{"id":581320,"date":"2026-04-04T08:05:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T08:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/581320\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T08:05:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T08:05:21","slug":"ten-things-to-know-about-the-vancouver-canadians-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/581320\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten things to know about the Vancouver Canadians season"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sports<\/a>Baseball<\/a><\/p>\n

It’s the 75th anniversary season of Nat Bailey Stadium and the C’s home opener goes Tuesday, with the Eugene Emeralds providing the opposition<\/p>\n

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Published Apr 03, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 14\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 8 minute read<\/p>\n

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\"natIt’s the 75th anniversary season of Nat Bailey Stadium, but the C’s home opener goes Tuesday with the Eugene Emeralds. Photo by Arlen Redekop \/PNGArticle content<\/p>\n

Nat Bailey Stadium turns 75 years old this summer and the Vancouver Canadians are promising a season-long party for the baseball diamond\u2019s diamond anniversary.<\/p>\n

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The Toronto Blue Jays\u2019 high-A farm club in the Northwest League began its 2026 campaign Friday with a visit to the Tri-City Dust Devils. The C\u2019s home opener at the venerable Nat goes Tuesday, when the Eugene Emeralds come to the town.<\/p>\n

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Every Tuesday home game this season will be a 75th anniversary celebration, and the C\u2019s have a special commemorative uniform that they\u2019ll wear for those contests. As well, fans can get a regular hot dog at Tuesday home games for a mere 75 cents.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a big birthday year but the Nat might look a little younger, too. It\u2019s been on a workout program of sorts. After more than a year of construction<\/a>, there\u2019s a building down the first base line, which houses the C\u2019s new clubhouse along with cafeteria, batting cages and other player-focused amenities. It\u2019s all part of Major League Baseball upping facility standards for its farm clubs.<\/p>\n

\"cs\" A young fan cheers between innings during an exhibition game between the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and the Vancouver Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium in 2022. Photo by BOB FRID \/PNG<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a viewing area on top of the building, but it won\u2019t be open for fans until June 9.\u00a0You can get tickets for that new setup, along with anywhere else in the ballpark, through the C\u2019s web site.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Here are 10 other points to ponder about the C\u2019s upcoming season.<\/p>\n

WHAT\u2019S NEW FOOD WISE?<\/p>\n

Originally known as Capilano Stadium, the ballpark was renamed after Nat Bailey in 1978 following his death to honour his contributions to baseball. He bought the triple-A Vancouver Mounties in the 1950s and helped raise the profile of pro ball in the region.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also the founder of White Spot restaurant, which he started in 1928<\/a> by transforming his 1918 Model T into a travelling lunch counter and selling grub at Vancouver\u2019s Lookout Point every Sunday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fittingly in this anniversary season, White Spot and the C\u2019s are teaming up to put a Triple O\u2019s in the concourse at the Nat, where fans can get burgers, chicken strips and milkshakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBaseball and burgers just belong together,\u201d White Spot executive Trent Carroll explained in February when the concept was first announced.<\/a><\/p>\n

Also on the Nat menu this season are three-foot nachos, giving the ballpark\u2019s three-foot hotdog a partner in crime. No word yet on whether they will sell them as a package deal. If they do and you manage to finish both, you should get your name posted on the scoreboard before you get a free ride to Vancouver General Hospital.<\/p>\n

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\"food\" Fans can get burgers, chicken strips and milkshakes at the Nat this season. Photo by Arlen Redekop \/PNG<\/p>\n

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CAN WE EXPECT A JIM ROBSON TRIBUTE?\u00a0<\/p>\n

The C\u2019s aren\u2019t divulging details just yet, but they are promising this season that they\u2019ll honour Robson, the beloved broadcaster who died in February<\/a>. He was 91.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s best known for his work with the Vancouver Canucks<\/a> but he did play-by-play for various sports, including baseball in the 1950s. He was regular in the stands at the Nat in recent years, too.<\/p>\n

