January 26, 2023

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

With 2023 schedules set, it’s time to look at the most anticipated games and series featuring Canadians.

April 4 - Niagara @ Canisius

No game this season will feature more Canadians than the matchup between the Purple Eagles and Golden Griffins.

Niagara’s roster is made up of 40 per cent Canadians with 14, while Canisius has 12 Canucks of their own.

Evan Wilde (Airdrie, Alta.) will surely be a factor this season as he made 15 starts for the Purple Eagles in 2022. On the offensive side, Cole Tucker (Mount Pearl, Nfld.) hit .296 in 54 games.

While Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.) likely won’t make the midweek start for Canisius, his brother Aaron just might. The younger of the two brothers made 11 starts last season.

Meanwhile, Griffs infielder Max Grant (Fredericton, N.B.) is coming off one of the best seasons of any Canadian in 2022. Grant was a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Second Team All-American, an American Baseball Coaches Association Second Team All-American and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The former Vauxhall Jet hit .398 with 10 home runs, 53 RBIs and a 1.135 OPS.

The two teams will meet a second time on Tuesday, May 9.

May 18 to May 20 - Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma

Any Big 12 Conference matchup between Oklahoma State and Oklahoma is considered primetime programming, but this year has extra meaning for one of the three Canadian Cowboys.

Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) will make his return to Norman as OSU closes out the campaign with a three-game set against the Sooners.

February 17 to 19 - College of William & Mary @ Mercer

A season opening series between the Tribe and Bears doesn’t scream must-see in and of itself, but there’s reason for intrigue as head coach Mike McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.) begins his second season at the helm in Williamsburg, Va.

In 2022, the Tribe finished with a 26-23 record in McRae’s first season, it marked a 12-win increase from 2021 when they finished 14-29.

Inheriting a roster last season that had no players from north of the border, McRae has quickly put his Canadian mark on the team by adding freshman outfielder Charlie Iriotakis (Toronto, Ont.), with more on the way in outfield commit Calvin Warrillow (Toronto, Ont.).

McRae has been very successful at his two previous stops, as the head man at Canisius and as an assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University. With a tough non-conference schedule that sees games against Duke, East Carolina, Maryland, Old Dominion, VCU, Virginia and West Virginia, the Tribe are a team to watch.

April 14 to 16 - Michigan @ Rutgers

Who wouldn’t want to watch two players who played for the same high school program face off in a Power 5 conference series? That’s exactly what the Ontario Terriers may get when Michigan hits the road to Rutgers in April.

Lefty Connor O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.) should slot into the Wolverines’ weekend rotation after going 5-4 with a 5.44 ERA in 19 games, 18 starts.

Waiting in the batter’s box for the Scarlet Knights will be freshman catcher Hugh Pinkney (Toronto, Ont.).

And don’t forget about Wolverines freshman right-hander Kurt Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.).

This rivalry should only get more interesting in the coming years as the Wolverines await the arrival of commits Preston Barr (Saint Joachim, Ont.) and Keegan O’Hearn (Mississauga, Ont.).

Oh, and if that’s not enough, Michigan beat Rutgers in the Big Ten championship game in 2022.

May 18 to 20 - Utah @ Oregon

While it’s hard to predict how many freshmen will factor into a team’s season, the University of Utah is worth keeping an eye on.

Catcher Cameron Gurney (Scotland, Ont.), right-hander Chase Marshall (Vancouver, B.C.), right-hander Anson McGorman (Parksville, B.C.) and redshirt freshman infielder Elijha Hammill (Oakville, Ont.) could all see their first college game this season.

Sophomore outfielder Jackson Clemett (Calgary, Alta.) looks like an elder statesman compared to the other four, having seen action in nine games and making seven starts in his rookie campaign.

What makes their final regular season series against Oregon so intriguing is they’ll face off against a Ducks team featuring RHP Turner Spoljaric (Lisle, Ont.) and RHP Matthew Grabmann (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Alabama transfer Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.).

Diodati left the Crimson Tide and landed with the Ducks after entering the portal in the offseason with the hopes of playing more in the outfield.