Top 20 Canadian MLB Prospects of 2025

TORONTO — There weren’t many Canadian debuts in the big leagues in 2024, but Cade Smith made up for that all by himself.

Even though he wasn’t on this list last year as a relief prospect who had posted a 3.61 ERA across three minor-league seasons, the 6-foot-5 right-hander cracked the Cleveland Guardians opening day roster and dominated from start to finish with a 1.91 ERA and a league-leading 2.7 fWAR.

The product of Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford, B.C., now heads into 2025 with the label of one of the best relievers in baseball, and he’s joined by fellow Canuck Erik Sabrowski, who sits at No. 13 on this list.

The 2025 season could feature a handful of Canadian debuts, with Owen Caissie, Denzel Clarke, Adam Macko, Eric Cerantola and Liam Hicks all likely to see big-league time at some point very soon.

There’s also a potential bumper crop draft class on the horizon in 2026, headlined by Port Coquitlam’s Sean Duncan, a lanky lefty who has already committed to NCAA powerhouse Vanderbilt.

This year’s list features a trio of position players at the top who are all close to MLB-ready, but the biggest risers for 2025 are on the pitching side as Jonah Tong and Matt Wilkinson both went from off the list to top 10 in a year.

For the third year in a row, enjoy the top 20 Canadian prospects in baseball.

Previous editions of the list:
2023
2024

Eligibility
Hitters: Under 130 career at-bats
Pitchers: Under 50 career innings pitched

Top 20 by province
Ontario: 11
B.C.: 3
Alberta: 3
Quebec: 2
Saskatchewan: 1

Graduated (1+1 NR)
15. INF/OF Otto Lopez, MIA, age-26, MLB
NR RHP Cade Smith, CLE, age-26, MLB

Fell off (6)
14. OF Dasan Brown, TOR, age-23, AA
16. 1B/OF Jared Young, NYM, age-29, MLB
17. OF David Calabrese, LAA, age-22, AA
18. OF Tristan Peters, TB, age-25, AAA
19. RHP Jordan Balazovic, DET, age-26, MLB
20. RHP Trevor Brigden, TB, age-29, AAA

Honourable mentions (11)
SS Jack Lines, TB, age-19, DNP (Okotoks, Alta.)
OF Dasan Brown, TOR, age-23, AA (Oakville, Ont.)
OF Tristan Peters, TB, age-25, AAA (Winkler, Man.)
OF David Calabrese, LAA, age-22, AA (Maple, Ont.)
RHP L.P. Langevin, KC, age-21, DNP (Quebec City, Que.)
RHP Adam Maier, ATL, age-23, A+ (Vancouver, B.C.)
RHP Jacob Zibin, CLE, 20, DNP (Richmond Hill, Ont.)
RHP Josiah Romeo, OAK, age-19, DNP (Milton, Ont.)
LHP Thomas Ireland, TEX, age-23, A (Regina, Sask.)
RHP Matt Duffy, BOS, age-23, A (Toronto, Ont.)
LHP Connor O’Halloran, TOR, age-22, A+ (Mississauga, Ont.)

20. RHP Garrett Hawkins, SD

Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: 19
Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask.
Drafted: 2021 ninth round (280th overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Fort Wayne

YEAR IN REVIEW: On this list at No. 19 in 2023, Hawkins fell off in last year’s cycle after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and missing all of last season because of it.

OUTLOOK: Hawkins’ best pitch is an analytically pleasing heater that gets extension and spin, and prior to his surgery was ticking up into the mid-90s velocity-wise. It’s impossible to know what to expect in 2025, but Hawkins is expected to be healthy for camp.

Considering he turns 25 in February and the Padres love to push their prospects at times, all Hawkins needs to do is perform this summer to put himself back on the radar. Whether it’s as an innings-eating back-end starter or a reliever, there are many outcomes on the table for Hawkins, who has late-bloomer traits with how little he’s actually pitched coming out of the UBC T-Birds program.

FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP

MLB ETA: 2026

————

19. 1B/3B Damiano Palmegiani, TOR

Last year’s ranking: 7, 2023 rank: HM
Hometown: Surrey, B.C.
Drafted: 2021 14th round (422nd overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

YEAR IN REVIEW: It was an odd year for Palmegiani, who came into 2024 as a low-key breakout candidate thanks to his pull-side power and good approach at the plate. In the end, he did hit 19 homers at Triple-A, but slugged just .381 and didn’t have the same type of offensive impact that he did in 2023 when he put up a 146 wRC+ in a 20-game cameo in Buffalo. Defensively, he added left field to the portfolio and that would help him find a utility role down the road.

