OTTAWA — The Canadian Junior National Team (JNT) has arrived in Dunedin, Fla., for the 2026 Extended Spring Training Camp where they will spend the next eight days facing prospects from Major League organizations.
The camp will provide Canada’s top 18U athletes with experience against professional competition and serves as a key developmental stage in preparing to represent Canada internationally.
Junior National Team 2-9 Toronto Blue Jays EXT
Closing out Extended Spring Training Camp, April 23 saw the Junior Team face the Jays EXT one final time at the Toronto Blue Jays PDC.
OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) was the main offensive tool for the JNT today, hitting a clutch two-RBI double in the fifth inning, giving the Juniors a 2-1 lead over the Jays—going 1-for-3 on the day.
Another high-output performance came from C Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, B.C.), with a double and a single on the day, coming around to score in the fifth, finishing 2-for-3. INF Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.) also went 1-for-3 with a single.
RHP Calum Anderson (Calgary, Alta.) started the game for the Juniors, throwing three solid innings, allowing only one hit and one run. Another notable performance on the mound came from RHP Lucas St-Laurent (Ascot Corner, Que.), who came into the game in the fourth inning and continued for two innings, striking out three.
INF Elliott Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) finishes the camp with a .348 batting average leading the Juniors, while OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) led the OPS category with a .943. The only home run of the Extended Spring Training Camp came out of the bat of INF Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.).
The totals leaders on the mound are LHP Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.) with nine strikeouts, and a tie between LHP Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) and RHP Calum Anderson (Calgary, Alta.), each with an ERA of 1.67 (minimum six innings pitched).
With that, Extended Spring Training Camp comes to an end for the Junior National Team. Next up for the Juniors is the Dominican Pro Tour from May 11 to May 21.
Junior National Team 5-6 Baltimore Orioles EXT
The second-last day of Extended Spring Training Camp saw the JNT facing the Baltimore Orioles EXT at the Toronto Blue Jays PDC.
The offence shone today with 10 hits and three extra-base hits against the Orioles. Standout performances at the plate came from INF Elliott Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.), C Aiden Kilshaw (Saskatoon, Sask.), and OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.), combining for seven of the 10 hits for the JNT. Lascelles went 3-for-3 at the plate with two singles and a double, recording two RBIs. Kilshaw and Blain both went 2-for-2 with a single, double and an RBI each—notably Kilshaw hitting his clutch double in the seventh inning, giving the JNT a 5-4 lead at the time.
Other moments from the offensive side came from INF Cohen Miller (Calgary, Alta.), INF/RHP Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.), and INF Noah McIntosh (Dartmouth, N.S.), with all three going 1-for-3 at the plate with singles.
On the mound, the JNT went to their ace lefty Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) to start things off, battling for three innings, striking out five and only allowing one run. The best performance from the bullpen came from RHP Max Nantais-Vlahovich (Mississauga, Ont.). Nantais-Vlahovich came in in relief in the sixth and pitched two innings, striking out five and allowing only one run.
Tomorrow, April 23, the JNT will face the Toronto Blue Jays EXT for the rubber match of a 1-1 series to close out the Extended Spring Training Camp.
.png)
(Lascelles, Kilshaw, Duncan)
Junior National Team 3-15 New York Yankees EXT
On day seven of the Extended Spring Training Camp, the JNT headed over to the New York Yankees Minor League Complex in Tampa Bay to face the Yankees EXT team.
Today the Yankee bats were flying, however the Juniors had some answers with seven hits in the game and three players recording extra-base hits. Once again INF Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.), INF Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.), and Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, B.C.) showed offensive production, each recording an RBI. Lascelles went 2-for-3, Ellis 1-for-3 and Omidi 1-for-3 with a double in the first, scoring Lascelles and allowing the JNT to take a 1-0 lead.
Other Juniors with notable offensive performances came from INF Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.), INF Zach MacDonald (Lacombe, Alta.), and OF Sam Ellis (La Pêche, Que.). Jacob and Ellis both went 1-for-3 on the day with singles and Macdonald went 1-for-3 on the day with a double.
On the mound for the Juniors was lefty Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.) to start, followed by RHP Gabe Fink (Edmonton, Alta.), LHP Ethan Reason (Stouffville, Ont.), and RHP Will Zielinski (Victoria, B.C.). A notable performance came from the newcomer, Reason, coming in to relief and being able to hold the Yankees, only allowing one hit and one run over two innings.
