But rather than sign with the Diamondbacks, Cannon has committed to play in the NCAA with the University of Arizona Wildcats. That, in turn, has sent him to collegiate summer ball in Victoria with the HarbourCats to prepare for his freshman Pac-12 season with the Wildcats.
The journey continues tonight for Cannon when the HarbourCats, with a bit of a break in the West Coast League schedule, play the Victoria Selects in an exhibition game at Royal Athletic Park. The regular schedule resumes Friday night when the Kitsap BlueJackets roll into town for a three-game series.
“It was a tough decision. But I’ve made my decision and there’s no looking back,” said Cannon, of pursuing the NCAA route instead of minor pro in the Diamondbacks system.
The HarbourCats are happy about that. Cannon is hitting .313 for Victoria in the five games since joining the team out of high school, with five hits, four RBIs, and four runs scored in 16 at-bats. Cannon’s biggest hit so far was the one-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning last Saturday that scored Matt Lautz for the winning run in a 6-4 victory over the Cowlitz Black Bears.
He comes from a baseball family with brother Tanner also selected right out of high school in the 22nd round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Tanner signed with the Orioles and played a combined six seasons of rookie ball and Single-A in the Baltimore system and is now with the Winnipeg Goldeyes in independent pro ball.
“I watched [his brother] go through it. Minor pro is a tough road,” said Cannon.
He has chosen another path and will continue his development in summer collegiate ball, and then at the University of Arizona, becoming eligible again for the MLB draft following his junior season in 2019.
The HarbourCats, meanwhile, are on an 11-game league winning streak, three shy of the WCL record of 14.
WCL NOTEBOOK: HarbourCats starter Will McAffer from South Dakota State was named WCL pitcher of the week. The native of North Vancouver pitched in two combined shutouts over the week, gaining two wins with no runs allowed and only four hits and four walks with 19 strikeouts over 112Ú3 innings of work. McAffer also beat out 120 nominees to be named pitcher of the week in all of collegiate summer baseball. … Andy Atwood of the Corvallis Knights was named WCL player of the week. The Oregon State Beavers star, hitting .448 on the season, when 9-for-18 at the plate in leading the Knights to a 5-1 record over the week. … The rained out HarbourCats game June 10 in Kelowna will be played as the second game of a doubleheader against the Falcons on July 1 at Royal Athletic Park.
