Canadian Baseball Network POW Week VI: Matt Coutney
Spruce Grove White Sox and St. Francis Academy grad Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) earned Player of the Week honours.
May 17, 2023
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Matt Coutney is no stranger to being honoured by the Canadian Baseball Network.
Let’s take a quick rundown of Coutney and his career:
In 2019 he earned Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian college team second team honours with the Colby Trojans.
In 2019 Coutney earned Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian college team second team honours with Colby.
In 2020, he was a Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian college team third team honours with the Old Dominion Monarchs during the COVID season.
In 2021, he was named a Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian college team third teamer with Old Dominion
And in 2022, ODU’s Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) was voted Canadian Baseball Network college player of the year -- gaining the most first-place votes -- and was given first team honours.
And this week, he earned Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week, as Coutney had the highest average of the 111 Canucks in the minors. How his week that was went:
_ Batting fourth and playing first base, he was 3-for-4 as the Inland Empire 66ers beat the Modesto Nuts 8-3 before 974 fans at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino, Calif. Coutney singled in the bottom of the fifth, hit a run-scoring to centre in the sixth and singled to left in the seventh.
_ Two days later he was playing first and hitting clean up going 2-for-3 and knocking in a run in a 12-3 win before 1,004 fans. Besides walking twice, Coutney singled leading off the sixth and doubled to right bringing home a run in the eighth.
_ Hitting fourth and hitting fourth, he went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs in a 13-10 Inland win over Modesto on front of 2,531 fans. He bounced out in the first, knocking in a run, hit a solo homer to left-centre in the second and singled to lead off the fourth.
_ Playing first and hitting clean up, he was hitless in an 8-5 loss to Modesto before 3,618 fans.
_ Hitting fourth and hitting fourth, he was 1-for-4 with two RBIs in a 5-3 win in front of 556 fans. Coutney hit a two-run single to centre in the third.
Highlight: INF Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) was named by the Milwaukee Brewers as their Minor League organization’s Player of the Month for April. With the Biloxi Shuckers Black was active in 18 games, batted .250, had with four home runs and his numbers for runs _ 15, RBIs _ 13, stolen Bases _ 10, walks _ 17, on base average _ .456, Slugging percentage .482, and OPS _ .938, all placed him in the Double A Southern League’s Top Ten in each category for the Month. Black was selected by Brewers in First Round of 2021 MLB Draft out of Wright State University which is located in Dayton, Ohio.
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Best Offensive Performances
Name Class Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Matt Coutney A Inland Empire 20 7 9 1 5 .450
David McCabe A Augusta 25 4 11 1 6 .440
Owen Caissie AA Tennessee 18 4 7 2 4 .389
Jared Young AAA Iowa 13 3 5 1 5 .385
TJ Schofield-Sam A Stockton 16 1 6 1 3 .375
Matt Warkentin IND Joliet 10 - 4 - - .400
Connor Panas IND Lincoln 11 4 4 - 1 .364
Noah Myers IND Evansville 10 1 3 - - .300
David Glaude IND Quebec 10 - 3 - - .300
(Minimum 10 ABs)
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Best Pitching Performances
Name Class Team Games WIN SAVE ERA INN K WHIP
Cade Smith AA Akron 2 - 2 0.00 3.0 2 1.000
Not surprisingly, Cade Smith had another excellent week for Akron Rubber Ducks in his role as the team’s closer, and he’s been performing at a very high level ever since the season began. His first appearance in Week VI was on May 11 in a 4-2 win over Altoona Curve, when he pitched a scoreless inning and one hit while striking out one to pick up his first save of the week. He followed that up on May 14 in another 4-2 with over Altoona when he threw two scoreless innings, allowing a base hit and striking out one, for his second save of the week. His overall record with the Rubber Ducks in 12 Double A Eastern League appearances, now stands at 0-0 with 10 saves and a 1.65 ERA. His 10 saves lead the league by a wide margin.
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Name Class Team Games WIN SAVE ERA INN K WHIP
Cedric de Grandpre A Augusta 1 1 - 0.00 5.0 5 0.600
Cedric de Grandpre is a 21-year-old pitching prospect for the Atlanta Braves. Drafted in 2022, he is in his second year as a pro but had limited experience last year, as he appeared in only two games with FCL Braves in the Rookie Florida Complex League. This season he is active as a starter with Single A Augusta Greenjackets, and in Week 6 had his best outing so far. On May 9th in an 8-3 win over Charleston River Dogs he pitched five scoreless innings, gave up two base hits while striking out five, earning his first win of the season, and also the first win of his pro career. His record with the Greenjackets in five Single A Carolina League starts is now 1-0 with a 2.18 ERA.
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Name Class Team Games WIN SAVE ERA INN K WHIP
Adam Macko A Vancouver 1 1 - 0.00 5.0 4 0.800
It’s a well known fact that getting traded from one organization to another requires players to make some serious adjustments in their baseball routines and preparations for the transition. Adam Macko was acquired by the Toronto Blue Jays in a trade from the Seattle Mariners in the off-season, and he is now experiencing that change to his new environment.
The 22 year old highly touted pitching prospect, who grew up in Stony Plain, Alta. is now active with Toronto affiliate the Vancouver Canadians, and this week had his best outing so far. On May 11, in a 13-1 win over Everett Aquasox he pitched five scoreless, giving up only one base hit while striking out five Everett batters, to secure his first win of the season. His overall numbers with the Canadians in four Single A Northwest League starts, is now 1-1 with a 6.11 ERA and includes 22 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched.
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Prrevious Players of the Week
Week I _ Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) triple-A St. Paul Saints (Twins)
Week II _ Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) double-A Akron RuberDucks (Guardians).
Week III _ Abraham Toro (Longuiel, Que.) triple-A Nashville Sounds (Brewers)
Week V _ Wesley Moore (Surrey, BC) class-A Clearwater Threshers (Phillies).
Week VI _ Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) class-A Inland Empire (Angels).