Canadians in big league camps this spring
February 26, 2019
By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
OTTAWA- Major League Baseball Spring Training is already underway at sites across Arizona and Florida as clubs prepare for the 2019 season.
With games in the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues providing a glimpse at what each of the 30 MLB clubs rosters will look like, it’s time to look at the Canadians who are priming for another MLB season, attempting to make a run at a roster spot or leave an impression on front office staffs that they are ready for the bright lights of big league baseball.
Canada’s only MLB team, the Toronto Blue Jays, leads the way with three Canadian-born players in their big league camp while the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres each have two. In total, there are 13 clubs with at least one Canadian-born player in their major league camp.
In 2018, 10 Canadians appeared in the big leagues after five began the season on opening day rosters. A modern-day record 26 Canadians appeared in the big leagues in 2011. Canadians in big league camp:
Baltimore Orioles
RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, ON)
Detroit Tigers
OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, ON)
Houston Astros
3B Abraham Toro (Longueil, QC)
New York Yankees
C Kellin Deglan (Langley, BC)
*LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC)
Tampa Bay Rays
RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC)
Texas Rangers
*RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, ON)
Toronto Blue Jays
RHP John Axford (Port Dover, ON)
3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montréal, QC)
*OF Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, ON)
National League
Atlanta Braves
*RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, AB)
Chicago Cubs
OF Jim Adduci (Burnaby, BC)
*RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC)
Cincinnati Reds
*1B Joey Votto (Etobicoke, ON)
Colorado Rockies
LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, ON)
OF Michael Saunders (Victoria, BC)
Los Angeles Dodgers
*C Russell Martin (Montréal, QC)
RHP Jesen Therrien (Montréal, QC)
Philadelphia Phillies
*RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC)
San Diego Padres
1B/OF Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON)
RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, ON)
*Indicates player on 40-man roster