A total of 40 players suited up for the Vancouver Canadians in 2018. The breakdown saw 19 position players and 21 pitchers take the field for Monty’s Mounties. Technically, the pitcher’s count is 22 as one position player was also on the mound. The 2018 player total is a drop from the 51 players who donned a C’s cap during the club’s 2017 Northwest League championship season.
Bolded names on the player list below indicate the last player to wear the number at the end of the year. Unbolded names for numbers with just one player indicate the number was not active by season’s end.
Players
#1 – Otto Lopez
#2 – Sterling Guzman
#3 – Chris Bec
#4 – Brandon Polizzi
#5 – Freddy Rodriguez, Otto Lopez
#6 – Nick Podkul
#9 – Owen Spiwak, Griffin Conine
#10 – Griffin Conine, Jesus Severino
#13 – Vinny Capra, Yorman Rodriguez
#14 – Jose Espada
#15 – Jordan Barrett, Joey Pulido
#16 – Will McAffer
#17 – Jesus Navarro, Brett Wright
#18 – Orlando Pascual, Mitch McKown, Troy Miller
#19 – Tanner Kirwer
#20 – Josh Winckowski
#21 – Bryan Lizardo, Orlando Pascual
#22 – Denis Diaz
#24 – Cobi Johnson
#25 – Justin Watts
#26 – Reilly Johnson, Hunter Steinmetz
#27 – Sean Wymer
#28 – McGregory Contreras
#29 – Marcus Reyes
#32 – Joey Murray
#33 – Jake Brodt
#34 – Dalton Rodriguez, Yorman Rodriguez
#35 – Nick Allgeyer
#36 – Reilly Johnson
#37 – Juan Nunez
#41 – Connor Law
#43 – Elio Silva
#44 – Randy Pondler
#45 – Fitz Stadler
Coaches
#11 – Aaron Mathews, hitting coach
#12 – Jose Mayorga, position coach
#23 – Dallas McPherson, manager
#48 – Jim Czajkowski, pitching coach
Players
#2. Sterling Guzman – 1B/3B
Notes – Hit .279 with runners in scoring position…Enjoyed seven game hitting streak July 3-12 including a home run in Everett July 6…Made six starts at second base along with 21 at first base and 13 at third…Homered July 30 against Eugene…Stole six bases in nine attempts…Released by the Blue Jays December 27.
Season Highlight – Went 4-for-5 with a double, a run batted in and a stolen base in Salem-Keizer August 10.
#3. Chris Bec – C
Notes – Batted .304 in the month of August and reached base in 18 straight games…Drew 10 walks in a five-game stretch August 16-27 that included back-to-back three-walk games August 22 and 23…Went 3-for-5, doubled twice and drove in three runs in Spokane June 23…Stole 16 bases without getting caught…Made 23 starts behind the plate.
Season Highlight – Went 3-for-5 with a home run, a walk and a stolen base against Spokane August 18.
#4. Brandon Polizzi, OF/2B
Notes – Played 11 games with Lansing before returning to Vancouver for his second season…Enjoyed three-hit game with two stolen bases July 31 versus Eugene…Hit .273 with a .375 on-base percentage in August, earning the nickname ‘Mr. August’ from his teammates…Played all nine positions during season finale in Spokane September 3…Made 14 starts at second base…Won 2018 Ossie Chavarria Fan’s Choice Award.
Season Highlight – Made the catch of the year to start 8-4-3 double play against Boise August 25.
#5. Freddy Rodriguez – OF
Notes – Collected first Northwest League hit in Eugene June 18…Made four starts in right field and three in left…Played eight games for Vancouver before being promoted to Lansing June 28…Released by the Blue Jays November 2.
Season Highlight – Went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Spokane June 24.
#5. Otto Lopez – IF/OF
Notes – Promoted from Bluefield to Vancouver July 1…Wore #1 when donning the C’s grey road jersey…First Northwest League hit an RBI single against Salem-Keizer July 2…Saw time at all three outfield positions as well as second base, third base and shortstop…Had 14 multi-hit games and batted .362 with runners in scoring position…Named a Northwest League Post-Season All-Star and won Charlie Metro Team MVP and Arnie Hallgren Offensive Player of the Year Awards.
Season Highlight – Went 4-for-4 in Boise with two runs batted in at Boise July 11.
#6. Nick Podkul – 2B/3B
Notes – First Northwest League hit was an RBI triple in Eugene June 16…Had a pair of three-walk games in Spokane June 23 and against Tri-City June 26…Homered, singled, walked twice and drove in two runs in Boise July 14…Had perfect day at the plate August 24 against Boise by going 1-for-1 with a home run and two walks…Put together 11-game hitting streak in August.
