From small town to bright lights?
Calvin Ziegler, a right-handed fireballer with the Great Lake Canadians, is one of the country’s top prospects for this year’s MLB draft.
Ziegler, whose fastball reaches the mid-to-upper 90s, has been honing his pitching craft the past two years with the local Great Lake Canadians program. (Photo courtesy Great Lake Canadians).
It doesn’t take long to drive through Heidelberg, Ontario. Blink and you might miss it. There is a traffic light – a flashing one, but a light nonetheless.
For Calvin Ziegler, growing up in this old-fashioned town of less than 500 (just 15 minutes outside Waterloo) has been a quiet existence. But the 18-year-old has been creating a buzz in the small community, and across baseball, these last few years with his prowess on the mound.
A strong right-handed pitcher, Ziegler has been catching the eyes of college and pro scouts with his fastball that reaches the mid-to-upper 90s. Last year, the anticipation was he’d be taken at some point in the MLB draft. But concerns around COVID-19 only brought five rounds, down from the regular 40. Ziegler wasn’t selected.
Meanwhile, last year’s shortened Canadian Premier Baseball League season didn’t give him much chance to display his talents. A top starter for the Great Lake Canadians (GLC), Ziegler dominated in the few games that were played – even participating in the league’s All-Star Showcase. But the season was soon shut down.
Unfortunate events like these would have left many his age – anticipating that next big step in their career – disappointed and bitter. But Ziegler is someone who doesn’t go that route.
“A big factor was the coaching staff around me that kept me going,” said Ziegler, who is ranked fourth on the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2021 Draft List. “They helped me understand it’s not the end of the world, that this year will hopefully turn out a lot better than what I was expecting last year. I see it as getting another year under my belt, getting that extra training in, and pushing it to the next level.”
And that’s just what he did.
In late September, Ziegler made a trip to Alabama to take part in a pair of invite-only events for some of the country’s top young players. The East Coast Pro and Area Code showcase events were followed up with two more outings, including the Perfect Game showcase in Florida, where he was chosen to be part of the WWBA World Championship, and the Baseball Factory event in Texas, where he was selected to join the National League team for the All-Star Classic. He was named a top performer by MLB.com at the Texas outing, after tossing a perfect inning with a pair of strikeouts.
“I’ve done showcases before but nothing like this, playing with such high-level guys,” said the St. Mary’s High School graduate, who topped off his whirlwind year by accepting a baseball scholarship to Auburn University.
“When I got there initially, I was a bit nervous, but I performed well and began to fit in. All the guys you see there you’ve already seen on social media, so you have an idea of who they are. Performing well really boosts your confidence and helps you grow as a player.
“You’re always trying to improve your game, and I think being part of these showcases … it almost exposes exactly what you need to improve on. Facing these top athletes, who are likely going to be drafted pretty high, you get an idea of what the next level players are like, so you can adjust your game directly to that.”
Chris Robinson, Director of Baseball Operations at GLC, says Ziegler, who has been with the program for two years now, continues to get better with each outing. Having Ziegler work closely with pitching coordinator Jon Fitzsimmons, Robinson has definitely seen a greater maturity level on the mound.
“He came to us as an impressive young player that had tremendous upside,” said Robinson, a London native who played professionally for nine years with the Tigers, Cubs, Orioles and Padres organizations. “With the work he has put in over the last year and a half, his tremendous potential has turned him into the very impressive MLB draft prospect he is today. “With fastballs in the upper 90s, he has always been able to overpower the amateur game, but learning his craft and turning into a ‘pitcher’ while here, has really taken him to the next level of professional baseball.”
Since its beginnings in 2014, GLC has quickly become known as one of the elite options in the country for amateur baseball players. In just seven quick years, Robinson and his coaching staff have seen 10 players taken in the MLB Draft – and dozens more go on to earn scholarships at some of the top U.S. college and university baseball programs.
Ziegler, who has represented his country as a member of the Canadian Junior National Team since 2019, is well aware this could be a big year for him. The MLB Draft, scheduled for July 11-13 in Atlanta (to coincide with the All-Star game), will have 20 rounds this year. Less than two months later, Ziegler is expected to begin his freshman year at Auburn, where he has signed a letter of intent.
Knowing how well he performed at the showcase events last year, he is hopeful he caught the attention of a few more MLB scouts. The positive outlook remains strong.
“If I am (drafted), and I’m happy with what I’m offered, depending on the money and the opportunity, then I’ll be focusing on that,” he said. “If I don’t get drafted, you could look at that as a negative, but I won’t. I’ll look at it as I get to go to Auburn.”
Awaiting him at Auburn will be a pitching coach who’s a familiar name in the baseball world: former big-league pitcher Tim Hudson. The four-time all-star and World Series champion, with 222 wins to his name, is someone Ziegler can’t wait to learn from.
“The entire package the school has to offer – their history, the Southeastern Conference being one of the strongest – it’s going to push you to the next level to see if you’re ready for it, and that’s what I’m excited about,” said Ziegler, who added it was, in fact, the chance to work one-on-one with Hudson that sealed the deal.
Ziegler, 18, is committed to Auburn University, where his pitching coach will be former MLB star Tim Hudson. (Photo courtesy Great Lake Canadians).
“Being able to pick someone’s brain who has played at such a high level for such a long time, and had so much success doing it, is going to be big for me,” the right-hander said. “Guys like that have the experience and know what it’s like. It’s not just someone who studied the game, but someone who has a true feel for the game, someone who knows all the ins and outs.”
Robinson says besides Ziegler’s obvious physical draw, the thing he loves about the fireballer is his competitive drive.
“He takes a bulldog mentality to the mound every time out and has worked long hours to hone his craft as a pitcher,” Robinson said. “Although physically gifted, that hasn't stopped Cal from working. He is a perfectionist and demands the highest level of himself every time out.
“This gives him a drive, I believe, that will help him at the next level. As he continues to mature and face stiffer competition, all of these non-tangible attributes will even further guide him to the highest level.”
Zeigler credits GLC for a lot of his success. When he first made the decision to come to the program and train at Centrefield Sports in London (run by former MLBer and GLC Director of Player Development Adam Stern), he knew the coaches could make a difference.
“I saw the potential to go to school for this (baseball). At the time, I had no intention of thinking the major leagues, but possibly a scholarship,” said Ziegler. “This is a legit program. In my time there, I feel like a completely different pitcher. They played a big role in elevating my game. Having that experience is a game changer, and I’m hoping it will help me take it even higher going forward.”
Knowing he still has to put the work in every day, both mentally and physically, Ziegler admits there are ‘no days off and no excuses.’ Focusing on his consistency and command, he’s currently throwing three days a week (two bullpens and a long toss), with the workload slowly building as the season approaches.
“You can’t settle, you need to constantly want to improve your game and find ways to take it to the next level,” said Ziegler. “Keep building on your strengths and improve the weaknesses.”
Robinson promises he’ll be watching intently this July as the MLB Draft unfolds. As one of the top prospects in the country, the coach is optimistic Ziegler will be selected at some point, joining other GLC alumni looking to be in the mix.
“It’s an exciting year for us, and we couldn't be prouder of our guys. It truly is a lot of fun to sit back and watch,” said Robinson. “These kids deserve everything they get in the game.”
Until then, Ziegler will continue to work hard and enjoy the ride.
“This is like a ‘one in a million, any kid would dream of this’ type feeling, and I’m lucky enough to be living through it.”
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