2026 C’s Chat – OF #26 Matt Scannell – C's Plus Baseball

Our first position player chat of 2026 is 2025-2026 Vancouver Canadians outfielder Matt Scannell.

Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Scannell was a multi-sport athlete during his high school days as he played football and basketball at St. Mary’s Hall. His versatility was displayed as a quarterback and a linebacker on the gridiron and was an outfielder and pitcher on the diamond. Scannell transferred to Reagan High School for his senior year in 2020 and would go on to commit to Princeton University.

Scannell would not play any baseball in 2020 because of COVID and had to wait until the summer of 2021 when he joined the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League. His debut with the Prince Tigers came in 2022 where he batted .294 and led the team in runs batted in with 44 and co-shared Tigers’ stolen base honours with nine. After another summer college season with the Green Bay Booyah of the Northwoods League and the Macon Bacon of the Coastal Plain League, Scannell found his home run stroke with Princeton in 2023. He belted 10 homers with 32 RBI and an Ivy League-best 39 bases while batting .270 and slugging .504. The 2024 campaign saw Scannell match his on-base-plus-slugging mark from 2023 at .903. That resulted in a berth on the Ivy League All-Tournament team. He joined the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League and helped the M’s win the league championship.

A transfer to Wake Forest followed in 2025 and after throwing a combined 33.2 innings with 32 strikeouts in his three years in Princeton, Scannell was strictly an outfielder with the Demon Deacons. He clubbed 12 homers with 49 RBI and batted .300 with a .978 OPS. Scannell rounded out his summer college resume with one more year at Harwich before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays as a free agent on July 22, 2025. Scannell’s time at Princeton provided a foreshadowing of where he wound up as a pro. He was a teammate of Caden Shapiro, the son of Toronto Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro.

Scannell was assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays and batted .269 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI in 10 games. He was promoted to Vancouver and saw action in 11 games to end his first exposure to pro ball.

A return to Dunedin in 2026 was limited to two games before getting the call to Vancouver again just in time for the C’s opening homestand on April 7. In his second game back with Monty’s Mounties, Scannell doubled, walked twice and scored three times in the C’s first win of the season against the Eugene Emeralds on April 9. Another April highlight came on April 21 when he enjoyed a perfect night at the plate, going 2-for-2 with four walks and three runs scored in a victory against Tri-City on April 21. Scannell also gave the team its first walkoff win of the season when he doubled home Arjun Nimmala with the winning run in a 10-inning triumph against the Hillsboro Hops on May 1. Scannell also got to round the bases for the first time at Nat Bailey against the Everett AquaSox on May 17.

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C’s Plus Baseball chatted with the 24-year-old Scannell during the team’s series against Everett in mid-May. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C’s Plus Baseball – Matt, thanks a million for doing this. Just wanted to ask, first off, about how you joined the Blue Jays organization. You signed out of Wake Forest.

Matt Scannell – Yep, signed out of Wake Forest last year, right after the draft. It’s been awesome. It’s been such a blessing. It’s great to work. I’m excited to be a part of it.

CPB – Do you recall who you heard from when the Blue Jays got a hold of you? How did that all develop?

MS – Yeah, I heard from my coaches at Wake Forest, and I kind of just came from there. And the next thing I knew, I was down in Dunedin.

CPB – Did you have any idea the Blue Jays were interested in you? The draft had gone by, but were you confident that somehow you were going to wind up in the pro ranks?

MS – Yeah, you know, I felt like something was going to come together. You know, obviously the draft, if you want to hear your name called. But, you know, I don’t think it could have worked out any better. It’s a great organization to be a part of.

CPB – What was it like getting ready for camp in Dunedin where you see the Player Development Complex. What do you remember about getting your introduction to the Blue Jays organization?

MS – Yeah, the PDC is one of one. It’s the best in all the MLB. And, you know, you walk in every day, you can’t beat it. So, it’s a really cool spot to be.

CPB – Was there anything that stood out to you about the complex in terms of the technology there?

MS – Yeah, I mean, they let us in the lab early. You know, we were really the kind of only ones down there at that time. Being able to hit off the Trajekt (Pitching Machine) for the first time is pretty cool. They put Gerrit Cole up there and you’re getting some knocks off him. It’s always fun.

CPB – Did you see anyone else as far as the Trajekt goes?

