Glew: Canadians in pro baseball off-season tracker

Calgary Redbirds and Junior National Team alum Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) was traded to the Chicago White Sox in November. Photo: USA Today Sports

March 5, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

It was a busy off-season for Canadians in professional baseball.

I tried to document all of the news and transactions involving Canadians in the pro ranks this off-season.

If I’ve missed somebody, please email me at kevin.glew@sympatico.ca to let me know.

So, here’s a summary:

Coach Jim Adduci (Burnaby, B.C.) will return to the Chicago Cubs’ staff for his second season as the team’s assistant coach, game planning. The Cubs announced this on January 3.

LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) has been hired as the pitching coach of the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Saskatoon Berries.

RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) was designated for assignment by the Minnesota Twins on February 7. He has since been invited to the Twins' big league camp.

C Carson Barker (Alliston, Ont.) has signed with the Ottawa Titans of the independent Frontier League.

Peter Berryman (Burlington, Ont.) was hired by the Kansas City Royals as a major league strategy analyst on January 16.

RHP Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) re-signed with the independent American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes on December 16.

RHP Trevor Brigden (North York, Ont.) has been invited to the Tampa Bay Rays’ big league spring training camp.

OF Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) has been invited to the Chicago Cubs’ big league spring training, per Matt Betts of the Canadian Baseball Network.

Coach Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) will return to the St. Louis Cardinals as their first base coach for a sixth consecutive season, as per a team announcement on December 11.

C Kole Cottam (Burlington, Ont.) will play for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League this season, per Trevor Fitzpatrick of the Canadian Baseball Network.

RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) will return to the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2024, per Tyson Shushkewich of the Canadian Baseball Network.

RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.), after four seasons in the Texas Rangers’ organization, had initially signed with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans. On February 10, Baseball Development Group announced he had signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Former Great Lake Canadians OF Myles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.) has been hired as a video coordinator by the Cincinnati Reds, per Bob Elliott, of the Canadian Baseball Network.

LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) has signed with the Ottawa Titans of the independent Frontier League.

1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) won his arbitration case against the Toronto Blue Jays. He will be paid $19.9 million in 2024.

INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) elected to become a minor league free agent after six seasons in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization. He signed with the independent American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes on February 2.

C Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) has been invited to major league spring training by the Texas Rangers.

Blue Jays Communications team member Rodney Hiemstra (Listowel, Ont.) will replace Mike Shaw (Halifax, N.S.) as the Blue Jays’ team travel and clubhouse operations director.

LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) re-signed with the Savannah Bananas on December 5, after spending the 2023 season with them.

Executive Anuk Karunaratne (Vancouver, B.C.) has left the Toronto Blue Jays to accept a position as senior VP for business operations with the St. Louis Cardinals.

INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) became a free agent and departed the Miami Marlins to sign a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels on November 26. He has been invited to the Angels’ big league spring training.

Scout Jamie Lehman (Brampton, Ont.) has left the Toronto Blue Jays organization to accept a position as West Coast cross-checker for the Houston Astros.

INF Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.), who spent 2023 with the independent American Association’s Sioux City Explorers, signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on December 20.

INF/OF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays on February 9. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations on February 13.

Coach Kyle MacKinnon (Cheltenham, Ont.) has been hired by the Kansas City Royals to serve as assistant hitting coach for their class-A Columbia Fireflies.

LHP Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) had his contract selected by the Toronto Blue Jays and was added to their 40-man roster on November 14.

C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) has been elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Coach Dave McKay (Vancouver, B.C.) will return for his 11th season as Arizona Diamondbacks first-base coach in 2024. It’s his 54th season in pro baseball as a player or coach.

RHP Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) has joined the staff of the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Moose Jaw Miller Express as a pitching consultant.

OF Noah Myers (Windsor, Ont.), who spent the 2023 season with the independent Frontier League’s Evansville Otters, had his contract purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays on December 21.

