Émilien Pitre | The “little guy from Repentigny” is living his dream

Renaud Catellier did not suspect that he had before him a future choice of 2^e major league baseball tour when a young, slightly frail greenhorn arrived in the Escadron sports-study program at Félix-Leclerc high school about ten years ago.

“He was always good, but he wasn’t the star that stood out. He did everything well, but he wasn’t an extraordinary athlete,” recalls Catellier, baseball director of the Escadron program.

But the “good” player in question, Émilien Pitre, now belongs to the Tampa Bay Rays, who claimed him on Sunday at 58^e draft rank.

Pitre, a second baseman at the University of Kentucky, thus becomes one of the Quebecers drafted the earliest in history. According to Baseball-Reference data, validated by Jacques Lanciault, he would come in 4^e rank.

Pitre was unaware of his place in the little history of Quebec baseball when he recalled The Press Tuesday morning.

“It’s a good feeling. I’m a little guy from Repentigny who always dreamed of playing in major league baseball. It sets a good example for the guys in Lanaudière,” he says on the phone from his family home.

That said, the draft is just a step, as the three players ahead of him demonstrate. Aumont has only played 67 games in the majors. Ndungidi and Mainville have never been there.

In an article by Baseball America published in 2023, we learn that 63.2% of hitters drafted in the 2^e tour get at least one hit in the majors; that figure drops to 8.8% for hitters with 1,000 hits. The study did not specify which years were analyzed.

“It’s going to take me time,” he admits. “As a position player, it takes more than a year. It could take three or four years, but I’m going to give it my all to win games, no matter what level I play at.”

Courted

Pitre was a puny freshman in high school, and at 5’11” and 185 lbs, he remains closer to Mark Grudzielanek’s weight class than Carl Pavano’s.

That didn’t stop him from standing out in what is a great program, with the University of Kentucky coming in at No. 3.^e NCAA ranking in 2024. His batting average (.301) is 4th^e within his club. He is 2^e for doubles (20), for points produced (58), 1^er for walks (47) and stolen bases (26).

But Pitre also stands out in the infield, having been selected in 2024 to the NCAA Southeast Division (SEC) All-Defensive Team for a second year in a row.

“From his high school 3, he was among the best defensive players of his age in Quebec,” notes Renaud Catellier. “He covered a lot of ground and had magnetic hands. But it was above all his understanding of the game. He doesn’t do anything randomly. It was rare to see such an understanding of the game at that age.”

“And he’s developed an elite approach to batting. His selection is good, he’s not going to swing out of the strike zone,” continues Catellier, who calls him a “five-tool player,” the term for a player who has speed, power, a good arm, is excellent on defense and capable of posting a good batting average.

These qualities have clearly attracted recruiters.

But the Rays had their eye on him, holding picks 58 and 66. Except the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies, who were talking about picks 61, 62 and 63, respectively, also coveted him. At least that’s what his agent told him, which is why the Rays didn’t risk waiting until 66.^e rank.

“So five minutes before the pick, my agent told me I was a member of the Rays!” he says.

“I don’t think I’ve realized it yet. It still feels surreal. In the next few days, I’m going to realize it. I’m getting beautiful messages from everyone. I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life.”