Post by Commissioner Erick on Apr 17, 2021 15:59:39 GMT -5
It was a big year for offense in the Canadian Rookie League, with several players setting records. Let's examine the details.
RF: Yordeni Santana—Athletics
The 25-year-old Santana had a legendary season in Edmonton and had several offensive records, including a 1.350 OPS, 83 runs, and 7.3 WAR—all marks that are the best single season marks of all time. Santana also had four homers in eight games to win the Canadian Playoff MVP. His .398 batting average was also the second highest single-season batting average in Canadian Rookie League history.
Santana has had solid seasons in A-ball in the past so there was no reason for him to be in Canada this summer. He doesn’t have any upside, but is much too-advanced for Rookie Ball. He should be A-Ball next year.
LF: Yordan Alajandre—Orioles
A third round pick of Baltimore in 2024, Alejandre’s 49 homers and 111 RBIs were easily the best marks in Canadian Rookie League history. Alejandre really enjoyed the offensive environment of Good Feelings Field, where it’s 250 feet down the lines, but he hit almost as many homers on the road as at home.
The Honduran native simply has massive power that makes him too strong for Rookie Ball. His defense still needs work, but Alajandre should be fast-tracked through to Triple-A next year.
1B: Huibert Arkes—Marlins
Arkes signed a contract with Miami as a 16-year-old back in 2021 for $3.1 million dollars. His first pro experience came when he hit an empty .278 with a .263 on-base percentage for Aruba in the World Baseball Classic in 2024, and he followed it up with a .204/.269/.327 mark for the Miami's Dominican Rookie League team. He added some power in the offseason though and led the league with 33 doubles, to go with 11 homers and a .357 average.
Arkes is still growing, and is only 20, so it’s not unreasonable to see if he can come back and work on turning those doubles into homers. A trip to short-season A-ball Batavia is more likely though.
SS: Juan Navarro—Athletics
Navarro was discovered out of the Dominican Republic back in 2019 and has been running wild since making his pro debut in 2023. He stole 40 bases for Oakland’s Arizona League club in 2023 and 2024, then led Canada with 24 steals this year. Navarro also hit five homers with a .329 average.
Navarro will be 23 next year, so it’ll be time to leave rookie ball. OSA really likes Navarro’s speed and defense, but doesn’t see a bat that will get him above Double A. Bill Schmidt sees a little more muscle and patience to get him to the upper minors, where a break could land him as a PBA backup.
CF: Julio Pena—Pirates
A Venezuelan discovery in 2022, Pena had good offensive seasons in the Gulf Coast League in 2023 and 2024, earning a trip to Lethbridge in 2025. The offense didn’t make the trip, but Pena’s zone rating led the league. He also had eight homers and 14 steals to help overcome a .200 average.
Pena looks like a terrific defender who can play both the infield and outfield in the future, with terrific speed that makes him a likely outfielder. He still needs to work on playing other positions than Second Base, and his likely ultimate destination is Triple-A as he doesn’t have a great bat. OSA likes his patience, and Bill Schmidt really likes his patience, which could help the skills play up. A trip to West Virginia is likely for next year.
CF: Cruz Camargo—Blue Jays
Camargo signed with Toronto for 3.78 million out of the Dominican Republic last year, and only took one year before coming over to play pro ball. Camargo only walked 14 times leading to a .272 OBP, so his bat still needs work. However, he did club a league lead-tying five triples with 16 doubles.
Camargo still needs to work on his defense, and should spend awhile in the minors. His speed is real, and he has a quick bat that can pepper the gaps. Both OSA and Bill Schmidt see a potential PBA backup if the defense comes around.
SP: Humberto Chapa—Athletics
The 24-year-old Dominican, who bears a striking resemblance to the muppet Beaker, had a dominant season, leading the league with a 1.65 ERA. This was to be expected as Chapa had pitched in higher levels than rookie ball since 2021.
Chapa doesn’t have much of a future and has been left to test free agency twice as a member of different organizations. He can probably cut it in A-ball, but should probably try to cut it in a different profession.
SP: Enrique Castillo—Athletics
Castillo spent 2024 winning 13 games and producing 3.5 WAR for a 92-win Hartford team in the Eastern League. Why Oakland signed him to pitch as an overqualified ringer for the Edmonton Bucks is beyond anyone’s guess. Castillo eclipsed the 8-3 record he had for St. Lawrence back in 2022, going 11-1 to lead the league, and posting a 1.81 ERA.
Castillo is a strong mid-minors pitcher, with good stuff and very good command. He should be pitching for some team’s Double-A affiliate, not in the low minors.
