Ontario Insider: Leach and Hall Get Call In 2nd Round Of MLB Draft
June 13, 2017
By Chris Kemlo and PBR Staff
Ontario Scouting Director
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Ontario Insider: Leach and Hall Get Call In 2nd Round Of MLB Draft
The MLB draft is the most unpredictable draft in all of the four major sports. With so many mock drafts, signability questions with school commitments, and a cap on the spending money for each team, so many things can happen on draft day it can make for a rollercoaster of events for teams and players involved.
Canada has produced some high draft picks over the recent years, with most of them being representatives of Ontario. On Monday night, day 1 of the 2017 MLB draft, right-hander Landon Leach and shortstop Adam Hall continued that trend as both were selected in the second round.
Leach was the first pick of the second round, going 37th overall to the Minnesota Twins while the Baltimore Orioles grabbed Hall with the 60th overall pick. Each have had very different paths to get to where they are today, and both are expected to sign with their new clubs and begin their professional careers this summer.
Leach, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound flame thrower who is committed to Texas, was a catcher transformed into a pitcher in his sophomore year at the 16u level. Hall, born in Bermuda, has been a high profile player since he was a 14 years old and been a coveted prospect for the last few years. He is committed to Texas A&M and carries an assortment of tools as he is a plus runner with bat speed while playing a premium position in shortstop.
The word in the baseball world was that both players could be picked between the 2nd - 3rd rounds and that Leach was going to be a tough get with those that had later picks in the second. Minnesota didn’t wait long as they had numerous looks at Leach this spring and was well represented at the ProCase with 3 scouts in attendance. They brought in some heat for the pro-day with Canadian legend and my former boss with the MLB Scouting bureau Walt Burrows, along with scouting supervisor Billy Corrigan and National Crosschecker Tim O’Neil. Leach obviously impressed as he is the third high school pitcher from Ontario they’ve taken in the last two years as Jordan Balazovic and Matt Jones were selected and signed in 2016.
Hall was linked to multiple teams, and rumors had a him on many draft boards late second and early third rounds. With his proven track record versus professional pitchers from his Team Canada trips, Hall had done everything he could to prove his position. He regularly led the Junior National Team in average and stolen bases while showing range and arm strength from short. A fierce competitor, Hall plays with the grit and toughness you like to see with somewhat of an old school demeanor, definitely a more polished IQ of understanding the game and thinking at a quicker and higher level than most.
Two dreams came true for a couple Ontario high school players Monday night, and many more wish to be in the same position over the next two days as the MLB draft continues today with rounds 3-10 and wraps up Wednesday with rounds 11-40.