Tomorrow, April 22, will see the JNT head back to the Toronto Blue Jays PDC to face off against the Baltimore Orioles EXT, marking the second-last day of camp.
.png)
(Lascelles, Ellis, Reason)
Junior National Team 2-11 Toronto Blue Jays EXT
April 20 saw the Juniors facing the Blue Jays EXT at the Toronto Blue Jays PDC for the fifth game of extended spring training. The Canadian Junior National Team had trouble keeping up with the Blue Jays EXT offensive output in a 11-2 loss that evened out the series 1-1.
Offensively, INF Noah McIntosh (Dartmouth, N.S.) drove in the first run for the JNT with a single in the eighth inning, going 1-for-2 on the day with an RBI. The eighth also had action from INF Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) and OF Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.), both with singles. Armitage went 1-for-2, while Rivard batted 2-for-3.
INF Eliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) also notched a single today in the seventh inning, advancing runners and going 1-for-4. The only other score for the JNT came from OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.), hitting a sac fly in the eighth inning, scoring Rivard.
On the Blue Jays side, we saw two Junior National Team alumni turn in solid offensive outings. INF Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.) went 1-for-3, blasting a solo home run. INF Tim Piasentin (Coquitlam, B.C.) hit a double in the eighth inning, going 1-for-4. The pair of Canucks covered the left side of the infield for the Junior National Team program for a good chunk of the 2024-2025 season.
On the rubber, righty Cole Dorland (Langley, B.C.) started things off for the JNT, pitching three innings with a strikeout. RHP Logan Cummins (Mississauga, Ont.) and LHP Oscar Leah (Maple Ridge, B.C.) followed in relief, both pitching one and two-thirds innings—Cummins with one strikeout, and Leah with three. RHP Desmond Tregaskis (Delta, B.C.) came in to close, staying on the mound for two innings and notching one strikeout.
Tomorrow, April 21, the JNT will take a trip to the New York Yankees Minor League Complex in Tampa to face the Yankees EXT squad.
.png)
(McIntosh, Rivard, Blain)
Junior National Team 3-1 Toronto Blue Jays EXT
Today, April 18, the Juniors played their first game against the Toronto Blue Jays EXT in Extended Spring Camp, taking them to the Blue Jays PDC and marking the first win of the camp.
The pitchers were the mainstay for the Juniors today, letting the JNT dominate defensively, holding the Jays to only one run. RHP Calum Anderson (Calgary, Alta.) started things off on the mound, pitching three innings of scoreless ball, striking out two.
Following him came RHP Lucas St-Laurent (Ascot Corner, Que.) and RHP Damarcus Rideau-Carter (Brampton, Ont.), each throwing two innings. St-Laurent had one strikeout and allowed the only run for the Jays on a sac fly ball to center field. Rideau-Carter exited the game with two strikeouts and allowed no runs, handing it off to RHP Austin Blair (Victoria, B.C.) to close. Blair finished the final two frames without allowing a run and striking out one.
Offensively, the JNT came ready to hit, taking an early 2-0 lead on the Jays in the first inning. First baseman Zach MacDonald led the offense today, both driving in the first run of the game on a sac fly and hitting the first home run for the JNT in Camp. MacDonald would go 1-for-2 on the day.
INF Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) had a good day at the dish, going 1-for-2 with a single, a stolen base, and some great baserunning that allowed him to later score. OF Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, Alta.) continues to find his way on base, finishing his day with a 1-for-3.
The next game in camp will be on Monday, April 20, with the Juniors playing the Jays EXT at the Blue Jays PDC.
.png)
(Andersen, MacDonald, Rideout-Carter)
Junior National Team 3-8 Philadelphia Phillies
On day three, April 17, of Camp the JNT took to the road to the Carpenter Complex to face the Philadelphia Phillies EXT for the final time in Florida.
INF Robert Omidi (Mississauga, Ont.) led the offense today, going 2-for-2 with a walk, a stolen base and came around to score in the fourth inning, giving the Juniors a 1-0 lead. INF Jalen Jacobs (Richmond Hill, Ont.) went 1-for-2 with a walk, hitting a line drive single in the second.
