2025 Program 6

OFFICIAL PROGRAM OF THE VANCOUVER CANADIANS

C'S CHAT WITH

ARJUN NIMMALA

2025 SEASON - ISSUE 6

JUNE 25

Supporting local charities in our community

$5 from every ticket sold will go directly to the Neil Squire Society

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THURSDAY, JUNE 26 VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 3

FRIDAYS

Gates Open at Noon. First Pitch 1:05 BUY TICKETS 4 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

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 strategydriven 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

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.

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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.

ROB FAI

DIRECTOR, SALES & MARKETING Rob Fai returns to the Vancouver Canadians in 2025, marking his 15th year with the organization. He has previously served as Communications Director and Broadcaster. In his new role as Director of Sales & Marketing, Rob will focus on expanding the organization’s outreach, managing outgoing sales and sponsorships, overseeing merchandise, and revitalizing the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation.

In 2015, Rob was inducted into the Vancouver Canadians Broadcast & Journalism Hall of Fame. He also received Baseball B.C.’s Meritorious Award that same year in recognition of his lifetime contributions to the sport of baseball in British Columbia.

During his time away from the organization, Rob hosted weekend programming at 980 CKNW and is currently a faculty member in the Journalism Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Rob's voice is well-known across the province for his work at TSN1040, where he hosted Rob Fai Nation Radio. Additionally, he co-founded Nation Extreme Wrestling, which has become one of Canada’s premier independent wrestling promotions.

JACOB NAKHLEH

MANAGER, TICKET OPERATIONS Jacob joined the C’s for the 2016 season, starting his time at the Nat 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 2022 and 2023 seasons working in sales and community relations, Jacob is thrilled to be back where it all started – working in (and now running) the Nat Bailey Box Office.

Prior to joining the C’s in a full-time role, Jacob earned his Bachelor of Commerce in Finance from the University of Saskatchewan.

When he’s not at the Nat, Jacob can be found dreaming about ice fishing back in Saskatchewan or rooting on his USask Huskies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Seahawks.

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ROSEMARY ALBERTS

MANAGER, MARKETING SERVICES Rosemary enters her second year with the Canadians and first as Marketing Services Manager. She graduated from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelor of Arts in May 2023 and her Master of Management in Dec 2023.

Born in Richmond, Rosemary was raised in Victoria 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.

TYLER ZICKEL

MANAGER, BROADCASTING & MEDIA RELATIONS 2025 is Tyler’s fifth with the Canadians, eighth within the Toronto Blue Jays organization and 11th in the MiLB. 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 in-game 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, newborn son Archer – who shares a birthday with Nat Bailey himself – 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.”

CHARLENE YAROSHUK

ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR Charlene has been with the Vancouver Canadians since the 2018 season. She spent her first summer working as a co-op student before transitioning to working full time in the accounting department.

Charlene graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2020 with her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

Growing up in New Westminster Charlene spent over 10 years practicing martial arts and currently holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Before joining the Canadians she previously worked as an assistant martial arts instructor.

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COOPER MISIC

SENIOR COORDINATOR, SALES Cooper enters his 4th season with the Canadians and his first season as Senior Coordinator, Sales. He is excited to take on more responsibilities and to continue to grow within the Canadians Organization.

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 time in nature, playing golf, or trying out every new restaurant in town.

DREW HOWSON

COORDINATOR, SALES 2025 marks Drew’s fourth season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization and third full season in Vancouver. This season will be his first as a Sales Coordinator after joining the office in an Associate role last season.

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 savant. 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!

ZACH MAHAFFY

COORDINATOR, SALES Zachary is entering his fourth season with the Vancouver Canadians. He spent the 2022 & 2023 seasons as Box Office Assistant for the club and transitioned to sales prior to the 2024 season.

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

Born in Mississauga, Ontario, but raised in 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. Outside the Nat, you can find him at your local arena officiating a hockey game, at the gym, or watching the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Blue Jays, or Seattle Seahawks.

BEN LETWIN

SALES ASSOCIATE Ben enters his first year with the Canadians as a sales associate. He will graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Langara College in December 2025.

He formerly worked at Nat Bailey for two seasons on the food service side as a lead cook in the premium third base porch section and is excited about his new role as a sales associate with the Vancouver Canadians.

Growing up in Vancouver, Ben played rep hockey with the Vancouver Thunderbirds and won the AAA Provincials with the team in 2018.

Outside of the Canadians, he enjoys playing hockey In the UBC Rec League, playing golf in his free time, and watching the Seahawks and Canucks.

DAWSON MARCHAND

SALES ASSOCIATE 2025 marks Dawson’s first season with the Vancouver Canadians as a Sales Associate. He is excited to apply his skills and continue growing within the organization.

Growing up in Maple Ridge, Dawson graduated from BCIT in 2024 with a diploma in Marketing Management, specializing in Digital Marketing and Brand Strategy. His passion for sports and marketing led him to pursue a career in the sports industry, where he is eager to contribute to the team’s success.

When Dawson’s away from The Nat, you can find him training in Muay Thai Kickboxing, going to the gym, watching NBA basketball, or cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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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.

BROOKS PRIMO

ASST GROUNDSKEEPER

CAM CARELSE

GROUNDSKEEPER

PHIL CHAN

BOX OFFICE ASSISTANT

CHARLIE O’NEILL

DIRECTOR, STADIUM OPS

CHRIS GEORGES

BROADCAST & MEDIA

NOLAN BOWKER

CLUBHOUSE ATTENDANT

s k r o w e Fir S T H NIG VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 9

2025 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

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BY TYLER ZICKEL AND ELI FISHMAN

THREE HEADED MONSTER: YESAVAGE, STEPHEN & STANIFER HAVE COME STOMPING INTO THE NORTHWEST LEAGUE TWO TOP PITCHING PROSPECTS AND THE BLUE JAYS MINOR LEAGUE SYSTEM’S BIGGEST BREAKOUT STORY SPENT THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR DOMINATING IN DUNEDIN. NOW THEY’RE IN VANCOUVER AND READY TO KEEP THE SUCCESS – AND THE STRIKEOUTS – COMING. Since the Canadians became the High-A affiliate of the Blue Jays in 2021, each season has featured the arrival of a can’t miss prospect.

First it was Orelvis Martinez in 2021, then Ricky Tiedemann in 2022.

Alan Roden became a household name with the C’s in 2023 and Dasan Brown cemented his status as a Canadians legend in 2024.

He made his C’s debut in Eugene on May 18 and established a teamhigh when he punched out 10 Emeralds in four innings. He followed that up with nine Ks on May 23 in another four-inning outing.

Yesavage’s Nat Bailey debut was on May 31; that day, he tossed 5.1 scoreless innings to lead the Canadians to a shutout win.

This year, we’ve already enjoyed the exploits of top Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala. He’s done it all, from leading the roster and the league in almost every offenseive category to making stellar plays at shortstop all while playing in more games than anyone else on the team.

Stephen, Toronto’s second-round pick in 2024 and the club’s No. 10 prospect, went 3-0 with a 2.06 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 39.1 innings across eight outings (seven starts). He led the FSL in innings pitched and ranked top five in ERA (4th), strikeouts (T-2nd), WHIP (2nd, 0.92), K/9 (3rd, 10.98), BB/9 (3rd, 1.6), and opponents’ average (4th, .200). At home, Stephen posted a 0.95 ERA with 26 strikeouts and just two walks in 19 innings at TD Ballpark.

But with the arrival of pitchers Trey Yesavage, Khal Stephen and Gage Stanifer, the bulk of Toronto’s exciting young talent now finds themselves wearing “Canadians” across their chest.

Yesavage, Toronto’s first-round pick in 2024 and MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 Blue Jays prospect (No. 71 overall), dominated in seven starts for Dunedin, going 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA and 55 strikeouts over 33.1 innings. He walked just two batters in his final five outings spanning 25.2 IP while striking out 47. The Blue Jays went a perfect 7-0 in games started by Yesavage.

At the time of his promotion, Yesavage led the Florida State League in strikeouts (55), opponents’ average (.162), K/9 (14.85), and WHIP (0.81). He also ranked top-five in ERA (5th), innings (6th), and K/BB ratio (2nd, 6.88).

On May 1 vs. Clearwater, Yesavage earned his first pro win with six scoreless innings and eight strikeouts, earning FSL Pitcher of the Week honors for April 29–May 4. He ended his Dunedin stint with a career-high 12 strikeouts in five innings on May 13 against Bradenton — the most by an FSL pitcher in a game this season and the most by a Dunedin arm since 2019.

After a decent debut in Eugene, Khal earned the win in his first start on The Nat on May 28. Last week at Tri-City, the righty established a new career high with 11 strikeouts in six innings.

Stanifer, 21, transitioned to a relief role this season and posted a 4-0 record with a 0.69 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 26 innings. He allowed just two runs all season and none over a four-outing, 14-inning stretch from April 19 to May 7. The Indiana native was selected in the 19th round of the 2022 Draft and returned to Dunedin this year after logging 17 starts in 2024.

He has followed Yesavage in relief each week and has shown no signs of slowing down since coming to Vancouver. Stanifer – who used to consume 8,000 calories a day to bulk up in high school – has been mowing down opposing batters left and right, racking up 20 Ks in 11 Northwest League innings.

Yesavage is slated for a Wednesday night start this week, Stephen is set to start Tuesday and Sunday while fans can expect to see Stanifer pitch after Yesavage does.

