He is one of the smallest players at the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase but he’s determined to show he has the biggest heart.
Red Deer’s Brooks Froese stands 5-foot-11 and weighs in at 152 pounds, which is just two pounds heavier than the lightest player at the showcase.
That honour goes to Ontario’s Braylon Stern (5-foot-10, 150 pounds).
For Froese, it’s about more than sheer brawn and muscle that’s going to get him noticed.
“I want to show leadership and presence,” he told Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast.
“It’s about showcasing my actions, not just physical but mental, and showing that I’m a good guy, a good teammate, and I’m going to do all these things for the team and just be a good dude.”
The 16-year-old has shown it all in spades during what has been a banner year.
It started with Gulls Prep in Sylvan Lake, where he hit a combined .222 with a double, one run batted in and three stolen bases while playing solid defense during the Road to Okotoks Prairie Qualifiers and the Morneau Cup.
A week later, Froese was named Team Canada’s MVP at the Prep Baseball Future Games, continuing his strong play at shortstop while adding some big at-bats, including a game-changing triple that helped him gain some confidence at the plate.
“I remember going down 1-2 and thinking I’m just going to battle – be who I am and I’m going to hit this,” Froese said. “I hit a triple to the wall and sliding into third was such a great feeling.”
His strong play continued at the Baseball Canada Cup, where he was named a tournament all-star while helping Team Alberta claim its first bronze in 12 years.
Heading into the Canadian Futures Showcase, the Team Navy infielder will be looking to keep the momentum rolling while also enjoying the moment, as he says it’s something not everyone gets to do.
He will then head back to Alberta, although he has taken his talents to Dawgs Academy in Okotoks, where he hopes to hone his skills while adding another 25 pounds to his frame.
All the while, not changing who he is, which is highlighted by the right-hander’s advice for young players hoping to get to where he is now.
“Just be who you are,” Froese said. “Be who you are personality-wise, just be you, and that will push you to become the best version of yourself.”
THE DAILY RUNDOWN
Day one of the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase started with the players being put through the paces for Scout Day.
Pitchers were provided an opportunity to throw in the left-field bullpen at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium, while position players did fielding drills before a session of batting practice.
Late in the afternoon, the first games got underway.
In the opener, Juan Cruz drove in two runs while Will Henzi scored twice to lead New Blue to the 5-0 win over Red. The combination of Will Zielinski (Vauxhall Academy), Marshall Schwoob and Brydon White (Dawgs Academy) combined for a one-hitter and eight strikeouts in the win. Maxime Lamarre had the lone Red hit.
The nightcap featured a back-and-forth affair between Navy and Royal. Navy built an early lead thanks to a two-run single from Rhys Whiteford (Dawgs Academy) in the first, building it to 4-0 before Royal scored five unanswered to take the lead before Ira Rootman tied with a sac fly in the seventh to finish up the 5-5 tie.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
9 a.m. MT – New Blue vs. Grey
12 p.m. MT – Black vs. Royal
3 p.m. MT – Navy vs. Red
6 p.m. MT – Royal vs. New Blue
9 p.m. MT – Grey vs. Black
Main image credit: Armana Thapar (UBC)
