CBN POW, Week XIX - Abraham Toro
Former ABC slugger INF Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) had a 15-hit week to take our POW honours. Photo:: Tim Campbell/MiLB.com.
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Jordan Procyshen and Jake Sanford each had weeks to remember.
Procyshen (Calgary, Alta.) and Sanford (Cole Harbour, NS) each hit three homers with their respective clubs.
With class-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Procyshen had three homers in 13 at-bats with five RBIs and a .385 averages in the Los Angeles Dodgers chain, while with the class-A Staten Island Yankees went deep three times in 25 at-bats knocking in seven runs and batting .320.
Yet, the Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week is 3B Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) who batted a cool .500 going 15-for-30 with eight RBIs with the triple-A Round Rock Express. Houston Astros scout JIm Stevenson (Leaside, Ont.) drafted Toro in the fifth round of the 2016 draft from Seminole State College.
How the week that was for Toro as:
_ Batting second and playing third he was 2-for-7 with a double and an RBI in a 20-12 win over the El Paso Chihuahuas before 6,019 fans at Southwest University Park. Toro singled to right in the fifth and led off the seventh with a double to left and came around to score.
_ DHing and hitting second he went 5-for-6 with a double and three RBIs in a 12-11 victory against El Paso in front of 6,993 fans. Toro singled to left and scored in the first, singled to left field in the third, singled to right in the sixth, reached on and infield single in the eighth and in the ninth hit a two-run double to provide the margin of victory. It was his third double.
_ Playing second and hitting second, he had three hits including a double and two RBIs in a 15-12 loss to El Paso before 8.094 fans. El Paso scored 10 runs in the bottom of the ninth for the win believe it or not. Toro singled to left in the first, singled to centre to knock in a run in the third for an 8-1 lead and doubled to left knocking in a run for a 12-3 lead. It was not enough.
_ Batting second and playing third, he had two hits as the Albuquerque Isotopes beat Round Rock 13-3 before 9,178 at Isotopes Park. He singled to right in the fifth and did the same in the sixth.
_ Playing third and hitting second he was hitless in an 11-6 Round Rock win before 7,926.
_ Hitting second and playing second he had three more hits with a double and an RBI in a 4-2 Round Rock win in front of 8,453 fans at Isotopes Park. He singled to left in the first, lined a run-scoring single to right in the fifth and doubled to centre, his fifth.
Top offensive performances
Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Abraham Toro - AAA Round Rock 30 6 15 - 6 .500
Morgan Lofstrom - A Dayton 12 2 6 1 5 .500
Adam Hall - A Delmarva 20 4 9 1 3 .450
Jim Adduci - AAA Iowa 20 2 8 - - .400
Jordan Procyshen - A Rancho Cucamonga 13 4 5 3 5 .385
J.D. Osborne - A Clinton 16 3 6 - 3 .375
Otto Lopez - A Lansing 22 7 8 - 3 .364
Jake Sanford - A Staten Island 25 6 8 3 7 .320
Ben Pelletier - A Lakewood 16 2 5 1 2 .313
Mitch Robinson - A Staten Island 10 1 3 - 3 .300
Malik Collymore - IND Ottawa 23 5 9 2 3 .391
Jesse Hodges - IND Quebec 30 5 10 2 7 .333
(Minimum 10 ABs)
Best pitching performances
JORDAN BALAZOVIC RHP - A FT. MYERS MIRACLE
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 2 - - 1 9 1-0 - 0.60 0.00
Recently returned from his stint with Team Canada, Silver Medal winners at the Pan American games held in Lima, Peru last week, Jordan Balazovic did not take long to get back into is regular routine with the Miracle. On Aug. 8 in a 3-0 win over
Jupiter Hammerheads he threw five scoreless innings, gave up two base hits while striking out nine Jupiter batters, to earn his sixth win. His record with Ft. Myers in 12 Florida State League starts, now stands at 6-3 with a 2.76 ERA.
INDIGO DIAZ RHP - RKIE CLASS GULF COAST BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 3.0 1 - - 1 5 1-0 - 0.67 0.00
Indigo Diaz was selected out of Michigan State University in the 27th round of the 2019 draft by Atlanta Braves, and this week the 20 year old native of North Vancouver experienced the thrill of his first victory in the professional ranks. On Aug. 9 in a 4-0 win over the Gulf Coast Rays he pitched three scoreless in relief, gave up only one base hit while striking out five to earn the win. His record with the GCL Braves in three appearances, is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA.
SCOTT RICHMOND RHP - IND QUEBEC CAPITALES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 13.0 10 2 2 6 11 2-0 - 1.23 1.38
Like Jordan Balazovic, Scott Richmond was also member of Team Canada, Silver Medalists at the recent Pan American games held in Lima, Peru and his return to the Capitales was highlighted by two consecutive very good starts. On Aug. 7 in a 12-2 win over Trois Rivieres Aigles he pitched six innings, surrendered eight base hits and two earned runs while striking out three, to pick up his fourth win of the season. He followed that up on Aug. 13 in a 13-0 win over New Jersey Jackals when he threw seven scoreless, gave up two base hits while striking out eight to earn his second win of the week. His record with Quebec in 14 Can Am League pitching appearances now stands at 5-4 with a 3.75 ERA.
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 (Jays).
Week XVI _ OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) class-A Dunedin Blue Jays (Jays).
Week XVII _ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) double-A Tulsa Drillers (Dodgers).
Week XVIII _ INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) class-A Lansing Lugnuts (Jays).
Week XIX _ INF Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) triple-A Round Rock Express (Astros).