Season Highlight – Singled, doubled and tripled with an RBI in a 3-for-4 effort in Eugene June 17.
#9. Owen Spiwak – C
Notes – Mississauga, Ontario native opened third season with the C’s with a single in his second at-bat in Eugene June 16…Threw out three runners trying to steal in seven attempts in four starts behind the plate…Called up to Lansing June 26…Played final game of the year in Dunedin August 26…Released by the Blue Jays November 2.
Season Highlight – Drove in two runs with sacrifice flies and threw out a runner at second in Spokane June 24.
#9. Griffin Conine – OF
Notes – Promoted from the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays to Vancouver June 23…Wore #10 at first before switching to #9…Doubled for his first Northwest League hit in Spokane June 24…First pro home run cleared center field wall at Nat Bailey Stadium before delivering game-winning run with a sacrifice fly against Tri-City June 28…Tied for first on C’s with 30 runs batted in…Earned a berth in the 2018 Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game…Strong right arm helped him collect eight outfield assists.
Season Highlight – Homered twice, doubled, walked and drove in three runs in a 3-for-4 night in Everett July 6.
#10. Jesus Severino – SS/2B
Notes – First Northwest League home run a grand slam in Everett July 5…Enjoyed a 22-game on-base streak that began July 7…Batted .327 during month of July…Hit .282 on the road and hit .333 with runners in scoring position…Made 27 starts at short, 12 at second base and one at first.
Season Highlight – Finished a triple short of the cycle in a 3-for-4 day against Spokane July 7.
#13. Vinny Capra – SS
Notes – Began pro career with a 20 game on-base streak…First Northwest League home run was in Spokane June 24…Second home run came in Hillsboro July 19. Hit .283 at Nat Bailey Stadium…Stole eight bases in 10 tries…Made 37 starts at short and helped turn 13 double plays…Promoted to Lansing August 3.
Season Highlight – Went 2-for-3 with a walk, a run batted in and a stolen base against Spokane July 7.
#13. Yorman Rodriguez – C/1B
Notes – Promoted from Gulf Coast League to Vancouver June 30…Wore #34 to start the season…Began C’s tenure with a 15-game hitting streak and was hit by a pitch to extend his on-base streak to 16 contests…Strung together six-game and seven-game hitting streaks in August and had four straight two-RBI games in Salem-Keizer August 9-12…First home run came August 11 in Salem-Keizer…Made 26 starts as catcher and seven at first base…Tied for first on C’s with 30 RBI.
Season Highlight – Went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk and three RBI against Everett August 29.
#14. Jose Espada – RHP
Notes – Tossed six shutout innings in a victory over Eugene July 27…Won Northwest League Pitcher of the Week Award July 29…Posted 2-1 record with a 2.57 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 28 innings during the month of July…Tied for team lead in starts with 13…Finished with 70 strikeouts, good for third place in the Northwest League.
Season Highlight – Struck out eight and pitched five shutout innings of one-hit ball while contending with a 90-minute rain delay against Spokane July 9.
#15. Jordan Barrett – LHP
Notes – Prior to arriving in Vancouver, made one start for Double-A New Hampshire May 26 in which he gave up just one run in 3-1/3 innings…Allowed just one run in 4-2/3 innings in his first Northwest League start in Eugene June 17…Struck out 28 batters in 20-2/3 innings with the C’s…Earned victory in his final start for C’s in Everett July 5…Promoted to Lansing July 9.
Season Highlight – Finished one out shy of a quality start but struck out eight to earn first Northwest League victory in Spokane June 23.
#15. Joey Pulido – RHP
Notes – Promoted to Vancouver July 16 after stops in the Gulf Coast League and Bluefield…Pitched 3-1/3 scoreless innings of relief in Tri-City during his C’s debut July 16…Surrendered just two unearned runs, both against Hillsboro July 20 and August 1…Ended 2018 with 10 scoreless appearances and a 15-1/3 innings scoreless streak…Tied for team lead with six holds.
Season Highlight – Earned first Northwest League victory with two strikeouts over two shutout innings in Everett July 24.
#16. Will McAffer – RHP
Notes – North Vancouver native led C’s with seven wins out of the bullpen…Earned first Northwest League win in his pro debut in Eugene with 1-1/3 shutout innings June 17…Credited with finishing seven games…Enjoyed pitching at Nat Bailey Stadium as he posted a 4-0 record with a 2.18 ERA…Struck out 37 batters in 29-1/3 innings and limited Northwest League hitters to a .200 batting average.
