By IAN WILSON
The Canadian Baseball Network’s All-Canadian College Teams have been announced and Western Canadian Baseball League players figure prominently among the selections.
The annual release of Canada’s top college baseball players by the national network has been taking place for a quarter century and CBN founder Bob Elliott unveiled the final picks for 2024 recently.
There are a total of three teams that include a roster of a left-handed pitcher (LHP), right-handed pitcher (RHP), relief pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, designated hitter and three outfielders.
READ MORE: CBN First Team, Second Team and Third Team
Teams are chosen based on the selections of 55 voters, including 18 coaches, 14 scouts, 13 writers, six executives and others.
Here’s a look at the WCBL players who were honoured:
ALL-CANADIAN FIRST TEAM
RHP … Tyler Boudreau
As a member of the Midland Chaparrals, Boudreau went 11-2 with 128 strikeouts and a 4.45 earned run average (ERA) over 85 innings and 16 starts, making him the Western Junior College Athletic Conference’s Most Valuable Pitcher.
Boudreau has pitched for the Sylvan Lake Gulls since 2021 and was named the WCBL’s Most Outstanding Pitcher in 2023. This year with the Gulls, the Vauxhall Academy graduate appeared in 10 games out of the bullpen and was 4-1 with a 0.98 ERA and 20 Ks in 18.1 innings.
OUTFIELDER … Payton McHarg
With the Washburn Ichabods, McHarg bashed 21 homers, clobbered 17 doubles, batted .354 and collected 67 runs batted in (RBI) over 53 games.
The Saskatoon product got into 14 games for his hometown Berries during the 2024 WCBL season. Over 51 at bats, McHarg posted a .333 batting average while smacking six doubles, scoring 12 runs and picking up 11 RBI.
DESIGNATED HITTER … Jake Wrubleski
Wrubleski is a catcher with the Chandler-Gilbert Coyotes who posted an impressive .409 batting average and 50 RBI during 48 games this year.
The righty batter and Gonzaga commit also framed pitches for the Okotoks Dawgs in 2024 and appeared in 16 WCBL contests. During his time with the Dawgs, Wrubleski batted .309 with three homers, 18 runs and nine RBI.
ALL-CANADIAN SECOND TEAM
LHP … Kody Butt
The Newfoundland native was a force on the mound for the Williston State Tetons this season. Butt went 4-1 with a 4.00 ERA and 92 Ks in 54 innings pitched.
The strong showing for the southpaw came a year after his 2023 campaign with the Fort McMurray Giants. During that WCBL season, Butt was 1-1 with a 4.84 ERA in 13 innings of relief work. He registered 11 strikeouts in his eight games for the Giants.
CATCHER … Logan Grant
Grant was excellent with Bellevue University during his 53 games with the Bruins. He batted .347 with 15 doubles, 20 homers and 66 RBI on his way to being named the school’s Male Athlete of the Year and the NorthStar Conference Player of the Year.
The former member of the Sylvan Lake Gulls and Swift Current 57’s – who now plays for the Okotoks Dawgs – is a versatile defender. He roamed the outfield for the Dawgs during their 2024 championship playoff run and was also a solid contributor with the bat, as well as a threat to steal when he got on base.
FIRST BASE … Trent Lenihan
In 55 games with the University of British Columbia (UBC), Lenihan registered a .401 batting average, 18 doubles, 10 long balls and 54 RBI.
The 6-foot-4 right-handed hitter was a key part of the 2023 Okotoks Dawgs roster. That season he hit .361 over 47 games, while scoring 47 runs, hitting 14 doubles, punching out five homers and contributing 30 RBI.
SHORTSTOP … Brendan Luther
The Mississauga, Ontario middle infielder has become a legend in Okotoks, where fans refer to him as “Mr. August” after he was named the WCBL Playoff MVP for consecutive years in 2022 and 2023.
He helped the Dawgs claim a third consecutive league championship this summer following an excellent season at Bellevue University. With the Bruins, he hit .381 with 10 doubles, nine homers, and 40 RBI in 47 games.
OUTFIELDER … Micah McDowell
Another selection familiar to the Dawgs faithful is McDowell, who was drafted by the Miami Marlins this year.
