Canadians in pro baseball: Off-season transaction tracker

January 29, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

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

In the more than three months since the last out of the World Series, several Canadians have changed teams.

I’m going to try to document all of the transactions involving Canadians in the pro ranks this off-season. So, here’s an early off-season 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.

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.

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.

RHP Evan Elliott (Toronto, Ont.), after four seasons in the Texas Rangers’ organization, has signed with the independent Frontier League’s Ottawa Titans.

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.

INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) has elected to become a minor league free agent after six seasons in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

LHP James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) has signed a one-year, $11-million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, pending a physical, per Ronald Blum of The Associated Press.

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.

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

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.

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. He agreed to a one-year, $3-million contract with the Sox to avoid arbitration.

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

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 now 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.

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.