Strong pitching pushes New Blue past Red in Canadian Futures Showcase opener

The 2026 Canadian Futures Showcase is officially underway at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium in beautiful British Columbia. Home to the Vancouver Canadians, the stadium is welcoming 150 of Canada’s brightest baseball prospects from all corners of the country to compete in a four-day showing.

Events got underway Thursday with Scout Day before the competition officially began with the Team New Blue shutting out Team Red 5-0.

Will Zielinski (Victoria, B.C.) opened the game on the mound for New Blue, which was closed out scoreless by an impressive catch from shortstop Will Henzi (Victoria, B.C.)

The bottom of the first began with Jackson Becker (Nepean, Ont.) pitching for Red. William Henderson (Mississauga, Ont.) led off by getting to second on an error. He later came around to score the first run of the showcase thanks to a pair of subsequent hits from teammates Gino De Santis (Chatham, Ont.) and Zach Macdonald (Lacombe, AB).

After Zielinski pitched another flawless inning, New Blue captured another run when Juan Cruz (Mississauga, Ont.) drove in Henzi for the game’s second run.

Neither team scored in the third, then New Blue added to their lead when De Santis reached base on a fielding error, plating Cruz.

New Blue finished out their scoring in the fifth inning as Hudson Harding (Calgary, Alta.) scored on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch and Henzi scored on a sacrifice fly from Cruz.

The trio of Zielinski, Marshall Schwoob (Hamilton, Ont.) and Brydon White (Surrey, B.C.) combined to allow just one hit while striking out eight batters.

Following their victory, Henzi spoke to the excitement felt in the dugout. Admitting to some first game nerves, Henzi noted the importance of prioritizing the process at hand and staying present.

“I want to focus on making the memories here, not just where this might get me […] We get to meet people from all over the country that we wouldn't get to meet otherwise.”

He went on to mention the good feeling he had about their team and the belief that they have a lot to offer, “Everybody has worked hard and is just a good guy.” After securing the win, they’re in no rush to switch gears, Henzi plans to, “go out there, have fun, and play free.”

Team New Blue is back in action at 9 a.m. Friday against Team Gray, where they will look to add another game to the win column.

Abbey Neufeld
UBC Journalism

Back-and-forth affair leads to 5-5 tie between Royal and Navy

By: Joe McFarland (Alberta Dugout Stories)

No lead was seemingly safe as Team Royal and Team Navy finished off Day 1 of the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase playing to a 5-5 draw.

Royal got out to the early lead thanks to a two-run single from Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, B.C.) in the top of the first inning, plating Mikey Batiste (Mississauga, Ont.) and Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.).

They added to their 2-0 lead in the second inning when Dayne Liske (Red Deer, Alta.) scampered home when a Charles-Etienne Drewitt (La Prairie, Que.) pitch got by catcher Justin Blouin (Montreal, Que.).

In the top of the third, Toby Wilding (Vancouver, B.C.) doubled in Jacob and it felt like Royal was in cruise control.

However, back-to-back bases-loaded walks by Riley Wolbeck (Leduc, Alta.) and Braylon Stern (Delaware, Ont.) cut Navy’s deficit in half in the fourth.

Blouin then got some revenge for the earlier passed ball when he hammered a bases-loaded double to right-centre field to give his squad the lead.

With their backs against the wall, Royal fought back in the top of the seventh inning, working the bases loaded for Ira Rootman, who hit a high fly ball to centre field, allowing Ludovic Therriault (Sherbrooke, Que.) to trot in from third to cap off the scoring.

Rootman says it was a hard-fought game which allowed everyone to get acclimated to what the showcase is all about.

“My biggest goal for this tournament was just to play hard and with energy,” said the California native, who was born in Toronto. “Stepping into this one, it’s a new environment and I’m just going to have fun with my friends and just prove what I have.”

On the mound, Drewitt, Major MacNeil (Angus, Ont.) and Simon Rae-Labarre (Quebec, Que.) combined to allow five runs on five hits, seven walks and 14 strikeouts for Navy, while Richard Marshall (Whitby, Ont.), Callum Dickie (Oro-Medante, Ont.) and Matis Trahan (Mercier, Que.) gave up five runs on four hits and 10 walks while striking out six for Royal.

Royal will face Teams Black (12 p.m. PT) and New Blue (6 p.m. PT) on Friday, while Navy takes on Red (3 p.m. PT).

Photos by: Emma Megelas (UBC)