A review of the Tip O’Neill Award and who is in the running for the honour in 2024

A few more Guardians in the mix

Out of Abbotsford, British Columbia, right-handed pitcher Cade Smith. The Canadian right-hander finished his first full season in the big leagues and impressed! His 2024 season was extravagant, posting a 6-1 record with a 1.91 ERA in 75 and 1 / 3 innings pitched. He struck out 103 batters, only walking 17!

The brother of Josh, Bo Naylor blasted a career-high 13 home runs in just his third season with the Cleveland Guardians while leading the team in games started behind home plate.  

Turning towards the Blue Jays

While his bat was slow out of the gate, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) proved why he’s Toronto’s slugger and go-to bat in the lineup. Guerrero would eventually finish the year with a .323/.396/.544 slash line and an impressive .940 OPS. The right-handed bat belted 30 home runs with 103 RBIs. Unfortunately, his team did not make the postseason but he was one of the brightest stars on the squad who should garner some attention from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) would have been a contender if he did not get injured and sidelined for a good portion of the season. Romano finished 2024 with just 13 2/3 innings under his belt, pitching to a 6.59 ERA with eight saves.

Who else might be considered?

Tyler O’Neill slugged 31 home runs this season for the Boston Red Sox while fellow countryman and right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta struck out 172 batters in 145 and 2 / 3 innings. Both are heading to free agency this winter.

What about one of Canada’s top pitching prospects? New York Mets right-hander Jonah Tong has been climbing the ranks. From low A to AA, Tong has shown great development and effectiveness. The right-hander has gone 6-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 113 innings. He struck out 160 batters, walking only 47.  His performance and advancement for a prospect have been intriguing, and the anticipation for him to move up is even crazier. Matt Wilkinson is also a pitcher to keep an eye on, as he just took home the Wayne Newton Award from the Canadian Baseball Network as the top minor league pitcher in affiliated baseball. He posted a 1.90 ERA across two levels and 118 1/23 innings while striking out batters to the tune of a 13.2 K/9.

Since we’re on the topic of prospects, Canada’s top general prospect, Owen Cassie, should also be in the conversation. In 127 games and 472 at-bats, the Cubs prospect belted 19 home runs with 75 RBIs, recording 131 hits. He slashed a .278/.375/.473.