MS – Yeah, we actually had (former Cleveland) Guardian Shane Bieber up there a couple times right before the trade, so that was cool.

CPB – Are you a big analytics guy? Are you somebody who’s interested in launch angle, exit velocity, that sort of thing? Or is it just all numbers to you?

MS – You definitely nowadays check your EVs when you think you hit a ball hard. So, Wake Forest is decently big on the analytics side, especially on the pitching side. So, you know, I like it for the scouting report and understanding what’s coming and how to game plan for it. But I try not to get too wrapped up in it.

C’s Plus Baseball – You made your pro debut with the Dunedin Blue Jays and you had a heck of a game to start off with. Three hits, almost had a cycle. What do you remember about that game?

MS – I remember being nervous the night before and, you know, I just wanted to go in and play like a kid. It’s kind of the thing I’d run with the last month down at Wake Forest and played really well. Just being thankful for the opportunity, kind of soaking it all in, being in the moment, not trying to do too much.

CPB – I believe you’re there for 10 games or so. Then you get the call to Vancouver. How’d you find out about it?

MS – We were over in Tampa on a road game and me, Hayden Gilliland and Tucker Toman kind of all got that call at the same time. So got back late, left early and got up here. We actually flew in to Spokane.

CPB – Were you expecting a promotion or did that just come out of the blue for you?

MS– No, I mean, to be completely honest, I thought I’d finish out the year because there’s only about three and a half, four weeks left. But no, it was great to get up here and see the city and, you know, meet all the guys up here.

CPB – You took care of your first Northwest League home run and got that out of the way. What do you remember about that game?

MS – Yeah. You know, my first at bat, I missed pretty much the same pitch, fastball down. And our hitting guy, JD (Jonathan Davis), came up, told me, he’s like, ‘Hey, you’re going to get that pitch again.’ So, you know, that was the plan. And he threw pretty much in the exact same spot and didn’t miss it.

CPB – How is it working with Jonathan Davis? He’s the hitting coach once again here in Vancouver, somebody with major league experience. What did you learn from him?

MS – He’s the man, you know, he’s a professional. He’s seen the insides and outs of what to do as a player. Now on the coaching side, he’s great. Brings a lot of energy, you know, brings the juice every day. And he works really hard for us day in and day out so it’s been awesome.

CPB – You got a taste of the Northwest League. How big was that for you coming into 2026?

MS – Yeah, you know what to expect. You know, kind of the uptick from Low-A to High-A. I feel like, especially early on, like being able to adjust to pitches quicker, that’s the big thing to try to figure out.

CPB – What is your game plan when you’re up at the plate? What is your approach when you dig into the batter’s box?

MS – I think this year it’s more fluid based on kind of what arms (you’re facing). Trying to sit pitches a little bit more, especially as the season gets going. I think once the scouting reports comes out, it’s like, ‘All right, you’re not going to get as many fastballs. Let’s still try to punish fastballs out over. And that keeps you on the right-handed breaking ball for sure. So that’s about it from an approach standpoint.

CPB – How challenging is it when you’re a month into the season now and it’s only a six-team league? You see a lot of the same faces. Do you consider that a positive or a negative?

MS – Personally a positive. I think the more pitches you can see from a guy, the better. It gives you a plan on kind of what they’re trying to do. I mean, this league is a chess match. They know your weaknesses, you know their weaknesses and vice versa. So trying to put the pieces together, I think the second time around, even in a week when you’re seeing a guy for the second time, you’ve got a better plan for sure.

CPB – Was there anything you worked on in the offseason?

MS – It was hitting the ball harder. Honestly, I didn’t really truly square up a ball. I knew their goal for me was to raise the EV. And so I came out and popped a couple good EVs, and now it’s just finding that homer swing. Once the homer swing comes, it should be fine.

CPB – Going back to your college days, you’re at Wake Forest. Before that, you were at Princeton and put up some really good seasons there. Talk about your college experience with Princeton and Wake Forest.

