By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

In the spring of 2015 their names were the talk of all the scouts covering Canada ... and eventually most scouting directors.

The two members of the Canadian Junior National Team had the ability to turn around fastballs -- and have them clear fences, trees and parking lots.

1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) was selected in the first round (12th over-all) by the Miami Marlins, while OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) went in the fourth round to the Milwaukee Brewers selected by scout Jay Lapp (London, Ont.)

Naylor an Ontario Blue Jays grad spent 41 games with the San Diego Padres this season -- hitting .236 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .645 OPS -- before being returned to the triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. Naylor went 6-gor-10 to bat .600 to lead all Canuck hitters by average, with two RBIs.

However, Orimoloye the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians grad, had the most hits. He went 9-for-19 with a homer and four RBIs for class-A Dunedin. That week earned him Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week.

How the week that was for Orimoloye as he:

_ Went 3-for-3 knocking in a run playing right field and batting fifth in a 5-2 Dunedin win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers before 127 fans at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. Orimoloye doubled to left in the second -- his 12th -- beat out an infield single in the third and hit a run-scoring single to left in the fourth.

_ Was 2-for-5 batting clean up and DH-ing as he knocked in a pair in a 10-6 10-inning, loss to Lakeland before 137 fans at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater. Orimoloye hit a two-run single to centre in the first and singled to right in the eighth.

_ Playing right and hitting clean-up he had another two hits in a 3-2 loss to the Charlotte Stone Crabs at Charlotte Sports Park in the opener of the doubleheader. Orimoloye singled to right in the second and singled to left in the sixth.

_ He was hitless batting clean-up and playing right in a 2-1 loss to Port Charlotte in front of 1,457 fans at Charlotte Sports Park.

_ Again he was hitless DH-ing and playing right as Dunedin beat Charlotte Stone Crabs 4-3 in front of 997 fans at the Charlotte Sports Park.

_ Playing right and batting fourth, he added two hits, including a homer, in a 5-4 loss to the Fort Myers Miracle at the Bobby Mattick complex. Orimoloye singled to left in the fourth and he homered to left centre, his eighth.

Highlights of the Week _ Louis Boyd (North Vancouver, BC) After serving as infield coach with Seattle Mariners affiliate Modesto Nuts in the class-A California League since the beginning of the season, he was named new manager for Everett Aquasox in the Single A Northwest League, effective July 23, 2019. At 25 years of age the former Mariners prospect becomes the youngest manager in the Northwest League, and the fourth Canadian currently active in that capacity with an affiliated team in the Minor Leagues. He joins Luke Carlin (Lake County of the Cleveland Indians), Scott Thorman (Wilmington of the Kansas City Royals) and Casey Candaele (Vancouver of the Blue Jays). Jose Moreno started the year as the Everett manager. Field Coordinator Carson Vitale (Victoria, BC) managed a handful of games during the transition from Moreno to Boyd.

RHP Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) Active with the Ottawa Champions is named IND Can Am League Pitcher of the Week, for the period July 15-21, 2019. It marks the second time this season he has won the Award.

OF Raphael Gladu (Trois Rivieres, Que.) Active with Trois Rivieres Aigles was named IND Can Am League Batter of the Week, for the period July 15-21, 2019.

Interesting to note that since the inception of the IND Can Am League in 2005, this is only the third time two Canadians have swept Player of the Week honours. In 2008 for the Week ending July 6th, RHP Michel Simard (Quebec City, Que.) and Pat Scalabrini (Waterford, Que.) both with the Quebec Capitales were winners, and in 2012 for the Week ending June 24, Jeff Duda (Surrey, BC) and Jeff Helps (Wyoming, Ont.) both active with Quebec were the winners.

