Tournament 12 is fast becoming known for its Cinderella stories.
Prairies Purple, a team comprised of players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan, took down the heavily-favoured defending champions Quebec Blue in the event’s final on Friday morning. It was the second time in the tournament’s three-year history that a major underdog brought home the title as the team from the Atlantic provinces won the inaugural edition in 2013.
“I always say I’ll take Manitoba hustle and Saskatchewan grit over talent any day,” said Prairies coach Andy Boehm after his team’s 1-0 victory.
Prairies’ championship performance was keyed by starting pitcher Zach Demchenko who threw a complete-game shutout in the finals allowing only three hits and two walks, while striking out eight.
The team’s entire run was driven by excellent pitching as they didn’t allow more than four runs in any of their five games. Prairies’ right-hander Carson Perkin was named Tournament 12 MVP after throwing nine innings of two-run ball over two winning starts.
“It’s a showcase so you want to do well for yourself,” Perkins said of the award. “But of course doing well for yourself means doing well for your team.”
Here are a few stray thoughts from Canada’s top prospect showcase:
Duane Ward enthusiastic about Canada’s arms: As a former all-star and American League saves leader, it’s an understatement to say Ward knows good pitching when he sees it — and the two-time World Series champion was impressed with the arms on display at Tournament 12.
One of Ward’s favourites was Quebec’s Mathew Deneault-Gauthier who threw a no-hitter that earned his team a spot in the tournament’s semifinals. The former Blue Jays closer saw a lot of improvement in the right-hander from his appearance last year
“This kid came in here last year 130 lbs soaking wet and instantly you sat there and watch him throw and you think ‘this kid has an idea’, he said. “He knows how to pitch, he’s not overpowering but he changes his speeds so well.”
Ward also praised Josh Burgmann, the consensus top pitching prospect at the event, for his commitment to improving himself and Carter Loewen for his size, arm strength, and projectability.
“Year-in-year out I’m very pleased to see how these guys have performed,” he said.
Lloyd Moseby wouldn’t mind some rule changes: Moseby was one of the most visible Blue Jays alumnus at Tournament 12. The affable former centre fielder was constantly giving players tips, running balls to the umpire, and shouting encouragement from his chair next to the dugout.
While he was undoubtedly happy to attend the event, Moseby wasn’t a big fan of the tournament’s rules that dictated all at-bats begin with a 1-1 count.
“Guys go into that count mentally unstable if you will,” he said. “But we’re just trying to move the game along and get them to swing the bat…. we’re trying to work that out as we speak, but we don’t have the time. We can’t use the Dome for too long, but I think sooner or later we need to fix that.”
Ward also agreed that the 1-1 counts might have been a bit too pitcher-friendly, though he would have enjoyed them in his playing days.
“I’d have never given up a hit,” he joked.
Cooper Davis had a big week: Most players at Tournament 12 are happy if they have one standout moment at the event. Davis had three.
On Monday, he ran a blazing 6.35 in the 60-yard dash, the best score of all participants. On Wednesday, he hit the first home run of the tournament, showing himself to be more than a one-tricky pony.
“My No. 1 tool is speed but I love being able to show the scout I’m not just a speed guy,” he said. “I’m not just the guy who’s going to bunt all the time. I can still swing it, I think I’ve got a lot of pop and I have a lot to prove with my power.”
Finally, on Thursday the news broke that he’d made a commitment to Vanderbilt University and Davis got a shout out from David Price.
To top things off he got quite the endorsement from Moseby.
“Davis is a tremendous outfielder,” he said. “He stands out among everybody, no question about it.”
Noah Naylor does a little bit of everything: Making his Tournament 12 debut, Naylor showed there wasn’t a lot he couldn’t do. The 15-year-old played catcher, first base, second base, and third base tallying three extra-base hits and two steals in the process.
Perhaps most impressively, he showed a disciplined approach at the plate by drawing five walks despite the temptation to let it rip for the scouts.
“I like to go for the right pitch,” Naylor explained. “When it’s not there I don’t swing for it.”
Playing at Rogers Centre always a thrill: Kobe Hyland has played baseball all over the world as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team, but Rogers Centre still ranks among his favourite venues.
“This is definitely right up there with playing in Japan or the Dominican,” he said. “We got a chance to play at Tropicana Field, but I like it here much more than Tropicana.”
The shortstop from Spruce Grove, Alta., impressed with his legs at the tournament swiping five bases and even bunting for a base hit — a rare move at an event where most players are trying to show off their power strokes.
“In the moment I saw the guy playing back and he didn’t come in when I faked the bunt,” Hyland recalls. “So I just laid it down.”
