By George Farellli
Canadian Baseball Network
OK, quick quiz.

Raise you hand if you know what INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.), OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) and RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) all share in common?

Yep, they are all proud Canadians ... and they’re really good ball players. 

The first two hit line drives, while Soroka tries to prevent them.

Well, the answer is, after Soroka won Canadian Baseball Network minor league Canadian Player of the Week for Week XV, all three have now won POW Week honors twice.  

Romak won in Week I and Week III and no more as the former London Badger earned a contract to play with the SK Wyverns in Korea after hitting 11 homers in 95 at-bats with triple-A El Paso in the San Diego Padres system.

Robson, an Ontario Blue Jays and Windsor Selects grad won week IV with the West Michigan Whitecaps earning  a promotion to the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the Detroit Tigers system and won again in Week XIV.

Soroka (won in Week XI and now Week XV as the best of the 134 Canadians getting paid to play including 87 in affiliated ball.

Robson earned a promotion and Romak moved into a higher pay grade, but it will be tough to do that for Soroka, since he’s only 19 and is already at double-A.

Like they used to say about Wayne Gretzky “AND ... he’s only 19!” 

Braves fans are saying the same about the former Calgary PBF Redbird selected 28th over-all in 2015.

Soroka pitched seven scoreless as Mississippi edged the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2-0 before 4,497 at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, Fla. the home of Ford C. Frick award winner Tom Cheek.

The right-hander threw an economical 94 pitches (61 strikes) striking out six and not walking a man. He recorded seven ground ball outs and three fly ball outs. 

It was Soroka’s sixth scoreless outing -- and fourth in the last seven -- in 17 starts.  

Former big league pitcher Chris Reitsma (Calgary, Alta.) was a major influence working with Soroka since he was 14. Now, former Kingston Ponies all-star C Dave Tremblay, the Braves director of player development is keeping an eye on Soroka.

Soroka ranks fourth on MLB Pipeline’s Braves’ top 30 prospect rankings. And across the 30 organizations he sits No. 33 on Baseball America’s top 100 list and No. 64 on MLB Pipeline.  

 
WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS ... OF Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) of the Ottawa Champions, named to the IND Can Am League 2017 All Star Team as an injury replacement, for the game versus IND American Association All Stars at Ottawa on July 25th.
 
C-2B Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.) of Quebec Capitales named Offensive Player of the Week in IND Can Am League.

OF Cole Bauml (Meunster, Sask.) and SS  Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) single A West Michigan Whitecaps, took time pre-game before facing the Cedar Rapids Kernels to say hello to the Oakville A’s minor bantams. Bauml singled twice, while Pinero singled and then stroked a walk-off double to left centre in a 3-2 10th-inning victory.  
 
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player    Team                AB   R   H   RBI   Avg. 
Malik Collymore - A Dayton 19   3   8   -    2   .421
Louis Boyd - Rkie AZL Mariners 23   7   9   -    7   .391
Connor Panas - A Dunedin 23   1   9   -    4   .391
Jim Adduci - AAA Toledo 21   3   8   2   7   .381
Tristan Graham - A Aberdeen 24   5   9    1   5   .375    

Cole Bauml - A West Michigan 24   3   9    -   6   .375
Jacob Robson - A Lakeland 16   2   6    -   1   .375
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - A Dunedin 23   2   8   -    1   .348
Gareth Morgan - A Clinton 18   4   6   2   6   .333
Tyler O’Neill - AAA Tacoma 28   7   9   3   6    .321

Brett Siddall - A Stockton 28   5   9   2   7    .321
Ben Pelletier - Rkie GCL Phillies 13   5   4   1   3    .308
Daniel Pinero - A West Michigan 20   2   6   -    1   .300
 
Maxx Tissenbaum - IND Quebec 21   5    9   3   7   .429
Austin Marcellus - IND California 21   8    9   1   8   .429
Tyson Gillies - IND Ottawa 21   5    8   1   6   .381
Wes Darvill - IND Winnipeg 28   6   10   1   6   .357
Michael Crouse - IND New Britain 21   5    7    2   6   .333
(Minimum 10 At Bats required.)
 
BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
MIKE SOROKA  RHP  -  AA  MISSISSIPPI BRAVES
APP   IP   H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L  S    WHIP   WK ERA  
1    7.0   4   -   -    -    6   1-0  -    0.57   0.00   
 
Mike Soroka made another excellent start this week for the Braves, on July 13th in a 2-0 shutout win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos he threw seven scoreless innings, he scattered four base hits while striking out six Pensacola hitters to pick up his 10th win of the season. He becomes the first Canadian minor league pitcher to achieve 10 wins in 2017. His overall record in the Double A Southern League now stands at 10-5 with a 2.37 ERA.
 
