C’s Chat – 2025 Vancouver Canadians 3B/2B #28 Cutter Coffey – C's Plus Baseball

The latest C’s Chat is with 2024-2025 Vancouver Canadians infielder Cutter Coffey.

The Bakersfield, California native starred as a two-way player at Liberty High School. Coffey showed promise on the mound with a fastball that clocked as high as 94 miles per hour along with a slider in the low 80s, but it was his offensive prowess that carried the day. He batted .442 and clubbed 12 home runs as a senior for the Patriots in 2022 and was a MaxPreps All-California First Team selection. Coffey had a chance to attend the University of Texas but he opted to turn pro instead. Baseball America rated Coffey as the 65th-best player in the 2022 MLB Draft, but the Boston Red Sox took him with the 41st pick.

Coffey—who received a $1,847,500 signing bonus—reported to the Florida Complex League for an 11-game stint, reaching base safely in seven of them and drawing a walk in 17.5 percent of his plate appearances.

The 2023 season saw Coffey spent the majority of it in Low-A Salem where he posted an on-base percentage of .341 in 81 games before being promoted to High-A Greenville in early August.

In 2024, Coffey saw a boost in production after returning to Greenville. After missing part of May due to a concussion, he made some mechanical adjustments to improve his bat speed, in which his 90th percentile exit velocity improved from 98.7 miles per hour in 2023 to 102.5, according to Baseball America. Coffey homered in six straight games in June and won South Atlantic League Player of the Week honours for June 10-16. In 61 games with the Drive, Coffey slugged .463 with 12 doubles and 14 home runs.

It was on July 27 when Coffey’s tenure with the Red Sox organization came to a sudden end. That was the day he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for catcher Danny Jansen in a deal that also saw shortstop Eddinson Paulino and righthander Gilberto Batista head to the Jays organization.

A plane ticket to Vancouver was handed to Coffey to make his organization debut with the Canadians. Despite recording a hit in four of his first five games with Monty’s Mounties, Coffey struggled with the bat by hitting just one home run in 18 games. However, he finished the season on a high note with a couple of two-hit games to start September. In the postseason, Coffey contributed a pair of hits and drove in the game-winning run in Vancouver’s Game 2 victory over Spokane in the Northwest League Championship Series on September 11.

Back with Vancouver again for 2025, Coffey belted his first home run just two games into the season to help the C’s win their first game of the season at Tri-City on April 5. His two-run shot highglighted a two-hit, one walk effort in a win against Eugene on April 17 to mark three straight games with two knocks. He ended the month with three more multi-hit efforts, including another dinger in a win at Everett on April 27.

Highlights in May included Coffey driving in the winning run with a two-run double as part of a 3-for-4 game in a victory against Hillsboro May 3, and he had another 3-for-4 effort with the GWRBI and a stolen base versus Everett on May 13.

The month of June has seen Coffey heat up with three-run home runs on June 6 and June 7 in victories at Tri-City to start an 11-game hitting streak to end the first half of the season. His most prolific game in that stretch was a 4-for-6 night in a triumph at Eugene on June 17 that included two doubles. Coffey clearly enjoys hitting in June as he is batting well over .300 heading into the final week of the month. It was last June when Coffey slashed .300/.391/.638 for the month with Greenville.

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C’s Plus Baseball chatted with the 21 year-old Coffey during the team’s homestand against Spokane. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C’s Plus Baseball – You were part of the Boston Red Sox organization and then the trade deadline comes around, you find out you were traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. How did you find out about it?

Cutter Coffey – It was actually during the game, so I was actually pulled from the game and then just had to leave the game pretty much, packed all my things and ended up leaving like the next day, so it was all pretty quick and just happened very quickly.

CPB – It must have been a blur for you. You said all your goodbyes, so you must have had a lot of emotions running through you.

CC – Yeah, I had a lot of buddies on the team, obviously my roommate, my best friend, so we were pretty sad about that, but you know, I was excited for a new chapter and see what was to come.

CPB – Who got a hold of you from the Blue Jays? What did they tell you when they first got a hold of you?

CC – It was the farm director, so my agent ended up calling me, telling me that I was traded. It was actually the Red Sox farm director who first initially told me that I was traded, so I heard from him first and then Joe Sclafani, the Blue Jays farm director. He called me and welcomed me and just told me the plan on everything, that I’ll be coming to Vancouver.

