Post by Commissioner Erick on Sept 26, 2021 14:15:29 GMT -5
Home runs were up in the Canadian Rookie League, and a few older players dominated the league. Keep reading for Canadian's best and brightest, as well several early draft picks off to rough starts.
3B: Greg Turnquist—Marlins
Turnquist played his seventh professional season this past year. He’s succeeded in A-Ball in the past and dominated the Canadian Rookie League as recently as last year. His reward was repeating the level. He led the league in average with a .375 mark and clubbed 35 home runs, second in the league.
Turnquist has a good hit tool and looks like he can hold his own in the mid to high minors. There’s no need for him to play in the low minors anymore, and the Marlins are just wasting his development.
1B: Omari Adeniran—Indians
Adeniran’s been in rookie ball since being drafted in the 10th round in 2021. He hasn’t been successful until this year when he bashed 36 homers to lead the league. He also drove in 65 runners, and looked like a major slugger.
Adeniran doesn’t have much of an eye, so he’s destined to a minor league career. However, after showing off the power he did this year, he may be primed for a trip to short-season A-Ball to see if the power holds.
3B: Yordy Barley—Padres
Barley struggled with the bat, but was terrific with his legs last year. He hit .181 with a .285 slugging percentage, a 75 OPS+. However, he stole 35 bases in 37 attempts as a master on the bases. He played great defense at Third Base to end up with 1.7 WAR despite hitting so poorly.
Barley doesn’t look like a player who’d end up higher than A-ball, but he did hit .264 with 17 doubles in 2024, so there’s some offensive talent there. He’s 26-years-old, so there’s no real reason for him to stay in rookie ball.
SS: Juan Angelico—Mariners
After struggling mightily in High-A in 2025, Angelico was demoted way down to the Canadian Rookie League. He thrived offensively for the first time in his career with a .261 average and 14 homers. He also stole 24 bases. His best attribute was his defense though with a 13.6 Zone Rating at Shortstop.
Angelico’s speed and defense have improved every season, but he’s failed offensively at A-Ball. He’ll be 24 next season, so it may be fine for the Mariners to keep him around for one more season to help the pitching staff.
CF: Sterling Chapman—Blue Jays
The Grim Reaper, Chapman was drafted in the third round in 2024 and struggled his first two seasons in East St. Paul. Last year, however, he hit .281, stole 15 bags, and led the league with 25 doubles. Chapman didn’t walk very much, but he hit 11 home runs for a .504 slugging mark.
Chapman is 21 and still has some developing to do, so it’s possible he spends another year in Canada. Both Bill Schmidt and OSA see him as a Triple-A outfielder, but his speed may allow him to burst into the majors.
3B: Ryan Cantwell—Padres
The right-handed Cantwell hit a bunch of extra base hits last year, with seven homers, 11 doubles, and a league-leading six triples. He only hit .230, but he did walk at a good rate and had a .749 OPS despite hitting .230.
Cantwell has enough speed and defense to profile as a possible upper-minors player despite being drafted in the 13th round in 2023. He doesn’t have much home run power, but the gap power is there with his line drive swing, and he steals bases. He might be set for Short-Season A ball next year.
SP: Derian Gonzalez—Nationals
Gonzalez led the league in ERA despite being 31 years and not having a reason to be in the league. He had a 1.53 ERA mowing down hitters a decade younger, allowing just 11 walks in 76.2 innings.
Gonzalez was promoted to Triple-A late in the league and will likely not be back in rookie ball next year. He’s held his own in Double-A, which is likely his ideal level if he stays pitching in North America.
SP: Josh Riley—Giants
Aside from 2024, Riley has worked in rookie ball since being drafted in the 20th round in 2021. He worked in the Dominican League last year and was the runner up for the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award. This year, he led Canada in wins with an 11-2 mark and a 3.34 ERA. He walked 10 guys in 89 innings, striking out an even 100 in the process.
Riley is homer prone and his straight fastball limits his ultimate upside. However, he projects to have great command and very good stuff. He may ultimately top out in Triple-A, but he’s ready to move on from rookie ball.
