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Blue Jays Nation’s Top 25 Canadian Baseball Prospects for 2026: #18 Brady Cerkownyk
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Photo credit: © Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Tristan Morgan
Feb 2, 2026, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 2, 2026, 09:30 EST
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Kicking off the next installment of the 2026 version of Blue Jays Nation’s Top 25 Canadian baseball prospects list is one of the most dominant offensive performers the college ranks have seen in recent memory.

#18 – Brady Cerkownyk

Hometown: Etobicoke, ON
Organization: Detroit Tigers
Draft: 15th round, 2023 (DET)
Position: Catcher
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Brady Cerkownyk put together a historic freshman season at Connors State College in 2023. Widely regarded as one of the top amateur bats in the country at the time, the Etobicoke native exceeded even the loftiest expectations, delivering one of the most productive seasons in NJCAA history and cementing himself as a premier Canadian prospect.
Cerkownyk terrorized opposing pitchers during the 2023 collegiate season, batting .470, second-best in the nation, while leading all NJCAA hitters with 107 RBIs and ranking second with 27 home runs. He also paced the country in slugging percentage (.985) and OPS (1.530) across just 55 games. He came within striking distance of a Triple Crown, finishing just one home run shy of the national lead. 
Cerkownyk’s historic year earned him a spot on the NJCAA Division I All-American First Team and was voted the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2023 Canadian College Player of the Year.
Defensively, Cerkownyk is more than just a bat-first catcher. Behind the plate, he committed just one error in the 2023 season and threw out 75% of attempted base stealers, showcasing advanced receiving skills and a strong, accurate throwing arm. That two-way reliability only strengthened his draft stock as the 2023 MLB draft approached.
After working out for multiple MLB organizations and playing 12 games with the MLB Draft League’s Fredrick Keys, the Detroit Tigers selected him in the 15th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, and he signed shortly thereafter.

2025 Season

Cerkownyk had his first true taste of the professionals in 2025 after missing essentially all of 2024 due to an elbow issue. a setback that curtailed his playing time and significantly slowed his transition to pro ball.
Cerkownyk spent 2025 with the Florida Complex League (FCL) Tigers, the Rookie-level affiliate, where he could ease back into competitive at-bats and defensive reps behind the plate. Over 24 games, he posted a .219 batting average with a .305 on-base mark and a .315 slugging percentage, producing 2 home runs and 15 RBIs in 73 at-bats against professional pitching. 
Those numbers don’t jump off the page compared with his monster college season, but they could represent an adjustment period for a young hitter returning from injury and adapting to pro arms. Cerkownyk also saw time at designated hitter in addition to catcher, giving the Tigers chances to keep his bat in the lineup while managing his defensive workload. 

Looking Ahead to 2026

Following the 2025 season, Cerkownyk remains in the Detroit Tigers organization as a catcher whose offensive profile will continue to be refined as he gains experience against professional pitching. Entering his age-22 season, he is still early in his career after just 89 at-bats in rookie ball. 
Cerkownyk’s development has centred on transitioning his tools to the professional level. In 2026, Detroit is expected to focus on consistency at the plate and continued defensive work behind the plate as the organization determines his long-term role. Increased playing time at catcher will also be a critical part of that evaluation.
Cerkownyk’s college résumé and offensive upside and ceiling place him on Blue Jays Nation’s Top 25 Canadian Prospects List for the first time, where he ranks No. 18.
Previous rankings:
#21 – Jacob Zibin
#22 – Eric Hartman
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