Many of the players who starred on the turf at Prince George Citizen Field in the summer of 2009 are about to become even bigger news in the baseball world.

The Major League Baseball amateur player draft goes Monday, June 7, and a handful of the members of Team USA are projected to be taken in the very early going. The USA national team captured the 2009 Enbridge Northern Gateway World Baseball Challenge, defeating Germany in the final to avenge an earlier loss to Germany in the round-robin.

The top pick of the MLB draft is expected to be phenom catcher Bryce Harper of Nevada, but after that the World Baseball Challenge connections start to flow. Left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz (Mississippi), who was named the top lefty pitcher and won two games during the World Baseball Challenge, including a sparkling performance in the final, is ranked as high as third overall on some projection lists. Pomeranz is called the “best college pitcher in the 2010 draft class” by many observers.

Outfielder Bryce Brentz (Middle Tennessee State), who also pitched for Team USA last year, is projected as high as sixth overall, and shortstop Christian Colon (Cal-State Fullerton) is fully recovered from the broken leg he suffered in the World Baseball Challenge semifinal game against Team Canada and is rated as high as 11^th overall. Right-hander Asher Wojchiechowski (The Citadel) will get first-round consideration after a stellar college season.

Power-hitting outfielder Michael Choice (Texas-Arlington), who tied for the World Baseball Challenge lead in home runs with three and has had a monster year in college, is rated as high as 15^th overall, while hard-throwing right-hander Chad Bettis (Texas Tech) is slated to go later in the first round. Catcher Yasmani Grandal (Miami), who used the World Baseball Challenge experience as a catapult to conference player-of-the-year honours, is pegged as a top-40 selection, but at least one draft-watcher has the former Red Sox pick as high as top five. Fiery outfielder Tyler Holt (Florida State) is expected to be a second-round selection, as is first-baseman Andy Wilkins (Arkansas), but both players have the talent to be considered by teams in the first round.

As well, six players who were with Team USA at the World Baseball Challenge are nominees for the Golden Spikes Award as top US college baseball player.

-- SS Christian Colon (Cal-State Fullerton)

-- LHP Drew Pomeranz (Mississippi)

-- RHP Trevor Bauer (UCLA)

-- OF Michael Choice (Texas-Arlington)

-- C Yasmani Grandal (Miami)

-- RHP Asher Wojchiechowski (The Citadel)

Plans are well under way for the 2011 World Baseball Challenge, with plans to unveil ticketing and team information soon. The marketing push is in full swing, and more local, national and international companies are committing to partner with the top amateur baseball tournament in Canada. For more information, contact Shawn Rice at 250-612-9856.

www.worldbaseball.ca