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R E N R O CRAFT C - LOCATED IN THE -

T R U O C D O O F E 3RD BAS

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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 MANAGER

JOHN SCHNEIDER

DON MATTINGLY

BENCH COACH

ASSOCIATE MANAGER

PITCHING COACH

PETE WALKER

DAVID POPKINS

FIRST BASE COACH

THIRD BASE COACH

ASSISTANT HITTING COACH

ASSISTANT HITTING COACH

ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH

MARK BUDZINSKI

DEMARLO HALE

CARLOS FEBLES

BULLPEN COACH

LOU IANNOTTI

BULLPEN CATCHER

GRAHAM JOHNSON

HUNTER MENSE

BULLPEN CATCHER

ALEX ANDREOPOULOS

HITTING COACH

SAM GREENE

MENTAL PERFORMANCE COACH

LUIS HURTADO

JOHN LANNAN

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

BENCH COACH

CASEY CANDAELE

HITTING COACH

CESAR MARTIN

RYAN LONG

ASST. HITTING COACH

PITCHING COACH

TREVOR CHO

DREW HAYES

ASST. PITCHING COACH

COACH

HENRY LEAKE

CHRIS SCHAEFFER

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

BRENT LAVALLEE

BENCH COACH

HITTING COACH

JAKE McGUIGGAN

MITCH HUCKABAY

PITCHING COACH

POSITION COACH

AUSTIN BIBENS-DIRKX

COACH

THOMAS CAULFIELD

DELTA CLEARY JR.

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

BENCH COACH

JOSE MAYORGA

MATT VON ROEMER

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

ASST. ATHLETIC TRAINER

KATIE REYES

PITCHING COACH

HITTING COACH

ERIC YARDLEY

POSITION COACH

RYAN WRIGHT

HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING ASST. STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

DALTON HOLEMO

JOE CARDENAS

NOAH OR

BULLPEN COACH

ROBELIN BAUTISTA

PETR STŘÍBRCKÝ

NUTRITION

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT

STEPHANIE TAVEL

OWEN RUDDOCK

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

HITTING COACH

GIL KIM

ASST. HITTING COACH

NASH KNIGHT

PITCHING COACH

JONATHAN DAVIS

ASST. PITCHING COACH

CORY RIORDAN

ANTONIO CACERES

COACH

COACH

ASHLEY STEPHENSON

RODRIGO VIGIL

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

DIEFERSON BARRETO

HITTING COACH

RICARDO NANITA

PITCHING COACH

VICTOR RAMOS

COACH

PEPE FORTUNATO

COACH

BRANDON GONZALEZ

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 15

BY NIALL O’DONOHOE

PUBLIC ADDRESS VOICE OF THE NAT NIALL O’DONOHOE COVERS ALL THINGS CANADIANS AT CSPLUSBASEBALL.CA. HE’S BACK ON THE BUMP WITH ANOTHER C’S CHAT, THIS TIME JOINED BY VANCOUVER CANADIANS INFIELDER AND TOP BLUE JAYS PROSPECT ARJUN NIMMALA. Born in Tampa, Florida, Nimmala inherited his athletic genes from his parents. His father Balu played cricket and basketball along with track and field while his mother Neeru played hoops and volleyball in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. Arjun would be exposed to cricket during many visits to India as a youngster, but cricket, basketball and soccer would give way to baseball.

Nimmala was on the radar of Florida State University early on as he committed to being a Seminole during his freshman year at Strawberry Crest High School in Dover. Over his four seasons with the Chargers, Nimmala helped them to win back-to-back District titles in 2021 and 2022. He punctuated his high school career in 2023 by hitting .479/.573/.904 for a 1.477 on-base-plus slugging percentage with six home runs and 29 runs batted in over 25 games. Nimmala was named the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year and received the Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award in recognition of his "exemplary athletic, academic, and community service achievements" in Hillsborough County.

MLB Pipeline rated Nimmala as the 11th-best prospect for the 2023 Draft while Baseball America ranked him 17th. He would be taken by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 20th selection. Brandon Bishoff was credited with scouting Nimmala, who received a $3,000,000 signing bonus.

ARJUN N Nimmala's pro debut came with the Florida Complex League Blue Jays in August and showed a really good eye at the plate by drawing 14 walks in his nine games, leaving him with an on-base percentage of .500 in his 40 plate appearances.

The spotlight really shone on Nimmala when he was featured in a documentary, "Indian Baseball Dreams," which was released in the fall of 2023 and aired on MLB Network in 2024.

The 2024 season would be one of highs and lows for Nimmala. The highs began in his Grapefruit League debut when he drew a walk in his first professional plate appearance and followed that up with a home run off former Blue Jay Brian Moran in his next trip to the dish against Atlanta on March 20. He would get one more at-bat against Baltimore and worked the count to ball four against Baltimore on March 23 to give him a tidy 5.000 OPS for the spring.

along with a double against Tampa. Other highlights were a double and three walks versus Tampa on May 5 and a two-run dinger and single at Fort Myers on May 12. However, a total of 43 strikeouts in 29 games were cause for concern and the Blue Jays decided to give Nimmala a reset by assigning him to the Development List on May 14.

It was in early June when Nimmala got back on the field with the FCL Jays. Things began to click when he homered and tripled against the FCL Yankees on June 22. After an eight-game stint at the Complex, Nimmala returned to Dunedin to finish up the season strong. He announced his return to the Florida State League with a home run in his first game back at Lakeland on June 27 and ran off a seven-game hitting streak.

Assigned to Low-A Dunedin for his first full season of professional baseball, Nimmala went 4-for-12 with a home run, three RBI and a stolen base in the first three games of the year against Lakeland.

However, an ominous sign was six strikeouts against one walk in those three contests and he hit just .171 for the month of April.

After slugging .568 in 22 games in July, Nimmala really caught fire in August. He finished a triple short of the cycle with three runs batted in twice at Daytona on August 1 and at Bradenton on August 14 along with a four-hit effort at Clearwater on August 20. A batting line of .296/.330/.541 with seven doubles, a triple, five home runs, 17 RBI and two stolen bases resulted in Nimmala winning the Florida State League Player of the Month for August. In 82 games with the D-Jays, he slugged 16 home runs and finished with a slugging percentage of .476.

Another home run for Nimmala came on May 2 with a two-run shot,

The 2025 season saw Nimmala homer again in Spring Training, taking

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Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez deep at Bradenton on March 5. There was a school of thought among seasoned observers that he would be back in Dunedin to start the year. However, the Blue Jays would challenge Nimmala with an assignment to High-A Vancouver instead. So far, he has met that challenge by starting the year with a 11game on-base streak that included 10 straight with a base hit. Nimmala really enjoyed hitting at Funko Field in Everett by homering in three straight games on April 25, April 26 and April 27, ending the month with a .294/.362/.541 batting line along with six doubles, five homers and 12 RBI. The momentum for Nimmala continued into May, which included Northwest League Player of the Week plaudits for May 19-25. He batted .360 with a double, a triple, two homers, six RBI and two stolen bases in six games at Eugene. Nimmala and the C's returned home on May 27 to wear their South Asian Heritage jerseys and he commemorated the occasion with a three-hit night, including a double, in a big win over Hillsboro. Nimmala slashed .284/.381/.516 with 13 extra-base hits, four of them homers in May. Heading into early June, Nimmala is on a 15-game on-base streak.

C's Plus Baseball spoke with the 19-year-old Nimmala during the team's homestand against Hillsboro in late May. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C's Plus Baseball - You won the Northwest League Player of the Week.

How did you find out about it and how did you feel when you found out?

Arjun Nimmala - I kind of found out about it from a couple of friends texting me. I didn't really see it and they were like 'Congrats bro, I'm proud of you.' And I was like, 'What could they be talking about?' And I opened it up and it says Player of the Week and I was like, 'Wow, this is super cool.' I thought we had a little tough stretch going but we broke out in a really good way and I think we're in a good spot as a team, putting up a lot of good runs, pitching staff's been great and, you know, the Player of the Week is just a little accomplishment from that week but you keep going forward.

CPB - What was the key to your success that week in Eugene?

AN - I think it's the same thing that we've been doing all season long.

You know, I think the at-bats have been very, very crucial. Every at-bat is important and that's the mindset I've been having in the box. Trying to execute my approach and my plan. I think I did a very good job of that, not only last week, but I think, you know, overall in the season.

Of course, we can keep getting better and keep winning, but I think I just was in a good spot last week, and we're going to keep carrying that forward.

CPB - Certainly the one thing looking at your stats this year, you've really cut down on the strikeouts. Is there anything you can say about your approach right now in making more contact and hitting a few out?

AN - Yeah, I think the biggest goal this year was to keep that power while also cutting down some of the swing-and-miss strikeouts. But, you know, I've always believed that I was a good hitter. I don't think that was ever going to be a problem, and I think that's showing this year as well. I think just swinging at better pitches and doing damage on the pitches that I'm getting. I think just being an overall better hitter and having a better understanding of what I'm trying to do at the plate and what the pitcher's trying to do. He's trying to get me out. What is he going to do? All these things. Just becoming a more complete hitter has definitely helped me a lot.

CPB - I've heard some of the tweaks that you made. It was kind of described you're kind of like a "feel hitter" but you're trying to kind of take that out of the equation. What kind of mechanical changes did you make with your swing?

AN - Yeah, I remember, you know, going on the Development List last 18 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

year. The main reason was I wasn't able to get to pitches consistently. I was a little long and really couldn't be super consistent up at the plate. I think the biggest mechanical change was just getting myself in a better position to be more consistent at bat-to-ball. As quick as I can and as quick and powerful as I can to get to the ball. That's what we worked on while also improving, you know just seeing pitches things like that and it helped a lot going back.

