On college diamonds and at every level of professional baseball, from Rookie League to the Major Leagues, it’s becoming more and more common to find players who once took the field at T12 in Toronto.

Along with the added exposure to scouts and the challenge of competing against the best young baseball players in Canada, the T12 week in Toronto also gives them a small taste of the Major Leagues. With the many Canadian players who have come before them and gone on to college or the pros, taking the field at Rogers Centre adds some reality to their development at the highest levels.

“Young, aspiring Major Leaguers need to be able to dream, and they dream based on the accomplishments of those that are having impacts at the highest levels of the game,” said Greg Hamilton, the head coach and director of national teams for Baseball Canada. “Kids get involved in the game because of the star power that exists in the game. They get involved because of role models and people that they want to emulate and aspire to be. That drives numbers, that drives desire, that drives dreams.”

A total of 21 T12 participants were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft, a new high after 18 were selected in 2018. This year’s selections were topped by Oakville, Ontario’s Dasan Brown going to the Toronto Blue Jays and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’s Jake Sanford going to the New York Yankees in the third round.

The first round has even seen some T12 talent in recent years with Noah Naylor (2018), Josh Naylor (2015) and Mike Soroka (2015). Soroka is enjoying a breakout season with the Atlanta Braves and establishing himself as one of the best young pitchers in the game while Josh Naylor debuted in the Major Leagues this season with the San Diego Padres.

“It’s had a huge impact,” Hamilton said. “The opportunity to play in the stadium and play in the environment where everybody in this country aspires to play, for the Toronto Blue Jays. They’re Canadian kids, they dream of being a Blue Jay and the opportunity to play at Rogers Centre and be in a Major League environment around professionals.”

Geography is still a factor when it comes to the development of young baseball players. Canadian climates don’t allow for outdoor training or playing seasons as long as you might find in Florida or California and, while travel and the Canadian Junior National team have a great impact on this, T12 still plays a pivotal role in these players being noticed by major programs.

“It’s a very efficient tournament from a scouting perspective,” Hamilton said. “It allows scouts to come in and see games that are well organized and tight. You’re not dealing with weather challenges, who’s pitching, when they’re pitching. You get the opportunity to see players work out before, too. It’s a really comprehensive tournament that completely shows the skills of the players involves.”

With these young players on the rise, they can also benefit from former T12 participants and Blue Jays alumni who offer guidance along the way.

Roberto Alomar, who acts as T12 commissioner, remains heavily involved with youth baseball in Canada and the tournament itself. Alomar works to pass on what he learned over his 17-year Major League career, which included five seasons with the Blue Jays, two World Series Championships and his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

“It means a lot. I used to be a kid once and I never had this opportunity,” Alomar said. “To give opportunities to the youth in Canada is special, especially when they can get a scholarship or sign professionally.”

Alomar’s primary focus with these young players is the mental side of the game, which he believes separates players as they reach college and the pros.

Opportunities like T12 naturally benefit players in that sense, too, by giving them another opportunity to play on a big stage while still amateurs, clearing the path for them to succeed as they advance through their careers.