OUTLOOK: Thanks to slashing .210/.311/.381 with an 82 wRC+, Palmegiani will have to go back the drawing board this season at Triple-A to find his lost pop. He’s the type of bat who could lock in for a stretch and earn a call-up at any point, but it’s sort of like Davis Schneider — if he doesn’t hit, there’s not much else. His .856 OPS against left-handed pitching last year suggests he may settle into a platoon role eventually.

FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat

MLB ETA: 2025

————

18. OF Sam Shaw, TOR

Last year’s ranking: 13, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Victoria, B.C.
Drafted: 2023 ninth round (274th overall)
2025 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin

YEAR IN REVIEW: Despite the Jays needing to go over-slot to sign him in the ninth round of the 2023, he’s still completely under the radar as a prospect and his 2024 season didn’t do much to change that. That also doesn’t mean it was a bad season; it was simply quiet. Spending the year on the complex, Shaw slashed .220/.361/.304 with a 94 wRC+. He hit just two homers across 51 games, but did steal 10 bases and walked more than he struck out.

OUTLOOK: Those who love Shaw really love him and describe him simply as a “hitter” which is about as nice as it gets in scout speak. He’s a lefty bat, which is good. He also hits the ball pretty hard for a teenager and, last year, he started showing some of the fastest run times in the entire organization, which is also good. A passive hitter at the dish, an approach tweak could unlock more production for Shaw in 2025, while he’s also expected to work back in at second base after spending last summer focusing on his outfield work. It’s a very interesting skillset that is going to have him on the breakout radar for the next couple of years, even if it doesn’t happen right away. More positional versatility and more power would both help immensely.

FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman

MLB ETA: 2028

————

17. 1B/3B David McCabe, ATL

Last year’s ranking: 12, 2023 rank: NR
Hometown: Oshawa, Ont.
Drafted: 2022 fourth round (125th overall)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Mississippi

YEAR IN REVIEW: A switch-hitter out of the Dirty Shwa aka Oshawa, McCabe endured a weird year for a position player after undergoing Tommy John surgery in February. Normally reserved for pitchers, position players aren’t on the same return-to-play timeline from the procedure, for fairly obvious reasons, and McCabe made it back for 35 games at Double-A by the end of the summer. As you might expect, he struggled, posting a .137/.284/.214 slash line as his power disappeared coming off the injury. He was also limited to DH defensively.

OUTLOOK: With a winter to get back to full strength, the slate will be wiped clean for McCabe this spring. It remains to be seen how the injury affects his arm at third base, but the general consensus is he’s going to end up on the opposite side of the infield at first base anyway. No matter what, the bat is the calling card, as McCabe at his best can control the zone, draw walks and hit for power. McCabe will be Rule 5 eligible next winter, so it’s a big year for him.

FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat

MLB ETA: 2026

————

16. C/1B Liam Hicks, MIA

Last year’s ranking: 11, 2023 rank: NR
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 ninth round (254th overall)
2025 age: 26
Expected starting affiliate: MLB Miami

YEAR IN REVIEW: What a year for Hicks, who was first traded from the Texas Rangers to the Detroit Tigers in July in a package for fellow catcher Carson Kelly, and then he was popped third overall in the Rule 5 draft by the Miami Marlins in December. That selection is very likely going to earn Hicks a big-league job in South Florida this spring, a great situation for him to earn at-bats on a rebuilding ball club. If you aren’t familiar with the Rule 5 process, the Marlins need to keep Hicks on their roster in 2025 or send him back to Detroit. Considering they took him third overall and have a number of bench jobs up for grabs, it’s a decent bet he sticks on the opening day roster.

OUTLOOK: If Hicks succeeds, the bat and contact ability is going to be the calling card. He rarely swings and misses and has an approach that allows him to get on base, which could help him surpass the low offensive bar for catchers. Defensively, there are many questions or Hicks would be seen as a great prospect and not one who was available in the Rule 5. It’s likely he’s always a part-time catcher and he’s played quite a bit of first base on his way up the ladder, too. Despite the questions, Hicks now has a great opportunity in front of him to prove himself as a big leaguer. Shout out to Toronto Mets U17 coach Mark Dainty, who lists Hicks as an absolute favourite from his time with the program.

FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter

MLB ETA: 2025

————

15. LHP Jeremy Pilon, TB

Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que.
Drafted: 2023 18th round (543rd overall)
2025 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Charleston

YEAR IN REVIEW: Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 18th round of 2022 draft, Pilon didn’t sign and was selected again a year later, this time by the Tampa Bay Rays in the very same round. The Rays then went slightly over-slot to sign him, showing they saw something in the young lefty that they didn’t want to let escape. Despite some inflated walk totals, it looks like they may have been correct, as Pilon debut and promptly ran up 60.2 innings with a 3.26 ERA in the lower levels. The stuff was impressive, as he struck out 83 batters.

OUTLOOK: The Rays are still one of the best drafting and developing teams out there so Pilon is in good hands. The calling card is a filthy curveball that makes hitters look foolish at times. He pairs that with a heater that sits around 90 mph, which makes for the obvious question of how that arsenal will work as he climbs the ladder and more advanced hitters aren’t flailing at the breaker. Any sort of velocity bump in the coming years is going to be very noteworthy and Pilon has lots of time to develop, considering he won’t even turn 20 until September.

FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP

MLB ETA: 2028

————

14. RHP Eric Cerantola

Last year’s ranking: 8, 2023 rank: 18
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fifth round (139th overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Omaha

YEAR IN REVIEW: After spending his first couple of minor league years as a starter, the Royals have slowly transitioned Cerantola to a bullpen role, one that fits his arsenal well. Across a robust 72.2 frames last year, Cerantola punched out 101 batters, showing swing-and-miss stuff at every level thus far. The bugaboo was that he also walked 50 of them, but he was still able to find success with a 2.97 ERA overall.

OUTLOOK: Any Toronto Blue Jays follower should be able to tell you that the Kansas City Royals have shown in the past that they’re pretty adept at developing relievers since their bullpen was the reason the Jays didn’t make a World Series appearance back in 2015. After watching his transition in 2024, this flame-thrower could be next in line. It’s a heater cresting triple digits and an out-pitch hook, giving Cerantola that high-leverage look when he's on. After being added to the 40-man this winter, he should debut fairly quickly this year if he can’t crack the Royals opening day roster.

FUTURE ROLE: High-leverage RP

MLB ETA: 2025

————

13. LHP Erik Sabrowski, CLE

Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.
Drafted: 2018 14th round (411th overall)
2025 age: 27
Expected starting affiliate: MLB Cleveland

YEAR IN REVIEW: One of two players on this list to actually appear in the big leagues last year, Sabrowski’s rise has been an absolute journey. He’s already had Tommy John surgery twice, in addition to being selected in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft back in 2021. As if that selection process wasn’t obscure enough, the MiLB phase is usually seen as a way to fill out their minor league rosters for the upcoming season and there are no MLB restrictions. To put bluntly, Sabrowski was an org arm that Cleveland hoped would boost maybe Akron RubberDucks or Columbus Clippers’ bullpen, not the Guardians’ group. So, of course Sabrowski exceeded all expectations to earn a call-up in September, making eight pristine appearances with a zero ERA and even getting his first save. He had worked his way into a high-leverage role by the postseason.

OUTLOOK: Across 12.2 scoreless frames last year, Sabrowski punched out 19 and allowed just six hits, using the induced vertical break on his rising heater to get all the whiffs. He’s expected to be a mainstay in the Cleveland ‘pen this season if he can maintain things, right alongside fellow Canadian Cade Smith, who sadly did not make this list year and now looks like one of the most dominant bullpen arms in baseball. Relievers, you know?

FUTURE ROLE: High-leverage RP

MLB ETA: Debuted Sept. 4, 2024

———— 

12. C Nathan Flewelling, TB

Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Red Deer, Alta.
Drafted: 2024 third round (94th overall)
2025 age: 18
Expected starting affiliate: Florida Complex League

YEAR IN REVIEW: What a year it was for this Red Deer kid, who went from off the radar to having MLB teams heading to Alberta for personal looks by the time draft season rolled around. That culminated in the Rays falling in love and plucking the raw backstop in the third round, about a round or so before the Blue Jays were considering taking the Canuck. He was so good last year as an amateur that he was named Prep Baseball Canada’s player of the year by assistant director Cam Black-Araujo just before the draft last July. Flewelling did not debut for the Rays post-draft last year.

OUTLOOK: A left-handed hitting teenage catcher who’s already posted impressive exit velocities is a package of skills that not many can claim, but it’s very likely Flewelling endures his bumps in pro baseball simply because of the position he plays. In addition to trying hit the best pitching he’s ever seen in 2025, he’s going to be learning all the other nuances of one of the toughest positions in sports. The blueprint is countryman Bo Naylor, who was drafted in 2018 and arrived in the majors in September 2022, leading him to the No. 1 spot on this list heading into the 2023 season. Flewelling has the tools to do the same. On raw talent alone, you could have him much higher on this list if you wanted to.

FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter

MLB ETA: 2028

————

11. LHP Adam Macko, TOR

Last year’s ranking: 6, 2023 rank: 7
Hometown: Stony Plain, Alta.
Drafted: 2019 seventh round (216th overall)
2025 age: 24

Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

YEAR IN REVIEW: Overall, it was a fairly successful season for the Alberta high school product as he showed improved command at times and continues to tease with his strikeout stuff from the left side. His underlying numbers always seem to be better than the ERA, so maybe that matches up one day, but the role is still up for debate. The reasons for that are health and trouble finding the zone at times. Health issues have dogged Macko since he was drafted by the Mariners way back in 2019, and then flipped to the Jays along with Erik Swanson in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez in November 2022, a trade that still irks Jays fans to this day. Maybe Macko can help change that perception, but it was a forearm issue stealing time from him in 2024. He was able to make it back late in the year for his Triple-A debut, so he’s expected to be healthy heading into 2025.

OUTLOOK: The Slovakian-born, Alberta high school-raised lefty has taken the long road, but he’s going to start the season at Triple-A and if he pitches well he’ll be one phone call away for a spot start or two in Toronto. It’s an important year for Macko to prove he’s not ultimately destined for the bullpen and he can start that process by putting together a healthy season that sees him go over the 100-inning mark for the first time in his pro career. His 93.1 frames last year were a career high.

FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP

MLB ETA: 2025

————

10. LHP Matt Wilkinson, CLE

Matt Wilkinson Lynchburg Hillcats

Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
Drafted: 2023 10th round (308th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Akron

YEAR IN REVIEW: The best stories always seem to come with great nicknames, and Wilkinson has one of those, going by the moniker Tugboat thanks to his beefy mound presence. Listed at 6-foot-1, 270 pounds and a southpaw to boot, Wilkinson is as unique as it gets and Cleveland is still trying to figure out what it has on its hands after the 2023 10th-round pick shoved from start to finish in 2024 and ended up with a pristine 1.90 ERA across 24 starts. Wilkinson punched out 174 batters across 118.2 innings and did it with flair.

OUTLOOK: After reading all that, you’re going to wonder why Wilkinson is only at No. 10 then, right? It’s simply about velocity, as Wilkinson’s heater hovers around 90 mph. He gets things done with deception and lots of strikes, which is why most want to see him tested at Double-A before planting a flag that the so-so stuff will work against MLB hitters. This is a case where you’d love to see a velocity bump, but you can never count on that. He’s in the right organization for an under-the-radar pitcher to take off and exceed all expectations though. He’s a fun follow for 2025.

FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP

MLB ETA: 2026

————

9. RHP Calvin Ziegler, NYM

Calvin Ziegler St. Lucie Mets

Last year’s ranking: 9, 2023 rank: 9
Hometown: Heidelberg, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 second round (46th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list

YEAR IN REVIEW: The interesting part of this placement and evaluation is there was a chance Ziegler was going to mirror exactly what his system-mate Jonah Tong did and this would be way too low if that were the case. Ziegler’s stuff gives him huge upside and he came out shoving in 2024, striking out nine in four innings in his first start, and then four more across two frames in his second outing. He did not even allow a hit. Unfortunately, Ziegler’s UCL blew out and he underwent Tommy John surgery in April, ending any thought of a potential breakout.

OUTLOOK: The timing of the electric righty’s surgery means he should still get ample reps in 2025, but there were already whispers about a bullpen future and the lost development time never helps that. There’s also a chance Ziegler picks up right where he lefts off, because, you know, it’s baseball and you never really know. It’s an important year for Ziegler, who needs to be added to the 40-man roster next winter.

