Shushkewich: Victoria Eagles Sam Shaw looks forward to draft

Victoria Eagles INF Sam Shaw (Victoria, BC) is primed for the three-day draft which begins Sunday night.

July 6, 2023

Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Sam Shaw is ready for the draft.

Each summer, numerous Canadians are selected during the annual draft of high schoolers and collegians, with almost every team across the majors having Canuck affiliated flavour somewhere within the organization.

For Sam Shaw, the promising infielder hopes to be another player joining the ranks when the three-day draft begins on Sunday.

Currently ranked at No. 8 on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2023 draft rankings, Shaw (Victoria, BC) has split his time between a few different organizations through his high school days.

He spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Victoria Mariners but moved to the Victoria Eagles organization for 2023, where he is currently playing. He also headed down south to play at TNXL Academy earlier this year. A year ago, he was with the Junior National Program, participating in the 18U World Cup Qualifier and in the 18U World Cup, he drove in one run hitting .174 in Bradenton, Fla.

Shaw discussed his time with the Junior National Team with the Canadian Baseball Network, and how it helped his development on the field, saying: “I had a great experience playing for the program.”

“I met some of my favourite people and playing for your country really has a different feeling,” Shaw said. “I also got to face minor league pitching which really helped my development.”

Shaw also impressed at the Canadian Futures Showcase last year, where he posted a .364 average and a .897 OPS through four games.

With the draft just a few days away, Shaw is looking forward to the process and all the pressures it entails, “I am excited about the draft. I really haven’t had any surprises so far.”

The Eagles infielder was also one of three Canadians invited to the MLB Draft Combine two weeks ago, taking reps at Chase Field in Phoenix, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, along with other highly touted draft-eligible prospects in front of numerous organizations and their scouts.

When all was said and done, Shaw posted the eighth-highest exit velocity in a game scenario at 95.2 MPH while belting a homer that went 349 feet, the fifth longest in a game scenario at the combine as well.

“I had a great time at the combine,” said Shaw. “My takeaway is that I think I can play pro ball and I will continue to work to try and achieve that goal.”

While the 18-year-old is setting his sights on pro ball after the draft, he also has a commitment to Xavier University should he choose to head to post-secondary.

The Musketeers are a Division 1 program that finished last season with a 39-25 record but were eliminated in the NCAA regional tournament, with the University of Oregon advancing to the Super Regionals.

Speaking on his decision to commit to the Musketeers, Shaw spoke highly of the program, saying that “Xavier was a great fit for me and my family. I really liked the coaching staff and I think the program is on the rise as they won the Big East Conference last year.”

Shaw will be one Canadian to keep an eye on this weekend after an impressive showing at the combine and a pedigree that extends to some of the toughest competition a Canadian can face as a prep athlete.

Looking ahead, the question won’t be if Shaw gets drafted, but when?