Players from the Okotoks Dawgs Academy got a bit of a surprise last weekend with a visit from scouts from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Dawgs Academy General Manager, Tyler Hollick, says there are many players eligible for the 2019 MLB Draft.

"They came and checked out the 13, 14 and 15-year olds, and then the following day, which was the main reason they were in town, they were checking out our top 16, 17 and 18-year olds, and a lot of them are draft eligible this year," he said.

Hollick says the experience in itself is really exciting and memorable for the players.

"It's pretty cool, regardless if the kids get drafted now or later, it's just a really cool experience that I think they're going to remember forever," he said.

He says there are great opportunities in store for the players with the Academy.

"They're getting college scholarships, or opportunities to go play down in college baseball in the States or in Canada, but that next level is professional baseball. I think that's what most, if not all, kids aspire to be. I'm glad they're starting to get exposed to that level," said Hollick.

He says the Academy players will see more opportunities to be looked at by scouts in the coming months.

Hollick says the Brewers scouts were getting a head start on what they're looking for this year before the draft, which goes in June.