The Toronto Blue Jays are the only Major League Baseball team located in Canada. They play in the American League East division. As Canada’s sole MLB team, the Blue Jays naturally have a number of Canadian players on their roster.
Current Blue Jays Players from Canada
In the 2023 season, the Blue Jays have 5 Canadian players on their 40-man roster:
- RHP Andrew Albers – North Battleford, Saskatchewan
- OF Dalton Pompey – Mississauga, Ontario
- LHP Jeff Francis – North Delta, British Columbia
- C Russell Martin – Toronto, Ontario
- OF Michael Saunders – Victoria, British Columbia
Here is a table summarizing the Canadian players on the Blue Jays 40-man roster:
Name | Position | Hometown |
---|---|---|
Andrew Albers | RHP | North Battleford, Saskatchewan |
Dalton Pompey | OF | Mississauga, Ontario |
Jeff Francis | LHP | North Delta, British Columbia |
Russell Martin | C | Toronto, Ontario |
Michael Saunders | OF | Victoria, British Columbia |
Notable Canadian Blue Jays From the Past
While the current Blue Jays roster includes 5 Canadian players, even more have suited up for Toronto over the franchise’s history. Here are some of the most notable Canadian Blue Jays from the past:
- 1B Joey Votto – Toronto, Ontario
- OF Matt Stairs – Fredericton, New Brunswick
- C Russell Martin – Toronto, Ontario
- RHP Paul Quantrill – London, Ontario
- LHP Jeff Francis – North Delta, British Columbia
Joey Votto, arguably the best Canadian hitter ever, played 6 seasons with the Blue Jays from 2007-2012. He made 3 All-Star teams and won an MVP award during his time in Toronto before being traded to the Reds.
Matt Stairs spent 5 seasons with the Blue Jays from 2007-2011, playing primarily as a powerful designated hitter and pinch hitter. Russell Martin not only plays for the Blue Jays currently, but also spent 5 highly productive seasons as their starting catcher from 2015-2019.
Paul Quantrill was a workhorse reliever for Toronto, leading the AL in games pitched for 3 straight years from 2001-2003. Jeff Francis had a brief but notable stint with the Blue Jays in 2007-2008 as a key piece in their starting rotation.
Why Are There So Many Canadians on the Blue Jays?
Given that the Blue Jays are Canada’s only MLB team, it makes sense that they would have a disproportionate number of Canadian players compared to the other 29 American franchises. But why exactly have they accumulated so much Canadian talent over the years?
They Represent Canada
As Canada’s lone team, the Blue Jays take pride in representing their country on the MLB stage. Signing and developing homegrown Canadian players is an excellent way to strengthen their identity as Canada’s ballclub.
Strong Scouting in Canada
The Blue Jays have made an effort to identify and sign amateur talent from the baseball hotbeds across Canada. They have dedicated scouts assigned to different Canadian regions to find prospects and facilitate draft selections or free agent signings.
Players Want to Play for Home Country’s Team
For many Canadian players, suiting up for the Blue Jays represents a dream come true. The opportunity to play for their country’s only MLB franchise right at home is an appealing option for Canadian pros.
Local Popularity of Canadian Players
Canadian players naturally draw in more local fans from Toronto and across Ontario who want to cheer for homegrown stars. The Blue Jays leverage this by seeking out Canadian talent to market.
Do the Blue Jays Actively Target Canadian Players?
Based on their consistent roster makeup over the years, the Blue Jays do appear to make a special effort to seek out and acquire Canadian amateur and professional players compared to other MLB teams.
Here are some signs that the Blue Jays target Canadian players:
- Their MLB draft selections – The Blue Jays use a disproportionate number of high picks on Canadian amateurs.
- Free agent signings – The Blue Jays are typically major players for the top Canadian free agents each offseason.
- Trades – The Blue Jays sometimes trade for Canadian MLB players from other teams.
- Multiple Canadian scouts – They dedicate more scouting manpower to Canada than other teams.
- Setting up camps in Canada – They run instructional camps north of the border to find prospects.
Based on their consistent results in employing Canadian players over the franchise’s history, the Blue Jays likely make it an organizational priority to tap into the baseball talent within their home country.
Do the Blue Jays Only Target Canadian Players?
While the Blue Jays make a concerted effort to bring Canadian players into their organization, Canadians still represent a minority on their roster compared to American and international players. Here is a breakdown of their 2023 40-man roster by nationality:
Nationality | Number of Players |
---|---|
American | 27 |
Canadian | 5 |
Dominican | 3 |
Puerto Rican | 2 |
Cuban | 1 |
Mexican | 1 |
Venezuelan | 1 |
While Canadians represent the largest international contingent, American players still make up the majority at 27 of 40 roster spots. The Blue Jays scout and sign talent from all over the Americas and the Caribbean as well, not just Canada.
Key non-Canadian Blue Jays
Here are some current stars and franchise icons for the Blue Jays who hail from outside Canada:
- 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Dominican Republic
- SS Bo Bichette – USA
- RF George Springer – USA
- SP Kevin Gausman – USA
- DH Alejandro Kirk – Mexico
The current young core and face of the franchise features ace pitcher Kevin Gausman, sluggers Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk, and All-Stars Bo Bichette and George Springer from the U.S. and Caribbean.
Conclusion
The Toronto Blue Jays make a concerted effort to identify and recruit amateur and professional talent from within Canada’s borders. Signing Canadian players helps strengthen their identity as Canada’s sole MLB team.
However, their 40-man roster still consists primarily of players from the United States and other countries. The Blue Jays cast a wide scouting net across the Americas, not just Canada, to build a talented and diverse MLB roster.