May 10, 2024

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

DORCHESTER _ The Canadian Premier Baseball League Showcase got underway Thursday at beautiful Royal Field and its neighbour Field of Dreams.

Pitchers shook out the rust and hitters got rid of the winter cobwebs — none so quicker than Ontario Astros OF Ryan Yankowich (who you’ll read about below).

There was also no “rust” or “winter cobwebs” for the ABC 17U team who won both of their games on Day 1, beating the Great Lake Canadians 18U squad 12-1 and the Ontario Blue Jays ECK 17U team 6-2.

We talked to some of the high schoolers …

RHP Luke Glenn.

Hometown: Queensville, Ont.

Current Team: Toronto Mets.

Previous teams: Team Ontario Astros, Newmarket Hawks.

Committed: Niagara University.

Who is the most influential people in your baseball life and why? “Mike Forrester, my first coach. He cared so much about our team winning. He made it all about the team. We were such good friends, most of us were together from age 7-to-14. And my father Tim Glenn, who pitched for the Kitchener Panthers before he tore his UCL.”

Greatest day on the ball field? “On my 16th birthday I was with the Mets 16U, I hit a home run against the Toronto Titans at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora, a knee-high fastball, I pulled to left field. It was the same day I got my driver’s license. I drove to the park and hit my only home run. It was a good day.”

Favourite player and why? “Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros. He is headed to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He’s a right-hander an he’s still doing it (at age 41). He gets stronger as the game goes on ... I usually find my gear in the fifth inning. That’s when I’ve had my best velocity (90-91 MPH). Usually I am clocked at 88.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want to have when you grow up? “Maybe a marketing business, my dad does third-party sales/marketing.”

The most important life lesson you’ve learned playing ball? “Focus on what you can control. Do what you can do. You can’t control a bad hop, bad weather or a bad outcome.”

What four people would you like to invite for special dinner (living or passed away) and why? “Mike Tyson, who always had a killer mindset, Nolan Ryan, who is a Hall of Famer and probably the greatest pitcher of all time, Tiger Woods for in his prime he was unbeatable as a professional and Beyonce ... I’ve always had a crush on her.”

LHP Braxton Mathews.

Hometown: Kitchener, Ont.

Current Team: Ontario Nationals.

Previous teams: Kitchener Panthers.

Committed: Frontier Community College.

Who is the most influential people in your baseball life and why? My Mom (Connie), who works for the Region of Waterloo looking after the drinking water and my dad Kurt, who passed a year ago when I was 17. They started me young with baseball and were always there for me. Mom played softball and dad competed in cross country -- third in high school -- and the 100-metre sprints.”

Who is the most influential people in your baseball life besides your parents and why? “Coach Brian Bishop. He taught me a lot of things about the game. He became a father figure to me.”

Greatest day on the ball field? “Last year in Mississauga we beat the Ontario Blue Jays and for the final out I struck out (first-round pick) Myles Naylor on a high fastball, the ninth pitch of the at-bat for the final out. And last fall pitching for Team Elite in Jupiter against the Canes New York Mets Scout Team I pitched 2 1/3 innings. I came in with the bases loaded and got out of the jam on two pitches and gave up one earned run. I struck out P.J. Morlando who is supposed to be a high draft (rated 37th overall by Baseball America) in July. And today was pretty good too (11 strikeouts in seven innings).”

Favourite player and why? “Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He always threw well and recorded a lot of strikeouts.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want to have when you grow up? “A police officer or maybe working at a trade -- I graduated in 2023 and I’m working construction.”

The most important life lesson you’ve learned playing ball? “Having fun, enjoy yourself. And not letting your emotions get the best of you. You have to stay in the right mental frame.”

What four people would you like to invite for special dinner (living or passed away) and why? “My Dad and my Mom. Kershaw to ask him about tunnelling his pitches. He had so much success. And Marcus Stroman, who is not a big guy, but he knows how to pitch and throws a ton of strikes. He was one of my faves when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays.”

