The Major League Baseball Draft took place Saturday and Sunday and a total of 13 Canadians were selected. Let’s take a look.
The first Canadian taken was outfielder Carter Beck of Estevan, Saskatchewan, who was taken 26th overall, by the Atlanta Braves. Beck, who played this past season for Indiana State, is the highest Major League Baseball draft pick ever from the province of Saskatchewan. This past season with the Sycamores, he batted .346 with 16 home runs and 59 runs batted in.
The second Canadian drafted was shortstop Taj Marchand. A dual citizen, Marchand was born in South Carolina as his father Hugo of Montreal, Quebec played minor league hockey in the United States and was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Taj Marchand was selected 33rd overall by the Tampa Bay Rays. He batted .531 with James Island High School in Charleston, South Carolina this past season.
The third Canadian drafted was shortstop Elliot Lascelles of Toronto, Ontario. Lascelles went to Upper Canada College in Toronto, and was drafted in the second round, 60th overall, by the San Diego Padres. Where Lascelles caught the scouts’s eyes came with the Canadian National Junior Team, where he batted .394.
Also in the second round, the New York Yankees drafted pitcher Sean Duncan of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, 63rd overall. Duncan, who attended Terry Fox Secondary School, will be out for the foreseeable future with Tommy John surgery. Prior to his surgery, he was able to get his fastball to 96 miles per hour.
With the third round pick, 77th overall, the Chicago White Sox selected pitcher Joey Volchko, a dual citizen. He had a record of 11-2 with 119 strikeouts and an earned run average of 3.68 with the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
With the sixth round pick, 184th overall, the Cleveland Guardians selected catcher Deiten Lachance of Sherbrooke, Quebec. Lachance batted .327 with 18 home runs and 69 runs batted in with the University of Oklahoma Sooners this past year.
In the eighth round, 246th overall, the Detroit Tigers selected third baseman Robert Omidi of Mississauga, Ontario. Omidi attended St. Martin Secondary School, and planned to attend the University of Kentucky prior to be drafted.
In the 10th round, 297th overall, the Texas Rangers selected shortstop Evan Morrison of Wheatley. Ontario. Not to be confused with Evan Morrison of the Medicine Hat Mavericks, this Evan Morrison was the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He batted .398 with six home runs and 50 runs batted in with the Grand Valley State University Lakers in 2026.
In the 13th round, 382nd overall, the Atlanta Braves selected pitcher Cole Dorland of Langley, British Columbia. The product of Walnut Grove Secondary School is committed to the University of Alabama.
In the 14th round, 408th overall, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected pitcher Damarcus Rideout-Carter of Brampton, Ontario. Rideout-Carter attended Heart Lake Secondary School has a 95 mile per hour fastball, and was drafted despite struggling with the Canadian National Junior Team.
In the 17th round, 517th overall, the Chicago Cubs selected pitcher Ryan Marton of Toronto, Ontario. Marton was drafted despite struggling at UNLV this past year (earned run average of 6.16).
In the 19th round, 557th overall, the Minnesota Twins selected shortstop PJ Moutzouridis. A Canadian, because his father is from Montreal, Quebec, Moutzouridis batted .286 with four home runs and 40 runs batted in with Arizona State.
In the 20th round, 606th overall, the Tigers selected pitcher Will Zielinski of Victoria, British Columbia. Zielinski attended Vauxhall High School in Alberta this past year, and is committed to the University of California-Santa Barbara.
