2024 Program 10 by vancanadians

Q&A WITH C’S PITCHER

CONNOR O’HALLORAN

Meet the team behind

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.

17 ROAD TO

Climbing through the Blue Jays system.

This year’s squad is looking to bring home Northwest League Championship #6! Let’s meet this year’s ‘Boys of Summer’! 30 Q & A WITH CONNOR O’HALLORAN

Each week, Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium PA announcer and de facto team historian Niall O’Donohoe catches up with a different C’s player. The latest C’s Chat is with Vancouver Canadians starter Connor O’Halloran.

46 CANADIANS TO REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES

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

48 HOW TO SCORE THE BASEBALL GAME

A Scorekeeping 101.

50 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.

52 KIDS FUN PAGE

Fun kids activities

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

COOPER MISIC 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.

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.

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.

DREW HOWSON 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!

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.

IZZY DINO 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. 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.

ZACH MAHAFFY 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.

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

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.

FAMILY FUN SUNDAY

+ CAR FLAG GIVEAWAY

BROOKS PRIMO TRAVIS PORTER CAMERON CARELSE

ADAM HAUXWELL

2024 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

CRAFT CORNER ICE COLD - FRESH BEER -

LOCATED IN THE -

3RD BASE FOOD COURT

PROUDLY SERVING

ROAD TO THE SHOW

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.

JOHN SCHNEIDER MANAGER

MARK BUDZINSKI FIRST BASE COACH

GIL KIM FIELD COORDINATOR

LUIS RIVERA THIRD BASE COACH

DON MATTINGLY BENCH COACH

HUNTER MENSE ASSISTANT HITTING COACH

PETE WALKER PITCHING COACH

DAVE HUDGENS MAJOR LEAGUE HITTING STRATEGIST

MANAGER CASEY CANDAELE BENCH COACH DONNIE MURPHY HITTING COACH RYAN LONG

GUILLERMO MARTINEZ HITTING COACH

JEFF WARE ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, BULLPEN

ADAM YUDELMAN MAJOR LEAGUE COACH ALEX ANDREOPOULOS BULLPEN CATCHER

PITCHING COACH DREW HAYES

POSITION COACH JUSTIN ECHEVARRIA

DAVID HOWELL ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, STRATEGY

HURTADO BULLPEN CATCHER

BULLPEN COACH ANTHONY GOMEZ

MANAGER CESAR MARTIN BENCH COACH JAKE MCGUIGGAN

HITTING COACH MITCH HUCKABAY

PITCHING COACH JOEL BONNETT

BRENT LAVALLEE MANAGER

BARRETO BENCH COACH

WRIGHT HITTING COACH

PITCHERS

30 Alex Amalfi 6-1 185 R/R 23 02/18/01 Ashland, MA Dunedin MiLB FA, 07/26/22

25 Bo Bonds 5-11 200 R/R 23 01/10/01 Live Oak, FL FCL, Dunedin 13th, ’22, Louisiana-Lafayette

28 Irv Carter 6-4 210 R/R 21 10/09/02 Fort Lauderdale, FL Dunedin 5th, ’21, Calvary Christian Academy (FL)

11 Pat Gallagher 6-0 200 R/R 23 06/30/00 Leominster, MA Dunedin, Vancouver 11th, ’22, Connecticut

25 Conor Larkin 6-1 215 R/R 25 03/17/99 Royersford, PA Vancouver 9th Rd, ’21, Penn State

26 Chris McElvain 6-0 205 R/R 23 09/15/00 Thompson Stn, TN Daytona, Dayton (CIN) Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24

Kevin Miranda 5-10 180 R/R 25 11/14/98 Dolega, PAN Dunedin, Vancouver INT FA, 08/04/22

