Vancouver Canadians
Template:About Template:Use Canadian EnglishTemplate:Use mdy dates Template:Shortlead Template:Infobox Minor League Baseball
The Vancouver Canadians are a professional Minor League Baseball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2000 after the relocation of the Southern Oregon Timberjacks to Vancouver, the Canadians are members of the Northwest League and, since 2021, serve as the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The team plays its home games at Nat Bailey Stadium.
Over the years the Canadians have grown into a well-attended, successful minor‑league franchise: they have captured five league championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2017 and 2023) and seven division titles, while becoming the only active Canadian‑based team in affiliated Minor League Baseball after the Ottawa Lynx folded in 2007. With a strong community connection and steady attendance growth, the club earned the John H. Johnson President's Award in 2013, recognizing its excellence as a minor‑league organization.
The team's affiliation history includes a development partnership with the Oakland Athletics from its inaugural season through 2010 before a transition to the Blue Jays' system in 2011. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID‑19 pandemic; during the subsequent minor‑league reorganization, Vancouver advanced from the Class A Short Season level to High‑A, joining the rebranded Northwest League.
History
Template:More information Prior to the 1999 season, the Vancouver Canadians Pacific Coast League franchise was purchased by a group led by Art Savage with the intention of relocating to Sacramento, California.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Despite winning the Pacific Coast League title and Triple-A World Series, the Canadians moved to California's capital city. The Southern Oregon Timberjacks of the Northwest League announced their relocation to Vancouver.<ref name="twmtvbc">Template:Cite news</ref> The team, a member of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, assumed the Canadians' name in 2000.
Like the predecessor Pacific Coast League franchise, the new Canadians signed a player development contract with the Oakland Athletics. The Canadians had players such as Nick Swisher, Jeremy Brown, Jason Windsor, Joe Blanton, Rich Harden, Travis Buck, Dallas Braden, and Dan Straily during this period.
2007
In 2007, local Vancouver businessmen Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney purchased the Vancouver Canadians and secured a 25-year lease with the City of Vancouver Parks Board. Extensive work began that offseason in a full-scale stadium renovation which improved washrooms, concessions, concourses, and children's play area. Point-of-purchase concessions increased substantially.
In January 2008, former Washington Nationals executive Andy Dunn become the President and General Manager of the Canadians.
2010–2012
In spring 2010, the Vancouver Canadians and Scotiabank announced a long-term partnership that would see Nat Bailey Stadium renamed to Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.
The Canadians became the Short-Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays following the 2010 season. The team's attendance rose to 162,162 in 2011, a team record. In September 2011, the Vancouver Canadians won their first Northwest League title, defeating the Tri-City Dust Devils, 9–2, to win the final series, 2–1. The following year, the Vancouver Canadians became back-to-back champions for the first time in franchise history, defeating the Boise Hawks, 12–9, to win the final series, 2–1.
2013
In August 2013, outfielder Kevin Pillar became the first alumnus of the team to debut in the major leagues for Toronto.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On September 9, 2013, the Canadians became just the third Northwest League team to win three straight championships, defeating the Boise Hawks, 5–0, at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium to win the final series, 2–1, in front of a sellout crowd.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The 2013 season also saw the Vancouver Canadians draw over 195,000 fans to Scotiabank Field, a fifth consecutive team record which included 23 sold-out games.
On November 4, 2013, the Canadians were named the 2013 recipient of the John H. Johnson President's Award, given to Minor League Baseball's top organization. It was the first time a Canadian-based franchise won the award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016–2017
In 2016, the Canadians led the Northwest League with a total attendance of 222,363, averaging 6,177 per game.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This earned them the 2016 Esurance "Home Field Advantage Award", given to the organization in each affiliated minor league with the greatest attendance per percentage capacity.<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> In 2017, the Canadians won another championship, defeating Eugene, 2–1, to win the series, 3–1.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They beat their previous record with 239,527 people in total attendance for the 2017 season, averaging 6,303 per game. On January 26, 2018, Toronto extended their player-development contract with Vancouver through the 2022 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2018
Although the Canadians were unable to make the playoffs in 2018, coming in a close second in both the first and second half of the season, they still lead the league in attendance with an impressive 239,086 in total attendance.
