2012 MLB Draft: Alberta preview

With the MLB draft coming up next week, here is a quick preview of local baseball players to keep an eye on.  

Last year, seven players from our province were drafted.  Stay tuned to this blog as I will post updates as Albertans are selected.  

According to the Canadian Baseball Network’s draft list, Alberta has four players ranked in the top 20 in the country and several more who may be selected.  Many of these are familiar names who have been mentioned on these pages and elsewhere previously.  

The following are among the players expected to be drafted:

Logan Seifrit, a right handed pitcher who pitched for Spruce Grove is expected to be among the first Canadians taken.  At the start of last year he was on Baseball America’s list of Canada’s top prospects.  Since then he’s played for the Canadian Junior National Team (JNT) – both as a 16 and 17 year old, and is currently attending the Vauxhall Baseball Academy.

Adam Paulencu, a right handed pitcher from Sherwood Park, who also played for Spruce Grove and the Vancouver Island Baseball Institute, before being the first Albertan drafted last year, is once again expected to be one of the first Albertans selected.  He was picked in the 13^th round by the Giants, but failed a physical (tendinitis in his throwing shoulder) and went to Embry-Riddle where he has pitched for the Eagles.

Tyler Hollick, a left hitting outfielder from Calgary who played for Chandler Gilbert Community College in Arizona, and has committed to playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes for his Junior season this fall.

Adam Nelubowich, a third baseman from Stony Plain, who played at Vauxhall and is now at Washington State.  He played for Wenatchee AppleSox of the West Coast League last year where he played in the all-star game, was named to the 2011 All-WCL First Team and was ranked as the 11th best prospect in the league.

Other top Albertan players to watch for during the draft include:

Ryan Thompson, who was also drafted last year.  He was selected in the 33^rd round by the Yankees, but did not sign.  A Calgary native, he has been a standout pitcher for the Franklin Pierce University Ravens.

Wyle Cunningham, a left-handed pitcher from Red Deer who has pitched for the JNT and has committed to Salt Lake Community College for the fall.

Blake Carruthers, a Calgary outfielder who has been playing for the UBC Thunderbirds.

Shane Dawson, a left-handed pitcher from Drayton Valkey,who played for Spruce Grove and the Prairie Baseball Academy.

Chayse Marion, a Red Deer first baseman playing for Trinidad State College

Curtis Smith, a left-handed pitcher from Calgary pitching for the Razorbacks at the University of Nebraska and for the Swift Current Indians of the WMBL.

Levi Westerlund from Oyen who is also in the WMBL,with the Medicine Hat Mavericks, and pitched at Midland College.

We wish good luck to all these local baseball players in the upcoming draft