March 31, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Thirteen Canadian-born baseball players found their names on Opening Day rosters across the league for the start of the 2024 campaign.

The Cleveland Guardians led the way with three big leaguers (the Naylor brothers, Bo and Josh (Mississauga, Ont.), and reliever Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.)) while the Toronto Blue Jays started the campaign with two, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont., who is technically on the IL). The American League boasted 11 Canucks compared to the two found in the National League.

Joining this group includes Jameson Taillon and Freddie Freeman, as both players were born south of the border but have suited up for Team Canada in the past due to their Canadian-born parents.

Over the next six months, this group of 13 is likely to grow as numerous other Canucks who are starting the year in the upper levels of the minor leagues will look for a chance to compete on the big league stage. Some are players with big league experience looking for a new opportunity while others are prospects looking for their first shot at playing under the bright lights of an MLB stadium.

Here is an in-depth list of Canadian players to keep an eye on in 2024 to see their name(s) on a big league roster.

Owen Caissie – OF

Chicago Cubs

One of the top Canadian-born prospects entering the campaign, Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) found himself ranked on numerous top prospects lists heading into the new year, including Just Baseball (#29), MLB Pipeline (#45), and FanGraphs (#65).

Last season, he spent the entire year in double-A Tennessee, putting together a solid campaign at the plate that included 31 doubles, 22 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .918 OPS. He earned the Canadian Futures Award for his work last year, presented by the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, and also earned an invite to big league camp for the 2024 season.

It was here that Caissie put himself on the radar of fans across the league, as the left-handed batter mashed at the plate. Through 16 games, he collected five extra-base hits and 11 RBIs to the tune of a .973 OPS with five walks and two stolen bases. While he was a longshot to make the Opening Day roster considering he had zero reps at triple-A, he set himself up for success with a strong showcase this past spring and he’s already off to a hot start in triple-A Iowa. Through eight at-bats, he has six hits with two doubles and two walks.

Look for Caissie to be pushing the envelope for a call-up towards the summer months although the Cubs boast a strong outfield core at the moment, so an injury replacement opportunity might be his quickest route to the big leagues this season.

Erik Sabrowski – LHP

Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians boast the most Canadians on their current squad and could gain another arm later this year if Edmonton, Alta.’s Erik Sabrowski has any say in the matter.

Originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2018, Sabrowski has battled multiple arm injuries and the lost 2020 season to finally get back on the mound in 2023. He has just 29 innings under his belt dating back to the 2021 campaign.

With the double-A Akron RubberDucks last year, Sabrowski handled the workload well, amassing a 2.49 ERA through 21 2/3 innings of relief while holding opponents to a .176 batting average with 29 strikeouts. Sabrowski followed that with a strong spring showing earlier this month, throwing two clean innings without allowing a hit and striking out four.

With the added confidence, Cleveland has the left-hander beginning the season down in triple-A where he will face some more advanced hitters at the age of 26. Another strong showcase similar to his 2023 stats could see him in the big leagues sometime in 2024 for the Guardians, who are looking to contend in the AL Central.

Charles Leblanc – 1B/2B

Los Angeles Angels

Since 2022, Laval, Que. product Charles Leblanc called the Miami Marlins organization home, with the right-handed batter getting his shot in the big leagues in 2022.

Through 48 games that season, Leblanc put forward a .263/.320/.404 slash line with four home runs, 11 RBIs, and a 103 OPS+ while patrolling second, third, and first base for the Marlins. He did not see any action at the MLB level last season, as the University of Pittsburgh alum spent the entire year in Jacksonville and collected 12 home runs and 34 RBIs to the tune of a .807 OPS for the Jumbo Shrimp.

This winter, Leblanc signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels that included an invite to big league camp. This spring, the Quebec product found himself getting 14 at-bats with the Angels and produced just one hit and two RBIs through limited action.

He will begin the season in triple-A with the Salt Lake Bees where he provides additional infield depth for an Angels organization that is looking to compete in a stacked AL West division.

Tyler Black – 3B

Milwaukee Brewers

Joining Caissie on the top prospect lists this season is Stouffville, Ont. native Tyler Black, the fourth-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization according to MLB Pipeline.

Black broke out in a big way last season, as the Wright State University alum kept finding ways to put the ball in play and utilize his plus speed on the base paths. He collected 25 doubles, 12 triples, and 18 home runs split between double-A and triple-A while adding 55 stolen bases and 88 walks, finishing the year with a .930 OPS. The former Toronto Mets and Butler Prospects alum’s work on the field last season earned him the Canadian Baseball Network’s Randy Echlin Award and the Brewers Co-Player of the Year Award with fellow top prospect Jackson Chourio.