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minor League Baseball season was cancelled. In the winter of 2020 as part the reorganization of minor league baseball, Vancouver received an invitation to continue as the Blue Jays' High-A affiliate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a further change, they were organized into the High-A West along with five other teams previously of the Northwest League.<ref name=JMayo2-12-2021>Template:Cite web</ref>
2021
The team began the 2021 season playing its home games at Ron Tonkin Field (the home field of the Hillsboro Hops) in Hillsboro, Oregon due to COVID-19 border restrictions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Canadians finished 5th in 2021, missing out on playoffs.
2022
Prior to the 2022 season, the High-A West became known as the Northwest League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.<ref name="NWLrename">Template:Cite web</ref> Vancouver finished 2nd in the 2022 season, qualifying for the first time to the new Northwest League playoffs system. Under the new playoffs system, a single best-of-5 series is played to determine the championship winner. Vancouver lost 3–0 to Eugene to finish runner-up.
2023
In the 2023 season, the Canadians had the best overall record in the Northwest League at 77–54 and qualified for the playoffs by winning the first-half title with a 38–27 record. Vancouver defeated the Everett Aquasox 3–1 to win their first High-A Northwest League Championship.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024
The 2024 season saw the Canadians again qualify for the playoffs, but they lost the championship series 3–1 to Spokane.
2025
In the 2025 season, the Vancouver Canadians set a new franchise record with an eight-game losing streak from May 15 to 23.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The skid began with a 5–4 home loss to the Everett AquaSox on May 15. During the same series, the Canadians also dropped both games of a May 18 doubleheader to Everett. They then traveled to Eugene, Oregon, where their struggles continued with four more losses to the Eugene Emeralds. The losing streak finally ended on May 24, when the Canadians shut out the Emeralds, 9–0, at PK Park.
In June, the Canadians set a new franchise record for consecutive wins. The streak began on June 5, with a 9–4 victory over the Tri-City Dust Devils in Pasco, Washington, at Gesa Stadium. They matched their nine-game winning streak record on June 14 with a 6–1 home victory over the Spokane Indians in front of a sold-out crowd, and then set a new franchise record the following day with a 3–2 win over the Indians before another sold-out home crowd. The Canadians also swept the six-game series, marking the first time in Spokane Indians history that they had been swept since being promoted to High-A.
The franchise record was extended to an 11-game winning streak on June 17, 2025, with a 12–8 victory over the Emeralds at PK Park. The Canadians fell short on June 18 with an 8–1 loss, ending their record-setting winning streak. The Canadians had previously matched their nine-game winning streak three times in the past four years but had not been able to break that record until the 2025 season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They finished the first-half with a 37–29 record, tied with Everett who got the playoff berth due to head-to-head tiebreaker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
On August 13, the Canadians turned their first triple play in High-A franchise history against the Indians in Spokane.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A 1-6-3-2 triple play that happened in the bottom of the 7th, where pitcher Aaron Munson threw to shortstop Arjun Nimmala, who then threw to first baseman Carter Cunningham, who threw home to catcher Edward Duran who tagged the runner out.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Canadians missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021, when they placed second-place in the second-half, 11 games behind the Eugene Emeralds.
Ballpark
Template:Unsourced The Canadians play their home games at Nat Bailey Stadium which had hosted previous minor league teams.