5 Aaron Munson 5-10 180 L/R 22 03/15/02 San Antonio, TX FCL, Dunedin 19th, ’23, Angelo State (TX)

17 Connor O’Halloran 6-2 195 R/L 21 09/01/02 Mississauga, ON College, Dunedin 5th Rd, ’23, Michigan

3 Kai Peterson 6-1 195 L/L 21 08/14/02 Roseville, CA College 20th, ’23, Sierra College (CA)

18 Carson Pierce 6-3 215 R/R 22 09/10/01 Edmond, OK College, FCL, Dunedin ND FA, 08/04/23

40 Grant Rogers 6-7 230 R/R 23 05/22/01 Groves, TX College

16 Kendry Rojas 6-2 190 L/L 21 11/26/02 Ciego De Avila, CU Dunedin INT FA, 10/14/20

34 Grayson Thurman 6-3 205 R/R 25 12/27/98 Lynch Station, VA Dunedin, New Hampshire MiLB FA, 03/24/23

36 Geison Urbaez 6-1 185 R/R 23 07/05/00 Cabral, DOM DNP INT FA, 10/14/20

14 Ryan Watson 6-3 205 R/R 25 04/26/99 Sugar Hill, GA College ND FA, 05/31/24

10 Juaron Watts-Brown 6-3 195 R/R 22 02/23/02 Hanford, CA College 3rd, ’23, Oklahoma State

20 Chay Yeager 5-11 180 S/R 21 09/11/02 Fort Wayne, IN FCL, Dunedin 12th, ’23, Pasco-Hernando State JC

CATCHERS (3) HT WT B/T AGE DOB HOMETOWN ’23 CLUBS ACQUIRED

26 Nicolas Deschamps 5-11 190 L/R 21 08/25/02 Quebec City, QC Dunedin ND FA, 08/16/21

31 Jackson Hornung 6-2 215 R/R 23 02/06/01 Ashland, MA College, Dunedin 16th, ’23, Skidmore

23 Jacob Sharp 5-8 185 R/R 22 09/15/01 Whittier, CA College, ACL (SEA) Trade w/SEA, 07/26/24

27 Alex Stone^ 6-5 235 R/R 22 11/03/01 Andover, NJ College (Duke) ND FA, 07/19/24

INFIELDERS (6) HT WT B/T AGE DOB HOMETOWN ’23 CLUBS ACQUIRED

15 Jamari Baylor 5-11 195 R/R 23 08/25/00 Richmond, VA JS (PHI), ACL (COL), FRE (COL), SPO (COL) MiLB FA, 05/22/24

21 Cutter Coffey 6-1 190 R/R 20 05/21/04 Bakersfield, CA Salem, Greenville (BOS) Trade w/BOS, 7/27/04

1 Nick Goodwin 6-1 205 R/R 22 09/06/01 Overland Park, KS College, Dunedin, Vancouver 7th Rd, ’23, Kansas State

4 Jay Harry 5-11 190 L/R 22 07/18/02 Metuchen, NJ FCL, Fort Myers (MIN) Trade w/MIN, 07/30/24

15 Brennan Orf 6-4 230 L/R 22 09/06/01 Wildwood, MO College, Dunedin 13th, ’23, So. Illinois-Edwardsville

7 Adrian Pinto 5-8 170 R/R 21 09/22/02 Caucagua, VZ FCL, DUN Trade w/COL, 07/09/22

44 Peyton Williams 6-5 255 L/L 23 9/14/00 Johnston, IA Dunedin, Vancouver 7th Rd, ’22, Iowa

OUTFIELDERS (4) HT WT B/TAGE – DOB HOMETOWN ’23 CLUBS ACQUIRED

22 Victor Arias 5-11 170 L/L 20 08/24/03 Maracay, VZ FCL, Dunedin, New Hampshire INT FA, 08/24/19

8 Jace Bohrofen 6-2 205 L/R 22 10/19/01 Oklahoma City, OK College, FCL, Dunedin 6th, ’23, Arkansas

9 Marcos De La Rosa 5-11 175 S/R 24 01/28/02 Santo Domingo, DOM FCL, Dunedin, Vancouver INT FA, 06/15/19

Jaden Rudd 5-11 190 L/L 21 08/16/02 Panama City, FL Dunedin 7th, ’21, Mosley HS (FL)

