Blue Jays have three Canucks at Rogers Centre, five more in the minors

Blue Jays farmhands who suited up for Canada at the World Baseball Classic, from left, INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.), OF Dasan Brown (Oakville, Ont.) and INF Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC).

April 26, 2023

Canadians in the Blue Jays organization to begin the 2023 season

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

With 1,007 Canadians playing some form of college baseball in 2023, it is no surprise that there is at least one Canuck present on 24 big-league organizations out of 30, whether the players be in the majors or the minor league levels.

The Toronto Blue Jays currently feature a league-leading three Canadian-born players on the active roster: RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.), RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) and 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.).

Romano has emerged as one of the top closers in the game while the Montreal-born Guerrero continues to be a star for the Blue Jays squad and one of the best young hitters in the league as well.

Pop, acquired by the Jays at last year’s trade deadline, features one of the most electric sinkers in the game and secured the last spot in the bullpen to make the Opening Day roster.

With three Canadians on the big-league squad, the Jays also feature five Canadian affiliated players in the minors -- which ranks them No. 1 -- as well. While the Rookie League affiliates have yet to start their seasons, let’s take a look at all the Canadian players in the Jays system ranging from Triple-A to Class-A and how they are doing to begin the 2023 season.

Otto López (UTIL) – Triple-A

While he was born in the Dominican Republic, López started his career in Montreal, after his father landed a teaching position in the historic city, later securing Canadian citizenship. Although he would return to the Dominican to continue his career four years later, López has always been attached to the Great White North and suited up for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic in March.

One of the last cuts in spring training, López returned to Triple-A to start the 2023 season and has struggled to produce with the Bisons this season. Through 17 games, the righty-batter owns a .169 batting average with just three extra-base hits, amassing a .476 OPS in the process. He has amassed a .217 BAbip to start the year and hasn’t found a groove in the batter’s box striking out in 22% of his at-bats.

Defensively, López continues to be used in a utility role, slotting in at second base, shortstop, left field and centre field so far with the Bisons squad. He has two errors on the year, one at shortstop and one in left while also putting forth 13 assists (10 at second and three at shortstop).

López has limited experience at the big league level dating back to 2021, with six hits through 10 at-bats on his record with three RBIs. He was put on the taxi squad this past weekend after Santiago Espinal took a Gerrit Cole fastball to the wrist but he was returned to Triple-A when Espinal was deemed healthy enough to avoid an IL stint.

Damiano Palmegiani (INF) – Double-A

Similar to López, Palmegiani wasn’t born in Canada but grew up in the country, with his family moving to Surrey, BC when he was five. He would later suit up for the Vauxhall Academy Jets and the Junior National Team during his high school days before taking his talents south to the Cal State Northridge Matadors and the College of Southern Nevada Coyotes.

Since making his pro debut in the Jays organization back in 2021, Palmegiani has climbed the minor league ladder and currently finds himself in Double-A with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The righty-batter has played in 13 games so far this season, going 9-for-40 (.225) with four RBIs, one stolen base, and a .671 OPS.

While he doesn’t have an extra-base hit early in the campaign, Palmegiani has a keen eye at the plate, collecting 13 walks compared to 13 strikeouts so far with the Fisher Cats.

On the field, Palmegiani has split time at the corners and boasts a clean sheet at both positions while also getting into the lineup as the designated hitter on four different occasions. The former Coyote is currently ranked as the Blue Jays 29th best prospect by MLB Pipeline and also joined López at the World Baseball Classic.

Dasan Brown (OF) – High-A

Selected by the Blue Jays in the third round of the 2019 draft, outfielder Brown (Oakville, Ont.) continues to work his way through the Jays system. After finishing 2022 in High-A Vancouver, the former Ontario Blue Jay and Junior National Team alum returned to play at Nat Bailey Stadium for the 2023 campaign.

Although he impressed across three different levels last year, Brown has struggled out of the gate early with the Canadians, going 3-for-37 (.081) with one double and two RBIs to begin the season. The speed threat also doesn’t have a stolen base as of yet and has struck out 11 times, a 29.7% strikeout rate.

Working in centre field for a majority of his starts, Brown has been solid for the Canadians and has one double play and one assist so far this season to go along with his 17 putouts. While the bat hasn’t turned up yet, the future is still bright for the Blue Jays No. 15 ranked prospect (by MLB Pipeline).

Nicolas Deschamps (C) – Single-A

A product of Academie Baseball Canada and TNXL Academy, Deschamps (Quebec, Que.) wasn’t drafted by the Blue Jays but was signed as a free agent in the summer of 2021, turning pro instead of heading to play for the Stetson University Hatters.

After splitting last season between the Florida Complex League and Single-A Dunedin, the left-handed hitting catcher returned to the Blue Jays in sunny Florida for the 2023 season as well. Through nine games and 27 at-bats, Deschamps owns a .111/.242/.222 slash line with one home run, three RBIs, and a .464 OPS early into the season. He also has four walks compared to nine strikeouts and has been solid behind the plate, fielding a clean 1.000 fielding percentage while throwing out 22.2% of base stealers.

Jean-Christophe Masson (OF) – Single-A

Hailing from the same program as Deschamps, the Academie Baseball Canada, Masson (Levis, Que.) decided to sign with the Blue Jays after he was drafted in the 26th round in 2019, signing for $297,500.

While his pro debut was delayed to the 2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic which shut down Minor League ball in 2020, Masson has gradually started to work his way up through the lower levels of the Jays organization.

The outfielder has found his name pencilled into the lineup in seven different games this season and has gone 4-for-21 (.190), collecting a double and three RBIs so far with the Dunedin Blue Jays.

His five walks have helped elevate his OBP to .346 but he also has 12 strikeouts on the ledger, accounting for over 57% of his outs early into the season. Splitting time between the corner outfield spots with more time spent in left, Masson has seven putouts on the year.