Owen Caissie didn’t have much time to make an impression on the Miami Marlins in spring training before leaving for the World Baseball Classic to represent his native Canada.

The top outfielder prospect didn’t waste much time in the tournament showing what kind of impact he can make when he returns.

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Caissie ripped a two-run home run in his first at-bat of the World Baseball Classic, sending a hanging curveball from Colombia’s Austin Bergner a projected 403 feet to right field at San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium to kickstart Canada’s eventual 8-2 win on Saturday.

When the ball made it to the stands, it landed in a Canadian flag being held by a fan.

“I didn’t notice that,” Caissie, who went 2 for 4 with two runs scored on Saturday, said postgame. “It gives the boys a little push start. It never really hurts. And really just getting on the board first in these tournaments really matters. Our game plan was short, but it worked, I guess.”

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The Marlins are hoping to get similar power production from Caissie this season. That’s a big reason why Miami acquired him from the Chicago Cubs this offseason in exchange for starting pitcher Edward Cabrera.

Caissie, ranked as the No. 42 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, hit 22 home runs in Triple A last season and has 81 career home runs across 505 minor-league games. He also hit .286 with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging mark in the minor leagues last season.

“Caissie’s left-handed stroke generates impressive bat speed and loft, which combines with the strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame to produce huge raw power that plays to all fields,” reads his MLB Pipeline scouting report.

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His brief call-up to the big leagues last season left more to be desired, though. Caissie played 12 games for the Cubs in 2025, hitting just .192 with more than twice as many strikeouts (11) as hits (five) over 27 plate appearances.

“To learn in the big leagues is kind of hard,” Caissie said after being acquired by the Marlins, “but I know I need to really stick to my approach at the plate and handle what I can handle. And then on the defensive side of things, just be the best I can be, and win the first five to 10 steps of the route, be quick with the first step, and ultimately do anything I can to help the team.”

For now, the 23-year-old Caissie is doing what he can to help Canada before going back to help the Marlins, where he is projected to be the team’s starting right fielder in an outfield that at full strength should also feature All-Star left fielder Kyle Stowers and center fielder Jakob Marsee, who is representing Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

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This is Caissie’s second time participating in the World Baseball Classic. He was on Canada’s roster in 2023 when they went 2-2 and didn’t advance out of pool play. Caissie, 20 years old at the time, hit .231 (3 for 13) with a home run (a solo shot against Great Britain) and four RBI.

“It really just taught me that I belonged,” Caissie said of his experience in 2023. “I was playing with Freddie Freeman. I was playing with all these guys that have been in the game for a long, long time, and I kept up. I felt like I belonged, and it really gave me confidence for that year. Playing those meaningful games early on really helps because the pitching is really good, the competition’s better than the spring training game, in my opinion, and I don’t think anyone’s gonna disagree with that. Playing for your country is something that’s super special, and the fact that you get to play with all these super talented players across the board, it really helps in development, and getting ready for the season.”