Season Highlight – Pitched a perfect 3-1/3 innings and struck out three to pick up the win against Salem-Keizer June 29.
#17. Jesus Navarro – 3B/SS/2B
Notes – Singled in his third Northwest League at-bat in Eugene June 15…Recorded a hit in his first three games and four of his first five…Was 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts…Made four starts at third base, three starts at short and one at second…Promoted to Lansing June 26.
Season Highlight – Contributed a single, a walk, an RBI and a stolen base in Eugene June 17.
#17. Brett Wright – C
Notes – Promoted from the Gulf Coast League June 27……Walked twice and threw out two runners trying to steal against Eugene July 27…His five home runs placed him third on the C’s…Had isolated power mark of .213….Cut down basestealers at a 38 percent clip while making 17 starts behind the plate in 2018.
Season Highlight – Had two hits-including a home run-and a walk against Salem-Keizer June 29.
#18. Mitch McKown – RHP
Notes – Promoted from the Gulf Coast League July 2…Made C’s debut against Salem-Keizer July 3…Placed on 7-day disabled list August 8…Activated from disabled list September 27.
Season Highlight – Pitched two shutout innings of two-hit ball with one strikeout in his second and final appearance of the year in Everett July 6.
#18. Troy Miller – RHP
Notes – Signed as a free agent by the Blue Jays from the University of Michigan July 25…C’s debut came July 27 when he struck out the side versus Eugene…Held the opposition scoreless in six of his nine outings…Ended year with a trio of two shutout inning performances…Limited Northwest League hitters to a .224 batting average.
Season Highlight – Ended his season with a career-high four strikeouts over two shutout innings in Spokane September 1.
#19. Tanner Kirwer – OF
Notes – Sherwood Park, Alberta native rattled off 10-game hitting streak that began June 20…Enjoyed three multi-hit efforts in Everett July 4-6…Followed Otto Lopez home run with one of his own for back-to-back jacks against Tri-City August 15…Tripled twice against Everett August 30…Drew a walk against rehabbing Hisashi Iwakuma August 31. Tied for the Northwest League lead in stolen bases with 28…Earned a berth in the Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game.
Season Highlight – Homered, doubled, singled and stole a base in a 3-for-4 effort in Everett July 4.
#20. Josh Winckowski – RHP
Notes – Earned first win in a C’s uniform with six innings of two-run ball against Salem-Keizer June 30…Finished second in the Northwest League in ERA (2.78) and strikeouts (71) and fifth in innings pitched (68.0)….Captured two NWL Pitcher of the Week Awards August 5 and August 19…Had shutout streak of 22-1/3 innings…Won Northwest League Pitcher of the Year Award and made NWL Post-Season All-Star Team.
Season Highlight – Pitched seven shutout innings of four-hit ball with six strikeouts against Spokane August 19, earning a Game Score of 80.
#21. Bryan Lizardo, 3B/1B
Notes – Ran off 11-game hitting streak as part of a 13-game on-base streak after a 0-for-12 start to the season…Enjoyed 4-for-4 game with three runs batted in and a stolen base against Salem-Keizer June 29…Hit .304 at Nat Bailey Stadium and .385 during day games…Made 27 starts at third base and five starts at first…Promoted to Lansing August 8.
Season Highlight – Homered and had two doubles in Everett July 6.
#21. Orlando Pascual – RHP
Notes – Made three April appearances with Lansing before being returned to Vancouver before the start of the Northwest League season…Wore #18 in his first stint with the C’s…Promoted to Lansing July 2 after three straight scoreless appearances with the C’s…Returned to Vancouver August 14…Earned saves in back-to-back outings in Tri-City August 21 and against Boise August 25…Released by the Blue Jays November 2.
Season Highlight – Earned the victory with two strikeouts over 1-2/3 scoreless innings against Tri-City June 28.
#22. Denis Diaz – RHP
Notes – Began the year with four scoreless appearances and six of his first seven…Pitched a season-high 2-2/3 innings twice on July 1 against Salem-Keizier and July 23 versus Hillsboro…Tied for third on the C’s with 21 appearances…Released by the Blue Jays November 20.
Season Highlight – Pitched 1-1/3 perfect innings with one strikeout against Boise August 26.
#24. Cobi Johnson – RHP
Notes – Struck out two batters in a perfect inning during his C’s debut in Eugene June 16…Picked up first professional save with two scoreless frames in Eugene June 19…Pitched career-high three shutout innings in Everett July 4…Converted all 10 save opportunities…Earned a berth in the Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game…Ran off 12-inning scoreless streak over 11 appearances to finish up 2018.