Through 12 games this past spring, he collected eight hits through 33 at-bats (.242) and stole three bases while playing first and third base for the Brewers. He was named to the Brewers’ Spring Breakout roster and hit lead-off for the team, collecting a triple and later scoring a run against the Kansas City Royals prospects.

He starts the 2024 season exactly where he left off in 2023, in triple-A with Nashville. Through two games, he has three hits and one triple as the 23-year-old works towards making his MLB debut in 2024, which will likely come at first base given the Brewers' current roster construction.

Rob Zastryzny – LHP

Milwaukee Brewers

After spending the 2023 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers this past winter.

A depth move for the Brewers, the southpaw will begin the year in triple-A with the Nashville Sounds after posting a 5.14 ERA through six outings (two starts) with the Brewers this spring. Through seven innings, he allowed eight hits and four earned runs while striking out nine batters.

Zastryzny is one of the more experienced arms on this list, as the former Chicago Cubs prospect has over 59 1/3 innings at the big league level spread across four different organizations dating back to 2016.

Jordan Balazovic – RHP

Minnesota Twins

Right-hander Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) has been grinding away in the minor leagues since being drafted by the Twins in 2016. He is a product of the Ontario Blue Jays program.

Since 2022, Balazovic has been pitching in triple-A and he spent some time in the rotation before the Twins moved him to the bullpen last year. He spent the bulk of 2023 with the triple-A St. Paul Saints but he earned a call-up to the big leagues on June 18 and compiled a 4.44 ERA through 24 1/3 innings in 18 relief appearances.

The Twins designated Balazovic late into the offseason and the Junior National Team alum passed through waivers unclaimed, remaining in the Twins organization. This spring, he made seven appearances (one start) and allowed 13 hits through 7 1/3 innings en route to an 8.59 ERA. He begins the 2024 season down in St. Paul once again, looking to turn things around and find himself back in the big leagues for the Twins in a relief capacity later this year.

Noah Skirrow – RHP

Philadelphia Phillies

Stony Creek, Ont. native Noah Skirrow put himself on the map last season after his dominant performance in the World Baseball Classic for Team Canada.

The right-hander went five innings against Colombia and allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out five batters, amassing a 69.0 strike percentage through 58 pitches and helping Canada secure the win. That win kept Canada’s hopes alive in the tournament before dropping the final game against Mexico.

Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2020 MLB draft, Skirrow enters the 2024 season looking for his first big league call-up after spending all of last year in triple-A. With Lehigh Valley, the right-hander posted a 5.84 ERA through 24 outings (14 starts) and 101 2/3 innings.

Skirrow begins the year on the development list for the Phillies, returning to triple-A to start the campaign.

Otto López – INF

San Francisco Giants

Born in the Dominican Republic, Otto López called Montreal, Que. home for a time during his childhood when his father moved to Canada to pursue a teaching opportunity. Later signed by the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2016, López worked his way up the minor league ladder and made his big league debut in 2021.

He made eight appearances for the Jays in 2022 (six hits in nine at-bats) before being sidelined with an oblique strain for an extended period in 2023. He spent all of last season in triple-A. With the Jays boasting a talented crop of middle infielders in triple-A and needing a 40-man roster spot, they designated López for assignment this spring and traded him to the San Francisco Giants shortly after.

With the Giants this spring, López collected nine hits including one double and one home run with nine RBIs to the tune of a .724 OPS. San Francisco optioned him to triple-A midway through March, prolonging his potential return to the big leagues until sometime later this year.

Jared Young – 1B/OF

St. Louis Cardinals

A 15th-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2017, Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.) made his big-league debut with the Cubs in 2022 and played sporadically over the following two campaigns. He rode the options bus between Chicago and Iowa during that time and amassed a .210/.290/.435 slash line through 62 at-bats with three triples, two home runs, and a .725 OPS at the MLB level.

In November, the Cubs designated the first baseman for assignment and he was picked up by the Cardinals. In his first spring with St. Louis, Young collected three hits through 37 at-bats (.081) and put forward a .352 OPS. He was optioned to triple-A Memphis shortly before Opening Day. This past Wednesday, he was designated for assignment by the Cardinals but he passed through waivers unclaimed and the Cardinals have outrighted him to Memphis.

He faces some tough competition to reach the Majors this year given Paul Goldschmidt is entrenched at first base and the Cardinals possess a boatload of depth in the outfield.

Trevor Brigden – RHP

Tampa Bay Rays

A 17th-round pick by the Rays in 2019, Trevor Brigden (North York, Ont.) met adversity right out of the gate when he and every other minor league player had to shut things down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While he had a cup of coffee in Rookie Ball following the draft, Brigden began climbing the Rays’ farm system right after the 2020 season, advancing to triple-A Durham in his first pro campaign.

