OTTAWA- Canadian outfielder Michael Saunders is coming home!
The Victoria, BC native was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday in a trade that sees the Jays flip LHP JA Happ to Saunders’ now former team, the Seattle Mariners.
The 28 year-old Saunders was originally drafted by the Mariners in the 11th round of the 2004 MLB First Player Draft and made is big league debut on July 25th, 2009.
Through parts of six big league seasons, Saunders has a .231 career batting average with 51 home runs and 182 RBIs. His best season came in 2012 when he narrowly missed a 20/20 (HR/SB) season hitting .241 with 19 home runs and 21 stolen bases in 139 games played.
Saunders joined Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team program as a 16 year-old in 2003 and later that year played in the 18U Pan American Championship in Curacao. He played his final year with the JNT in 2004 before debuting with the Senior Team at the 2007 IBAF World Cup. In 2008 he was part of a group that helped Canada qualify for the 2008 Olympics winning the event in Taiwan and later represented Canada at the Beijing Olympics.
Saunders’ finest performance in a Canadian uniform came in 2013 when he hit .727 with three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs at the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix earning him the Pool D MVP award and a spot on the tournament’s All-Star squad.
He was honoured at the 2014 Baseball Canada National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser with the Senior National Team MVP Award.
On Saturday, January 10th, 2015, Saunders will be in attendance for the 12th annual Baseball Canada National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser. Tickets for the event are still available and can be purchased by clicking on the registration link below.
Registration Form-Baseball Canada National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser
