TORONTO — After a whirlwind travel day, Canadian outfielder Owen Caissie was ready to make his major-league debut for the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon at Rogers Centre.
The Burlington, Ont., native caught an early flight from Des Moines, Iowa, arriving at the downtown Toronto ballpark just before the first pitch of the mid-afternoon interleague finale against the Blue Jays. Slotted in as the designated hitter, the 23-year-old was set to bat fifth.
“Offence is his calling card and he hits the ball extremely hard,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before the game. “I think he’s going to hit a lot of home runs someday — he’s not a pure home run hitter right now — but he’s a good all-around hitter with great plate discipline.”
Speculation began late Wednesday that Chicago’s top prospect would be promoted for the series finale. The club confirmed the move shortly before game time, recalling Caissie from Triple-A Iowa and placing catcher Miguel Amaya on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain.
Caissie has impressed in the minors this season, hitting .289 with 22 home runs and 52 RBIs for Iowa. MLB Pipeline ranks him as baseball’s No. 45 prospect. Drafted 45th overall by the San Diego Padres in 2020, he was dealt to the Cubs that December as part of the Yu Darvish trade.
In the visitors’ clubhouse Thursday, a No. 19 nameplate marked his locker — alongside a pair of Coffee Crisp chocolate bars, a nod to his Canadian roots.
The young slugger recently showcased his talent at the MLB All-Star Futures Game, recording an RBI double and two walks. He’s been especially hot in August at Triple-A, batting .393 (11-for-28) with two homers and five RBIs.
“I don’t know that this is going to be a big role for Owen,” Counsell noted. “But we’re looking at the schedule, trying to be flexible — maybe give guys rest or lighten their workload.”
This story was first published Aug. 14, 2025, by The Canadian Press, with files from The Associated Press.
Leave a Reply