24 Je'Von Ward 6-2 195 L/R 24 10/25/99 Cerritos, CA Wisconsin (MIL) MiLB FA, 06/15/24

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

MANAGER: 33 Brent Lavallee

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Bailey Forst

BENCH COACH: 13 Deiferson Barreto ASSISTANT S&C: Zane Hunt

PITCHING COACH: 29 Austin Bibens-Dirkx

HITTING COACH: 12 Ryan Wright

POS. PLAYER COACH: 2 Ashley Stephenson

BULLPEN COACH: 37 Carson Phillips

ATHLETIC TRAINER: Rob Shifrin

ATHLETIC THERAPIST: Katie Reyes

TECH ASSISTANT: Cristian Cordova

DIETITIAN: Stephanie Boville

MENTAL COACH: Raul Pimentel

HOME CLUBHOUSE MANAGER: Glenn Hall

VISITOR CLUBHOUSE MANAGER: Cole Howes

NO PITCHERS (15) T HT WT AGE BORN BIRTHPLACE SCHOOL ACQUIRED

16 Daniel Blair RHP 6’3 197 25 4/8/99

Peachtree City, GA

University of Texas UFA, 2/25/23

54 Wilkelma Castillo RHP 6’0 170 24 1/6/00 Valencia, VZ -- Int FA, 3/10/18

40 Dylan Carmouche LHP 6'6 225 22 8/22/01 Baton Rouge, LA Tulane University 15th Round, 2023

39 Cam Cotter RHP 6’3 220 25 12/12/99 Greensboro, NC NC State UFA, 5/23/23

17 Hunter Dula RHP 6’1 197 25 3/8/99 Troutman, NC Wingate University 18th Rnd, 2021

48 Trent Harris RHP 6’2 200 25 1/22/99 Cary, NC UNC Pembroke UFA, 7/17/23

21 Tommy Kane LHP 6’1 180 22 10/31/01 Boomall, PA University of Maryland 19th Rnd, 2023

43 Manuel Mercedes RHP 6’4 194 21 9/21/02 Monte Plata, DR Int FA, 7/2/19

38 Matt Mikulski LHP 6’4 215 25 5/8/99 Mohegan Lake, NY Fordham University 2nd Rnd, 2021

60 Cesar Perdomo LHP 6’0 196 22 2/9/02 San Juan de los Morros, VZ -- Int FA7/2/21

35 Austin Strickland RHP 6’2 210 22 5/31/02 Winchester, OH

University of Kentucky Trade with PIT 4/2/24

14 Cody Tucker RHP 6’5 210 25 3/1/99 Mesa, AZ Grand Canyon University UFA, 7/17/23

59 Esmerlin Vinicio LHP 6'2 143 21 1/31/03 Villa Mella, DR -- Int FA, 7/2/19

34 Tyler Vogel RHP 6'0 173 23 11/16/00 Dunedin, FL Jacksonville University 12th Rnd, 2022

29 Joe Whitman LHP 6’5 200 22 9/17/01 Akron, OH Kent State University 2nd Rnd, 2023

NO CATCHERS (3) B-T HT WT AGE BORN BIRTHPLACE

12 Thomas Gavello L/R 5’10 184 23 6/6/01 Antioch, CA University of the Pacific 13th Rnd, 2022

33 Onil Perez R/R 6’1 224 21 9/10/02 Santo Domingo Este, DR -- Int FA7/2/19

46 Luke Shliger L/R 5'9 180 22 9/25/01 Bronx, NY University of Maryland 6th Rnd, 2023

NO INFIELDERS (6) B-T HT WT AGE BORN BIRTHPLACE

19 Sabin Ceballos R/R 6'3 225 21 8/17/02 San Juan, PR University of Oregon 3rd Rnd, 2023

28 Bryce Eldridge L/R 6’7 223 19 10/20/04 Fairfax, VA Madison HS (VA) 1st Rnd, 2023

32 Cole Foster S/R 6’1 193 22 10/8/01 Plano, TX Auburn University 3rd Rnd, 2023

26 Garrett Frechette L/L 6’3 197 23 12/31/00 Vista, CA 5th Rnd, 2019

47 Quinn McDaniel R/R 5’11 180 21 9/27/02 Portsmouth, NH University of Maine 5th Rnd, 2023

56 Charlie Szykowny L/R 6'4 225 24 6/30/00 Oak Lawn, IL

NO OUTFIELDERS (6) B-T HT WT AGE

Univ. of Illinois Chicago 9th Rnd, 2023

31 Scott Bandura L/R 6'4 190 22 8/2/01 Philadelphia, PA Princeton 7th Rnd, 2023

8 Vaun Brown R/R 6'0 213 26 6/23/98 Sarasota, FL Florida Southern College 10th Rnd, 2021

7 Jonah Cox R/R 6’3 200 22 8/4/01 Louisville, CO Oral Roberts University Trade with OAK 2/2/24

41 Rodolfo Nolasco R/R 5’11 175 22 9/23/01 Santo Domingo, DR -- Trade with PIT 5/10/24

10 Alex Suarez R/R 6’2 216 22 12/20/01 Valera, VZ -- Int FA, 10/1/18

MANAGER: 62 Jeremiah Knackstedt

PITCHING COACH: 13 Mario Rodriguez

HITTING COACH: 23 Jared Walker

FUNDAMENTALS COACH: 2 Eliezer Zambrano

TRAINER: Joesph Holstedt

STRENGTH COACH: Chris Harms

2024 CANADA CUP

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.

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

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.

• 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

CARSON PHILLIPS

37 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.

ROSTER

CHRIS McELVAIN 26

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

CARSON PIERCE 18

HT: 6-3 WT: 215

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/10/01

HOMETOWN: Edmond, OK

23 CLUBS: College, FCL, Dunedin

AQUIRED: ND FA, 08/04/23

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

KEVIN MIRANDA 17

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

GRANT ROGERS 40

HT: 6-7 WT: 230

B/T: R/R

DOB: 05/22/01

HOMETOWN: GROVES, TX

23 CLUBS: College AQUIRED: N/A

BO BONDS 25

HT: 5-11 WT: 200

B/T: R/R

DOB: 01/10/01

HOMETOWN: Live Oak, FL

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin AQUIRED: 13th, ’22, LouisianaLafayette

AARON MUNSON 5

HT: 5-10 WT: 180

B/T: L/R

DOB: 03/15/02

HOMETOWN: San Antonio, TX

23 CLUBS: FCL. Dunedin AQUIRED: I19th, ’23, Angelo State (TX)

KENDRY ROJAS 16

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

IRV CARTER 3

HT: 6-4 WT: 210

B/T: R/R

DOB: 10/09/02

HOMETOWN: Fort Lauderdale, FL

23 CLUBS: Dunedin

AQUIRED: 5th, ’21, Calvary Christian Academy (FL)

CONNOR O' HALLORAN 17

HT: 6-2 WT: 195B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/01/02

HOMETOWN: Mississauga, ON

23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin AQUIRED: 5th, ’23, Michigan

GRAYSON 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

PAT GALLAGHER 11

HT: 6-0 WT: 200

B/T: R/R

DOB: 06/30/00

HOMETOWN: Leominster, MA

23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 11th, ’22, Connecticut

KAI PETERSON 3

HT: 6-1 WT: 195

B/T: L/L

DOB: 08/14/02

HOMETOWN: Roseville, CA

23 CLUBS: College

AQUIRED: 20th, '23, Sierra College

GEISON URBAEZ 36

HT: 6-1 WT: 185

B/T: R/R

DOB: 07/05/00

HOMETOWN: Cabral, DOM

23 CLUBS: DNP

AQUIRED: INT FA, 10/14/20

RYAN WATSON 14

HT: 6-3 WT: 205

B/T: R/R

DOB: 04/26/99

HOMETOWN: Sugar Hill, GA

23 CLUBS: College AQUIRED: ND FA, 05/31/24

JACOB SHARP 23

HT: 5-8 WT: 185

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/15/01

HOMETOWN: Whittier, CA

23 CLUBS: College, ACL (SEA) AQUIRED: Trade w/SEA, 07/26/24

JAY HARRY 4

HT: 5-9 WT: 190

B/T: L/R

DOB: 07/18/02

HOMETOWN: Metuchen, NJ

23 CLUBS: FCL, Fort Myers (MIN) AQUIRED: Trade w/MIN, 07/30/24

JUARON WATTS-BROWN 10

HT: 6-3 WT: 195

B/T: R/R

DOB: 02/23/02

HOMETOWN: Hanford, CA

23 CLUBS: College AQUIRED: 3rd, '23, Oklahoma St

ALEX STONE 27

HT: 6-5 WT: 235

B/T: R/R

DOB: 11/03/01

HOMETOWN: Andover, NJ

23 CLUBS: College (Duke) AQUIRED: ND FA, 07/19/24

BRENNAN ORF 15

HT: 6-4 WT: 230

B/T: L/R

DOB: 01/10/99

HOMETOWN: Wildwood, MO

23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin AQUIRED: 13th, '23, So. IllinoisEdwardsville

CHAY YEAGER 20

HT: 5-11 WT: 180

B/T: S/R

DOB: 09/11/02

HOMETOWN: Fort Wayne, IN

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin

AQUIRED: 12th, ’23, PascoHernando State JC

JAMARI BAYLOR 15

HT: 5-11 WT: 195

B/T: R/R

DOB: 08/25/00

HOMETOWN: Richmond, VA

23 CLUBS: JS (PHI), ACL (COL), FRE (COL), SPO (COL)

AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 05/22/24

ADRIAN PINTO 7

HT: 5-8 WT: 170

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/22/02

HOMETOWN: Caucagua, VZ

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin

AQUIRED: Trade w/COL, 07/09/22

NICOLAS DESCHAMPS 26

HT: 5-11 WT: 190

B/T: L/R

DOB: 08/25/02

HOMETOWN: Quebec City, QC

23 CLUBS: Dunedin

AQUIRED: ND FA, 08/16/21

CUTTER

COFFEY 21

HT: 6-1 WT: 190

B/T: R/R

DOB: 05/21/04

HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, CA

23 CLUBS: Salem, Greenville (BOS) AQUIRED: Trade w/BOS, 7/27/04

PEYTON WILLIAMS 44 OUTFIELDER

HT: 6-5 WT: 255

B/T: L/L

DOB: 09/14/00

HOMETOWN: Johnston, IA ’23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver ACQUIRED: 7th Rd, ’22, Iowa

