It was Sunday morning that the annual draft of the Quebec Junior Elite Baseball League (LBJEQ) was held. The Aigles Junior Élite de Trois-Rivières had 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th round picks in the 2022 draft. outfielder Mathis Deschênes, earlier this winter.
“With a team that is already well off, our goal was to add depth to our lineup and to certain positions, particularly in the infield and at the receiving end,” commented Mike Lachance, general manager of the Junior Elite Eagles. of Trois-Rivieres.
With its 2nd round pick, Trois-Rivières drafted Henri Griffin (Longueuil), an 18-year-old infielder. “He’s a very talented player who can play at second base, third base and shortstop. He is currently playing in Alberta and will join the Trois-Rivières team in July. He is the son of the former Montreal Expos color holder, Marc Griffin, now an analyst at RDS, ”testified Mr. Lachance.
In the 3rd round, the Eagles set their sights on Guillaume Germain, an 18-year-old pitcher from Trois-Rivières. “Guillaume is a very precise right-hander, able to throw a ball with a lot of movement. He maintained a 2.02 average in the Midget AAA. He will have the opportunity to play in the Midget AAA again this year, and he will be with us in the playoffs. »
In the fourth round, Trois-Rivières went with 18-year-old Francis Gagné of East-Broughton. The latter can play in the infield, as well as occupy the position of pitcher. “Francis went a bit under the radar last year playing in Midget AA. He now trains with the Voltigeurs, from Cégep de Drummondville. He is a fluid athlete and he is destined for a bright future. »
During the repechage, the Aigles Junior Élite exchanged future considerations in order to get their hands on the 5th choice of the Royal de Repentigny, which allowed them to add a second player.
They first drafted a 22-year-old right-handed pitcher, Benjamin Roy, from Rimouski. “Benjamin played with the Voyageurs de Saguenay last season. His game is excellent, but an injury has tarnished his stat sheet. One thing for sure, our hitters didn’t like to face him at all when he was on the mound. This is an important acquisition for us, so we will be looking for a very effective veteran pitcher to come and solidify our enclosure. »
Then a few moments later, it was the turn of Antoine Abud, aged 22, to be selected by the Aigles Jr. “Antoine is a receiver and he now lives in Trois-Rivières. He trains with the Collège Laflèche Dragons. He will bring depth to the receiver position that we lacked. Antoine is the perfect teammate, his integration into the team will be very easy”, concludes the general manager. (JC)
