Canadian pitcher taken eighth overall in Major League Baseball draft
Cal Quantrill became the second highest Canadian to ever be taken in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Thursday.
Quantrill, a right-handed pitcher, was selected eighth overall by the San Diego Padres. The Port Hope, Ontario native joined Adam Loewen (4th overall in 2002) and Jeff Francis (9th overall in 2002) as Canadian players to be taken in the top 10 of the MLB draft.
https://twitter.com/cal_quantrill47/status/741070468807942144
Baseball-softball is one of five sports that could be added to Tokyo 2020. The IOC will make a decision on the proposal in August. The sport hasn’t appeared in the Olympics since Beijing 2008.
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Quantrill was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 26th round of the 2013 draft, but declined to sign and opted to attend Stanford University. He posted a 2.68 earned run average in 110.2 innings in his rookie season. In 2015 the 21-year-old recorded a 1.93 ERA in 18.2 innings, missing the remainder of the college season with an injury.
The 21-year-old had Tommy John surgery in March 2015 and missed the 2016 college campaign. Despite the surgery, Quantrill was ranked 22nd for the draft by MLB.com and 29th by Baseball America.
Cal Quantrill of Stanford University became the second highest Canadian player to be taken in the MLB Draft (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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Quantrill helped the Canadian National Junior Team win a pair of silver medals from 2011 – 2013. His father, Paul, is a former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher.
Meanwhile, catcher Andy Yerzy of Toronto was taken in the second round, 52nd overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 17-year-old is committed to the University of Notre Dame.
The MLB Draft continues on Friday and Saturday.
