14 Canadians on MLB rosters to start the season
March 28, 2024
Baseball Canada
OTTAWA – The 2024 Major League Baseball season opens today and we’re here to give you a rundown on the Canadian players to keep an eye on this season.
The 2023 season saw 18 Canadians appear in the majors highlighted by the big-league debut of Junior National Team alum Édouard Julien (Québec, Que.) with the Minnesota Twins. Julien belted 16 home runs during his rookie season and added another homer in the postseason.
In 2011, a modern-day record 26 Canadians appeared in the big leagues.
One name who’s appeared on this list every year since 2008, is notably absent from Opening Day rosters, but Canadian baseball fans, in particular fans of the Toronto Blue Jays, hope that Etobicoke’s Joey Votto gets back to the big leagues soon.
The 2010 National League Most Valuable Player inked a minor league contract with the Blue Jays earlier this month and will begin his bid to earn a big-league roster spot in the minor leagues.
Votto is closing in on some of Hall of Famer Larry Walker’s Canadian MLB records including hits (26 hits to pass Walker’s 2,160), doubles (13 doubles to pass Walker’s 471) and home runs (28 home runs to pass Walker’s 383).
If he returns to the majors, Canadian baseball fans can look forward to watching this story play out.
Votto, who’d spent his entire 17-year career with the Cincinnati Reds up until signing with the Jays, isn’t the only Canadian with a new organization in 2024 as several players have switched clubs via trade or free agency. Let’s look at the Canadians who will start the season on Opening Day rosters.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Toronto Blue Jays
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal Que.)
RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.)
Notable: Jays closer Jordan Romano is dealing with some elbow inflammation this spring and will open the season on the injured list while Montreal-born Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is set to enter his sixth big league campaign.
Boston Red Sox
OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC)
RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC)
Notable: O’Neill came to the Red Sox in an offseason trade after six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals while Nick Pivetta will get the start in the second game of the season in Seattle.
Chicago White Sox
RHP Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.)
Notable: A new team after an offseason trade with the Atlanta Braves sees Michael Soroka with the White Sox where he will start their second game of the season in Detroit on March 30. Soroka is looking to turn a terrific Spring Training, where he pitched to a 1.38 ERA over 13 innings, into regular season success.
Cleveland Guardians
C Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.)
1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.)
RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC)
Notable: One of the feel-good stories coming out of Spring Training from a Canadian perspective is reliever Cade Smith cracking the Guardians’ Opening Day roster. Smith joins his former Junior National Team teammate from 2017 Bo Naylor along with his brother Josh to give the Guards a Canuck trio.
Minnesota Twins
2B Édouard Julien (Québec, Que.)
Notable: Julien established himself as the Twins’ everyday second baseman in 2023 and will look to take his game to new heights in 2024.
Oakland A’s
3B Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.)
Notable: Toro was acquired by the A’s in a November trade with the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland immediately signed the infielder to a one-year contract. The A’s are Toro’s fourth big league club.
Seattle Mariners
RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.)
Notable: Brash will open the season on the injured list as he’s been recovering from elbow inflammation since February 21. A member of Canada’s entry at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Brash was a key piece of the Mariners’ bullpen last season racking up 107 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings pitched.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs
RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Texas)
Notable: Dual citizen Jamieson Taillon enters his second year with the Cubs, but his 2024 season debut will be delayed as the right-hander works his way back from a lower back issue.
Colorado Rockies
RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.)
Notable: Another Canadian who found a new home over the offseason, Quantrill figures to be a key piece of the Rockies’ starting rotation and will get the nod in their second game of the season, March 29 in Arizona.
Los Angeles Dodgers
LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC)
Notable: A staple on the Opening Day Canadians list since 2014, Paxton signed with the Dodgers in the offseason joining his fourth big league club. Dodgers’ Manager Dave Roberts plans to use the veteran southpaw to start the fifth game of the season on April 1 against the Giants.