ANDREW ALBERS  LHP  -  AAA  GWINNETT BRAVES
APP   IP   H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L  S    WHIP   WK ERA  
1    8.0   4   -   -    1    6   1-0    -    0.63   0.00
 
Maintaining his excellent level of consistency, Andrew Albers had another terrific outing this week. On July 14th in a 6-1 victory over the Charlotte Knights he pitched eight scoreless innings, giving up four base hits while striking out six Charlotte batters, to earn his ninth win of the season. This result improved his record with Gwinnett in the Triple A International League in 21 appearances, to 9-3 with a 3.27 ERA.
 
ROWAN WICK  RHP  -  AA  SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS
APP   IP   H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L  S    WHIP   WK ERA  
2   2.0    1   -    -    1   2   0-0  2    1.00   0.00
 
Rowan Wick has experienced some injury problems this season, and is currently on a Re Hab assignment with Double A Springfield in the Texas League, and he’s now showing signs of a return to his normal healthy status. The Cardinals prospect made two very good relief appearances this week, the first on July 13th in a 4-1 win over Arkansas Travelers when he tossed one scoreless, hitless inning, while striking out one batter, to earn the save. On July 17th in a 4-1 victory over Northwest Arkansas Naturals he again pitched a scoreless inning, surrendered one base hit and no runs while striking out one batter to pick up his second save of the week. These results improved his record with Springfield in two appearances to 0-0, with two saves and a 0.00 ERA.
 
DYLAN RHEAULT  RHP  - A SAN JOSE GIANTS
APP   IP   H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L  S    WHIP   WK ERA  
3    3.0   5   2   1    1    4    -   3    2.00   3.00
 
The streak of outstanding performances continued for Dylan Rheault this week, as he again made three relief appearances and in each case, earned a save. On July 15th in a 7-5 win over Rancho Cucamonga Quakes he pitched one scoreless inning allowing one base hit while striking out one Quakes batter to earn the save. On July 16th in a 5-4 victory over the Lake Elsinore Storm he tossed another scoreless inning, gave up two hits while striking out one batter to pick up another save. On July 18th in a 6-5 win over Lake Elsinore he again threw one inning, surrendered two base hits and one earned run while striking out two hitters, to pick up his third save of the week. This excellent performance improved his record with the Giants in the Single A California League, which includes 36 relief appearances, to 2-1, 13 saves and a 2.81 ERA.

PLAYER MOVES & TRANSACTIONS
LHP Adam Loewen (Langley, BC) - Placed on the Temporary Inactive List by Texas Rangers at Triple A Round Rock Express on July 11th. Missed three days and was reactivated by the Rangers on July 14th.
 
SS Adam Hall (London, Ont.) - 2017 2nd Round Draft Pick activated by Baltimore Orioles at Rookie Class Gulf Coast Orioles. 
 
C J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) - 2017 22nd Round Draft Pick activated by the Miami Marlins at Rookie Class Gulf Coast Marlins.
 
3B Francisco Hernandez (Montreal, Que.) - Activated by the St. Louis Cardinals at Rookie Class Dominican Summer League Cardinals.
 
RHP Tom Robson (Ladner, BC) - Activated from the Disabled List by Toronto Blue Jays at Single A Dunedin Blue Jays.
 

C Dustin Houle (Penticton, BC) - Placed on the Disabled List by Milwaukee Brewers at Double A Biloxi Shuckers.
 
RHP Kyle Thomas (New Tecumseth, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by the Detroit Tigers at Rookie Class Gulf Coast Tigers -West.
 
 
RHP Kyle McKay (King City, Ont.) - Free Agent signed by High Desert Yardbirds IND Pecos League.

 
INF Jonathan Malo (Laval, Que.) - Free Agent re signs with Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 
RHP Jean-Francois Dionne (Trois Rivierer, Que.) - Free Agent signs with Trois Rivieres Aigles IND Can Am League.

2017 Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week I _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week II _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Lehigh Valley (Phillies).

Week III _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week IV _ 1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) Lake Elisnore (Padres).

Week V _ OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).

Week VI _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Clinton Lumberkings (Mariners).

Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays).

Week VIII _ 1B Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) Dayton Dragons (Reds).  

Week VIV _ LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)

Week X _ INF Danny Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers)

Week XI _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Mississippi Braves (Braves).

Week XII _ OF Miles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.) Rookie-class Billings (Reds)

Week XIII _ RP Dylan Rheault (Garson, Ont. class-A San Jose (Giants).

Week XIV _ OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers).

Week XV _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Mississippi Braves (Braves).