Shushkewich: Caissie earned second CBN Randy Echlin Award in years of firsts

Fieldhouse Pirates and Junior National Team alum Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) won his second consecutive Canadian Baseball Network Randy Echlin Award, as top Canuck hitter in the affiliated minor league ranks, in 2025. Photo: Henry Wright, Canadian Baseball Network

February 3, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

When it comes to baseball firsts, Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) crossed off a bunch of bucket list items in 2025.

First big league hit? Check.

First big league double? Check.

First big league home run? Check.

First Randy Echlin Award win? Well, that’s where things get a bit different.

For his efforts with the Chicago Cubs’ triple-A club in Iowa last season, Caissie was voted the Canadian Baseball Network’s top Canuck minor league hitter in the affiliated ranks. It was his second consecutive year winning the Randy Echlin Award. With that, he became the fourth Canuck to win the award multiple times (following Tyler O’Neill (3), Brett Lawrie (2), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2)).

Drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2020, Caissie was traded to the Cubs on December 29 of that same year and has spent his entire career in the Cubs’ system. He has continued his journey up the minor league ladder and was banging on the big league doors last spring before a groin strain shut him down early.

The former Fieldhouse Pirate instead started the year in triple-A Iowa. In 99 games in triple-A, Caissie posted a .286/.386/.551 slash line that included 28 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs, and 55 RBIs. The left-handed hitting outfielder amassed a .937 OPS and a 139 wRC+, and finished the year with a 13.2% walk rate, .265 ISO, and a .367 BABIP with a .410 wOBA.

Despite missing some time on the IL, Caissie still finished the year second on the team in home runs, third in doubles, OPS and SLG, fourth in batting average and walks (57), and fifth in OBP. He also earned a spot on the National League Futures squad.

With the Cubs heading to Toronto, the organization called up Caissie on August 14 where he slotted into the fifth spot in the lineup as the team’s DH. It wasn’t Caissie’s first time at the Rogers Centre, but it was his first time on the turf as a big leaguer.

He would finish the day with a zero in the hits column, although Caissie has Blue Jays left fielder Davis Schneider to thank for that. The mustached fan favourite took away Caissie’s first big league hit on a diving play, snagging a line drive that left Caissie’s bat at 93.8 MPH off veteran Max Scherzer. Caissie would have to wait until August 18 against the Milwaukee Brewers for his first big league hit, sending a 100 MPH sinker from Abner Uribe up the middle for a single.

A day later, Caissie collected that ever-important first home run, demolishing a Shelby Miller fastball the opposite way, sending the offering 381 feet over the Wrigley Field ivy for a solo shot.

Caissie’s time in the big leagues would be limited to 12 games, collecting five hits (two extra-base hits). He also finished the season on the IL due to concussion-like symptoms after crashing into the outfield wall while reeling in a difficult catch in right field.

Another non-first for Caissie this year came on the trade front, with the Canuck starting the new calendar year on a new team.

Caissie was the main trade target of the Miami Marlins, with the Fish sending fireballer Edward Cabrera to the Windy City in exchange for the outfielder and a handful of other prospects. It’s not the first time Caissie has been traded, but after being on the outside looking in for a big league roster spot last spring, the 23-year-old enters this season with a shot to make the Marlins’ Opening Day roster.

He joins fellow Canuck Liam Hicks with the Marlins and the two are slated to be teammates on Team Canada at the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Caissie enters the 2026 season as the 42nd top prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and will likely be a key figure in the Marlins' outfield this upcoming season.

This will likely be Caissie’s final time taking home the Randy Echlin Award as the Ontario product looks to forge his career as a big leaguer, setting his sights on the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award instead.

Honour Roll

Affiliated Players

Offensive Player Of The Year

(Starting in 2011 the award was named after the The Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Echlin, former head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee and a man with a baseball-shaped heart.)

2008 _ Tim Smith (Toronto, Ont.) Rangers.

2009 _ Tyson Gillies (Langley, BC) Mariners.

2010 _ Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Brewers.

2011 _ Taylor Green (Comox, BC) Brewers and Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Jays.

2012 _ Oscar Taveras (Montreal, Que.) Cardinals.

2013 _ Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) Diamondbacks.

2014 _ Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays.

2015 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2016 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2017 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners/Cardinals and Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2018 _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2019 _ Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) Astros.

2020 _ Minor league seasons cancelled, COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 _ Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2022 _ Edouard Julien (Quebec, Que.), Twins.

2023 _ Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) Brewers.

2024 _ Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) Cubs.

2025 _ Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) Cubs.

By province” BC 6, Ontario 6, Quebec 6.

By Organization: Blue Jays 5, Mariners 4, Brewers 3, Cardinals 2, Cubs 2, Astros, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Twins, one each.

Bold indicates made the majors.