JACKSON HORNUNG 31

HT: WT: 215

B/T: R/R

DOB: 02/06/01

HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA

23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin AQUIRED: 16th, ’23, Skidmore

NICK GOODWIN 1

HT: 6-1 WT: 205

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/06/01

HOMETOWN: Overland Park, KS

23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin, Vancouver AQUIRED: 7th Rd, ’23, Kansas State

VICTOR ARIAS 22

HT: 5-11 WT: 170

B/T: L/L

DOB: 08/24/03

HOMETOWN: Maracay, VZ

23 CLUBS: Dunedin, New Hampshire

AQUIRED: INT FA, 08/24/19

JACE BOHROFEN 8

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

ROB SHIFRIN HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

MARCOS DE LA ROSA 9

HT: 5-11 WT: 175

B/T: S/R

DOB: 10/25/1999

HOMETOWN: Santo Domingo, DR

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin, Vancouver

AQUIRED: INT FA, 06/15/194

KATIE REYES ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

JADEN RUDD

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)

BAILEY FORST HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

RAUL PIMENTEL MENTAL PERFORMANCE COACH

CRISTIAN CORDOVA TECH ASSISTANT

HALL HOME CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

JE'VON WARD 24

HT: 6-2 WT: 195

B/T: L/R

DOB: 10/25/1999

HOMETOWN: Cerritos, CA

23 CLUBS: Wisconsin (MIL)

AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 06/15/24

HUNT ASSISTANT STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

HOWES VISITOR CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

BOVILLE DIETICIAN

ZANE

STEPHANIE

GLENN

COLE

CONNOR O’HALLORAN

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Connor O’Halloran is the third member of his family to join the Toronto Blue Jays organization. His father Greg was a catcher and was drafted in the 32nd round of the 1988 MLB Draft out of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California. He made his major league debut with the Florida Marlins in 1994. Connor’s uncle Mike was also a pitcher in the Blue Jays system in 1991 and 1992.

The younger O’Halloran attended St. Martin Secondary School in Mississauga and balanced his baseball career and academics as a three-year honour roll student and spent three years with Canada’s Under 18 National Team from 2018-2020. That helped draw the attention of Michigan Wolverines coach Erik Bakich who offered O’Halloran a scholarship to Ann Arbor.

The 2021 freshman season saw O’Halloran log just 6-2/3 innings with the Wolverines but he got much more time on the mound in summer college ball. He joined the Bismarck Larks of the Northwoods League where he tossed 43 innings and struck out 45 batters with 21 walks while posting a 2-1 record with a 2.72 ERA.

BY NIALL O’DONOHOE OF C’S PLUS BASEBALL

O’Halloran’s workload increased in 2022 when he became a member of the Wolverines rotation in 2022. He won five of nine decisions with a 5.44 earned run average and struck out 104 batters with 40 walks over 92-2/3 innings. O’Halloran got the honour of starting the home opener for Michigan on St. Patrick’s Day and no luck of the Irish was needed as he struck out 13 batters over eight innings of one-run ball to collect the win over Dayton. He won the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week award for that performance. After helping the Maize and Blue win the Big Ten Conference tournament, O’Halloran surrendered three earned runs over 5-2/3 innings and earned the victory over Oregon in the Louisville Regional on June 3.

Under new coach Tracy Smith, O’Halloran became the ace for the Wolverines in 2023. He went 8-6 with a 4.11 ERA with a 110-26 K/ BB total in 103 innings to earn the Big Ten Conference Pitcher of the Year award. He was the first Michigan hurler to strike out over 100 batters in back-to-back seasons. O’Halloran had a brief sojourn in the Cape Cod League where he tossed 3-2/3 innings for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks before the 2023 MLB Draft rolled around.

Baseball America rated O’Halloran as the 162nd-best prospect in last year’s draft.

“The 6-foot-2, 190-pound lefthander throws from a deceptive and low, three-quarter slot and is able to locate his low-90s fastball well to either side of the plate. He averaged 89-91 mph on the pitch this spring and touched 94, and will need to be able to spot the pitch with precision at the next level to keep hitters off of it consistently. His best offering is a high-spin slider in the low 80s, which boasted a 42% miss rate, and it was an equal opportunity bat-misser against both righties and lefties—though given his arm slot and sweepy shape, it should be more consistent in same-side matchups in pro ball. He mixes in a mid-80s changeup with some tumbling action that should be a key pitch for him to prevent platoon advantages in pro ball. O’Halloran doesn’t have the loudest pure stuff, but he could develop into a touch-and-feel back-end starter if he can add a few more ticks of velocity.”

The Canadian Baseball Network quoted a National League crosschecker comparing O’Halloran to former Toronto Blue Jays lefty Jimmy Key.

BA was just five picks off as O’Halloran was taken by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 157th selection in the fifth round on the recommendation of scout Tom Burns. After signing for $337,500, O’Halloran reported to Dunedin for a Blue Jays draft camp and made his pro debut with the Dunedin Blue Jays. It was a winning debut as he got the win by allowing just one run over two innings at Clearwater on August 18. Another two-inning, one-run stint led to O’Halloran getting another victory against St. Lucie on August 25. He also got the win in his next two-inning outing when he put up two goose eggs at Dayton on August 31.

After getting in 10 innings during his first exposure to pro ball, O’Halloran was ready for a heavier workload on his return to Dunedin. He matched his 3-1 record in 2023 with the exact mark for April, ending the month with a nine-strikeout performance as he blanked Tampa on three hits over 6-2/3 innings on April 30. That was followed up with nine more Ks over 5-2/3 innings of three-run ball at Fort Myers on May 7. A five-inning, one-run effort at Bradenton that included six strikeouts on May 21 convinced the Blue Jays brass that it was time to promote O’Halloran to Vancouver.

