Canadian scout Claude Pelletier dies at age 88

December 17, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Legendary Canadian baseball scout Claude Pelletier died on Sunday at the age of 88.

The Saint-Lazare, Que., native passed away at his home.

The Canadian Baseball Network was the first to report his passing.

“Claude Pelletier was an excellent scout, both for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. More than that he was a true gentleman. It is with sadness that we tell you of Pelletier’s passing,” wrote Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Network on Monday. “Claude had three passions: his family, the game of baseball and his train set. His family and his career brought him both gratification and joy. Deepest sympathies to his family Frances, Gigi, Lison and Daniel Pelletier.”

His start in scouting

In the 1980s, Pelletier was a sales rep for a mining company in Quebec. He liked to take his winter vacations in Vero Beach, Fla., where the Los Angeles Dodgers held spring training.

He befriended then Dodgers’ pitching coach Ron Perranoski and impressed with his eye for talent. This convinced Dodgers’ top scout Gary Larocque to hire him in 1986.

Pelletier began combing Canada for talent and one of the first players he signed was outfielder Marc Griffin (Quebec City, Que.) in July 1988. The fleet-footed Griffin played three seasons in the Dodgers’ system, never stealing less than 35 bases in a season. Griffin then spent his final two years as a player in the Montreal Expos’ organization before embarking on a successful broadcasting career.

Griffin paid tribute to Pelletier on Monday.

Scouting Eric Gagne

But Pelletier is best known for scouting and convincing the Dodgers to sign Éric Gagné in 1995.

After going undrafted out of Seminole Junior College that year, the 19-year-old Gagné was pitching for Canada’s national team when Pelletier insisted that the Dodgers send a senior scout to look at Gagné. Dodgers’ cross-checker Eddie Bane arrived in Alberta to watch Gagné pitch and signed the young righty.

In a 2012 biography written about him called “Game Over,” Gagné would refer to Pelletier as his guardian angel

Pelletier and Gagné remained close and the scout was in attendance for Gagné’s major league debut on September 7, 1999 at Pro Player Stadium against the Florida Marlins. Starting against his former national team roommate Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.) Gagné hurled six scoreless innings in the Dodgers’ 2-1 loss.

Gagné eventually became a dominant closer for the Dodgers, and in 2003, he became the second Canadian to win the National League Cy Young Award (Fergie Jenkins was the first with the Chicago Cubs in 1971).

Moves on to Mets

After 13 seasons with the Dodgers, Pelletier moved on to scout for the New York Mets in 1999. Among the players he either drafted or signed were Canadian infielders Shawn Bowman (New Westminster, B.C.) and Jonathan Malo (Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, Que.), both of whom reached Triple-A.

Pelletier would scout with the Mets for 21 years until he was 83.

Honours

Along the way, Pelletier garnered a reputation as one of the best Canadian scouts of all-time.

In 2013, he was named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Scout of the Year. Five years later, he was inducted into the Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame.

In 2021, the Canadian Baseball Network renamed their annual award for top Canadian pitcher in the independent or foreign ranks after him.

In recent years, Pelletier dedicated his time to his family and to his longtime love of toy trains (Fellow Canuck scout Jim Ridley used to call him, “Mr. Choo-Choo.”).

“Baseball Canada was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of longtime Canadian baseball scout Claude Pelletier, who was 88 years old. Claude spent decades traveling across the country in search of talented players during his scouting career with both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. A familiar presence around the Junior National Team program, he was widely respected by his peers and made a lasting impact on the Canadian baseball community. He will be greatly missed,” said Baseball Canada in a statement.

Fellow Canadian scouting legend Murray Zuk (Souris, Man.) also paid tribute to Pelletier on the Baseball Canada Facebook page.

“Claude was a great friend and a dedicated baseball leader,” wrote Zuk. “He will be missed by many.”

Pelletier is survived by his wife of 65 years, Frances, and children Gigi, Lison and Daniel.