2024 Program 1

OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE VANCOUVER CANADIANS

2024 SEASON - ISSUE 1

THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL

HALL OF FAMER

DON’T MISS WHITE SPOT

FAMILY FUN SUNDAY

APRIL 14

CHAMPIONSHIP PENNANT GIVEAWAY JUNE 16

FATHER’S DAY TRAVEL MUG GIVEAWAY AUG 11

APRIL 28

MAY 12

MASCOT PUZZLE GIVEAWAY

MOTHER’S DAY TRAVEL MUG GIVEAWAY

JUNE 30

DRAWSTRING BAG GIVEAWAY

CAR FLAG GIVEAWAY

AUG 25

JULY 21

MASCOT SOCKS GIVEAWAY

LUNCH BAG GIVEAWAY

JUNE 2

FOAM GLOVE GIVEAWAY AUG 4

HELMET BOWL GIVEAWAY SEPT 8

PENCIL CASE GIVEAWAY

GATES OPEN AT NOON. FIRST PITCH 1:05 2 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

GIVEAWAYS ARE LIMITED TO THE FIRST 500 KIDS 12 & UNDER

MARK STEFFENS/FOTOGUY PHOTOGRAPHY

CONTENTS

9 GET TO KNOW YOUR CANADIANS FRONT OFFICE STAFF

34 THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER

14 2024 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

38 BACK TO BABE

17 ROAD TO THE SHOW

44 ADRIÁN BELTRÉ’S PASSION FOR THE GAME TURNED AN INJURY INTO A PATH TO COOPERSTOWN

Meet the team behind our team as we feature those who work around the clock to ensure your best ballpark experience.

This is your chance to map out the entire summer using our vibrant and colourful Promo Schedule that shows you every single moment this season. A great tool to plan out the games you absolutely HAVE to see this season.

Climbing through the Blue Jays system.

18 TEAM ROSTERS

22 MEET THE 2024 VANCOUVER CANADIANS

This year’s squad is looking to bring home Northwest League Championship #5! Let’s meet this year’s ‘Boys of Summer’!

30 CANADIANS TO REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES

A list of alumni who have gone to 'The Show'

32 HOW TO SCORE THE BASEBALL GAME A Scorekeeping 101.

Born in Mississauga, Ont., in 1982, Ashley Stephenson is widely regarded as the best player in Women’s National Team history.

On June 13, 1948, photographer Nat Fein captured what may be the most famous photo of Babe Ruth and one that remains iconic to this day.

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the career-high 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them.

52 MEET OUR MASCOTS!

The Canadians feature not one, not two, but seven amazing mascots all with their own claim to fame! Take a look at the colourful characters that keeps fans smiling all summer long.

54 KIDS FUN PAGE

Fun kids activities

The Souvenir Program is published by the Vancouver Canadians Professional Baseball Club. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission of Vancouver Canadians Professional Baseball Club is prohibited. Copyright 2024 Vancouver Canadians Professional Baseball Club. 4601 Ontario Street, Vancouver, BC Canada V5V 3H4. Phone: 604-872-5232 Fax: 604-872-1714 Email: staff@canadiansbaseball.com Web: www.canadiansbaseball.com

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 3

VANCOUVER CANADIANS, WE’VE GOT THEM COVERED. Get the scoop on your favourite players and team.

READ NOW theprovince.com/baseball

4 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2017 2024

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 5

8,000,000+ Kilometers | 500,000+ Passengers Every year | We're going your way Whatever the event, no matter how large, Universal has the experience and the fleet to make it happen in comfort and style. From customer shuttles, team buses, student transportation, to major conventions and multi-departure tour programs, we do it all.

FRIDAYS

Gates Open at Noon. First Pitch 1:05 BUY TICKETS 7 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2019

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 7

The Vancouver Canadians Baseball League is looking for your help this season. Your assistance will help more than 300 local children between the ages of 6-11 learn a number of life skills on the diamond including teamwork, fair play and how to develop confidence and pride.

If you would like to make a donation to Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation, please go to www.vancouverfoundation.ca/vancouvercanadians and click on the donate button.

THANK YOU for supporting the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation and Vancouver Canadians Baseball League. Because of your generosity, we can move forward and bring a summer of fun and memories to children from right here in our own neighbourhoods.

8 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

FRONT OFFICE STAFF JAKE KERR

CHAIR OF VANCOUVER CANADIANS BASEBALL Born and raised in Vancouver, Jake Kerr attended the University of British Columbia before completing his MBA in Economics and Finance at the University of California at Berkeley. A Canadian business icon, Mr. Kerr has been the recipient of the Order of Canada and Order of British Columbia for his remarkable contributions to both our country and province.

Taking ownership of the Canadians back in 2007, Mr. Kerr has led the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club to eight (8) franchise attendance records, multiple Larry McPhail Awards for excellence within the Northwest League, and Minor League Baseball’s most coveted accolade - the John H. Johnson President’s Trophy, awarded to MiLB’s most complete franchise.

ALLAN BAILEY

GENERAL MANAGER Allan Bailey has been with the Vancouver Canadians since 2007 and was appointed General Manager on September 5th, 2018 after spending the previous seven seasons as the organization's Assistant General Manager.

Allan has led several departments during his tenure with the C's including the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office and its ticket operations as well as his more recent efforts in the Team Operations handling everything from player housing and travel right through to Information Technology (IT).

Born in Victoria, B.C., Allan was raised on the North Shore and up on the Sunshine Coast. Allan completed his education at McGill University while playing five seasons with the McGill Redbirds baseball program. Prior to university, Allan played for the North Shore Twins of the B.C. Premier League.

JEFF MOONEY

CHAIR OF THE VANCOUVER CANADIANS BASEBALL FOUNDATION In addition to his valuable contributions to the Vancouver Canadians, Jeff Mooney is Chairman Emeritus and a major shareholder of A&W Food Services of Canadians Inc. Today, A&W is a strategy-driven organization that has grown to over 1,000 locations across Canada. A&W has been recognized as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada for the past 10 consecutive years, and in 2008, it was honoured to become an official member of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Platinum Club.

Mr. Mooney is an alumnus of both the University of Saskatchewan and Harvard University Graduate School of Business. In 2003, Mr. Mooney received Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Medal and three years later was inducted into the Restaurant Hall of Fame(2006). In 2016, Mr. Mooney was inducted into the B.C. Business Laureates Hall of Fame and this year received the Order of Canada

STEPHANI ELLIS

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER 2024 is Stephani’s tenth season with the Vancouver Canadians. She was promoted to the role of Assistant General Manager in 2019 and was the recipient of the 2019 Northwest League Female Executive of the Year for her work with the C's.

Stephani has led the Canadians Group Sales, Social Media, and Community platforms during her time out at historic Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

After a standout collegiate softball career at California University of PA where Stephani played for the Vulcans, the Prince of Wales Secondary graduate and former Team BC member began her marketing career with the Canadians.

Stephani works in concert with group leaders who expect the Canadians to provide an excellent ballpark experience with each visit to The Nat. Even with the demands that come with that responsibility alone, Stephani still lends her time to the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation and its fundraising efforts.

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 9

WALTER COSMAN

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & MARKETING With more than 20 years of Sales & Marketing experience here in Vancouver, Walter decided to put those skills to work in the sport he's most passionate about, baseball.

Steamworks Brewing.

With a B.A. from the University of New Brunswick, Walter has worked with Proctor & Gamble, Molson Canada, Granville Island Brewing and

With a longstanding corporate partnership with the Canadians prior to his arrival in May of 2019, Walter joined the organization fully aware of the standard that has put the C's among the best in Minor League Baseball.

BRENDA CHMILIAR

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Brenda enters her 16th season at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium and her sixth as Financial Controller for the Canadians. She spent the first 10 of those years with Aramark Food Services in the company's financial division, dividing her time between the ballpark and Rogers Arena.

Her knowledge of stadium operations thanks to her time with both Aramark and the Canadians have proven to be invaluable during her tenure.

Brenda is responsible for all aspects of the financial operations and is right at home here at The Nat; much of her childhood was spent on local baseball fields up in Kamloops.

JACOB NAKHLEH

MANAGER, TICKET OPERATIONS Jacob returns for his eighth season with the C’s and his first as Manager, Ticket Operations.

He first joined the club for the 2016 season, when he began his time with the C’s in the Box Office. Jacob was first hired as a member of the game day staff, then promoted to Box Office Assistant before joining the sales team at the conclusion of the 2021 season. After spending the last couple of years working in sales and community relations, Jacob is excited to be back at home in the Box Office.

Prior to joining the C’s in a full-time role, Jacob graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance).

When Jacob’s away from The Nat, you can find him watching Blue Jays baseball, Seahawks football, or dreaming about ice fishing in Saskatchewan.

10 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

ROSEMARY ALBERTS

COORDINATOR, MARKETING SERVICES Rosemary enters her first year with the Canadians as a Marketing Services Coordinator. She recently graduated from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelor of Arts in May 2023 and her Master of Management in December 2023.

Born in Richmond, Rosemary was raised in Victoria, B.C. where she grew up playing volleyball. Her previous work experience includes being the Communications & Administrative Coordinator for Athletics for Kids and a Varsity Game Day Statistician for UBC Athletics. She is excited to help the C’s organization in any way she can.

When Rosemary is not at the Nat, she enjoys her time watching the Canucks, kickboxing, or spending time with family and friends.

