OTTAWA- Canadians Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC), Trystan Magnuson (Vancouver, BC) and Philippe Valiquette (Montreal, QC) have all been chosen to represent Canada in the MLB Futures Game taking place July 11th in Anaheim, CA.
Lawrie is currently playing for the Huntsville Stars in the double-A Southern League, where he has put up some impressive numbers in his second professional season. The second baseman and former JNT star is hitting .301 with 6 HR, 40 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Lawrie, who will be making his second consecutive appearance in the Futures Game was selected 16th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2008 draft. He recently competed internationally for Canada on the bronze medal winning World Cup team in 2009.
Right-hander Trystan Magnuson is having an excellent season coming out of the bullpen for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the double-A Eastern League. Appearing in 25 games this season; Magnuson has a stingy 2.09 ERA and 30 K’s in 38 2/3 innings pitched. The former first round selection of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007 was drafted out of the University of Louisville. Magnuson, in his third professional season, was also a member of the World Cup team last fall.
Philippe Valiquette was recently promoted to the Louisville Bats of the triple-A International League making him only one stop away from being a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Prior to being promoted, Valiquette appeared in 25 games, compiling a 2-0 record, 3.99 ERA, 21 strikeouts and 3 saves at double-A Carolina. A former member of the JNT, Valiquette was drafted in the 7th round by the Reds in 2004.
MLB stars Joey Votto, Justin Morneau, Jeff Francis and Russell Martin have represented Canada at the Futures Game which was first played in 1999. Last year, Canadian Rene Tosoni (Coquitlam, BC) was named Futures Game MVP when the event was held at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO.
