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Abbotsford’s Cade Smith named to Team Canada for World Baseball Classic

Former Abbotsford Cardinal, Chilliwack Cougar wearing red and white for March event
Ben Lypka
Ben Lypka
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Abbotsford’s Cade Smith, shown here with the Akron RubberDucks, has been named to Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic. (Twitter photo)

Abbotsford’s Cade Smith has been named to the Team Canada roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Smith, a relief pitcher, and 29 other of Canada’s best on the diamond were named to the team on Thursday (Feb. 9).

Canada has exhibition games scheduled in Arizona prior to the WBC against the Chicago Cubs on March 8 and then the Seattle Mariners on March 9.

They have been slotted into Group C for the WBC and open against Great Britain on March 12, take on the United States on March 13, Colombia on March 14 and close the group stage against Mexico on March 15. Group C games occur in Phoenix.

Playoffs begin after the group stage, with the WBC champion set to be crowned on March 21 in Miami. Previous winners of the event include: Japan (2006 and 2009), Dominican Republic (2013) and the United States (2017). A 2021 event was scheduled but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2017 MEI grad played his junior baseball with the Abbotsford Cardinals and also suited up for the Chilliwack Cougars. He earned the 2017 College Prep League provincial final most valuable award. He also pitched for the Canadian U18 junior national team. Smith went on to be drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 16th round, 466th overall of the 2017 MLB Draft. Smith did not end up signing with Minnesota.

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He played college baseball with the University of Hawaii and also suited up for the Victoria Harbourcats of the West Coast League in the summer of 2019.

Smith played from 2018 to 2020 at Hawaii, with his most active year occurring in 2019 when he made 16 appearances. He posted a record of 2-2 and an earned run average of 4.53. He also recorded 54 strike outs, 26 walks and had one save.

He signed with the Cleveland Guardians organization on June 18, 2020 and joined the single-A Lynchburg Hillcats of the Low-A East League on May 22, 2021. He compiled a record 2-3, an ERA of 4.28, collected four saves and had a strikeouts to walk ratio of 64:21 in 30 appearances on that team.

Smith was then assigned to the High-A Central League’s Lake County Captains on Sept. 14, 2021 and appeared in three games to close out the season.

He opened 2022 back with Lake County and went 2-1, had an ERA of 3.00, made five saves and had a strikeouts to walk ratio of 44:14 in 20 appearances on that team. Smith was then assigned to the AA Akron RubberDucks of the Eastern League. He went 2-1, had an ERA of 3.75, made eight saves and had a strikeouts to walk ratio of 55:21 in 24 appearances.

Smith most recently played for the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League and appeared in six games.

For more on the WBC, visit mlb.com/world-baseball-classic.

Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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