WEB EXTRA: Brett Lawrie highest draft pick ever for a Canadian positional player

Brett Lawrie emerged onto the patio of his family’s Brookswood home and stood in front of the assembled media.

With a crowd of reporters — some with tape recorders and pads and pens, while others had microphones and cameras extended towards him — he spoke about realizing the first major step in achieving a lifelong dream.

His words were rushed, with his gum shifting from one side of the mouth to the other.

Was it excitement or nervousness?

It probably didn’t matter.

All that matters is that about 20 minutes earlier, Lawrie had become the highest-ever positional player from Canada selected in Major League Baseball’s entry draft.

The 18-year-old is a back-catcher for the Langley Blaze and has also spent significant time as part of the Canadian junior national team program.

Lawrie was chosen in the first round, 16th overall, by the Milwaukee Brewers.

With family and friends packed in the house, Lawrie said a lot of stuff was going through his mind as he anxiously awaited to see where he would be drafted.

The draft began at 11 a.m. local time, and at about 12:40 p.m., the Brewers selected Lawrie.

“The best feeling I have ever had,” he described.

“It has been a real fun day.”

His mother, Cheryl, said it was stressful leading up to the point her son was chosen.

It has been a whirlwind season for Lawrie, who began the spring pegged as a third-rounder for the draft.

But after a strong start to the season and a dominating performance with the junior national team in the Dominican Republic last week — he hit eight home runs in eight games against first and second-year pros — his stock quickly shot up.

Lawrie spent the early part of the week back east holding private workouts for interested teams.

When Lawrie woke up this morning — he only had an hour’s sleep after taking a flight into Seattle and not reaching home until about 3:30 a.m. — he said he sensed it might be the Brewers that selected him.

Obviously, Milwaukee liked what they saw.

“I woke up this morning and thought it might be Milwaukee,” he admitted.

Some mock drafts had Cincinnati taking Lawrie seventh overall, while others thought he may go with the 17th pick to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Houston, at No. 10, and Minnesota at No. 14 were also mentioned as possibilities.

Lawrie is excited about the prospect of playing with an up-and-coming organization like the Brewers, which features several young talents.

This includes Lawrie’s former Blaze teammate, Ryan Jensen, selected in the 33rd round last season. Jensen signed with the Brewers last June.

“Everyone in their system is young,” Lawrie said.

When Lawrie does sign — he must be done high school first — he would join the Brewers organization and begin working his way towards the major leagues.

A confident player who swings a big bat, he anticipates making it to big leagues in a year-and-a-half. He said that last statement matter-of-factly, not as a guess.

And judging by his track record, it could very well be true.

Lawrie gave thanks to both the Blaze organization and to Baseball Canada.

“Big thanks to those guys for being in my corner over the years,” he said about the Blaze.

And he said that through the work of Baseball Canada, and especially junior national team coach Greg Hamilton, baseball is growing and producing some major talent.

“This is an example that we are not just a hockey country,” Lawrie said.