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This is a heady Sunday for baseball player Jason Willow of Victoria.
Willow has captained host sa国际传媒 into the bronze-medal game of the Under-18 World Cup against Japan in Thunder Bay, Ont.. He is also being profiled on Sportsnet鈥檚 Blue Jays Central at 9:30 a.m. PT ahead of the Toronto-Detroit MLB game.
Much as he does in the infield, and at the plate, Willow takes it all seamlessly and in his stride.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a cool experience all-round,鈥� said the sa国际传媒 Premier League Victoria Mariners product, who was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2017 MLB draft.
The Canadian U-18 team features six MLB draft picks, but there is no doubt whose lead everybody follows.
鈥淟eadership is something I have always prided myself on. It was a big honour to be chosen captain of a national team,鈥� Willow said on the phone from Thunder Bay.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great feeling to play with sa国际传媒 written across your chest.鈥� Willow鈥檚 Victoria Mariners coach, Mike Chewpoy, describes his as a 鈥渇ive-tool player鈥� who can do it all.
The graduate of Lambrick Park Secondary has proved that with a Canadian team-leading 10 hits, .317 batting average, nine RBIs and a home run, triple and two doubles in the U-18 World Cup.
He has displayed his ample versatility over eight games by not only being the Canadian starting shortstop, but also seeing duty in centre field and left field.
Willow hit an RBI double and scored a run in sa国际传媒鈥檚 4-2 medal-round victory over Cuba on Saturday. sa国际传媒 is a combined 5-3 in the round robin and medal rounds after dropping its first two games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great roller-coaster ride, that started off low, but has been on the rise ever since we started clicking,鈥� Willow said.
The six-foot-two, 175-pound Islander has opted for NCAA Division 1 university play with the UC-Santa Barbara Gauchos this season over minor pro in the Orioles system.
His next draft window comes in his junior year in 2020 and he is already off to a good start to that. Willow has given not only the Orioles, but any number of MLB teams plenty to think about over the past 10 days with his performance in Thunder Bay.
The United States will meet South Korea in the gold-medal game today after sa国际传媒 plays Japan for bronze.
sa国际传媒 is looking for its first podium finish in the U-18 World Cup since third-baseman Jesse Hodges of Victoria helped lead the Canadians to silver in 2012 at Seoul.
