Canadians in the MLB playoffs: Outside of Jays, who is the most Canadian team?
Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team alum Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) will close games for the Toronto Blue Jays in the postseason.
October 3, 2023
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
The Toronto Blue Jays will be Canada’s team during the major league playoffs.
There’s no question about that.
With their 89 regular season wins, they secured the third American League wild-card spot and will now play the Minnesota Twins in a best-of-three series at Target Field starting today.
But when Canuck fans don’t have their eyes glued to the Blue Jays, they can be on the lookout for the Canadian talent employed by the other 11 teams competing in this year’s postseason.
But which of the other squads has the most Canadian content?
We researched that question, and here’s your answer:
1. Toronto Blue Jays
The Blue Jays have two prominent Canadian-born players on their postseason roster. On the field, Blue Jays fans will be able to cheer on Montreal-born slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and flame-throwing closer Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) in their Wild-Card series against the Twins.
Warming up Romano on most days will be bullpen catcher Alex Andreopoulos (Toronto, Ont.) and offering encouragment in the dugout will be mental performance coach Jimmy Van Ostrand (Richmond, B.C.).
And as you will see below, the Canadian talent in the Blue Jays organization doesn’t end on the field.
Players: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.), RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.)
Major league coach: Jimmy Van Ostrand (Richmond, B.C.), mental performance coach; Alex Andreopoulos (Toronto, Ont.), bullpen catcher
Minor league players: INF Bryce Arnold (Grimsby, Ont.), OF Dasan Brown (Oakville, Ont.), C Nicolas Deschamps (Quebec, Que.), INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.), LHP Adam Macko (Stony Plan, Alta.), LHP Connor O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.), 3B Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, B.C.), RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.), INF Sam Shaw (Victoria, B.C.), RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, B.C.).
Executives: Andrew Tinnish (Ottawa, Ont.), vice-president, international scouting and baseball operations; Marnie Starkman (Mississauga, Ont.), executive vice-president, business operations; Mike Shaw (Oakville, Ont.), director, team travel and clubhouse operations; Paul Beeston (Welland, Ont.), president emeritus
Front office staff: Charlie Wilson (Toronto, Ont.), director, minor league operations; Spencer Estey (Toronto, Ont.), coordinator, research and development; Alex Robson (Ayr, Ont.), systems engineer; Anna Coppola (Windsor, Ont.), executive assistant to the GM; Gabrielle Campos (Brampton, Ont.), assistant, research and development; Jeremy Reesor (Stouffville, Ont.), director baseball operations; Clare Padmore (Toronto, Ont.), biomechanist; John Meloche (Pakenham, Ont.), senior baseball systems developer; Liam Stevenson (Toronto, Ont.), senior baseball research analyst.
Scouts: Jamie Lehman (Brampton, Ont.), Kory Lafreniere (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.), Jon Lalonde (Midland, Ont.), Kevin Briand (Montreal, Que.), Jay Lapp (London, Ont.), Adam Arnold (London, Ont.), Jasmin Roy (Longueuil, Que.), Rene Tosoni (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), Patrick Griffin (Oakville, Ont.), Anthony Lucchese (Toronto, Ont.), Matt McCue (Bradford, Ont.) assistant scouting, Tommy Farah (Ottawa, Ont.) pro scouting analyst, Megan Evans (Brooklin, Ont.) assistant, pro scouting and operations, Jesse Levine (Toronto, Ont.), T. J. Burton (Ottawa, Ont.) Blue Jays Academy; Graydon Carruthers, assistant director, R&D, Julio Ramirez, coordinator, international scouting, Dan Goldberg, R&D, Harry Einbinder, asstistant director international scouting, Ryan Mittleman (Toronto, Ont.) pro scouting director, Voon Chong (Vancouver, BC), assistant trainer and Drew MacDonald (Teeswater, Ont.), assistant trainer.
And the media relations team of: Madeleine Davidson (Toronto, Ont.), Adam Felton (Georgetown, Ont.), Rodney Hiemstra (Listowel, Ont.) and Simon Wells (Toronto, Ont.).
ABC and Junior National Team alum Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.) belted 16 home runs for the Minnesota Twins this season.
2. Minnesota Twins
No Canadian has batted leadoff for a major league team in the post-season since Terry Puhl did it for the Houston Astros against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1981 National League Division Series. This will likely change on Tuesday afternoon when ABC and Junior National Team alum Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.) is the first batter to walk to the plate for the Twins against the Blue Jays in their Wild-Card series.
