Canada names junior national team selection camp roster

Eleven of the 24 players invited to the Canadian junior national baseball team’s final selection camp in Toronto next month were chosen in June’s draft of high schoolers and collegians.

Following the camp, which runs Aug. 15-26 in Toronto and Trieste, Italy, the final 20-player roster will travel to Seoul for the IBAF under-18 world championships Aug. 30-Sept. 8

"This camp will allow the coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate players before making final roster decisions," Canadian coach Greg Hamilton said in a Baseball Canada news release.

"The world championship is the culmination of a two-year process for our junior national team program."

Players and coaches will arrive in Toronto Aug. 15 for two practices and an exhibition game against MLB Bureau Camp before departing for Trieste and an eight-game tune-up series versus Italy, Czech Republic and a USA select squad.

All 24 players attending the selection game competed at the annual Dominican Summer League Camp in May where Canada posted a 4-5-3 record.

Canada finished fourth at the 2010 worlds in Thunder Bay, Ont., and last medalled at the world under-18 tournament in 2006 when Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie and company downed Mexico 6-2 to win a bronze medal.

The Canadian roster features:

• Three 2012 draftees who have signed major league contracts: Outfielder Nathan DeSouza (Toronto), right-handed pitcher Dayton Dawe (New York Yankees) and Logan Seifrit (Seattle).
• Eleven players who were members of last year’s junior national team that finished second at the Americas under-18 qualification tournament in Cartagena, Colombia: Dawe, Seifrit, 3B Johnny Caputo, 2B/SS Kyle Hann, LHP Clayton Isherwood, LHP Ryan Kellogg, OF Gareth Morgan, SS Daniel Pinero, RHP Cal Quantrill, OF Jacob Robson, Seifrit and C Chris Shaw