POSTMEDIA POWER RANKINGS

Here is the first instalment of Postmedia’s weekly power rankings of Canadian players in Major League Baseball. Watch for it each Tuesday.

1. Justin Morneau, 1B, Colorado Rockies Hometown: New Westminster, B.C. Outlook: Morneau, 33, won the National League batting title last season, hitting .319, or 60 points higher than 2013. The six-foot-four, 220-pound lefty starts his 13th season 55 RBI short of 1,000.

2. Joey Votto, 1B, Cincinnati Reds Hometown: Toronto Outlook: The six-foot-two, 220-pound lefty was limited to 62 games last season because of knee trouble and hit .255, 55 points below his career average. The 31-year-old has a .417 on-base percentage over his eight-year career.

3. James Paxton, LHP, Seattle Mariners Hometown: Ladner, B.C. Outlook: Injuries have plagued the six-foot-four, 235-pounder through his first two seasons, and the M’s were careful with the 26-year-old this spring after he fell in the weight room and bruised his forearm.

4. Russell Martin, C, Toronto Blue Jays Hometown: East York, Ont. Outlook: Martin, 32, signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent after finishing 13th in NL MVP voting for the Pirates in 2014. The five-foot-10, 205-pound righty supplied a .290 average, 11 HRs and 67 RBI.

5. Brett Lawrie, 3B, Oakland Athletics Hometown: Langley, B.C. Outlook: Lawrie, a six-foot, 210-pound righty played just 70 games last season with the Blue Jays due to a broken finger and a strained oblique. The 25-year-old’s .247 average was the low mark for his four years in the bigs.