SP: Luys Jcome—Padres
A scouting discovery out of Brazil in 2021, Jcome dominated in his second full season. He went 10-1 with a 2.86 ERA, leading the league with a 103.2 innings. Jcome whiffed 111 hitters, second most in the league, and walked just 18. He’s solidified himself as one of the best young arms in the low minors.
Jcome throws hard, but he’ll miss spots and he throws straight, so neither Schmidt nor OSA sees him as a major leaguer. He’s advanced for rookie league though, and should move up to short-season A-ball next year. He’ll likely top out in Double A long term.
SP: Katsuya Matsuura—Marlins
Matsuura was drafted in the final round of the Nippon League draft in 2022, was cut after 2023, and latched on in Miami. He was a solid reliever his first two years in the western hemisphere, but got his first taste of starting this past year. He went 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA with a league-leading 117 strikeouts, leading to a 2.0 WAR season.
Matsuura throws hard and has big stuff, but he has very little command and no offspeed pitches. He may be able to pitch in A-ball, but neither Schmidt nor OSA sees him pitching above that level.
SP: Marquis Williams—Padres
While Williams has a high-90’s fastball, he throws five pitches, earning him the nickname garbage. He used his stuff and deep repertoire to rack up a league-lead tying 14 saves in 27 games. Williams struck out 32 batters and allowed just two homers in 29.2 innings.
The 2024 third-round pick, Williams’ deep arsenal puts him on a major league track. Both Schmidt and OSA see an arm with big stuff that will still throw strikes and not get killed by home runs. Despite being only 21, Williams should move into the rotation and into full-season ball next year.
SP: Connor Greene—Nationals
The 31-year-old Greene found himself pitching for Hudson Bay and predictably dominating. He had the best FIP in the league at 1.88, and the second best ERA at 1.66. He only went 6-3, but he produced 3.1 WAR.
Greene was called up to Triple-A late in the year, where he belongs. He has the most wins All-Time in the International League, and should be back there next season to continue to build on that mark.
CF: James Gonzalez—Cardinals
Gonzalez, the 24th overall pick in last year’s draft, had an awful year for the Saint John Whales. The Center Fielder hit just .162 with 62 strikeouts versus 21 walks. Gonzalez did play adequate defense and steal 12 bases, but the offensive performance was rough.
OSA sees a player with huge power and an awful hit tool, leading to a lot of swing-and-miss. Bill Schmidt sees the same player, though with a little bit better of an eye. Despite being 22, he’ll certainly need one more turn in the league before moving on.
RF: Jeff McGeeney—Giants
McGeeney was a third round pick of the Giants in 2025, but hasn’t found his footing in pro ball yet. After hitting .202 his first tour in Vancouver, McGeeney batted .212 last year with just four home runs. He missed a month with an undisclosed injury, and never found a rhythm when he did play. McGeeney doesn’t have much range, nor was he successful stealing bases last year, getting caught in half of his four attempts. He’ll need his power to begin to show.
OSA and Schmidt are wildly divergent on McGeeney. OSA sees a future plus hitter with a good eye, terrific power, and no real weaknesses. Schmidt sees a Triple-A slugger. Both of them see McGeeney returning to Vancouver next year.
CL: Justin Cryer—Cardinals
The Cardinals’ second round pick last year, Cryer struggled worst than their first round pick did. He went 2-7 with a 7.06 ERA, allowing a staggering 10 home runs in 21.2 innings. Lefties has a .782 slugging percentage off Cryer, as the youngster had -1.1 WAR despite striking out more than a batter an inning.
Both OSA and Schmidt see a future relief ace, so the bad performance was likely a case of pro-ball jitters. The strikeout numbers show that Cryer may be fine taking a step to short-season A-ball, despite the poor numbers.
RP: Sergio Melero—Padres
A fourth round pick selected in 2025, Melero has been two different pitchers his first two pro seasons, with very different results. In 2025, he limited home runs, but walked a ton of hitters, offsetting major strikeout numbers. He had a 2.52 ERA, but was limited to just 0.1 WAR. Last year, his walks diminished, but his strikeouts were also tempered. He allowed a ton of home runs, leading to a 5.05 ERA and a -0.2 WAR.