After an outstanding performance hitting atop Canada’s lineup at the World Baseball Classic, Julien continued to swing a hot bat with the triple-A St. Paul Saints to start the 2023 season, which quickly earned him a promotion to the Twins. All he has done with the Twins since that time is set a record for most home runs by a Canadian second baseman in a major league season with 16. He also led Twins’ regulars in on-base percentage (.381) and was second in OPS (.839).
Players: INF Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.), RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.), made 18 regular season relief appearances
Executive: Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.), television analyst and special assistant to baseball operations. He will also throw out the ceremonial first pitch in Game 2.
Coach: Justin Willard (Brampton, Ont.), pitching coordinator
Minor league players: RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), RHP Christian MacLeod (Sydney, N.S.)
Scout: Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, B.C.)
Atlanta Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos (Montreal, Que.) has built Atlanta Braves clubs that have won the National League East division for six consecutive seasons. Photo: YouTube
3. Atlanta Braves
It was just over eight years ago that Blue Jays fans were chanting “Thank you, Alex!” to their GM, Alex Anthopoulos, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as the Blue Jays clinched their first American League East division title since 1993. The Montreal native has since moved on to the National League and his Braves have won a World Series (2021) and six division titles (2018 to 2023) during his reign as general manager and president of baseball operations.
Unfortunately for Canadian baseball fans, the Braves enter this postseason without Canadian right-hander and PBF Redbirds and Junior National Team alum Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) who was shut down in early September due to a right forearm injury. This season, the Canuck righty had made his first seven major league appearances since August 3, 2020 after twice tearing his right Achilles tendon.
Player: RHP Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.), shut down for the season
Executive: Alex Anthopoulos (Montreal, Que.), president, baseball operations and general manager
Minor league players: RHP Cedric De Grandpre (St-Simon, Que.), RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, B.C.), INF David McCabe (Oshawa, Ont.), OF Pier-Olivier Boucher (St. Joseph-de-Bauce, Que.), LHP Adam Shoemaker (Cambridge, Ont.)
Minor league coaches: Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.), outfield/baserunning coordinator; Mike Steed (Beamsville, Ont.), pitching coach, High-A Rome Braves
Off-field Canadian talent: Michael Copeland (Whitby, Ont.), lead developer, baseball systems
Okotoks Dawgs alum Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.), right, is the bullpen coach of the Milwaukee Brewers. He is pictured here with former Brewers closer Josh Hader. Photo: Milwaukee Brewers/Twitter
4. Milwaukee Brewers
When Doug Melvin (Chatham, Ont.) was the general manager of the Brewers from 2002 to 2015, and Gord Ash (Toronto, Ont.) was his assistant GM, the Brewers consistently seemed to have the most (or close to the most) Canadian players in their system. This changed under more recent regimes, but it has rebounded somewhat in the past two years when thanks to input from the club’s assistant director, scouting/international player development, Taylor Green (Comox, B.C.) and scout Pete Orr (Newmarket, Ont.), the Brewers selected Stouffville, Ont., native Tyler Black 33rd overall in the 2021 MLB draft and Sarnia, Ont., native Dylan O’Rae in the third round in 2022.
At the major league level this season, ABC alum Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) went 8-for-18 (.444 batting average) in nine games for the Brewers, so there’s an outside shot he will be on the National League Central-winning Brewers postseason roster.
Former Okotoks Dawgs right-hander and ex-Brewers closer Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) is the Brewers’ bullpen coach.
The Brewers will battle the Arizona Diamondbacks in a Wild-Card Series that will begin today.
Player: INF Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.)
Coach: Jim Henderson (Calgary, Alta.), bullpen coach
Minor league players: INF Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.), LHP Justin King (Lloydminster, Alta.), INF Dylan O’Rae (Sarnia, Ont.)
Executives: Doug Melvin (Chatham, Ont.), special assistant to the general manager; Gord Ash (Toronto, Ont.), vice-president, baseball projects; Taylor Green (Comox, B.C.), assistant director of scouting/international player development
Scouts: Tyler Hollick (Calgary, Alta.), Marty Lehn (White Rock, B.C.), Doug Mathieson (Langley, B.C.), Pete Orr (Newmarket, Ont.), Jeff Simpson (Nashville, Tenn.), Taylor Frederick (Ottawa, Ont.)