Season Highlight – Picked up first pro victory in Tri-City July 18 after striking out three over two innings of one-hit ball.
#25. Justin Watts- RHP
Notes – Won all five of his decisions for the C’s…Collected three holds and finished three games…Held Northwest League hitters to a .185 batting average…Finished year with 15-1/3 shutout innings and had a 0.60 ERA in August…Led C’s relievers with 52 strikeouts to place third on the team…Had at least one strikeout in all 21 appearances with 15 multi-K efforts.
Season Highlight – Struck out six over three innings of one-hit ball for his first victory of the year against Salem-Keizer July 2.
#26. Hunter Steinmetz – OF
Notes – Promoted to Vancouver from Bluefield June 28…Singled for his first Northwest League hit against Salem-Keizer June 30…Recorded hits in seven of his first 10 games with Vancouver…Made 18 starts in center field and four in left…Enjoyed career high three-hit game including two doubles in season-finale at Spokane September 3…Swiped six bases in seven attempts.
Season Highlight – Doubled, singled and stole three bases in Everett July 6.
#27. Sean Wymer – RHP
Notes – Tandem starter with Joey Murray…Made seven starts and six relief appearances…Collected first pro victory with three shutout innings against Spokane July 8…Posted 3-1 record with a 3.57 ERA in July…Struck out career-high seven over three innings against Boise August 27…Recorded 34 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP in 35-1/3 innings…Allowed team-best 1.8 walks per nine innings.
Season Highlights – Allowed just one hit and struck out four over three frames to get the win against Hillsboro July 19.
#28. McGregory Contreras – OF
Notes – Homered twice to lead Vancouver to its first win of 2018 in Eugene June 17…Enjoyed another two-homer game in Everett July 26…Won Northwest League Player of the Week Award July 29…Batted .317 with runners in scoring position and slugged .491 at home…Led C’s with eight home runs, .460 slugging percentage, 99 total bases and tied for team lead with 30 RBI…Made 46 of his 49 starts in left field with two in right and one in center.
Season Highlight – Went 4-for-4 with a double and a stolen base versus Tri-City August 15.
#29. Marcus Reyes – LHP
Notes – Yielded just one unearned run over five appearances in June…Converted both of his save opportunities…Struck out the side in Tri-City to earn his first Northwest League save July 18…Second save came in Salem-Keizer August 12…ERA was below one for the entire Northwest League season until giving up two runs in the season finale in Spokane but still finished with a 1.35 mark…Made team-leading 23 appearances.
Season Highlight – Pitched career-high four shutout innings, holding host Boise to two hits while striking out two for first Northwest League win July 12.
#32. Joey Murray – RHP
Notes – Began season with 17-1/3 scoreless inning streak as a tandem starter with Sean Wymer…Did not give up a run until August 9…Never allowed a run in any of his six starts…Only gave up runs in two of 13 appearances…Struck out five batters against Salem-Keizer July 2 and Tri-City August 15…Had multiple-K efforts in 11 of his 13 outings…Led C’s with a 13.7 K/9 rate with 39 whiffs in 25-2/3 innings.
Season Highlight – Struck three of the six batters he faced over two perfect frames to earn his first Northwest League win in Spokane September 3.
#33. Jake Brodt – 1B
Notes – Promoted from Gulf Coast League to Vancouver June 23…Singled in his first two at-bats and went 3-for-5 in his C’s debut in Spokane June 23…Belted first home run July 14 in Boise…Homered again against Eugene July 29…Rattled off 13-game hitting streak from July 21-August 18…Hit .286 in August after a .214 June and .232 July…Draws a smiley face with his bat in the right-handed batter’s box before every plate appearance.
Season Highlight – His seventh double of a five-game series in Hillsboro brought in the tying and winning runs to give the C’s a series victory August 5.
#34. Dalton Rodriguez – RHP
Notes – Spent time in Lansing, New Hampshire and Buffalo before returning to Vancouver for the season opener…Promoted to Lansing June 29…Released by the Blue Jays November 2…Pitched two hitless innings and walked one while striking out two in the season-opener in Eugene June 15…Hurled two more scoreless frames by using two strikeouts to offset two hits in the home opener against Everett June 20.
Season Highlight – Punctuated C’s tenure with a strikeout in his final inning of work in Spokane June 24.
#35. Nick Allgeyer – LHP
Notes – Did not allow a run in 10 of his 15 appearances…Started the year by pitching nine times out of the bullpen before finishing the year with six starts…Had a 1.54 ERA as a starter…Held Northwest League hitters to a .196 batting average…Enjoyed pitching at Nat Bailey Stadium by posting a 0.77 WHIP.
