March 31, 2021

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Ontario Blue Jays, Toronto Mets and Junior National Team alum Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) has made the Miami Marlins’ Opening Day roster.

Jordan McPherson, of the Miami Herald, was the first the report the news on Monday.

The Canadian right-hander was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Baltimore Orioles in the Rule 5 draft in December then quickly flipped to the Marlins.

Pop was outstanding out of the Marlins’ bullpen this spring. He did not allow a run and struck out four in five innings in five Grapefruit League appearances. And the movement of his fastball has drawn raves from pitching experts like MLB and ESPN analyst Rob Friedman.

Selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 MLB draft, Pop was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in July 2018 as part of the package for Manny Machado. In parts of three minor league seasons – in which he has reached the double-A level – Pop owns a 1.34 ERA and has allowed just 48 hits, while striking out 80, in 80 1/3 innings.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2019.