CBN Player of the Week, Week XXV -- Tyler Black

October 8, 2023 George Farelli

Toronto Mets grad INF Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) of the Milwaukee Brewers system..

October 6, 2023

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

We’ve heard it a number of times.

More so a few years ago when expanded September rosters meant more than two additions.

We’d read about a coach telling a disappointed triple-A player, who had hoped to be promoted and was not: “Keep your head down. People are still watching you. Finish strong.”

Tyler Black didn’t finish strong. He finished strongly. Or maybe to be accurate: STRONG.

The former Toronto Mets INF now in the Milwaukee Brewers system had a final week to remember.

Hits are hits. Yet hits in the final week of the season impress farm directors more. Black (Stouffville, Ont.) went 10-for-18, batting .556 with the Nashville Sounds in the final week of the season. He homered and knocked in two runs.

The performance earned Black Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week for Week XXV. Black also was our winner in Week XXIII. And how his week went ...

_ Batting fifth and playing third base, he was 2-for-4 in a 5-4 win against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp before 6,577 at First Horizon Park. Black singled to lead off the second, stole second and was picked off then he tripled to left leading off the seventh. He scored on a fly ball by Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.). Jacksonville 2B Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) singled in four at-bats.

_ Hitting third and playing third, he was 2-for-3 in a 6-4 win over Jacksonville, before 7,127 fans. Black singled to centre in the third, stole second and scored and doubled to centre in the fifth.

_ Playing first and hitting fifth, he was 2-for-3 in an 8-5 win before 9,907. He singled to left in the fifth and Toro followed with a run-scoring single in the six-run fourth. Black tripled to right in the fifth. Toro had his second hit of the day in the seventh. Leblanc singled for Jacksonville.

_ Hitting fifth and playing third, Black was 2-for-4 and drove in four runs in a 10-9 victory over Jacksonville before 11,163. Black reached on an infield single in the second knocking in a run and with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Black singled to centre, driving home what proved to be the game winner.

_ Batting third and playing third in the final game of the season, he was 2-for-4 in an 8-4 win over the Jumbo Shrimp before 6,689 fans. Black singled to left in the first and doubles to the second baseman in the fifth. Toro was also 2-for-4 with an RBI. 3B Leblanc homered, singled and drove in a pair of runs.

Black was also named by the Brewers as a winner of the Robin Yount Minor League performance awards as co-winner of the best hitter award. Black is a very highly rated prospect and former a first round selection (33rd over-all) in the 2021 draft. He shared best hitter award with fellow prospect Jackson Chourio from Venezuela.

Black had an outstanding year, active for two-thirds of the season (84 games) with the double-A Biloxi Shuckers, and one-third (39 games) at triple-A Nashville. His combined numbers for both teams include 123 games, 450 at-bats, 128 hits, 105 runs, 18 homers, 73 RBIs and 55 stolen bases. All of this accomplished in only his third pro season, and at the age of 23.

Highlights I: The Minor League off-season is in its very early stages, however, the naming of 2023 award winners and all-star team selections has already begun

Minor League Baseball named its all-star teams in six class-A leagues. In the California League, RHP Lucas Wepf (Georgetown, Ont.) of the Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, was named one of two relievers on the Cal League team.

Highlights II: Headed to the Arizona Fall League, which began Oct. 2 and runs until Nov. 11. In all eight Canadians invited:

Arizona Fall League

Player Hometown Org Pos Highest Level In 2023

Surprise Saguaros

Dason Brown, Oakville, Ont. TOR OF A

Mitch Bratt. Newmarket, Ont. TEX LHP A

Eric Cerantola, Oakville, Ont. KCR RHP AA

Liam Hicks. Toronto, Ont. TEX C AA

Justin King, Lloydminster, Alta. MIL LHP A

Damiano Palmegiani, Surrey, BC TOR 1B-3B AAA

Peoria Javelinas

Erik Sabrowski, Edmonton, Alta. CLE RHP AA

Salt River Rafters

David McCabe, Courtice, Ont. ATL 3B-1B A

Best Offensive Performances

Name Class Team AB R H HR RBI Avg.

Tyler Black AAA Nashville 18 6 10 1 2 .556

Otto Lopez AAA Buffalo 15 3 6 - 2 .400

Abraham Toro AAA Nashville 13 4 4 - 3 .308

Damiano Palmegiani AAA Buffalo 24 3 6 1 7 .250

Charles Leblanc AAA Jacksonville 16 1 4 1 1 .250

(Minimum 10 ABs)

Best Pitching Performances

Name Class Team G W SV ERA INN K

Trevor Brigden - AAA Durham 3 - - 2.25 4.0 4

Brigden (North York, Ont.) was selected in in the 17th round of the 2019 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, and just completed his fourth pro season with the Durham Bulls in the triple-A International League. He has become an integral part of the bullpen crew for the Bulls, and this past week he made three more very good relief appearances. On Sept. 19, in an 8-2 win over Gwinnett Stripers, he pitched two scoreless innings, gave up zero hits, while striking out one. He was not involved in the decision.

On Sept. 22, in a 3-0 win over Gwinnett, he worked one scoreless and didn’t allow a base hit, while striking out three, for his ninth hold of the year. He followed that up on Sept. 24, by pitching one inning, giving up one base hit and one earned run and was credited with his 10th hold of the season in a 7-6 loss. These results improved his overall record with Durham in 44 triple-A International League game appearances (two starts), to 4-4, with two saves and a 3.36 ERA, which also includes 10 holds.

Brigden and his bullpen teammates made significant contributions, in the Bulls qualifying for the International League’s best-of-three 2023 championship series against the Norfolk Tide. The Bulls won the opener 10-5, lost Game 2 by a 7-2 score as Brigden worked a scoreless inning. And in the final Norfolk won 7-0.

Previous 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 IV _ Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) double-A Midland (A’s) and Trei Cruz (Toronto, Ont.) double-A Erie (Tigers)

Week V _ Wesley Moore (Surrey, BC) class-A Clearwater Threshers (Phillies).

Week VI _ Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) class-A Inland Empire (Angels).

Week VII _ Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC) double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays)

Week VIII _ Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) class-A Inland Empire (Angels) annd David McCabe (Courtice, Ont.) and Augusta Greenjackets (Braves.)

Week IX _ Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) double-A Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians)

Week X _ Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) class-A Hickory Crawdads (Mets)

Week XI _ Jared Young (Prince George, BC) triple-A Iowa (Cubs).