CHARLENE YAROSHUK

ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR Charlene is excited to be entering her sixth season with the Vancouver Canadians as their Accounting Coordinator. In 2020 she graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

Growing up in the Vancouver area she spent most of her free time practicing martial arts and currently has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

TYLER ZICKEL

MANAGER OF BROADCASTING & MEDIA RELATIONS 2024 is Tyler’s fourth with the Canadians, seventh within the Toronto Blue Jays organization and 10th in Minor League Baseball.

Before the C's, Tyler served as the Director of Promotions & Entertainment and Radio Broadcaster for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Over the course of three seasons in Manchester, he oversaw the entire ingame presentation and promotions departments while traveling throughout the Eastern League calling 'Cats games. He has especially fond memories of the 2018 campaign, when he worked alongside current Jays (and former C’s) skipper John Schneider and the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and Jordan Romano.

He began his MiLB career in 2014 as a communications intern for the Advanced-A Lake Elsinore Storm in the California League. He made his professional baseball radio debut with the Storm in 2015 and handled the middle innings of road games for the rest of his tenure.

Tyler, his wife Kate and dog Rosie make their offseason home in Portland, OR, where they play copious amounts of pickleball and obsess over the University of Texas Longhorns football season each fall. Born and raised in San Diego, Tyler is a lifelong Padres fan and will always “Keep The Faith.

Proud to support the

AVAILABLE ON THE CONCOURSE AND at THE 3RD BASE CRAFT ZONE

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 11

LEVI WEBER

HEAD GROUNDSKEEPER Levi―the 2023 Northwest League Groundskeeper of the Year―is no stranger to this circuit, with prior experience as the Head Groundskeeper for the Spokane Indians at Avista Stadium. His talents have also taken him to the desert, where he was the Field Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Spring Training facility in Arizona.

The Colton, WA native graduated from Washington State University with a Double Major in Turfgrass Management and Vegetable Management and two minors in Horticulture and Agricultural Systems.

In his time away from the ballpark, you can find him on the golf course, weight training or enjoying time with family and friends.

LIAM GUERRIERO

CO-ORDINATOR, SALES 2024 is Liam’s second season with the C’s, and first as a Sales Coordinator.

The 24-year old graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from their four-year program.

A native of Waterloo, Ontario, Liam grew up playing competitive hockey for the Waterloo Wolves. He loves playing and watching hockey, baseball, golf and football. He’s a fan of the Boston Bruins, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Browns and Rory McIlroy.

COOPER MISIC

IZZY DINO

A former Langley Blaze star pitcher who took his talents south of the border to play for both Galveston College and Central Washington University, Cooper graduated from CWU with a degree in Sports Management with a Specialization in Business.

A native of North Vancouver, Izzy grew up playing competitive softball in both Vancouver and Richmond. She went on to log five NCAA Division I seasons between the University of Hawaii and Seattle University. In her spare time, she coaches youth softball pitchers on the North Shore.

Izzy’s hobbies include watching and playing softball, yoga, going to the beach, and travelling to new places.

CO-ORDINATOR, SALES Cooper enters his third season with the Canadians and his second season as Coordinator, Sales. He is excited to take on more responsibilities during the 2024 season.

When Cooper’s away from The Nat, you can find him enjoying even more baseball, playing golf, or trying out every new restaurant in town.

SALES ASSOCIATE Izzy joins the C’s as a Sales Associate for the 2024 season. She recently graduated from Seattle University with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media Studies.

DREW HOWSON

ZACH MAHAFFY

SALES ASSOCIATE 2024 marks Drew’s third season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization and second full season in Vancouver. This season will be his first in an office role as a Sales Associate.

After graduating St. Clair College with a degree in Sport and Recreation Management and interning with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, Drew began his career in professional baseball as a member of the Canadians Grounds Crew. He would go on to gain experience with the Toronto Blue Jays Facility Department, assisting with the renovation and clean-up of Rogers Centre before returning to Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Drew is a baseball junkie. He played and coached at many levels in his hometown community of Windsor, Ontario, most notably with the Tecumseh Rangers. In his off time, you’ll usually find him hiking, playing his guitar, or cheering on the Detroit Tigers and his beloved Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue!

12 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

SALES ASSOCIATE Zachary returns to The Nat for his third season with the Canadians and his first in sales. He spent the previous two seasons as Box Office Assistant for the club.

Strategic Analysis.

In April 2023, Zachary graduated with a BBA from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, concentrating in Marketing and

A native of Surrey, Zachary played rep hockey with Semiahmoo MHA from U15 to U18, while also playing one season in the Pacific Junior Hockey League with the White Rock Whalers and Port Moody Panthers. During the baseball offseason, Zachary officiates hockey, from U15 all the way up to the Pacific Junior Hockey League. He achieved his Member High Performance certification with Hockey Canada in December 2023.

STADIUM OPERATIONS

GROUNDS CREW

ADAM HAUXWELL

BROOKS PRIMO

TRAVIS PORTER

CAMERON CARELSE

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 13

2024 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

SHOP THE TEAM STORE

OR ONLINE AT CANADIANSBASEBALL.COM

14 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

ASK ABOUT BiRTHDaY'S AT The NaT COME TO THE GAMES YOU WANT TO SEE WITH

10,15 OR 25 VOUCHER NATPACKS!

SEATS AS $ LOW AS

HOME 7:05 START HOME 1:05 START AWAY GAME

EUG - EUGENE (SAN FRANCISCO) EVE - EVERETT (SEATTLE) HIL - HILLSBORO (ARIZONA) SPO - SPOKANE (COLORADO) TRI - TRI-CITY (LA ANGELS) VAN - VANCOUVER (TORONTO)

16

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Great savings over single game ticket prices • Flexibility to pick the games you want.

• Redeem your vouchers online with your ‘My C’s Tickets’ account

PLAN A GROUP OUTING $ WITH SEATS STARTING AT 17 BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Great savings over single game ticket prices • Personalized service from your Canadians representative • Flexibility to attend any game you like, based on availability • Reserved seating so your group enjoys the game together

• Promotional materials to assist you in organizing your event • Special group welcome on C's Diamond Vision • Each group leader receives an invite to the 2024 Group Leader Appreciation Night

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 15

I

L O C E C

S E R F D

T F A R C

R E E HB

R E N R CO

D E T A LOC

E H IN T

T R U O C D O O F E S A B D 3R -

PROUDLY SERVING

16 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

ROAD TO THE SHOW

The Canadians are a part of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. The C’s are a High A affiliate of the Blue Jays.

That means they are in the middle of the Toronto farm system, slightly higher than the Dunedin Blue Jays (Low A) and the Gulf Coast Blue Jays (Rookie). Baseball players work their way up through the organization in hopes of getting to the big leagues. Toronto is in the American League and pulls its talent from these teams.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (MLB) | TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (416) 341-1000 | BLUEJAYS.COM DON MATTINGLY

JOHN SCHNEIDER MANAGER

MARK BUDZINSKI

LUIS RIVERA

FIRST BASE COACH

GIL KIM

PETE WALKER

BENCH COACH

HUNTER MENSE

THIRD BASE COACH MAJOR LEAGUE HITTING STRATEGIST

MANAGER

BENCH COACH

HITTING COACH

JEFF WARE

ASSISTANT HITTING COACH

ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, BULLPEN

ADAM YUDELMAN

ALEX ANDREOPOULOS

DAVE HUDGENS

FIELD COORDINATOR

GUILLERMO MARTINEZ

PITCHING COACH

MAJOR LEAGUE COACH

DAVID HOWELL

ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, STRATEGY

LUIS HURTADO

BULLPEN CATCHER

BULLPEN CATCHER

BUFFALO BISONS (AAA) | BUFFALO, NEW YORK (716) 846-2000 | BISONS.COM CASEY CANDAELE

HITTING COACH

DONNIE MURPHY

PITCHING COACH

RYAN LONG

POSITION COACH

DREW HAYES

BULLPEN COACH

JUSTIN ECHEVARRIA

ANTHONY GOMEZ

NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS (AA) | MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE (603) 641-2005 | NHFISHERCATS.COM MANAGER

BENCH COACH

CESAR MARTIN

HITTING COACH

JAKE MCGUIGGAN

PITCHING COACH

MITCH HUCKABAY

POSITION COACH

JOEL BONNETT

BULLPEN COACH

GEORGE CARROL, DELTA CLEARY JR.