FUTURE ROLE: High-leverage RP

MLB ETA: 2027

————

8. 2B Emilien Pitre, TB

Emilien Pitre Kentucky

Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Repentigny, Que.
Drafted: 2024 second round (58th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Bowling Green

YEAR IN REVIEW: Since I don’t include players who didn’t grow up in Canada or spend a good portion of their baseball development here, outfielder Dante Nori, born in Toronto while his father was a coach for the Raptors and selected 27th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies last July, is not eligible. That leaves Pitre as the top drafted Canuck from the 2024 draft. The Kentucky product got into 21 games at Single-A post-draft, putting up an impressive .299/.402/.403 slash line and 141 wRC+, which is exactly what a college player is supposed to do at that level.

OUTLOOK: The lefty-hitting second baseman is unlikely to ever be a top prospect in a deep Rays system, but when Tampa gets its hands on a player you still pay attention. Pitre doesn’t have much power so he’s going to have to use his glove and wheels to carve out a major league future, but it’s a broad base of skills that doesn’t really have a weakness other than the pop. If the Rays can tweak that, things could change. Don’t rule it out, but Pitre is a good bet to at least play some sort of bench role with his skillset.

FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter

MLB ETA: 2027

————

7. 2B/OF Dylan O’Rae

Dylan O'Rae Milwaukee Brewers

Last year’s ranking: 10, 2023 rank: 15
Hometown: Sarnia, Ont.
Drafted: 2022 third round (102nd overall)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Biloxi

YEAR IN REVIEW: Through his first two-and-a-half minor league seasons, all O’Rae did was get on base, running OBPs above .400 at every level until he got to Double-A. That level is always seen as a proving ground and while O’Rae was very young for the level when he got there last year, the .171/.310/.211 slash line was the first time he’s struggled as a professional. On the bright side, he did hit his first-ever homer and swiped a whopping 62 bases.

OUTLOOK: There really aren’t many secrets hidden within O’Rae’s profile. He’s a speed demon who can play both second base and centre field, but there is never going to be much, if any, power. That will limit the ultimate upside, but the changes baseball has made to promote base stealing is a big boon to a player with O’Rae’s profile.

FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter

MLB ETA: 2027

————

6. SS Myles Naylor, ATH

Naylor brothers

Last year’s ranking: 4, 2023 rank: NA
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
Drafted: 2023 second round (39th overall)
2025 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Stockton

YEAR IN REVIEW: There’s no way to describe Naylor’s first full professional season other than it was very forgettable. Wipe the slate clean and chalk it up as a teenager struggling to find his footing. Not only did the right-handed hitter struggle with contact and Ks, he also made 27 errors at shortstop, plus four more in only 14 games at second base.

OUTLOOK: Naylor will turn 20 in April and is definitely going back to Single-A for a restart. With the pedigree of his brothers, it’s impossible to drop him too much, but there’s no doubt it was a rough year for the 2023 39th overall pick. For comparison’s sake, his brother Bo posted a 110 wRC+ in his age-19 season in A-ball, while Myles’ was 79 last year.

FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter

MLB ETA: 2028

————

5. LHP Mitch Bratt, TEX

Mitch Bratt Canada

Last year’s ranking: 5, 2023 rank: 3
Hometown: Newmarket, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fifth round (134th overall)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Frisco

YEAR IN REVIEW: When breaking down and evaluating the Canadian arms on this list, Bratt seems like the safest bet to end up a major league rotation eventually as a likely back-end starter who’s already touched Double-A. Like Jonah Tong just ahead of him, it’s just a low-90s heater, but it rides and gets swing-and-miss from the left side, which is an important aspect of Bratt’s rotation profile. Over 110 frames last year, Bratt walked just 28 batters.

OUTLOOK: A full season at Double-A will be a good test for Bratt’s repertoire and he won’t even turn 22 until July, giving him lots of time to develop into an inning-eating strike-thrower for the Rangers. Some evaluators call him boring, but you could also call him safe. He’s going to be a big league arm at some point.

FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP

MLB ETA: 2026

————

4. RHP Jonah Tong, NYM

Jonah Tong New York Mets

Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Hometown: Markham, Ont.
Drafted: 2022 seventh round (209th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A Binghamton

YEAR IN REVIEW: Canada needs an ace and after the breakout season Tong just had, he’s by far their best chance. The breakout came from deep in the prospect abyss, too, as Tong had walked 22 batters across his 21 professional innings prior to last season. After shoving in Single-A, Tong was promoted to High-A and continued to do the exact same thing, registering a 3.71 ERA and punching out 110 batters across 85 innings at that level. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Tong was elevated to Double-A for a two-start cameo and struck out nine in six shutout innings in his first start there.

