New Marlins Acquisition Set to Play for Team Canada at World Baseball Classic
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The Miami Marlins will open their 2026 season on March 26, hosting the Colorado Rockies. But before they set out to build on what was a 17-win improvement in 2025, one of their newest additions will be playing his trade elsewhere.
In a meeting with the media on Thursday, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix confirmed that new outfield prospect Owen Caissie, acquired as the centerpiece of the Edward Cabrera trade, still plans to represent Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic.
O(wen) Canada
Caissie grew up in Burlington, Ontario and represented Canada as part of the junior national team.
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In 2023, Caissie was the second-youngest player selected to the country's World Baseball Classic squad (behind pitching prospect Mitch Bratt). He collected three hits in 13 at-bats over three games, including a home run and four RBI.
However, Canada went 2-2 in Pool C alongside the United States, Mexico, Great Britain and Colombia and failed to advance past the qualifying round.
Fittingly enough, when Caissie was called up to the majors by the Chicago Cubs last August, his big league debut happened to take place during a visit to the Toronto Blue Jays, MLB's lone Canadian franchise. The 23-year-old went 0-for-4 on the day, but still got to experience a landmark career moment in his home country, less than an hour away from his hometown.
Caissie is expected to start in right field for a Team Canada side that could also feature new Miami teammates Otto Lopez and Liam Hicks. Lopez moved to Montreal from the Dominican Republic as a youngster due to his father's teaching career, while Hicks was born in Toronto.
Team Canada should have no shortage of MLB talent on hand at the WBC, with players like Freddie Freeman (Los Angeles Dodgers), Josh Naylor (Seattle Mariners), Bo Naylor (Cleveland Guardians), Denzel Clarke (Athletics) and Jameson Taillon (Chicago Cubs) expected to join Caissie, Lopez and Hicks.
Canada enters the 2026 edition of the WBC as part of Pool A alongside Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico and Cuba, with all pool games taking place in San Juan, PR.
If the squad manages to advance as far as the semifinals, Caissie will get his first taste of action at LoanDepot Park, the Marlins' home stadium that is also set to serve as host to the WBC's latter rounds.
Needless to say, Caissie has some big things on the horizon. Fresh off his trade to Miami on Wednesday, he is looking to cement his place as part of the Marlins' big league roster. But first, he gets the opportunity to represent his home country.
