This article is courtesy of Sean Murphy, a Prospects Live reader and Ottawa native.
How’s we doing, eh? The MLB Draft is rapidly descending upon us. For the hosers from north of the 49th parallel in the land of back bacon sandwiches, maple syrup and beavers we understand you think of hockey well before baseball here. Don’t be mistaken, there are plenty of #CanadianDirtBags out there. Here are a few Canucks that you may be hearing their names called in July and well beyond. Grab a poutine and a beer and take a look.
Tyler Black -- 2B, Wright State, 6-foot-2, 190lb, Toronto, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 66
Black is a pro hitter. Black has the skills to fit multiple positions on the infield, but it's his bat and not his defensive versatility that will make him and intriguing follow on draft weekend. After slashing .353/.469/.600 his freshman year, Tyler went out in 2021 and showed his freshman year was no fluke slashing .383/.496/.683, walking more than he struck out (39 BB, 25 K). Black shows an advanced approach at the plate and good control of the barrel with discipline beyond his years. His strong hands and above average power allow him to profile as a bat-first second baseman. At 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, Black may have a little more projection in front of him. He follows a recent trend of high-upside position players drafted out of Wright State early in the draft (Sean Murphy, Athletics, Peyton Burdick, Marlins). Check out the Prospects Live conversation with Tyler here.
Eric Cerantola -- RHP, Mississippi State, 6-foot-5, 220lb, Oakville, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 145
Formerly an OHL (Ontario Hockey League) draft pick, Cerantola decided to focus on baseball following his prep days. Cerantola possesses huge stuff with his three pitch mix. The heater sits 92-96, complimented by a plus curveball and a changeup that flashes plus as well with impressive fade. The curveball showcases immense spin rates. Command has been an enormous issue for Cerantola. Most evaluators believe stiff delivery lacking rhythm and consistency is primarily to blame. It became such an issue this season, Certantola was left off the Mississippi State College World Series roster and instead went to the combine. There’s tremendous upside here if a team believes they can get him back inside the strike zone. It’s a pro body with an extremely quick arm.
Calvin Ziegler -- RHP, Great Lakes Canadians/TNXL Academy, 6-foot, 205lb, Heidelberg, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 173
Arguably the top Canuck on the board, Ziegler has extremely loud stuff. Sitting 93-95 with big spin and a firm slider. Plenty of deception and arm speed in the profile. Command has been an issue in the past, but as a young pitcher, mechanics and timing are primarily to blame. Some effort in his delivery as well. Ziegler has substantial upside as the stuff is there and development of his changeup is really coming along. An Auburn commit, scouts are split on whether he’ll actually make it to campus.
Damiano Palmegiani, 3B/OF, College of Southern Nevada, 6-foot-1, 195lb, Surrey, BC
Prospects Live Rank: No. 265
Palmegiani is a really good athlete who could end up anywhere on the diamond. Where he ultimately ends up playing is still up for debate but the bat will carry his profile. Above average runner with an above average arm. Plenty of bat speed with power potential. Slashed .389/.521/.867 in 2021, banging out 26 homers. Palmegiani shows an above average approach and strong plate discipline. The biggest question mark on his draft status is the playing JUCO ball. The numbers are undeniable, but the power is generally inflated in Nevada and the competition can be suspect at times. Palmegiani earned NJCAA All America First Team this season for his work. He is committed to Arizona and will head to campus should the draft not go his way.
Denzel Clarke -- OF, Cal State Northridge, 6-foot-4, 190lb, Pickering, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 275
Clarke has an elite pro body and the power is beginning to show. He really began hitting the fastball this season and improving on the swing and miss. Clarke took more walks and struck out less in 2021 than he did in his 2019 campaign. He's got enough speed to steal some bases, and an above average arm as well. There’s lots of physical projection left on his frame and there are some great genes in the family. His mom, Donna, competed in the 1984 Olympics in the heptathlon and his cousin is the Cleveland Naylor brothers. Reports from the draft combine have Denzel leading all combine participants in average distance (344ft) and hard-hit percentage (82%). His average exit velo of 98mph ranked among the best in the entire event. There’s clearly plenty of raw power and athleticism here.
Mitchell Bratt -- LHP, Toronto Mets, Canadian JNT/Georgia Premier Academy, 6-foot-1, 205lb, Newmarket, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 283
Fastball is 88-91 with some riding characteristics. Big time gamer with a competitive edge. He’s got a tendency to get pretty fiery on the mound. At time of publish, Bratt ranks second in the MLB Draft League in total strikeouts. Bratt is awfully young for the class, turning 18 years old just days before the draft. The Florida State commit shows an above average curveball that has some deep bite. There’s still obvious projection here that’s sure to entice some teams to the Canuck southpaw.
Jordan Marks -- RHP, USC-Upstate, 6-foot-2, 220lb, Brights Grove, ON
Prospects Live Rank: No. 411
Marks really put it all together in 2021. He was up to 97, though he generally lives 90-93 on most nights. This spring he has set school records for wins and strikeouts in a single season. It did not go unnoticed as Marks was named to the Atlantic All-Region 2nd team. He was also named to the NCBWA Division I All-America third team. Marks has plus-plus command and an easy motion to the plate. Most evaluators believe he can stick in a rotation, though his stuff will need to take a half-step forward at the next level should he reach his big league ceiling. Currently, Marks likes to work in a changeup and breaking ball, both of which play average on most occasions. He's a big-bodied arm who gets down the mound really fluidly with an easy, repeatable delivery.
Here are some other #CanadianDirtBags that may also have their names called draft weekend --
● Elijah Hammill (Prospects Live Rank: No. 562) - INF/OF, Oakville, ON -- West Virginia/Georgia Premier/Ontario Terriers
● Micah Bucknam – RHP, Abbotsford, BC -- Walla Walla Sweets/Abbotsford Cardinals
● Tristan Peters - OF, Winker, MB -- Southern Illinois
● Liam Hicks - INF, Toronto, ON -- Arkansas State
● Dominic Hambley - RHP, Victoria, BC -- Victoria Mariners
● Cameron Gurney - C, Scotland, ON, Fieldhouse Pirates