Season-by-season records
Canadians attendance
| Year | Total Attendance |
Average | Percent Change | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 109,576 | 2,884 | N/A | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2001 | 118,357 | 3,115 | +8.0% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2002 | 127,099 | 3,345 | +7.4% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2003 | 137,026 | 3,606 | +7.8% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2004 | 140,037 | 3,685 | +2.2% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2005 | 124,708 | 3,370 | –8.5% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2006 | 123,878 | 3,260 | –3.3% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2007 | 126,491 | 3,419 | +4.9% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2008 | 129,073 | 3,585 | +4.9% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2009 | 149,297 | 3,929 | +9.6% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2010 | 154,592 | 4,068 | +3.5% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2011 | 162,162 | 4,267 | +4.9% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2012 | 164,461 | 4,445 | +4.2% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2013 | 184,042 | 4,843 | +9.0% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2014 | 180,187 | 4,870 | +0.6% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2015 | 215,535 | 5,825 | +19.6% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2016 | 222,363 | 6,177 | +6.0% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2017 | 239,527 | 6,303 | +2.0% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2018 | 239,086 | 6,292 | –0.2% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2019 | 235,980 | 6,210 | –1.3% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2020<ref group=Note name=Note01/> | - | - | - | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2021<ref group=Note name=Note02/> | 15,822 | 286 | - | <ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2022<ref group=Note name=Note03/> | 313,256 | 4,857 | +1879.88% | <ref name=":0" /> |
| 2023 | 297,437 | 4,541 | –5.05% | <ref name=":0" /> |
| 2024 | 274,892 | 4,262 | –7.58% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2025 | 277,990 | 4,212 | +1.13% | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Roster
Template:Vancouver Canadians roster
Media
In the 2019 season, radio rights moved from CKST to CISL Sportsnet 650. As part of the deal, Sportsnet Pacific also gained rights to air a package of Canadians games on television.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Notable former players in the major leagues
- Trey Yesavage (2025)
- Alan Roden (2023)
- Mason Fluharty (2022–2023)
- Leo Jiménez (2022)
- Steward Berroa (2022)
- Lazaro Estrada (2021, 2024)
- Addison Barger (2021–2022)
- Orelvis Martínez (2021)
- Brandon Eisert (2021)
- Hagen Danner (2021)
- Max Castillo (2021)
- Adam Kloffenstein (2019, 2021–2022)
- Davis Schneider (2019, 2021–2022)
- Will Robertson (2019, 2021)
- Cam Eden (2019, 2021)
- Luis De Los Santos (2019, 2021)
- Spencer Horwitz (2019, 2021)
- Alek Manoah (2019)
- Vinny Capra (2018)
- Zach Logue (2017)
- Travis Bergen (2017)
- Cavan Biggio (2016)
- Lane Thomas (2015)
- Tim Mayza (2014)
- Tim Locastro (2014)
- Miguel Castro (2014)
- Ryan Borucki (2014)
- Franklin Barreto (2014)
- Richard Urena (2014)
- Roberto Osuna (2012)
- Daniel Norris (2012)
- Dalton Pompey (2012)
- Marcus Stroman (2012)
- Kevin Pillar (2011)
- Aaron Sanchez (2011)
- Noah Syndergaard (2011)
- Justin Nicolino (2011)
- A. J. Griffin (2010)
- Ian Krol (2009)
- Dan Straily (2009)
- Max Stassi (2009)
- Sean Doolittle (2007)
- Andrew Bailey (2006)
- Justin Sellers (2005)
- Jeff Gray (2005)
- Anthony Recker (2005)
- Travis Buck (2005)
- Kurt Suzuki (2004)
- Dallas Braden (2004)
- Landon Powell (2004)
- Gregorio Petit (2004)
- Alexi Ogando (2004)
- Omar Quintanilla (2003)
- Andre Ethier (2003)
- Santiago Casilla (2002)
- Jared Burton (2002)
- Joe Blanton (2002)
- Mark Teahen (2002)
- Nick Swisher (2002)
- Nelson Cruz (2002)
- John Baker (2002)
- Mike Wood (2001)
- Rich Harden (2001)
- Neal Cotts (2001)
- Dan Johnson (2001)
- Franklyn Germán (2000)
- Ron Flores (2000)
- Freddie Bynum (2000)
Notes
References
External links
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