball combination. His arm works quickly and he fills up the zone. Heavy fastball sits 87-88, topping out at 89 and had lots of swing and miss, especially when he was working up in the zone. There is feel for the curveball at 71-74 mph and hitters have difficulty seeing it out the hand. He repeats, is compact and on time, and the ball jumps and gets on hitters quickly. This will be his first appearance putting on the red and white and expect him to continue to attack hitters and trust his stuff.

Drew Howard RHP / SS / All Saints, ON / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 3 Report: Howard is a right-hander with tools and actions to play the infield, but really we see his upside on the mound with his fastball / curveball combo and ability to locate and throw strikes. The arm is quick and Howard has present wiry strength to go along with his athleticism. The curveball is a sharp 12/6 downer with late action when he is out front and on time while the fastball jumps on hitters and can work to both sides of the plate. The changeup is a pitch he’s continued to work on and if it becomes a trustworthy pitch, this Chipola commit should be one of the top starters in the province, if not the country.

Maddux Mateychuk RHP / Vauxhall Academy of Baseball, AB / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 Report: Mateychuk, a right-handed pitcher who is currently the #1 ranked prospect in Alberta’s 2020 class is an uncommitted arm with lots of upside. 6-foot-3, 220-pound, large-framed, physical build with thickness top to bottom. Current strength with room to become more muscular and become more athletic. Delivery is simplified, under control. Uses a long arm action, releases from a ¾ slot. The fastball has been up to 93 mph and early in his outing it's 90-92. He lacks the polish of secondary stuff but will flash a changeup that he appears to be more comfortable with than his curveball at this current time. Lots of people will be excited to get looks at Mateychuk early and see the progress made over the winter.

Alexis Gravel OF / LHP / Academie Baseball Canada, QC / 2021 Report: Gravel is a Quebec native and also suited up for us at the Future Games in Georgia this past August as well. He’s an athletic and talented left on left two-way player at the moment with tools at the plate and on the mound. He hasn’t really made a leap in one direction or the other to argue that he is this guy or that guy, and that’s just fine. Time is on his side and for Gravel, the ability to continue to do both at the moment may just be the best thing for him.