Canadian Baseball Network unveils 2022 Canadian college Player of the Year and annual All-Canadian college teams

November 22, 2022

Official Canadian Baseball Network News Release

Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Baseball Network (CBN) announced its 2022 Canadian college Player of the Year and its 23rd annual All-Canadian college teams on Tuesday.

Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.), who batted .376 with 27 home runs in 58 games for the Old Dominion Monarchs, has been named CBN’s college Player of the Year. The 6-foot-1 infielder received first-place votes on 41 of 52 ballots cast by a large panel of scouts, coaches, executives, former players, writers and broadcasters.

Coutney becomes just the second player from Alberta to win the award. Third baseman Jesse Sawyer (Calgary, Alta.) took home the honour in 2009 after his standout season with the South Dakota Jackrabbits.

Coutney topped all Canadian NCAA Division 1 college players in home runs (27), runs (66),  doubles (18), RBIs (70) and slugging percentage (.808) and finished second in hits (86), on-base plus slugging percentage (1.281). He was also third among NCAA Division 1 Canucks in batting average (.376) and on-base percentage (.473).

For his efforts, Coutney, who honed his skills at the St. Francis Xavier Baseball Academy and with the Parkland Twins, was named Conference USA Player of the Year and First Team All-Region, All-Conference USA and to the All-Conference USA tournament team.

The left-handed hitting slugger, who was in his third season at Old Dominion, was selected in the 10^th round of the MLB draft in July by the Los Angeles Angels. He signed with the big league club and proceeded to record a .375 on-base percentage and hit a home run in nine games for their Rookie club in the Arizona Complex League.

Coutney also claimed the first base position on CBN’s All-Canadian First Team. He is one of three players from Alberta on the squad. The First Team also boasts five Ontario players, two B.C. players and one player each from New Brunswick and Quebec.

The Canadian Baseball Network’s 23rd annual All-Canadian First Team (as noted below) consists of seven NCAA players, four NJCAA players and one NAIA player.

The players on the All-Canadian teams represent the best of the 997 Canadians that played the majority of their schedule south of the border in 2022.

First Team

LHP – Connor O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.), Michigan Wolverines, NCAA

RHP – Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.), Canisius Golden Griffins, NCAA

RP – Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.), Central Arizona Vaqueros, NJCAA

C – Ryan Leitch (Whitby, Ont.), Marshall Thundering Herd, NCAA

1B – Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.), Old Dominion Monarchs, NCAA

2B – Max Grant (Fredericton, N.B.), Canisius Golden Griffins, NCAA

3B – Brandon Nicoll (Coombs, B.C.), Southern Arkansas Muleriders, NCAA II

SS – Benji Sauve (Mascouche, Que.) Trinidad State Trojans, NJCAA

OF – Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.), Cloud County Thunderbirds, NJCAA

OF – Logan Grant (Chestermere, Alta.), Bismarck State Mystics, NJCAA

OF – Ethan Hunt (Elginburg, Ont.), Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies, NAIA

DH – David McCabe (Oshawa, Ont.), University of North Carolina at Charlotte 49ers, NCAA

Second Team

LHP – Campbell Ellis (Georgetown, Ont.), Virginia Commonwealth Rams, NCAA

RHP – Cedric De Grandpre (St. Simon, Que.), Chipola College, NJCAA

RP – Peyton Consigli (Fonthill, Ont.), Canisius Golden Griffins, NCAA; Fynn Chester (Victoria, B.C.), Cal-State Fullerton Titans, NCAA

