Josh Naylor, who set a Major League Baseball (MLB) record with the San Diego Padres when he got a hit in each of his first five postseason at-bats, is a leading candidate for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's Tip O'Neill Award.
Naylor helped Canada win a silver medal at the 2012 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup and also played in the 2013 and 2015 editions. He most recently represented Canada at the 2017 World Baseball Classic in Miami.
Another Baseball Canada alumnus is also a candidate for the Tip O'Neill Award: St. Louis Cardinals gold glove outfielder Tyler O'Neill, who competed in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 and 2013 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.
Other candidates include former National League MVP Joey Votto (MLB Cincinnati Reds), who played for Canada at the 2005 WBSC Baseball World Cup and has played in the World Baseball Classic.
First baseman and outfielder Jamie Romak, who represented Canada in the WBSC Baseball World Cups 2007 and 2011, and slugged 32 home runs for the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) SK Wyverns this past season, is also in the running.
Other prime contenders for the Tip O'Neill Award are left-handed pitcher Andrew Albers (Nippon Professional Baseball, NPB, Orix Buffaloes; 2011 Baseball World Cup and 2015 Premier12), right-handed pitcher Brock Dykxhoorn (Chinese Professional Baseball League, CPBL, champion with the Uni-President 7 Eleven Lions), Vladimir Guerrero Junior (MLB Toronto Blue Jays), right-handed pitcher Cal Quantrill (MLB Cleveland Indians and 2012 and 2013 U-18 Baseball World Cups), right-handed pitcher Jordan Romano (MLB Toronto Blue Jays), third baseman Abraham Toro (MLB Houston Astros), right-handed pitcher Rowan Wick (MLB Chicago Cubs and 2010 U-18 Baseball World Cup) and right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta (MLB Boston Red Sox and U-18 Baseball World Cup).
The Tip O'Neill Award is given out annually, since 1984, to the player "judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution, while adhering to baseball's highest ideals."
Fans can vote until Thursday, 19 November on the Canadian Hall of Fame website.
