It was a very, very good year on The Rock
LHP Hudson White (St. John's, Nfld.) pitched for the Junior National Team.
May 16, 2022
Ryan Sweeney
Premier Sports Academy
The 2021-22 seasons saw a lot of challenges to Newfoundland and Labrador’s only indoor facility. Yet, it also brought a lot of success to our athletes. As we close out Year II of our development program, we want to take a moment to highlight some of our athletes:
Standouts
2024 - Hudson White
The summer of 2021 was an extremely successful season for Hudson White. First, he showcased himself against the best talent in the US (15U national championships and PBR Future Games), then he dominated at multiple 15U Atlantic Canadian tournaments, taking home top pitcher and MVP honors. Cap that off with a rookie of the year performance in the local 22U league, Hudson was primed and ready for the off-season. Before he could wind-down for the fall, Hudson was invited to participate in Canada’s Junior National Program in Dunedin, Fla. as a 15-year-old.
This spring, after a successful off-season (which saw White hit a personal best of 89 mph on the mound and the addition of a new split finger), Hudson tagged along with the Ontario Blue Jays to IMG Academy for an exhibition series. He followed with another trip to Florida with the Canadian Juniors, where he got his first taste of pitching against pro hitters, White is ready for the competitive summer ahead.
This summer, he will once again head south, splitting time with Bo Jackson’s 16U Elite squad, the Phillies Scout Team, and another trip to the PBR Future Games. Finally, he will close out the summer with a trip to the 2022 Canada Games in Niagara Falls as a representative of Team NL.
Armed with more experience, this fall Hudson will look to head back to Team Canada’s Junior National Program, vying for a final roster spot to compete at the World Championships.
2024 - Jaida Lee
There are breaking barriers, but then there’s another category reserved for the types of things this young lady does on a regular basis! A perennial prospect with Canada’s Women’s National Program, Jaida (St. John's, Fld.) had a special summer in 2021.
First, as a 15-year-old, Jaida secured herself a roster spot on both the 15U and 17U male Newfoundland provincial teams. While competing for Newfoundland, Jaida would pitch the only win for the 17U squad at the Atlantic Showcase in Nova Scotia. Later in the summer, en route to helping Newfoundland capture the 16U female Atlantic title in PEI, Jaida put up video game-like numbers, finishing the tournament as the MVP, top pitcher and top hitter.
The season was capped by a trip to Quebec, which included training and participating in an exhibition series alongside current and prospective Team Canada players.
That impressive resume would earn Jaida a roster spot with Team Newfoundland 2022 Male Canada’s Games Team; a first in the history of the sport at the Canada Games.
This offseason, Jaida joined an exclusive list of females who can throw over 80 mph (and still climbing). Come summer, Jaida has her sights set on three major events; Women’s national championships, the Canada Games and if selected, a friendship series with Team Canada against the US.
2022 - Kody Butt
The son of a former two-time draft pick, Kody Butt has never lacked the confidence or competitive spirit on the diamond. As a 17-year-old, Kody likes to punch above his age-class. In the summer of 2021, Kody would pitch (and win) in the provincial senior championships and would opt out of the 17U provincial program to suit-up for the 22U squad at the Atlantic Championships. He would close out his summer as a member of the Team Atlantic All-Stars, who completed a fall road trip in the US against elite high school and college competition.
Competitive accolades aside, the 2021-22 offseason for Butt was his coming-out party, where he would forge his own path and future within the sport of baseball.
This winter, through his hard-work, Kody started putting the pieces together. From a developmental perspective, the lefty worked his velocity up to 85 mph and stacked on 15 pounds of mass in the gym. His determination did not go unnoticed, as he secured a scholarship to pitch for Williston State, NJCAA D2, the first college commitment in PSAs history!
Recently, Kody competed in BC at the Best of the West with the Ontario Blue Jays, validating his collegiate status, successfully facing-off against the best high school talent in the country.
This summer, before heading to the Canada Games in Niagara Falls, Kody will head south to Myrtle Beach to play alongside fellow Newfoundlander, Chase Tucker under the guidance of coach Allen Cox, a former Okotoks Dawgs and the man who rode shot gun on the High River ambulance to Foothills hospital in Calgary.
