Wheatley, Ont. man becomes first Canadian Baseball League player drafted into MLB

A Wheatley resident has been drafted into the MLB.

Less than 24 hours after hearing his name called in the Major League Baseball Draft, Evan Morrison was still trying to process what had happened.

The Wheatley resident and Chatham-Kent Barnstormers shortstop became the first player ever drafted from the Canadian Baseball League on Sunday when the Texas Rangers selected him in the 10th round, 297th overall.

After years of chasing the same goal, Morrison said reality was only beginning to sink in.

“Today was very interesting because I woke up and the adrenaline had started to wear off,” he said.

“I’m starting to realize that it’s real.”

For the 23-year-old, reaching professional baseball is the culmination of a dream that’s been with him since childhood.

“This has been my goal since I was 10 years old. And I’ve been playing baseball at a very high level for, now, eight years,” said Morrison.

“This is the dream scenario.”

The call itself came during the Canadian Baseball League all-star game at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham, Ont.

Morrison knew there was a chance he could be drafted Sunday, so he stayed close to his phone while sitting in the dugout.

“I was sitting in the dugout with my phone, and I feel it starting to buzz,” he said.

“I looked down and it says Arlington, Texas. And I was like, well, this is probably the Rangers.”

He stepped away to answer.

“Their GM was like, ‘Hey, Evan, how’s it going? Do you want to be a Texas Ranger?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely.’”

Moments later, Morrison celebrated with family, teammates and coaches before the selection became official.

“It was like everything you dream of.”

An unconventional road to professional baseball

Morrison’s journey wasn’t a straight line.

The Grand Valley State standout, who earned All-American honours this past season, said there were times he wasn’t sure his baseball career would lead to the professional ranks.

Still, he never stopped believing in himself.

“I’ve always been very confident in my ability, even if others haven’t been as confident,” he said.

“I’ve gotten a lot better in the last couple years. But I always had confidence in myself.”

He credits that confidence with helping him navigate what he describes as an unconventional path through college baseball.

“Which has made it very rewarding.”

Now, that journey is taking him to the Rangers’ spring training complex in Arizona, where he’ll report in the coming days to begin the next chapter of his career.