‘An Unforgettable Experience’ For Players On Team Canada
August 4, 2026
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballON
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballAB
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballBC
Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballQC
The Future Games took place on July 22-25 and featured the top 2028 prospects across the nation along with Canada. This prestigous event served as an identifier of talent for over 450+ college coaches in attendance, with the August 1st recruiting window on the horizon.
‘An Unforgettable Experience’ For Players On Team Canada
EMERSON, Ga. - The number of college coaches on hand at the Future Games is now approaching 500. What a time for players from Canada to shine.
“The Future Games provides a massive opportunity for our Canadian players,” explained Josh Arce, Scouting Director for Prep Baseball Canada. “This event gives coaches an extended look at players against top competition in the country. They see a full workout and three games, allowing them to view the player’s complete profile instead of just a workout or a single game.
“Scouting the different age groups and players for Senior Future Games and Future Games across the country is always interesting to see which players have made that jump after the offseason and continue to perform in games during the spring,” Arce continued. “Compiling names from coast to coast and bringing them all to Lakepoint under the Prep Baseball umbrella is something I will never take for granted. It is a very cool experience.”
The amount of eyes on the participants made an impression.
This year’s event felt different due to the number of coaches watching Team Canada, which was confirmed by nearly 500 coaches in attendance this year,” Arce said. “No other event in the country gathers that many college coaches in one complex. It’s awesome to see how the event continues to evolve over the years.”
The performance from Team Canada reached - and perhaps even exceeded - expectations for Arce.
“Our 16U group went 1-0-2, which is Canada’s best finish at the Future Games during my five years attending the event,” Arce noted. “What really stood out to me was the play of our position players and how they stacked up against the other top players in the U.S. I feel that more than ever we really hit the ball well, starting with standouts Mikey Batiste, Ethan Reanud, Brooks Froese (Team Canada MVP), Jake Carriere, and Jake Andersen. They all racked up multiple extra-base hits throughout the week and have been popular names over the past couple of days in my conversations with coaches that watched Team Canada play.
“I also really liked how Lucien Kovalcik started game one of the week flashing some high-ceiling stuff. He settled in after a couple of batters and was efficient in his two innings and left a lasting impression on all schools in attendance with his 91-93 mph fastball and bullet-slider.”
College coaches certainly took notice with what they were seeing with Team Canada.
“Schools from the SEC, ACC, Big 12, Big 10, West Coast Conference, Big East, and more have shown interest in Team Canada players,” pointed out Arce.
While the Future Games for those in the 2028 class and a select few in the 2029 class draws the most attention, Arce was quick to point out how enjoyable the Junior Future Games (for those in the 2029-30 class) is for him.
“The Junior Future Games is always fun because the players are so young and are likely playing on a team with players from across the country for the first time,” Arce said. “It is a great event for them to compete against other top players in the country, see where their talent level compares to others, and envision what it could look like in a couple of years if they were selected to attend the Future Games. I really enjoyed our team this year and I’m looking forward to continuing to follow them throughout their high school careers.”
The chance to play in front of so many coaches along with so many other standout ballplayers, no matter the age of the participant, did not go unnoticed.
“I’d like to sincerely thank Prep Baseball for the opportunity to participate in such an amazing event,” explained Hunter Bartha, a junior at West Niagara Secondary School. “It was an unforgettable experience, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”
As Brooks Froese put it, the future can change at this event.
“You can be completely off the map and put your name on it in one day,” pointed out the St. Joseph High School junior from Red Deer, AB. “With all these eyes on you, all it takes is one coach to see you and believe in you as a player.”