ERIC YARDLEY

VANCOUVER CANADIANS (HIGH A) | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (604) 872-5232 | CANADIANSBASEBALL.COM BRENT LAVALLEE

DEIFERSON BARRETO

MANAGER

ROB SHIFRIN

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

RYAN WRIGHT

BENCH COACH

KATIE REYES

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

HITTING COACH

BAILEY FORST

AUSTIN BIBENS-DIRKX ZANE HUNT

HEAD S&C COACH

ASHLEY STEPHENSON

PITCHING COACH

ALEXIS MAIER

ASST S&C COACH

CARSON PHILLIPS

POSITION COACH

BULLPEN COACH

RAUL PIMENTEL

DIETITIAN

CRISTIAN CORDOVA

MENTAL COACH

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT

DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS (LOW A) | DUNEDIN, FLORIDA (727) 733-9302 | DUNEDINBLUEJAYS.COM MANAGER

JOSE MAYORGA

BENCH COACH

MATT VON ROEMER

HITTING COACH

PITCHING COACH

NASH KNIGHT

CORY RIORDAN

POSITION COACH

BULLPEN COACH

PETR STRIBRCKY

YOEL HERNANDEZ

GULF COAST BLUE JAYS GULF COAST LEAGUE (ROOKIE) | DUNEDIN, FLORIDA (727) 734-8007 MANAGER

ANDY FERMIN

BENCH COACH

CHRIS SCHAEFFER

HITTING COACH

PAUL ELLIOTT, FRED LANDERS

PITCHING COACH

ANTONIO CACERES, ALEX KACHLER

DEVELOPMENT COACH

ALEX KACHLER

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE BLUE JAYS DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE (DSL) | BOCA CHICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MANAGER

DANNY CANELLAS

BENCH COACH

ASHLEY PONCE

HITTING COACH

RICARDO NANITA

PITCHING COACH

ROBELIN BAUTISTA

BULLPEN COACH

RAFAEL MONSION

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 17

PITCHERS HT WT 30 Alex Amalfi 6-1 185 11 Pat Gallagher 6-0 200 3 Ryan Jennings 6-0 190 9 Justin Kelly 6-1 210 25 Conor Larkin 6-1 215 28 Johnathan Lavallee 6-4 240 26 Chris McElvain 6-0 205 17 Kevin Miranda 5-10 180 40 Josh Mollerus 6-3 215 32 Rafael Ohashi 6-1 185 4 Naswell Paulino 5-11 205 16 Kendry Rojas 6-2 190 23 Rafael Sanchez 6-1 215 34 Grayson Thurman 6-3 205 10 Anders Tolhurst 6-4 190 36 Geison Urbaez 6-1 185 20 Chay Yeager 5-11 180

CATCHERS (3) HT WT 19 Jommer Hernandez 5-11 205 31 Jackson Hornung 6-2 215 5 Kekai Rios 5-10 205

INFIELDERS (6) 21 Jean Arnaez 1 Nick Goodwin 14 Estiven Machado 22 Ryan McCarty 15 Brennan Orf 7 Jeff Wehler

OUTFIELDERS (4) 8 Jace Bohrofen 6 Dasan Brown 27 Dylan Rock 24 Jaden Rudd

HT WT 5-10 175 6-1 205 5-10 190 5-9 185 6-4 230 6-0 195

HT WT 6-2 205 6-0 195 6-0 210 5-11 190

B/T AGE R/R 23 R/R 23 R/R 24 R/R 25 R/R 25 R/R 24 R/R 23 R/R 25 R/R 24 R/R 21 L/L 23 L/L 21 R/R 24 R/R 25 R/R 24 R/R 23 S/R 21

B/T AGE R/R 23 R/R 23 R/R 26

B/T AGE R/R 21 R/R 22 S/R 21 R/R 25 L/R 22 R/R 25

DOB 02/18/01 06/30/00 06/23/99 12/02/98 03/17/99 08/11/99 09/15/00 11/14/98 10/06/99 10/08/02 4/17/00 11/26/02 08/22/99 12/27/98 09/13/99 07/05/00 09/11/02

DOB 10/20/00 02/06/01 06/06/97

DOB 08/22/02 09/06/01 10/04/02 04/22/99 09/06/01 01/10/99

B/TAGE – DOB L/R 22 10/19/01 R/R 22 9/25/01 R/R 25 08/21/98 L/L 21 08/16/02

HOMETOWN ‘22 CLUBS Ashland, MA Dunedin Leominster, MA Dunedin, Vancouver New Braunfels, TX Dunedin, Vancouver Salt Lake City, UT Vancouver Royersford, PA Vancouver Simi Valley, CA Fort Myers (MIN) Thompson Station, TN Daytona, Dayton (CIN) Dolega, PAN Dunedin, Vancouver Campbell, CA Dunedin Mogi Guacu, BR Dunedin San Cristobal, DR Vancouver Ciego De Avila, CU Dunedin Antilla, CUB Dunedin, Vancouver Lynch Station, VA Dunedin, New Hampshire Santee, CA FCL, DUN, VAN Cabral, DR DNP Fort Wayne, IN FCL, Dunedin

HOMETOWN Puerto Plata, DR Ashland, MA Kaneohe, HI

HOMETOWN Aguadulce, PAN Overland Park, KS Barlovento, VZ Yardley, PA Wildwood, MO St. Marys, PA

HOMETOWN Oklahoma City, OK Oakville, ON Sugar Land, TX Panama City, FL

TOR SYSTEM: BUF – AAA | NH – AA | VAN – A+ | DUN – A | FCL – R

‘23 CLUBS Vancouver College, Dunedin New Hampshire, Vancouver

’23 CLUBS Dunedin College, DUN, VAN Dunedin Dunedin College, Dunedin College

’23 CLUBS College, FCL, Dunedin Dunedin, Vancouver FCL, DUN, NH Dunedin

ACQUIRED MiLB FA, 07/26/22 11th, ’22, Connecticut 4th Rd, ’22, Louisiana Tech ND FA, 07/21/21 9th Rd, ’21, Penn State MiLB FA, 02/02/24 Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24 INT FA, 08/04/22 10th, ’23, Oregon INT FA, 07/02/19 INT FA, 07/04/16 INT FA, 10/14/20 INT FA, 05/13/22 MiLB FA, 03/24/23 23rd Rd, ’19, Grossmont INT FA, 10/14/20 12th, ’23, Pasco-Hernando State JC

ACQUIRED MiLB FA, 09/08/21 16th, ’23, Skidmore Waivers (LAD), 12/7/22

ACQUIRED INT FA, 7/2/19 7th Rd, ’23, Kansas State INT FA, 7/3/19 ND FA, 7/26/22 13th, ’23, So. Illinois-Edwardsville ND FA, 6/9/23

ACQUIRED 6th, ’23, Arkansas 3rd Rd, ’19, Abbey Park HS (ON) 8th, ’22, Texas A&M 7th, ’21, Mosley HS (FL)

PRONUNCIATIONS: Devereaux – dev-er-row | Leam – Liam | Pardinho – par-DEEN-yo | Naswell – NAZ-well | Anders – AND-ers Jommer – YOE-murr | Kekai – KAY-kai | Doughty – dough-dee | Kasevich – KASS-uh-vitch | Estiven – es-STEVEN | Wehler – WHALE-er Dasan – duh-SAWN | Angel – awn-hell | B. Lavallee – luh-VALLEY | Deiferson – DAY-fer-son | Bibens-Dirkx – BIB-ins DURKS | Stephenson – Stevenson MANAGER: 33 Brent Lavallee BENCH COACH: 13 Deiferson Barreto PITCHING COACH: 29 Austin Bibens-Dirkx HITTING COACH: 12 Ryan Wright POS. PLAYER COACH: 2 Ashley Stephenson BULLPEN COACH: XX Carson Phillips

18 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Bailey Forst ASSISTANT S&C: Zane Hunt ATHLETIC TRAINER: Rob Shifrin MENTAL COACH: Raul Pimentel ATHLETIC THERAPIST: Katie Reyes TECH ASSISTANT: Cristian Cordova

NO PITCHERS T HT WT BORN HOME TOWN SCHOOL ACQUIRED 23 Alec Baker R 6-3 202 12/4/99 East Longmeadow, MA Dallas Baptist U 18th round, 2023 32 Billy Corcoran R 6-7 220 8/21/99 Milmont Park, PA U of Pittsburgh Nondrafted free agent, 7/27/22 21 Joe Elbis R 6-1 175 9/24/02 Caracas, VZ None International free agent, 7/12/19 20 Spencer Giesting L 6-4 210 2/2/01 Hamilton, OH UNC-Charlotte 11th round, 2022 34 Gerardo Gutierrez R 6-0 210 9/15/98 Akil, Yucatan, MEX Minor league free agent, 12/12/23 31 Dillon Larsen L 6-5 240 7/9/98 Ellensburg, WA Va. Tech Minor league free agent, 5/7/22 27 Peñiel Otaño R 6-4 220 10/7/00 Peravia, D.R. International free agent, 7/16/21 40 Cole Percival R 6-5 240 2/26/99 Loma Linda, CA UC Riverside Minor league free agent, 3/24/24 25 Zane Russell R 6-3 200 6/12/02 Kingwood, TX Dallas Baptist U 10th round, 2023 45 Eli Saul R 6-5 235 8/16/01 Vancouver, BC Sacramento State U. 13th round, 2022 17 Avery Short L 6-1 205 3/14/01 Indianapolis, IN Southport HS 12th round, 2019 28 Listher Sosa R 6-5 260 9/6/01 La Vega, D.R. Trade w/Pittsburgh Pirates, 4/1/22 15 Shane Telfer L 6-1 210 7/17/01 San Diego, CA Pepperdine U Nondrafted free agent, 7/17/23 30 Armando Vasquez L 5-11 190 5/4/01 Hato Mayor del Rey, D.R. International free agent, 1/27/22 13 Wyatt Wendell R 6-5 220 2/11/00 Castle Rock, CO Purdue U Nondrafted free agent, 7/23/22 19 Ricardo Yan R 6-4 195 11/14/02 Santo Domingo, D.R. International free agent, 1/22/21

NO CATCHERS B-T HT WT BORN HOME TOWN SCHOOL ACQUIRED 9 Christian Cerda R-R 6-0 210 12/27/02 San Pedro de Macoris, D.R. Trade w/Tampa Bay Rays, 7/30/22 29 Gavin Logan L-R 5-11 210 1/14/00 Oyen, Alberta Oregon State U 9th round, 2022 8 David Martin L-R 6-1 210 10/28/00 Chino Hills, CA Cal Baptist U 16th round, 2022