CPB - That's also to do with the positioning of your hands, trying to get to the ball quicker and a quicker bat path?

AN - Yeah, I was definitely a lot higher last year when in the early season, my hands were a lot higher so it does take a little bit more time to, you know, get to the ball from that spot. So I dropped them a little bit and kept them a little closer and just allowed myself to naturally do what I do good anyways.

CPB - The Development Complex with all the tools, the bells and whistles. I've heard of the Trajekt machine. What was the key to getting you back on track as far as the technology that was used? What really helped you out the most?

AN - I think everything helped, you know? First of all, I thought it was a really good reset for the for the brain, for the mindset. I think I've always been very confident in my skill set since day one and just having that reset to really think about how good I actually am and what I can do on the baseball field definitely helped. But utilizing those tools like the Trajekt to see more pitching, to see (arm) angles, things like that, to recognize pitches. Just using those and the coaches around me definitely helped a lot.

CPB - I've heard that Trajekt can simulate major league pitchers. I don't know if you can tell me what pitchers were used on this machine, but obviously, they are big league calibre?

AN - Yeah, a lot of big league pitchers, you know. Lefties, righties. I faced a lot of Gerrit Cole, that's for sure. I faced Clayton Kershaw. I faced a bunch of guys. Anyone that I wanted to face that day, whether it be a heater, a sinker guy, a guy that's gross off speed. Anything that was the plan that day, we got to work and we attacked it for any MLB pitcher.

CPB - You talked about the mental aspect as well. I know there are mental performance coaches. How did they help you kind of get that reset and get you to hit the ground running again back in Dunedin?

AN - I think everyone did a great job and just reminding me of who I am.

Like I said, I've always been confident in my skills and who I am but just having those people around me to really enforce that and tell me that they believe in me and that I'm a great player definitely helps me. I'm never gonna forget about that, and I'm just always gonna stay confident in those skills.

CPB - I want to ask about the media portion of your job right now. I think it really kind of more or less started with that feature on MLB Network, which is a great documentary. How did that all come together and what was that process like, being really the main subject of that feature?

AN - I think MLB took an interest with just being able to, you know, really learn about me. You don't really see a lot of Indian baseball players at all, and I think I was in a really good spot to be put in that situation.

They reached out to my agent, and we got it done and I thought it was a super cool experience getting to go to India, and film with some other young baseball players. They're very good players and I thought the overall experience was very cool.

CPB - You were seeing a lot of TV crews. How long a process was that?

AN - It definitely took (a while). More of the process was spent on planning and what to do and how to put everything together. We only spent a couple of days in India and got to do all that stuff, but it did take a while to set it all up. But it came out pretty good.

CPB - We've seen you on MLB Network, CBC, Sportsnet, the Blue Jays broadcast. You've gotten lots of media requests, but you seem to handle it all in stride. When did you first start getting really comfortable dealing with the media?

AN - I think I've always been pretty good with the media. I just like to be myself and give you the most honest answers I can give. That's kind of how I've been. I think I've been very blessed to be able to kind of be good at it. I'm not gonna say I'm really good at it but I've been able to answer questions well. I think I've been blessed in that and I'm just gonna keep working at it, but just getting better over time for sure.

CPB - How much preparation does it take right now? The media is always gonna be a constant presence of baseball games, especially more so now. How are you able to compartmentalize and just kind of get on with your day after you're done your media obligations?

AN - There's things that come with playing professional sports, you know? Media is one of those so it's just separating those little things and being able to to stay focused on the baseball part of the game. I think that's the most important part. The reason we're here is to play baseball at the highest level and to win games as a team. So whatever comes with it, we take it in stride and we do it. That's kind of that's how I look at it, you know? I'm gonna do what I have to do off the field and also be the best on the field that I can be.

CPB - I wanted to ask about getting assigned here to Vancouver. I know there's some talk on if you would come out to Vancouver (to start 2025) but you were ready for the challenge and I'm sure you're happy that you're making the step up.

AN - Yeah, I thought personally I'd be ready for that for Vancouver to start the year and the Blue Jays have the same front (office) staff, got the same coaches and teammates. They're all cheering for me to be in Vancouver, and I think it's been very good so far. We're just going to keep getting better every day.

CPB - I saw your parents were here in Vancouver and I know you've certainly depended on them a lot to help you develop as a young man.

What does it mean having your parents and brother giving you their full support?

AN - It means a lot. My brother has not gotten the chance to visit me yet but my parents did come for a few days. Just having them you know in my corner to support me after every game, staying up late because it's three hours ahead there. It's like 1:00, 2:00 (in the morning) when the games are over and they're still awake cheering me. Having that support from them is huge for any kid. I'm never going to take that for granted.

CPB - Starting off the year, you saw more time at the designated hitter position due to an arm injury. I hear of some players going kind of crazy, just only batting and being off the field. How were you able to make that adjustment because it didn't seem to affect your hitting?

AN - Yeah, it kind of must have been something with the weather changing a little bit. My arm was a little bit sore, nothing major, but they did a great job taking care of me. Gave me a couple days off, a couple DH games, but I think it's the same process every day. It's just those days I just didn't do anything on the field for ground balls or at least I did ground balls, just not in the game. I didn't play short, but it was the same process as a hitter. Nothing's gonna affect those things. Defence and offence are separate. Just having that mindset and just being locked in on every at-bat was the same thing I'm doing now, even while I play short.

CPB - You got off to a tremendous start, hitting a few early home runs. I think the one in Tri-City was the one that got the most attention? Would you say that it's maybe the farthest you've ever hit a ball?

AN - Yeah, I will say that is a top-five homer for me, distance-wise. I

didn't get to see where it landed but I was just looking for a good pitch to hit. That was probably the third game of the season, I think, and just looking for good pitches, trying to stick to an approach, like I said. He gave me a good pitch to hit and I put a good swing on it, but definitely a top-five longest homer that I've probably hit.

CPB - I got to see you hit one out in Everett and the one here in Vancouver.

I noticed a bow and arrow celebration (for the latter). Is that something you've done before, or do you only break it out for special occasions?

AN - I'm named after an archer in Hindu mythology so just using that kind of represents that. I think any special moment that we have as a team, whether it be a double, a homer, anything. That's a celebration I use. Just different guys have different things that they do, but that's the meaning behind what I do.

CPB - Speaking of home runs, I know you hit one in spring training (and another the year before). What were those experiences like being able to go deep twice like that in spring training?

AN - It feels amazing. I think any opportunity you get to kind of play with the top squad is something that you should cherish and I think every opportunity I had to play with them in spring training, I took full advantage of it. I was very lucky and I'm very proud to have been able to do that in that moment.

CPB - Was there anyone you've really connected with as far as the big league club goes?

AN - Yeah, I think I'm very close to Barger, (Addison Barger). Barger is from where I grew up too. He went to King (High School). I went to Crest (Strawberry Crest High School), pretty close to each other, so I've always been pretty close to him. Even this year, just growing the bond with him, hitting with him off the Trajeckt. Just learning how it is in a big league environment, what to expect, things like that. Just having that kind of relationship with him has been amazing.

CPB - As far as your current teammates, taking photos of you around the batting cage, Eddie Micheletti always seems to be nearby. Is there anyone on this year's team you just kind of bonded with right away?

AN - I think all of them all of them are now my brothers, my family now, they're always going to be. I think I'm very very close with all of them.

I can't single out anyone, I mean, I'm very close to all these guys and I love them all.

CPB - Hitting here at Nat Bailey Stadium, how big of a challenge has it been? I believe the team is second in the league in home runs, but the majority of them have come on the road. What are the challenges of hitting here at Nat Bailey Stadium because it really is kind of considered a pitcher's park?

AN - Yeah, I would agree. I think at least early in the season, it's a lot harder to hit the long ball at this field. You really got to get into one to get it out here so it's just knowing that and playing to the advantage of the field. Hit them low, hit them hard, which we've already been doing.

CPB - What's it been like playing here at the Nat? The crowds are bigger.

In Spokane, you had some big crowds too but how would you compare playing in Vancouver compared to where you played before?

AN - It's amazing. It's everything I expected. People always said that Nat Bailey was the best. It's probably one of the better affiliates that we have and it gets packed and all of that's true. Just seeing all the fans, hearing them. The anthems before the games is amazing. That's the excitement that they have for the team and how into the game they are.

I love it and I love just being here in general.

CPB - The (C's) pocket schedules, you are the featured player. How does that make you feel when you see yourself on a pocket schedule like that, that they're promoting you?

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 19

20 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

AN - Yeah, I think it's super cool. But you know just staying focused on on the game, you know? I have seen it and I won't lie to you, I think it's very cool. But you know it could be any of us up there. I think everyone's very special and very good players so I'm gonna take what I can from that.

CPB - The South Asian jerseys, you were actually catching the ceremonial first pitch. How special was that for you getting to wear that jersey?

AN - Super special. I never been a part of that in my life never had that kind of experience so you know having that experience here at home at Nat Bailey. I think was something I'm always gonna cherish. Just hearing the music and just seeing the crowd was into it. That's something I'm always going to remember.

CPB - What would you say is the best part of your game and what is the part of the game that you think you need to still work on?

AN - I think my answer for this is, I believe that I can and will be a fivetool player. I think every part of my game is a strength I'm not gonna say 'I'm really really good at this, I'm really not good at this'. I think I'm good at everything. I'm gonna keep getting better at all of it, you know? So I continue working on the defense, on the running, on the hitting, everything. Just getting better at the same rate and keep making a difference on the field.