CL: Jamie Sarmiento—Phillies
An eight-round pick of the Phillies this year, Sarmiento was wild north of the border, walking 17 hitters in 30.2 innings for the Mascouche Steamwheelers. He also struck out 36, helping him lead the league in saves.
Sarmiento has good stuff, but still has to hone his control before he can make it up the ladder. OSA sees a Triple-A arm, while Bill Schmidt pegs him ultimately in Double A. He should see time in Short-A next year.
SP: Andy Giancola—Marlins
A former 23rd round pick by Arizona in 2021, Giancola has already been released by the Diamondbacks and Tigers in his career. After pitching well for Jupiter and Sault Ste. Marie last year, Giancola repeated the Canadian Rookie League and led the league in WAR with 3.9. He worked 75.1 innings to a 3.11 ERA.
Now 23, there’s a reason two teams have already cut Giancola as he doesn’t have a bright future. He has very good stuff for the low minors though, and as a 23-year-old, should make the jump to short-season A-Ball next year.
RP: Luis Flores—Rangers
The 21-year-old Brossard went 8-0 with a 1.67 ERA this year leading the league in WHIP with a 0.78 WHIP. The righty issued just one home run in the pitching haven of Feline WarPark, as his high 90’s fastball and splitter were too much for hitters to handle.
Flores has bounced around the low minors, making it up to High-A despite not much success there. Ultimately, Flores doesn’t have much deception and hangs his splitter too much, making him an inferior option at higher levels. He’s proven he’s too good for Rookie Ball though. Maybe Short-Season A-Ball is the sweet spot.
RP: Zander Dionne—Marlins
Dionne was an 11th round pick of the Twins in 2023 who was cut in early February after not pitching in 2024. Miami swooped in and signed him, then watched the lefty lead the league with 10 holds. Dionne allowed a bunch of walks and an elevated BABIP, so his WHIP was a pretty high 1.60, leading to a 4.95 ERA. He struck out 40 hitters in 40 innings though.
Dionne is young and needs to learn to throw strikes to be effective. Without his control, he doesn’t have the stuff necessary to compensate. He’s a Canadian citizen though, and may be fine pitching in the rookie league for a while.
LF: Donald Miller—Tigers
Detroit’s third round pick this past year, Miller really struggled in his introduction to pro ball. The Wills Point High School graduate hit .198 with one homer, four walks and 44 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances. He also had a-7.1 Zone Rating in Center Field, leading to a -1.2 WAR season.
Miller is very young, just 18-years old, and is very raw. At 6-5, OSA sees him putting on muscle and becoming a big slugger, while Bill Schmidt sees a future Double-A flameout. Both sets of scouts see Miller as needing more time in the low minors to learn the game.
1B: Jared Liddell—Nationals
Last year’s Nationals first round pick, Liddell was featured in the space after a -1.0 WAR campaign. He improved on that mark this year, putting up -0.9 WAR in his sophomore season. Liddell does play in a brutal stadium, and he showed more power going from .312 slugging to .342 slugging. However, his average dropped to .192 and he’s a poor defender.
OSA still pegs Liddell as a major power hitter in the majors, even if the hit tool offers concerns. Bill Schmidt is also more optimistic than he was last year, even if Liddell’s performance hasn’t warranted it, and now sees Liddell as a possible Quad-A slugger. Either way, Liddell may need one more year in Hudson Bay to continue to develop.
SP: Tom McCracken—Padres
“RELEASE McCRACKEN!” could be heard booming through the Yukon sky from angry Grey Birds fans as San Diego’s first round pick this year had a 9.33 ERA and a -0.5 WAR. McCracken was the ninth overall selection in the draft, but walked 20 in 27 innings, and gave up a .398 BABIP. McCracken did get better as the year progressed, and didn’t allow a run in 2.1 playoff innings for Yukon.
Only 18, scouts look at McCracken as a future frontline starter. He should return to Northwest Alaska as it may take him some time to put everything together.
SP: John Belanger—Indians
A third round pick by Cleveland in 2023, Belanger has progressed very slowly. His WAR has gone from 0.4 in 2023 in the Arizona league, to 0.7 last year in Canada, back down to 0.2 this year. Belanger has limited home runs, but that’s more of a product of The Hellhole being murder on power hitters. He walked 24 batter and allowed 53 hits in 43.1 innings—good for an elevated 1.78 WHIP.
Belanger is still young, but OSA doesn’t see him as more than a Double-A pitcher. The fastball only clocks in the low 90s, and the fastball is pretty straight. The Canadian may need to spend another year in Canada and see if he can increase his velocity to get the PBA back on his radar.
