Smith, Guerrero Jr., Naylor, O’Neill headline list of candidates for Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award
St. Marys, Ont. – With so many Canadians enjoying outstanding seasons in 2024, it will be a close competition for this year’s Tip O’Neill Award.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame presents this award annually to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals.
Cleveland Guardians slugger and reigning Tip O’Neill Award winner Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) followed up his superb 2023 campaign by belting 31 home runs and registering 108 RBIs this season. His Guardians teammate, Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.), also excelled. In his rookie season, the 6-foot-5 right-hander posted a 1.91 ERA and struck out 103 batters in 75 1/3 innings.
Meanwhile, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) batted a career-best .323, while clubbing 30 home runs and Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.) joined Naylor and Guerrero in the 30-homer club.
And they weren’t the only Canadians to star in the big leagues in 2024. Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) set a career-high with 13 home runs for the Guardians, while Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.) topped all Canuck pitchers with 172 strikeouts.
On the international stage, the Women’s National Team won bronze at the Women’s Baseball World Cup this summer thanks largely to a standout performance by Sena Catterall (Pierrefonds, Que.).
So, in a year with so many highlights, how do you choose which Canadian stood out the most?
That’s the dilemma the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame faces, and they would like your input to determine Canada’s top performer as they prepare to choose their 2024 James “Tip” O’Neill Award winner.
The Hall encourages you to vote for the players you think are worthy of this award by 5 p.m. E.T. on Thursday, November 21. You can e-mail your top three choices (please be clear on your first, second and third selections) to [email protected].
Fan votes will be one of the criteria the Hall will take into account when selecting the winner, which will be announced on December 5.
Here’s a summary of the prime contenders for the 2024 Tip O’Neill Award in alphabetical order. (The Hall also welcomes write-in votes for players not on this list):
Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.)
He made his big-league debut with the Milwaukee Brewers on April 30 and promptly doubled in his first at bat. The 24-year-old infielder also added a single to go 2-for-4 in the Brewers’ 8-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. In all, Black went 10-for-49 (.204 batting average) with three stolen bases and seven walks in 18 big league games. He spent the bulk of the year with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. In 102 contests with the Sounds, he belted 14 home runs, stole 20 bases and registered a .375 on-base percentage (OBP).
Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.)
In 127 games with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, Caissie batted .278 and posted an .848 OPS with 19 home runs, 75 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. The 21-year-old outfielder topped his Triple-A club in home runs, RBIs, runs (69), hits (131), doubles (29), triples (3) and walks (71). For his efforts, he was named to the National League’s roster for the MLB Futures Game. He is currently ranked the 34th best prospect by MLB Pipeline.
Sena Catterall (Pierrefonds, Que.)
In six games at the Women’s World Cup in Thunder Bay, Ont., this summer, Catterall topped the Women’s National Team with a .500 batting average (9-for-18) and made multiple highlight reel catches in centre field to help propel her squad to a bronze medal. She also led the national team with 10 runs, six stolen bases, a .625 OBP and 1.181 OPS. For her performance, she was named the centre fielder on the tournament’s All-World Team.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.)
The Blue Jays slugger, who was selected to the All-Star Game for the fourth consecutive season, topped Canadian-born major leaguers in batting average (.323), OPS (.940), hits (199), runs (98), doubles (44), walks (72) and WAR (6.2). The 25-year-old first baseman also had 30 home runs and 103 RBIs. Overall, his batting average was the second-best in the majors, while he ranked third in hits and OBP (.396). For his efforts, he won the Silver Slugger Award for American League first basemen and was named the first baseman on the All-MLB First Team. He was also named The Sporting News American League Comeback Player of the Year and was the Blue Jays’ nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, as the league’s top hitter.
Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.)
Julien batted .199 with eight home runs, 21 RBIs, six stolen bases and 33 walks in 94 games in his sophomore season with the Minnesota Twins. His six stolen bases tied him with Josh and Bo Naylor for the most in the majors by a Canadian in 2024. The 23-year-old infielder also had seven home runs and a .395 OBP in 49 games for the Triple-A St. Paul Saints.
Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.)
Leblanc saw his first big-league action since 2022 this season when he belted two home runs, had seven walks, six runs and posted an .869 OPS in 11 games for the Los Angeles Angels. The 28-year-old infielder spent the bulk of the season with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, where he batted .254 with 12 home runs and a .379 OBP in 98 games.
Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.)