CPB - As far as shortstop goes, you certainly have shown the arm and the range for it. How is that process been going in getting used to the everyday grind of professional baseball and getting your reps in short?

AN - It's been great, I think. I take a lot of pride in playing shortstop and I want to play there as long as I can at the big league level. As long as the team needs me to play short, I'm gonna go out there and give it my best as long as I can every day. Having pride in playing that position and being a leader on the field is something that I'm gonna continue doing to help the team win.

CPB - I want to ask a little bit about your cricket background. I know there's similarities but a bit of an oddball question. Is there anything about cricket you'd like to see maybe implemented in baseball, or maybe something in baseball you'd like to see implemented in cricket?

AN - I would say no. I think both of them are very unique to each other.

I think cricket is cricket and baseball is baseball. I don't think they should be messed with and tampered around. I think they're both very beautiful sports and have their own uniqueness to them so I would say I'd hope nothing in baseball would be included and vice versa.

CPB - Not like maybe having your home runs count for six points or something like that?

AN - I mean that would be cool. I mean, now that you put it like that, that would be crazy, but then I guess there'd be a lot of runs scored in the game.

CPB - Final couple of questions. Did you have a favourite baseball uniform growing up? What would you say maybe was the best major league uniform you've seen?

AN - I couldn't single out a certain uniform. I've always loved teams with powder blue uniforms. I love powder blue uniforms. My favourite colour is blue, just powder blue in general. I've always been attracted to them. The Blue Jays have some, the Rays, the Brewers. Just powder blue uniforms I've always liked. I am a big fan of the City Connects that the Blue Jays have now. A huge fan of those. But when I'm watching baseball, I'm not really looking at the jerseys as much, but yeah, powder blues.

CPB - Final question. The Canadians jerseys-the South Asian jersey, red, black, blue, white and gray. Do you have a favourite?

AN - I think my favourite is the black. I like the black uniform a lot. All the uniforms are pretty sick but my personal favourite would be black.

CPB - I know you're in the same agency with Francisco Lindor and and I know he's been a big role model for you. He was one of your favourite players growing up. Who else did you follow growing up?

AN - I was a huge Giancarlo Stanton fan when he was in Miami. I went to the games to go see him, drove a lot of hours to go see him but he was, other than Lindor, he was the guy that I loved. Watching him smash homers out of the park all the time, especially that 2017 season where he won MVP. It's like every day it was a homer. Funny enough, he was on a homer streak. I go to see him and he doesn't (homer). I'm like, 'Okay, I guess I'm not coming'. And then he homers. He was one of the guys I love, but if I had to pick a favourite player, it's definitely Francisco Lindor.

CPB - You went to Marlins games. Did you go to Rays games as well growing up?

AN - Yeah, I went to Marlins games, went to Rays games. I went to more Rays games because it was more local but just the baseball game in general was exciting already.

CPB - Did you see a lot of Blue Jays games when they were in town against the Rays or occasionally against the Marlins? Do you remember anything about the Blue Jays growing up?

AN - Funny enough, I'm gonna let this pass but funny enough, I had a Blue Jays lunch box in middle school. I actually was a big fan of Blue Jays then especially when it was like Bautista and Encarnacion, that kind of era. Huge fan of the Blue Jays but I kind of grew out of it. I just kind of went to the Rays, you know, just bouncing around. I used to bounce around with Lindor wherever he was staying. I've never had a team, specifically, even though I guess the answer should be the Rays.

But I never had a team, I always enjoyed watching everyone. But funny enough that you mentioned the Blue Jays, I actually had a Blue Jays lunch box.

ARJUN NIMMALA

FI

LE Born - October 16, 2005, in Tam pa, Florida.

Height/Weight - 6-foot-1, 170 po unds Bats/Throws Right/Right Uniform Numbe rs - Wore numbe r 36 for the Flor Jays in 2023. W ida Coast League ore number 72 with the FCL Bl Blue the Dunedin Blue ue Jays and num Jays in 2024. ber 18 for Professional De but - August 1, 2023, for the Fl Jays at FCL Tige orida rs. Drew walk in third professiona Complex League Blue Evans. l at-bat against Donye First Professiona l Hit - August 3, 2023, for the FC Yankees. Single L Blue Jays at FC d against Allen Facundo.

L First Professiona l Home Run - Ap ril 7, 2024, for th Homered agains e Dunedin Blue t Sawyer Gipson Jays.

-Long.

C's Debut - April 4, 2025, at Tri-C ity Dust Devils.

Northwest Leag Drew a walk in ue plate appear first ance.

First C's Home Run - April 6, 20 25 , at Tr i-City. Homered Walk-Up Music - "Intoxicated" off Logan Britt.

by Martin Solve Twitter - @arju ig & GTA. n_baseball_ Instagram - @ar junnimmala99 Now You Know - Younger brothe r Ah season with Flor ida Tech Univers kil Nimmala completed his fre shman ity as an 18-yea with Arjun at St r-old. He was te rawberry Crest ammates High School and Game All-Amer was named a 20 ican, one year af 23 Perfect ter Arjun was a PGAA. VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 21

TUESDAY, JULY 1 | 1:05

CANADA DAY CELEBRATION

PLUS BUCKET HAT GIVEAWAY

22 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

HAZEL MAE TUESDAY JUNE 24 | 7:05

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 23

NO. PITCHERS HT WT 39 Edinson Batista 6-2 210 25 Bo Bonds 5-11 200 4 Irv Carter 6-4 210 11 Pat Gallagher 6-0 200 32 Colby Martin 5-11 195 43 Chris McElvain 6-0 205 5 Aaron Munson 5-10 180 26 Connor O’Halloran 6-2 195 45 Julio Ortiz 6-3 175 37 Fernando Perez 6-3 180 30 Kai Peterson 6-1 195 Kendry Rojas 6-2 190 38 Yondrei Rojas 5-10 180 3 JJ Sanchez 5-11 175 22 Gage Stanifer 6-3 205 27 Khal Stephen 6-4 215 33 Jonathan Todd 6-6 225 41 Jackson Wentworth 6-1 210 20 Chay Yeager 5-11 185

B/T R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R L/R R/L R/R R/R L/L L/L R/R L/L R/R R/R L/R R/R S/R

AGE – DOB 22 – 05/19/02 24 – 01/10/01 22 – 10/09/02 24 - 06/30/00 24 – 04/02/01 23 - 09/15/00 23 - 03/15/02 22 - 09/01/02 24 - 12/30/00 21 - 02/12/04 22 - 08/14/02 21- 11/26/02 22 - 11/22/02 25 - 09/08/99 21 - 11/18/03 22 - 12/21/02 23 - 08/21/01 22 - 08/08/02 22 - 09/11/02

HOMETOWN ’24 CLUBS Santiago, DOM Asheville (HOU) Live Oak, FL DUN, VAN Fort Lauderdale, FL DUN, VAN Leominster, MA VAN Lititz, PA DUN Thompson Station, TN Dayton (CIN) San Antonio, TX DUN, VAN Mississauga, ON DUN, VAN San Pedro de Macoris, DOM FCL, DUN Rivas, Nicaragua DUN Roseville, CA DUN, VAN Ciego De Avila, CUB Dunedin San Juan de los Morros, VEN DUN Los Fresnos, TX DUN, VAN Indianapolis, IN Dunedin Williamsport, IN College Reidsville, NC DUN Urbandale, IA College Gainesville, GA VAN

ACQUIRED Trade w/HOU, 04/01/25 13th, ’22, Louisiana-Lafayette 5th, ’21, Calvary Christian Academy (FL) 11th, ’22, Connecticut 16th, ’24, Southeastern (FL) Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24 19th, ’23, Angelo State 5th, ’23, Michigan MiLB FA, 07/21/23 INT FA, 01/15/22 20th, ’23, Sierra College INT FA, 10/14/20 INT FA, 02/10/21 ND FA, 07/20/23 19th, ’22, Westfield HS (IN) 2nd, ’24, Mississippi State 15th, ’24, Western Carolina 5th, ’24, Kansas State 12th, ’23, Pasco-Hernando State JC

NO. CATCHERS HT WT 26 Nicolas Deschamps 5-11 190 35 Hayden Gilliland 5-11 175 31 Jackson Hornung 6-2 215 6 Aaron Parker 5-9 200

B/T L/R L/R R/R R/R

AGE – DOB 21 - 08/25/02 23 - 10/29/01 24 - 02/06/01 22 - 01/17/03

HOMETOWN Quebec City, QC Maryville, TN Ashland, MA Los Altos, CA

’24 CLUBS Dunedin College VAN College, DUN

ACQUIRED ND FA, 08/16/21 ND FA, 07/21/24 16th, ’23, Skidmore 6th, ’24, UC Santa Barbara

NO. INFIELDERS 28 Cutter Coffey 7 Nick Goodwin 21 Sean Keys 18 Arjun Nimmala 1 Adrian Pinto

HT WT 6-1 190 6-1 205 6-2 225 6-1 175 5-8 170

B/T R/R R/R L/R R/R R/R

AGE – DOB 20 - 05/21/04 23 - 09/06/01 21 - 05/26/03 19 - 10/16/05 22 - 09/22/02

HOMETOWN Bakersfield, CA Overland Park, KS Centerport, NY Tampa, FL Caucagua, VEN

