By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network

Daniel Pinero is used to walking into fresh situations.

He walked onto campus at Charlottesville, Va. to become the starting shortstop for the University of Virginia Cavaliers. In 2014, he was the first UVa freshman to start the season opener at shortstop since Mark Reynolds in 2002.

And Pinero started 68 of UVa’s 69 games at shortstop all the way to the College World Series in Omaha going 4-for-14 in CWS final against the Vanderbilt Commodores, including a three-hit day in Game 1. Over-all, he batted .250 (13-for-52) in NCAA tournament; was 6-for-12 with team-high six runs scored in super regional against the Maryland Terapins.

He earned Third-Team All-ACC honoree at shortstop, as well as being named a freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, was named to All-ACC Academic Baseball Team. On home ground the former Ontario Blue Jay earned Canadian Baseball Network Second Team honours in 2014 and 2016 and was a First Teamer in 2015.

And now the Lakeland Flying Tigers and Ontario Blue Jays grad is the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week for Week XV:

How the week that was for former Ontario Blue Jay:

_ Batting clean up and playing third, he was hitless  in a 15-3 Lakeland win over the Bradenton Marauders before 539 at LECOM Park in Bradenton.

_ Playing left and batting fifth he had two hits, including a double in an 8-3 loss to Bradenton before 822 fans at LECOM Park. He singled to right in the second and doubled to left, his 14th, in the seventh,  facing Luis Escobar twice.

_ DHing and hitting fifth he singled in a 5-2 loss to  the Fort Myers Miracle before 729 fans at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. He singled to left in the fifth.

_ Batting second and playing third base he had a pair of hits, including a double in a 5-4 walk-off win over Fort Myers in front of 304 fans Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. He singled to centre in the third facing Andro Cutura and doubled to right in the seventh, against Jovani Moran, his 15th.

_ Playing shortstop and hitting fifth, he had two singles in a 4-3 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals in front of 403 fans at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Pinero singled to centre in the seventh facing Casey Meisner and reached on an infield hit in the eighth against Yeison Medina.

_ Hitting fifth and playing third base, he was 4-for-5 with a solo home run as Lakeland beat Palm Beach 15-7 before 1,037 fans at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Pinero singled to second in the fourth; homered to centre against John Kilichowski, his sixth; singled to right in the ninth and singled to right in the nine-run 10th.

Highlight of the Week
 
LHP  Andrew Albers,  North Battleford, SK  -  Named to Japan’s 2018 Pacific League Mid Season All Star team.

Top offensive weeks
 
Player Class Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
 
Danny Pinero  -  A  Lakeland 21     9    11    -      1    .524
Bruce Yari  -  A  Daytona 26     1    11    -      5    .423
Mitch Robinson  -  Rk  GCL Yankees  12     1     5     -      5    .417
Jonathan Lacroix  -  A  Quad Cities 12     2     5     -      -     .417
Otto Lopez  -  A  Vancouver 25     2    10    1      6     .400
Wes Darvill  -  AA  Tulsa 13     5     5     1     4      .385
Jacob  Robson  -  AAA  Toledo 24     5     9     -      2      .375
Jared Young  -  A  Myrtle Beach 19    3     7     1      3     .368
Kole Cottam  -  A  Lowell 20    2     7     1      5     .350
J.D. Osborne  -  A  Batavia 21     3    7      1     5      .333
Noah Naylor  -  RK  AZL Indians 2 15     2    5      -      3     .333
Josh Naylor  -  AA  San Antonio  25     3     8      1     5     .320
  
David Glaude - IND  Trois Rivieres   17     5     7     1     3     .412
Carter McEachern - IND Washington 17    1     7      -     2     .412
Danny Beaver  - IND  Santa Fe        13    9     6      1     3    .400
Brad Antchak  -  IND  Quebec        27    6    10     -     3     .370
(Minimum 10 AB’s required.)
 
Best pitchhing performances
BRAYDEN  BOUCHEY   RHP  -   A  LANSING  LUGNUTS
APP   IP   H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L   SV   WHIP   WK ERA
2    5.0   3    3    3    1    5    1-0    -     0.80      5.40
 
Vancouver native Brayden Bouchey was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016 and the 22 year old is in his third pro season, pitching with Single  A Lansing Lugnuts in the Midwest League.  This week he made two solid relief appearances, the first of which was on July 12th in an 11-8 win over Burlington Bees.  He threw three innings surrendered two base hits and one earned run while striking out five Burlington batters, to earn his first win of the season.  On July 16th in a 10-inning 9-8 loss to Clinton Lumber Kings he pitched two innings, gave up one base hit and two earned runs, but was not involved in the decision. His record with Lansing in ten appearances is now 1-0 with one save and a 3.05 ERA.

 
JAY  JOHNSON    LHP  -  IND  QUEBEC  CAPITALES  
APP    IP    H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L   SV   WHIP   WK ERA
1    6.0    5   -     -     -    7    1-0    -      0.83     0.00    
 
Jay Johnson was out of baseball for the two seasons 2016-17 but, as frequently happens the itch to play returned, and he took the opportunity to sign as a free agent with Quebec Capitales in the IND Can Am League for 2018.  Working mostly as a reliever, he has also made a few starts including a very good one this week. On July 16th in a 7-4 victory over the Ottawa Champions he threw six scoreless innings, gave up five base hits while striking out seven Ottawa hitters, to earn his third win of the year.  His overall record in nineteen Can Am League appearances, now stands at 3-0 with one Save and an 1.35 ERA.
 
 
JARED  MORTENSEN  RHP  -  IND  CLEBURN  RAILROADERS    
APP    IP    H   R   ER   BB   K   W-L   SV   WHIP   WK ERA
1    6.0    6    2    2    4   10   1-0    -      1.67     3.00                   
 
Jared Mortensen is currently active in his sixth season as a pro, including three with affiliated teams and this year with Cleburn Railroaders in the IND American Association. This week he had a very good outing on July 13th in a 7-4 win over Chicago Dogs when he pitched six innings, gave up six base hits and two earned runs while striking out 10 Chicago batters, to earn the win.  His record with Cleburn in 10 starts now stands at 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA.

Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week 1 _ OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Memphis (Cards) and Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres).
Week II _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) New Hampshire (Blue Jays).
Week III _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Gwinett (Braves).
Week IV _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Corpus Christi (Astros).
Week V _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).

Week VI _ RP Phillippe Aumont (Hull, Que.) Toledo (Tigers)
Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).
Week VIII _ RHP Curtis Taylor (Coquitlam, BC) Montgomery (Rays)
Week IX _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres)
Week X _ 3B Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Longueuil, Que,) Buise Creek (Astros) and 2B Charles Leblanc (Lavall, Que.) Down East Wood (Rangers).

Week XI _ C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) Hillsboro (Diamondbacks).
Week XII _ LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) Hartford (Rockies).
Week XIII _ OF Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Que.) Williamsport (Philies)
Week XIV _ OF Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) Vancouver (Blue Jays)
Week XV _ INF Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) Lakeland (Tigers)