Training Camp Notebook: Canada’s roster rounds into form

Veteran infielder Jonathan Malo (Joliette, Que.) participates in fielding drills at Canada’s training camp. Photo: Baseball Canada

May 27, 2021

Baseball Canada

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida – Team Canada’s full, 25-player roster was together for the first time on Thursday with pitchers Brendan McGuigan and Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) arriving from respective affiliates of the Seattle Mariners’ organization while catcher JD Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) arrived to camp from the Miami Marlins’ triple-A club in Jacksonville.

Onyshko and Osborne suited up for the Junior National Team program back in 2013 and will be making their national team debuts with the senior squad.

For McGuigan, it will be his first time representing Canada.

Born in Hong Kong in 1995 to Canadian parents, Laura (Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador) and Steve (Toronto), McGuigan assumed their citizenship before the family relocated Austin, Texas where he played youth and high school baseball.

McGuigan (pictured below) then spent four seasons pitching at the University of Richmond in Virginia before signing with the Mariners as an undrafted free agent in 2019.

Right-hander Brendan McGuigan, whose parents are Canadian, will make his debut with the national team in the Americas Olympic qualifier to begin on Monday. Photo: Baseball Canada

The 25-year-old does have a familiar face in the Team Canada clubhouse as he was roommates with Ben Onyshko when they played at Low-A West Virginia together in 2019.

McGuigan and Onyshko, along with Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) all saw against in a scrimmage contest against the Fort Lauderdale Stars as Team Canada played their final tune-up contest prior to opening the WBSC Baseball Americas Olympic Qualifier on May 31st against Colombia.

The team will hold daily practices on Friday through Sunday.