In 2022, Philadelphia Phillies dugout boss Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.) became the first Canadian to manage a team in the major league post-season since the 19th century. Photo: Twitter
5. Philadelphia Phillies
In 2022, Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.) became the first Canadian skipper to manage a team in the big league post-season since Bill Watkins (Brantford, Ont.) led the National League’s Detroit Wolverines to a World Series title in 1887. Thomson led the Phillies to a National League pennant last season but they lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.
The 2019 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee guided the Phils to a 90-72 record and the first National League wild-card spot in his first full season as manager. Thomson and the Phillies will battle the Miami Marlins in a Wild-Card series set to begin today.
Thomson has no shortage of post-season experience on his resume. During his close to three decades as a coach in the New York Yankees’ organization, he earned five World Series rings and was the Bombers’ third base coach on their most recent World Series-winning squad in 2009. He was also a bench coach on multiple Yankees squads that advanced to the post-season.
Thompson will share his post-season wisdom with his players, but if they’re looking for further inspiration, perhaps they can call former general manager and now senior advisor and part-owner, Pat Gillick, down for a pep talk. He has three World Series rings -two with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992-93) and one with the Phils (2008) - on his Hall of Fame resume.
Major league manager: Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.)
Executive: Pat Gillick (Canadian citizen), senior advisor and part-owner
Minor league players: C Ryan Leitch (Whitby, Ont.), INF/OF Ty Penner (Lethbridge, Alta.), LHP Wesley Moore (Surrey, B.C.), INF Anthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.), RHP Noah Skirrow (Cambridge, Ont.),
Scout: Alex Agostino (St-Bruno, Que.), Les McTavish (Stettler, Alta.)
Jeffrey Royer (Toronto, Ont.) is a general partner with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Photo: Baylin Technologies
6. Arizona Diamondbacks
This will be the Arizona Diamondbacks’ fourth trip to the post-season since Jeffrey Royer (Toronto, Ont.) became a general partner with the club in 2004. A hugely successful businessman, Royer is a private investor with interests in telecommunications, medical device manufacturing, professional sports and real estate. The D-Backs haven’t won a playoff series during his tenure with the club. He’d, of course, love to see that change as the D-Backs get set to take on the Brewers in their Wild-Card series.
Royer, who was at the Rogers Centre during the D-Backs series against the Blue Jays in mid-July, is one of two Canadians to co-own a major league club. Jeff Mallett (Victoria, B.C.) is part-owner of the San Francisco Giants.
Major League Coach: Dave McKay (Vancouver, B.C.), first base coach
General Partner: Jeffrey Royer (Toronto, Ont.)
Minor league players: C Gavin Logan (Medicine Hat, Alta.), RHP Eli Saul (Vancouver, B.C.)
Scout: Jason Chatwood (Innisfail, Alta.)
Ellen Harrigan (Beeton, Ont.) is the Los Angeles Dodgers senior director, business adminstration
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers don’t have a player born in Canada on their roster, but first baseman Freddie Freeman’s parents were born north of the border, and he played for Canada in the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classics. Prior to the 2022 season, Freeman inked a six-year, $162-million contract with the Dodgers. And he certainly hasn’t disappointed. This season, he batted .331 and led the National League with 59 doubles. He also had 29 home runs, 102 RBIs and a .410 on-base percentage (OBP).
The Dodgers also employ Beeton, Ont., native Ellen Harrigan who is one of Major League Baseball’s most respected executives. After beginning her career with the Blue Jays as an administrative aide in player development in 1981 and later becoming the general manager of the club’s New York Penn League affiliate in St. Catharines, Harrigan moved on to the Dodgers and has risen through the organization’s ranks to hold a number of key executive positions. Now in her 23rd season with the club, she is currently the team’s senior director, baseball administration.
Player: Freddie Freeman (Villa Park, Calif.), WBC eligible
Executive: Ellen Veronica Harrigan (Beeton, Ont.), senior director, baseball administration
Minor league players: 1B Max Hewitt (Midhurst, Ont.), RHP Lucas Wepf (Georgetown, Ont.)
Toronto Mets and Junior National Team alum Matt Brash (Newmarket, Ont.) was a fifth-round pick of the Texas Rangers in 2021.
