CBN POW, Week XXIV - Eric Cerantola

Former Great Lake Canadians RHP Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) has won the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week for a second time.

September 22, 2023

George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

We’ve heard people argue about RHP Eric Cerantola.

People from Montreal claim bragging rights, since Cerantola was born there.

Oakville baseball people say “he’s ours” since he played there in Oakville A’s minor ball.

There were zero arguments about how dominant the Great Lake Canadians grad was in his final outing of the season for the double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals in a 6-5 win over the Arkansas Travellers in front of 6,166 fans at Arvest Ballpark.

Cerantola worked five scoreless, allowing two singles while striking out seven earning Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week for Week XXIV. He left with a 3-0 lead but the Naturals didn’t win until six innings later.

How Cerantola’s start went ... inning by inning ...

Top of first: Jonatan Clase called out on strikes, Spencer Packard reaches on an error by shortstop, Robert Perez Jr. called out on strikes and Alberto Rodriguez grounds out to second baseman.

Top of second: Tyler Locklear strikes out swinging, Kaden Polcovich strikes out and ex-Jays pick Logan Warmoth grounds out to first baseman.

Top of third: Jake Anchia grounds to Cerantola, Leo Rivas called out on strikes and Clase strikes out swinging.

Top of fourth: Cayden Wallace reaches second on error by right fielder, Guzman strikes out swinging, Shrum flew out to right, with Wallace moving to third and Valera flew out to left.

Top of fifth: Locklear was hit by a pitch, Polcovich strikes out swinging, Locklear steals second, Warmoth singles on to centre moving Locklear to third and Anchia grounds into a 6-4-3 inning-ending, double play.

LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) took over to pitch the bottom of the 11th with a 5-4 lead. Jeison Guzman started the inning at second. Dillan Shrum worked a walk and Leonel Valera forced him at second. After a Kyle Hayes walk, Javier Vaz singled on a soft grounder to first tying the game.

And then Diego Hernandez singled to left for a 6-5 win.

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Highglights _ Quebec Capitales win 2023 IND Frontier League championship.

For the second year in a row, the Capitales won the Frontier League title, defeating Evansville Otters 3 games to 2 in the best of five final series, which ended on Sept. 17. It was the ninth League Championship in team history, and ranks as the most by any Independent League organization.

The Capitales 2023 team roster this season included Canadians: INF Emile Boies (Levis, Que.), RHP Michael Brettell (Fonthill, Ont.), INF Justin Gideon (Pickering, Ont.), 2B David Glaude (Quebec, Que.), LHP Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.), RHP Tanner Jesson-Dalton (Lethbridge, Alta.), OF Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.), OF Marc-Antoine Lebreux (Ste Anne-des-Plaines, Que.), LHP Evan Rutckyj (Windsor, Ont.), INF-RHP Garrett Takamatsu (Burlington, Ont.), RHP Julian Tymochko (Toronto, Ont.), INF Martin Vincelli-Simard (St. Therese, Que.) and INF Jonah Weisner (Mission, BC)

Best Offensive Performances

Name Class Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Owen Caissie AA Tennessee 17 3 8 1 5 .471

Charles Leblanc AAA Jacksonville 11 1 4 1 1 .364

Tyler Black AAA Nashville 20 6 7 1 2 .350

Jordan Nwogu AA Tennessee 14 2 4 - 2 .286

(Minimum 10 At-bats)

Pitching performances

Name Class Team G W S ERA IP K WHIP

Eric Cerantola AA NW Arkansas 1 - - 0.00 5.0 7 0.400

Cerantola was selected by Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, and the 23-year old native of Montreal, Que., who lives in Oakville, Ont., began the 2023 season with Quad Cities River Bandits in the Single A Midwest League. At the end of August, he was promoted by the Royals to their double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in the Texas League. On Sept. 13, he made an excellent relief appearance in the Naturals’ 11-inning 6-5 loss the Arkansas Travelers, when he pitched five scoreless innings gave up two base hits, while striking out seven Arkansas hitters, but was not involved in the decision. This result improved his record at the double A level in three Texas League appearances to 0-1, with one save and a 1.93 ERA. His overall record, including his time with Quad Cities in 29 Midwest League games and a total of 32 appearances for the season, stands at 3-4 and with two saves a 3.66 ERA, along with 99 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings. He also earned the CBN honour in Week XIX.

Name Class Team G W S ERA IP K WHIP

Adam McKillican AA Hartford 2 - - 3.00 3.0 6 .0667

To say that McKillican a 25-year-old native of Comox, BC has had an interesting career to date, would be an understatement for sure. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019, he was forced in 2020 by COVID-19 to transfer from University of British Columbia to University of Georgia-Gwinnett, in order to secure mound time. He enjoyed a very successful season with the Grizzlies, which included participating in and winning the NAIA Collegiate World Series held each year in Lewiston, Idaho. Soon after, he signed as a free agent with Texas Rangers for the 2021 season. After a short stint in their minor league system, he was released and subsequently joined the Quebec Capitales of the IND Frontier League. In 2022, he signed once more as a free agent, this time with the Colorado Rockies, and has been active in their organization for two seasons.

This week he made two very good relief appearances with his team the double A Hartford Yard Goats, despite the fact they suffered blow out defeats in each game. On Sept. 13, in a 16-4 loss to the Portland Sea Dogs, he pitched two innings, gave up one base hit and one run while striking three, but was not involved in the decision. He followed that up on Sept. 17 in another Portland rout 24-2, when he threw a scoreless inning, surrendering zero hits while striking out three batters but again, was not involved in the decision. The results improved his overall 2023 record with the Yard Goats in 25 double-A Eastern League relief appearances, to 3-0, with one save and a 6.21 ERA.

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Previous Players of the Week

Week I _ Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) triple-A St. Paul Saints (Twins)

Week II _ Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) double-A Akron RuberDucks (Guardians).

Week III _ Abraham Toro (Longuiel, Que.) triple-A Nashville Sounds (Brewers)

Week IV _ Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) double-A Midland (A’s) and Trei Cruz (Toronto, Ont.) double-A Erie (Tigers)

Week V _ Wesley Moore (Surrey, BC) class-A Clearwater Threshers (Phillies).

Week VI _ Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) class-A Inland Empire (Angels).

Week VII _ Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC) double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays)

Week VIII _ Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) class-A Inland Empire (Angels) annd David McCabe (Courtice, Ont.) and Augusta Greenjackets (Braves.)

Week IX _ Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) double-A Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians)

Week X _ Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.) class-A Hickory Crawdads (Mets)