Gerow, Marson impress at college showcase

 * RHP Joshua Marson of the Brampton Royals was the most impressive arm on display at the Pro-Teach College showcase Saturday in Etobicoke. .....  

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By Bob Elliott So what else could be crammed into a busy January baseball weekend?

We mean besides ...

A total of 600 coaches at the third annual Blue Jays coaches clinic staged at the Rogers Centre featuring instructors like Hall of Famer Robbie Alomar, Lloyd Moseby, Homer Bush, Devon White and Duane Ward.

Another 400 at the 28th annual Best Ever coaches clinic at the InterContinental Hotel on the Airport Strip, which had Jeff Albert (hitting coordinator, Houston Astros), Derek Johnson (pitching co-ordinator, Chicago Cubs), Jody Reed (field co-ordinator, New York Yankees), Dr. Michael Gerson (mental skills coach, Seattle Mariners) Greg Moore (coach, Cal State Northridge), Tom Griffin (coach, Carson-Newman University), Travis Jewett (hitting coach, Vanderbilt University) and Greg Goff (coach, Louisiana Tech University).

And a sold-out crowd at the 13th annual Baseball Canada awards dinner and fund raiser at the Renaissance Hotel as new Blue Jays C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) was honored by having his name placed on the Baseball Canada Wall of Fame. Martin played three years with the National Junior Team, helped Canada qualify for the Athens Olympics by winning the 2003 qualifier in Panama and the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Well, how about a college showcase?

RHP Joshua Marson of the Brampton Royals was the most impressive arm on display at the Pro-Teach College showcase Saturday in Etobicoke.

Marson’s fastball was clocked at 83-95 MPH on the radar gun.

LHP Austin Gerow, who pitches for coach Denny Berni’s Etobicoke Rangers was locked at 82-84 MPH. Gerow has signed a Letter of Intent to attend the University of British Columbia after drawing comparisons to Etobicoke LHP Connor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.) the former Etobicoke Ranger who went 9-0 with 0.46 ERA last spring earning 2014 Canadian Baseball Network Second Team All-Canadian college honors.

The best of the 24 arms on hand were Etobicoke’s RHP Tyler Greenwood, who was 81-83 MPH, and Ontario Prospects LHP Dean Christidis, who was 77-79 sporting Brett Cecil-like googles.

The best of the 30 bats belongs to INF Marcus Biasatti of Etobicoke, Etobicoke OF Eric Thrower, Toronto Mets C Mark Bernardi and West Toronto INF Taka Ryan.

Walt Burrows, director of Canadian scouting for the Major League scouting Bureau was on hand, along with Jamie Lehman of the Toronto Blue Jays, Matt Higginson of the Oakland A’s and Tyler Moe of the Baltimore Orioles.

Recruiters scheduled to be in attendance from NCAA Division I schols were the Michigan State Spartans, the Michigan Wolverines, the Buffalo Bulls, the Rider Broncs and the Canisius Golden Griffins.

The others were Brockport Golden Eagles (NCAA D3), SUNY Canton Kangaroos (NCAA D3), Shawnee State University Bears (NAIA), Cleary Cougars, Western Texas Westerners (NJCAA, D1), Delta Pioneers (NJCAA, D2), Jefferson Cannoneers (NJCAA, D3), Niagara County Tunderwolves (NJCAA, D3) and Jamestown Jayhawks (NJCAA, D3).

However, since highways were closed in western New York state not everyone made it. One man unable to make the drive from the Syracuse area looked at his options a $2,300 flight or cashing in points. He made his flight.