Since then, he split the 2022 season between double-A and triple-A before becoming a regular member of the Bulls’ bullpen in 2023. Last season, he posted a 3.46 ERA through 44 outings, which included two saves and a career-high 78 innings. A strikeout pitcher, Brigden posted an 11.0 K/9 with the Durham last season and also amassed a 1.218 WHIP, which helped in his case to make the trek to the Rays’ big league camp this year. The right-hander impressed on the mound once again, holding opponents hitless through 4 1/3 innings while striking out eight batters compared to two walks.

He begins the season in triple-A but the 28-year-old could find himself in the big leagues in short order if he continues to strike out opposing batters at a high clip and holding opponents off the base paths.

Damiano Palmegiani – 1B/DH

Toronto Blue Jays

While born in Venezuela, Damiano Palmegiani has called Surrey, B.C. home since the age of five. The right-handed batter took his talents to Vauxhall Academy in southern Alberta before pursuing post-secondary opportunities stateside.

Last season, Palmegiani broke out at the plate while he was with double-A New Hampshire, collecting 25 doubles and 19 home runs with 71 RBIs through 108 games, putting forth a .815 OPS. He had collected 24 knocks the year before split between single-A and high-A ball but in 2023, he hit with more consistency and against tougher arms, upping his OBP by 23 points. This impressive run at the plate saw him finish the year in triple-A Buffalo, where he added eight more doubles and four more home runs to his total through 74 at-bats.

The Jays then had Palmegiani finish the year in the Arizona Fall League, where he added six more home runs and 21 RBIs while earning a championship with the Surprise Saguaros and finishing second in the AFL home run derby. The 24-year-old was invited to big league camp this spring and also made the Spring Breakout roster. In Grapefruit League action, Palmegiani collected two hits (one home run) in 14 at-bats with the Jays.

With the ability to play third and first base, he gives the Jays options on where they could use him moving forward but it will be his plus bat that carries him to the big leagues, as his raw power could be a big boost late in the campaign similar to how Davis Schneider made an impact with the club last year.

Zach Pop – RHP

Toronto Blue Jays

Acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2022 trade deadline from the Miami Marlins, Zach Pop has flirted with the big leagues since 2021 but has yet to fully latch onto a full-time role in the bullpen since the trade.

He made 68 appearances across a season and a half with the Marlins, posting a 3.98 ERA through 74 2/3 innings and he found early success with the Blue Jays. The right-hander finished the 2022 season in the big leagues after being called up in early September and did well, allowing just four earned runs through 19 innings with 11 strikeouts. He was unable to replicate that success in 2023 after earning a spot on the Opening Day roster (6.59 ERA through 15 outings) and also dealt with a right hamstring strain that kept him on the shelf for almost the entire month of May. Pop did not make another appearance in the big leagues down the stretch.

This spring, Pop was fighting for a spot on the big league roster and even with the injuries to Erik Swanson and Jordan Romano, the right-hander was one of the last cuts and will start the year in triple-A. With a plus two-seam pitch that can hit the high 90s, if the 26-year-old Pop can reel in the walks and hit his spots with consistency, he stands a good chance of finding himself back in the big leagues with the Jays at some point this season.

Joey Votto – 1B

Toronto Blue Jays

Veteran Canadian slugger Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) became a free agent for the first time in his career this winter after the Cincinnati Reds decided not to pick up his $20-million option, ending a 17-year run between Votto and the Reds organization. He didn’t sign with a team until late into Spring Training and when he did, it was with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays. This set off a frenzy amongst the fanbase to see one of the most decorated Canadian-born players of this era signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays.

A decorated career that should receive Hall of Fame votes when it comes time, Votto entered the 2024 season looking for an opportunity to compete at the big league level once again. Injuries impacted his play on the field the past two seasons but when healthy, Votto has proven he can be a Major League power threat, evidenced by his nine seasons of 20+ home runs and 2010 NL MVP Award.

The seven-time Tip O’Neill Award winner had just one at-bat for the Blue Jays this spring, which was a home run on the first pitch he saw against Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. He then proceeded to trip on a bat in the dugout, which ended his day and later his spring as he nurses an ankle injury, ending an internal competition that was about to begin between him and Daniel Vogelbach to see who would become the Blue Jays left-handed power bat off the bench.

For Votto, his spring continues down in Dunedin, where he is expected to take part in extended Spring Training once healthy before a likely trip to Buffalo to continue his trajectory back to the big leagues. His way back to Major League Baseball will likely come if he can return to form at the plate and hit for power, potentially supplementing Vogelbach on the roster for what could be his last season of professional baseball.