Shushkewich: Seven Canadians who have excelled in the minors this season
Junior National Team alum Nathan Flewelling (Innisfail, Alta.) is batting .345 with five home runs in 17 games for the Tampa Bay Rays’ High-A Bowling Green Hot Rods this season.
April 28, 2026
By Tyson Shushkewich
Canadian Baseball Network
The 2026 baseball season is about to hit the one-month mark, and it’s been an exciting month for players tied to the Great White North.
Over 60 Canadians have suited up in the minor leagues to open up the year, and that number will only grow when the respective Rookie Ball Leagues open up in early May.
Team Canada showed that there is a horde of talent coming from north of the border with their World Baseball Classic run this spring, and now numerous players across different minor league levels are starting to showcase what they can do.
Here are a few standouts early into the season.
Eric Hartman – OF
High-A Rome (Atlanta)
There’s a fairly easy argument to be made that Eric Hartman has been the top minor league Canuck to begin the 2026 season.
The St. Albert, Alta. product has been a home run hitting machine, blasting eight round trippers in 19 games and 76 at-bats. That number of knocks has him sitting tied for third across all minor league systems, and he’s the only High-A player to reach that mark. He also leads the Braves’ farm system (with fellow Canuck David McCabe (Oshawa, Ont.) sitting right behind him with six).
On top of the power, Hartman owns a .316/.388/.711 slash line with a 1.099 OPS, while also walking seven times and adding eight stolen bases. There’s still a learning curve in the outfield with two errors committed between left field and centre field, but the 19-year-old is off to an incredibly strong start to begin the year.
Nathan Flewelling – C
High-A Bowling Green (Tampa)
Sticking in High-A (and Alberta), the Tampa Bay Rays are seeing what Nathan Flewelling (Innisfail, Alta.) can do after his first full pro-season in the Rays’ farm system last year.
The backstop has been off to a scorching start at the plate, posting a .345/.441/.672 slash line that includes two doubles, one triple, and five home runs. His 1.113 OPS ranks 19th across all qualified minor league players, and he’s showcasing his eye at the plate with nine walks.
Behind the plate, the 19-year-old has tossed out 18.8% of base stealers and has five assists to his name.
Garrett Hawkins – RHP
Triple-A El Paso (San Diego)
Garrett Hawkins showed up in a big way last season, and the right-hander from Saskatoon, Sask. is continuing to shine at the top level of the minors.
In eight outings, spanning 8 2/3 innings, Hawkins has allowed just six hits and two earned runs with one hold. He’s punching out opponents at an 8.3 K/9 clip, and if it weren’t for some command issues this past month (nine walks), he would likely be in the Padres’ bullpen right now.
Hawkins will need to reel that in if he wants to make the jump to San Diego, but he continues to show why he was worth the 40-man roster spot.
Thomas Ireland – LHP
Triple-A Round Rock (Tex)
Another Saskatchewan product is off to a strong start to begin the campaign. Left-hander Thomas Ireland has made four appearances while bouncing between High-A and triple-A to begin the year (two apiece). Across both leagues, Ireland has allowed eight hits, three earned runs, and four walks while punching out 15 batters (13.1 K/9).
Ireland’s movement around the Rangers’ system is a bit odd, and he did experience the same type of movement last year, splitting time between three different leagues. He’s in triple-A right now, and the left-hander has quietly been one of the top relievers in the system. His 1.99 FIP ranks third in the Rangers’ farm system among pitchers with 10+ innings.
Mitch Bratt – LHP
Triple-A Reno (Ariz)
This is Newmarket, Ont., native Mitch Bratt’s first full season in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ system after being traded at the 2025 deadline, and the southpaw is pitching well at the top level.
Across five outings and 19 innings, Bratt has allowed just six earned runs and has held opponents to a .182 average with a .544 OPS. Opponents are struggling to put hard contact on his offerings, and he’s allowed two or fewer runs in all but one outing. Bratt has seen a quiet drop in his K/9 (7.6) while seeing an increase in his BB/9 (4.3) out of the gate, but he finds ways to keep the runs off the board (2.84 ERA).
Bratt is knocking on the door to the big leagues this year and that’s one of the main reasons he stayed behind from the World Baseball Classic.
Dylan O’Rae – SS
Double-A Biloxi (Milwaukee)
You want speed? Then, Sarnia, Ontario product Dylan O’Rae is going to be one guy to keep an eye on.
With 15 stolen bases, O’Rae ranks seventh across all minor league players, and backs up that plus baserunning with a contact-heavy swing that is showcasing some sneaky pop as well. Across 77 at-bats, the left-handed hitting Brewers prospect owns an impressive .338/.453/.455 slash line with four doubles, one triple, and one home run.
While his OPS (.908) is lower than others mentioned in this article, with O’Rae’s speed, a single or a walk (16 so far) turns into a double or more very quickly.
Connor Caskenette – C
High-A Beloit (Miami)
Turning our attention to the West Coast, Connor Caskenette is repping Duncan, B.C. in a big way to begin the 2026 season.
Starting the year in High-A Beloit, Caskenette has authored a .298/.484/.489 slash line through 47 at-bats. While he hasn’t hit for much power, the backstop is an on-base machine, posting a 18.8% walk rate while also putting forth a .364 BABIP and 167 wRC+.