RF: Yordeni Santana—Athletics
The 25-year-old Santana had a legendary season in Edmonton and had several offensive records, including a 1.350 OPS, 83 runs, and 7.3 WAR—all marks that are the best single season marks of all time. Santana also had four homers in eight games to win the Canadian Playoff MVP. His .398 batting average was also the second highest single-season batting average in Canadian Rookie League history.
Santana has had solid seasons in A-ball in the past so there was no reason for him to be in Canada this summer. He doesn’t have any upside, but is much too-advanced for Rookie Ball. He should be A-Ball next year.
LF: Yordan Alajandre—Orioles
A third round pick of Baltimore in 2024, Alejandre’s 49 homers and 111 RBIs were easily the best marks in Canadian Rookie League history. Alejandre really enjoyed the offensive environment of Good Feelings Field, where it’s 250 feet down the lines, but he hit almost as many homers on the road as at home.
The Honduran native simply has massive power that makes him too strong for Rookie Ball. His defense still needs work, but Alajandre should be fast-tracked through to Triple-A next year.
1B: Huibert Arkes—Marlins
Arkes signed a contract with Miami as a 16-year-old back in 2021 for $3.1 million dollars. His first pro experience came when he hit an empty .278 with a .263 on-base percentage for Aruba in the World Baseball Classic in 2024, and he followed it up with a .204/.269/.327 mark for the Miami's Dominican Rookie League team. He added some power in the offseason though and led the league with 33 doubles, to go with 11 homers and a .357 average.
Arkes is still growing, and is only 20, so it’s not unreasonable to see if he can come back and work on turning those doubles into homers. A trip to short-season A-ball Batavia is more likely though.
SS: Juan Navarro—Athletics
Navarro was discovered out of the Dominican Republic back in 2019 and has been running wild since making his pro debut in 2023. He stole 40 bases for Oakland’s Arizona League club in 2023 and 2024, then led Canada with 24 steals this year. Navarro also hit five homers with a .329 average.
Navarro will be 23 next year, so it’ll be time to leave rookie ball. OSA really likes Navarro’s speed and defense, but doesn’t see a bat that will get him above Double A. Bill Schmidt sees a little more muscle and patience to get him to the upper minors, where a break could land him as a PBA backup.
CF: Julio Pena—Pirates
A Venezuelan discovery in 2022, Pena had good offensive seasons in the Gulf Coast League in 2023 and 2024, earning a trip to Lethbridge in 2025. The offense didn’t make the trip, but Pena’s zone rating led the league. He also had eight homers and 14 steals to help overcome a .200 average.
Pena looks like a terrific defender who can play both the infield and outfield in the future, with terrific speed that makes him a likely outfielder. He still needs to work on playing other positions than Second Base, and his likely ultimate destination is Triple-A as he doesn’t have a great bat. OSA likes his patience, and Bill Schmidt really likes his patience, which could help the skills play up. A trip to West Virginia is likely for next year.
CF: Cruz Camargo—Blue Jays
Camargo signed with Toronto for 3.78 million out of the Dominican Republic last year, and only took one year before coming over to play pro ball. Camargo only walked 14 times leading to a .272 OBP, so his bat still needs work. However, he did club a league lead-tying five triples with 16 doubles.
Camargo still needs to work on his defense, and should spend awhile in the minors. His speed is real, and he has a quick bat that can pepper the gaps. Both OSA and Bill Schmidt see a potential PBA backup if the defense comes around.
SP: Humberto Chapa—Athletics
The 24-year-old Dominican, who bears a striking resemblance to the muppet Beaker, had a dominant season, leading the league with a 1.65 ERA. This was to be expected as Chapa had pitched in higher levels than rookie ball since 2021.
Chapa doesn’t have much of a future and has been left to test free agency twice as a member of different organizations. He can probably cut it in A-ball, but should probably try to cut it in a different profession.
SP: Enrique Castillo—Athletics
Castillo spent 2024 winning 13 games and producing 3.5 WAR for a 92-win Hartford team in the Eastern League. Why Oakland signed him to pitch as an overqualified ringer for the Edmonton Bucks is beyond anyone’s guess. Castillo eclipsed the 8-3 record he had for St. Lawrence back in 2022, going 11-1 to lead the league, and posting a 1.81 ERA.
Castillo is a strong mid-minors pitcher, with good stuff and very good command. He should be pitching for some team’s Double-A affiliate, not in the low minors.