Blue Jays farm director Joe Sclafani told Baseball America that club officials liked what they saw from O’Halloran.

“We wanted to see him establish a solid routine, which he has done. He attacked, threw a ton of strikes and executed pitches once he was ahead, leading to strikeouts and soft contact. He does a great job at keeping hitters off-balance. He’s a good teammate and worker. We felt like he was ready for the challenge of working against more advanced hitters. We’re going to continue to work on some opportunities we see on the strength and movement sides to see if we can unlock some things on the velo side”

After a 4-2 record, a 3.13 ERA and a 45-13 strikeout-walk total over 37-1/3 innings with Dunedin, O’Halloran won his debut on Canadian soil as he struck out four over five shutout innings for a victory over Tri-City on May 30.

Though O’Halloran has experienced a rough ride at times in the Northwest League, he did pitch a career-high seven innings against Everett on July 3 and struck out 34 batters in 37 innings while keeping batters in check with a .225 batting average heading into late July.

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C’s Plus Baseball chatted with the 21-year-old O’Halloran during the Canadians series at home against Spokane in the latter part of July. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C’s Plus Baseball – You were picked by Toronto in the fifth round out of Michigan. What was the draft day experience like for you?

Connor O’Halloran – I think it was amazing. I mean, it’s literally everything you ever dream of and think of, and then when the day’s kind of there, it feels surreal. I definitely worked hard for it. I was with my friends and my family. We were all watching TV and had the draft cast going too so just to have that experience with all my closest and favourite people was unreal.

CPB – Did it take you by surprise at all that the Blue Jays were the ones to take you? Or did you think there was going to be another team?

CO – I think leading up to it, you’re never certain one way or another. The draft can be so unpredictable. You’re kind of in purgatory of where is it going to be? When is it going to be? Who is it going to be? But it was honestly pretty quick. I had spoken with some scouts with the Jays throughout that whole year and had a meeting with them at the draft combine but I didn’t think anything too serious of it. But then the day came and I got the call, ‘Hey, the Jays have a pick coming up here. Would you take this and this?’ And it was just ‘Yes’, like right away. I was like, ‘That’s unbelievable.’ And then just to have that quick turnover of, ‘Okay, be ready to hear your name called.’ And then you see Connor O’Halloran selected by the Jays. I mean, it’s the greatest feeling in the world, especially by my hometown team. I have been a Blue Jays fan going to games since I can remember so that was unbelievable.

CPB – Your Dad was in the minor league system with the Jays and did get a cup of coffee with the Marlins back in the 90s. I’m sure it must have been a really proud moment for him too.

CO – His brother (Mike) as well has played with the Jays (organization) too so I have two family members with the Jays. I think he was standing right there next to me. He was probably the next happiest guy in the room next to me. Just to be able to represent the hometown team as like a family in a way, that’s as cool as it gets right there.

CPB – In Michigan, you won the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year award. What did that award mean to you personally?

CO – Going to Michigan has been one of the biggest honours of my life. Since the first time I stepped foot on that campus, I knew I wanted to go there on the official visit. There was no other school for me. Being from Canada, you don’t really hear as much about the hurrah of college athletics and everything. But once I got there, I bought in for sure. I had some great coaches there that really reinforced being proud of this school. It’s a blessing to be able to go there. To be able to not only just compete but then win that award, it was just such a special honour. But I couldn’t have done it without all my teammates. We had a great bunch of teams while I was there so it was really great.

CPB – How did your time in Michigan help you develop as a pitcher?

CO – I think I had a really big developmental year my freshman year. Everyone who basically plays D1 college baseball, where they come from, you know, they’re the man, they’re the guy. They’re used to playing time, you know. So I think just kind of dealing with that adversity of like, ‘Hey, you’re 18 years old. You’re not going to play. You’re back at the bottom of the food chain.’ You’ve got to really be able to work on your own, you know. It’s going to go to the guys that play every day and just asking questions with your teammates, staying extra. Make sure you’re doing the right things when you don’t have the opportunity so when you finally do, you can capitalize on those. I think I did a pretty good job. Once my opportunity came, in my sophomore and junior year, I was ready to go and do what I needed to do.

CPB – When you look back at your time in Michigan, what would you say was the memory that stands out for you the most?

CO – I think dogpiling on the field in Omaha after we won the Big Ten tournament, clinching the regional berth too from that. All year that’s all you look forward to. That’s why you play college baseball is for those moments. To be with not only your teammates, but you know, they’re your best friends, the people you live with. Everyone was just so proud to do it for the name on the front. And I think that’s where really that team was all about. That school is all about doing it for Michigan so to be able to bring that home for the school was great.

– Before you got to Michigan, take us through how things got started for you. You represented Canada at some competitions but where did it all begin for you?

CO – I mean, I never threw the hardest you know? Like everybody else, I played all the positions as much as I could as a lefty but I really focused on pitching when I was about 15 years old. I was like, ‘Hey, I think I’m a little better at this than hitting. Hitting’s hard.’ But it was like anything, I really had to work at it, I wasn’t just naturally gifted. I think the one thing I always knew how to do was be able to pitch since I wasn’t the most athletic or the hardest-throwing. I just really worked on being a pitcher and all my pitches, throwing strikes, that type of stuff, and I got better, obviously. I was invited to a PBR (Prep Baseball Report) event, I think, in Indiana. And the Michigan coach just happened to be there but that’s how that kind of started. I ended up talking to them and had the visit and everything. I love the coaching staff there. They’ve gone on to do great things, all of those coaches that were there that are no longer there but I really enjoyed them. And I think just being on the Canadian national team helped for some exposure and just learning to play against better competition. I think those were all big stepping stones but that’s how I got there.

CPB – Playing for Greg Hamilton and his influence throughout Canadian baseball. What was it like to work with him?

CO – I mean, he’s the man in Canadian baseball. I think every guy that you know has played in probably the last how many years knows Greg Hamilton. He’s influenced their life in some way or another and you know just a great guy. I think Canadian baseball in general is such a tight-knit group. You know about all the other players throughout the country and I think just his influence on everybody and giving us the opportunity to play against competition and expose ourselves. It shows that we really do have a lot of talent in this country.

