Canadian Baseball Network POW, Week XIV - Damiano Palmegiani

Vauxhall Academy alum and Toronto Blue Jays prospect Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, B.C.) shown here with the Dunedin Blue Jays, had an excellent week for the class-A Vancouver Canadians, going 8-for-20. Photo: Dunedin Blue Jays

July 12, 2022

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

Damiano Palmegiani’s return to his home province as a pro ball player has gone well - very well.

The Vauxhall Academy alum and Surrey, B.C., native went 8-for-20, good for a .400 batting average, with the Toronto Blue Jays’ High-A Vancouver Canadians over the past week, which has earned him Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week honours.

Palmegiani, who was a Blue Jays’ 14th round pick in 2021, was promoted to High-A Vancouver on June 21 after batting .256 with 11 home runs in 56 games with Low-A Dunedin to begin the season.

Last week, the 22-year-old slugger had three consecutive, two-hit games for the Canadians against the Everett Aqua Sox beginning on July 4. In that U.S. Independence Day contest, Palmegiani clubbed his second home run with Vancouver. He then added a hit in each game on Friday and Saturday and scored nine runs on the week.

This represents the second time that Palmegiani has taken home CBN’s Minor League Player of the Week honours in 2022. He also did so in week 10

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) - Named by MLB to the American League Roster of Prospects who will participate in the Futures Game, to be held in Los Angeles, Calif., during the 2022 All Star Game Festivities. He is currently active with Lansing Lugnuts, Oakland Athletics affiliate in the High A Midwest League.

LHP Evan Grills, Whitby, Ont. - Named IND Frontier League Pitcher of the Week, for period July 4 to July 11, 2022. Grills is currently active with the Ottawa Titans.

OF Jake Sanford, Cole Harbour, NS (Ottawa),LHP Evan Grills, Whitby, Ont. (Ottawa), 2B David Glaude, Quebec City, Que. (Quebec) and LHP Miguel Cienfuegos, Laval, QC (Quebec) named to the 2022 IND Frontier League - East Division All Star Team. Game to be played Wed. July 20, 2022 in Washington, Pa.

BEST OFFENSE

Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Damiano Palmegiani - A Vancouver 20 9 8 1 4 .400

Bo Naylor - AAA Columbus 15 3 5 2 4 .333

Dasan Brown - A Dunedin 19 4 6 1 1 .316

Charles Leblanc - AAA Jacksonville 17 1 5 - - .294

Tristan Peters - A Wisconsin 24 3 7 1 7 .292

Elliott Curtis - IND Tr. Rivieres 20 6 10 - 5 .500

L.P. Pelletier - IND Tr. Rivieres 31 10 14 2 7 .452

Jonathan Lacroix - IND Quebec 26 5 11 - 4 .423

T.J. Bennett - IND Lake Country 24 3 10 - 3 .417

Mike Crouse - IND Chicago 28 7 11 1 4 .393

Jake Sanford - IND Ottawa 31 4 12 - 4 .387

David Glaude - IND Quebec 24 8 9 2 4 .375

Tristan Pompey - IND Quebec 20 7 7 3 6 .350

(Minimum 10 ABs)

BEST PITCHING

Adam McKillican, RHP - High A Spokane Indians

GM W SV ER ERA H IP K WHIP

2 - - - 0.00 2 3.0 5 0.667

Adam McKillican has been a model of consistency working out of the bullpen this season for the Spokane Indians, and this week the native of Comox, B.C. made two excellent relief appearances. On July 6, in a 5-4 loss to the Tri City Dust Devils, he pitched one scoreless inning, gave up two hits and was not involved in the decision. On July 9 again versus Tri City, he threw two more scorless with zero hits while striking out five. Again, he was not involved in the decision. His overall record with Spokane in 15 High A Northwest League game appearances, now stands at 1-0 with a 0.44 ERA. His 0.44 ERA is currently the lowest in the Northwest League.

Minor League Player of the Week

Week I - INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) Marlins

Week II _ OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) A’s

Week III _ OF Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) Brewers

Week IV _ RHP Landon Leach (Pickering, Ont,) Braves

Week V _ RHP Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, BC), Braves

Week VI _ OF Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) Cubs

Week VII _ C Bo Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) Guardians

Weej VIII _ RHP Noah Skirrow (Stoney Creek, Ont.) Phillies.

Week IX _ OF Tanner Kirwer (Spruce Grove, Alta.) Mariners

Week X _ 3B Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC) Blue Jays

Week XI _ RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) Mariners