The biggest offensive play came from INF Eliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont), who went 1-for-2 with a walk, hitting a two-RBI ground ball single to center field in the fifth inning after good baserunning and a clutch stolen base from OF Sam Ellis (La Pêche, Que.) put both runners in scoring position. Ellis went 1-for-2 with a single in the third inning.
Early on, the Juniors lefty ace, Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), started the game, throwing for three innings with three strikeouts, allowing zero runs and only giving up one hit. RHP Joseph Pereira (Etobicoke, Ont.) made his Junior National Team debut, pitching 1.2 innings with three strikeouts in relief. Following Pereira, RHP Max Nantais-Vlahovich (Mississauga, Ont.) came in to throw 1.2 innings, striking out two. RHP Noah Powell (Toronto, Ont.) came in, throwing for two innings while striking out three to close the game off.
Day four of Camp will bring the Juniors back to the Toronto Blue Jays PDC to face the Blue Jays EXT tomorrow, April 18.
.png)
(Omidi, Duncan, Lascelles)
Junior National Team 3-4 Pittsburgh Pirates EXT
Day two of Spring Training Camp had the JNT facing off against the Pirates EXT, taking them on the road to LECOM Park. Both teams agreed to an extended ballgame for developmental purposes.
OF Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, AB.) was an offensive sparkplug for the Juniors, going 2-for-4 with an RBI single in the 10th inning and a line-drive single to the Pirates right fielder in the fifth. INF Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) went 1-for-2, driving in the first run for the Junior National Team in the top of the fifth. INF Jalen Jacob (Richmond Hill, Ont.) collected the only extra-base hit for the Canadians with a double and later came around to score, finishing 1-for-3 with one walk.
OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) went 1-for-3 with one walk and came around to score in the eighth inning. OF Sam Ellis (La Pêche, Que.) went 1-for-3 with a walk, including a hard-hit ground ball to the Pirates right fielder in the sixth. C Rhys Whiteford (Duncan, B.C.) reached on an error in the eighth, allowing Blain to score.
Defensively, left-hander Josh Mills (Leduc, Alta.) got the start, pitching 2.2 innings with five strikeouts. The bullpen featured two Junior National Team debuts in RHP Gabe Fink (Edmonton, Alta.) and LHP Ethan Reason (Stouffville, Ont.), alongside RHP Will Zielinski (Victoria, B.C.), who combined for six innings of shutout baseball. Fink threw two innings, striking out four while allowing no hits or earned runs. Reason followed with two innings in the sixth, striking out one without allowing a hit or an earned run. Zielinski closed the game with two scoreless innings, adding two strikeouts.
Tomorrow, April 17, the JNT will head to the Carpenter Complex to face the Philadelphia Phillies.
(2).png)
(Fink, Rivard, Zielinski)
Junior National Team 2-6 Philadelphia Phillies EXT
The JNT opened the camp today facing the Philadelphia Phillies extended team at the Toronto Blue Jays Player Development Complex.
Right-handed pitcher Cole Dorland (Langley, B.C.) had an impressive start, tossing three innings, striking out three and only allowing three hits with two earned runs. RHP Logan Cummins (Mississauga, Ont.) came in to throw two innings of relief, striking out two while allowing one run and one earned run. Southpaw Oscar Leah (Maple Ridge, B.C.) followed after for an inning before handing the reins over to RHP Desmond Tregaskis (Delta, B.C.), pitching three innings with two scoreless frames in the eighth and ninth, recording one strikeout.
Offensively, INF Jalen Jacob (Maple, Ont.) went 1-for-3 with a single in the fourth inning, bringing in Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, Ont.) and making the score 3-2. Lacelles went 1-for-3, with an infield single. OF Maxime Blain (Repentigny, Que.) also went 1-for-3, hitting a hard ground-ball single to right field in the second inning, advancing INF Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, B.C.) to third after he reached first on an error from the infield. OF Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, AB.) broke things open for the JNT after grounding into a fielder's choice that allowed Armitage to score, allowing the Junior Team to take a 1-0 lead.
The Juniors will continue on their Spring Training Camp tomorrow against the Pittsburgh Pirates extended team.
.png)
(Dorland, Jacob, Tregaskis)
Extended Spring Training Roster
(Written by Nicklaus Korim)
.png)