’24 CLUBS GVL (BOS), VAN VAN DUN FCL, DUN FCL, DUN, VAN

ACQUIRED Trade w/BOS, 07/27/24 7th, ’23, Kansas State 4th, ’24, Bucknell 1st (20th ovr.), ’23, Strawberry Crest HS (FL) Trade w/COL, 07/09/22

NO. OUTFIELDERS HT WT 2 Victor Arias 5-11 180 16 Carter Cunningham 6-4 215 19 Eddie Micheletti Jr. 6-1 220 24 Je’Von Ward 6-2 195 22 Jacob Wetzel 5-10 220

B/T L/L L/R L/R L/R L/L

AGE – DOB 21 - 08/24/03 24 - 11/06/00 23 - 12/29/01 25 - 10/25/99 25 - 03/26/00

HOMETOWN Maracay, VEN Haymarket, VA Wilmington, DE Long Beach, CA Walkersville, MD

’24 CLUBS DUN, VAN College, DUN DUN KCO (Indy), VAN MB, SB (CHI)

ACQUIRED INT FA, 08/24/19 10th, ’24, East Carolina 8th, ’24, Virginia Tech MiLB FA, 06/15/24 Rule 5 (CHI), 12/11/24

TORONTO SYSTEM: AAA - Buffalo; AA - New Hampshire; A+- Vancouver; A - Dunedin

^Development List

PRONUNCIATIONS: Yondrei – YAWN-dray | Khal Stephen – Cal Steven | Yeager – YAY-ger | Yesavage – yuh-SAV-ij | Deschamps – day-SHAWM Arjun Nimmal – ar-jin ni-MAUL-uh | Arias – AH-ree-us | Micheletti – mick-uh-LET-ee | Mayorga – my-OR-guh | von Roemer – von ROW-mer Robelin – RO-be-lean | Petr Stříbrcký – Peter stree-BRICK-ski | Holemo – ho-LEH-mo | Cardona – car-DOUGH-nuh | Tavel – rhymes with gavel

FIELD STAFF 17 Manager: Jose Mayorga 13 Bench Coach: Matt Von Roemer 29 Pitching Coach: Eric Yardley 34 Bullpen Coach: Robelin Bautista 12 Hitting Coach: Ryan Wright 14 Position Coach: Petr Stříbrcký 24 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

Athletic Trainer: Katie Reyes Assistant Athletic Trainer: Dalton Holemo Strength & Conditioning: Joe Cardona Assistant S&C: Noah Or Dietitian: Stephanie Tavel Tech Assistant: Owen Ruddock

NO. PITCHERS 20 Logan Britt 10 Chris Cortez 16 Ryan Cousteiu 23 Carlos Espinosa 14 Leonard Garcia 40 Sandy Gastón 55 Max Gieg 30 Austin Gordon 49 Bridger Holmes 46 Ryan Johnson 13 Keythel Key 28 Jorge Marcheco Alex Martinez 17 Roman Phansalkar 24 Dylan Phillips 21 Montana Semmel 25 Jake Smith 7 Najer Victor

T R R R R L R R R R R R R R R L R R R

HT 6-5 6-1 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-5 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-1 5-10 6-1 6-0 6-4 6-4 6-1

WT 221 210 200 222 215 224 230 210 218 215 181 197 170 195 220 245 189 219

DOB 7/16/2000 10/6/2002 11/28/2000 8/8/2001 8/11/2003 12/16/2001 6/8/2001 6/14/2003 8/27/2002 8/5/2002 10/10/2003 8/6/2002 09/15/2002 06/02/1998 06/16/1999 01/01/2002 10/4/1999 11/28/2001

ENTERED ANGELS ORG/COLLEGE 17th/2023 (Abilene Christian) 2nd/2024 (Texas A&M) 7th/2021 (Arkansas) Trade w/ HOU - 1/2024 INTL FA - Signed 8/2019 MiLB FA [prev. TB] - 2/2025 18th/2022 (Boston College) 4th/2024 (Clemson) Draft - 7th/2024 (Oregon State) 2ndC/2024 (Dallas Baptist) INTL FA - Signed 2/2021 INTL FA - Signed 9/2021 INTL FA - Signed 9/2019 Draft - 7th/2022 (Oklahoma St) Draft - 8th/2022 (Kansas St) MiLB FA [prev. NYY} - 2/2025 Draft - 6th/2021 (U. of Miami [FL]) Draft -14th/2024 (Central Florida)

RESIDES BIRTHPLACE Aledo, TX Fort Worth, TX Las Vegas, NV Las Vegas, NV Clayton, CA Walnut Creek, CA Najasa, Cuba Najasa, Cuba Barcelona, Venezuela Anzoategui, Venezuela Miami, FL Matanzas, Cuba Lynn, MA Lynn,MA Myrtle Beach, SC Myrtle Beach, SC Anacortes, WA Anacortes, WA Dallas, TX Dallas, TX Valencia, Venezuela El Tigrito, Venezuela San Cristóbal, DR Bayamo, Cuba Santiago, DR Santiago, DR Edmond, OK Edmond, OK Omaha, NE Omaha, NE Stamford, CT Stamford, CT Chapel Hill, NC Chapel Hill, NC Clermont, FL St. Thomas, VI

NO. CATCHERS 12 Peter Burns 9 Juan Flores 15 Caleb Pendleton

B/T L/R R/R R/R

HT 5-10 5-10 6-2

WT 202 215 219

DOB 10/14/1999 2/13/2006 04/05/2002

ENTERED ANGELS ORG NDFA - 7/2023 (Boston College) INTL FA - Signed 1/2023 NDFA -7/2023 (Florida Atlantic)

RESIDES Reading, MA Lara, Venezuela Palm City, FL

NO. INFIELDERS 33 Matt Coutney 18 Cole Fontenelle 26 Ryan Nicholson 4 Capri Ortiz 2 Adrian Placencia 6 Arol Vera

B/T L/R S/R L/R S/R S/R S/R

HT 6-1 6-3 6-1 6-0 5-11 6-2

WT 230 220 226 182 184 230

DOB 7/8/1999 03/10/2002 8/29/2000 4/1/2005 6/2/2003 9/12/2002

ENTERED ANGELS ORG 10th/2022 (Old Dominion) Draft - 7th/2023 (Texas Christian) 10th/2024 (Kentucky) INTL FA - Signed 1/2022 INTL FA - Signed 7/2019 INTL FA - Signed 7/2019

RESIDES BIRTHPLACE Wetaskiwin, AB, CAN Wetaskiwin, AB, CAN Sammamish, WA Kirkland, WA Louisville, KY Westwood, CA Santo Domingo, DR Santo Domingo, DR Santiago, DR Los Alcarizzos, DR Valencia, Venezuela Valencia, Venezuela

NO. OUTFIELDERS 3 David Calabrese 19 Randy De Jesus 22 Rio Foster 31 Alexander Ramirez 1 Anthony Scull

B/T L/R R/R R/R R/R L/L

HT 5-10 6-4 6-3 6-3 6-2

WT 190 239 219 237 202

DOB 09/26/2002 2/13/2005 6/18/2003 8/29/2002 1/26/2004

ENTERED ANGELS ORG Draft - 3rd/2020 (St. Elizabeth HS) INTL FA - Signed 1/2022 16th/2023 (Florence-Darlington Tech JC) INTL FA - Signed 8/2018 INTL FA - Signed 9/2021

RESIDES Vaughan, ON, CAN Bonao, DR Athens, GA San Cristóbal, DR La Habana, Cuba

BIRTHPLACE Boston, MA Quibor, Venezuela West Chester, PA

BIRTHPLACE Richmond Hill, ON, CAN Bonao, DR Athens, GA San Cristóbal, DR La Habana, Cuba

LA ANGELS SYSTEM: AAA - Salt Lake; AA - Rocket City; A+ - Tri-City; A - Inland Empire PRONUNCIATIONS: Cousteiu - COST-yew | Espinosa - es-pih-NO-suh | Gastón - gas-TONE | Gieg - GIG | Keythel - KEY-thel | Najer - naw-JEER Jorge Marcheco - HOR-hey mar-CHECK-oh | Phansalkar - FAN-sahl-ker | Flores - FLOR-ez | Coutney COOT-knee | Fontenelle - FON-tuh-nell Capri Ortiz - cah-PREE or-TEEZE | Placencia - plah-SENSE-ee-uh | Arol Vera - ah-ROLL VEHR-uh | Calabrese - cal-uh-BRAY-see | De Jesus - deh-HEY-soos Rio - REE-oh | Scull - SCHOOL

FIELD STAFF 11 Manager: Dann Bilardello 51 Pitching Coach: Doug Henry 15 Hitting Coach: Raywilly Gomez 5 Infield/1B Coach: Trevor Nyp

Game Planning Strategist: Michael Portela Athletic Trainer: Chase Galloway Assistant Athletic Trainer: Dalton Holemo Strength & Conditioning: Matt Gabriel Video Assistant: Nathan Hemingway Clubhouse Manager: Joe Creason Assistant Clubhouse Manager: Angel Gonzalez VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 25

FIELD STAFF

JOSE

MAYORGA

17

MANAGER Mayorga has been managing in the Blue Jays system since 2022. He spent two seasons at the helm for the FCL Blue Jays then managed Single-A Dunedin to a 69-61 record in 2024, the club’s best mark since 2019. This won’t be his first stop at The Nat; the Pueblo Nuevo, Panama native was the bench coach for the C’s in 2018. Mayorga brings a championship pedigree to Vancouver, leading the Federales de Chiriqui to back-to-back Panamanian Professional Baseball League titles in 202223 and 2023-24. The latter squad went 5-1 in the 2024 Caribbean Series and placed third in the tournament. He also skippered Panama in the WBSC Premier12 tournament last year, where former C’s bench coach Ashley Ponce and pitcher Abdiel Mendoza joined him. As a player, Mayorga was a catcher in the Philadelphia Phillies system from 2010 to 2015.

