Caissie, Calabrese ink professional contracts

Junior National Team players Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) and David Calabrese (Maple, Ont.) have signed pro contracts with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels respectively after being selected in the 2020 MLB Draft. Photo: Baseball Canada

July 3, 2020

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA – Junior National Team outfielders Owen Caissie and David Calabrese heard their names called during the five-round Major League Baseball Draft in June and now both players have signed contracts to begin their professional baseball careers.

Caissie, a native of Burlington, Ont., was the first of five Canadian-born players to hear their name called in the draft as he went in the 2nd round (45th overall) to the San Diego Padres. The 17-year-old was in San Diego last week to sign the contract.

Prior to Covid-19 shutting down Baseball Canada’s national teams, Caissie participated in Junior National Team Spring Training in March where he belted a home run against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

David Calabrese, a native of Maple, Ont., was selected one round later than Caissie, his Junior National Team teammate, going to the Los Angeles Angels in the 3rd round, 82nd overall.

Calabrese made it official with the Angels earlier this week when he put pen to paper on a contract with the club. The 17-year-old was also at Junior National Team spring training in March and had one home run in five games played.

Muenster, Saskatchewan’s Logan Hofmann, a right-handed pitcher, was chosen in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed with the club shortly thereafter while Toronto-born Trei Cruz is now a member of the Detroit Tigers’ organization after the American League club chose the shortstop in the third round.

Ottawa-born Jordan Nwogu, an outfielder, was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the third round out of the University of Michigan but has yet to sign with the National League Club.

The deadline for drafted players to sign with clubs is August 1, 2020.