Shushkewich: Seven Canadian MLB prospects to watch in 2026

Fieldhouse Pirates and Junior National Team grad Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) will likely get significant playing time with the Miami Marlins in 2026. Photo: Miami Marlins

March 24, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s hard to find an organization that doesn’t have a Canadian either on their big league roster or in the upper levels of the minor leagues.

This influx of Canucks is a testament to the talent coming from north of the border, which was on display earlier this month at the World Baseball Classic.

Entering the 2026 season, there were a handful of Canadians looking to secure a spot on an Opening Day roster – some were successful, some will have to wait their turn for a spot.

Owen Caissie – OF

Miami Marlins

Entering the 2025 season, outfielder Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) was one of the top Canadian prospects in all of baseball and was projected to make his major league debut at some point that season. A groin injury during Spring Training and a stacked Chicago Cubs outfield saw him land in the minors for most of the season. But he eventually made his debut in Toronto on August 14 against the Blue Jays. He played a handful of games with the Cubs but finished the year on the IL after a collision in the outfield.

Caissie was moved to the Miami Marlins this past winter, and the Fieldhouse Pirate alum is slated to be a key cog in the Marlins machine for the foreseeable future. He joins fellow Canucks Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) and Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) on the squad that could shape up to be a contender in the NL East. With Kyle Stowers landing on the IL to begin the season, the club will depend even more on Caissie, who should be a top name in the NL Rookie of the Year consideration.

Denzel Clarke – OF

Athletics

Baseball runs in Denzel Clarke’s blood. The Pickering, Ontario product is a cousin of the Naylor brothers. This season, Clarke is going to be a key figure in the Athletics’ outfield.

He made his debut on May 23, 2025 and posted a .230/.274/.372 line with a .646 OPS across 148 at-bats and 47 games. Clarke missed a good chunk of the last half of the season with an adductor strain. While his stats at the plate were not eye-popping, Clarke makes up for it with his outstanding defence in centre field, which includes numerous wall grabs and home run-robbing snags that earned him some hardware at the end of the season.

Similar to Caissie, the former Toronto Met is going to be a key figure in the Athletics’ outfield for a club that should be on the rise in the AL West standings.

Tristan Peters – OF

Chicago White Sox

Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) is finally getting the opportunity to contribute in the big leagues.

The Tampa Bay Rays stashed the outfielder in the minors for most of the 2025 season despite being a better option than many of the players they promoted instead of him. They only gave him a short window to compete in the big leagues. I will die on the hill that the Rays did not give Peters a fair shot last season, and after being traded this past offseason to the Chicago White Sox, it might be the right opportunity for the Canuck to prove the doubters in the Rays’ organization wrong.

This spring, he stayed behind from the World Baseball Classic and impressed in the White Sox camp, posting a .270/.333/.514 slash line with two doubles, two triples, and a home run in 37 at-bats. He walked three times compared to eight strikeouts and stole one base and registered seven RBIs. On top of his impressive numbers in the batter’s box, he also made impressive plays in the outfield, including a home run-robbing grab against the Dodgers on March 14.

Peters should be breaking camp with the White Sox this season, at least in a bench capacity. At the time of writing, the decision is still up in the air, but he had a solid spring, and the White Sox need some outfield help given their current construction.

Jonah Tong – RHP

New York Mets

Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.) was dominant in 2025.

The right-hander bull-rushed his way to the big leagues last season, beginning the year in double-A and spending little time in triple-A Syracuse before the Mets called him up. He made five starts to the tune of a 7.71 ERA and a 4.31 FIP amidst the short sample size, but continued his high strikeout ways, posting a 10.6 K/9 through 18 2/3 innings.

Tong stayed behind from the WBC to compete for a spot in the Mets’ rotation and things did not go well for the Ontario product this spring. He made two starts and allowed nine hits and six earned runs through seven innings, striking out seven with one walk. The Mets optioned him to the minor leagues early in March, ending his bid for the 2026 Opening Day roster.

The 22-year-old was in a tough spot with the emergence of fellow pitching prospect Nolan McLean and with the Mets’ acquisition of Freddy Peralta this offseason. But Tong should be in a spot to contribute later this year.

Mitch Bratt – LHP

Arizona Diamondbacks

Bratt was in a similar position to Tong entering the 2026 season. The Newmarket, Ontario product was dealt at the 2025 trade deadline to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Bratt was looking to crack the Opening Day roster after being added to the 40-man this past winter. He even stayed back from the WBC to improve his chances.

Bratt made three appearances this spring for the D-Backs and allowed seven hits, six walks, and six earned runs through six innings of work. He struck out six, but Arizona optioned him to the minors in early March. The additions of Zac Gallen and fellow Canuck Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) didn’t help Bratt’s chances either.

The left-hander will likely begin the season in triple-A where he will get a chance to showcase his skills at the top level and try to build upon his strong 2025 season.

Tyler Black – INF

Milwaukee Brewers

There might not be a tougher organization to crack through than the Milwaukee Brewers, and Tyler Black (Toronto, Ont.) learned that the hard way this spring.

Despite posting a .550/.522/.1000 slash line this spring across six games, collecting two doubles, two triples, and a home run with 14 RBIs, Black still did not make the Opening Day roster. He cooled down a bit at the World Baseball Classic, but he was still posting strong numbers in the Cactus League.

Primarily working at first base, he sits behind Andrew Vaughn and Jake Bauers in the depth charts, and it gets even more complicated in the outfield, where Black will suit up on occasion in the corner outfield spots. He’s played sparingly in the big leagues over the past two seasons, and Black will likely need to start strong in triple-A to put himself on the map for a call-up in 2026.

Garrett Hawkins – RHP

San Diego Padres

The 2025 season was the Garrett Hawkins awakening in the San Diego Padres system.

After missing 2024 due to Tommy John, the Saskatoon, Sask. native split the 2025 season between high-A and double-A, pitching to a 1.50 ERA and a 2.22 FIP through 60 innings and 45 outings. Hawkins finished the season with a 0.850 WHIP and a 4.2 H/9, limiting opponents to a .221 BABIP while striking out 80 batters to the tune of a 12.0 K/9. The impressive campaign saw Hawkins added to the 40-man roster and earn the Padres’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award.

Hawkins entered big league camp looking for a spot on the Opening Day roster and pitched to a 4.50 ERA through six innings, allowing seven hits, five walks, and three earned runs with seven strikeouts. He was optioned to the minors in mid-March and will likely start the campaign in triple-A to begin the year. The Padres' 14th ranked prospect will look to bust through the big league door this season.