By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Playing the game has never been a problem for C Dustin Houle.

However, staying healthy has been a downright worry.

Houle (Penticton, BC) a Langley Blaze grad was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. And since then he has managed to play:

_ In 2012, 47 games for the Rookie-class Arizona League Brewers. 

_ In 2013 53 contests for the Rookie-class Helena and class-A Wisconsin.

_ He missed all of 2014 due to Tommy John surgery. 

_ And last year 41 games Rookie-class Brewers, Helena and class-A Brevard County. 
    
Houle, who also had a thumb injury, is back with the Brevard County Manatees and he is healthy as a Budweiser Clydesdale, In fact, Houle is the Canadian Baseball Network Minor League Player of the Week for Week 1, the best of the 34 Canadians in the minors.

He hit .429 (6-for-16) with a homer and five RBIs.

How the week went for Houle as he

_ Doubled twice and knocked in a run as Brevard opened the season with a 5-4 loss to the Tortugas Tortugas in 10 innings before 4,036 fans at Jackie Robinson Park in Daytona Beach, Fla. Houle doubled leading off the second, hit a two-run double to centre in the seventh for a 4-1 lead and walked to lead off the 10th.

_ Didn’t catch in a 10-4 loss to Daytona in front of 4,897 at Space Coast Stadium in Melborne, Fla.

_ Had three hits including a solo homer in a 9-6 win against Daytona in front of 2,620 fans. He singled to right field knocking in a run to put Brevard County up 2-0 in the first, homered to left in the third for a 3-0 lead, and hit a two-run single to left for a 6-3 lead in the sixth.

_ He singled in two at-bats in a 2-1 triumph against Daytona in front of 1,293 at Space Coast Stadium.  

_ Didn’t play in a 2-0 win against the Fort Myers Miracle before 893 at CenturyLink Sports Complex in Fort Myers.

_ Didn’t play in a 3-0 loss to Fort Myers before 948 fans. 

_ Was hitless in three at-bats in a 2-1 loss before 1,311 fans.

How the week  
Best Offensive performances
Player / Class / Team    AB    R    H    HR    RBI    AVG
Dustin Houle - A Brevard County    14    1    6    1    5    .429
Jordan Procyshen - A Salem    10    1    4    -    2    .400
Tyler O’Neill - AA Jackson    20    2    7    -    2    .350
Eric Wood - AA Altoona    16    3    5    -    3    .313
(Minimum 10 AB’s required)                        
 
Best pitching performances
Week One of the 2016 Minor League season had seven Canadian pitchers earning their first win of the year, including Shane Dawson, Scott Diamond, Brock Dykxhoorn, Ryan Kellogg, Jared Mortensen, Rowan Wick and Rob
Zastryzny. 

Details for two of the better outings.
 
SHANE DAWSON  LHP  -  AA  NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
APP   IP  H  R  ER  BB  K  W-L  SV  WHIP  WK ERA
1   5.0  3  -   -    -   4   1-0   -   0.60     0.00
On April 12th Shane Dawson made his first start at the Double A level for New Hampshire Fisher Cats, in a 4-0 victory over the Hartford Yard Goats. The highly touted Blue Jays prospect had an excellent debut, as he pitched five scoreless innings, giving up only three base hits while striking out four batters, to earn the win.

 
RYAN KELLOGG  LHP  -  A  SOUTH BEND CUBS
APP   IP  H  R  ER  BB  K  W-L  SV  WHIP  WK ERA
1   5.0  5  1   -    -   3   1-0   -    1.00     0.00
A Fifth round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 draft, Ryan Kellogg is active in his second year as a professional, and on April 9th he made his first start of the 2016 season. In a 5-3 win over West Michigan Whitecaps he tossed five innings and surrendered only five base hits and one unearned run while striking out three Whitecap hitters, to earn his first win of the year. 

MOVEMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS
C Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.) - Assigned by Miami Marlins to Single A Jupiter Hammerheads.
 
RHP Rowan Wick (North Vancouver, BC) - Assigned by St. Louis Cardinals to Single A Palm Beach Cardinals.
 
C George Kottaras (Markham, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by San Francisco Giants at Triple A Sacramento River Cats.
 
INF Stephen Wickens (Whitby, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Minnesota Twins at Triple A Rochester Red Wings.
 
C Jordan Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Boston Red Sox at Single A Salem Red Sox.
 

LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Houston Astros at Single A Lancaster JetHawks.
 
OF Marcus Knecht (Toronto, Ont.) - Released by Minnesota Twins.
 
C/DH Jamie Mitchell (Calgary, Alta.) - Released by Tampa Bay Rays.
 
3B Lachlan Fontaine (North Vancouver, BC) - Released by Seattle Mariners. Signs as a Free Agent with Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 
 
RHP Andrew Cooper (Belle River, Ont.) - Signs as a Free Agent with Ottawa Canadians IND Can Am League.
 
OF Trevor Gretzky (Brantford, Ont.) - Signs as a Free Agent with Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 
1B Jordan Lennerton (Langley, BC) - Signs as a Free Agent with Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 
RHP Dylan Rheault (Garson, Ont.) - Signs as a Free Agent with Winnipeg Goldeyes IND American Association.
 
C/DH Jean-Luc Blaquiere (Legardeur, Que.) - Released by Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 

LHP Jay Johnson (Sussex Corners, NB) - Released by the Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.
 
INF Cedric Vallieres (Roxton Pond, Que.) - Released by Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League.