November 19, 2024

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The winner of the Randy Echlin award has a last name that begins with the letter ‘C.’

And to paraphrase Robert Preston in the musical The Music Man ... “C rhymes with the letter T and that stands for Trouble.”

Our Canadian Baseball Network affiliated top offensive player of the year is Owen Caissie, who had a great season with the triple-A Iowa Cubs.

He wasn’t perfect. No one is.

Yet, Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) was dead-solid perfect when he was named a unanimous choice for the Canadian Baseball Network voters as the top Canuck offensive player in affiliated ball this season. The former FieldHouse Pirate and Junior National Team member collected all 10 first-place votes to win The Honourable Mr. Justice Randy Echlin award. The late Echlin was an unblemished, above reproach leader as head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee.

In his first full season at triple-A, Caissie has placed himself as a daily talking point next spring when the Chicago Cubs arrive at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz. Caissie batted .278 with 29 doubles, three triples, 19 homers and 75 RBIs. He had an .848 OPS in 127 games.

Caissie’s 19 home runs were the most by a Canadian in the affiliated minor league ranks. That total also topped his triple-A club. He also led his team in RBIs, runs (69), hits (131), doubles (29) and triples (3).

Besides Caissie, three other Canadian Baseball Network winners were named:

_ LHP Matt Wilkinson, of the Cleveland Guardians organization, earned the Wayne Norton award as affiliated pitcher of the year. Wilkinson (White Rock, BC), a former member of the Okotoks Dawgs, had eight first-place votes. A 10th round pick in 2023, Wilkinson didn’t have any problems making adjustment to pro life. It was as if former pitching coach Jeff Duda (Surrey, BC) of the Dawgs was with him in the bullpen and in the dugout at the end of each half inning ... going back to early morning workouts in Alberta.

The lefty combined to go 8-6 with a 1.90 ERA in 24 starts at class-A Lake County and class-A Lynchburg. On the season, he walked 37 and struck out 174 in 118 2/3 innings.

His 174 strikeouts topped all Canadians and were the second-most by any pitcher in the affiliated minor league ranks. He also led minor league pitchers in strikeout percentage (38%) and was second in ERA and batting average against (.169). To close out the campaign, he posted a 2.19 ERA in two post-season starts for Lake County to help them to a Midwest League championship.

Behind Wilkinson sat ex-Toronto Mets RHP Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), who had one first-place vote and 19 points after pitching for New York Mets’ affiliates at class-A St. Lucie, class-A Brooklyn and double-A Binghamton appearing in 25 games -- 23 starts. Tied for third were Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) who was with triple-A Omaha and double-A Northwest Arkansas (Kansas City Royals) and Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.), who made 21 starts for class-A Salem (Boston Red Sox) with seven votes apiece. The other first-place vote went to Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) who pitched in 27 games, 19 starts at class-A Fort Wayne, double-A San Antonio and triple-A El Paso (San Diego Padres).

_ OF Justin Gideon (Pickering, Ont.), of the Quebec Capitales, had seven first-place votes to win the Murray Zuk award as the best offensive player in non-affiliated ball. The former Brock Badger hit .287 with 20 doubles, three triples, 20 homers and 65 RBIs. He compiled a .930 OPS in 88 games.

His 20 home runs and 65 RBIs topped all Canadians playing in the unaffiliated pro ranks this season. His performance earned him selection to the Frontier League’s 2024 All-Star Team that was announced after the season. He also played Intercounty League ball with both the Hamilton Cardinals and the Welland Jackfish earlier in his career.

Jared Young (Prince George, BC) had three first-place votes and 30 points to finish behind Gideon. Young played 38 games with the Doosan Bears in Korea with a 1.080 OPS with 16 doubles, 10 homers, 39 RBIs in 38 games. Connor Panas (Etobicoke, Ont.) was third with 10 points. Panas had an .822 OPS with 11 doubles, 14 homers and 39 RBIs, as well as a .247 batting average in 78 games with El Aguila de Veracruz and Piratas de Campeche in Mexico.

Former North Shore Twins and UBC Thunderbirds RHP James Bradwell (Gibsons, BC) was the winner of the Claude Pelletier honour, which goes to the best arm in non-affiliated ball.

_ RHP James Bradwell, a former North Shore Twins and University of British Columbia Thunderbird, had nine first-place votes to earn the Claude Pelletier award as the top arm in independent ball or elsewhere around the world. Bradwell (Gibsons, BC) went 12-0 with a 2.72 ERA in 23 appearances, 18 starts. With the Quebec Capitales, he walked 33 and struck out 97 in 109 1/3 innings.

Bradwell topped all Canadians in the unaffiliated pro ranks in wins, was second in strikeouts (97) and third in ERA. His 12 wins also led the Frontier League. For his efforts, he was named the starting pitcher on the 2024 Frontier League All-Star Team and the winner of the Brian Tollberg Pitcher of the Year award, as the circuit’s top pitcher.   

Behind Bradwell’s 41 points was Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.), of the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in the Chinese League, who had one first-place vote and 20 points. LHP Harley Gollert (Etobicoke, Ont.), of the Capitales, was third with eight votes. Four other pitchers received less than seven votes.

In second-place behind Caissie’s 50 points was Matt Lloyd (Calgary, Alta.) who had 24 points. Lloyd was at double-A Springfield with 25 doubles, 17 homers, 77 RBIs, a .269 average and an .811 OPS in 120 games. And in third spot was Milwaukee Brewers farmhand Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) with seven points. Black had 14 homers and 20 steals in 102 games at triple-A Nashville and played 18 games in the majors. Three others also received votes.

