OTTAWA- Junior National Team member Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, ON) has agreed to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays selected the outfielder in the 16th round 486th overall.
Pompey’s draft day experience started out with him attending school and then coming home to listen to the draft with his family.
“I was hearing other national team players names being called,” said Pompey from his Mississauga home. “I was getting anxious because I hadn’t heard my name called yet.”
Pompey chose to take his mind off things by playing video games with his brother when he heard his name being called.
“I heard my name, dropped the controller and ran to tell my parents,” explained Pompey. “The feeling was great, my heart was pounding.”
Pompey wasn’t expecting his baseball career to develop this way, as he was more focused on school. All of that changed when he attended an MLB scouting camp and caught the eye of JNT coach Greg Hamilton.
“I guess I played pretty well, and Coach Hamilton invited me to the spring camp in Florida,” continued Pompey.
Pompey had a successful showing and also impressed at the JNT Dominican camp. He says the competition he faced at these camps and the coaching he received really helped him become a better player.
“Playing against that competition really helped, and all of the coaching insight was a tremendous help to me,” said Pompey.
Pompey will be travelling to Dunedin, FL next week, home of the Blue Jays training facility. It is expected that he will join one of the Blue Jays minor league affiliates to get his first taste of professional baseball.
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