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Originally from Gatineau, Quebec, Phillippe Aumont represents the future of Canadian baseball. The 19-year-old was taken with the 11th pick in last year's draft by the Seattle Mariners, and was the youngest Canadian to participate in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. The 6'7" righty has been throwing his 96 mph fastball for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers this summer. Originally, the Beijing Olympics was a part of his schedule, but arm soreness will cause him to miss the Games. NBCOlympics.com caught up with Aumont prior to the All-Star Futures Game, in which he was slated to be a participant before getting hurt.

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Aumont will miss this year's Olympics, but the world's best will likely see his heavy sinker at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Talk about what it means to be in Yankee Stadium for this All-Star Weekend.
I'm pretty lucky that Major League Baseball let me come to the Futures Game. I'm unable to pitch, but I'm going to take advantage and live the experience with the guys. I mean, we're at Yankee Stadium for the last time because this is going to go away. As for my World team teammates, I don't play against these guys, they're all in Double-A or Triple-A, and this is my first year in pro ball. But I'll know these guys after tomorrow, and I'll look for them and I'll probably see them somewhere else in the future.

You're unfortunately injured, but were slated to play on the Canadian Olympic Team. How was that decision reached?
I was on the team, and the Mariners denied me going to Beijing because of my elbow. I started feeling elbow soreness a couple of weeks ago, so they said, 'We want you to take it easy.' I was on the Canadian team, I was part of the group that will be at the Olympics, but it's the Mariners' decision.

What do you expect from Team Canada in Beijing?
I think we have a pretty good chance to do well. Whether it's the U.S., Japan, Korea, we're playing against, all those strong teams, it doesn't matter, we're going to show up and battle, because anything can happen on the baseball field.

It isn't hockey, but how important is baseball to Canadians?
Well, obviously it's not the national sport, but we've got guys moving up, more and more every year, so baseball is becoming special in Canada and those of us on Team Canada take pride in that. Next year it's going to be one of my goals to get a spot on Team Canada for the World Baseball Classic team.

Where do you see yourself next year, professionally?
I'd like to be in Double-A, to get some experience playing against some older guys. But right now we're just trying to take care of my arm, so I can come back stronger and finish this year strong.

Any baseball mentors or idols?
Randy Johnson, he's a tall pitcher like me. Josh Beckett, every time he's on TV if I get a chance to look at him, I do.

I haven't met those guys yet, but I have spent time with a bunch of Canadian major leaguers, like Justin Morneau of the Twins, Adam Loewen of the Orioles, and Jeff Francis of the Rockies. We have an event every year, the National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser, an event to raise money for charity, so I see them year, and you get a chance to hang out and get to know the guys and gain some perspective on what it take to be a major leaguer. (At this past January's event, Aumont was given the Junior National Team MVP award for his performance in the America's World Junior Qualifier in Mexico, where he struck out ten batters in five innings of work).

You didn't play organized baseball until you were 14. Play any other sports growing up?
I played some hockey, some basketball mostly. But I played every sport as a kid, I was all over the place. Baseball was always just a summer sport I played with friends, and I started jumping from level to level, and I got to a level with Canadian scouts and they noticed me.

- Compiled by Nate Herpich, NBCOlympics.com