26 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

MATT

VON ROEMER

13

BENCH COACH Matt von Roemer, Bench Coach – von Roemer takes on his largest role as a professional coach since joining the Blue Jays as an intern in 2019. He has rapidly ascended the organizational ranks, first as Technology Operations Coordinator then as Double-A New Hampshire’s development coach in 2023 before making his bench coach debut on Mayorga’s staff with Single-A Dunedin last year. The Kendall Park, NJ native played collegiately at Kenyon College from 2015 to 2018, slashing .366/.416/.503 with a .919 OPS in 147 games played across four seasons with the Lords (now known as the Owls).

ERIC

YARDLEY

29

PITCHING COACH Eric Yardley, Pitching Coach – Yardley assumes the role of pitching coach for the first time as a professional following a three-year big league career with the Padres and Brewers. A native of Richland, WA, the former right-handed reliever posted a career ERA of 3.52 in 53.2 innings of work across 51 MLB games. Yardley, 34, also logged Triple-A innings with the Cubs and Blue Jays in 2022.

He joined the coaching ranks last season and served as Double-A New Hampshire’s bullpen coach.

RYAN

WRIGHT

12

HITTING COACH Ryan Wright, Hitting Coach – Wright is the team’s hitting coach for the fifth consecutive season. The Boise, ID native’s mentorship of Blue Jays prospects Peyton Williams, Jace Bohrofen and Dasan Brown last year had all three among the Northwest League’s top hitters. He has overseen the offensive evolutions of big leaguers Davis Schneider, Spencer Horwitz, Addison Barger and Leo Jimenez during their respective tenures with the C’s and contributed to the rapid development of Alan Roden and Josh Kasevich as potential Major Leaguers in 2025.

ROBELIN

BAUTISTA

34

BULLPEN COACH Robelin Bautista, Bullpen Coach – Bautista will handle the Vancouver relief corps in 2025 after two seasons as the pitching coach for the DSL Blue Jays. Originally from El Seibo, DR, Bautista graduated from Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA in 2019 and joined the Blue Jays as Player Development Intern later that year.

PETR

STŘÍBRCKÝ

14

POSITION COACH Petr Stříbrcký, Position Coach – Stříbrcký makes his High-A debut after serving in the same role for Single-A Dunedin last season. The Blansko, Czech Republic native has played and coached all over the world, including an eight-year stint as the director of the Portuguese Baseball Academy.

Stříbrcký joined Toronto’s organization as the hitting coach of the DSL Blue Jays in 2019 and returned to that role in 2021 before arriving stateside as the development coach of the FCL Blue Jays in 2022. He first joined the Dunedin staff as development coach in 2023.

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 27

Watch Now

28 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

2025 ROSTER

COLBY

MARTIN

HT: 5-11 WT: 195 B/T: R/R DOB: 04/02/01 HOMETOWN: Lititz, PA ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: 16th, ’24, Southeastern (FL)

FERNANDO

PEREZ

EDINSON

BATISTA

BO

43

AARON

30

KENDRY

YONDREI

HT: 6-2 WT: 190 B/T: L/L DOB: 11/26/02 HOMETOWN: Ciego de Avila, CUB ’24 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver ACQUIRED: INT FA, 14/10/20

HT: 5-10 WT: 180 B/T: R/R DOB: 11/22/02 HOMETOWN: San Juan de los Morros, VZ ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: INT FA, 02/10/21

PITCHER HT: 6-2 WT: 210 B/T: R/R DOB: 05/19/02 HOMETOWN: Santiago, DR ’24 CLUBS: Asheville (HOU) ACQUIRED: Trade w/HOU, 04/01/25

32

CHRIS

37

KAI

PITCHER HT: 6-3 WT: 180 B/T: R/R DOB: 02/12/04 HOMETOWN: Rivas, Nicaragua ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: INT FA, 01/15/22

39

McELVAIN

HT: 6-0 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 09/15/00 HOMETOWN: Thompson Station, TN ’24 CLUBS: VAN AQUIRED: Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24

PETERSON

PITCHER HT: 6-1 WT: 195 B/T: L/L DOB: 08/14/02 HOMETOWN: Roseville, CA ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: 20th, ’23, Sierra College

BONDS

25

PITCHER HT: 5-11 WT: 200 B/T: R/R DOB: 01/10/01 HOMETOWN: Live Oak, FL ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: 13th, ’22, LouisianaLafayette

MUNSON

5

PITCHER HT: 5-10 WT: 180 B/T: L/R DOB: 03/15/02 HOMETOWN: San Antonio, TX ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: 19th, ’23, Angelo State

ROJAS

IRV

CARTER

4

PAT

26

JULIO

38

JJ

PITCHER HT: 6-4 WT: 210 B/T: R/R DOB: 10/09/02 HOMETOWN: Fort Lauderdale, FL ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: 5th, ’21, Calvary Christian Academy (FL)

CONNOR

O’HALLORAN

PITCHER HT: 6-2 WT: 195 B/T: R/L DOB: 09/01/02 HOMETOWN: Mississauga, ON ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: 5th, ’23, Michigan

ROJAS

GALLAGHER

11

PITCHER HT: 6-0 WT: 200 B/T: R/R DOB: 06/30/00 HOMETOWN: Leominster, MA ’24 CLUBS: VAN ACQUIRED: 11th, ’22, Connecticut

ORTIZ

45

PITCHER HT: 6-3 WT: 175 B/T: R/R DOB: 12/30/00 HOMETOWN: San Pedro de Macoris, DR ’24 CLUBS: FCL, DUN ACQUIRED: MiLB FA, 07/21/23

SANCHEZ

3

PITCHER HT: 5-11 WT: 175 B/T: L/L DOB: 09/08/99 HOMETOWN: Los Fresnos, TX ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: ND FA, 07/20/23

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 29

GAGE

STANIFER

22

KHAL

26

HAYDEN

7

SEAN

HT: 6-3 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 11/18/03 HOMETOWN: Indianapolis, IN ’24 CLUBS: Dunedin ACQUIRED: 19th, ’22, Westfield HS (IN)

NICOLAS

DESCHAMPS

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

NICK

GOODWIN

INFIELDER HT: 6-1 WT: 205 B/T: R/R DOB: 09/06/01 HOMETOWN: Overland Park, KS ’24 CLUBS: VAN ACQUIRED: 7th, ’23, Kansas State

STEPHEN

27

JONATHAN

35

JACKSON

21

ARJUN

HT: 6-4 WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 12/21/02 HOMETOWN: Williamsport, IN ’24 CLUBS: College ACQUIRED: 2nd, ’24, Mississippi State

GILLILAND

CATCHER HT: 5-11 WT: 175 B/T: L/R DOB: 10/29/01 HOMETOWN: Maryville, TN ’24 CLUBS: College ACQUIRED: ND FA, 07/21/24

KEYS

INFIELDER HT: 6-2 WT: 225 B/T: L/R DOB: 05/26/03 HOMETOWN: Centerport, NY ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: 4th, ’24, Bucknell

30 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

TODD

33

JACKSON

31

AARON

18

ADRIAN

PITCHER HT: 6-6 WT: 225 B/T: L/R DOB: 08/21/01 HOMETOWN: Reidsville, NC ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: 15th, ’24, Western Carolina

HORNUNG

OUTFIELDER HT: 6-2 WT: 215 B/T: R/R DOB: 02/06/01 HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA ’24 CLUBS: VAN ACQUIRED: 16th, ’23, Skidmore

NIMMALA

INFIELDER HT: 6-1 WT: 175 B/T: R/R DOB: 10/16/05 HOMETOWN: Tampa, FL ’24 CLUBS: FCL, DUN ACQUIRED: 1st (20th ovr.), ’23, Strawberry Crest HS (FL)

WENTWORTH

41

CHAY

6

CUTTER

1

VICTOR

PITCHER HT: 6-1 WT: 210 B/T: R/R DOB: 08/08/02 HOMETOWN: Urbandale, IA ’24 CLUBS: College ACQUIRED: 5th, ’24, Kansas State

PARKER

CATCHER HT: 5-9 WT: 200 B/T: R/R DOB: 01/17/03 HOMETOWN: Los Altos, CA ’24 CLUBS: College, DUN ACQUIRED: 6th, ’24, UC Santa Barbara

PINTO

INFIELDER HT: 5-8 WT: 170 B/T: R/R DOB: 09/22/02 HOMETOWN: Caucagua, VZ ’24 CLUBS: FCL, DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: Trade w/COL, 07/09/22

YEAGER

20

PITCHER HT: 5-11 WT: 185 B/T: S/R DOB: 09/11/02 HOMETOWN: Gainesville, GA ’24 CLUBS: VAN ACQUIRED: 12th, ’23, PascoHernando State JC

COFFEY

28

INFIELDER HT: 6-1 WT: 190 B/T: R/R DOB: 05/21/04 HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, CA ’24 CLUBS: GVL (BOS), VAN ACQUIRED: Trade w/BOS, 07/27/24

ARIAS

2

OUTFIELDER HT: 5-11 WT: 180 B/T: L/L DOB: 08/24/03 HOMETOWN: Maracay, VZ ’24 CLUBS: DUN, VAN ACQUIRED: INT FA, 08/24/19

CARTER

CUNNINGHAM

16

INFIELDER HT: 6-4 WT: 215 B/T: L/R DOB: 11/06/00 HOMETOWN: Haymarket, VA ’24 CLUBS: College, DUN ACQUIRED: 10th, ’24, East Carolina

EDDIE

MICHELETTI JR.

