Canadians in big league camps this spring

Junior National Team alum Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, B.C.) is in Chicago Cubs big league camp this spring. Photo: Amanda Fewer

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