NO INFIELDERS B-T HT HT AGE HOME TOWN SCHOOL ACQUIRED 11 Gavin Conticello L-R 6-4 215 6/11/03 Coconut Creek, FL 8th round, 2021 draft 35 Juan Corniel S-R 6-0 184 10/2/02 Santiago, D.R. CNP International free agent, 7/2/19 4 Gino Groover R-R 6-2 215 4/16/02 Morrow, GA UNC Charlotte/NC State U 2nd round, 2023 5 Manny Peña L-R 6-2 200 12/5/03 Santo Domingo, D.R. International free agent, 1/22/21 24 Kevin Sim R-R 6-2 225 2/7/02 San Diego, CA U of San Diego 5th round, 2023 12 Tommy Troy R-R 6-10 200 1/17/02 Los Gatos, CA Stanford University 1st round (12th overall), 2023

NO OUTFIELDERS B-T HT WT BORN HOME TOWN SCHOOL ACQUIRED 3 Wyatt Crenshaw L-R 6-0 180 4/21/00 Chandler, AZ Colorado Christian U / ASU 19th round, 2023 16 Jack Hurley L-R 6-0 195 3/13/02 Boalsburg, PA Virginia Tech 3rd round, 2023 26 Brett Johnson L-R 5-11 195 1/6/00 Joliet, IL SIUE (Edwardsville, IL) 10th round, 2022 14 Andrew Pintar R-R 6-2 200 3/23/01 Spanish Fork, UT Brigham Young U 5th round, 2022 draft Bold pitcher name = currently projected to be in starting rotation IL = Injured list † = Major League injury rehab ** = Date in 2024 added to Hops roster in current stint with club • With Hops on 2024 Opening Day roster

PRONUNCIATIONS: Christian Cerda (SIR-duh)… Gavin Conticello (kahn-tih-SELL-oh)… Juan Corniel (corn-YELL)… Junior Franco (FRONK-oh)…

Spencer Giesting (hard “g,” GEE-sting)… Gerardo Gutierrez (her-ARR-doe goo-tee-AIR-ez)… Gabriel Hernandez (GAY-bree-ul, but he goes by “Gaby,” rhyming with “tabby”)… Haruki Mukohchi (hah-roo-kee moo-COE-chee)… Peñiel Otaño (peen-YELL oh-TAWN-yo)… Manuel Peña (mahn-well PAINyuh)… Andrew Pintar (pin-tar, just as it looks)… Eli Saul (ee-lye sawl)… Wyatt Wendell (win-DELL)… Ricardo Yan (yahn)…

FIELD STAFF MANAGER: 22 Javier Colina PITCHING COACH: 18 Gabriel Hernandez HITTING COACH: 33 Ty Wright COACH: 7 Mark Reed TRAINER: Haruki Mukohchi STRENGTH COACH: Nate Kolb VIDEO COORDINATOR: Eduardo Escribano

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 19

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VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 21

FIELD STAFF

BRENT

LAVALLEE

33

MANAGER • Entering his second year as Manager in Vancouver, coming off a 67-62 campaign...

Served as a Manager for the first time in 2021 while with the FCL Blue Jays...Played at LSU Shreveport until 2009 and joined their coaching staff as a Graduate Assistant in 2010...Started as a full-time assistant in 2012 and was named the Head Coach in 2016...In three years, his teams produced with an overall record of 126-57 and claimed the last two conference championships.

• The North Delta, British Columbia, native played for LSU for five seaons, including a medical redshirt campaign...Played a total of 200 games and earned 2009 1st Team All-Canada while runner up for Canadian College Baseball Player of the Year.

22 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

DEIFERSON

BARRETO

13

BENCH COACH • Moving up to Bench Coach after spending the last two seasons as Position Coach for the DSL Blue Jays...Started his coaching career in 2018 with Advanced-A Dunedin by assisting the coaching staff...In 2019, was assigned as Assistant Pitching Coach at The Toronto Blue Jays Dominican Academy...That July, he transitioned to the infield coach for the J2 signed players...In 2020, served as Infield Coach for the Dominican Academy and was instrumental in assisting the club with the Venezuelan players who were unable to get back home because of the pandemic.

• Signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent in September of 2011....Played as an infielder in the Blue Jays system from 2012-2017, reaching as high as Triple-A Buffalo..

AUSTIN

BIBENS-DIRKX

29

PITCHING COACH • Officially retired in January and is entering his first year in professional baseball as a coach, taking on Bullpen Coach for Vancouver.

• The native of Salem, OR, was selected out of the University of Portland by the Seattle Mariners in the 16th round of the 2006 draft...Eventually reached the Majors for 37 games while with Texas in 2017 and 2018...

Has also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League, the Dominican Winter League, the Mexican League, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

RYAN

WRIGHT

12

HITTING COACH • Made his Minor League coaching debut in 2021, in his current role, after his debut with Class-A Lansing was cancelled in 2020...Began his coaching career at Capital High School in Boise, ID, from 2015-2016...

Was a Graduate Assistant at California State University Northridge in 2016...

Joined the organization from Montana State University Billings where he was on staff since 2017... Served as the Hitting Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at MSUB...Has also managed the Spearfish Sasquatch Baseball Club in Spearfish, SD (2018-2019), and the Kelowna Falcons Baseball Club in Kelowna, BC (2019).

• Played collegiately at the University of Utah, Treasure Valley Community College, and Oklahoma City University.

ASHLEY

STEPHENSON

2

POSITION COACH • 2024 is Ashley’s second season with the Blue Jays...Follows Jaime (Vieira) Lever as the second female coach in the organization...Coached with the Canadian Women’s National Team since 2018, leading to a Bronze medal at the COPABE Women’s Pan-American Championships in 2019, and was the first woman to manage the Women’s National Team when Canada played against USA in Thunder Bay in 2022...Was also the first woman to coach in the Canadian Futures Showcase, hosted by the Blue Jays baseball academy in Ottawa last year...Made history in November as she became the first woman to capture Baseball Canada’s Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award.

CARSON

PHILLIPS

35

BULLPEN COACH • Joins the Vancouver Canadians for his first season in the organization...Was working at the University of Arizona as a Graduate Assistant Pitching Coach.

• Played at Dixie State University where he completed a Bachelors in Exercise Science...

Also attended the University of Arizona.

• Was an original member of the Women’s National Team in 2004 and played for 15 years...Won four Women’s Baseball World Cup medals (three bronze, one silver), and a silver at the Pan American Games in 2015.

• 2024 Inductee into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 23

24 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

2024 ROSTER

CONOR

LARKIN

OHASHI

AMALFI

JOHNATHAN

32

NASWELL

HT: 6-1 WT: 185 B/T: R/R DOB: 2010-08-02 HOMETOWN: Mogi Guacu, BR 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: INT FA, 07/02/19

30

PAT

28

CHRIS

4

KENDRY

HT: 6-1 WT: 185 B/T: R/R DOB: 02/18/01 HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 07/26/22

25

HT: 6-1 WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 03/17/99 HOMETOWN: Royersford, PA 23 CLUBS: Vancouver AQUIRED: 9th Rd, ’21, Penn State

RAFAEL

ALEX

LAVALLEE

HT: 6-4 WT: 240 B/T: R/R DOB: 08/11/99 HOMETOWN: Simi Valley, CA 23 CLUBS: Fort Myers (MIN) AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 02/02/24

PAULINO

HT: 5-11 WT: 205 B/T: L/L DOB: 4/17/00 HOMETOWN: San Cristobal, DR 23 CLUBS: Vancouver AQUIRED: INT FA, 07/04/16

GALLAGHER

11

RYAN

26

KEVIN

16

RAFAEL

HT: 6-0 WT: 200 B/T: R/R DOB: 06/30/00 HOMETOWN: Leominster, MA 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 11th, ’22, Connecticut

McELVAIN

HT: 6-0 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 09/15/00 HOMETOWN: Thompson Station, TN 23 CLUBS: Daytona, Dayton (CIN) AQUIRED: Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24

ROJAS

HT: 6-2 WT: 190 B/T: L/L DOB: 11/26/02 HOMETOWN: Ciego De Avila, CU 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: INT FA, 10/14/20

JENNINGS

3

JUSTIN

17

JOSH

23

GRAYSON

HT: 6-0 WT: 190 B/T: R/R DOB: 06/23/99 HOMETOWN: New Braunfels, TX 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 4th Rd, ’22, Louisiana Tech

MIRANDA

HT: 5-10 WT: 180 B/T: R/R DOB: 11/14/98 HOMETOWN: Dolega, PAN 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: INT FA, 08/04/22

SANCHEZ

HT: 6-1 WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 08/22/99 HOMETOWN: Antilla, CUB 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: INT FA, 05/13/22

9

KELLY

HT: 6-1 WT: 210 B/T: R/R DOB: 12/02/98 HOMETOWN: Salt Lake City, UT 23 CLUBS: Vancouver AQUIRED: ND FA, 07/21/21

MOLLERUS

40

HT: 6-3 WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 10/06/99 HOMETOWN: Campbell, CA 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: 10th, ’23, Oregon

THURMAN

34

HT: 6-3 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 12/27/98 HOMETOWN: Lynch Station, VA 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, New Hampshire AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 03/24/23

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 25

ANDERS

TOLHURST

10

GEISON

5

JEAN

15

JEFF

HT: 6-4 WT: 190 B/T: R/R DOB: 09/13/99 HOMETOWN: Santee, CA 23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 23rd Rd, ’19, Grossmont

KEKAI

RIOS

HT: 5-10 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 06/06/97 HOMETOWN: Kaneohe, HI 23 CLUBS: New Hampshire, Vancouver AQUIRED: Waivers (LAD), 12/7/22

BRENNAN

ORF

HT: 6-4 WT: 230 B/T: L/R DOB: 2009-06-01 HOMETOWN: Wildwood, MO 23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin AQUIRED: 13th, ’23, So. IllinoisEdwardsville

