Six new inductees will be welcomed into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum as part of the Class of 2026, with a ceremony scheduled for June 20 in St. Marys.
The Hall announced that former Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Devon White will headline the class, joined by longtime national team standout and current St. Louis Cardinals coach Stubby Clapp of Windsor, former Women’s National Team star Kate Psota of Burlington, early Montreal Expos ace and later executive Bill Stoneman, longtime Baseball Canada executive director Jim Baba, and former major league umpire Paul Runge of St. Catharines.
"We look forward to celebrating the outstanding careers of this year’s inductees in St. Marys this June," said Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Director of Operations Scott Crawford. "Each of them, in their own way, has made a tremendous impact on the game of baseball in our country."
Stubby Clapp, often referred to as “Captain Canada” for his long service with the national program, said the honour came as a shock.
"This is an absolute honour to receive the call from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame," Clapp said. "I was totally caught off guard. It’s a great blessing to get this news on my daughter’s birthday."
Born in Windsor in 1973, Clapp represented Canada at numerous international events and delivered one of the most memorable moments in national team history with a walk-off, bases-loaded single against the United States at the 1999 Pan Am Games in Winnipeg. He later played parts of 11 professional seasons, including time with the St. Louis Cardinals, and went on to manage the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds to back-to-back Pacific Coast League championships. He has served as the Cardinals’ first base coach since 2019 and was inducted into Baseball Canada’s Wall of Excellence last year.
Devon White said his induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is deeply meaningful, particularly because of his connection to Toronto.
"Receiving the phone call last night informing me that I was being inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame was a dream come true," White said. "Toronto has always felt like home to me and to now be etched into history is a legacy I could have only hoped for. I am deeply humbled and grateful."
White played for the Blue Jays from 1991 to 1995, establishing himself as one of the greatest defensive centre fielders in franchise history. He won five consecutive Gold Glove awards, helped Toronto capture back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, and made one of the most iconic defensive plays in Blue Jays history with a leaping catch against Atlanta’s Dave Justice in the 1992 World Series. White remains among the top performers in several all-time Blue Jays statistical categories and currently works as a special assistant to player development in the organization.
Kate Psota will be recognized for her long and decorated career with Canada’s Women’s National Team.
"I was surprised to get that call from Scott on a frosty January morning," Psota said. "I am genuinely honoured and humbled to be part of the 2026 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction class."
Born in Burlington in 1986, Psota joined the Women’s National Team in 2004 and went on to become one of its most accomplished players. She earned multiple MVP and all-star honours and was part of six Women’s World Cup medal-winning teams during her 15-year international career.
"There is no better feeling than representing Canada on the international stage," Psota said. "I have always been so proud to be associated with such an amazing group of women and our support staff."
Jim Baba will be inducted posthumously after dedicating more than three decades to the growth of baseball in Canada. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Baba served as Baseball Canada’s executive director and played a key role in the development of national programs and international success.
In a joint statement, his children Melani, Jamie and Mitch Baba said, "We are incredibly proud of our dad and the impact he had on the baseball community across Canada. He poured his heart into baseball, and we are deeply grateful to celebrate the legacy he leaves behind."
Bill Stoneman, a key figure in Montreal Expos history, will also be inducted after a career that included two no-hitters as a pitcher and a World Series championship as an executive.
"I was totally surprised to hear the news that I would be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame," Stoneman said. "I am looking forward to joining the group in St. Marys in June."
Stoneman threw the first no-hitter in Canadian major league history in 1969 and later assembled the Anaheim Angels team that won the 2002 World Series.
Completing the class is Paul Runge, one of Canada’s most accomplished major league umpires.
"This news came as a wonderful surprise and I am truly honored to be recognized," Runge said. "It is a pleasure to be accepted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame."
Runge officiated more than 3,100 major league games during his career, including four World Series, and was on the field for Joe Carter’s iconic walk-off home run in the 1993 World Series.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will formally honour the Class of 2026 during its induction ceremony on June 20 in St. Marys.
