Abbotsford’s Micah Bucknam is now property of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2021 MEI grad was chosen in the 16th round, 482nd overall in last week’s Major League Baseball draft.
Bucknam previously played with the Abbotsford Cardinals of the B.C. Premier Baseball League and complied a record of 6-2 with an earn run average of just 1.87 in 13 appearances in his last full year in 2019. He also recorded two shutouts and struck out 50 batters while walking only 18 that year.
Bucknam played infield for the Cardinals in 2019, achieving a batting average of .271 and hitting one home run while driving in 11 runs.
Baseball insiders stated that a strong performance in Georgia at the Prep Baseball Report Future Games put him on the radar of a number of college programs. Michigan State, Kentucky, Stanford, Oregon, Louisiana at Lafayette, Elon, Campbell, Winthrop, Southern Illinois and Illinois State all showed interest after he threw at 91 miles per hour and sat at 90 mph at that event in 2019.
2021 @UW_Baseball commit, @BucknamMicah sitting 91 with a good slider here today for @AbbyCardinals.
— Coach Wedge (@LogiBerra) September 12, 2020
Final Line:
2IP / 3K / 1BB / 0R@PrepBaseballBC pic.twitter.com/r8QsxwAQFW
He also had a strong showing with Baseball B.C. at the Canada Cup event that year. It’s believed that his fastball will increase in speed if he puts more weight on. He also has a slider and changeup in his pitching arsenal.
Bucknam has showcased his skill on the mound from an early age in Abbotsford, winning the fastest pitch competition at the Abbotsford Angels Hardball Assocation’s mosquito skills competition back in 2014.
He was also a part of the Abbotsford Angels 13U club that won the Western Canadian championship back in 2016.
RELATED: Abbotsford Angels win 13U Western Canadian gold
Bucknam went on to earn a silver medal in baseball with the Fraser Valley team at the Cowichan 2018 B.C. Summer Games.
RELATED: Abbotsford athletes excel at BC Games
It wasn’t just baseball that Bucknam excelled at though, as he was also a key part of the MEI Eagles volleyball dynasty during his time at the school.
He helped the school win a junior boys provincial title in 2018 and was named the tournament’s most valuable player that year.
RELATED: MEI wins junior boys volleyball provincials
Bucknam then was a key part of the Eagles senior boys 2A provincial title win in 2019. He was named a second team all-star at that event.
RELATED: MEI Eagles senior boys win volleyball provincial title
He committed to the University of Washington Huskies baseball program back in November, and is expected to begin with that team later this year.
RELATED: Abbotsford’s Micah Bucknam signs with UW Huskies
Bucknam was one of 17 Canadian players taken in the MLB draft and one of three B.C. natives chosen. Surrey’s Damiano Palmegiani was also picked by Toronto (14th round, 422 overall) and Victoria’s Dominic Hambley was taken by the Chicago Cubs (18th round, 544th overall).