CL: Jamie Sarmiento—Phillies
An eight-round pick of the Phillies this year, Sarmiento was wild north of the border, walking 17 hitters in 30.2 innings for the Mascouche Steamwheelers. He also struck out 36, helping him lead the league in saves.
Sarmiento has good stuff, but still has to hone his control before he can make it up the ladder. OSA sees a Triple-A arm, while Bill Schmidt pegs him ultimately in Double A. He should see time in Short-A next year.
SP: Andy Giancola—Marlins
A former 23rd round pick by Arizona in 2021, Giancola has already been released by the Diamondbacks and Tigers in his career. After pitching well for Jupiter and Sault Ste. Marie last year, Giancola repeated the Canadian Rookie League and led the league in WAR with 3.9. He worked 75.1 innings to a 3.11 ERA.
Now 23, there’s a reason two teams have already cut Giancola as he doesn’t have a bright future. He has very good stuff for the low minors though, and as a 23-year-old, should make the jump to short-season A-Ball next year.
RP: Luis Flores—Rangers
The 21-year-old Brossard went 8-0 with a 1.67 ERA this year leading the league in WHIP with a 0.78 WHIP. The righty issued just one home run in the pitching haven of Feline WarPark, as his high 90’s fastball and splitter were too much for hitters to handle.
Flores has bounced around the low minors, making it up to High-A despite not much success there. Ultimately, Flores doesn’t have much deception and hangs his splitter too much, making him an inferior option at higher levels. He’s proven he’s too good for Rookie Ball though. Maybe Short-Season A-Ball is the sweet spot.
RP: Zander Dionne—Marlins
Dionne was an 11th round pick of the Twins in 2023 who was cut in early February after not pitching in 2024. Miami swooped in and signed him, then watched the lefty lead the league with 10 holds. Dionne allowed a bunch of walks and an elevated BABIP, so his WHIP was a pretty high 1.60, leading to a 4.95 ERA. He struck out 40 hitters in 40 innings though.
Dionne is young and needs to learn to throw strikes to be effective. Without his control, he doesn’t have the stuff necessary to compensate. He’s a Canadian citizen though, and may be fine pitching in the rookie league for a while.
LF: Donald Miller—Tigers
Detroit’s third round pick this past year, Miller really struggled in his introduction to pro ball. The Wills Point High School graduate hit .198 with one homer, four walks and 44 strikeouts in 134 plate appearances. He also had a-7.1 Zone Rating in Center Field, leading to a -1.2 WAR season.
Miller is very young, just 18-years old, and is very raw. At 6-5, OSA sees him putting on muscle and becoming a big slugger, while Bill Schmidt sees a future Double-A flameout. Both sets of scouts see Miller as needing more time in the low minors to learn the game.
1B: Jared Liddell—Nationals
Last year’s Nationals first round pick, Liddell was featured in the space after a -1.0 WAR campaign. He improved on that mark this year, putting up -0.9 WAR in his sophomore season. Liddell does play in a brutal stadium, and he showed more power going from .312 slugging to .342 slugging. However, his average dropped to .192 and he’s a poor defender.
OSA still pegs Liddell as a major power hitter in the majors, even if the hit tool offers concerns. Bill Schmidt is also more optimistic than he was last year, even if Liddell’s performance hasn’t warranted it, and now sees Liddell as a possible Quad-A slugger. Either way, Liddell may need one more year in Hudson Bay to continue to develop.
SP: Tom McCracken—Padres
“RELEASE McCRACKEN!” could be heard booming through the Yukon sky from angry Grey Birds fans as San Diego’s first round pick this year had a 9.33 ERA and a -0.5 WAR. McCracken was the ninth overall selection in the draft, but walked 20 in 27 innings, and gave up a .398 BABIP. McCracken did get better as the year progressed, and didn’t allow a run in 2.1 playoff innings for Yukon.
Only 18, scouts look at McCracken as a future frontline starter. He should return to Northwest Alaska as it may take him some time to put everything together.
SP: John Belanger—Indians
A third round pick by Cleveland in 2023, Belanger has progressed very slowly. His WAR has gone from 0.4 in 2023 in the Arizona league, to 0.7 last year in Canada, back down to 0.2 this year. Belanger has limited home runs, but that’s more of a product of The Hellhole being murder on power hitters. He walked 24 batter and allowed 53 hits in 43.1 innings—good for an elevated 1.78 WHIP.
Belanger is still young, but OSA doesn’t see him as more than a Double-A pitcher. The fastball only clocks in the low 90s, and the fastball is pretty straight. The Canadian may need to spend another year in Canada and see if he can increase his velocity to get the PBA back on his radar.