London Majors shortstop Maikol Escotto named Canadian Baseball League MVP

There are incredible seasons, and then there’s what Maikol Escotto of the London Majors put together in 2026, the inaugural year of the Canadian Baseball League.

Escotto was named the winner of the league’s John Bell Memorial Award as Most Valuable Player on Oct. 20.

It’s the first time since 1975 that a member of the Majors has taken home MVP honours. Fifty-one years ago, it was Mike Kilkenny who led London to their first-ever championship.

This was Escotto’s first season in the CBL. He came to London from the Sioux City Explorers of the Independent American Association, where he played in 2025.

The native of Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, put up numbers that either led the league or broke team and league records. He had 86 hits in 48 games, setting new marks for both the Majors and the CBL.

His 16 home runs got past the number that both Cleveland Brownlee and Robert Mullen posted in London’s run to the championship in 2022.

“He is an exceptional talent, both offensively and defensively,” said Majors manager Roop Chanderdat. “We had the privilege of witnessing that firsthand every day. What impressed me most was his continued development and growth as the season progressed. He was never satisfied with simply being a great player. He consistently challenged himself to improve, not only in his performance on the field, but also in his leadership and the impact he had on his teammates.”
Escotto is only 24. 

He turned himself into a player other teams talked about and game-planned for heading into matchups with London.

Chanderdat says one of the best parts of Escotto’s year was watching him grow.

“I’ve been fortunate to coach many talented players throughout my career, and watching [him] put everything together over the course of an entire season has been incredibly rewarding,” Chanderdat said. “His accomplishments are a testament to his talent, dedication and work ethic, and they are something that our entire team and organization can take tremendous pride in.”

Escotto arrived in the CBL with high expectations, and he lived up to every one of them.

He spent time in both the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations. At one point he was a top-30 prospect for Pittsburgh, and he was part of the trade that sent Jameson Taillon to New York.