These Toronto Blue Jays have roots in British Columbia

The Toronto Blue Jays — fresh off a dramatic Game 7 ALCS win over Seattle — are chasing their first championship in over three decades, and some familiar B.C. connections are helping drive their success.

John Schneider’s Vancouver years

Manager John Schneider, known for his fiery personality, managed the Vancouver Canadians in 2011, 2014 and 2015. Play-by-play announcer Tyler Zickel, who worked with him in New Hampshire, says Schneider’s enthusiasm is nothing new:

“Schneids just likes to let it rip,” Zickel said. “He’s the kind of guy you’d love to have a beer with — passionate, loyal, and 100% himself.”

Former Canadians making an impact

Several of the Jays’ top players once took the field at Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver, including Mason Fluharty, Davis Schneider, Addison Barger, and Trey Yesavage.

Yesavage, 22, started the season with the Canadians before earning a late-season call-up to Toronto. Just weeks later, he set a Blue Jays post-season strikeout record, dazzling fans and solidifying his place in the rotation.

“Who’s had a better summer in 2025 than Trey Yesavage?” said Zickel. “He’s going to make an impact for years — and we’ll all remember when he came up through Vancouver.”

Schneider announced Thursday that Yesavage will start Game 1 of the World Series.

A HarbourCat connection

Outfielder Nathan Lukes also honed his skills in B.C., playing for the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League in 2014. He lived with local billet Ken Pollard, who still remembers him fondly:

“He was like a son — quiet, focused, and just a good kid,” Pollard said.

Pollard later watched Lukes play during the ALCS alongside the outfielder’s parents in Seattle.

“Watching their emotions as their kid came up to bat in a playoff game — it was surreal,” he said.

The B.C. baseball pipeline

Between the Vancouver Canadians and Victoria HarbourCats, British Columbia continues to serve as an important stepping stone for future Major Leaguers — a fact that’s giving B.C. fans one more reason to root for the Jays this October.