Top offensive weeks

Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Josh Naylor - AAA El Paso 10 2 6 - 2 .600

Demi Orimoloye - A Dunedin 19 7 9 1 4 .474

Kole Cottam - A Greenville 15 2 6 - 2 .400

Matt Lloyd - Rkie Billings 14 - 5 - 1 .357

Gareth Morgan - A Inland Empire 26 4 9 3 6 .346

Jonathan Lacroix - A Quad Cities 12 3 4 - 2 .333

Jacob Sanford - A Staten Island 25 4 8 - 2 .320

J.D. Osborne - A Clinton 17 3 5 1 2 .294

Jacob Robson - AAA Toledo 17 2 5 - 3 .294

Raphael Gladu - IND Trois Rivieres 18 5 10 1 7 .556

Jesse Hodges - IND Quebec 25 6 10 1 7 .400

Wes Darvill - IND Winnipeg 22 8 8 1 3 .364

David Glaude - IND Trois Rivieres 27 7 9 - 7 .333

(Minimum 10 ABs)

Best pitching performances

BRANDON MARKLUND RHP - A LEXINGTON LEGENDS

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

2 3.2 3 1 1 3 5 1-0 1 1.88 2.81

Brandon Marklund was an off season Free Agent signing by the Kansas City Royals, and the 23 year old native of North Vancouver, BC has made an excellent start to his pro career. This week he had two relief appearances for Lexington, the first on July 18 in a 3-2 win over Charleston River Dogs when he pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and gave up two base hits while striking out four Charleston batters, earning his second save of the season. On July 23 in a 6-4 victory over Kannapolis Intimidators he threw one inning, surrendered one hit and one earned run while striking out a Kannapolis hitter, and picked up his second win of the year. His overall record with the Legends in 14 Single A Midwest League appearances, now stands at 2-0 with two aves and a 0.76 ERA.

MIKE BRETTELL RHP - A PEORIA CHIEFS

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

1 6.0 5 3 2 2 4 1-0 - 1.17 3.00

Mike Brettell is in his second season pitching in the St. Louis Cardinals system, and the 22 year old prospect had a very good start this week. On July 19 in a 6-4 win over Ft. Wayne Tin Caps he pitched six innings, giving up five base hits and two earned runs while striking out four Ft. Wayne batters, to earn his third win of the season. His record with Peoria in 18 Single A Midwest League appearances is now 3-6 with a 5.30 ERA.

PHILLIPPE AUMONT RHP - IND OTTAWA CHAMPIONS

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

1 7.0 4 1 1 3 7 - - 1.00 1.29

If ever there was a perfect example of a coach demonstrating to his charges just how to do the job expected of them, it would have to be the performance of Phillippe Aumont. In his dual role as a starter and the pitching coach for Ottawa, his on-field performance has been exemplary to say the least. On July 21 in a 5-4 11-inning loss to Quebec Capitales, he pitched seven innings, gave up four base hits and one earned run while striking out seven Quebec batters, but was not involved in the decision. His record with the Champions in 13 Can Am League starts is now 6-3 with a 1.99 ERA. As noted above, in recognition of his excellent performance Aumont was named the league’s Pitcher of the Week for a second time this season.

Previous Players of the Week

Week 1 _ INF Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) Double A Frisco Roughriders (Rangers).

Week II _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) Triple A El Paso Chihuahuas (Padres).

Week III _ RHP R.J. Freure (Burlington, Ont.) Class-A Quad Cities River Bandits (Astros).

Week IV _ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles).

Week V _ RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) Class-A Fort Myers Miracle (Twins).

Week VI _ RHP Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) double-A Montgomery Biscuits (Rays)

Week VII _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies) and 3B Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) double-A Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros).

Week VIII _ 1B Jim Adduci (Burnaby, BC) triple-A Iowa Cubs (Cubs).

Week IX _ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) Class-A Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles).

Week X _ RHP R. J. Freure (Burlington, Ont.) class-A Quad Cities River Bandits (Astros).

Week XI _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) class-A Inland Empire ‘66s (Angels).

Week XII _ OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) class-A Dunedin Blue Jays (Jays).

Week XIII _ OF Jacob Sanford (Cole Harbour, NS) class-A Staten Island Yankees (Yankees).

Week XIV _ RHP Kyle Thomas (Mississauga, Ont.) class-A Connecticut Tigers (Tigers).

Week XV _ RHP Alex Nolan (Burlington, Ont.) class-A Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays).

Week XVI _ OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) class-A Dunedin Blue Jays (Jays).

Updated Minor League Stats