Melero doesn’t look like much more than a future High-A pitcher, so next season will be a big year for him. If he struggles, he may be out of baseball and looking at an international league.
3B: Greg Turnquist—Marlins
Turnquist played his seventh professional season this past year. He’s succeeded in A-Ball in the past and dominated the Canadian Rookie League as recently as last year. His reward was repeating the level. He led the league in average with a .375 mark and clubbed 35 home runs, second in the league.
Turnquist has a good hit tool and looks like he can hold his own in the mid to high minors. There’s no need for him to play in the low minors anymore, and the Marlins are just wasting his development.
1B: Omari Adeniran—Indians
Adeniran’s been in rookie ball since being drafted in the 10th round in 2021. He hasn’t been successful until this year when he bashed 36 homers to lead the league. He also drove in 65 runners, and looked like a major slugger.
Adeniran doesn’t have much of an eye, so he’s destined to a minor league career. However, after showing off the power he did this year, he may be primed for a trip to short-season A-Ball to see if the power holds.
3B: Yordy Barley—Padres
Barley struggled with the bat, but was terrific with his legs last year. He hit .181 with a .285 slugging percentage, a 75 OPS+. However, he stole 35 bases in 37 attempts as a master on the bases. He played great defense at Third Base to end up with 1.7 WAR despite hitting so poorly.
Barley doesn’t look like a player who’d end up higher than A-ball, but he did hit .264 with 17 doubles in 2024, so there’s some offensive talent there. He’s 26-years-old, so there’s no real reason for him to stay in rookie ball.
SS: Juan Angelico—Mariners
After struggling mightily in High-A in 2025, Angelico was demoted way down to the Canadian Rookie League. He thrived offensively for the first time in his career with a .261 average and 14 homers. He also stole 24 bases. His best attribute was his defense though with a 13.6 Zone Rating at Shortstop.
Angelico’s speed and defense have improved every season, but he’s failed offensively at A-Ball. He’ll be 24 next season, so it may be fine for the Mariners to keep him around for one more season to help the pitching staff.
CF: Sterling Chapman—Blue Jays
The Grim Reaper, Chapman was drafted in the third round in 2024 and struggled his first two seasons in East St. Paul. Last year, however, he hit .281, stole 15 bags, and led the league with 25 doubles. Chapman didn’t walk very much, but he hit 11 home runs for a .504 slugging mark.
Chapman is 21 and still has some developing to do, so it’s possible he spends another year in Canada. Both Bill Schmidt and OSA see him as a Triple-A outfielder, but his speed may allow him to burst into the majors.
3B: Ryan Cantwell—Padres
The right-handed Cantwell hit a bunch of extra base hits last year, with seven homers, 11 doubles, and a league-leading six triples. He only hit .230, but he did walk at a good rate and had a .749 OPS despite hitting .230.
Cantwell has enough speed and defense to profile as a possible upper-minors player despite being drafted in the 13th round in 2023. He doesn’t have much home run power, but the gap power is there with his line drive swing, and he steals bases. He might be set for Short-Season A ball next year.
SP: Derian Gonzalez—Nationals
Gonzalez led the league in ERA despite being 31 years and not having a reason to be in the league. He had a 1.53 ERA mowing down hitters a decade younger, allowing just 11 walks in 76.2 innings.
Gonzalez was promoted to Triple-A late in the league and will likely not be back in rookie ball next year. He’s held his own in Double-A, which is likely his ideal level if he stays pitching in North America.
SP: Josh Riley—Giants
Aside from 2024, Riley has worked in rookie ball since being drafted in the 20th round in 2021. He worked in the Dominican League last year and was the runner up for the league’s Most Outstanding Pitcher award. This year, he led Canada in wins with an 11-2 mark and a 3.34 ERA. He walked 10 guys in 89 innings, striking out an even 100 in the process.
Riley is homer prone and his straight fastball limits his ultimate upside. However, he projects to have great command and very good stuff. He may ultimately top out in Triple-A, but he’s ready to move on from rookie ball.
SP: Luys Jcome—Padres
A scouting discovery out of Brazil in 2021, Jcome dominated in his second full season. He went 10-1 with a 2.86 ERA, leading the league with a 103.2 innings. Jcome whiffed 111 hitters, second most in the league, and walked just 18. He’s solidified himself as one of the best young arms in the low minors.
