Feb 16, 2022 | Matt Betts | 829 views
Former Terriers to take part in MLB Draft League
Three Ontario Terriers alumni are set to play in the highly scouted MLB Draft League this summer.
Right handed pitcher Matt Brown, infielder Austin Gomm, and left handed pitcher Andre Wojtarowicz have been selected to take part in the six team circuit.
The summer league was founded in 2021 and serves as a showcase league for professional prospects. Starting in 2022, the first half of the season will feature amateur draft-eligible players, and the second half will see professional players who no longer hold amateur eligibility or those who wish to begin their professional careers take the field.
Brown, a freshman at Frontier Community College in Illinois, has had a stellar start to his college career. He’s made two starts, going is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA and 12 strikeouts over 12 innings pitched. The experience is something he's hoping to take full advantage.
"The fact that I'll be playing with and against some of the best college and high school players is exciting and a huge honour," he said. "I'm looking forward to learning from various coaches and teammates, as well as having the opportunity to get on the radar of MLB teams. My short term goal is to continue to play college baseball at a high level and I believe this experience will help me with that."
While playing with the Terriers, Gomm also suited up for the Canadian Junior National Team. During the 2019 WBSC U-18 World Cup he was named to the All-World Team as a shortstop. The slick fielding Parkland College infielder will begin his first college season on February 18 in Booneville, Mississippi when the Cobras face off against Wallace State Community College-Hanceville.
Wojtarowicz, also a freshman at Frontier, has appeared in two games, making one start for the Bobcats. He’s thrown six innings and struck out six.
The 2022 edition of the league will move from a 68 to 80 game season and will feature a pre-Draft pro day for MLB scouts on June 26 and 27. The 2021 season saw 39 players drafted, 23 undrafted free agents signings, and 34 independent league signings.
It will also be the second year in a row that a former Terrier will take part. Infielder Elijha Hammill, who now calls the University of Utah home, played for the West Virginia Black Bears in 2021 and posted a .224 average with an .815 OPS.
The first half of the season runs from June 2 to July 16.