URBAEZ

36

CHAY

21

NICK

7

JACE

HT: 6-1 WT: 185 B/T: R/R DOB: 07/05/00 HOMETOWN: Cabral, DR 23 CLUBS: DNP AQUIRED: INT FA, 10/14/20

ARNAEZ

HT: 5-10 WT: 175 B/T: R/R DOB: 08/22/02 HOMETOWN: Aguadulce, PAN 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: INT FA, 7/2/19

WEHLER

HT: 6-0 WT: 195 B/T: R/R DOB: 01/10/99 HOMETOWN: St. Marys, PA 23 CLUBS: College AQUIRED: ND FA, 6/9/23

26 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

YEAGER

20

JOMMER

1

ESTIVEN

8

DASAN

HT: 5-11 WT: 180 B/T: S/R DOB: 2009-11-02 HOMETOWN: Fort Wayne, IN 23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin AQUIRED: 12th, ’23, PascoHernando State JC

GOODWIN

HT: 6-1 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 2009-06-01 HOMETOWN: Overland Park, KS 23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 7th Rd, ’23, Kansas State

BOHROFEN

HT: 6-2 WT: 205 B/T: L/R DOB: 10/19/01 HOMETOWN: Oklahoma City, OK 23 CLUBS: College, FCL, Dunedin AQUIRED: 6th, ’23, Arkansas

HERNANDEZ

19

JACKSON

14

RYAN

6

DYLAN

HT: WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 10/20/00 HOMETOWN: Puerto Plata, DR 23 CLUBS: Vancouver AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 09/08/21

MACHADO

HT: 5-10 WT: 190 B/T: S/R DOB: 2010-04-02 HOMETOWN: Barlovento, VZ 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: INT FA, 7/3/19

BROWN

HT: 6-0 WT: 195 B/T: R/R DOB: 9/25/01 HOMETOWN: Oakville, ON 23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 3rd Rd, ’19, Abbey Park HS (ON)

31

HORNUNG

HT: WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 2002-06-01 HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA 23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin AQUIRED: 16th, ’23, Skidmore

McCARTY

22

HT: 5-9 WT: 185 B/T: R/R DOB: 04/22/99 HOMETOWN: Yardley, PA 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: ND FA, 7/26/22

ROCK

27

HT: 6-0 WT: 210 B/T: R/R DOB: 08/21/98 HOMETOWN: Sugar Land, TX 23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin, New Hampshire AQUIRED: 8th, ’22, Texas A&M

JADEN

RUDD

24

HT: 5-11 WT: 190 B/T: L/L DOB: 08/16/02 HOMETOWN: Panama City, FL 23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: 7th, ’21, Mosley HS (FL)

ROB

KATIE

BAILEY

ZANE

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

ASSISTANT STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

SHIFRIN

REYES

FORST

HUNT

STEPHANIE

RAUL

CRISTIAN

GLENN

COLE

DIETICIAN

MENTAL PERFORMANCE COACH

TECH ASSISTANT

HOME CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

VISITOR CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

BOVILLE

PIMENTEL

CORDOVA

HALL

HOWES

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 27

28 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 29

CANADIANS TO REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club has welcomed more than 800 players onto its rosters since 2000. That’s a lot of guys all striving to one day reach the bright lights of the Major Leagues. Here is a list of every one of our players who has arrived at the game’s highest stage and play in Major League Baseball.

2003 POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

2010

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

2018

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Rich Harden Neal Cotts Mike Wood 2004

P P P

2001 2001 2001

21-Jul 12-Aug 21-Aug

Oakland Chicago (AL) Oakland

A.J. Griffin Alexi Ogando 2011

P P

24-Jun 15-Jul

Oakland Texas

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

Santiago Casilla Nick Swisher Joe Blanton 2005

P OF P

09-Aug Oakland 03-Sep Oakland 24-Sep Oakland

Justin Sellers Anthony Recker Corey Brown 2012

INF C OF

12-Aug Los Angeles (NL) 25-Aug Oakland 06-Sep Washington

2014 2014 2009 2013 2014 2014 2011

26-Jun 18-Aug 27-Aug 30-Aug 01-Sep 05-Sep 26-Sep

Toronto Toronto Toronto Detroit Toronto Toronto Toronto

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

MLB DEBUT

INF INF INF INF OF

2002 2001 2003 2000 2002

04-Apr 27-May 31-Jul 30-Aug 17-Sep

Kansas City Oakland Colorado Oakland Milwaukee

P P P

21-Apr Oakland 05-Jun Oakland 30-Aug Oakland

MLB DEBUT

Mark Teahen Dan Johnson Omar Quintanilla Freddie Bynum Nelson Cruz 2006

Pedro Figueroa Sean Doolittle Dan Straily 2013

POS C'S ALUMNI

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

POS C'S ALUMNI

Ryan Borucki Justin Shafer Murphy Smith Dawel Lugo Jose Fernandez Jonathan Davis Jon Berti 2019

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

John Rheinecker Andre Either Chris Mabeus Kurt Suzuki Jason Windsor Jeremy Brown Mark Kiger 2007

P OF P C P C INF

2001 2003 2001 2004 2004 2002 2002

22-Apr 02-May 29-May 12-Jun 17-Jul 03-Sep 13-Oct

Texas Los Angeles (NL) Milwaukee Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland

Ian Krol Kevin Pillar Max Stassi Michael Choice 2014

P OF C OF

2009 2011 2009 2010

05-Jun 14-Aug 20-Aug 02-Sep

Washington Toronto Houston Oakland

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

P P P OF P

2009 2012 2011 2012 2012

23-Mar 04-May 23-Jul 02-Sep 05-Sep

Arizona Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto

Travis Buck OF Jared Burton P Danny Putman OF Dallas Braden P Connor Robertson P Marshal McDougall INF Kevin Melillo INF Bill Murphy P 2008 POS

2005 2002 2004 2004 2004 2000 2004 2002

02-Apr 04-Apr 23-Apr 24-Apr 17-May 05-Jun 24-Jun 03-Sep

Oakland Cincinnati Oakland Oakland Oakland Texas Oakland Arizona

Bo Schultz Marcus Stroman Aaron Sanchez Dalton Pompey Daniel Norris 2015

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Miguel Castro P Roberto Osuna P Noah Syndergaard P Justin Nicolino P Dusty Coleman INF David Rollins P 2016 POS

2014 2012 2011 2011 2008 2011

06-Apr 08-Apr 12-May 20-Jun 03-Jul 04-Jul

Toronto Toronto New York (NL) Miami Kansas City Seattle

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

C'S ALUMNI

Gregorio Petit John Baker Jeff Gray 2009

INF C P

2004 2002 2005

18-May Oakland 09-Jul Florida 08-Sep Oakland

Andy Burns Matt Dermody 2017

INF P

2011 2013

09-May Toronto 03-Sep Toronto

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Andrew Bailey Landon Powell Tommy Everidge Brad Kilby Jeff Baisley

P C INF P INF

06-Apr 11-Apr 28-Jul 02-Sep 09-Sep

Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland

Dwight Smith Jr. Seth Frankoff Ian Parmley Franklin Barreto Taylor Cole Tim Mayza Jairo Labourt Carlos Ramirez Richard Urena Tim Locastro

OF P OF INF P P P P INF INF

18-May 09-Jun 23-Jun 24-Jun 09-Aug 15-Aug 01-Sep 01-Sep 01-Sep 29-Sep

Toronto Chicago (NL) Toronto Oakland Toronto Toronto Detroit Toronto Toronto Los Angeles (NL)

2002 2002 2002

2006 2004 2004 2005 2005

30 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

2010 2004 2005 2005 2007 2007 2007 2009

2012 2010 2013 2014 2012 2014 2014 2012 2014 2014

TEAM

P P P INF P OF INF

John Schneider MGR 2011/14-15 28-Mar Travis Bergen P 2015-17 29-Mar Cavan Biggio INF 2016 25-May T.J. Zeuch 2016 03-Sep Lane Thomas OF 2015 17-Apr Ryan McBroom INF/OF 2014 03-Sep 2020 POS C'S MLB

Toronto San Francisco Toronto Toronto St. Louis Kansas City

ALUMNI

DEBUT

Nate Pearson Dany Jiménez Patrick Murhpy Ángel Perdomo 2021

P P P P

2017 2017 2016 2015

29-Jul 23-Jul 18-Sep 18-Aug

Toronto San Francisco Toronto Milwaukee

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Josh Palacios Alek Manoah Riley Adams Tayler Saucedo Nick Allgeyer Otto López 2022

OF P C P P INF

2016 2019 2018 2015 2018 2018

09-Apr 27-May 08-Jun 17-Jun 02-Jul 17-Aug

Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Zach Jackson Zach Logue Christian Lopes Vinny Capra Danny Young Josh Winckowski Jake Fishman 2023

P P INF INF P P P

2016 2017 2012 2018 2015 2018 2017

9-April 19-April 20-April 1-May 9-May 28-May 31-July

Oakland Oakland Oakland Toronto Seattle Boston Marlins

POS C'S ALUMNI

MLB DEBUT

TEAM

Samad Taylor INF Spencer Horwitz OF Davis Schneider INF/OF Hagen Danner P Cam Eden OF Jose Espada P

18-Jun 19-Jun 4-Aug 11-Aug 21-Sep 24-Sep

Kansas City Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto San Diego

2017 2021 2022 2021 2021 2018

TEAM

Supporting local charities in our community APRIL 10 SUPPORTING

JUNE 12

SUPPORTING

AUGUST 7 SUPPORTING

APRIL 24

MAY 8

SUPPORTING

MAY 29

SUPPORTING

JUNE 26

SUPPORTING

JULY 3

SUPPORTING

JULY 31

SUPPORTING

AUGUST 21 SUPPORTING

SUPPORTING

SEPT 4

SUPPORTING

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 31

HOW TO SCORE A BASEBALL GAME Different fans have different methods of keeping a scorecard, and many use their own notations. But here's a simple method:

circle put the symbol of the play and/or the player that drove him in. For example, if the No. 5 hitter drives in two runs with a single, mark his single in the bottom right of his box and mark a circle with the number "5" in the boxes of the runners who score (Some people like to use uniform numbers here, so you can tell who did what, even after lineup changes).