OF Camden Sanders

Hometown: London, Ont.

Current Team: Great Lake Canadians

Previous team: London West TinCaps.

Committed: Niagara University.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “My dad (Cade Sanders). He had a special love of the game and introduced baseball to me. He was always there to throw BP (batting practice) to me.”

Who is the most influential people in your baseball life besides your family and why? “All my coaches, but especially Jamie Romak. He helped me with the mental side of the game and taught me to think about counts. We all have goals, but he taught me how to work on my speed, concentrate on extra-base hits and not strictly worry about batting average. It’s always a learning experience.”

Greatest day on the ball field? “In 2022 at the Field of Dreams park we were playing the Ontario Blue Jays and I hit a three-run walk-off homer ... a 3-2 pitch ... the seventh pitch of the at-bat.”

Favourite player and why? “Kevin Kiermaier of the Blue Jays. I like his love of the defensive game and the way he tracks a ball at the fence ... it’s cool to see.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want to have when you grow up? “Maybe physiotherapy or a sports medicine doctor with a ball club. That would be sweet.”

The most important life lesson you’ve learned playing ball? “Failure is a lesson to be learned. You have to find a way to work off the hardships.”

What four people would you like to invite for a special dinner (living or passed away) and why? “My Mom (Sarah) and Dad (Cade). The amount of time my parents spent on myself and my sisters ... I’m a one of triplets. My sisters Mara (who competed in wrestling and track, both in sprints and long distance) and Kyenna (water polo). The three of us were born two minutes apart. I’m the youngest. Plus DJ Robbins, my coach with the Tincaps. He pushed me hard. And my grade 10 teacher Ryan Thompkins. That was the COVID year. He was an excellent teacher and allowed me to do a special project on baseball.”

Ontario Astros OF Ryan Yankowich (Toronto, Ont.) got his season off to a bang.

OF Ryan Yankowich

Hometown: Toronto, Ont.

Current Team: Ontario Astros 17U.

Previous teams: East York Bulldogs, Scarborough Stingers.

Uncommitted.

Who are the most influential people in your baseball life and why? “My uncle Mark Bellamy, who is from Florida and I think played in the Kansas City Royals organization I think. He lives in Costa Rica now. But he’d come here each summer and we’d toss the ball around. And (Sportsnet’s) Jamie Campbell, who became like a second father to me. I played ball with his son Kaden at East York and both were influential in me continuing the play and have success.”

Greatest day on the ball field? “During the high school championships playing for Neil McNeil and coaches Fortunato Colangelo and Frank Gallo we were down five runs and walked off the other team. I was 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and scored the winning run. Today (Thursday) was pretty good too. Leading off I hit the first pitch left centre for a home run ... the first pitch I saw in the CPBL. And second time up I hit the third pitch I saw out to right-centre.”

Favourite player and why? “Trea Turner of the Philadelphia Phillies. I really admire his speed and the way he plays the game.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job you’d want to have when you grow up? “A pro hockey player. I got as high as double-A.”

The most important life lesson you’ve learned playing ball? “Keep going, never get down on myself.”

What four people would you like to invite for special dinner (living or passed away) and why? “My grandpa Alfred Webb, my grandmother Mary Webb, my dad Rick and my brother Tyler, who played hockey and rugby.”

Scouts in the crowd: Toronto Blue Jays (four), Cincinnati Reds (two), Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, one each.

Scores:

Toronto Mets 18U 10, Ontario Nationals 18U 2

Terriers 17U 18, Royals 17U 8

Ontario Royals 17U 13, Terriers Baseball 17U 8

Ontario Nationals 18U 11, Fieldhouse Pirates 18U 2

Great Lakes 18U 7, Toronto Mets 18U 2

Ontario Astros 17U 9, Ontario Nationals 17U 5

ABC 17U 12, Great Lake Canadians 18U 1

Ontario Nationals 17U 12, Ontario Astros 17U 8

ABC 17U 6, Ontario Blue Jays Eck 17U 2