C – Connor Caskenette (Duncan, B.C.), Cochise College, NJCAA

1B – Nolan Machibroda (Saskatoon, Sask.), Cumberland Phoenix, NAIA

2B – Ricardo Sanchez (Okotoks, Alta.), Barton Cougars, NJCAA

3B – Liam Bushey (Mission, B.C.), Mineral Area College Cardinals, NJCAA

SS – Matteo Porcellato (Pitt Meadows, B.C.), Marian Sabres, NAIA

OF – Tucker Zdunich (High River, Alta.), Reinhardt Eagles, NAIA

OF – Cesar Valero (Calgary, Alta.), Sacramento State Hornets, NCAA

OF – Alejandro Cazorla (Okotoks, Alta.), Bossier Parish Cavaliers, NJCAA

DH – Tim Holyk (Nanaimo, B.C.), Miles Pioneers, NJCAA

Third Team

LHP – Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.), Alabama Crimson Tide, NCAA

RHP – Connor Irvine (Victoria, B.C.), Lassen Hustlin’ Cougs, CCCAA

RP – Nathan Landry (Victoriaville, Que.), Missouri Tigers, NCAA

C  – Gavin Logan (Oyen, Alta.), Oregon State Beavers, NCAA

1B – Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.), Bismarck State Mystics, NJCAA

2B – Garrett Takamatsu (Burlington, Ont.), Central Oklahoma Bronchos, NCAA II

3B – Daniel Lichty (Denfield, Ont.), Huntington Foresters, NAIA

SS – Declan Buckle (Dieppe, N.B.), Minot State Beavers, NCAA II

OF – Caleb Feuerstake (Waterdown, Ont.), McPherson Bulldogs, NAIA

OF – Chris Tani (Oakville, Ont.), Niagara County Thunderbirds, NJCAA

OF – Pier-Olivier Boucher (Saint-Joseph-de-Bauce, Que.), Southern Illinois Salukis, NCAA

DH – Ethan Murdoch (Swift Current, Sask.), McCook Community College, NJCAA

Fifty-two baseball experts from Canada and the U.S. voted for the Canadian Baseball Network’s annual college All-Canadian teams which have been recognized since 2000. The Canadian Baseball Network is regarded as the premier source of information on Canadian college players. Pete Berryman was the primary statistician for this project.

For more detailed information about each member of the Canadian Baseball Network’s 23rd annual college All-Canadian teams, visit https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/.

List of previous Canadian Baseball Network college Player of the Year winners:

2021 – INF Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.), Wright State Raiders

2020 – INF David Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.), Connors State Cowboys

2019 – LHP Ryan Johnson (Winnipeg, Man.), Lubbock Christian Chaps

2018 – DH Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.), Auburn Tigers

2017 – OF Christopher Acosta-Tapia (Laval, Que.), Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles

2016 – LHP Guillaume Blanchette (St-Constant, Que.), Lubbock Christian Chaparrals

2015 – 3B Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.), Canisius Golden Griffins

2014 – 2B-OF Craig-St. Louis (Gatineau, Que.), Seminole State Trojans

2013 – LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.), Arizona State Sun Devils

2012 – 2B Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.), Stony Brook Seawolves

2011 – OF Chase Larsson (Vancouver, B.C.), Cameron Aggies

2010 – OF Marcus Knecht (North York, Ont.), Connors State Cowboys

2009 – 3B Jesse Sawyer (Calgary, Alta.), South Dakota State Jackrabbits

2008 – DH Mike Gosse (Pitt Meadows, B.C.) Oklahoma Sooners

2007 – 1B Kevin Atkinson (Surrey, B.C.), New Mexico Jr. College Thunderbirds

2006 – OF Jon Baksh (Mississauga, Ont.), Florida Tech Panthers

2005 – 1B Karl Amonite (Woodslee, Ont.), Auburn Tigers

2004 – OF Charlie MacFarlane (Lantzville, B.C.), Cumberland Bulldogs

2003 – C Aaron McRae (Delta, B.C.), LSU-Shreveport Pilots

2002 – tie: OF Ryan Kenning (North Vancouver, BC), New Mexico State Aggies; RP-SS Jesse Crain (Toronto, Ont.), Houston Cougars.

2001 – LHP Jeff Francis (North Delta, B.C.), British Columbia Thunderbirds

2000 – OF Ben Emond (Farnham, Que.), Texas Longhorns