Blue Jays' moustached hero Davis Schneider was once a baby-faced Vancouver Canadians star
You can add the name Davis Schneider to the list of Vancouver Canadians graduates to make an impact for the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 24-year-old has taken Toronto by storm, and not just because of his unique moustache-and-glasses look.
Schneider has seemingly come out of nowhere to excel with the Blue Jays, posting eye-popping numbers since being called up to the Majors for the first time on August 4.
But of course, he didn’t come out of nowhere. He came out of Vancouver.
The 5-foot-9 infielder hit a home run on his very first big league at-bat, doing so at Fenway Park in Boston. Schneider was sensational in his first three MLB games, racking up nine hits, two home runs, and five RBIs.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I ever think this week would happen,” Schneider said on Instagram on August 6 after his incredible series in Boston. “Thank you to everyone who reached out and supported me through it all. To my family, I love you so much and am grateful to have you in my life. Still trying to wake up from this dream.”
Schneider now has six home runs and 18 RBIs in just 63 MLB at-bats, with a .381 batting average and a 1.310 OPS.
Not bad for a 28th-round draft pick who was playing at Nat Bailey Stadium as late as June 24 last year.
Schneider played parts of three seasons for the Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium, beginning in 2019. He was rather ordinary for the Canadians in 2019 and 2021 before taking off in 2022, hitting 10 doubles, one triple, and eight home runs while racking up 25 RBIs in 50 games. That great run of play last season saw Schneider get called up to Double-A New Hampshire in June and sticking in Triple-A in Buffalo by September.
Then, after a great start in Triple-A this year, Schneider got to realize his Major League dream.
“It’s been pretty crazy so far. I’m from a small town in the middle of nowhere,” the Berlin, New Jersey, native said in a recent interview with TSN 1050 radio in Toronto. “Having all this happen to me is still kind of like a dream so far. It’s been great. I mean, the fans are awesome. The city’s awesome, so I can’t really ask for a better start.”
Old photos from his days with the Canadians show that Schneider didn’t always rock a moustache, but his bushy duster did coincide with his rise to prominence. They’re making T-shirts for “Babe,” as he’s known now.
You ask, we deliver.
Tomorrow we drop the Davis Schneider shirts heard around the world. https://t.co/LyFqe7yMSK pic.twitter.com/x7Z5lJZHV3— Gate 14 Podcast (@Gate14Pod) August 7, 2023
Many Canadians players that have gone on to play for the Blue Jays took longer to get to the Major Leagues, though Schneider’s quick rise could be the start of a trend. Now that the Canadians play High-A level baseball, we should see players graduate to the Majors quicker than before.
Of the 30 players on Vancouver’s opening-day roster this season, 12 of them have moved up to play Double-A ball.
Vancouver Canadians playoff baseball coming up at Nat Bailey
The Canadians have qualified for the playoffs, with postseason baseball coming to Nat Bailey Stadium next week.
Vancouver will head to Everett for games on Tuesday and Wednesday before the series turns back to Nat Bailey for Game 3 on Friday, and if necessary, Game 4 on Saturday and Game 5 on Sunday.
The Canadians have posted a Northwest League-best record of 75-51, which includes a league-best 42-23 home record. That home record is the third-best record out of 120 Minor League Baseball teams.
It’s been a thrilling year of baseball at Nat Bailey Stadium, with an incredible 12 walk-off wins by the Canadians — the most in all of Minor League Baseball.
The Canadians are trying to win their fifth championship since becoming an affiliate of the Blue Jays in 2011. Vancouver last won the Northwest League title in 2017 and also won in 2011, 2012, and 2013.
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