Article: Vancouver Canadians 2025 Season Roster Preview

[Daniel Labude]

The Blue Jays High-A affiliate remains in Vancouver, a long way from Low-A Dunedin and the Jays spring training home. The players at this level are now just three promotions from heading east to Toronto. Could any get there this year?

The Vancouver Canadians have released their opening day roster and kick off the 2025 season on Friday, April 4th. The Canadians are the High-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays and will pack a pretty good group of prospects showcasing their talents this season. The team will be headlined by the Blue Jays’ top prospect in Arjun Nimmala, but also have multiple intriguing and high-ranking prospects in the farm system.

Here is the breakdown of the Canadians opening day roster.

Prospects to Know 
Arjun Nimmala is the highlight in the world of prospects for the players on the opening day roster. He had a solid showing in minimal time with the big-league club in spring training. As a 19-year-old, he went 2-for-10 with a home run, double, and four RBI. He will look to continue putting his bat on display for the Canadians. He ended the 2024 season as one of the best hitters in Low-A and smashed 17 home runs on the season in Dunedin. If he limits the strikeouts, his rise could take him as high as a Top 25 overall prospect.

Sean Keys isn't as highly touted as Nimmala, but he will start the 2025 season as potentially the next Toronto prospect in the mold of former Blue Jay Spencer Horwitz and current Blue Jays Will Wagner and Alan Roden, who have contact-first hitting profiles. He was drafted out of Bucknell University in the 4th round of the 2024 draft. A third baseman, Keys came into the Blue Jays organization with the reputation as a high-contact hitter with developing power. Much like the names mentioned above, he displayed the contact ability out of the gate in the minor leagues. At Low-A Dunedin he hit .293/.378/.451 in 22 games last season following the draft. He only hit one home run, but added four doubles and three triples. Adding consistent power to his profile to go with his contact abilities should be his goal this season. 

Victor Arias returns this season to the Canadians after finishing the season north of the border. In his last 11 games for Vancouver, he hit .324 and showed some solid contact skills. He has a smaller frame, but with a softball-like leg kick he can put all of his weight into his swing and has displayed a good amount of power in his young minor-league career. He hit eight home runs and 19 doubles at Low-A Dunedin before being promoted to Vancouver in 2024. 

On the pitching side, Fernando Perez headlines the starting pitchers to open the season. Perez has had a good deal of success already in the minors and is moving up to Vancouver after starting 17 games for Low-A Dunedin in 2024. He posted an ERA of 4.06 in 82 IP, to go with a strikeout rate of 25.7%, and a walk rate of just 7.6%. He uses a high iVB fastball and a deep pitch mix to get hitters out. 

Kendry Rojas finished the year strong for the Canadians last season and, after a very good performance in the Blue Jays Spring Breakout game, he was poised to begin the year at Double-A New Hampshire. However, he will begin the 2025 season in Vancouver, and on the injured list. When he returns, he could have a major impact as he rises up minor-league levels this season. 

Catchers: Hayden Gilliland, Jackson Hornung, Aaron Parker, Alex Stone

Infielders: Cutter Coffey, Nick Goodwin, Jay Harry, Sean Keys, Arjun Nimmala, Adrian Pinto

Outfielders: Victor Arias, Carter Cunningham, Eddie Micheletti Jr., Brennan Orf, Je'Von Ward, Jacob Wetzel

Pitchers: Eliander Alcalde (IL-7), Edinson Batista (Reserve List), Bo Bonds, Irv Carter, Pat Gallagher, Nate Garkow, Chris McElvain (IL-7), Kevin Miranda, Aaron Munson, Connor O'Halloran, Julio Ortiz, Fernando Perez, Kai Peterson, Carson Pierce (IL-60), Grant Rogers, Yondrei Rojas (IL-7), Kendry Rojas (IL-7), JJ Sanchez, Jonathan Todd, Juaron Watts-Brown, Jackson Wentworth, Chay Yeager

Jose Mayorga will be in charge of managing the 2025 Canadians. Matt Van Roemer is his Bench Coach. The hitting coach is Ryan Wright. Eric Yardley is the pitching coach with Robelin Bautista as his assistant. Petr Stribrcky is another coach for the team. 

Which prospects are you most excited about? Will any of these guys have a breakout 2025 season, jumping up the organizational ladder? Discuss and ask questions below. 

View full article