Name: Josiah Romeo

Hometown: Caledon, Ont.

Born: Milton, Ont.

Height/Weight: 6’ 3” 195 lbs.

Bats/Throws: R-R

Slot Money: $385,500

Scout: Matt Higginson.

Teams: Mississauga Tigers/Junior National Team.

Committed: Florida State

Coaches: Greg Byron, Greg Hamilton.

Previous Teams: Guelph Royals, Mississauga Majors, Brampton Royals.

Previous Coaches: Sean Travers, Ron Burke.

Ranking: 237th on MLB Pipeline top 250 combined list.

The most influential people in my baseball life: “(Older Tigers teammates) Taeg Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) and Lachlan Maude (Etobicoke, Ont.). Taeg is at Missouri State and two years older. Anytime I went into our facility to hit, he’d take me and showed me ways to improve my game. And last season I saw a lot of improvement. Lachlan taught me how to be a leader and battle though adversity. Our coaches (Sean Travers and Greg Byron) expected things from him. They never had to tell him anything twice. Lachlan is going to a JUCO in New Mexico.

“Ron Burke pushed me to not only become a better player but also pushed me to become a better person off the field.”

Good genes: “My mom Jennifer played softball, basketball, and volleyball growing up. When she raised me I was always watching her play sports. My dad Ainsley played cricket, basketball, volleyball and soccer.”

Best day on the ball field: “I have two ... We were in a tournament in Oklahoma. It was the last inning. We had a one-run lead. They had runners at second and third. I made a diving stop at short and stepped on the bag for the double play. Game over.

“The other one we were playing East York in the quarter finals at Flower City (in Brampton) and they had a pretty good arm going for them. We were down by two. I made a backhanded play to end one inning. In the sixth, I hit a homer to left centre. And in the seventh I had a double off the fence and that kind of opened the doors.”

What teams have shown the most interest: “Blue Jays, Padres, Twins, Rays, Mariners and Guardians.”

Private workouts for teams: “I was invited to workouts but didn’t attend because of the schedule I had.”

When scouts talk to you, whom do they say your game reminds them of? “I haven’t really had a player comp before but if I had to say someone I’d say Marcus Stroman.”

2024 season with Trenton Thunder, Draft League _ Had a 2.51 ERA in four games -- three starts -- walking one and striking out 16 in 14 1/3 innings ... Held opponents to a .218 batting average ... Facing State College Spikes in opener worked 2 1/3 innings allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

2024 spring with Junior National Team on the Pro Academy Dominican tour _ Made two starts pitching 7 2/3 innings with a 4.57 ERA allowing five runs on nine hits and one walk, while striking out five ... Threw 66/67 first-pitch strikes.

2024 Florida spring trip with Junior National Team facing first and second-year pros from Blue Jays, Pirates, Rays and Orioles organizations. _ Made two starts, including at Dunedin in front of the Jays scouts ... Combined to pitch 5 1/3 innings with a 3.94 ERA allowing three runs on four hits and five walks, as he struck out five ... Threw 56.4% strikes 57.7% first-pitch strikes.

2023 season with New Blue at Canadian Futures Showcase _ Pitched two innings allowing two runs on two hits and one walk, while striking out three.

Honours

2024 season _ First winner of the Cito Gaston scholarship recipient to get drafted … Rawlings/Perfect Game All Region First Team Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams for Canada/Puerto Rico.

Scouting report

MLB Pipeline

BATS R THROWS R

HT: 6’ 3” WT: 195

COMMITTED: Florida State

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

“The last Ontario native high school pitcher to go in the top 10 rounds of the draft was Jonah Tong, who headed to Georgia Premier Academy before the Mets took him in the seventh round in 2022. Romeo didn’t transfer to a United States high school program to get more exposure, but he did raise his profile by pitching for the Canadian junior national team and then showed off his stuff against older competition in Draft League before heading to the Combine in June.

“While nothing jumps off the page right now for the athletic 6-foot-3 right-hander, it’s easy to dream on more stuff to come for Romeo. He has a loose, quick arm that typically fires fastballs in the 90-92 mph range, and he touched 93-94 in the Draft League and in the high school game at the Combine. His heater typically features good sink. He complements it with a solid low-80s slider that has good spin and bite to it, and while his change up is a development pitch, he can show a decent one he sells with good arm speed that has some fade occasionally.

“Romeo is smart on the mound and throws strikes with all of his offerings. As he physically matures and fills out his frame, there should be more velocity and bite to his stuff. His willingness to challenge himself in the Draft League and be seen at the Combine shows where he wants to go, even if he heads to Florida State for college ball first.”