September 6, 2022

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball League

We have been tracking six-figure signing bonuses for years.

And heading into the 2020 draft the Angels had more nickname changes than the number of Canadians who were drafted and given a six-figure signing bonus.

Let’s see beginning in 1961 the expansion American League club was known as the Los Angeles Angels (1961-1964 and 2016-2022). Next up were the California Angels (1965-1996). Then, came the Anaheim Angels (1997-2004). Next was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2005-2015).

And finally it was back to the Los Angeles Angels (2016-2022). So that’s five name changes before giving a single Canuck six figures in 2020.

That all changed when the Angels chose OF David Calabrese (Maple Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays. The speedster was given a $744,200 US signing bonus.

And this week Calabrese showed why he deserved the large signing check. He batted .542 (13-for-24) with a pair of homers and 12 RBIs for the Inland Empire ‘66ers. The 13 hits topped all Canuck hitters as he had the best week of the 156 Canadians, earning Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week for Week XXII.

How the week that was went for Calabrese as he went ...

_ Batting fifth and playing centre field he was 3-for-4 in a 4-3 win over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before 847 fans at San Manuel Stadium. Calabrese singled on a line drive to right in the second, singled to left in the two-run fourth and singled to left in the fifth and again stole a base (No. 24).

_ Playing centre and batting fifth, he went 3-for-6, knocking in a pair of runs, in a 16-14 10-inning loss to Rancho Cucamonga before 969 fans. Calabrese doubled to right in the second (No. 22) and scored -- second run in the four-run inning; then hit a run-scoring triple to right (No. 9) for a 6-3 lead; and singled to centre in the sixth.

_ Hitting fifth and playing centre, he was 2-for-4 in a 9-1 win over Rancho Cucamonga in front of 1,816 fans. Calabrese singled in the first, led off the fifth with a single to centre and scored for a 6-0 lead.

_ Batting fifth and playing centre, he was 2-for-3 with four RBIs in an 8-5 loss to Rancho Cucamonga before 3,162. Calabrese hit his sixth homer -- on a 2-1 pitch to right field with two men aboard -- giving his team a 3-2 lead, then drove a run-scoring fly ball to centre in the third for a 4-2 lead and he bunted past the pitcher in the fifth.

_ Playing centre and hitting fifth, he was hitless and drove in a run as Inland Empire knocked off Rancho Cucamonga 8-4 in front of 2,163 fans. Calabrese drew a bases-loaded walked in the first and walked again in the fifth.

_ Hitting clean-up and playing centre, he went 3-for-5 with five RBIs as Inland was edged 11-10 by Rancho Cucamonga in front of 1,271 fans at San Manuel Stadium. Calabrese hit a two-run homer, his seventh, for a 4-2 lead in the third inning, he hit a two-run single to right in the fourth for a 6-4 lead and he singled in a run in the eighth to cut the Quakes lead to one run.

On the season he is batting .247 through the first 107 games of the season with 22 doubles, seven triples, seven homers and 61 RBIs. He is 26-for-28 stealing bases and has a .712 OPS.

On top of his CBN POW honours, Calabrese was also named the California League’s offensive player of the week for Aug. 29 to Sept. 4.

Besides the Ontario Blue Jays, he played for the High Park Braves and past coaches Joey Ellison, Eddie Largy, Francis Cubos, Taylor Bratton, Sean Travers, Pat Visca, and Greg Byron.

Top Offensive Weeks

Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

David Calabrese A Inland Empire 24 8 13 2 12 .542

Dasan Brown A Vancouver 20 7 9 - 3 .450

Otto Lopez AAA Buffalo 22 5 9 - 2 .409

Edouard Julien AA Wichita 21 4 8 1 7 .381

T.J. Schofield-Sam A Stockton 15 - 5 - 4 .333

Jordan Nwogu A South Bend 23 4 7 - 4 .304

Liam Hicks A Hickory 20 7 6 - 6 .300

David Glaude IND Quebec 24 7 11 2 11 .458

Canice Ejoh IND Trois-Rivieres 11 3 5 - 2 .455

Jacob Robson IND Kansas City 22 3 7 1 6 .318

Ethan Hunt IND Trois-Rivieres 13 3 4 - 4 .308

(Minimum 10 ABs)

Best Pitching

Mike Soroka RHP - AAA Gwinnett Braves

GM W SV ER ERA H IP K WHIP

1 - - - 0.00 1 4.0 5 0.250

Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) enjoyed a breakout season with the Atlanta Braves in 2019 when he went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts and finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He was impressing again in the pandemic shortened 2020 campaign when on Aug. 3 everything came to a sudden stop. When covering first base on a routine ground ball, he made a misstep, and tore his Achilles tendon.

The injury required corrective surgery and in 2021, while the rehab process was well underway, he suffered another unexpected misfortune, when he incurred another tear which required a second surgery.

So after experiencing two surgeries and missing nearly two full seasons, it would be easy to understand how glad Soroka is to currently be on a rehab assignment in the Braves’ system. After one start at a lower level, the real test came when he was moved to the triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. On Sept. 2, he made his third start with Gwinnett in a 7-0 win over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Soroka pitched four scoreless innings, allowing up one hit, while striking out five. He was not involved in the decision. No doubt both he and the Braves management, would have been very pleased with this result.

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

Week XII _ LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) Rangers

Week XIII — RHP Garrett Hawkins (Biggar, Sask.) Padres.

Week XIV — 3B Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, B.C.), Blue Jays

Week XV — OF Louis-Philippe Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) Trois-Rivières Aigles

Week XVI — RHP Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) Cardinals

Week XVII — INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays

Week XVIII — RHP Garrett Hawkins (Biggar, Sask.) Padres

Week XIX — INF Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorrette, Que.) Twins

Week XX — RP Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) Cardinals & Konner Piotto (Abbotsford, BC) Rangers

Week XX1 — RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) Guardians

WEEK XXII _ David Calabrese (Maple, Ont.) Angels