For example, If the hitter grounds out to shortstop, for example, write in "6-3," which shows the shortstop threw him out at first base.

If the hitter flies out to left field, write a "7."

If the batter gets a hit, write in the hit according to which base he reached. Each corner of the box represents a base, with the lowerright corner being first.

At the end of each inning, total the hits and runs for that inning only.

At the end of the game you'll be able to add the innings total to get the game score.

If he singles, put a "-" in the lower right. If he doubles, write a "=" in the upper right, and so on. For a walk, use "BB" in the lower right. As the runner advances, mark the appropriate symbol in the appropriate corner.

If a runner scores, put a circle at the bottom of the box, and inside the

EXAMPLE SCOREBOARD

1ST INNING 1. SINGLED, ADVANCED ON NEXT BATTER'S WALK, TOOK 3RD ON FIELDER'S CHOICE, SCOREO ON NO. 4 BATTER'S DOUBLE 2. WALKED, LATER FORCED OUT, SHORTSTOP TO SECOND BASE 3. REACHED ON FIELDER'S CHOICE, ADVANCED TO 3RD ON NEXT BATTER'S DOUBLE, SCORED ON NO. 5 BATTER'S SINGLE 4. DOUBLED, SCORED ON NO. 5 BATTER'S SINGLE 5. SINGLED, ADVANCED TO 2ND ON NEXT BATTER'S SINGLE, STOLE 3RD BASE, THROWN OUT ON GROUNDER, SHORTSTOP TO CATCHER 6. SINGLED, STOLE 2ND BASE 7. REACHED 1ST ON FIELDER’S CHOICE 8. POPPED OUT TO 2ND BASE 2ND INNING 9. LEADOFF WITH DOUBLE 1. FLIED OUT TO CENTERFIELD 2. POPPED OUT TO SHORTSTOP 3. STRUCKOUT SWINGING

TEAM BATTING ORDER 1. CENTER FIELDER 2. SHORTSTOP 3. 1ST BASEMAN 4. 3RD BASEMAN 5. RIGHT FIELDER 6. LEFT FIELDER 7. DESIGNATED HITTER

SYMBOLS FOR PLAY

1

3 2 4 6-4 BB 3 5 FC = 5 SB 2 6-2 SB -

2 8 6 K

FC

8. 2ND BASEMAN 4 / 9. CATCHER = R H 3 4 0 1 TOTALS

Single: S or – Double: D or = Triple: T or = Homerun: HR or =

Passed Ball: Stolen Base: Double Play: Error:

Sacrifice: SH or SAC Walk: BB Strikeout: K Called Out on Strikes: K

PB SB DP E

Sacrifice Fly: SF Intentional Walk: IBB Foul Fly: F Force Out: FO Line Drive: L

Balk: BK Fielder’s Choice: FC Hit by Pitch: HP Wild Pitch: WP

Bunt: B Unassisted: U

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS BY THE NUMBERS 1 PITCHER 2 CATCHER 3 1ST BASEMAN 4 2ND BASEMAN 5 3RD BASEMAN 6 SHORTSTOP 7 LEFT FIELDER

8 7

9

6 5

4 1

3

8 CENTER FIELDER 9 RIGHT FIELDER

BASIC UMPIRE SIGNS FOR THE PLAYERS AND FANS Umpires use a number of signals. Some of these are familiar and are associated with the Rules of Baseball, like safe, out, foul, etc. These are a few you are likely to see when scoring a game.

FOUL TIP

DOUBLE

TRAPPED BALL/SAFE

DELAYED DEAD BALL

TIME/DEAD BALL

COUNT

HOLD UP PLAY

HOME RUN

PLAY BALL

INFIELD FLY

FAIR BALL

FOUL BALL

STRIKE OUT

32 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

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START YOUR FREE TRIAL vancouversun.com/canadians

THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER

Born in Mississauga, Ont., in 1982, Ashley Stephenson is widely regarded as the best player in Women’s National Team history.

A member of the first Women’s National Team in 2004, she excelled for the squad for 15 seasons and competed in eight World Cups.

She helped lead the national squad to seven medals, including silvers at the WBSC Women’s World Cups in 2008 and 2016 and at the Pan Am Games in 2015. She was also a force on four bronze medal-winning teams at the World Cup (2004, 2006, 2012, 2018).

In her final World Cup appearance in 2018, she batted .455 with eight RBIs. Along the way, Stephenson was named Women’s National Team MVP twice (2005, 2008) and an All-Tournament All-Star at the 2008 World Cup.

In 2011 and 2016, she was the recipient of Baseball Canada’s Jimmy Rattlesnake Award, an honour handed out annually to recognize a national team member who demonstrated “outstanding ability and sportsmanship.” In a testament to how highly Stephenson is regarded, this award was renamed after her in 2018.

After concluding her playing career, Stephenson became a coach and was part of the Women’s National Team staff that led Canada to a bronze medal at the COPABE Women’s Pan-American Championships in 2019.

Three years later, she became the first woman to manage the Women’s National Team when she was the dugout boss for their 34 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

five-game series against the United States in Thunder Bay, Ont. In that same year, Stephenson coached Ontario teams at Baseball Canada’s Women’s Invitational Championships and the 16U Girls Championship prior to becoming the first woman to coach at the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase.

In August 2022, she was invited to the Blue Jays’ Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Fla., where she served as a guest coach with their Florida Complex League club. Stephenson would make history again that November when she became the first woman to capture Baseball Canada’s Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award.

In 2023, Stephenson was hired as a position coach by the Blue Jays’ High-A Vancouver Canadians. She will return to this role this season.

A highly respected ambassador for baseball nationally and internationally, Stephenson also served as a member of the WBSC Athletes Commission from 2018 to 2022. Last year, she was named a finalist for SABR’s prestigious Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented annually to a recipient who has demonstrated “sustained involvement in women’s baseball.”

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 35

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The jersey Babe Ruth wore during his final public appearance is on exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. (Milo Stewart Jr./ National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

BACK TO

On June 13, 1948, photographer Nat Fein captured what may be t iconic to this day.

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BACK TO BABE

BY SCOTT PITONIAK

O BABE

the most famous photo of Babe Ruth and one that remains

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 39

Shortly after reporting to the Manhattan offices of the New York Herald Tribune on the morning of June 13, 1948, Nat Fein was told he would need to fill in for one of the sports photographers who had phoned in sick.

Though Fein’s specialty was human-interest photography, he occasionally shot sporting events for the famous newspaper known as the Trib, so he wasn’t going into the assignment blind. His eye for the evocative figured to come in handy this day because the Yankees were retiring Babe Ruth’s famous No. 3 jersey, and Fein’s editor wanted images that captured what was sure to be an emotional afternoon at Yankee Stadium. The Bambino was dying of throat cancer, so this was likely a requiem for the 53-year-old slugger; his last appearance wearing his famous pinstriped uniform in the quarter-century- old edifice that had become known as “The House That Ruth Built.”

Fein grabbed his trusty 4x5 Graflex Speed Graphic camera and drove to the big ballpark in the Bronx intent, as always, on finding “the best shot I could, the picture that would tell the story.”

He found a picture that told the story, all right. A picture worth much more than a thousand words. “The Babe Bows Out” photo of a frail baseball warrior leaning on his bat in the place of so many of his triumphs wound up being a seminal moment — for Fein and photography. His unique perspective — shooting Ruth from behind, with the stadium as his backdrop — earned him a Pulitzer Prize as well as recognition from Life and Time magazines for creating one of the most influential photographs of the 20th century. Fein’s masterpiece would achieve further prominence and permanence by being showcased at the Smithsonian and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

With camera — rather than bat — in hand, Fein delivered one of the great pinch-hitting performances of all time. And he did so while saving his best shot for last.

One of the things that made Nathaniel “Nat” Fein among the most revered photojournalists of the 20th century was his ability to find perspectives his peers did not. And that would be the case during that gloomy, gray June day in the Bronx 75 years ago. Fein recalled showing up in the clubhouse and watching in sadness as two men helped Ruth put on his uniform and tie his spikes. The Sultan of Swat was so feeble that some wondered if he would even be strong enough to make the trip onto the field. But somehow Ruth mustered the energy to do so, and as he struggled up the visiting dugout steps, he grabbed a bat to use as a cane. The lumber belonged to future Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller and is currently on loan to the Hall of Fame from the Cleveland Guardians.

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“It’s interesting that a prop in arguably the most famous photograph in baseball history was a bat from a player who one day would join the Babe in Cooperstown, and a player known for using his arm rather than his bat,’’ said Michael Gibbons, the executive director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore. “Feller didn’t find out about his supporting role in that iconic photo until later because he was out in the bullpen, getting ready to pitch that day.”

Like his fellow photographers, Fein took numerous frontal shots of the Babe, including one of him doffing his cap to the adoring crowd of 49,641 fans after he had stepped onto the field to thunderous applause. Fein then joined his kneeling counterparts along the first base line where current and former Yankees were standing.

