AJAX, ON – Baseball Canada is pleased to announce the names of 30 athletes selected to represent Canada in a seven-game Friendship Series against the United States’ 18U National Team in Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Bradenton, Florida from September 3-9.
The roster was selected following Junior National Team Training Camp held at the Ajax Sportsplex in Ajax, Ontario from August 18 – September 2 where 38 athletes participated in daily practices and intrasquad games.
With the postponement of 2021 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida to 2022, the Friendship Series will be used as a final event for the 2003 age group with the start of the next Junior National Team program cycle (2021/2022) beginning with the Fall Instructional League Camp in Florida this October.
“We’re extremely fortunate to be able to provide our players with an international baseball experience given the difficulties of running our program over the last 18 months,” said Junior National Team Head Coach and Director of Men’s National Teams Greg Hamilton. “Our players will be challenged against a formidable opponent in the United States, and we look forward to the opportunity of competing and representing Canada down in Florida.”
The first three games of the series will take place at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, the spring training home of the Baltimore Orioles, from September 3rd to 5th before moving to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, on September 4th. The series will shift to Bradenton and the spring training home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, LECOM Park, for games on September 7th and 9th with a game at Pirate City in between on September 8th.
FULL SCHEDULE
Junior National Team Head Coach and Director of Men’s National Teams Greg Hamilton will lead a coaching staff that includes three former national team players in Cole Armstrong, Mike Johnson and Pete Orr.
All games of the Friendship Series will be streamed on USA Baseball’s Facebook Page.
Stay up to date on the Friendship Series by following @BaseballCANJNT on Twitter.
2021 Junior National Team Roster:
(Name; Hometown, Position)
Liam Adamson; London, ON; RHP
Micah Bucknam; Abbotsford, BC; RHP
Parker Burgess; Douro-Dummer, ON; RHP
Caleb Clark; Orillia, ON; LHP
Cameron Chee-Aloy; Toronto, ON; OF
Colin Cymbalista; Pickering, ON; C
Louka Daoust; Repentigny, QC; INF
Ty Doucette; Dartmouth, NS; 1B
Matthew Grabmann; Dartmouth, NS; RHP
Alexis Gravel; Repentigny, QC; OF/LHP
Cameron Gurney; Scotland, ON; C
Tyrus Hall; Victoria, BC; INF
Ty Hamilton; Orleans, ON; OF/LHP
Max Hartman; St. Albert, AB; OF
Carson Hindmarsh; Saskatoon, SK; LHP
Joshua Jones; Blainville, QC; OF
Chase Marshall; Surrey, BC; RHP
Anson McGorman; Parksville, BC; RHP
Owen Millar; Burlington, ON; RHP
Jacob Miller; Oshawa, ON; C/OF
Myles Naylor; Mississauga, ON; 3B/SS
Nate Ochoa Leyva; Burlington, ON; 3B/SS
Jérémy Pilon; Valleyfield, QC; LHP
Turner Spoljaric; Lisle, ON; RHP
Reece Usselman; Langley, BC; LHP
Robin Villeneuve; Gatineau, QC; 1B/LHP
Boston Warkentin; Delta, BC; RHP
Sam White; Aurora, ON; 3B/1B
Jordan Woods; Oakville, ON; LHP
Jacob Zibin; Langley, BC; RHP/3B