19

OUTFIELDER HT: 6-1 WT: 220 B/T: L/R DOB: 12/29/01 HOMETOWN: Wilmington, DE ’24 CLUBS: DUN ACQUIRED: 8th, ’24, Virginia Tech

JE’VON

WARD

24

OUTFIELDER HT: 6-2 WT: 195 B/T: L/R DOB: 10/25/99 HOMETOWN: Long Beach, CA ’24 CLUBS: KCO (Indy), VAN ACQUIRED: MiLB FA, 06/15/24

JACOB

WETZEL

22

OUTFIELDER HT: 5-10 WT: 220 B/T: L/L DOB: 03/26/00 HOMETOWN: Walkersville, MD ’24 CLUBS: MB, SB (CHI) ACQUIRED: Rule 5 (CHI), 12/11/24

KATIE

DALTON

JOE

NOAH

STEPHANIE

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

ASST. ATHLETIC TRAINER

HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

ASST. STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

NUTRITION

REYES

HOLEMO

CARDONA

2025 TRANSACTIONS APRIL

4/2 – Blue Jays announce C’s Opening Day roster 4/4 – UTL Jackson Hornung, C Hayden Gilliland placed on Development List 4/15 – RHP Connor O’Halloran placed on 7-Day IL 4/18 – UTL Jackson Hornung activated from the Development List, UTL Carter Cunningham placed on the Development List 4/19 – RHP Edinson Batista transferred from Single-A Dunedin to Vancouver, wearing #39 4/25 – UTL Jay Harry transferred to Double-A New Hampshire, UTL Carter Cunningham activated from the Development List 4/29 – OF Jacob Wetzel placed on 7-Day IL, C Hayden Gilliland activated from the Development List

MAY OWEN

RUDDOCK

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT

5/6 – RHP Irv Carter placed on Development List, RHP Yondrei Rojas transferred from Single-A Dunedin to Vancouver wearing #38 5/8 – OF Victor Arias placed on 7-Day IL 5/12 – C Alex Stone transferred to Double-A New Hampshire, C Nic Deschamps #26 transferred from Double-A New Hampshire to Vancouver, OF Gabriel Martinez #8 transferred from Double-A New Hampshire to Vancouver 5/13 – UTL Brennan Orf placed on the 7-Day IL 5/16 – UTL Adrian Pinto placed on the 7-Day IL 5/20 – RHPs Kevin Miranda, Grant Rogers and Juaron Watts-Brown transferred from Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire, RHP Irv

OR

TAVEL

Carter activated from the Development List, OF Victor Arias activated from 7-Day IL, RHPs Trey Yesavage #15, Khal Stephen #27 and Gage Stanifer #22 transferred from Single-A Dunedin to Vancouver 5/28 – C Hayden Gilliland transferred from Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire

JUNE

6/3 – C Hayden Gilliland #35 transferred from Double-A New Hampshire to Vancouver 6/4 – OF Gabby Martinez transferred from Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire 6/7 – RHP Chris McElvain #43 activated from the 7-Day IL 6/12 – RHP Trey Yesavage transferred from Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire 6/20 – RHP Colby Martin #32 transferred from Single-A Dunedin to Vancouver

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 31

Robin Roberts was one of several young stars who powered the Phillies to the 1950 National League pennant. (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) 32 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

BY BILL FRANCIS

THEY’RE STILL THE WHIZ KIDS

75 years after winning the NL pennant, Philadelphia’s 1950 heroes remain legends.

Dubbed the “Whiz Kids” because of the youth of their key players, the upstart 1950 Philadelphia Phillies remain memorable 75 years later despite being swept by another iconic club of the era, the star-studded New York Yankees, in the Fall Classic.

Few teams captured the spirit of their era better than the team that nearly brought the city’s National League franchise its first World Series title.

The Phils had trouble winning almost from their start as a National League member in 1883. Rarely finishing a campaign with a winning record, the team more often than not found themselves in the second division of an eight- or 10-team loop and posted 30 losing seasons in 31 years from 1918-48. But the tide was turning by the late 1940s, a positive change most often credited to new ownership, a front office shakeup, a midseason change at manager and an influx of young talent.

Along with the Junior Circuit’s Philadelphia Athletics, the two Philly teams shared the same ballpark, Shibe Park, since midseason 1938. While the A’s under longtime manager and owner Connie Mack had periods of success over the decades, including most recently three straight World Series appearances and two titles between 1929 and ‘31, their NL counterparts had never won a world championship while only winning one pennant when the 1915 aggregation was led by future Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander’s 31 victories.

Under the stewardship of Bob Carpenter, who acquired the Phillies in 1943, and the shrewd front office leadership of Herb Pennock, the onetime southpaw for the A’s who made his name as a Yankees hurler in the 1920s and named general manager of the franchise in December 1943, the groundwork was laid and the future looked bright. By 1949, the team, at 81-73, had their first above .500 mark since 1932.

Led by skipper Eddie Sawyer, who replaced Ben Chapman in July 1948, the Phillies had a youth movement taking place on the diamond, supported by a few important veteran leaders, as the 1950 season got underway. Unfortunately, Pennock wouldn’t live to see it, as the man who had acquired most of the team’s talent passed away in 1948, the same year he would be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

After an inauspicious start, the 1950 Phillies won 11 of 13 in early May to place them above .500 – where they would remain for the rest of the season – but also gave them their first taste of first place among the eight NL teams. Overall, they would spend 113 days during the ‘50

campaign in the top spot, an unfamiliar spot for this franchise.

Despite this unprecedented success, baseball writers persisted in referring to them as the “Phutile Phils.” Their prior Modern Era history, which included finishing in last place 17 times, almost demanded it.

The colorful moniker, the “Whiz Kids,” was apt for this team, with most of their roster aged 25-or-younger, including third baseman Willie “Puddin’ Head” Jones (24), shortstop Granny Hamner (23), outfielders Del Ennis (25) and Richie Ashburn (23), and starting pitchers Robin Roberts (23), Bob Miller (24), Bubba Church (25) and Curt Simmons (21).

They had a combination of youth and experience, though, with veteran contributions coming from first baseman Eddie Waitkus (30), second baseman Mike Goliat (28), outfielder Dick Sisler (29), catcher Andy Seminick (29) and relief ace Jim Konstanty (33).

“They call this team the ‘Whiz Kids,’” said 35-year-old reserve outfielder Bill Nicholson. “But me … Jim Konstanty – we’re the ‘Was Kids.’”

VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 33

In particular, the youthful starting mound crew benefited greatly from both Konstanty, who would set a then-MLB record with 74 appearances while winning 16 games and saving 22 more, and Seminick, whose knowledge of opposing hitters helped the young staff and whose bat, which walloped 24 home runs, provided needed power.

After a wait of 35 years for something to cheer about, no one blamed the fans for being enthusiastic. For only the second time in their history, the Phillies went over the one million-mark in attendance, 1,217,035. Even sheet music of a marching song, “The Fightin’ Phils,” became a bestseller in the city.

The Phillies won the flag on the last day of the season in dramatic fashion. Two weeks after holding their largest lead, 7½ games on Sept. 20, they faced the Dodgers at Ebbets Field on Oct. 1 in the final game of the regular season with a one-game lead on Brooklyn. The Phillies had lost five in a row entering the game.

Hoping to avoid a playoff, the Phils were tied with the Dodgers, 1-1, going into the ninth inning. The game remained even when Brooklyn’s Cal Abrams was thrown out at the plate by Ashburn after Duke Snider singled with two on and no outs. Roberts then escaped the jam without allowing a run.

The next inning, in the top of the 10th, Sisler clubbed a three-run homer to deep left field off Don Newcombe to give Philadelphia a 4-1 lead it would not relinquish. Sisler, who had three hits in the game prior to his heroics, was the son of Hall of Famer George Sisler, who was a Dodgers front office executive at the time and sitting behind the Dodgers’ dugout when his son connected.

The 1950 Phillies won the pennant with a 91-63 record, a season after coming in third at 81-73, 16 games back of Brooklyn. It was the first time the Phillies had consecutive winning seasons since 191517.

“Build up a fellow’s confidence and you build up his ability,” is how Sawyer once explained his philosophy. “Knock him all the time, his confidence disappears and the battle is lost.”

Though they would be swept in the World Series, the Phillies were game throughout – losing the first three by one run each and the finale by three.

BBWAA Career Excellence Award honoree Shirley Povich, in a column from the day the World Series began, joked about the perceived mismatch: “I like the Yankees to win it, but I don’t possibly see how they can do it in less than four games.”

The star-studded Yankees included future Hall of Famers Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Johnny Mize and Phil Rizzuto. Cooperstown-bound Phillies numbered Ashburn and Roberts.

Phillies southpaw Curt Simmons was not available for the Fall Classic, his National Guard unit activated just before the Series. He had finished the regular season with 17 wins and a 3.40 earned run average. The 1950 World Series was also a matchup of league Most Valuable Players: Rizzuto batted .324 and scored 125 runs, while Konstanty compiled a 16-7 record with a 2.66 ERA. “The way I set it up in my mind,” Konstanty said, “every hitter I face is in a slump.”