CPB – Princeton was my only offer to swing the bat. Most of my offers were as a pitcher. But I went on a visit. Loved the campus. Loved the coaches. We had a tough go with COVID. We did two years, my senior year of high school and then the first year of college, we didn’t play. So, the first time I’ve been getting on campus was my sophomore year. Tough year for us, but we were so young. We returned everybody the next year and really put together a good year. And then the next year, we finished second in that league, which that program hadn’t done in a while. I loved my time at Princeton. I can’t thank the staff enough for taking a chance on me. I was able to use that grad year from COVID to get to Wake Forest. And that place is just awesome right now. They’re really rolling and do a really good job developing players. And, obviously, you got the big names, Kurtz (Nick Kurtz), two first-rounders again (Marek Houston – Minnesota, Ethan Conrad – Chicago Cubs) last year. They’re rolling. So, that was awesome.

CPB – I know you had some summer college experience. I believe the Madison Mallards are one of those teams. I went to a game there many, many years ago but what was that like, your summer college experiences?

CPB – Yeah, you know, I was chomping at the bit. I was at home my whole freshman year. I signed that contract back in the fall, still thinking that, you know, maybe we’d play some sort of freshman season at Princeton. So, that was my first real true taste of baseball in a year and a half at that point. First real competitive game. And you couldn’t pick a better place. I mean, they packed that place out. Madison’s an awesome city. We had a great team. We had a lot of guys. The catcher for the AquaSox was on that team, Josh Caron. Drake Baldwin was the other catcher. He’s with the Braves now. Several affiliated guys still playing. That was a tight-knit group. We had a really good summer.

CPB – You talked about pitching earlier. Was that something you did want to continue or you just figured, well, it’s time to focus on hitting? But what was pitching like for you? How would you have described yourself?

MS – Yeah, a lefty. You know, I could spin it. What I did have was a big strike-throwing problem. It was kind of spray it to the backstop most of the time. Sometimes I was dialed in. I definitely like hitting more. Just with the development of pitching, it’s tough to do both. It’s really hard. I know we got a guy down in Low A, Smitty (Austin Smith) that’s trying to do both. You know, it’s a grind. It takes a toll on your body. It takes a toll on your mental (well-being) and not to mention, you know, the time you have to put into it to be really good at both. So that kind of came and went, especially once I got to Wake. We had good enough pitching to where I didn’t really have to throw.

CPB – Defensively, we’ve seen you in center field quite a bit and some time in the outfield corners. What do you enjoy playing the most? How do you feel your game has come along as far as the glove goes?

MS – Really good. You know, I think that was my big knock coming out of high school is I couldn’t run. So that’s been the slow grind into being a guy that can play a true center field. But, yeah, you mentioned it. It’s the best out there. I think it’s the easiest one to play. You can see every ball off the bat and get on your course and go make some cool plays.

CPB – What’s more exciting for you? Making a diving catch or throwing out a runner on the bases?

MS – Throwing out a runner. I haven’t done it yet, but I mean I think that’s probably my best tool is my arm, kind of chomping at the bit. I’ve had one opportunity. I threw almost into the stands. But, you know, the more they come, the better the throws will get.

CPB – How have you found playing in the outfield here at Nat Bailey Stadium? I mean, it’s considered a pitcher’s park, and it seems like there’s just a lot of ground to cover out there.

MS – Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely a pitcher’s park. You know, we work a lot on the wall, doing wall balls, finding the track, all that stuff. I like it. I like it a lot. Balls tend to hang up, so you get to cover even more ground. The backdrop’s great. And, you know, it gets loud here, especially with the roof over the stands. It’s an awesome atmosphere to play in.

CPB – How was it playing in Dunedin compared to Vancouver? With all the fans here, a bit of a culture shock at first?

MS – Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, I had heard about it. Guys had said, ‘You’re going to love it.’ You know, the fans care, and so that makes you tap into more of your competitive nature, which as a college guy, that’s kind of what you’re chomping at the bit for in pro ball. So, it’s been great.

CPB – What would you say has been your best moment with the Canadians? I know you had a walk-off hit, the first one of the season. I guess would that be number one?

MS – Yeah, I mean, that’s got to be number one, right? Like, that’s probably one of the better feelings in baseball. We got an awesome group. It’s really gelling. Dub’s been awesome. Latta’s been awesome. I mean, it’s just a group that’s really come together. I’m excited to see, once we start clicking and gelling more, I think this group’s going to be really good.

CPB – What do you remember about that walk-off game? What was your approach like when you stepped in the batter’s box?