CPB – And you got some Canadian connections here in Dasan Brown, manager Brent Lavallee and position coach Ashley Stephenson. I’m sure there’s a lot of pride having fellow Canadians on this year’s roster.

CO – For sure. It’s definitely funny playing with Dasan. I’ve played against him since I was probably six years old. He’s 20 minutes

CPB

away. It’s kind of funny now to look back on, when I was with the Mississauga North Tigers, he was on the Oakville A’s. Now we’re playing together in pro baseball for the hometown team together.

CPB – It must be nice to know he’s out there in center field knowing he’s going to run anything down for you.

CO – Yeah, he’s got everything out there so, you know, you just let him hit it. He’s somewhere out there running to it making a play so that’s always great.

CPB – Your pitch mix. What are you throwing right now?

CO – It’s fastball, changeup curveball and slider. I’ve been working on a little bit of a cutter just seeing how it works out and everything. I’ve had some good and some bad but that’s you know part of developing it.

CPB – The fastball, four-seam or two-seam?

CO – It’s mostly four-seam but you know you can mix the two-seam in there every once in a while and see if it moves a little different, gets a different look for the batter too just playing it off like that.

CPB – What would you say is your second best pitch?

CO – I think it’s probably the slider or the changeup. I think it honestly depends on the day. The hitters, the higher you go up, they’re just getting better and better too. They’re developing just like you are so I think just on that certain day, you gotta be able to read swings and throw whatever works. If one pitch is working, you might have to stay with it for that day.

CPB – Is your slider a variation like the sweeper or is it more of a conventional slider?

CO – I’m honestly not sure because I’ve never faced myself obviously so I don’t really know. I feel like it’s just a pitch. I know where it’s going. I feel like it’s a consistent pitch but I think kind of you can manipulate it a little bit to make it a little bit more sweeperish, a little bit more up and down. Gyro is the word.

CPB – The changeup is a circle changeup?

CO – Yeah, just a pretty traditional change-up. You know, three fingers and throw it like a fastball.

CPB – I guess you really need a pretty big hand to pull off a splitter, like maybe a Kevin Gausman who’s known for his splitter.

CO – Yeah, I mean, that’s why he’s in the big leagues right there. I mean, it’s unbelievable watching him do that. But, yeah, I never had the biggest hand. I think the changeup was just kind of one of those first pitches you learn. I threw it always decent, and I knew it was such a good pitch, so I kind of just stuck with that. I never really tried the splitter.

CPB – You’ve used the Rolling Stones ‘Paint It Black’ as your mound music when you start. Would you say that’s kind of your philosophy on pitching? Just painting the black of home plate.

CO We’re all trying to do that I guess, right? I mean, it’s nice the days that you can do that but I think for me, not being a guy who can really overpower guys with velocity and things like that, I think that’s always been my game. Pitching is command, deception. When you get the two strikes, put guys away, throw your nastiest stuff. But before that, just pound the zone, let your defense work. We got a great team out here. That makes it a lot easier for me.

CPB – You started out your pro career with Dunedin and you got your first professional win. What was your first professional experience in Dunedin like, going through a draft camp and pitching a few innings for the D-Jays?

CO – That process and that turnaround from college and the season ends, you take some time off, and then it’s like the draft happens. A couple of days later, you’re down in Florida at this giant, beautiful facility. There’s MLB guys walking around. There’s all these other guys walking around and it’s awesome. But I think just going into that, I was definitely a little nervous. I mean, I think that’s natural, though, like anything. But I think it was more excitement than anything. So to rebuild back up and then go into those games, I was definitely excited to do it. Just getting that first experience with the Jays jersey on and everything, I mean, it’s everything you could ever ask for. Just being able to kind of get that experience before this first full year was really big, just getting the nerves out of the way.

CPB – I’m sure you were in Dunedin a few times growing up?

CO – I played there with the national team. We actually played the Blue Jays so that was my first time there. Right when they remodeled (the stadium). Just seeing it when you’re 16, you’re like, ‘Oh, so this is what it looks like.’ That was just really awesome. So I had that experience I think that’s as good as it gets.

CPB – The Player Development Complex. What were your impressions of it and how do you think it’s helped you so far?

CO – Well, the first time I heard about it, I knew that every team had a complex and everything but I remember we actually were fortunate enough that the Jays invited some of us down after the draft to the (SkyDome) and I remember Kevin Gausman said hi to me and Landen Maroudis who was there alongside me. We’re shy and nervous, trying not to bother anybody before a game. He came up super friendly, and he’s like, ‘Oh, you guys going down to Florida?” And yeah, we told him we were going to the Complex, and he goes, ‘It’s like a spaceship.’ I remember that’s what he said. He said it was beautiful. And to finally go down there and get there, they have every amenity and machine and everything you could ask for to put yourself in the right position to have success. It was just unbelievable.

CPB – Would you say there was anything you learned about yourself, maybe the way your pitchdes move or work this way because for such and such a reason?

CO – I was never a huge numbers and TrackMan guy but I think if you don’t at least check it out and try to learn about it a little bit, then you’re not helping yourself be the best version of yourself. I think just trying to learn about it from other guys just sitting on the bench and talking to coaches and all the people at the PDC that know about all this stuff, I think it definitely is a tool that if you throw one pitch and it doesn’t do what you want like, ‘How can we fix that or how can we make this better?’ I think definitely just using those numbers to make sure you’re staying on the right track is something big. And just knowing like which way when my pitch is on, what it looks like. So then when if it ever is off, you can go back to it and be like, ‘Maybe you’re doing this, maybe you’re getting on the side (of the ball) a little bit, or your fingers were moving it.’ I think that’s a really cool part of having those amenities.

CPB – You returned to Dunedin in the start to 2024. How did you feel your season went with the D-Jays?