“By this point, Nat had everything he needed, but he had one shot left,’’ said filmmaker Frank LoBuono, who wrote and directed a still-to-be-aired documentary titled Nat Fein: A Talent for Living.

“He said to himself, ‘I want to do something different. What can I do?’ And this is where Nat’s true genius comes into play.”

Fein decided to break away from the pack and violate the photojournalism commandment of never shooting a subject from behind. He scurried over to the third base side, peered into his view finder and framed the shot that accentuated the Babe’s No. 3, with the massive ballpark as the backdrop.

“The boss told me to go up to Yankee Stadium because that was the day Babe Ruth was retiring and this would be one of the last times to get a shot of the Babe’s No. 3,’’ the late Fein recalled in a 1986 interview with the White Plains (N.Y.) Journal News. “He drilled into me to get that No. 3, so that’s what I did. I took a lot of shots, but there was that one from the back with that No. 3 over those spindly legs.”

He also displayed his genius by violating another photographic tenet of the times by shooting the photo without flash “to give it added dimension.”

In those pre-digital camera days, a photographer didn’t really know what he/she had until they developed the film in the chemical tub of a dark room.

“He thought he might have something really different, something dramatic, but you never know until you see it come to life,’’ said David Nieves, a longtime friend of Fein’s who wrote a book about the stories behind the photographer’s most famous photos and is executor of his estate. “Now, everything with photography is instantaneous. Back then, you discovered what you had in that dark room. There was something magical about the process.”

Fein realized he had something good, but he wouldn’t appreciate just how good until the hours that followed. The photo was used in the sports section in the Trib’s first edition, but the managing editor liked it so much he moved it to a prominent spot, above the fold, on the front page of the newspaper for subsequent editions.

By the next morning, the compelling photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across America, and it would be reprinted in the Trib and other papers nationwide two months later when Ruth died.

The following spring, the Trib’s photo editor, Dick Crandell, called Fein into the newsroom. When he arrived, he was surprised and worried to see his wife and a bunch of photographers and reporters huddled around his desk. At first, he thought something

bad had happened, perhaps to his young son, because he couldn’t understand why his wife would be there.

Crandell motioned Fein to the middle of the room, put his arm around him and informed him he had won the Pulitzer Prize for outstanding photography.

Fein, who thought for sure this was a joke, blurted out, “And you’re full of crap.” Everyone burst out laughing, but, after a few moments, Fein realized this was no prank. He really had won the Pulitzer for his iconic photo of the Babe, making him the first sports photographer to be so honored.

In the hours, days and weeks that followed, Fein couldn’t help but reflect on his remarkable journey. An only child of Jewish immigrants, he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the Great Depression. His father, Hyman Fein, worked as a touring singer with renowned composer Irving Berlin and wound up abandoning the family, leaving Nat’s mother, Frances, in the lurch. As a single mom, she did her best to make ends meet, working long hours as a seamstress in the garment district. A year after graduating from Brooklyn’s Erasmus Hall High School in 1933, Fein took a job as a copy boy in the Trib photo department for $10.86 a week.

The filing of photographs piqued his interest, and he asked his mother to help him buy a camera. She convinced three people to co-sign a loan so Fein could purchase his own Speed Graphic for $96 — a huge amount of money in those days. Before long, Fein was sneaking into the Trib’s dark room in the wee hours to practice developing his photographs.

A veteran photographer caught him in there late one night and complained to Crandell, who became so angry he almost fired Fein. But a few other photographers came to the copy boy’s defense, convincing Crandell that “the kid had a passion that should be nurtured, not punished.” The photo editor reluctantly agreed, and over time became one of the most influential people in Fein’s illustrious career.

literally and figuratively. Also, quite literally, Ruth is the focus of the image — everything surrounding him recognizable and yet out of focus.”

Shieber notes that by photographing Ruth from this vantage point, Fein included so much of the Babe’s story: The slugger’s iconic No. 3; the packed stands and distinctive façade of the ballpark where Ruth had made his legend; various pennants from many of his championship teams; and Ruth’s former teammates, as well as Yankees from the 1948 season.

“Even the presence of other photographers to Ruth’s right lends a sense of importance to the scene,’’ Shieber said. “In short, Fein recognized the opportunity presented by this unique angle and took full advantage of it.”

He created a photo, in baseball parlance, of Ruthian proportions.

Scott Pitoniak is an author and nationally honored journalist residing in Penfield, N.Y. He has authored or co-authored more than 35 books, including “Remembrances of Swings Past: A Lifetime of Baseball Stories.”

Reprinted with permission from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum receive free admission to the Museum, as well as access to exclusive programs, such as the Voices of the Game Series. Additionally, members receive a subscription to the Hall of Fame's bi-monthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, the annual Hall of Fame yearbook and a 10% discount and free shipping on retail purchases. For information on becoming a member, please visit baseballhall.org/ join or call 607-547-0397.

Around 1936, he was hired as a full-time photographer — Fein called it the happiest day of his life — and from that point until the paper folded 30 years later, he established himself as one of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th century. He chronicled the well-known (Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth were among his subjects) and the unknown, as well as animals, great and small. And he would capture the history and the feel of New York City like few others.

By the time of his death at age 86 in 2000, Fein had taken more than 50,000 photographs and had won more awards than virtually all his contemporaries. But the one shot that continues to stand out is that one of the Babe. Part of its enduring appeal has to do with Ruth, who remains a well-known public figure 75 years after his death. Part of it has to do with the poignant circumstances surrounding the photo. But, as Baseball Hall of Fame senior curator Tom Shieber points out, the most important factor in the lasting nature of the image is the “absolute mastery” of Nat Fein.

“Like other photographers that same day, Fein captured images of Ruth facing the camera, his countenance instantly recognizable,’’ said Shieber, who used Fein’s photo and the uniform the Bambino wore that day as the focal point of the Hall’s immensely popular exhibit Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend. “But in ‘The Babe Bows Out,’ Fein embraces Ruth as a solitary figure, standing alone VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 41

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Adrián Beltre became the fifth native of the Dominican Republic to be elected to the Hall of Fame. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

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BY MIKE DIGIOVANNA

ADRIÁN BELTRÉ’S PASSION FOR THE GAME TURNED AN INJURY INTO A PATH TO COOPERSTOWN

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the career-high 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them.

But for as much discomfort as he felt that year — he often winced when he planted his front foot on a vicious swing — that nagging injury may have helped spur Beltré’s transformation from promising young third baseman to a place in the Hall of Fame.

“Well, [many writers] said that was the reason why [I had such a good year], which I cannot deny,” said Beltré, whose 93.5 career wins above replacement (WAR) ranks third among all big league third basemen behind Mike Schmidt (106.8) and Eddie Mathews (96.0).

“There’s no doubt that I had to be more in control of my swing and understand that I needed to be more focused on the pitcher when I hit, because if I didn’t make contact, it was really painful in my ankle. That was my best year numbers-wise. I can’t tell you for sure that was [the reason], but I believe it had something to do with it.”

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024 / 45

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the careerhigh 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them.

believed in him, and I think that was a big boost.”

“Well, [many writers] said that was the reason why [I had such a good year], which I cannot deny,” said Beltré, whose 93.5 career wins above replacement (WAR) ranks third among all big league third basemen behind Mike Schmidt (106.8) and Eddie Mathews (96.0).

The team hoped to make amends by awarding Beltré a three-year, $5.05 million contract before 2000, and he responded by hitting .290 with an .835 OPS, 20 homers and 85 RBI.

But for as much discomfort as he felt that year — he often winced when he planted his front foot on a vicious swing — that nagging injury may have helped spur Beltré’s transformation from promising young third baseman to a place in the Hall of Fame.

“There’s no doubt that I had to be more in control of my swing and understand that I needed to be more focused on the pitcher when I hit, because if I didn’t make contact, it was really painful in my ankle.

That was my best year numbers-wise. I can’t tell you for sure that was [the reason], but I believe it had something to do with it.”

Of his many mannerisms displayed during his 21-year career —his aversion to being touched on the head, the home runs he’d hit off one knee, the flat-footed bullets he’d fire to first base — one that didn’t serve Beltré so well early in his career was the happy-feet shuffle he’d sometimes do in the box.

Beltré was a good-but-not-yet-great player during his first six seasons, when he hit .262 with a .748 OPS and averaged 16 homers and 65 RBI a season from 1998-2003, and former Dodgers teammate Shawn Green thought the excessive movement in the box may have hurt Beltré’s swing.

“He was kind of a wild horse at that point, where he just wanted to run,” Green said of Beltré, who was 25 and in his seventh big league season in 2004. “He was very aggressive offensively and defensively and would sprint to chase down popups that most left fielders would catch.

“That injury to his front foot kind of slowed him down, and that’s when he started to figure things out and realize that he could be patient at the plate. He didn’t jump at the ball as much, and I think the game slowed down quite a bit for him.”

The bone spurs forced Beltré to quiet his lower half in 2004, and the contact he generated grew consistently louder, producing a breakout season in which Beltré hit .334 with a 1.017 OPS, 121 RBI and 104 runs to go with those 48 homers — all career highs — and finished second to Barry Bonds in National League MVP voting.

Beltré went on to play 14 more years with the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, amassing 3,166 hits, 477 homers and 1,707 RBI, five Gold Glove Awards and four All-Star selections. On Jan. 23, he was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first appearance on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot.

And to think, he might not have reached Cooperstown if not for that bum ankle in 2004.