Konstanty, who had pitched in relief all season, started Game 1 for Philadelphia and lost, 1-0, to Vic Raschi, while Robin Roberts, a 20game winner during the season, dropped a 2-1 game to Allie Reynolds when DiMaggio homered in the 10th inning. Game 3 was tied in the bottom of the ninth when Jerry Coleman won it with an RBI single off of reliever Russ Meyer. Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, only 21 at the time, started the clinching game and got the win.

34 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

For the Yankees it was their second straight title, their 13th in 17 chances, and another sweep added to the ones achieved in 1927, 1928, 1932, 1938 and 1939.

“Pitching was the story of this series,” said Sawyer, who spent time in the upstate New York area near Cooperstown – having attended Ithaca College and received his Master’s degree from Cornell University prior to managing in the minors with Binghamton and Utica. “Excepting for Raschi’s job in the first game, I don’t think their pitching was much better than ours, if any. But, as I said before, all our mistakes cost us.”

The five pitchers used by the Yankees in the World Series had a combined 0.73 ERA. Of the 16 total runs scored by both teams, only five were tallied by Philadelphia.

The Game 1 start by Konstanty, the bespectacled righty who later in life opened a sporting goods store in Oneonta, N.Y., a 20-minute drive from the Baseball Hall of Fame, was his first in the majors since 1946.

With Simmons unavailable, Sawyer bypassed Roberts, who would have been working on just two days’ rest.

The rubber armed Konstanty, a control pitcher with a slider and palm ball, had pitched nine innings of relief against Pittsburgh on Aug. 25 and 10 relief innings in a 19-inning game against Cincinnati on Sept.

15.

“That slowball and the control and the confidence really does something to every batter in the league,” said Waitkus. “They sort of roll over and play dead. He pitches to them like they’re all off-balance – and I’m sure they are.”

Writing for the Philadelphia Daily News in 1986, Ashburn, who would go on to become a beloved broadcaster for the Phillies, tried to explain the hold the Whiz Kids had on the Philadelphia faithful.

“The Whiz Kids never should be confused with the Yankees of the late ‘20s, the Brooklyn Dodgers of the early ‘50s, the Milwaukee Braves of the late ‘50s or the Cincinnati Reds of the late ‘70s,” Ashburn wrote.

“Those clubs were legitimate dynasties in baseball. The Whiz Kids were a young team that won a National League pennant one time and then proceeded to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees in four consecutive games.

“Despite this, the Whiz Kids have endured and seem to have endeared themselves in the hearts of Phillies baseball fans everywhere. Maybe it was the long dry spell of winning baseball in Philadelphia. The third place ’49 Phillies, led by manager Eddie Sawyer, signaled a stretch of some pretty good baseball at Connie Mack Stadium. Indeed, Sawyer called a meeting after the final game of that season and told the players, ‘We didn’t win this year, but we had the best team in the league the last half of the season.’

“He added: ‘Come back next spring ready to win.’”

Bill Francis is the senior research and writing specialist at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum 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.

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VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 35

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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 Rich Harden Neal Cotts Mike Wood

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P P

2001 2001 2001

21-Jul 12-Aug 21-Aug

2004 Santiago Casilla Nick Swisher Joe Blanton

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P OF P

2002 2002 2002

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

2005 Mark Teahen Dan Johnson Omar Quintanilla Freddie Bynum Nelson Cruz

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

INF INF INF INF OF

2002 2001 2003 2000 2002

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

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

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

POS 2007 Travis Buck OF Jared Burton P Danny Putman OF Dallas Braden P Connor Robertson P Marshal McDougall INF Kevin Melillo INF Bill Murphy P

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

2005 2002 2004 2004 2004 2000 2004 2002

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

2008 Gregorio Petit John Baker Jeff Gray

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

INF C P

2004 2002 2005

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

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P C INF P INF

2006 2004 2004 2005 2005

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

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P

2010 2004

24-Jun 15-Jul

2006 John Rheinecker Andre Either Chris Mabeus Kurt Suzuki Jason Windsor Jeremy Brown Mark Kiger

2009 Andrew Bailey Landon Powell Tommy Everidge Brad Kilby Jeff Baisley 2010 A.J. Griffin Alexi Ogando

38 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

Oakland Chicago (AL) Oakland

Kansas City Oakland Colorado Oakland Milwaukee Texas Los Angeles (NL) Milwaukee Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Cincinnati Oakland Oakland Oakland Texas Oakland Arizona

Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Oakland Texas

2011 Justin Sellers Anthony Recker Corey Brown

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

INF C OF

2005 2005 2007

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

2012 Pedro Figueroa Sean Doolittle Dan Straily

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P P

2007 2007 2009

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

2013 Ian Krol Kevin Pillar Max Stassi Michael Choice

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P OF C OF

2009 2011 2009 2010

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

2014 Bo Schultz Marcus Stroman Aaron Sanchez Dalton Pompey Daniel Norris

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P P OF P

2009 2012 2011 2012 2012

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

2015 POS Miguel Castro P Roberto Osuna P Noah Syndergaard P Justin Nicolino P Dusty Coleman INF David Rollins P

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

2014 2012 2011 2011 2008 2011

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

2016 Andy Burns Matt Dermody 2017 Dwight Smith Jr. Seth Frankoff Ian Parmley Franklin Barreto Taylor Cole Tim Mayza Jairo Labourt Carlos Ramirez Richard Urena Tim Locastro 2018 Ryan Borucki Justin Shafer Murphy Smith Dawel Lugo Jose Fernandez Jonathan Davis Jon Berti

Washington Toronto Houston Oakland Arizona Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto New York (NL) Miami Kansas City Seattle

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

INF P

2011 2013

09-May Toronto 03-Sep Toronto

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

OF P OF INF P P P P INF INF

2012 2010 2013 2014 2012 2014 2014 2012 2014 2014

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

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P P INF P OF INF

2014 2014 2009 2013 2014 2014 2011

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

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

POS ALUMN MLB DEBUT TEAM 2019 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 Nate Pearson Dany Jiménez Patrick Murhpy Ángel Perdomo

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

P P P P

2017 2017 2016 2015

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

2021 Josh Palacios Alek Manoah Riley Adams Tayler Saucedo Nick Allgeyer Otto López

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

OF P C P P INF

2016 2019 2018 2015 2018 2018

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

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

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

POS 2023 Samad Taylor INF Spencer Horwitz OF Davis Schneider INF/OF Hagen Danner P Cam Eden OF Jose Espada P

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

2017 2021 2022 2021 2021 2018

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

POS 2024 Addison Barger INF/OF Brandon Eisert P Adam Kloffenstein P Orelvis Martinez INF Steward Berroa INF Yosver Zulueta P Leo Jimenez INF Luis De Los Santos INF Griffin Conine OF

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

2021 2021 2022 2021 2022 2022 2022 2021 2018

24-Apr 17-Jun 20-Jun 21-Jun 23-Jun 25-Jun 4-July 31-July 26-Aug

2025 Alan Roden Mason Fluharty Matt Svanson Paxton Schultz Will Robertson

POS

ALUMN

MLB DEBUT TEAM

OF P P P OF

2023 2022 2022 2021 2021

27-Mar 01-Apr 17-Apr 20-Apr 12-Jun

2022 Zach Jackson Zach Logue Christian Lopes Vinny Capra Danny Young Josh Winckowski Jake Fishman

Toronto San Francisco Toronto Milwaukee Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto Oakland Oakland Oakland Toronto Seattle Boston Marlins Kansas City Toronto Toronto Toronto Toronto San Diego Blue Jays Toronto St.Louis Toronto Toronto Cincinnati Toronto Toronto Miami Blue Jays Blue Jays Cardinals Blue Jays Blue Jays

e m a g t pos s k r o w e r i F a z n a g

a v a r ext

t h g I N e g a t i r e h n a i s A h t PLUS Sou

TUESDAY, MAY 27 VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025 / 39

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

SYMBOLS FOR PLAY

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

3 2

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

2

1. CENTER FIELDER 8 4 6-4 6 2. SHORTSTOP BB 3 3. 1ST BASEMAN 5 FC K = 4. 3RD BASEMAN 5 SB 2 5. RIGHT FIELDER 6-2 SB 6. LEFT FIELDER 7. DESIGNATED HITTER FC 8. 2ND BASEMAN 4 / 9. CATCHER = R H 3 4 0 1 TOTALS

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

Passed Ball: PB SB

Stolen Base: Double Play: Error: Sacrifice Fly: Intentional Walk: Foul Fly: Force Out: Line Drive: Bunt:

DP E SF IBB F FO L B Unassisted: U

SH or SAC BB K K BK FC HP WP

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS BY THE NUMBERS PITCHER CATCHER 1ST BASEMAN 2ND BASEMAN 3RD BASEMAN 6 SHORTSTOP 7 LEFT FIELDER 8 CENTER FIELDER 1 2 3 4 5

8 7

9

6 5

4 1

3

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

40 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

TUESDAY, July 22 | 7:05

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.

42 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

CHEF WASABI

MS. BC ROLL

SADAHARU SOY

CHOP N’ STIX

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!

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!

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'.

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 +

STEWARD BERROA

BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY SUN, JUNE 29

GIVEAWAYS ARE LIMITED TO THE FIRST 500 FANS

KIDS FUN PAGE

44 / VANCOUVER CANADIANS 2025

For more activities click HERE

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.

CANADIANS 2025 / 45 Reserve your team’s spot by calling the Vancouver Canadians VANCOUVER at 604-872-5232.