CO – I mean, it’s like any baseball season. There’s some good ones, some bad ones. I think in this game, when it’s so long of a season, you just got to try to be consistent. I thought I did a pretty good job of that. We had a really good team. We had really good coaches down there. Maya (José Mayorga) was great, our manager, and Cory (pitching coach Cory Riordan) and Yoel (Yoel Hernández) in the bullpen. Having those guys there really helped and they make baseball fun

too. They’re really good at what they do but they also make it a lot more fun to show up to the ballpark as well as all the guys. I think just having that mentality of going to the field every day and just having fun, it takes a lot of the stress out of baseball and trying to perform well instead of ‘Am I going to get moved up? When am I going to move up? Am I going to move up and just go out there and play?’ I think that’s really when you start playing your best so I think just doing that really helped me.

CPB – You get called up to vancouver. How did you find out?

CO – We were in Bradenton playing the Pirates (farm club, the Marauders) and it was right after the game. They called me into the office and I thought I had done something wrong. I thought Ii was about to get maybe like yelled at or something. They go, ‘How have you pitched?’ I’m like, ‘Pretty good, I think’. They’re like, ‘Your bullpen feel good this week?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I think I felt good, I threw well.’ And then they go, ‘Are you gonna throw strikes?’ And I go, ‘You bet! For my next start.’ And then they go, ‘Well, it’s gonna be in Vancouver.’ And then they had a big smile on their face and shook my hand. Then we went out and announced it to the team, just to have all the support. Everybody is supporting each other. Everyone wants to get there themselves to the next level but everyone’s always so supportive so having that is really, really great.’

CPB – You get to pitch here at Nat Bailey Stadium. What was that like for you getting to pitch here for the first time?

CO – I feel like for me, I think that was the first time it felt like a real minor league baseball game. Dunedin, it’s a beautiful ballpark but not the biggest fans, just in that whole league. To get here and, you know, the first thing you hear from the guys is, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a packed one today.’ And then you go out there and there’s thousands of people and you’re like, ‘Oh, wow. This is what it’s like.’ So I think just having that little bit of boost from the excitement, the adrenaline definitely makes it really fun to come to the field and do what you do every day. I mean, it’s the best job in the world so I’m really, really fortunate.

CPB -The mound conditions. How have you found the mound here as compared to everywhere else you’ve pitched here so far in the league?

CO – Tthe one thing about baseball is no matter what field you go to,

every mound is going to be a little bit different. Some of them are a little bit higher, some are a little bit lower. Sometimes the dirt’s a little bit different. Does my foot sink a little bit more? But I think if you can figure out, even if you don’t like the mound or if you love it, you can figure out how it’s going to feel that day quick enough during your warmups and everything. It’s something that you don’t really have to think about too often. If it’s a bad mound, you got to just kind of say, ‘Well, that’s how it is today and get over it.’ But for me personally, I don’t really have a preference too much. All these teams have great grounds crews and they’re putting in lots of work. Especially our field, it’s beautiful so I never had an issue with it.

CPB – Do you find that you kind of just take it all in sometimes? Do you look at the crowd or anything like that to kind of maybe kind of soak it in for at least a few seconds anyway?

CO – I mean all the time yeah, especially when you’re on the bench. I think the day that you’re pitching, you don’t really think about it until afterwards. You come out of the game, you look around, you realize that all these people are here to watch this team and all that so that’s a really cool feeling. But definitely when you’re on the bench and you just look around, you see all the people supporting us with jerseys and hats, asking for autographs. I mean, that’s such a cool reason to come to the field every day. To have people supporting you like that for, you know, this one Canadian team.

CPB – You said the Blue Jays were your favorite team growing up. Did you have a favourite player or pitcher?

CO – I remember always loving Vernon Wells. I had his jersey, you know, in the mid-2000s, white and silver. I remember I got a chance to meet him actually when I was younger too. And I remember that was like the most nervous I’d ever been was meeting Vernon Wells. That whole team was great. Just being able to watch all those guys and be in a position to hopefully one day be up there at the level that they were at was awesome.

CPB – Final question. The Canadians have five different uniforms— white, red, blue, black and gray. Do you have a favourite?

CO – I’m going to get a lot of hate but it’s the blue. The guys don’t like the blue but I personally love the blue look. So, yeah, that’s my favourite. That’s the one I’m always going to go to if I get the chance.

KOOZIE

AUGUST 24

FIRST 500 FANS 19+. GATES OPEN AT 6PM. FIRST PITCH 7:05

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 ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Rich Harden P 2001 21-Jul Oakland

Neal Cotts P 2001 12-Aug Chicago (AL)

Mike Wood P 2001 21-Aug Oakland

2004 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Santiago Casilla P 2002 09-Aug Oakland

Nick Swisher OF 2002 03-Sep Oakland

Joe Blanton P 2002 24-Sep Oakland

2005 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Mark Teahen INF 2002 04-Apr Kansas City

Dan Johnson INF 2001 27-May Oakland

Omar Quintanilla INF 2003 31-Jul Colorado

Freddie Bynum INF 2000 30-Aug Oakland

Nelson Cruz OF 2002 17-Sep Milwaukee

2006 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

John Rheinecker P 2001 22-Apr Texas

Andre Either OF 2003 02-May Los Angeles (NL)

Chris Mabeus P 2001 29-May Milwaukee

Kurt Suzuki C 2004 12-Jun Oakland

Jason Windsor P 2004 17-Jul Oakland

Jeremy Brown C 2002 03-Sep Oakland

Mark Kiger INF 2002 13-Oct Oakland

2007 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Travis Buck OF 2005 02-Apr Oakland

Jared Burton P 2002 04-Apr Cincinnati

Danny Putman OF 2004 23-Apr Oakland

Dallas Braden P 2004 24-Apr Oakland

Connor Robertson P 2004 17-May Oakland

Marshal McDougall INF 2000 05-Jun Texas

Kevin Melillo INF 2004 24-Jun Oakland

Bill Murphy P 2002 03-Sep Arizona

2008 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Gregorio Petit INF 2004 18-May Oakland

John Baker C 2002 09-Jul Florida

Jeff Gray P 2005 08-Sep Oakland

2009 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Andrew Bailey P 2006 06-Apr Oakland