8. Texas Rangers
The last time the Texas Rangers advanced to the post-season was in 2016 when they were swept in the American League Division Series by the Blue Jays on Josh Donaldson’s walk-off “mad dash” to home plate in the 10th inning in Game 3 at Rogers Centre.
The Rangers were also defeated in the division series by the Blue Jays the previous year in large part due to Jose Bautista’s bat flip homer. While they won’t play the Blue Jays in the Wild-Card round, if both teams advance they could eventually meet in the American League Championship Series. The Rangers would love to avenge their recent post-season series losses, while the Blue Jays would like retribution for the ugly four-game sweep they were subjected to by the Rangers at Rogers Centre in September.
The Rangers don’t have any Canadians on their big league roster, but they seem to be stockpiling Canuck catchers and left-handers for the future (See below).
Minor league players: LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), C Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.), LHP Thomas Ireland (Regina, Sask.), C Konner Piotto (Abbotsford, B.C.), C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.)
Minor league staff: Ryan Bench (Fonthill, Ont.), lab intern, Texas Rangers Arizona Performance Center
Toronto native Jonathan Erlichman is the Tampa Bay Rays’ process and analytics coach. Photo: Twitter
9. Tampa Bay Rays
With the fourth lowest payroll in baseball, the Rays need to find any advantage they can to compete in the tough American League East division. This is where Toronto native Jonathan Erlichman, the club’s process and analytics coach comes in handy. The Princeton math major worked five-plus years in the Rays’ front office, including 2017 and 2018 as the club’s director of analytics, before being promoted to his current role. The Torontonian, who interned with the Blue Jays, wears a uniform as part of manager Kevin Cash’s coaching staff and is going to go over every statistical detail to help the Rays find an edge in their Wild-Card series that begins against the Rangers today.
Coach: Jonathan Erlichman (Toronto, Ont.), process and analytics coach
Minor league players: RHP Trevor Brigden (Toronto, Ont.), Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.)
Infielder Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que,), who played for the triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this season, is the closest the Miami Marlins have to a Canadian big leaguer.
10. Miami Marlins
It surprised many - including Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) - when the Miami Marlins designated him for assignment in January. After all, the Canadian infielder had impressed in his first major league action with the Marlins in 2022, batting .263 with four home runs in 48 games. He was also named MVP of the triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp after batting .302 with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs in 87 games for them.
Leblanc was back with the Jumbo Shrimp in 2023. However, injuries limited him to 94 games, but he still managed to belt 12 home runs and post a career-best .384 on-base percentage. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to garner him a big league call-up.
The Marlins, without Leblanc, will play the Phillies in a Wild-Card series that will begin today.
Special Advisor: John Silverman (Montreal, Que.)
Minor league player: INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.)
Dan Vertlieb (left) with Bruce Springsteen and Vertlieb’s wife Emma at the Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, 2016. Photo: Twitter
11. Baltimore Orioles
There might be at least one Canadian cheering for the Baltimore Orioles this post-season. That would be Vancouver native Dan Vertlieb, who is the Beverly Hills Sports Council agent of O’s superstar catcher Adley Rutschman. Vertlieb helped negotiate a then record $8.1 million signing bonus for Rutschman after he was selected first overall by the O’s in the 2019 MLB draft. Given Rutschman’s performance this season, it was money well spent by the O’s.
Vertlieb is also the agent for Canadian Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) who enjoyed an outstanding season for the Seattle Mariners. The 24-year-old right-hander topped the American League with 78 appearances and finished with a 9-4 record and a 3.06 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings. With Vertlieb by his side, Brash should be in line for a large raise this off-season.
Minor league players: INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.)
Jim Stevenson (Leaside, Ont.) has become a key scout for the Houston Astros. Photo: Twitter
12. Houston Astros
Forty-three years ago, Melville, Sask., native Terry Puhl set a then National League Championship Series record with 10 hits in 19 at bats (.526 batting average) in the Astros’ epic five-game series against the Phillies. Until Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) had a pinch-hit at bat in the 2020 American League Championship Series, Puhl was the last Canadian to appear in a post-season game with the Astros.
There will not be a Canuck on the Astros’ post-season roster this season, but rest assured that Puhl, one of the team’s most recent Hall of Famers who still lives in the area, will be at Minute Maid Park cheering on his old club.
Scout: Jim Stevenson (Leaside, Ont.)