MLB Baseball: Brett Lawrie
Brett Lawrie was born in the Vancouver, BC suburb, Langley. He and his older sister, Danielle, took to baseball early, which is surprising in a Hockey community like the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
Position: Third Base
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 215 lbs
Birthdate: January 18, 1990
Birthplace: Langley, British Columbia
Danielle ended up as a University of Washington softball pitching sensation before playing professional fast pitch softball for the Florida Pride. Brett, of course, ended up playing in Major League Baseball.
Makes one wonder what their parents fed them for breakfast.
Lawrie started playing in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League for the Abbotsford Cardinals in 2005 and started to command attention of Major League Scouts as early as 15.
After that season, Lawrie finished out his high school career in the same league, but played for his hometown Langley Blaze. At the end of that season, Lawrie was invited to represent Canada at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, his sister was selected to be an Olympic athlete the same year.
Quite a family accomplishment.
However, Lawrie gained the most attention at the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship when he topped the charts with a .469 batting average with 3 homers and 16 ribbies. He was drafted in 2008 in the 1st Round (16th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers.
It has been reported that the Blue Jays had intended to pick Lawrie with their pick (#17). In 2008, Lawrie was the highest possition player to be drafted out of Canada.
Brett Lawrie Northwest Athlete Profile
He was rated high on defense, speed on the basepaths and his greatest asset: power. Lawrie continued to play well up until the time he was signed. In the 2009 World Baseball Classic Lawrie hit five homeruns in one day during a double header.
Lawrie was drafted as a catcher, but played regularly at second, third and left field as well. For many players too many position changes could be a sign of insecurity, but with Lawrie it shows his true athletic talent.
The Brewers were raising him up as second basemen at his request, when he was traded to the Blue Jays for a veteran pitcher named Shaun Marcum he was placed at the hot corner where he played very well.
For the Blue Jays, bringing in a high profile Canadian prospect to play for the Toronto based franchise makes sense on many levels. Baseball is not hugely popular in Canada but Canadians are fiercely loyal to home grown athletes.
Lawrie’s origins could potentially bring a broader fan base, marketing themselves as Canada’s team.
Counting the rookie, Brett Lawrie the Jays have only had 16 Canadians play for the big league club since their inception in 1977.
Although some people were wondering if the Jays were doing what was But when this young man was brought up from AAA Las Vegas he soon showed the fans he was more than a publicity stunt.
Before an injury cut his season short, Lawrie had 4 triples, an OPS of .961 and a batting average in the .293 range.
It will be interesting to see how this young man’s career turns out.
He could make Canada and Northwest fans very proud.
