The 2025 Major League Baseball season commenced on Tuesday. Here are 16 Canadians expected to start the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season.
Freddie Freeman
The eight-time All-Star will be the starting first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2024, Freeman won a World Series with the Dodgers and was the World Series MVP. He batted .282 with 22 home runs and 89 runs batted in. Freeman also scored 81 runs and had 153 hits, 35 doubles, two triples, nine stolen bases, 78 walks, 258 total bases, eight sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .378 and a slugging percentage of .476. Freeman’s triples came in an 11-2 Dodgers win over the Atlanta Braves on May 4 and in a 4-1 Dodgers win over the Colorado Rockies on June 1.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The four-time All-Star from Montreal, Quebec will be the starting first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2024, Guerrero Jr. batted .323 with 30 home runs and 103 runs batted in. He scored 98 runs and had 199 hits, 44 doubles, one triple, two stolen bases, 72 walks, 335 total bases, four sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .396 and a slugging percentage of .544. The triple came in a 7-6 Blue Jays win over the Baltimore Orioles on August 8.
Liam Hicks
The 25-year-old from Toronto, Ontario is expected to make the Miami Marlins roster this season. He will be a backup catcher to Nick Fortes.
Edouard Julien
The native of Quebec City, Quebec batted .199 with eight home runs and 21 runs batted in during 2024 with the Minnesota Twins. He is expected to backup Willi Castro at second base after not reaching the Mendoza line last year.
Otto Lopez
The second baseman from Montreal batted .270 with six home runs and 39 runs batted in with the Miami Marlins in 2024. He scored 49 runs, and had 109 hits, 23 doubles, one triple, 20 stolen bases, 25 walks, 152 total bases, two sacrifice bunts, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .313 and a slugging percentage of .377. The triple came in a 3-2 Marlins win over the New York Mets on August 18.
Bo Naylor
The catcher from Mississauga, Ontario batted .201 with 13 home runs and 39 runs batted in with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024. He scored 39 runs and had 71 hits, 10 doubles, six stolen bases, 29 walks, 124 total bases, two sacrifice bunts, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .264 and a slugging percentage of .350. The two sacrifice bunts and two sacrifice flies came in Guardians wins. The sacrifice bunts were in a 3-1 Guardians win over the Philadelphia Phillies on July 26 and in a 7-5 Guardians win over the Kansas City Royals on August 28. The sacrifice flies were in a 13-7 Guardians win over the Colorado Rockies on May 28, and in a 7-6 Guardians win over the Chicago White Sox on July 2.
Josh Naylor
The first baseman from Mississauga, Ontario is joining the Arizona Diamondbacks after five seasons with the Cleveland Guardians. In 2024, Naylor was an American League All-Star for the first time. He batted .243 with 31 home runs and 108 runs batted in. Naylor scored 84 runs and had 137 hits, 27 doubles, six stolen bases, 58 walks, 257 total bases, and four sacrifice flies, with an on base percentage of .320, and a slugging percentage of .456.
Tyler O’Neill
The leftfielder from Burnaby, British Columbia is joining the Baltimore Orioles after one season with the Boston Red Sox. In 2024, O’Neill batted .241 with 31 home runs and 61 runs batted in. He scored 74 runs, and had 99 hits, 18 doubles, four stolen bases, 53 walks, 210 total bases, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .336, and a slugging percentage of .511. O’Neill’s sacrifice flies came in an 8-6 Red Sox win over the Philadelphia Phillies on June 13, and in a 9-7 Red Sox win over the New York Yankees on July 26.
Nick Pivetta
The starting pitcher from Victoria, British Columbia is joining the San Diego Padres after five seasons with the Red Sox. In 2024, Pivetta had a record of six wins and 12 losses with an earned run average of 4.14. During 145 2/3 innings pitched, he gave up 128 hits, 67 earned runs, 28 home runs and 36 walks, to go along with 172 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.13.
Zach Pop
The relief pitcher from Brampton, Ontario pitched 48 1/3 innings with the Toronto Blue Jays this past season. He had a record of two wins and four losses with an earned run average of 5.59 in 2024.
Cal Quantrill
The starting pitcher from Port Hope, Ontario is joining the Miami Marlins after pitching last season with the Colorado Rockies. In 2024, Quantrill had a record of eight wins and 11 losses with an earned run average of 4.98. During 148 1/3 innings pitched and 29 games, he gave up 156 hits, 82 earned runs, 23 home runs, and 69 walks, to go along with 110 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.52.
Jordan Romano
The closer from Markham, Ontario is joining the Philadelphia Phillies after six seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays. He had a record of one win and two losses with an earned run average of 6.59 in 2024.
Erik Sabrowski
The relief pitcher from Edmonton, Alberta pitched in eight games in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians, and had a record of zero wins and zero losses, with a perfect earned run average of 0.00. In 12 2/3 innings, he gave up six hits and four walks, to go along with 19 strikeouts, one save, and an outstanding WHIP of 0.79. The save came in a 5-1 Guardians win over the St. Louis Cardinals on September 20.
Cade Smith
The relief pitcher from Abbotsford, British Columbia pitched in 74 games in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians, and had a record of six wins and one loss, with an earned run average of 1.91. During 75 1/3 innings pitched, Smith gave up 51 hits, 16 earned runs, one home run, and 17 walks, to go along with 103 strikeouts, one save, 28 holds, and an excellent WHIP of 0.90. Smith’s save came on May 22 in a 6-3 Guardians win over the New York Mets.
Mike Soroka
The starting pitcher from Calgary, Alberta is joining the Washington Nationals after one season with the Chicago White Sox. In 25 games with the White Sox, Soroka pitched 79 2/3 innings, had a record of zero wins and 10 losses with an earned run average of 4.74. He also gave up 66 hits, 42 earned runs, 13 home runs, and 44 walks, to go along with 84 strikeouts and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.38. Soroka also had two holds.
Jameson Taillon
The starting pitcher is slated to be the third starter in the Chicago Cubs rotation. In 2024 with the Cubs, he had a record of 12 wins and eight losses with an earned run average of 3.27. In 28 games with the Cubs, Taillon pitched 165 1/3 innings pitched, and had a record of 12 wins and eight losses with an earned run average of 3.27. He also gave up 154 hits, 60 earned runs, 21 home runs and 33 walks to go along with 125 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.13.