CPB – So you find out you’re coming to Vancouver. How was that process, kind of getting used to a whole new set of teammates? From what I gather, last year was a really good clubhouse and I’m sensing the same thing here this year, but I guess they kind of really made you feel welcome off the bat?

CC – Yeah, I’m a pretty quiet guy, so I was pretty quiet last year. But I’ve become more comfortable this year around the guys, just getting to know them through spring training and everything. Spending those two months with them, which helps a lot, It’s a very good group of guys.

CPB – How has it been playing here at Nat Bailey Stadium? Was it anything compared to what you’ve been through before?

CC – Yeah, we got a pretty good crowd usually with the Red Sox high team, so I mean, I was used to it. But I mean, this atmosphere is just a whole lot better, like the fans are more into it, and I feel like the seats are just right on top of you, so it makes it a lot better.

CPB – You had your one home run here at Nat Bailey Stadium. I’m sure it took a bit of getting used to, but what do you remember about that?

CC – Yeah, I got off to a slow start here, but I mean, I got a hold of that one, which was nice in front of a good crowd too, so that was a good feeling, but I didn’t really end the season the way I wanted to.

CPB – But you certainly made some contributions during the postseason run. I know the end result wasn’t what you wanted, obviously not what anybody wanted here for Vancouver, but you helped out in that game two victory, so at least in a way, the season did end on a bit of an up note for you.

CC – Yeah, there was a good experience going to the playoffs, just a great experience playing here in front of all those fans. It was sold out, I’m pretty sure, so that was just a great experience overall.

CPB – You’re playing Spokane here for the first time since the Northwest League final. I’m sure it brings back a lot of memories. What stands out to you when you look back on it?

CC – I’d say it’s like some of the same team, but a lot of new faces I see. I feel like that our team now as a whole, we’re playing good ball right now, which is really good to see, and it’s really fun in the clubhouse.

CPB – So you complete your first year with the Blue Jays, what did they tell you to focus on the offseason?

CC – Just like a power development program, stuff like that. Just improving my power, bat-to-ball skills, stuff like that. Use weighted bats in the offseason, things like that to help my bat speed, so I’ve been doing that for the past year, I’d say, which I think has helped my game a lot.

CPB – The Player Development Complex, what were your impressions when you first walked in there?

CC – That place is beautiful, it’s all brand new. Beautiful place for sure, definitely an upgrade from the Red Sox complex. Even though the Red Sox complex is nice, this one’s just the best in baseball.

CPB – I have heard of the Trajekt machine. How has it helped you become a better ball player?

CC – Yeah, I do like the Trajekt, just being able to see the pitcher, his arm motion, things like that, from a full distance of what you would see in the game, so it’s the best simulation for a real game experience.

CPB – Are you a big analytics guy? Do you pay attention to stuff like launch angle, or exit velocity?

CC – Not really, I mean, exit velocity here and there, just because sometimes you like to see how hard you hit the ball, but other than that, not really.

CPB – You had a really good power surge last year (before arriving in Vancouver), I believe it was home runs in five or six straight games, what do you remember about that stretch, and what was working for you then?

CC – I’m not sure what it was, I was just seeing the ball really well that week, just getting good spin on the ball. Good launch angle, like you said. That was just a really good week for me overall.

CPB – What is your approach when you step into the batter’s box? What are you looking to do?

CC – I’m looking to just drive the fastball the other way, and then just kind of put the off-speed, like pull side, really. I mainly like to sit on the off-speed pitches more, and just react to the fastball, just because my hands are pretty quick, I can usually tend to get to those fastballs. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but I just stick to my plan.

CPB – Have you found it a big difference from the High-A level in Boston to High-A here? Have you noticed a huge difference in terms of the quality of play?

CC – I don’t think so. I think a lot of the guys in this league, I feel like are older over here, compared to the eastern leagues. I’m not sure why, maybe just because those teams over there draft younger guys, maybe things like that, less college guys. But I mean, overall, the competition, I’d say, is equally the same.

CPB – The team has been hitting a lot of home runs lately, but at the start of the year, most of the home runs are coming on the road. What has it been like hitting here at Nat Baieley Stadium?

CC – It’s definitely a good place to see the ball, a great batter’s eye obviously, but you know the ball doesn’t fly as well as other places. It’s a pretty big park, so you really got to pull it as a righty to get it out of here.

