Alabama Baseball Picks Up Commitment from Canadian Shortstop

The Canadian pipeline for Alabama baseball continued to spill into Tuscaloosa on Tuesday as the Crimson Tide picked up another commitment out of the Great White North.

2022 shortstop/third baseman Nate Ochoa announced his commitment to coach Brad Bohannon and Alabama via social media on Tuesday afternoon:

Currently a senior at Notre Dame Catholic High School, Ochoa hails from Burlington, Ontario. Should he ultimately sign with Alabama, he will be the third Canadian athlete on Bohannon's roster along with outfielder Owen Diodati and pitcher Antoine Jean.

According to his school's online roster, Ochoa measures up at 6-4 and weighs 215 pounds. While he might spend most of his time at shortstop, his size fits him more squarely at third base. Formerly committed to Purdue, Ochoa possesses a solid arm that fits him well at the corner.

Offensively, Ochoa has some pop to his at-bats. His batting quieted down to an extent last season, but he still shows promise in the batter's box that will develop over time with the Crimson Tide. With him getting taller every year in high school, his increased length will also be a great benefit to his hitting game.

Ochoa also had an impact and showed good adjustments during his time at the plate for Team Canada last spring.

Bohannon has seemingly tapped into the Canadian talent pool over the last several seasons. However, he is not the only coach to pick up on the athletic talent in the north. Wide receiver John Metchie III is also a product of Canada as well as Charles Bediako and Keon Ambrose-Hylton for Alabama basketball.

Former guard Josh Primo, who now plays in the NBA for the San Antonio Spurs, also came to Tuscaloosa from Ontario.

The final of 28 home runs in the Derby from the winner Nate Ochoa (@FHPirates) ⬇️

The uncommitted 2022 put on a show, hitting 19 in the final round with only 5 outs to spare. pic.twitter.com/yAOhtJFyJ3
— CPBL (@CPBLeague) September 26, 2021