Elliott: Mendham top-ranked Canadian on PG's JUCO prospect list
Ontario Nationals alum David Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.) is the top Canadian on Perfect Game’s list of their top 500 JUCO prospects. Photo: Connor State Athletics
January 29, 2020
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
David Mendham left home in the autumn of 2017 ready to play fall ball for the Indian River Pioneers in Florida.
It wasn’t a good fit. So, Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.) came home at Christmas, like may athletes do ... and stayed here as many ball players do, hence missing the spring season of 2018.
Yet Mendham didn’t come home and sulk. He worked even harder and again headed off to school -- this time to play for the Connors State Cowboys in the fall of 2019.
Mendham played for the Ontario Nationals starting at age 15 for coaches Shawn Gillespie, Doug McKay, Mike Zuk, John Fountain and his father Dan Mendham, who used to scout Canada for the Major League Scouting Bureau. David also played senior with Al Gates’ Lakeside Lizards when he was 14-16 years old and prior to heading off to Connors played for the Brantford Red Sox in the Intercounty League.
What a season he had last spring earning Canadian Baseball Network Third Team honours for 2019. He had 17 doubles, a triple, 14 homers and 85 RBIs, while batting .422. Mendham led all Canucks in average -- 24 points higher than OF Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, NS) of Western Kentucky -- and hits, six more than Sanford. He was second in RBIs six back of 3B JT Patterson (Calgary, Alta.) of Bellevue, who hit 24 homers to make the First Team.
Mendham’s 1.228 OPS was second to 3B Matt Coutney (Edmonton, Alta.), who checked in with a 1.289 OPS. Coutney earned Second Team honours.
No less than nine Canadian players are ranked on Perfect Game’s top 500 JUCO list, compiled by Brian Sakowski, led by Mendham at No. 55.
Perfect Game’s top 500 JUCO players for 2020
Rank Name Position Class B-T HT WT School Hometown Club Tea, Province C-Commitment
1. Connor Phillips RHP FR R-R 6-2 185 McLennan Magnolia Tex. --
55. David Mendham 3B SO L-R 6-3 200 Connors State, Dorchester Ont. Ontario Nationals/C-South Carolina
95. Jacob Kush RHP SO R-R 6-0 180 Northwest Florida State, Guelph Ont. Ontario Blue Jays/C-Missouri
109. Tristan Peters OF SO L-R 6-0 170 Chandler-Gilbert, Winkler Man. Okotoks Dawgs/C-Southern Illinois
119. Braden Babcock LHP SO L-L 6-3 225 McCook. Oshawa Ont. Oshawa Legionaires
182. Fynn Chester RHP R-SO R-R 6-2 175 Salt Lake, Victoria, BC Victoria Eagles/C-Pittsburgh
196. Remi Patry SS R-SO L-R 6-0 170 State College of Florida ABC Gatineau Que.
199. Leo Markotic 2B SO R-R 5-11 185 Jefferson College (MO) Toronto Mets Mississauga Ont.
217. William Sierra RHP SO R-R 6-1 175 Yavapai, Montreal Que. ABC/C-Washington State
278. Ayden Makarus C FR R-R 6-2 216 LSU-Eunice, Okotoks Dawgs Okotoks Alta.