From the Desert to the Beach
Owen Caissie’s Arrival to the Pelicans
August 30, 2021 by Sam Weiderhaft
Owen Caissie was back in his home country of Canada during the offseason taking batting practice. The San Diego Padres’ second-round pick in the 2020 draft was gearing up for what would be his first full season in the organization when a text came in from his agent.
“You’re about to get traded.”
Caissie was shipped to the Chicago Cubs in a trade that sent All-Star starting pitcher Yu Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini to San Diego. Caisse was one of five pieces received by the Cubs, including right-handed pitcher Zach Davies and three other prospects.
“I just went about my day,” Caissie said. “The Cubs personnel people called me, and I was welcomed with open arms. It’s been a great experience ever since.”
Caissie remembers being shocked following the trade after being selected as the 45th pick overall.
“I was with them for a very short time,” Caissie said. “Things happen for a reason, and I truly believe that.”
In his first season playing Minor League Baseball, the 19-year-old has given Cubs fans a reason to be excited. His first stop was rookie ball in the Arizona Complex League, where he proved that he was ready for the jump up. In 32 games, Caissie hit .349 with 38 hits and six home runs. He also drew an impressive 26 walks while striking out just 39 times. His numbers in Arizona were good enough to rank him the ninth-best Cubs prospect by MLB Pipeline for their mid-season rankings.
Myrtle Beach would soon come calling. He was promoted to Low-A on Monday, August 23rd, and quickly showed off his beautiful left-handed swing.
In just his third game with the Pelicans, Caissie brought home the go-ahead run with a two-run double down the right-field line in the bottom of the eighth to clinch a comeback victory over the Columbia Fireflies 9-8.
“It’s a great vibe around the ballpark,” Caissie said. “I love having fans at the game and overall, it’s just a great team with a great group of guys and a great coaching staff.”
A member of that coaching staff, hitting coach Dan Puente, got to know Caissie during spring training in Arizona.
“The first thing that stood out to me was how mature he is,” Puente said. “He’s a really fun kid to be around. Good worker and competitor, he fits in well with the group.”
Puente also mentioned that Caissie’s time during the 2020 COVID season at the Padres alternate site helped his development.
“I think him being around some older guys and getting that experience helped advance his maturity level,” Puente said.
Through his first six games, Caissie has four hits with three runs batted in. During this season, the Pelicans as a team have had trouble drawing walks, with just 331 on the year. That number ranks 11th out of 12 Low-A East teams. Caissie has walked five times with just four strikeouts to start his Pelicans career.
“He has such great strike zone command,” Puente said. “It’s rare that you see that command and power tool in such a young hitter. He’s had a couple of at-bats where he’ll go from 0-2 to 3-2 and foul off some tough pitches.”
While his power tool has shown itself in his first few games, Caissie is still waiting for his first home run in a Pelicans uniform. He blasted three fly balls to center field in his first week that fell just feet short of leaving the yard. Unfortunately, Pelicans Ballpark is one of the most pitcher-friendly stadiums in the entire league, with the Birds ranking second-to-last in the Low-A East with 27 homers hit at home.
“The ball does not fly here compared to Arizona,” Caissie said.
With a little less than a month to go in the 2021 campaign, Caissie wants to improve himself in every aspect of the game. Puente has spoken highly of his hitting mechanics and wants to help Caissie continue to develop as he sees more advanced pitchers at this level.
“The velocity that he’s going to see here is going to be better than it was in Arizona,” Puente said. “We’re working on keeping him with that good approach, staying with a good game plan, and making sure his at-bats are quality.”
As Caissie continues to improve in the lower levels, Puente sees a future everyday big leaguer in Myrtle Beach.
“The sky is the limit,” Puente said. “I see a corner outfielder who’s going to hit for power and be a big on-base guy. He has 30 home run potential in that bat, he’s an exciting player.”
The Pelicans have just 18 games remaining in the season with 12 being played at Pelicans Ballpark. Caissie will be a top prospect to watch as the 2021 season comes to a close.
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