“It’s like the stars were aligned,” said Green, a Dodgers first baseman and outfielder from 2000-04. “It’s almost the perfect injury for a lot of young players, because that’s the hardest thing for a hitter, to slow your feet down. You get antsy at the plate, you dive into the ball and stride a little too quickly. But that injury just slowed everything down.

“He was in his seventh season, so he had the experience. He got off to a fast start and got moved into the heart of the lineup. After a couple of years where people were kind of questioning whether he was going to be that middle-of-the-order guy, it got to the point where everyone 46 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2024

Beltré was a teenage prodigy when he signed with the Dodgers for $23,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 1994, but his early career was affected by a contract issue and a botched appendectomy.

The Dodgers broke an MLB rule by signing Beltré before his 16th birthday, and the investigation into the birth certificate snafu resulted in a $50,000 fine and a one-year ban on signing first-year Dominican players.

But Beltré missed the first six weeks of 2001 after undergoing abdominal surgery in March to close a wound in his large intestine, the result of an infection that occurred after he had an emergency appendectomy in the Dominican Republic that January.

Beltré arrived at Spring Training with an IV port in his arm, and he lost more than 30 pounds during the ordeal. He hit only .265 with a .720 OPS, 13 homers and 60 RBI in 126 games that season.

Beltré put up decent numbers in 2002 (21 homers, 75 RBI) and 2003 (23 homers, 80 RBI), but the Dodgers were unable to retain him as a free agent after his monster 2004 season, when he departed for a fiveyear, $64 million deal with the Mariners.

The expansive outfield dimensions of pitcher-friendly Safeco Field did not seem to suit Beltré, but he persevered — fighting off several nagging injuries to hit at least 25 homers and drive in an average of 88 runs from 2006-08. He returned a little more than two weeks after a bad-hop grounder in August 2009 caused a painful groin injury.

“My first thought when I think of Adrián, mostly when he was in Seattle, is that he didn’t miss games,” said infielder Michael Young, who played 13 seasons (2000-12) for the Rangers. “You’d come into Seattle, pick up a newspaper in the clubhouse, and you’d always read that ‘Adrián tweaked a hamstring, Adrián sprained this, Adrián broke that.’

“Then the game would start, and Adrián is hitting cleanup, without fail.

That just grabs a player’s attention, that this guy would do anything to help his team win a ballgame.”

Beltré also missed five weeks in 2009 because of surgery to remove bone spurs in his left shoulder and was limited to 111 games that season, batting .265 with a .683 OPS, eight homers and 44 RBI. He signed a one-year, $9 million “pillow contract” with the Red Sox in 2010 and re-established himself as a force, batting .321 with a .919 OPS, 28 homers and 102 RBI and pelting Fenway Park’s Green Monster with many of his league-leading 49 doubles.

“That meant a lot, because I had a tough year (in 2009) with injuries, and I didn’t play well,” Beltré said of his one-year stop in Boston. “I thought what I did the year before wasn’t me, so once I got the offer from the Red Sox, I understood I had a clear chance, if I was healthy, to show what I can do.”

Beltré parlayed that bounce-back season into a six-year, $96 million deal with the Rangers, who had reached the World Series for the first time in franchise history in 2010 but lost to San Francisco in five games.

“He took a really good group and made it even better,” Young said.

“We went from a team that was one of the best in the league, that caught fire in October and pushed its way into the World Series, to the dominant team in our league. And Adrián was right in the middle of

the lineup, played great defense and came up big in big spots.”

Marichal. “I remember every kid trying to emulate his big leg kick, his famous leg kick.”

Beltré hit .296 with an .892 OPS, 32 homers and 105 RBI in 2011 to push the Rangers to within one strike of a championship before the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to win Game 6 of the World Series in 11 innings and then took the decisive Game 7.

“They were the men who gave me the chance to become a baseball player,” Beltré said of Avila and Peguero. “They believed in me, they saw something in me when I was 15 years old that I didn’t believe at the time.”

Beltré was dominant for several years in Texas, batting .308 with an .873 OPS and averaging 28 HRs and 94 RBI from 2011-16. He finished among the top seven MVP vote-getters four times and won three Gold Gloves.

“That was the toughest day of my life,” Beltré said of Game 6.

That Beltré’s Hall of Fame honor came three months after he was on hand to see the Rangers beat Arizona to clinch their first-ever World Series title last fall will make his July 21 induction all the more sweet.

“One reason I went to Texas is I wanted to be a world champion, and I believed the Rangers gave me the best chance,” Beltré said. “We got so close in 2011, and we proved we had the best team until Game 6. It didn’t happen, and I feel like we disappointed a lot of people in Texas.

But I felt relieved when they won because we got that monkey off our backs.”

Beltré also paid homage to lifelong mentor Felipe Alou and to Ralph Avila and Pablo Peguero, the scouts who signed him in the Dominican Republic.

Mike DiGiovanna covers baseball for the Los Angeles Times.

Reprinted with permission from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum receive free admission to the Museum, as well as access to exclusive programs, such as the Voices of the Game Series. Additionally, members receive a subscription to the Hall of Fame's bi-monthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, the annual Hall of Fame yearbook and a 10% discount and free shipping on retail purchases. For information on becoming a member, please visit baseballhall.org/join or call 607-547-0397.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Beltré was thick for a third baseman, but he had quick feet, soft hands, a strong and accurate arm, and he rivaled Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson’s ability to charge slow rollers and make off-balance throws to first.

Beltré accumulated 200 defensive runs saved in his career, according to FanGraphs, more than any other third baseman in major league history.

“Adrián wasn’t the fastest guy on the field, but he was one of the quickest and most agile,” Young said. “When you talk about everything a third baseman has to do…he had great hands, great body awareness, took perfect angles, moved to his left and right, and came in on the ball as well as anyone.”

And he did it all with a smile that was as infectious as his bat was lethal as Beltré’s fun-loving personality rubbed off on every teammate he played with — especially longtime Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, whom Beltré mentored for a decade.

“Everyone who watched Adrián play baseball could tell he was having fun, but he toed that line perfectly,” Young said. “He had a blast playing the sport he loved, but at the same time, there wasn’t anybody who was more competitive or more intense.”

Beltré is the fifth Dominican-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame, joining Juan Marichal (1983), Pedro Martínez (2015), Vladimir Guerrero (2018) and David Ortiz (2022). As he toured the Hall of Fame’s Plaque Gallery in January, Beltré lingered for an extra moment at the bronze bust of Marichal, the former Giants star.

“Being a kid from the Dominican, he was the first big name I heard in baseball, the first big leaguer I thought was like a god,” Beltré said of

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BY LINA SETAGHIAN

MEET OUR MASCOTS The Vancouver Canadians have an army of mascots that are all designed with one common goal – ensure everyone out at historic Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium has fun! From a loveable bear to a trio of sushi that are ready to rock – not to mention a condiment and utensil? The Canadians mascots are truly one of a kind!

BOB BROWN BEAR

Debut: 2007 Occupation: Canadians’ official mascot Favourite Pastime: Meeting fans, giving high fives and hugs, posing for photos About BBB: Makes more than 150 local community appearances every year and named after Vancouver’s Mr. Baseball, Bob Brown who dedicated his whole life to the game we love so dearly.

MR. KAPPA MAKI

Debut: 2008 Occupation: Staying cool, Professional Racer Favourite Pastime: Attending birthday parties, winning races Make-Up: Few slices of cucumber wrapped in rice and then rolled in a piece of dried seaweed. Sleek and light - Mr. Kappa Maki is always a tough competitor.

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CHEF WASABI

Debut: 2008 Occupation: Chef, professional racer Favourite Pastime: Running, cooking Make-Up: Whether you buy wasabi in root form or as a green powder, there is one thing that is for sure - Chef Wasabi is one spicy addition to our Sushi Race!

SADAHARU SOY

Debut: 2015 Occupation: Pot Stirrer, Professional Racer Favourite Pastime: Cooking, meeting fans, running Make-Up: Known to add a little saltiness to any meal, Sadaharu Soy was named after the legendary baseball slugger Sadaharu Oh who’s legend is global. Sadaharu is both physical and a little trickly during the sushi races!

MS. BC ROLL

Debut: 2008 Occupation: Pageant queen, professional racer Favourite Pastime: Beating Chef Wasabi in Sushi Races and hanging out at the ballpark Make-Up: Combination of barbecue BC smoked salmon and fresh cucumber with a little mayonnaise to keep her rollin'.

CHOP N’ STIX

Debut: 2018 Occupation: Hand Tools, Professional Racers Favourite Pastimes: Helping people, racing Make-Up: Renewable, reusable and environmentally friendly! Chop & Stix come to the ballpark to keep the peace between the super competitive sushi and sauce. Connected at the top, Chop & Stix have a few challenges to iron out during the race – but they always get an A for effort.

FAMILY FUN SUNDAY +

CHAMPIONSHIP PENNANT GIVEAWAY SUN, APRIL 11

GIVEAWAYS ARE LIMITED TO THE FIRST 500 KIDS 12 & UNDER

KIDS FUN PAGE

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Baseball BC is the recognized governing body for baseball in British Columbia.

Through its programs and leadership, Baseball BC in cooperation with its affiliates, supports the development of baseball and aspirations of its members, by offering activities that are non-discriminatory and value-based.

To learn more about playing baseball in your neighbourhood contact Baseball BC

www.baseball.bc.ca 604-586-3310

Baseball BC is proud to present the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Buddies Program, where a youth baseball team gets to take a position on-field for the National Anthems.

Reserve your team’s spot by calling the Vancouver Canadians at 604-872-5232.

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