A Prep Baseball thank you to all that participated and a special thanks to the players on Team Canada that gave their thoughts about the event (including what schools have been in contact with them since Aug. 1):
***** If you were on Team Canada and did not share your thoughts, feel free to email us and we will get them included within this article.
 |
Jake Andersen SS / 2B / Royal St. George’s College, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 10 / POS: 2
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Hunter Bartha SS / West Niagara Secondary School, ON / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? Representing Canada and competing alongside some of the best baseball players was an incredible experience I’ll never forget. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I’m proud of the way I contributed to the team, both offensively with hits into the gaps and defensively by making plays throughout the infield. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. What stood out most this year was how well our team came together with most of us having never played together before. The chemistry we built played a big role in our success, and we were proud to finish the event undefeated. Our coaching staff, Josh Arcé and Cam Black-Araujo, were outstanding and always available to support us in every way possible. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. It was an amazing opportunity to compete against some of the top talent all gathered in one place. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? Prep Baseball did an outstanding job of bringing together elite competition, along with a massive amount of college coaches and professional scouts from across North America. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? I’m especially grateful that several of them have already reached out following the event. |
 |
Mikey Batiste OF / 1B / Port Credit SS, ON / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? Hitting a 105.5 exit velo double. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I played great. I had good improvement from last year. I wanted to focus on swinging at good pitches and staying aggressive on pitches in the zone. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. Being on Team Canada is awesome and doing it twice is even better. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. The competition at the Future Games is top notch. You are always facing an arm that either has very high velocity or has specific skills that makes him elite. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? Participating in the Future Games will help you perform under pressure because of all the scouts watching. You’re also playing against some of the best competition in the country. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? I’ve been in contact with Tennessee, Texas A&M, Miami, Georgia Tech, Florida, Clemson, Oklahoma, USC, TCU, LSU. |
 |
Austin Burton C / 3B / Resurrection Catholic High School, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 15 / POS: 1
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Jake Carriere OF / 1B / Yale Secondary School, BC / 2028Rankings OverallRank: 327 / POS: 68
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Gage Churcher OF / RHP / st francis xavier, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 11 / POS: 2
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Luca D'Aquila RHP / OF / Anderson CVI, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 24 / POS: 9
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Brooks Froese SS / 2B / St. Joseph High School, AB / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? My highlights were hitting two doubles and a triple, while also playing very solid defense. It was almost surreal to see all of the college coaches in attendance. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I thought my performance was good, with a very strong first day at the plate with good defense, which was followed by another good day at the plate. The third game I just never got my pitch. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. Being on Team Canada, I don’t think the teams we played expected much from us. But we showed that Canada is on the rise for baseball. We never lost and competed with all the teams we played. Being able to represent my country on such a stage was a great experience. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. The competition we played was very good, but nothing out of this world. Each starter for each game touched 90 to 91 occasionally. The competition makes this such a big event for all the uncommitted incoming juniors. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? You can be completely off the map and put your name on it in one day. With all these eyes on you, all it takes is one coach to see you and believe in you as a player. Also, going through events like this can help you learn how to deal with stress better and use that as fuel. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? Erik Supplee, Yale; Monte Lee, College of Charleston; Billy O’Conner, Xavier; Justin Jacobs, U of Washington; Ryan Wright, Gonzaga; Daniel Carinci, Illinois State; Will Carpenter, Ohio University; Danny Bethea, Rutgers; Thomas Hughes, Kansas State; Trey Watt, U of Portland; Landon Steiner, U of Cincinnati. |
 |
Evan Harding RHP / St. Thomas of Villanova, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 5
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Lucien Kovalcik RHP / OF / Ecole Sainte-Trinité, ON / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? In my opinion my biggest highlight was the opportunity to pitch in front of an incredible crowd and elite competition. My velo and slider shape was there and was working well for me that day. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I pitched pretty well after settling after I hit the first two batters. After that I was pretty much crushing in my groove. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. Representing Canada and not just Ontario was a blessing that I’m proud of. I loved playing and spending time with those boys and looking forward to a future with them. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. The competition was elite. It was an amazing environment to be a part of. Learning that I don’t have to be timid and have to really attack these tough hitters really helped me step up my game. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? Participating is and will keep helping my recruiting process and the process of others. It’s really a blessing to have that opportunity. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? I have received great college interest and am proud and very grateful. |
