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Team Canada Makes Statement At Future Games

The idea that Canada is becoming a country full of outstanding baseball players may be hard to comprehend for many people.

But if the Team Canada showing at the Future Games the past two years is any indication, more and more will soon become believers.

“For us, we don't really get this opportunity to play in front of all these schools in one location against top-notch talent across the country every day,” admitted Chris Kemlo, PBR Ontario Director of Scouting. “Anytime we are able to showcase our talents and have the chance to perform in front of the collection of schools and scouts in attendance, it's something the players enjoy and relish, as well as take very seriously.”

After winning a game at the Future Games for the first time a year ago when the 2017 squad finished 2-1, Team Canada made a bigger statement this time around winning all three contests against Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“It says a lot,” Kemlo said. “We know this event is about showcasing your talents and trying to get coaches to notice, but if you're losing every game and not playing good clean baseball, there is also a message in that. We always have to have a little edge to our game being Canadian. We get the stereotype jokes all summer and maybe not get the respect we deserve as a country sometimes. The record basically indicates that we can play with anyone, and there is talent to be recruited across the country, at all levels.”

Jordan Chiero, Ohio Director of Scouting, is certainly a believer.

“Team Canada really stood out to me,” explained Chiero. “To watch their maturation over the last three years is incredible, going from 0-3 (in 2016) to 3-0 (this year). Their team was loaded with arms and position guys. It really speaks to the work Chris Kemlo and George Halim do. They’re dominating up there and I don’t think this year is a fluke. With the way they’re expanding, Team Canada is going to be one of the powerhouses at this event for years to come.”

Kemlo sees a big improvement from the earlier years out of his team.

“This was our fourth year, and it was a little different based on we had players from outside of Ontario for the first time,” Kemlo explained. “With three players from Quebec and one from Alberta, the dynamic was a little different, but at the end of the day it's just baseball and the guys performed and came together as a team like they always have.

“Being called ‘Canada’ even though we were 80 percent Ontario had a little added pressure,” Kemlo continued. “But the boys stepped up and we had a little swagger with us, something that may not have been there early on in our Future Games appearances.”

And this is not just some run-of-the mill showcase.

Now completing its seventh year, the Future Games is undoubtedly one of the premier events that exists in regard to college exposure, this year drawing in 253 scouts/coaches from across the country. That is up from 247 a year ago, 150+ the previous year and 125+ the year prior.

“It's always exciting to come to Indy because you know the stands will be packed with college coaches and the competition will be top notch,” Kemlo said.

That brought plenty of excitement from the players wearing Canada across the front of their uniforms.

“I felt really good playing with ‘Canada’ on my jersey in front of multiple college and pro coaches,” said Elijah Hammill, the seventh-ranked 2021 in Ontario who goes to school at Holy Trinity SS and plays in the summer for the Ontario Terriers.

Campbell Ellis, the fifth-ranked 2020 in Ontario and a teammate of Hammill on the Terriers, concurred.

“Thank you again for the opportunity to play at the Future Games,” said Ellis, an incoming junior at Christ the King. “It was hands down one of the best experiences of my baseball career.”

Being able to win made things even sweeter.

“I am proud of our record (3-0) and that we were able to show how much we know how to play baseball and that we have the potential and talent to compete against the best youth in the United-States,” said Simon Menier, who is a member of Academy Baseball Canada.

Zach Laurie, who attends Crestview and plays in the summer for the Stouffville Yankees, feels it says something about baseball in his country.

“Going 3-0 puts Canada in a new and positive position for future baseball prospects,” said Laurie, the fourth-rated junior in Ontario.

That became obvious when Raphael Pelletier, a teammate of Menier on the Quebec summer team, was offered and accepted a baseball scholarship from TCU while competing at the Future Games..

“I came back to the hotel after the second day and my coach told me to call the TCU coach,” explained the standout catcher entering his junior year of high school. “He said I’d like to give you a scholarship and the day after I accepted.”

That is what those participating are in search of and an example of where baseball in Canada is going. Tyler Hinrikus, the 11th-ranked 2020 in Ontario who goes to school at Resurrection Catholic and plays in the summer for the Ontario Nationals, perhaps said it best.

“This event allowed me to play in front of what might be my future school.”

A PBR thank you to all that participated and a special thanks to the following players on Team Canada that gave their thoughts about the event (including what schools have been in contact with them since the event):

***** If you were on Team Canada and did not share your thoughts, feel free to email us and we will get them included within this article. *****

Tyson Gomm C / OF / Port Credit, ON / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 1 PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? I feel like the highlights at the Future Games were playing in front of so many colleges and even pro scouts and getting the opportunity to showcase myself to them. PBR: Assess your performance. I felt like I played my best throughout the three games that we played. The only thing I would say that I need to improve is my blocking and keeping the ball in front of me. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. Being part of Team Canada and playing with the best in the country was a really good experience for me. We showcased that we were one of the best teams there. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event and also on winning all three games. The competition at the event was top notch. Guys had tons of pop off the bat and no errors were ever made in the field along with the high 80s velocity coming from the pitchers. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? Playing in the Future Games helps you showcase yourself to top D-I schools so that you can play baseball in college or at a university. I also believe it makes you a better player by playing against the top players in the U.S. and playing against very good competition PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended? Since the event, I haven’t talked or heard from any college coaches.

Levi Abbott RHP / Vauxhall, AB / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 PBR: What were your Future Games highlights? It was an amazing experience. Striking out four batters in three innings while giving up one hit and getting two wins as a pitcher was my highlight. PBR: Assess your performance. With all the pressure in that situation, I think I performed really well.especially because that was my first time in an event like that. PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. I was truly honoured to represent Canada in the Future Games. The thing that stood out to me was all the scouts that were watching Team Canada in the third game. PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event and also on winning all three games. There was good competition down there, but I feel all three games we play harder, meaner than our components, and that’s why we won our three games. PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? Going to the Future Games will help me in the future because I built so many relationships with players, coaches and scouts. PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended? I’ve heard from four Division I schools from four different conferences (AAC, Big East, MAC and Big Ten) in the past three days (Aug. 5-7).