Baseball Canada National Junior Team first baseman and outfielder Jonathan Waltenbury (Bowmanville, Ont.) was the third Canadian selected in today’s MLB entry draft, going in the seventh round (216th overall) to the Minnesota Twins.
“I’m very happy with the Minnesota Twins,” said Waltenbury. “They have my favourite player (Justin Morneau) and when I was there during the pre-draft camp it just seemed like it was a good fit.”
Waltenbury, a 6’3, 210-pound 17-year-old, has been one of the hottest hitters on Baseball Canada’s national junior team training circuit this year.
“If I don’t go down to the Fall Instructional League and Spring Training in Florida and put up fairly decent numbers, I don’t think I’d be in the situation I am now,” he said.
His numbers were more than ‘fairly decent’.
Against Major League Baseball instructional teams and collegiate competition at the team’s spring training camp in Orlando Florida in April, Waltenbury posted a .444 average with five doubles, three walks and a homerun in 30 at bats.
Last October, in Fall Instructional action, Waltenbury hit for a team-leading .421 average.
“He’s an excellent high school hitter who has the potential to go on and have a successful Major League career,” said Baseball Canada’s national junior team head coach Greg Hamilton. “We wish him all the best and hope he’ll join us in the pursuit of a World Junior Championship in September.”
The Henry Street High School student joins two other Canadians in the Twins’ system including former national team member Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.) and right-handed pitcher Adam Hawes (Victoria Harbour, Ont.) who is currently throwing for the Single-A Beloit Snappers.