Jcome throws hard, but he’ll miss spots and he throws straight, so neither Schmidt nor OSA sees him as a major leaguer. He’s advanced for rookie league though, and should move up to short-season A-ball next year. He’ll likely top out in Double A long term.
SP: Katsuya Matsuura—Marlins
Matsuura was drafted in the final round of the Nippon League draft in 2022, was cut after 2023, and latched on in Miami. He was a solid reliever his first two years in the western hemisphere, but got his first taste of starting this past year. He went 7-2 with a 3.07 ERA with a league-leading 117 strikeouts, leading to a 2.0 WAR season.
Matsuura throws hard and has big stuff, but he has very little command and no offspeed pitches. He may be able to pitch in A-ball, but neither Schmidt nor OSA sees him pitching above that level.
SP: Marquis Williams—Padres
While Williams has a high-90’s fastball, he throws five pitches, earning him the nickname garbage. He used his stuff and deep repertoire to rack up a league-lead tying 14 saves in 27 games. Williams struck out 32 batters and allowed just two homers in 29.2 innings.
The 2024 third-round pick, Williams’ deep arsenal puts him on a major league track. Both Schmidt and OSA see an arm with big stuff that will still throw strikes and not get killed by home runs. Despite being only 21, Williams should move into the rotation and into full-season ball next year.
SP: Connor Greene—Nationals
The 31-year-old Greene found himself pitching for Hudson Bay and predictably dominating. He had the best FIP in the league at 1.88, and the second best ERA at 1.66. He only went 6-3, but he produced 3.1 WAR.
Greene was called up to Triple-A late in the year, where he belongs. He has the most wins All-Time in the International League, and should be back there next season to continue to build on that mark.
CF: James Gonzalez—Cardinals
Gonzalez, the 24th overall pick in last year’s draft, had an awful year for the Saint John Whales. The Center Fielder hit just .162 with 62 strikeouts versus 21 walks. Gonzalez did play adequate defense and steal 12 bases, but the offensive performance was rough.
OSA sees a player with huge power and an awful hit tool, leading to a lot of swing-and-miss. Bill Schmidt sees the same player, though with a little bit better of an eye. Despite being 22, he’ll certainly need one more turn in the league before moving on.
RF: Jeff McGeeney—Giants
McGeeney was a third round pick of the Giants in 2025, but hasn’t found his footing in pro ball yet. After hitting .202 his first tour in Vancouver, McGeeney batted .212 last year with just four home runs. He missed a month with an undisclosed injury, and never found a rhythm when he did play. McGeeney doesn’t have much range, nor was he successful stealing bases last year, getting caught in half of his four attempts. He’ll need his power to begin to show.
OSA and Schmidt are wildly divergent on McGeeney. OSA sees a future plus hitter with a good eye, terrific power, and no real weaknesses. Schmidt sees a Triple-A slugger. Both of them see McGeeney returning to Vancouver next year.
CL: Justin Cryer—Cardinals
The Cardinals’ second round pick last year, Cryer struggled worst than their first round pick did. He went 2-7 with a 7.06 ERA, allowing a staggering 10 home runs in 21.2 innings. Lefties has a .782 slugging percentage off Cryer, as the youngster had -1.1 WAR despite striking out more than a batter an inning.
Both OSA and Schmidt see a future relief ace, so the bad performance was likely a case of pro-ball jitters. The strikeout numbers show that Cryer may be fine taking a step to short-season A-ball, despite the poor numbers.
RP: Sergio Melero—Padres
A fourth round pick selected in 2025, Melero has been two different pitchers his first two pro seasons, with very different results. In 2025, he limited home runs, but walked a ton of hitters, offsetting major strikeout numbers. He had a 2.52 ERA, but was limited to just 0.1 WAR. Last year, his walks diminished, but his strikeouts were also tempered. He allowed a ton of home runs, leading to a 5.05 ERA and a -0.2 WAR.
Melero doesn’t look like much more than a future High-A pitcher, so next season will be a big year for him. If he struggles, he may be out of baseball and looking at an international league.