OUTLOOK: Tong gets it done in interesting fashion, using a low-90s heaters that features a ton of analytical elements that are sexy to teams right now. The lower velo works because of how much the fastball rides, and Tong pairs that with three developing secondaries. After striking out 160 batters across 113 innings last season, some evaluators believe all that’s separating Tong from being a top 100 prospect in baseball by the end of the year is just a tick of two of velocity.

FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP

MLB ETA: 2026

————

3. INF/OF Tyler Black, MIL

Milwaukee Brewers

Last year’s ranking: 1, 2023 rank: 2
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 second round (33rd overall)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: MLB Milwaukee

YEAR IN REVIEW: The top prospect on this list a year ago, Black didn’t have a bad year by any means, but he was not able to capitalize on his first MLB run with the Brew Crew, slashing a muted .204/.316/.245 over 57 sporadic plate appearances. The biggest question with Black, in addition to how much over-the-fence pop he’ll ultimately have, is what position he’s going to end up at. The 2024 season did nothing to clear that up, with the Brewers only feeling comfortable enough to use him at first base and DH in the big leagues. But when back in Triple-A, Black saw him in centre field, left field, third base and first base.

OUTLOOK: Black still posted a 114 wRC+ in Triple-A last year between call-ups, hitting 14 homers and stealing 20 bases, but the Milwaukee system is starting produce some similar types of players around him in the upper levels so this is massive year for Black to prove himself once again. With his offensive profile, second base feels like the right positional fit, but the Brewers have not used him there since 2022.

FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman

MLB ETA: Debuted April 30, 2024

————

2. OF Denzel Clarke, ATH

Denzel Clarke Oakland Athletics

Last year’s ranking: 3, 2023 rank: 6
Hometown: Pickering, Ont.
Drafted: 2021 fourth round (127th overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Las Vegas

YEAR IN REVIEW: Clarke’s season was an extreme story of two halves. Sent back to Double-A for a repeat adventure after posting a 130 wRC+ in 64 games there and suffering a shoulder injury, Clarke came out of the gates ice cold and stayed that way until the mercury warmed up. Across 78 games from June through September, Clarke hit an impressive .307 with 10 homers, seven triples and 31 stolen bases. He then put on an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League and was added to Sac-Vegas’ 40-man roster.

OUTLOOK: The son of Canadian heptathlete Donna Clarke, he’s a twitchy package of tools, and the baseball skills are starting to catch up with range in centre field and some impressive exit velocities. How much contact he makes will likely be the separator between toolsy and frustrating at times and a legit star once the A’s finally do arrive in Vegas. The upside here is massive if things click.

FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter

MLB ETA: 2025

————

1. OF Owen Caissie, CHC

Owen Caissie Chicago Cubs

Last year’s ranking: 2, 2023 rank: 4
Hometown: Burlington, Ont.
Drafted: 2020 second round (45th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Iowa

YEAR IN REVIEW: In my opinion, Caissie is in a tier of his own this year as the clear-cut top Canadian prospect and he’s essentially MLB-ready now that he’s a part of the north-siders’ 40-man roster. The left-handed slugger spent all of 2024 in Triple-A, slashing 278/.375/.472 with 19 homers and 51 extra-base hits. While the overall numbers perhaps weren’t as impressive as his 2023 campaign in Double-A, the one notable marker for Caissie was that he dropped his strikeout rate to under 30 per cent at the highest level of the minors, down almost three percentage points from 2023. For a hitter with as much power as Caissie, only way too many Ks can prevent him from becoming a productive major leaguer.

OUTLOOK: Caissie is going to hit some absolute tanks at Wrigley Field when the wind is blowing out and you’ll probably see him on the nightly exit velocity leaderboards quite a bit once he finds his footing. The Kyle Tucker trade may complicate his path to at-bats, but Caissie will likely get a cup of coffee or two at some point with the Cubs in 2025. His upside is a middle-of-the-order slugger and he’ll be seen as a key member of Canada’s WBC squads as soon as 2026.

FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter

MLB ETA: 2025