\"jim Jim Robson did play-by-play for baseball in the 1950s Photo by BC Sports Hall of Fame (BCSHOF)HOW MUCH FREE SWAG CAN YOU TAKE HOME?<\/p>\n

The C\u2019s put out their promotions calendar in February<\/a> and they\u2019re promising a giveaway for \u201cat least two of the six games of each homestead,\u201d meaning that fans can hit a Hall of Fame-worthy .333, when it comes to taking home a memento from the anniversary season.<\/p>\n

Items include an opening night magnet schedule (April 7), Chief Wasabi poncho (April 26), a Nat Bailey Stadium miniature replica (April 28), kids jersey (May 31), Chief Wasabi keychain (June 13), C\u2019s pirate hat (July 12) and C\u2019s cowboy hat (Aug. 1). There also five pennants honouring the eras at the Nat (May 12, May 26, June 30, July 7, July 28).<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s, of course, the widely popular bobbleheads, too, with C\u2019s turned Blue Jays Addison Barger (June 9) and Trey Yesavage (Aug. 25<\/a>) getting collectible figurine treatment this time around.<\/p>\n

WHAT\u2019S THE BEST WAY TO FIND OUT IF A GAME IS RAINED OUT?<\/p>\n

The C\u2019s offer up a text alert that gives weather-related updates as well as information for things like flash sales. Find out more about it on their website.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

WHAT CAN MANAGER JOSE MAYORGA TAKE FROM HIS TIME IN THE WBC?<\/p>\n

Mayorga, 33, is back for his second season at the helm of the C\u2019s and he\u2019s coming off managing Team Panama at the World Baseball Classic<\/a>. The squad featured big leaguers like Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya and New York Yankees infielder Jose Caballero and their 1-3 record included a 4-3 victory over Canada. Panama did not advance to the quarterfinals. Cuba, Puerto Rico and Colombia were also in their group.<\/p>\n

Mayorga is a former Philadelphia Phillies farmhand catcher and he\u2019s been managing in the Toronto system since 2022.<\/p>\n

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\"Arjun Arjun Nimmala, 20, is starting a second straight season at the Nat. Photo by Steve EwenWHAT BIG BATS WILL BOOST THE OFFENCE?<\/p>\n

Arjun Nimmala, 20, is starting a second straight season at the Nat and the shortstop is the top Vancouver player on the MLB Pipeline\u2019s Blue Jays\u2019 prospect list, coming in at No. 3. Baseball America has him at No. 2 on their Toronto list.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the No. 74 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline to start the season and No. 62 for Baseball America.<\/p>\n

The 6-foot, 190-pound right-handed hitter played a team-high 120 games last season with Vancouver, and hit .224, with 13 home runs and 61 runs batted in, to go with 17 steals. He\u2019s one of 16 players on Vancouver\u2019s 31-man opening day roster who have been with the team for one of the past two years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Toronto\u2019s 2023 first-round draft pick (No. 20 overall) out of a Florida high school, Nimmala was one of the youngest regulars in the Northwest League last season, and only left-hander Johnny King, 19, is younger than him with the current Vancouver group.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The average age for position players in the loop last season was 22.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nimmala\u2019s bat is his calling card, with MLB Pipeline explaining that \u201chis power continued to show flashes of excitement,\u201d stemming from his \u201cvicious uppercut swing.\u201d<\/p>\n

He hit a homer last year on the road against the Dust Devils that C\u2019s staffers guessed travelled 430 feet. Hearing that, Nimmala maintained \u201cI thought it was farther. It was hit pretty well. It\u2019s in my top five ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

He batted .266 in the first half last season with Vancouver and then slid to .179 in the second half. If he gets off to a good start and manages to maintain it for a few weeks, it\u2019s easy to see him getting a promotion prior to midseason.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Catcher Eduard Duran, 21, had a 22-game hit streak with Dunedin last May and finished the season in Vancouver after getting promoted in July. He\u2019s No. 19 on MLB Pipeline\u2019s Toronto prospect list. The Venezuelan hit .234 in his 34 games with Vancouver.<\/p>\n

