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TORONTO — For the first time since 2014, a Canadian may not go in the top 50 picks of the MLB draft.

But it’s far from the start of a drought.

Rather, it’s simply a draft class that isn’t on the same elite level as what, when all is said and done, might be considered one of the golden eras when it comes to pumping Canadian talent into big-league pipelines.

From Josh Naylor and Mike Soroka in 2015, to Cal Quantrill a year later, to Bo Naylor last year, it’s no longer noteworthy to see a blue-chip first-rounder arrive on the draft scene from the Great White North.

It’s become the norm.

As the 2019 MLB Draft gets underway Monday night with the first 78 picks, the ebb and flow of development has this class of Canadians a bit behind some of the talent we’ve seen recently, which isn’t surprising considering how much of it is already showing up – and having success – in the majors.

This year, Abbey Park High School (Oakville, Ont.) outfielder Dasan Brown, with a commitment to Texas A&M in his back pocket, is by far the top Canuck available in the eyes of evaluators.

Ranked 96th by Baseball America, 99th by the FanGraphs prospect team and 103rd by MLB Pipeline, it’s Brown’s top-end speed that will attract teams as early as the second round, or, more likely if you use the rankings as a gauge, Tuesday when rounds 3-10 get going at 1 p.m. ET.

In a draft landscape unlike any other, where money and draft pool manipulation oftentimes outweigh rankings and best-player-available scenarios – especially in the second and third rounds – Brown could, conceivably, hear his name called earlier than expected.

No matter where he lands, Brown’s carrying tool is one that’s hard to find, says Greg Hamilton, head coach and director of Baseball Canada’s national teams.

“He’s got game-changing speed,” Hamilton said. “He’s probably going to be one of the fastest guys in the draft, regardless of who’s in there. Game-changing speed on defence and game-changing speed offensively. Rarely do you see that kind of speed on baseball field.

“Is he a finished product as a hitter? Not yet. But there’s certainly the hand speed to handle good velocity and he’s shown that he’s able to make some adjustments now and show some productivity as a hitter.”

Here’s a look at where Baseball America has the top five Canadians pegged:

OF Dasan Brown, Oakville, Ont., 96th overall
LHP Adam Macko, Stony Plain, Alta., 295th overall
C/1B Owen Diodati, Niagara Falls, Ont., 363rd overall
SS Cesar Valero, Calgary, Alta., 380th overall
RHP Eli Saul, Vancouver, B.C., 393rd overall

Trying to compare this year’s draft class to some of the previous ones, Hamilton still smiles when those names are brought up.

“I always say when you’re talking about players the calibre of the Naylors and the Quantrills and the Sorokas and the [Tyler] O’Neills, I mean, these are world-class players,” Hamilton said. “You don’t always have world-class players [in the draft]. Josh Naylor was one of the best high school hitters on the planet in his draft year. Yeah, down year relative to those guys. They don’t come along every day.

“It was kind of a cycle there where we had some pretty special players and not just from a Canadian perspective but from a global perspective. They’re that good.”

All four of those players have already made their major-league debuts, adding to the growing number of Canadians playing the highest level of baseball in the world.

There are currently 10 born and bred Canadians on MLB rosters.

When asked about paving the way for the next crop, Quantrill, however, doesn’t want to hear it.

The growing number of high-profile Canadians in baseball started long before the San Diego Padres selected him eighth overall in the 2016 selection process.

“I think the way was paved for me,” said Quantrill, who struck out nine Toronto Blue Jays over six innings in his first-ever start – and win – on home soil as a big leaguer last month. “Look at some of the guys that came before me. Forget about dad [Paul], but Joey Votto. Before Joey Votto it was [Justin] Morneau. Before Morneau, Larry Walker. The list goes on and on. I think now you’re just seeing the kids getting the exposure that they probably should’ve gotten earlier and teams are taking advantage of it. I wouldn’t say it’s an unknown market anymore, but maybe there’s some diamonds in the rough and, I think, people are willing to take a risk and say, ‘Hey, this Canadian kid can play baseball and we haven’t even got to see his full potential because he only gets to play a couple months a year.’ I think it’s awesome, I’m glad I’m a part of it, but all the credit in the world goes to the guys that came before me. I’m living the life I get to live now because of them.”

The stigma surrounding Canadians has evaporated, and Quantrill nailed it: Some teams are now looking at the relative lack of exposure and reps as a plus when it comes to, hopefully, uncovering a hidden draft gem.

Top three Canadians drafted in the past five years

2018
29th overall: C Bo Naylor, Mississauga, Ont., Cleveland Indians
89th overall: OF Tristan Pompey, Mississauga, Ont., Miami Marlins
192nd overall: RHP R.J. Freure, Burlington, Ont., Houston Astros

2017
37th overall: RHP Landon Leach, Pickering, Ont., Minnesota Twins
60th overall: SS Adam Hall, London, Ont., Baltimore Orioles
220th overall: RHP Zach Pop, Brampton, Ont., Los Angeles Dodgers

2016
8th overall: RHP Cal Quantrill, Port Hope, Ont., San Diego Padres
52nd overall: C Andrew Yerzy, Toronto, Ont., Arizona Diamondbacks
119th overall: RHP Curtis Taylor, Port Coquitlam, B.C., Arizona Diamondbacks

2015
12th overall: 1B Josh Naylor, Mississauga, Ont., Miami Marlins
28th overall: RHP Mike Soroka, Calgary, Alta., Atlanta Braves
57th overall: LHP Jeff Degano, Surrey, B.C., New York Yankees

2014
74th overall: OF Gareth Morgan, Toronto, Ont., Seattle Mariners
166th overall: RHP Brock Dykxhoorn, Goderich, Ont., Houston Astros
294th overall: RHP Jordan Romano, Markham, Ont., Toronto Blue Jays