OPINION: 10 Familiar Faces for Canada

The youth movement has arrived for Canada and it looks like it will be on full display at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

With the World Series now complete, many baseball insiders have now turned their attention to the next installment of what turned out to be a major coup for the sport in 2023.

We take a look at 10 players from Alberta and Saskatchewan who could hear their names get called ahead of the tournament.

Next in Line

It was a thrill to see Erik Sabrowski take the mound for the Cleveland Guardians last season.

The former Edmonton Prospects two-way star had a dream start to his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, pitching flawlessly in the regular season before being called upon in big moments during the playoffs.

So, who’s next? We look at five possibilities.

Five Storylines We’re Watching in 2024

2023 was a banner year for baseball in Alberta, including all that we did at Alberta Dugout Stories.

So what’s next?

We gaze into our crystal ball to take a look at the stories that are on the top of our minds heading into 2024.

Palmegiani Rises Up Jays’ Ranks

Coming off a strong 2022 season split between two minor league affiliates, Damiano Palmegiani was determined to continue moving up the Toronto Blue Jays’ minor league depth charts.

The Vauxhall Academy of Baseball product is doing that with another strong season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fishercats.

Flying Together Again

It’s impossible to blame Adam Macko for his reaction to getting a random early morning call from a number he didn’t recognize.

Like many others, he just let it ring.

However, the Vauxhall Academy of Baseball product later found out it was a call to inform him he had been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, and would be reunited with his old Vauxhall teammate, Damiano Palmegiani.

Alberta’s 2022 Pro Connections

The 2022 baseball season is officially underway.

Scouring the rosters of all Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams, there is certainly no shortage of connections to Alberta on the field.

We’ve compiled a list of players who were born here, trained here or played here with the Western Canadian Baseball League.

2021 MLB Draft Review

A total of 17 Canadians were chosen in the 2021 MLB Draft.

While none hailed from Alberta, several trained here or have connections to this province.

We run down those connections and highlight some of their accomplishments.

Palm Before The Storm

Damiano Palmegiani is back with a vengeance.

The Surrey, B.C. native was a highly-touted prospect coming out of Vauxhall Academy of baseball, being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018.

After a couple of years of struggles, the hard-hitting infielder has found his swing again with the College of Southern Nevada, which has many thinking he’s ready for the pros.

Box Score Beauties: April 2021

This chapter of Box Score Beauties provides a glimpse of some of the achievements of Alberta-born and trained baseball players who are excelling south of the border …

Box Score Beauties: March 2021

They are sending stitched orbs into outer space and painting corners.

No, they’re not NASA scientists or artists.

We’re talking about Alberta’s baseball players who are lacing up their cleats for college teams in the United States.