British ColumbiaAs people across the country settle in for the beginning of the World Series tonight, B.C. fans can take pride in knowing a handful of the Blue Jays players and staff have ties to British Columbia. Star pitcher Trey Yesavage, outfielder Nathan Lukes, even manager John Schneider have all spent time in B.C.Courtney Dickson · CBC News · Posted: Oct 24, 2025 10:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesPitcher Trey Yesavage, who spent part of the 2025 season with the Vancouver Canadians, celebrates with his parents after the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners on Monday. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images/Reuters)The Toronto Blue Jays have had a few days to recalibrate after a dramatic Game 7 ALCS win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday, but tonight the excitement ramps up again as the American League champions face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series. While baseball fans across Canada prepare for the prospect of another nailbiter of a series, fans in British Columbia can take pride in knowing a few Blue Jays players and staff have ties to B.C., thanks largely to the Vancouver Canadians, the team’s High-A affiliate.The Vancouver Canadians, pictured in April 2021, are the High-A affiliate for the Toronto Blue Jays. (Ben Nelms/CBC)John SchneiderBlue Jays manager John Schneider — who made headlines this week for his colourful language during a live interview after the Jays won the ALCS — managed the Vancouver Canadians in 2011, 2014 and 2015. WATCH | John Schneider reacts after Jays ALCS Game 7 win Monday:Jays manager drops the ‘F-bomb’ on live TV. Is it still offensive to some? | Hanomansing TonightAfter the Toronto Blue Jays’ Game 7 win on Monday, manager John Schneider dropped the ‘F-bomb’ multiple times on live television. Sali Tagliamonte, linguistics professor at the University of Toronto, says despite the increased use of swearing, she was surprised the remarks made it on air.Vancouver Canadians play-by-play announcer Tyler Zickel told CBC’s On The Coast he wasn’t surprised Schneider let his emotions get the best of him during a post-game interview. The pair worked together in New Hampshire in 2018, and Zickel got to know him quite well. “Schneids just likes to let it rip,��” he said. “He is certainly a guy you would love to have a beer with or two, and certainly somebody who, even though it had been years since we had seen each other in person, it was … like old times.”Former Canadians on Jays rosterThe current Jays roster is stacked with former Canadians: Mason Fluharty, Davis Schneider, Addison Barger and Trey Yesavage. Toronto Blue Jays’ Addison Barger, who spent time with the Vancouver Canadians, rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in Game 6 of baseball’s American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners on Oct. 19, 2025. (David J. Phillip/The Associated Press)Yesavage has had a remarkable rise to the majors. Earlier this season, the 22-year-old pitcher started four games for the Canadians. He quickly climbed the ladder to join the Blue Jays on Sept. 15. Three weeks later, he set a record for strikeouts by a Blue Jays pitcher in the post-season, and became the second-youngest pitcher with a double-digit strikeout game in the post-season, according to mlb.com. Fans give a standing ovation as Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage leaves the mound after being pulled from the game during the sixth inning of the MLB American League Division Series baseball action against the New York Yankees on Oct. 5, 2025. Yesavage spent part of the 2025 season with the Vancouver Canadians. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)On Thursday, Schneider announced Yesavage will be the Jays’ starting pitcher for Game 1 of the World Series. “Who has had a better summer in 2025 than Trey Yesavage?” Zickel said. “He might have had the best summer of anybody on the planet in any sport, in any way of life.“You gotta respect Trey Yesavage’s game. This is somebody who is going to make an impact for years to come. And we’ll be able to say we remember him coming up back then in 2025.”And a HarbourCatThe Canadians aren’t the only team based in B.C. developing Major League players. Outfielder Nathan Lukes played for the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League in 2014. He spent two months with the collegiate summer league team and billeted with Ken Pollard.“We kind of adopted him into our family,” Pollard said. “He wasn’t somebody who liked to go out a lot and stuff, so he would go to the park, come home, we’d feed him dinner and yeah, it was just like having a son.”Lukes joined the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, and Pollard went to watch him play there last summer. He said watching Lukes during the ALCS playoffs was “surreal.” Pollard remains in touch with Lukes’ parents and watched Game 4 of the ALCS with them at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. “[It’s] quite the experience to watch a Major League Baseball player’s parents going through the turbulent times of their kid being at the plate,” Pollard said. LISTEN | Blue Jays and their B.C. histories with Tyler Zickel and Ken Pollard:On The Coast11:57B.C connections with several Blue Jays playersWatching the historic Blue Jays run for the World Series has been extra special for some B.C. residents. Tyler Zickel watched several Jays members come through the Vancouver Canadians team, and Ken Pollard hosted Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes in 2014 when he played for the Victoria HarbourCats.ABOUT THE AUTHORCourtney Dickson is an award-winning journalist with CBC News based in Vancouver, B.C.With files from On The Coast
These Toronto Blue Jays have ties to B.C.