The younger Naylor brother clubbed 13 home runs during the regular season for the Guardians to set a career-high. He also added 10 doubles, 29 walks and 39 RBIs in 123 games. His six stolen bases tied Julien and his older brother, Josh, for the most by a Canadian big leaguer. The 24-year-old catcher also posted a career-best 1.0 dWAR. The Junior National Team alum was at his best at the plate in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees when he went 4-for-11 (.364 batting average) with two doubles in five games.
Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.)
Naylor followed up his 2023 Tip O’Neill Award-winning season by registering career-highs in home runs (31) and RBIs (108) in 152 games for the Guardians. He topped all Canadians in RBIs and tied with O’Neill for the most home runs. Naylor also finished second among Canuck big leaguers in hits (137), runs (84), doubles (27) and walks (58). For his efforts, he was selected to the MLB All-Star Game for the first time and was named a Silver Slugger Award finalist. The Junior National Team alum added nine more hits in the post-season to help lead the Guardians into the American League Championship Series.
Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, B.C.)
In his first season with the Red Sox, O’Neill topped the club with 31 home runs. That total also tied him with Josh Naylor for the most home runs by a Canadian in the majors. O’Neill’s .511 slugging percentage, .847 OPS and 2.6 WAR all ranked second (to Guerrero Jr.) among Canadian big leaguers. In 156 at bats against left-handed pitchers, O’Neill belted 16 home runs and had a .750 slugging percentage which was the highest in the majors. For his efforts, he was named the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).
James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.)
The veteran lefty topped all Canadian major league pitchers with nine wins. He went 8-2 with a 4.43 ERA in 18 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers to begin the season before he was traded to the Red Sox on July 26. Unfortunately, in his third start with the Sox, he suffered a season-ending calf injury. Paxton completed the season with a combined 9-3 record and a 4.40 ERA, with 73 strikeouts in 100 1/3 innings in 21 starts.
Nick Pivetta (Victoria, B.C.)
Pivetta led all Canadian big league pitchers with 172 strikeouts. In his start against the Brewers on May 25, he collected his 1,000th MLB strikeout. That made him just the sixth Canadian to reach that milestone. In total, Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA in 27 games (26 starts) for the Red Sox. He tossed 145 2/3 innings, which were the second-most by a Canuck big leaguer.
Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.)
Pop made a career-high 58 relief appearances for the Blue Jays. That was also the second-most by a Canadian big league pitcher (to Cade Smith who appeared in 74 games for the Guardians). The 28-year-old right-hander collected his first big league save on July 28 when he pitched the final 1 1/3 innings in the Blue Jays’ 7-3 win over the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre. In all, Pop recorded a 5.59 ERA and struck out 33 batters in 48 1/3 innings. He also had a 1.54 ERA and four saves in 11 appearances for Triple-A Buffalo.
Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.)
Traded to the Colorado Rockies by the Guardians last November, Quantrill proceeded to lead Canuck big league pitchers in starts (29) and innings pitched (148 1/3) innings. His eight wins and 110 strikeouts ranked second among Canadian major leaguers. In the month of May, the Junior National Team alum went 4-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts.
Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.)
The 2022 Tip O’Neill Award winner registered eight saves in 15 appearances before being sidelined by an elbow injury in early June. He also struck out 13 batters in 13 2/3 innings and finished the season with a 6.59 ERA.
Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.)
After his first big-league call-up on August 28, Sabrowski struck out 19 batters in 12 2/3 innings and did not allow a run in eight appearances down the stretch for the Guardians. That performance earned him a spot on the Guardians’ postseason roster and he appeared in a combined four games in the American League Division Series and American League Championship Series. Against the Yankees in the ALCS, the 26-year-old left-hander was twice brought into face Juan Soto (Game 1 and Game 4) and he retired the slugger both times. Sabrowski finished the playoffs with a 1.69 ERA in five appearances with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Prior to his big-league call-up, Sabrowski went a combined 8-3 with 79 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
Cade Smith (Abbotsford, B.C.)
Smith put together one of the best major league rookie seasons ever by a Canadian relief pitcher. The 25-year-old right-hander posted a 6-1 record and a 1.91 ERA in 74 relief appearances and struck out 103 batters in 75 1/3 innings. This made him just the fourth Canadian reliever to fan 100 in a big-league campaign. Smith topped all Canadian pitchers in ERA, games, holds (28), WAR (2.5), WHIP (0.90) and opponents’ batting average (.190). Among rookie major league relievers, he ranked first in innings pitched, tied for first in wins and second in games, strikeouts and holds. He allowed just two of 36 inherited runners to score, which was the best ratio for a relief pitcher in MLB. He also topped major league relievers with a 2.7 fWAR and 1.40 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP). His dominance continued in the playoffs when he appeared in nine games for the Guardians, which set a record for most by a Canadian pitcher in a single postseason. His 12 strikeouts in the American League Division Series were a Division Series record for a reliever. For his efforts, he was named to the Baseball America MLB All-Rookie Team and the All-MLB Rookie Second Team.
Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.)
Soroka was dealt to the Chicago White Sox by the Atlanta Braves last November. After a rough start to the season as a starter with the Sox, he was moved to the bullpen where he excelled. In 16 relief appearances, he posted a 2.75 ERA and struck out 60 batters in 36 innings. Overall, in 25 appearances (nine starts), he recorded a 4.74 ERA and had 84 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings.
Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.)
Tong posted a combined 6-4 record with a 3.03 ERA in 25 appearances (23 starts), while striking out 160 batters in 113 innings, between class-A, High-A and double-A in the New York Mets’ organization. For his efforts, the 21-year-old right-hander was a two-time Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week. The 6-foot-1 righty was also recently named the top pitching prospect in the Mets’ organization by MLB Pipeline.
Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.)
The Oakland A’s acquired Toro from the Brewers last November. In 94 games with the A’s this season, Toro batted .240 with six home runs, 17 doubles and 26 RBIs. The switch-hitting infielder topped the American League in hits in May with 39. That was the most hits any A’s player has had in the month of May since Carney Lansford in 1989. Toro finished the season with four games with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators.
Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.)
In 24 starts between class-A and High-A in the Guardians’ organization, Wilkinson went 8-6 with a 1.90 ERA and fanned 174 in 118 2/3 innings. He also posted a 2.19 ERA in two post-season starts for the High-A Lake County Captains to help lead them to a Midwest League championship. His performance earned him the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for April and the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week three times. Nicknamed “Tugboat,” he was recently selected as the top pitching prospect in the Guardians’ organization by MLB Pipeline.
Jared Young (Prince George, B.C.)
Selected off waivers from the Cubs by the St. Louis Cardinals last November, Young batted .285 with 11 home runs and a .411 OBP in 74 games with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds before his contract was purchased by the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization. Overseas, he was outstanding, hitting .326 with 10 home runs and 39 RBIs with a 1.080 OPS in just 38 games.
Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.)
Signed by the Brewers last December, Zastryzny started the season in Triple-A before being recalled to start on Canada Day. Overall, in nine appearances (three starts) for the Brewers, he posted a 1.17 ERA and had five strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. The 32-year-old left-hander was also 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA in 30 relief appearances for Triple-A Nashville. He had 39 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings. Following the season, he was claimed off waivers by the Cubs.
The Hall’s Tip O’Neill Award is named after Woodstock, Ont., native James “Tip” O’Neill who was one of Major League Baseball’s first legitimate stars. With the American Association’s St. Louis Browns in 1887, O’Neill set then big league records in hits, doubles, slugging percentage and total bases, while compiling a major league record .492 batting average. Walks were counted as hits in 1887, but if O’Neill’s average was calculated by today’s standards, it would be .435.
Past winners of the James “Tip” O’Neill Award:
1984 – Terry Puhl
1985 – Dave Shipanoff
1986 – Rob Ducey
1987 – Larry Walker
1988 – Kevin Reimer
1989 – Steve Wilson
1990 – Larry Walker
1991 – Daniel Brabant
1992 – Larry Walker
1993 – Rob Butler
1994 – Larry Walker
1995 – Larry Walker
1996 – Jason Dickson
1997 – Larry Walker
1998 – Larry Walker
1999 – Jeff Zimmerman
2000 – Ryan Dempster
2001 – Corey Koskie
2001 – Larry Walker
2002 – Eric Gagné
2002 – Larry Walker
2003 – Eric Gagné
2004 – Jason Bay
2005 – Jason Bay
2006 – Justin Morneau
2007 – Russell Martin
2008 – Justin Morneau
2009 – Jason Bay
2010 – Joey Votto
2011 – Joey Votto
2011 – John Axford
2012 – Joey Votto
2013 – Joey Votto
2014 – Justin Morneau
2015 – Joey Votto
2016 – Joey Votto
2017 – Joey Votto
2018 – James Paxton
2019 – Mike Soroka
2020 – Jamie Romak
2021 – Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
2022 – Jordan Romano
2023 – Josh Naylor
2024 – ???????????