First baseman\/outfielder Carter Cunningham, 25, hit 16 homers and drove in 59 runs to go with a .220 average in 102 games with Vancouver last season. He was a 2024 10th rounder from East Carolina University.<\/p>\n

Outfielder Mathieu Vallee, 25, is the lone Canadian on the roster. The native of Saint-Eustache, Que., signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays as a free agent in February. He played independent ball for Trois-Rivieres last season and hit .352, with one homer, 41 RBI and 83 stolen bases in 88 games last season.<\/p>\n

WHO ARE THE MAIN MEN ON THE MOUND?<\/p>\n

King is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound southpaw that Toronto picked out of a Florida high school in the 2024 third round who\u2019s No. 4 on both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America prospect lists.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Between the Florida Complex League and Single-A Dunedin in his pro debut, King struck out a 105 batters over 61 and 2\/3 innings last season.<\/p>\n

MLB Pipeline has King\u2019s fastball touching 96 miles per hour at times and his curveball as his best secondary pitch, although they also believe it \u201cprojects to be a legitimate out pitch for him.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, King\u2019s focus is on his changeup. He knows, as the Blue Jays have been preaching, that a two-pitch lefty can only go so far, so this offering is crucial to his long-term ceiling, especially given the special potential he has with his heater and breaking ball,\u201d the scouting report continues.<\/p>\n

Vancouver\u2019s pitching staff also includes Austin Cates, 22, is a 2024 seventh rounder out of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas who went 3-0 with a 1.95 earned run average in five starts with Vancouver a season ago and righty Aaron Munson, 24, is a 2023 19th rounder out of Angelo State University who was 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 30 relief appearances for Vancouver.<\/p>\n

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WHO COULD MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE C\u2019S BEFORE YEAR\u2019S END?<\/p>\n

Toronto picked Mississippi high school shortstop JoJo Parker, 19,\u00a0 in the first round (No. 8 overall) last summer and he\u2019s already No.2 on their MLB Pipeline prospect list and No. 3 with their Baseball America one. He\u2019s starting the season with single-A Dunedin and Baseball America believes the 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefty-swinging Parker showed the \u201cbest balance of hitting and power,\u201d among the high schoolers in his draft.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be interesting to see if Toronto can synch up a Nimmala promotion with a Parker one, although there\u2019s been suggestion already that Parker projects a third baseman eventually.<\/p>\n

HOW DOES THE NORTHWEST LEAGUE WORK?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a six-team circuit, with Vancouver joined by the Dust Devils (Los Angeles Angels), Emeralds (San Francisco Giants), Everett AquaSox (Seattle Mariners), Hillsboro Hops (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Spokane Indians (Colorado Rockies). The team\u2019s play 132 games split into\u00a0 two halves and the two first-place teams face off in the best-of-five league final at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

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With few exceptions, the teams play six-game series every week of the regular season running Tuesday through Sunday. Mondays are set up for travel days. That\u2019s something that Major League Baseball wanted when it revamped the minors coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, to make things more regimented and structured for players.<\/p>\n

First-half champ Everett beat second-half champ Eugene for the league title last season. Vancouver finished second in both halves, losing out on a tiebreaker to Everett the first half.<\/p>\n

Vancouver\u2019s won the Northwest League title five times. The first came in 2011, their inaugural year as a Toronto farm team after moving over from the Oakland Athletics system. The C\u2019s went to the final in three straight years from 2022-24, and won it all in 2023.<\/p>\n

\"brent Brent Lavallee managed the C\u2019s to three straight league championship series. Photo by BOB FRID \/PNGWHERE HAVE YOU GONE BRENT LAVALLEE?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lavallee, 39, is the North Delta product who managed the C\u2019s to those three straight league championship series. He managed the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats last season and he received a promotion this winter from Toronto to director of position player development for the farm system. That means he\u2019s expected to make regular visits to the Nat this summer to check in on C\u2019s players.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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@SteveEwen<\/p>\n

SEwen@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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