Take the mound or take the field 鈥� it鈥檚 a question Justin Thorsteinson will eventually have to answer.
But for the time being, Thorsteinson is content to play both and leave the decision as to which position he is better suited for down the road.
And while no one knows which one it will eventually be, what baseball coaches and scouts do know is that he has the potential to play both exceptionally well.
Thorsteinson stands six-foot-three and weighs 185 pounds 鈥� and is just 15 years old.
A left-handed pitcher, he averages 85 to 86 miles per hour with his fastball and has topped out at 87 mph but he can also get things done at the dish, leading the BC Junior Premier Baseball League with a .467 batting average and 10 of his 42 hits went for extra bases 鈥� while driving home 20 runs 鈥� as a first baseman/outfielder.
Those tools and all the potential he is showing has caught the attention of NCAA Division 1 schools with Thorsteinson already verbally committing to Oregon State University, despite still having three years of high school to go.
He also left for Buena Vista, Fla. as part of Baseball Canada鈥檚 junior national team (U18) annual fall instructional camp this past weekend.
The camp runs Oct. 1 to 11 and in addition to daily practices, the team will play seven games against the Fall Instructional League clubs from the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays organizations.
The 32-player roster is filled predominantly by 16 and 17-year-olds but Thorsteinson is one of two 15-year-olds on the roster, alongside Theo Millas. Team Canada鈥檚 roster also features 17-year-old Tate Dearing and the trio will also be teammates in 2018 with the 91原创 Blaze Premier program.
鈥淗e really could do both (positions),鈥� said 91原创 Blaze coach Jamie Bodaly.
鈥淗e is special. If everything goes the right way, he could be a first round draft pick in three years.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honour to be selected,鈥� admitted Thorsteinson, whose family moved from Richmond to 91原创 this summer.
Thorsteinson is attending Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary, but will attend 91原创 Secondary for the second semester and enrol in the school鈥檚 baseball academy.
鈥淛ust representing my country and having 鈥淐anada鈥� across my chest 鈥� it鈥檚 amazing. I can鈥檛 express that enough,鈥� he said.
The Canadian coaching staff has no idea where on the field he will wind up playing but are intrigued by what he brings.
鈥淗e is the type of player you want to get into the (national team) program young,鈥� said Greg Hamilton, the head coach of Baseball Canada鈥檚 junior national team.
鈥淗e has got size, he has got athleticism, his arm works, he has the makings of a decent swing.
鈥淲ith a player like that, you give him opportunities to grow and mature both on the mound and positionally.鈥�
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