At Oregon State University, the well-rounded athlete had a .379 batting average, 12 doubles and 33 RBI in 39 games.
McDowell suited up in 41 contests with Okotoks in 2022 and batted .378 with 27 stolen bases, 36 runs and 34 RBI.
DESIGNATED HITTER … Cory Wouters
McCook Community College had a solid hitter in Wouters for 52 games this year. The Saskatoon sparkplug batted .416 with 13 doubles, nine round trippers and 44 RBI.
With the Berries in the WCBL, Wouters was a double threat, working as both a pitcher and an infielder. On the mound, the lefty was 1-1 with a 5.17 ERA and 22 Ks during 24-plus innings of relief. With the bat, Wouters hit .323 with 23 runs and 17 RBI.
ALL-CANADIAN THIRD TEAM
LHP … Haden Dow
The native of Saint John, New Brunswick was a workhorse for the Missouri State Redhawks in 2024, taking the bump for 79 innings and going 4-2 with a 4.89 ERA and 58 strikeouts in the process.
Dow appeared in nine games for the Edmonton Prospects in 2019, when he went 1-1 with nine Ks and a 6.75 ERA over 9.1 innings.
CATCHER … Josh Cote
With Northeastern Community College, the backstop collected nine doubles, 21 homers and 65 RBI in 54 games.
When he joined forces with the Edmonton Prospects in the summer, the Ontario product added another 17 hits and 10 runs scored over 30 WCBL contests.
THIRD BASE … Cleary Simpson
The Sylvan Lake Gulls alum had a discerning eye at the plate for the Northern Kentucky Golden Norse, drawing 54 walks while batting .345 and stealing 16 bases.
When the pride of Elnora, Alberta took the field in 70 games for the Gulls in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Simpson was a hit-per-game player who swiped 13 bags.
SHORTSTOP … Brandon Nicoll
The British Columbia batter swatted 13 home runs in 2023 with Southern Arkansas while batting .316 and adding 12 doubles and 44 RBI.
Nicoll played for the Lethbridge Bulls in the summer of 2022 and posted a .329 batting average, 28 runs, 27 RBI and 13 doubles in 36 games.
OUTFIELDER … Demitri Shakotko
At Cloud County Community College, Shakotko paced the T-Birds offence with 15 doubles, eight homers, 58 RBI and a .410 batting average in 61 games.
The Fredericton, New Brunswick outfielder was a member of the Lethbridge Bulls in 2023. During 15 WCBL contests, he managed nine hits, five runs and five RBI.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Several WCBL players received votes but did not find a place on the CBN All-Canadian Teams.
The honourable mentions among hurlers include lefty pitcher Graham Brunner (Okotoks Dawgs); relief pitcher Ryan Magdic (Swift Current 57’s); bullpen specialist Takao Cookson (Moose Jaw Miller Express); reliever Evan Hoegler (Brooks Bombers) and late innings moundsman Vicarte Domingo (Okotoks Dawgs).
Infielders who received honourable mentions include catcher Wyatt Tweet (Moose Jaw Miller Express); backstop Michael Quick (Medicine Hat Mavericks); first baseman Ty Doucette (Okotoks Dawgs); first baseman Noah Hull (Sylvan Lake Gulls); infielder Carlin Dick (Lethbridge Bulls); second baseman Kalem Haney (Lethbridge Bulls); corner infielder Connor Crowson (Okotoks Dawgs); third baseman Nathan Houston (Moose Jaw Miller Express); third baseman Manny Alberto (Fort McMurray Giants); shortstop Gavin Roy (Sylvan Lake Gulls); and utility player Dawson Tweet (Moose Jaw Miller Express).
Outfielders who were named to the honourable mentions list include Carter Beck (Saskatoon Berries); Cameron Chee-Aloy (Fort McMurray Giants); Jared Hall (Weyburn Beavers); Nick Groves (Sylvan Lake Gulls); Ben Hoshizaki (Okotoks Dawgs); Alejandro Cazorla (Okotoks Dawgs); Elijha Hammill (Sylvan Lake Gulls, Okotoks Dawgs); and Jonny McGill (Edmonton Prospects).
In total, three WCBL players made the CBN All-Canadian First Team, six were chosen for the Second Team and another five were picked for the Third Team.
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