Season Highlight – Tossed two shutout innings of one-hit ball and struck out four during the home opener against Everett June 20.
#36. Reilly Johnson – C/IF/OF
Notes – Walked in almost 10 percent of his plate appearances…Had hits in seven of his 10 first games…Hit his first professional home run during the home opener June 20…with the C’s to earn a promotion to Lansing June 29…Returned to Vancouver August 3 and wore #36 after wearing #26 in his first stint with the C’s…Started six games behind the plate and made four starts in left…Also made two appearances at second base.
Season Highlight – Went 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in Eugene June 17.
#37. Juan Nunez – RHP
Notes – Pitched 15 times out of the bullpen to go along with a pair of starts…Struck out four and walked one over 2-1/3 hitless innings in Spokane June 23…Best month was July when he recorded a 2.25 ERA over two starts and four relief appearances…Gave up just two runs over a combined 7-2/3 innings as a starter…Righthanded hitters batted just .208.
Season Highlight – Earned first Northwest League save with a perfect frame requiring just eight pitches in rain-shortended game against Spokane July 9.
#41. Connor Law – RHP
Notes – Pitched 3-2/3 scoreless innings over two appearances with Dunedin before joining Vancouver…Kept the opposition off the scoreboard in 18 of 22 relief appearances…Converted all four of his save opportunities..Surrendered just one home run in 27-2/3 innings…Handcuffed righthanded hitters with a .186 batting average…2018 winner of coveted C’s Plus Baseball Walk-Up/Mound Music award by using Eagles ‘Life in the Fast Lane’.
Season Highlight – Collected first Northwest League save in C’s debut with four strikeouts over 1-2/3 innings in Eugene June 17.
#43. Elio Silva – LHP
Notes – Pitched scoreless inning of relief in Northwest League debut at Eugene June 15…Made 13 starts after that relief appearance…Pitched at least five innings in 10 of those starts…Recorded an ERA of 2.61 in August…Longest outing was six innings of one-run ball in Tri-City August 14…Released by the Blue Jays December 27.
Season Highlight – Surrendered just one hit in five shutout innings to pick up first Northwest League victory in Eugene June 19.
#44. Randy Pondler – LHP
Notes – Saw action with Dunedin and New Hampshire before receiving the Opening Day assignment at Eugene June 15…Received no run support June 15 and against Everett June 21 despite allowing just three runs in 11 combined innings…Earned first Northwest League victory with six innings of three-run ball against Hillsboro July 22…Reeled off five quality starts out of six to erase 0-4 start to the season.
Season Highlight – Pitched season-high seven shutout innings of three-hit ball and struck out eight against Boise August 24.
#45. Fitz Stadler – RHP
Notes – Promoted from Bluefield to Vancouver July 8…Pitched a shutout inning in his C’s debut in Boise July 11..Put together five scoreless appearances and yielded just an unearned run in the month of July…Earned first Northwest League win in Salem-Keizer August 12…Picked up his second win against Spokane August 19…Kept the opposition off the scoreboard in 12 of 16 appearances out of the bullpen
Season Highlight – Walked just one hitter over three shutout frames against Hillsboro July 19.
Coaching Staff
#23. Dallas MacPherson – Manager
Notes – 1st season managing in Blue Jays system…Hit .241 in five-year career in the big leagues with Anaheim/Los Angeles, Florida and the Chicago White Sox.
#11. Aaron Mathews – Hitting Coach
Notes – Began coaching career as Bluefield Blue Jays hitting coach in 2015. … Batted .285 in eight-year minor league career in the Jays organization.
#12. Jose Mayorga – Position Coach
Notes – Completed second year on C’s coaching staff…Posted .341 on-base percentage during six-year minor league career in the Philadelphia Phillies system as utility player.
#48. Jim Czajkowski – Pitching Coach
Notes – Served as C’s pitching coach in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018…Made eight appearances on the mound for the Colorado Rockies in 1994.
MacPherson and company led the Canadians to the second-best overall record in the Northwest League at 40-36. After a 19-19 first half, the C’s finished the second half with a 21-17 record but they wound up missing the playoffs in both halves as Everett and Spokane were one game better. Vancouver finished fifth in the Northwest League in team OPS at .681 but second in team ERA at 3.37.
Thanks a million again to Rob Fai and the C’s organization, the players who have taken the time to chat with me in person or on the phone and to those of you who took the time to visit this blog in 2018.
Happy New Year everyone! Looking forward to June 14, 2019 already. For the 2017 Year In Review, click here.
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