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OTTAWA – The 2025 Major League Baseball season kicks off today, and we’re here to highlight the Canadian players to watch this season!

The 2024 season saw 19 Canadians take the field in the majors, including Josh Naylor’s first MLB All-Star appearance and the impressive rookie season of Cleveland reliever Cade Smith. Smith was later joined in the Guardians bullpen by Edmonton’s Erik Sabrowski. All three players, along with Bo Naylor, helped Cleveland advance to the American League Championship Series before falling to the New York Yankees.

In 2011, a modern-day record 26 Canadians played in the big leagues.

One notable absence this year is Ladner, BC’s James Paxton, who has retired after 11 seasons in the majors. Canadian baseball fans will always remember Paxton’s no-hitter in 2018 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, while he was with the Seattle Mariners.

A significant theme for Canadian big leaguers in 2025 is change, with several established players switching teams, including Josh Naylor (to the Arizona Diamondbacks), Tyler O’Neill (to the Baltimore Orioles), Nick Pivetta (to the San Diego Padres), Cal Quantrill (to the Miami Marlins), Jordan Romano (to the Philadelphia Phillies), and Michael Soroka (to the Washington Nationals).

Let’s look at the Canadians who will start the 2025 season on Opening Day rosters.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Toronto Blue Jays

1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montréal, QC)

Notable: Montréal-born Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is coming off a stellar 2024 season, earning his fourth consecutive American League All-Star selection.

Baltimore Orioles

OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC)

Notable: Two-time Gold Glove winner Tyler O’Neill signed a three-year deal with Baltimore in the offseason, marking his third big league stop. O’Neill hit 31 homers with an .847 OPS for the Boston Red Sox in 2024.

Cleveland Guardians

C Bo Naylor (Mississauga, ON)
LHP Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, AB)
RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC)

Notable: The story in Cleveland from a Canadian perspective revolves around the offseason trade of All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks, ending the Naylor brothers’ time together in Cleveland. Bo remains the Guardians' primary catcher and will handle a pitching staff that includes Cade Smith, a breakout rookie from 2024 who struck out 103 batters in 75.1 innings with a 0.90 WHIP. Erik Sabrowski, who debuted late last season and pitched in five postseason games, will start the season on the Injured List (IL) due to elbow inflammation.

Minnesota Twins

2B Édouard Julien (Québec, QC)

Notable: After a down year in 2024, Julien will look to rebound in 2025. He had a breakout 2023 season, belting 16 home runs in 109 games during his rookie year.

Seattle Mariners

RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, ON)

Notable: Brash missed the 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery but made his spring debut on March 24, throwing two-thirds of an inning with his second pitch clocking in at 98 mph. In 2023, he logged 70.2 innings with 107 strikeouts out of the Mariners’ bullpen. He will continue his recovery by starting the season on the IL.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Arizona Diamondbacks

1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON)

Notable: Naylor joins the Diamondbacks after a standout 2024 season in Cleveland, where he made his first MLB All-Star Game and set career highs with 31 home runs and 105 RBIs. Entering his seventh big league campaign, Naylor will be a free agent after the season.

Chicago Cubs

RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, TX)

Notable: Dual citizen Jameson Taillon is entering his third year with the Cubs after a 2024 season where he made 28 starts, going 12-8 with a 3.27 ERA.

Miami Marlins

RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, ON)
C Liam Hicks (Toronto, ON)
INF Otto Lopez (Montréal, QC)

Notable: The Marlins will open the season with three Canadians on their roster. The feel-good story of spring was Rule 5 pick Liam Hicks, who will make his MLB debut soon. Cal Quantrill, a Junior National Team alum, signed with the Marlins during spring training and will anchor their starting rotation. Otto Lopez hopes to build on a solid 2024 season, where he hit .270 with six home runs and 20 stolen bases.

Philadelphia Phillies

RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, ON)

Notable: After six seasons with the Blue Jays, it will be a change to see Jordan Romano in a Phillies uniform. The Markham native had an impressive spring training, not allowing an earned run over 8.2 innings.

San Diego Padres

RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC)

Notable: Nick Pivetta, another Canadian who switched teams in the offseason, signed a four-year deal with the Padres. After four years as a mainstay in the Red Sox rotation, Pivetta will look to continue his success in San Diego.

Washington Nationals

RHP Michael Soroka (Calgary, AB)

Notable: After a rollercoaster 2024 season, Soroka completed his first full year in the majors since 2019. He had a rough start with the Chicago White Sox before finding success in the bullpen. This season, Soroka is back in a starting role with the Nationals.

2025 MLB Canadians