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Balmoral, Oxford, Dec. 6 – The grand Opal Pavilion, set on an embankment overlooking the Taw River in the heart of Balmoral, served as the elegant setting for the United Leagues’ 22nd Annual Amateur Draft. The scouting staffs from all 16 teams convened in the Pavilion’s expansive banquet hall to talk shop and ultimately announce their selections over the course of the 10 rounds that comprised the draft. When it was all over, 160 players were selected from 21 countries to begin their careers in professional baseball.

For just the second time in its history, the Fort Richmond Generals came into the draft with the first selection in their hip pocket. Back in 1944, the Generals selected OF Dylan Moyne who, over the course of a 12-year career, all with Fort Richmond, won a Babe Ruth Award, two Ball Hawk Awards, two United Cup championships and six All-Star selections before retiring in 1956. The Generals no doubt hope that their first pick will have an equally impressive impact on the club’s fortunes going forward.

The person in charge of changing the Generals’ fortunes is GM Timothy Slater, who is now in his fourth year at the helm. Over the past two seasons, Fort Richmond held the 2nd overall pick, and it appears that Slater has made some shrewd choices with those picks, although in fairness, it’s perhaps a little too early to render judgment. In 1956, Slater picked RHP Kenete Yuri, who has firmly entrenched himself as the Generals’ ace in the rotation, earning Western League Rookie of the Year honors and an All-Star selection last season. In 1957, OF Sami Michel was the 2nd overall pick and is currently rated 2nd-overall among all prospects. However, he ruptured an Achilles tendon back in October and is expected to miss another 3 months at least.

So, the room was hushed and all eyes on GM Slater when he stepped up to the lectern to announce the first overall pick for the Generals: C Yugoro Yasuda (25/80) from Japan. It was not unexpected. The 20-year-old entered the draft as the top-rated prospect. With a terrific eye and patience at the plate with solid defensive skills, he has a real chance of becoming one of the best all-round players in the United Leagues.

With that pick, Yasuda becomes just the second catcher to be selected first overall in the Amateur Draft. 18 years ago in 1940, the Hespeler Stars selected Aaron Skidmore. The Sherburn-native enters his 18th season as one of the most decorated players in the ULB: a record 16 All-Star appearances (Hall of Famer IF Katsunan Chikafuji is second with 12 selections), one Babe Ruth Award, two Ball Hawk Awards, one Pennant Series MVP and two United Cup championships. Time will tell if the young Yasuda can deliver on his promise and become one of the very best in the United Leagues as Aaron Skidmore did. The Fort Richmond Generals for one, are banking on it.

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Amateur scouts throughout the United Leagues ranked the following players as the Top 10 picks for this year’s draft:



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Here is a brief overview of the 16 players taken in the first round:

1st Pick – Fort Richmond Generals:

C Yugoro Yasuda (25/80) – 20-years old; 5’-10”, 180 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Shingú, Fukuoka, Japan



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2nd Pick – Downie Chiefs:

OF Logan McLaren (30/61) – 23-years old; 5’-9”, 180 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Hespeler, Norfolk, Braeland



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3rd Pick – Wolseley Unions:

OF Sam Cloherty (28/71) – 21-years old; 5’-9”, 150 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia



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4th Pick – Brunswick Legends:

OF Nicky Milbank (33/70) – 22-years old; 6’-0”, 170 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws LH.
City of Birth: Wolseley, Oxford, Braeland



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5th Pick – Hespeler Stars:

SS Brad Common (27/67) – 20-years old; 6’-0”, 165 lbs.; Bats SH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Glencoe, Perth, Braeland



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6th Pick – Balmoral Giants:

IF Edward Coxall (20/65) – 19-years old; 5’-10”, 160 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Providence Bay, Perth, Braeland



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7th Pick – Embro Suns:

C/1B Thaddeus Cagahastian (23/53) – 21-years old; 5’-10”, 185 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Stratford, Perth, Braeland



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8th Pick – Kingston Pelicans:

OF David Derry (31/60) – 22-years old; 5’-8”, 170 lbs.; Bats SH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Queensland, Dunwich, Braeland



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9th Pick – Cambria Cannons:

SP Spencer Dicker (35/67) – 21-years old; 5’-11”, 170 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws LH.
City of Birth: Wellington, Perth, Braeland



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10th Pick – Braeland City Monarchs:

1B/OF Edward Harpham (24/52) – 22-years old; 6’-2”, 200 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws LH.
City of Birth: Queensland, Dunwich, Braeland



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11th Pick – Wellington Athletics:

IF/OF Jim Crittenden (20/62) – 19-years old; 6’-1”, 200 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Downie, Perth, Braeland



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12th Pick – Cobourg Redlegs:

IF Ramón Águila (25/60) – 21-years old; 6’-1”, 175 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Las Tablas, Los Santos, Panama



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13th Pick – Sherburn Tigers:

2B Colin Lutz (30/54) – 22-years old; 5’-9”, 155 lbs.; Bats RH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Sherburn, Oxford, Braeland



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14th Pick – Stratford Barons:

IF Larry Jackson (30/52) – 20-years old; 5’-11”, 165 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Embro, Dunwich, Braeland



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15th Pick – Queensland Eagles:

OF Kunisada Tenno (30/63) – 22-years old; 5’-11”, 170 lbs.; Bats LH/Throws LH.
City of Birth: Sakai, Osaka, Japan



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16th Pick – Pulberry Trolleys:

IF/RF Hal Saunders (23/47) – 20-years old; 6’-1”, 170 lbs.; Bats SH/Throws RH.
City of Birth: Stratford, Perth, Braeland