MS – Yeah, well, Mayo (C’s manager José Mayorga) told me, you know, not to swing for the fences. Like, just move them over. All of a sudden you’re down 0-2, and so it’s just kind of in compete mode to get a pitch that you can do your job on, if not try to foul it off. So, the guy hung me a slider at 0-2, and, you know, just tried to stay through it to the right side and found a hole.

CPB – I wanted to ask, as far as your teammates go, who would you say is the funniest teammate?

MS – Funniest teammate? Oh, that’s tough. I mean, honestly, he doesn’t speak a lick of English, but Kendry Chirinos.

CPB – That’s two votes for him.

MS – There we go. Who else said him?

CPB – It was Johnny King. So, he’s the early clubhouse leader. Now your walk-off song, why did you choose that one…Big X?

MS – “Texas” by BigXthaPlug. You know, I’m a Texas guy, born and raised, and ended up going to school on the East Coast in Princeton and Wake, and so it’d be one thing if you’re on a roster with a bunch of Texas guys, playing that walk-off song. It probably doesn’t fit well, but as kind of the only one from Texas on both those rosters, it kind of fit me well.

CPB – Your other teammates. Have you heard anything from your other teammates? Like, yeah, ‘I like that walk-up song too.’ Is there anything that stands out?

MS – Oh, yeah. We got some good walk-offs, man. Love Tucker’s (Tucker Toman) and Carter’s (Carter Cunningham). JR (JR Freethy), you can’t beat that. Having your own song as your walk-off. I got a little bit of Latin music in me, especially coming from South Texas. So, I love Alexi’s (Alexis Hernández) right now. He’s got a good one.

CPB – Did you have a favourite player growing up in the majors?

MS – I’ve got to say probably Josh Hamilton or Dustin Pedroia. My Dad’s from Boston, so I kind of got shoved into Boston sports, and watching a little guy compete his ass off. Dustin Pedroia. That was a guy to watch.

CPB – So, a Red Sox fan growing up?

MS – Not really, but we would go to Red Sox games. So, that’s in the summer when we’d go visit my family up north. That’s where we’d go.

CPB – So, was it Texas or Houston?

MS – Definitely the Rangers. They were the better team. You didn’t want to root for the Astros growing up. They were not very good.

CPB – Final question. The Canadians have all sorts of different uniforms. We saw “The Nat” uniform, red, white, black, blue, gray. Do you have a favourite?

MS – You know, honestly, I love the blues. I think they’re really cool. I think the design of them is awesome. And, you know, it fits with the Blue Jays, right? Like, you’ve got some guys with blue batting gloves and blue EvoShield (gear) and all that stuff. So, when you get to break that out with the blue, it’s pretty sick.

Matt Scannell File

Born – August 31, 2001, at San Antonio, Texas
Height/Weight – 5’11”, 205 lbs.
Bats/Throws – Left/Left
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 8 with the Princeton Tigers from 2022-2024. Wore number 26 with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, number 27 with the Dunedin Blue Jays and number 8 with the Vancouver Canadians 2025. Wore number 8 with Dunedin in 2026.
Twitter – @mattscannell7
Instagram – @mattscannell
1st professional hit (technically) – Dunedin Blue Jays at Palm Beach on July 13, 2025 (resumption of game completed on August 5, 2025). Singled against Yordalin Peña in second pro AB at Palm Beach.
1st professional hit (chronologically) – Dunedin Blue Jays vs. Lakeland on July 29, 2025. Singled off Zack Lee.
1st professional home run – Dunedin Blue Jays vs. Lakeland on July 29, 2025. Homered off Zack Lee.
1st C’s hit – Vancouver at Spokane. Singled off Alberto Pacheco on August 16, 2025.
1st C’s home run – Vancouver at Spokane. Homered off Josh Grosz on August 17, 2025.
1st Nat Bailey Stadium home run – Vancouver vs. Everett. Homered off Evan Truitt on May 16, 2026.
Fun Fact – Matt Scannell and his father Tim Scannell both played for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League with the elder Scannell playing for the M’s in 1989. Matt and Tim were also Tigers in college baseball with Matt playing for Princeton and Tim coaching Trinity University (Texas) since 1999, leading the Tigers to the 2016 NCAA Division III Baseball title.
Fun Fact 2 – Matt Scannell shares the same name as Vertical Horizon’s lead singer.