CPB – You go from the opposite in Nat Bailey Stadium where it’s hard to hit one out, to Everett, where it seems like any fly ball’s got a chance to go out of the yard. How does that impact your approach as a hitter?

CC – I think it’s good for me because the short porch is in right field, so I’m not like trying to just pull everything, so I mean for me, I think trying to go opposite field works best for me.

CPB – Defensively, we’ve seen you at third base, we’ve seen you a little bit at short, we’ve seen you a bit at second, do you have a preference?

CC – No, not at all. I kind of like to just bounce around positions, it doesn’t really matter where I play, so wherever I’m in the lineup, that’s where I take my reps at that day, and usually feel pretty comfortable at every position.

CPB – What are the big responsibilities for getting ready when you know you’re going to be at a certain position that day?

CC – Yeah, I mean the good thing is I grew up playing all these positions, so it’s not like I’m new to all of them. Usually just during BP, like live reps while the guys are taking batting practice is what helps the most. Just getting live reps from each spot.

CPB – How have you found the field here, after it was revamped (during the off-season)? Have you noticed a big difference as far as you’re playing?

CC – Yeah, this surface is unbelievable. It’s a great field, probably the best I’ve played on in minor league baseball. It’s unbelievable, these guys do a great job over there, so it’s really good to be able to play here.

CPB – Compared to other surfaces, I know in Everett they have the artificial turf, how big an adjustment is that playing you know from grass to turf?

CC – It really is, like usually on Tuesdays, when we first get there, we’ll be taking ground balls, things like that, balls are bouncing a lot differently. Guys are just missing balls, but it just takes a couple of reps to get used to it. Other than that, it’s not that big of a difference.

CPB – Would you consider Everett in a way to be the Fenway Park of the Northwest League?

CC – Yeah, I would, a little bit. Yeah, I could see that for sure, definitely a pretty big wall with a short fence, so I could see that.

CPB – I know the answer will be Nat Bailey Stadium to your favourite park in this league, but would you say you have a second favourite park in the Northwest League?

CC- Second favorite in the Northwest League? Yeah. Let’s see, it’s probably Spokane. Okay. Spokane’s pretty nice, probably the second best, yeah.

CPB – Speaking of other ball parks, what would you say has been the nicest one before you came here?

CC – The Red Sox Hi-A, the Greenville Drive, (Fluor Field) is like a replica of Fenway. It’s beautiful.

CPB – Getting drafted in the second round, what do you remember about your draft day experience?

CC – Oh, that was a crazy day. Just had my family over, a couple of friends, nothing too big, but it was definitely a good, crazy experience. Obviously, not going to college was a big decision, but at the end of the day, I think it was best for me.

CPB – Did you have a favorite major league team growing up or a favorite player?

CC – I was actually a Red Sox fan growing up. I was a big Dustin Pedroia fan.

CPB – Final question I want to ask. All the different uniforms that the Canadians have—white, red, black, blue, gray, lumberjack, do you have a favourite?

CC – I honestly really like the blue ones. I feel like a lot of guys don’t just because they’re a little smaller, but my jerseys are kind of on the bigger side of things anyway, so I like the blue. It’s a smaller jersey, so it fits me better.

Cutter Coffey File

Born – May 21, 2004, in Bakersfield, California
Height/Weight – 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 41 with the Florida Complex League Red Sox in 2022, wore number 5 with the Low-A Salem Red Sox in 2023, wore number 3 with the Greenville Drive in 2023 and 2024. Wore number 21 with the Vancouver Canadians in 2024.
Professional Debut – August 9, 2022, for the FCL Red Sox at FCL Pirates. Drew a walk against Alessandro Ercolani in his first plate appearance.
First Professional Hit – August 20, 2022, for the FCL Red Sox at FCL Twins. Singled against Wilker Reyes.
First Professional Home Run – June 7, 2023, for the Salem Red Sox at Columbus Fireflies against Ben Kudrna.
C’s Debut – July 31, 2024, versus the Tri-City Dust Devils. Hit by pitch on the first pitch he faced from Chris Clark. Later walked in second at-bat against Clark and had RBI single against Dylan Phillips.
First C’s Home Run – August 20, 2024, versus the Everett AquaSox. Homered against Marcelo Perez.
Walkup Music – “The Way I Are” by Timbaland
Twitter – @cuttercoffey
Instagram – @cuttercoffey