Landon Powell C 2004 11-Apr Oakland

Tommy Everidge INF 2004 28-Jul Oakland

Brad Kilby P 2005 02-Sep Oakland

Jeff Baisley INF 2005 09-Sep Oakland

2010 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

A.J. Griffin P 2010 24-Jun Oakland

Alexi Ogando P 2004 15-Jul Texas

2011 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Justin Sellers INF 2005 12-Aug Los Angeles (NL)

Anthony Recker C 2005 25-Aug Oakland

Corey Brown OF 2007 06-Sep Washington

2012 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Pedro Figueroa P 2007 21-Apr Oakland

Sean Doolittle P 2007 05-Jun Oakland

Dan Straily P 2009 30-Aug Oakland

2013 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Ian Krol P 2009 05-Jun Washington

Kevin Pillar OF 2011 14-Aug Toronto

Max Stassi C 2009 20-Aug Houston

Michael Choice OF 2010 02-Sep Oakland

2014 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Bo Schultz P 2009 23-Mar Arizona

Marcus Stroman P 2012 04-May Toronto

Aaron Sanchez P 2011 23-Jul Toronto

Dalton Pompey OF 2012 02-Sep Toronto

Daniel Norris P 2012 05-Sep Toronto

2015 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Miguel Castro P 2014 06-Apr Toronto

Roberto Osuna P 2012 08-Apr Toronto

Noah Syndergaard P 2011 12-May New York (NL)

Justin Nicolino P 2011 20-Jun Miami

Dusty Coleman INF 2008 03-Jul Kansas City

David Rollins P 2011 04-Jul Seattle

2016 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Andy Burns INF 2011 09-May Toronto

Matt Dermody P 2013 03-Sep Toronto

2017 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Dwight Smith Jr. OF 2012 18-May Toronto

Seth Frankoff P 2010 09-Jun Chicago (NL)

Ian Parmley OF 2013 23-Jun Toronto

Franklin Barreto INF 2014 24-Jun Oakland

Taylor Cole P 2012 09-Aug Toronto

Tim Mayza P 2014 15-Aug Toronto

Jairo Labourt P 2014 01-Sep Detroit

Carlos Ramirez P 2012 01-Sep Toronto

Richard Urena INF 2014 01-Sep Toronto

Tim Locastro INF 2014 29-Sep Los Angeles (NL)

2018 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Ryan Borucki P 2014 26-Jun Toronto

Justin Shafer P 2014 18-Aug Toronto

Murphy Smith P 2009 27-Aug Toronto

Dawel Lugo INF 2013 30-Aug Detroit

Jose Fernandez P 2014 01-Sep Toronto

Jonathan Davis OF 2014 05-Sep Toronto

Jon Berti INF 2011 26-Sep Toronto

2019 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

John Schneider MGR 2011/14-15 28-Mar Toronto

Travis Bergen P 2015-17 29-Mar San Francisco

Cavan Biggio INF 2016 25-May Toronto

T.J. Zeuch 2016 03-Sep Toronto

Lane Thomas OF 2015 17-Apr St. Louis

Ryan McBroom INF/OF 2014 03-Sep Kansas City

2020 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Nate Pearson P 2017 29-Jul Toronto

Dany Jiménez P 2017 23-Jul San Francisco

Patrick Murhpy P 2016 18-Sep Toronto

Ángel Perdomo P 2015 18-Aug Milwaukee

2021 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Josh Palacios OF 2016 09-Apr Toronto

Alek Manoah P 2019 27-May Toronto

Riley Adams C 2018 08-Jun Toronto

Tayler Saucedo P 2015 17-Jun Toronto

Nick Allgeyer P 2018 02-Jul Toronto

Otto López INF 2018 17-Aug Toronto

2022 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Zach Jackson P 2016 9-April Oakland

Zach Logue P 2017 19-April Oakland

Christian Lopes INF 2012 20-April Oakland

Vinny Capra INF 2018 1-May Toronto

Danny Young P 2015 9-May Seattle

Josh Winckowski P 2018 28-May Boston

Jake Fishman P 2017 31-July Marlins

2023 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Samad Taylor INF 2017 18-Jun Kansas City

Spencer Horwitz OF 2021 19-Jun Toronto

Davis Schneider INF/OF 2022 4-Aug Toronto

Hagen Danner P 2021 11-Aug Toronto

Cam Eden OF 2021 21-Sep Toronto

Jose Espada P 2018 24-Sep San Diego

2024 POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM

Addison Barger INF/OF 2021 24-Apr Blue Jays

Brandon Eisert P 2021 17-Jun Toronto

Adam Kloffenstein P 2022 20-Jun St.Louis

Orelvis Martinez INF 2021 21-Jun Toronto

Steward Berroa INF 2022 23-Jun Toronto

Yosver Zulueta P 2022 25-Jun Cincinnati

Leo Jimenez INF 2022 4-July Toronto

Luis De Los Santos INF 2021 31-July Toronto

Supporting local charities in our community

AUGUST 7

SUPPORTING

AUGUST 21

SUPPORTING SEPT 4 SUPPORTING

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: 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.

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

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

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.

1. CENTER FIELDER

2. SHORTSTOP

3. 1ST BASEMAN

4. 3RD BASEMAN

5. RIGHT FIELDER

6. LEFT FIELDER

7. DESIGNATED HITTER

8. 2ND BASEMAN

9. CATCHER

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).

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.

SYMBOLS FOR PLAY

Double: Triple: Homerun: Sacriﬁce: Walk: Strikeout: Called Out on Strikes: Balk: Fielder’s Choice: Hit by Pitch: Wild Pitch:

LEFT FIELDER CENTER FIELDER RIGHT FIELDER

FOUL BALL

FOUL TIP STRIKE OUT

BASIC UMPIRE SIGNS FOR THE PLAYERS AND FANS

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 ROGERS 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.

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.

Fans looking to watch Minor League games during the upcoming season have access to additional features with an At Bat subscription. At Bat subscribers can stream more than 7,000 Minor League games LIVE or on-demand on MiLB.com or in the MiLB app, watch their favorite MLB team's afﬁliates on MLB.TV and listen to EVERY out-of-market MLB game LIVE or on-demand throughout the 2024 season.