Honour Roll

Affiliated Players

Offensive Player Of The Year

(Starting in 2011 the award was named after the The Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Echlin, former head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee and a man with a baseball-shaped heart.)

2008 _ Tim Smith (Toronto, Ont.) Rangers.

2009 _ Tyson Gillies (Langley, BC) Mariners.

2010 _ Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Brewers.

2011 _ Taylor Green (Comox, BC) Brewers and Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Jays.

2012 _ Oscar Taveras (Montreal, Que.) Cardinals.

Ex-Langley Blaze Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) won (or shared) Echlin honours three straight years.

2013 _ Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) Diamondbacks.

2014 _ Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays.

2015 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2016 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2017 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners/Cardinals and Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2018 _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2019 _ Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) Astros.

2020 _ Minor league seasons cancelled, COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 _ Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2022 _ Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.), Twins.

2023 _ Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) Brewers.

2024 _ Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) Cubs.

By province: BC 6, Quebec 6, Ontario 5.

By Organization: Blue Jays 5, Mariners 4, Brewers 3, Cardinals 2, Astros, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Twins, one each.

Pitcher Of The Year

(Renamed the Wayne Norton award for 2021 season)

2008 _ Scott Diamond (Guelph, Ont.) Braves.

2009 _ James Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) Brewers and John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) Brewers.

2010 _ Scott Mathieson (Langley, BC) Phillies.

2011 _ Mark Hardy (Campbell River, BC) Padres.

2012 _ James Henderson (Calgary, Alta.) Brewers.

2013 _ Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) Twins

2014 _ Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Nationals.

2015 _ Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) Phillies and Shane Dawson (Drayton Valley, Alta.) Jays.

2016 _ Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) Pirates and Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Phillies.

2017 _ Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Braves.

2018 _ Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) Jays.

2019 _ Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) Twins.

2020 _ Minor league seasons cancelled, COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 _ Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) Mariners.

2022 _ Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) Rangers.

Chilliwack Cougars and Junior National Team grad Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) won the Norton Award in 2023.

2023 _ Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) Guardians.

2024 _ Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, BC) Guardians.

Pitchers by province

BC 7, Ontario 6, Alberta 4, Saskatchewan 1. .

By Organization:

Brewers 3, Phillies 3, Braves 2, Guardians 2, Jays 2, Twins 2, Mariners, Nationals, Padres, Rangers, one each.

Affliated award winners

By organization: Blue Jays 7, Brewers 6, Mariners 5, Phillies 3, Twins 3, Braves 2, Cardinals 2, Guardians 2, Rangers 2, Astros, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Padres, Pirates, Nationals one each.

By provinces: BC 13, Ontario 11, Quebec 6, Alberta 4, and Saskatchewan 1.

Non-affiliated

(Independent/Foreign Leagues)

Top Offensive Player Of The Year

(Renamed the Murray Zuk award for 2021 season)

2008 — Drew Miller (Medicine Hat, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2009 — Pete LaForest (Hull, Que.) Quebec Capitales and Colin Moro (Calgary, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2010 - Drew Miller (Medicine Hat, Alta.) Calgary Vipers.

2011 – Matt Rogelstad (Port Moody, BC) Edmonton Capitals.

2012 – Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

2013 – Jonathan Malo (Laval, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2014 - Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

2015 - Jim Adduci (Burnaby, BC) Lotte Giants, Korea.

2016 - Carter Bell, (Courtenay, BC) Joliet Slammers.

2017 - Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns/triple-A El Paso.

Ex-London Badger Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) was the best hitter in non-affiliated ball four times. Romak of SK Wyverns dressed as Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Korean All-Star Game at Changwon, in 2019.

2018 _ Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns, Korea.

2019 _ Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns, Korea

2020 _ Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns, Korea

2021 _ David Glaude (Quebec City, Que.) Équipe Québec.

2022 _ L. P. Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) Trois-Rivieres Aigles.

2023 _ Kole Cottam (Memphis, Tenn./Burlington, Ont.) Spire City Ghost Hounds.

2024 _ Justin Gideon (Pickering, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

Top hitters

By province: Ontario 8, Quebec 4, Alberta 3 and BC 3.

* * *

Pitcher Of The Year

(Renamed the Claude Pelletier award for 2021 season)

2008 — Michel Simard (Charlesbourg, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2009 — Aaron Wideman (Mississauga, Ont.) New Jersey Jackals.

2010 – Aaron Cotter (Kitimat, BC) Sioux Falls Pheasants.

2011 – John Mariotti (Toronto, Ont.) Quebec Capitales.

2012 – Jeff Duda (Surrey, BC) Quebec Capitales.

2013 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2014 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2015 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2016 – Karl Gelinas (Iberville, Que.) Quebec Capitales.

2017 - Scott Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC) Yomiuri Giants.

2018 _ Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.). Orix Buffaloes.

2019 _ Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) Ottawa Champions.

2020 _ Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.). Orix Buffaloes

2021 _ Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions.

2022 - Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) Capitales de Québec.

2023 _ Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions.

2024 _ James Bradwell (Gibsons, BC) Capitales de Québec.

Indy/foreign lands winners

Pitchers

By province: Quebec 7, BC 4, Ontario 4, Saskatchewan 2.

Hitters and position players

By province: Ontario 12, Quebec 11, BC 7, Alberta 3, Saskatchewan 2.

(Players who played in the majors denoted in bold)