Don鈥檛 discount what Major League Baseball scouts can see, even in the small slices provided within an all-star game, in which many players are squeezed onto the lineup card and playing time is abbreviated.
The big night had by several of the six Victoria HarbourCats in the 2019 West Coast League all-star game Tuesday night in Bend, Oregon, will have made an impact, says Victoria head coach Todd Haney.
鈥淭here were 20 scouts there and it was a tremendous opportunity for our players who were in the all-star game,鈥� said Haney.
He speaks from experience after a career in pro baseball around the world, including parts of five seasons in the MLB.
鈥淭his is what scouts do, and many of them have been doing it a long time, and they can see a lot in a short time and even during a single game,鈥� said Haney.
鈥淭here was a chance Tuesday to get put on a team鈥檚 draft board and then they will follow your progress from there.鈥�
In other words, not all all-star games are meaningless.
鈥淚 saw scouts having one-on-one talks after the game with several players,鈥� said HarbourCats GM Jim Swanson, who was in Bend.
The North Division defeated the South Division 14-1 as several HarbourCats made themselves known to the scouts and 2,284 fans in attendance in Bend.
鈥淥ur players showed why they were all-stars. I鈥檓 very proud of them,鈥� said Haney.
Parker Bramlett had four hits, an RBI and run scored. HarbourCats teammates Jason Willow, a 2017 draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of Lambrick Park Secondary who will re-enter the draft next spring, had a double with three RBIs and a run scored. Fellow 鈥機ats slugger Frankie Niemann had a hit, walk and two runs scored, 2018 Victoria team MVP Nick Plaia two runs scored while catcher Tyson Hays from Illinois State went two-for-two as every HarbourCats batter made the scoresheet.
Jack Hyde of the HarbourCats was the North Division starter and the University of San Diego hurler pitched the first inning with a hit but no runs allowed against the four batters he faced.
North Division slugger Jack Machtolf of the Bellingham Bells, out of NCAA Gonzaga, was named all-star game MVP for his four hits and four RBIs.
Brooks Lee of the Corvallis Knights was voted top prospect in the all-star game, despite going 0-4 for the South Division. He was ranked 37th overall by MLB.com for the 2019 MLB draft, but instead opted to play in the NCAA for his dad at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and will re-enter the draft in his junior season.
The HarbourCats鈥� six performers were the second most in the all-star game behind the seven, including Lee, which Corvallis landed on the South Division team. Both the Knights and HarbourCats have clinched playoff berths as the first-half champions of their respective divisions and have the two best overall records in the league.
For the players not selected, the all-star break is a welcome respite in a hectic summer of baseball, said Haney: 鈥淲e ran optional workouts but it was mostly a time to let the body rest and to clear the mind. It鈥檚 whatever works best for each player during the break.鈥�
The break now ends as the rest of the HarbourCats meet up with their all-star six tonight and Friday in Ridgefield, Washington, for a pair of WCL games against the Raptors (4-6 in the second half and 17-20 overall). The games can be viewed on the HarbourCats鈥� Facebook Live site.
Despite having a post-season berth clinched, incentive hasn鈥檛 proven a problem for the HarbourCats (9-4 and 27-13) in the second half of the season. The players know scouts don鈥檛 stop watching just because you have a playoff spot sewn up.
鈥淭hese guys have a lot of pride and go into each series wanting to play their best and compete at a high level,鈥� said Haney.
The HarbourCats return for a non-league game Sunday afternoon against the sa国际传媒 senior men鈥檚 champion Burnaby Bulldogs at Wilson鈥檚 Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park. The Bulldogs will represent the province next month at the Canadian senior amateur championship.
