By Cole Shelton

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO — Every year in September, college scouts and major-league scouts head to the Rogers Centre to watch the best Canadian high school players.

This tournament is currently in its sixth year of existence, thanks in large part to Toronto Blue Jays Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar.

In 2013, Alomar decided young players in Canada were not getting a fair opportunity to get scouted so, he, along with the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy and JaysCare created T12.

“I just think about giving all the young guys opportunities,” said Alomar on the field following Saturday’s T12 games. “I think this is a great tournament for them and a tournament for them to show their skills and open eyes for the scouts.”

It has, indeed, been a great tournament for the Canadian players to showcase their talents, as many have gone on to secure D1 scholarships, while some - like Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.), Noah Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) - have been drafted by MLB clubs.

However, since T12 began, something noticeable has happened. The talent has gotten better, whether that is because the Blue Jays’ popularity has risen leading more kids to take up the game. Or if the tournament has helped create interest given there is now an easier path to NCAA D1 scholarships for kids across the country.

“It has grown a lot, man,” added Alomar. “Every year we keep growing more talent and it is good for Canadian baseball and it is good for the youth. Hopefully, we can continue to grow.”

One way to continue this growth is to get more kids signed up across Canada and show them that playing in this tournament is a viable option.

For the high schoolers competing in this tournament, it is a dream come true.

“It is really cool. It is really cool to be able to be selected to play with some of the best kids in all of Canada,” Homer Bush Jr. said following a Futures win. “It is some really good competition and I am just glad that I am here.”

Top prospect Jaden Brown (Mississauga, Ont.), who suited up for Ontario Black in this year’s tournament, offers a similar assessment.

“A lot of fun, it is great,” Brown said of his T12 experience. “Having a host like Robbie Alomar, who is the greatest defender of all-time. It is just a great experience at the Rogers Centre.”

There were also many younger kids in attendance at the event, which allowed them to see what it takes to play at the elite level in Canada. And there’s no question that the talent level in Canada has risen over the years.

“Overall it is getting better,” said Alomar. “Overall across Canada it is getting better, I can see many guys have been signed to college, a lot of guys have been drafted and so on. It is really special.”

While the tournament is the main focus at T12, the future is definitely something Alomar keeps in mind. But, for now, Alomar focuses on the kids playing at this year’s T12, where he hopes this tournament can not only help them get scouted but teach them about how to prepare for a career in baseball and about fulfilling their dreams.

And while the tournament has been important to young players across Canada, this year Alomar has brought in four Puerto Ricans to compete in the event. He did this because he wants those players to get more chances to get scouted because they didn’t sign on July 2nd, which is the International free agent signing day.

“I have the same tournament in Puerto Rico, so I wanted to bring them here to have a different experience,” Alomar added. “Meet some of the Canadians and see how different it is here from over there. You know, they have a lot of fun here.”

Having fun is the goal for many at this tournament as it is a huge opportunity for them to showcase their skills while just taking it all in and enjoying the moment.

With the creation of T12, Alomar, JaysCare and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Academy started something special in Toronto and across all of Canada.