August 1, 2023
By Kevin Glew
Cooperstowners in Canada
Tennessee Smokies outfielder Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) has been named the Double-A Southern League’s Player of the Week.
The 21-year-old Chicago Cubs prospect batted .444 with two home runs and seven RBIs in five games between July 24 and July 30 to take home to honour.
During that stretch, he raised his 2023 batting average with the Smokies from .268 to .280 and his slugging percentage from .497 to .527.
The Fieldhouse Pirates and Junior National Team alum has 87 hits – including 18 home runs – in 84 games for the Smokies this season and is the Cubs’ 12th ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
Chosen by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 2020 MLB draft, Caissie never played a game in the Pads’ organization before he was dealt to the Cubs as part of the package for right-hander Yu Darvish in December 2020.
Since then, the left-handed hitting Canuck has played parts of three seasons in the Cubs’ organization. After batting .302 with seven home runs in 54 games between Rookie Ball and Low-A in 2021, Caissie spent 2022 in High A and batted .254 with 11 home runs in 105 contests.
Caissie was also a standout for Canada at this year’s World Baseball Classic, recording three hits – including a home run – and four RBIs in three games.
Thanks for the update.
Thank you for reading and your support.
I think the Cubs have a future star in the making! Go Canada Go!
He is definitely a rising star. Thanks again, Scott.