INF Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) agreed to a one-year, $6.55-million contract with the Cleveland Guardians to avoid arbitration.

OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) was traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Boston Red Sox for Nick Robertson and Victor Santos on December 8. He agreed to a one-year, $5.5-million contract with the Sox to avoid arbitration.

INF Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, B.C.) has been invited to Toronto Blue Jays’ big league spring training.

LHP James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) has signed a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that guarantees him $7 million. There are performance bonuses that could make it worth up to $13 million.

OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) has been invited to the Tampa Bay Rays’ big league spring training camp.

RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) agreed to a one-year, $7.5-million contract with the Boston Red Sox to avoid arbitration.

RHP Jake Polancic (Langley, B.C.), who spent the 2023 season with the independent Frontier League’s Evansville Otters, had his contract purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers on December 21.

Coach Jamie Pogue (Guelph, Ont) will return to the St. Louis Cardinals for his 13th season as a bullpen catcher/coach/assistant coach, as per a team announcement on December 11.

C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.), after splitting 2023 between double-A and triple-A in the Texas Rangers’ organization, has elected to become a free agent.

RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) was traded by the Cleveland Guardians to the Colorado Rockies for catcher Kody Huff on November 17. He agreed to a one-year, $6.55-million contract with the Rockies to avoid arbitration.

RHP Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) will return to the Toronto Blue Jays as a special assistant to baseball operations.

OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.), after playing for the independent American Association’s Kansas City Monarchs in 2023, played for the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League this winter.

RHP Jordan Romano (Markham. Ont.) agreed to a one-year, $7.75-million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays to avoid arbitration.

OF Jake Sanford (Cole Harbour, N.S.) re-signed with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans on November 28.

OF Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) will return as Atlanta Braves’ minor league outfielder/baserunning coach in 2024.

LHP Travis Seabrooke (Peterborough, Ont.) has re-signed with the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the independent American Association.

Executive Mike Shaw (Halifax, N.S.), the Toronto Blue Jays’ longtime team travel and clubhouse operations director, has departed for a position with the Atlanta Braves.

Announcer Ben Shulman (Thornhill, Ont.) will be the radio play-by-play voice of the Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Jays made the announcement on February 13.

RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.) had his contract selected by the Cleveland Guardians and was added to their 40-man roster on November 14.

RHP Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Chicago White Sox on November 16. Heading to the White Sox with Soroka were Riley Gowens, Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez and Braden Shewmake. The Braves received left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer. Soroka agreed to a one-year, $3-million contract with the Sox to avoid arbitration.

Coach Mike Steed (Burlington, Ont.) will return as the pitching coach of the Atlanta Braves High-A Rome Emperors in 2024.

INF/Coach Ashley Stephenson (Mississauga, Ont.) has been elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. She will return as position coach with the Toronto Blue Jays’ High-A Vancouver Canadians this season.

RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, B.C.), after splitting the 2023 season between double-A and triple in the Chicago Cubs and Minnesota Twins organizations, has elected to become a free agent.

Manager Rob Thomson (Corunna, Ont.) signed a one-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies on December 4. The contract extends through the 2025 season.

INF Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) was traded to the Oakland A’s by the Milwaukee Brewers for Chad Patrick on November 15. Two days later, he signed a one-year, $1.275-million contract with the A’s.

1B Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) had his 2024 option declined by the Cincinnati Reds on November 4 and is a free agent.

RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, B.C.), after splitting the 2023 season between triple-A in the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays organizations, has elected to become a free agent. Wick signed with the Yokohama BayStars of the Nippon Professional Baseball organization in Japan on December 15.

UTIL Taylor Wright (North Vancouver, B.C.) re-signed with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans on November 14.

RHP Christian Lindsay-Young (Oakville, Ont.) has signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels, per Baseball America’s Minor League Transactions page.

INF Andy Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on February 2.

OF Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.) was claimed off waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Chicago Cubs on November 6.

LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.), who spent the bulk of 2023 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as a minor league free agent on December 12.