Blue Jays: Prospect pitcher named to Team Canada Olympic qualifying roster

Last week, Baseball Canada announced the roster for the upcoming World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) America’s Olympic Qualifier, with this tournament being Canada’s last chance to secure a spot in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (now in 2021 due to COVID-19). One Blue Jays player will be making the trip with the Canadian National team this week, hoping to help earn the nation a spot in the Olympics in July.

The tournament features eight teams from across North America split into two groups of four, with the two best teams from each group moving into the “Super Round”. The nation with the best record at the end of the tournament will earn a spot in the Olympics with the second and third place teams earning one last chance to secure a spot in the Olympics through the Final Qualifier tournament being held in mid-June. In order for Canada to earn a shot at making the Olympics, they will minimally need to advance to the Super Round next week.

William McAffer, a right-handed reliever within the Blue Jays farm system, was recently named to Team Canada’s Olympic qualifying roster after featuring on the National team for the 2019 Pan Am Games and in the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament.

Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 25th round back in 2018, the North Vancouver, BC born McAffer is currently pitching for the organization’s High-A affiliate, the Vancouver Canadians. The 6’2” right-hander has had a rough start to the season, currently sporting an 8.22 ERA over 7.2 innings of work with seven earned runs, 12 walks, 12 strikeouts, and a 2.35 WHIP. For his minor league career, the Tulane product has spent the past three seasons in the Blue Jays A ball affiliates and has pitched to a 4.45 ERA with 119 strikeouts, 68 walks, and a 1.48 WHIP.

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At the international level, McAffer has found success on the mound albeit through limited action.

In the 2019 Pan American Games, he appeared in two games and pitched to a 3.86 ERA with two strikeouts and only one earned run, a solo home run against Puerto Rico in the qualifying round. He would later come in to face Puerto Rico again in the Gold Medal game, giving up two hits and a walk without recording an out, on route to a silver medal (no earned runs due to an error after he was pulled from the game). During the 2019 Premier12 tournament, the Blue Jays prospect only pitched in one game against South Korea, going 0.2 innings while giving up one hit and one walk but would not allow an earned run in the brief outing. Canada failed to advance from group play, winning one game and losing two.

Born in 1997, William McAffer is no stranger to the international stage even though he’s been one of the youngest players on Team Canada’s roster in every tournament he has played in. This experience will hopefully transpire into some quality outings for the BC native as he tries to help Team Canada earn a spot in this years Olympic Games.

Congratulations to Blue Jays prospect William McAffer and the best of luck to you and Team Canada in the tournament being held next week in Florida.