Finishing dead last in their pool at the recently completed World Baseball Classic isn’t a positive.
But that showing, skewed by non-participation and lack of commitment if you believe Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt, doesn’t tell the story of the well-stocked pipeline of Canadian talent either already in the Major Leagues or well on its way.
The high-water mark for Canadians appearing in the majors was 26 during the 2011 season, and while that number won’t come close to being equalled in 2017, the group of core Canucks is as solid as its ever been.
There’s more on the way, too, with 25 Canadian players hearing their names called in last June’s MLB draft, adding to a significant contingent of talent currently working its way through various minor-league stops.