Towards the end of August, Kody will make the long trek from the rock to North Dakota where he will officially begin his college career!
2022 - Nick Smith
If you like speed, power, and a quality multi-position player (C-OF), Nick Smith is the guy. A late joiner to high-performance, Smith has shown steady and progressive growth on the diamond over the last few years.
A highly athletic ballplayer, Smith is a standout at every showcase event he attends. Alongside Butt, Nick was another PSA athlete selected as a participant for PBRs Team Atlantic fall trip in the US. It was on that trip where Nick showed he had the chops to hit at a collegiate level, going toe-to-toe against quality JUCO arms.
That performance, along with his physical development over the last few years would culminate in a scholarship to play for Lake Region State, NJCAA D2; a quick drive down the interstate and in the same conference as Butt (Williston State). Nick was the second PSA athlete to commit this year!
Before heading to Lake Region’s campus later this summer, Nick will suit-up for Team Newfoundland at the Canada Games in Niagara Falls, where he will once again look to prove his ability to hit; this time, against the best arms in Canada.
2022 - Jay Miller
In what we hope is the last person to move from Newfoundland on a full-time basis to train in order to earn a scholarship, University North Carolina-Greensboro commit, Jay Miller (retCorner Brook, Nlfd.) urned home this off-season to hone his craft at Premier Sports.
Over the course of four months, Miller would embark on a physical and technical transformation while working under the guidance of strength and conditioning coach, Dan Hearn and pitching coach, Noah Anderson. Adding 2-to-3 mph to his fastball velocity and trimming down while stacking on lean mass, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Miller checks all the boxes.
It appears Miller’s transformation is paying dividends on the diamond this spring, as he has posted an impressive stat-line while competing for defending champions, Pro5 Academy in the National Academy’s league, one of the premier high school leagues in the US:
21 IP | 2W-2L | 2.67 ERA | 1.33 WHIP | .192 BAA
Only time will tell if his name will be called during the draft this summer; but regardless, he has a good home this fall at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.
2023 - Mitchell Noseworthy
A big frame, left-handed power bat, with coachability, work-ethic, and a love for the gym; these are qualities that Mitchell (St. John's, Nfld.) has in spades.
This offseason, Mitch logged a lot of hours in the gym, and it paid off in a big way. Standing 6-foot-1, weighing close to 210-pounds, he looks the part of a collegiate power hitter.
In March, while attending PBRs Spring Training Event in Panama City Beach, Fla. he put that power on full display spending the week making loud noises with the bat during batting practice and in game. Tying a nice bow around his trip, Mitch closed out the event with a towering homer off a mid-80s fastball, easily clearing the fence in right.
This summer, Mitch too will compete for NL at the Canada Games in Niagara Falls, but before doing so he will take a six-week detour across the bridge in Buffalo, suiting up for the Jr. T-Wolves program under coach Jeff Ziemecki.
2023 - Eli Dunphy
A late bloomer Eli (St. John's, Nfld.) is not afraid to put in the work, who is the younger cousin of Jay Miller, and is deeply obsessed with honing his craft, anyone who knows baseball could tell you that all the pieces were in place to build a quality college-calibre arm.
In an 18-month span, Eli has shed nearly 40-pounds, added over 15 mph to his fastball velocity, and has developed feel for multiple off-speed pitches. Through sheer determination and work ethic, Eli has transformed from a low-level player, into highly capable and fierce competitor on the mound
Eli no longer looks up to his big cousin, he wants to catch him.
With the development box checked, Eli has set his sights on upping his competition, joining fellow PSA team-mate, Mitch Noseworthy in Buffalo before heading to the Canada Games in Niagara Falls.
Shoutout
2022 Rylan Andrews RHP (Conception Bay, Nfld.)
Future Watch
2024 Kody Thistle LHP-OF (Paradise, Nfld.)
2025 Luke Druken RHP-3B (St. John's, Nfld.)
2025 Graham Noseworthy C-SS St. John's, Nfld.)
2026 Gio Cosma 3B-RHP (St. John's, Nfld.)