 |
Jake Lamb LHP / LHP / Calvary Christian, ON / 2028Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Caleb Le Dressay RHP / St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 3
PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? My biggest highlight was being able to throw in front of all those college coaches and pitching against top competition. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I felt good with my performance and the command with my pitches. My off speed was good as well. My velocity was not there, but I still figured it out and used what I had and it worked, so I am happy. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. It was an honor to represent Team Canada. I used to play with a lot of these guys and the team chemistry and competitive environment stood out the most. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. The competition was very good. I knew from recognizing all their teams from their helmets and that challenged me to compete every pitch. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? I think it is very beneficial in terms of being exposed. At my normal games there are not usually many scouts and if there are, it’s very little as we are still not able to talk to coaches. So getting a glimpse of what it will be like in the future, and having the exposure, was a different experience that will be faced throughout my career. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? I have been in contact with multiple schools, and I am excited to create new connections and relationships. |
 |
Caleb Miller LHP / 1B / Delta Secondary School, BC / 2028Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Callum Reid Oldridge LHP / 1B / Loyola Catholic Secondary School, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 7 / POS: 2
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Ethan Renaud OF / RHP / Foothills Composite High School, AB / 2028Rankings OverallRank: 252 / POS: 56
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Eric Romero 1B / OF / St Aloysius Gonzaga, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 16 / POS: 1
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Wyatt Schmitt OF / SS / St. Joseph High School, AB / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? Definitely my teammates. It was just a really fun group of guys. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I was slightly disappointed in how I played but I still got a pair of hits and hit a few hard outs. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. It was cool to represent my country. I thought it was kind of funny how little the Americans knew about Canada. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. I was very impressed with my competition. It was awesome to play against this good of competition. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? There were so many coaches there and I got an opportunity to play in front of them so hopefully this will help me commit to a school. |
 |
Elijah Smith RHP / OF / Banting Memorial, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 14 / POS: 7
PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? The whole dynamic was intense. Seeing the caliber of player was amazing! PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I thought my performance was good. I should have let it all out though. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. I was surrounded by some of the best out of the North. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. Seeing and pitching to some of the best across the U.S. was awesome! PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? It’s putting you as a player in front of the best colleges and coaches around which can open up so many doors. |
 |
Augustus Tepfer RHP / OF / Glebe Collegiate, ON / 2029Rankings StateRank: 13 / POS: 6
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Gerrit Vanderwal OF / Vauxhall Academy, AB / 2028Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Cash Wiley C / C / Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 5
Will update when a response is received. |
 |
Riley Wolbeck 1B / 3B / Foothills Composite High School, AB / 2028PREP BASEBALL: What were your Future Games highlights? I would say my highlights from the Future Games was being able to just compete in the box against some of the top arms for our age. PREP BASEBALL: Assess your performance. I was very happy with my performance getting two really solid hits while also having a bunch of quality at-bats. As for my pitching, I filled up the zone and hit a PR on my fastball. PREP BASEBALL: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Canada and what stood out. It was awesome to represent my country and also to be able to meet the top kids around. To come together was special. PREP BASEBALL: Touch on the competition you faced at the event. The competition was like nothing I have ever seen before. Everyone could swing, throw and run at a high level and that’s not something you really see in Canada. PREP BASEBALL: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future? I think coming down to an event like the Future Games opens so many doors to other opportunities since you play in front of so many scouts and other evaluators at the event. PREP BASEBALL: What, if any, college coaches have you been in contact with since the event ended and the Aug. 1 deadline has been reached? I have had the University of Portland and Southeastern Louisiana University reach out to me. |
 |
Nathan Zaretsky 1B / RHP / King Secondary, ON / 2028Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 2
Will update when a response is received. |
Recent Articles
- OH Team Ohio Players Drawing Interest From Coast To Coast 8/04/26
- OH Senior Future Games Gets Rave Reviews For Year Three 8/04/26
- OH 2026 Super Sophomore Games: Team Ohio Stats Leaderboard 8/03/26
- OH 2026 Future Games - Team Ohio: Top Performers 8/01/26
- OH 2026 Ohio Prospect Games - Session 2 - Top Statistical Performers 7/30/26
- OH 2026 Future Games: Team Ohio Statistical Analysis 7/27/26
- OH 2026 Senior Future Games: Team Great Lakes Statistical Analysis 7/27/26
- OH 2026 Junior Future Games: Team Ohio Statistical Analysis 7/27/26
- OH 2026 Ohio Junior State Games - Class of 2030/3031 - Session 2 - Top Statistical Performers 7/16/26
- OH 2026 Ohio Underclass Games - Session 2 - Top Statistical Performers 7/16/26