By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Jordan Romano took the route a lot of Canadian high schoolers take.

He pitched for the Ontario Blue Jays, then the Connors State Cowboys and then he took an unusual turn. He headed for the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles.

Romano (Markham, Ont.) was 3-4 in 29 games in the Southland Conference. He compiled a 2.66 ERA striking out 49 and walking 17 in 40 2/3 innings in 2014.

And that June the Blue Jays selected him in the 10th round. Selected by scout Dallas Black, he made a fast rise through the ranks at Rookie-Class Florida State Blue Jays, rookie-class Bluefield and class-A Lansing Lugnuts before arriving at the class-A Dunedin Blue Jays for this season.

And this week Romano pitched 5 1/3 scoreless as Dunedin blanked the St. Lucie Mets 8-0. He gave up only three base hits and while striking out two Mets hitters to earn his seventh win of the season.

Romano earned the Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week honours for Week XX as the best of the Canucks in the minor leagues.

Overall record in 26Single A Florida State League appearances with the Blue Jays, now stands at 7-5 with a 3.32 ERA.
 
HIGHLIGHTS  THIS  WEEK: RHP  Dylan Rheault (Garson, Ont.)  -  Named the 2017 Relief Pitcher
of the Year for San Jose Giants in the Single A California League.
 
3B  Vladimir Guerrero  (Montreal, Que.)  -  Named Single A Florida State League’s Player of the Week with Dunedin Blue Jays.
 
BEST  OFFENSIVE  PERFORMANCES
Player Team AB R H HR RBI Avg.
Vladimir Guerrero  -  A  Dunedin               21     3      9     3      7    .429
Jake Lumley  -  Rkie  AZL Athletics            12     2      5     -       3    .417
Ben Pelletier  -  Rkie  GCL Phillies             21     2      8     -       5    .381
Daniel Pinero  -  A  West Michigan            24     3      9     -        -    .375
Jesse Hodges  -  A  Myrtle Beach              19     5     7      -       1    .368
Brett Siddall  -  A  Stockton                      24     4      8     1      4    .333
Michael Saunders  -  AAA  Buffalo             21     3     7      1      3    .333
Malik Collymore  -  A  Dayton                   13     3     4      -       3    .308    
 
Maxx Tissenbaum  -  IND  Quebec            24     5    10     1      7    .417
Sebastien Boucher  -  IND  Ottawa            19     2     7      1      3    .368
Larry Balkwill  -  IND  Windy City               25     3     8      2     11    .320
Jordan Lennerton  -  IND  Quebec              22     5     7      2      7    .318
Tyson Gillies  -  IND  Ottawa                    19     2     6       2      4    .316
(Minimum 10 At Bats required)
 
BEST  PITCHING  PERFORMANCES
JORDAN  ROMANO    RHP   -    A   DUNEDIN  BLUE  JAYS
APP     IP    H    R     ER    BB      K     W-L S IP WK ERA   
1      5.1    3    -     -      3      2    1-0 -   1.18 0.00
 
Jordan Romano continues to pitch well for Dunedin, and this week made an excellent start on Aug. 20th in an 8-0 shutout of the St. Lucie Mets.  He pitched 5 1/3 innings gave up only three base hits and no runs while striking out two Mets hitters to earn his seventh win of the season.  His overall record in twenty six Single A Florida State League appearances with the Blue Jays, now stands at 7-5 with a 3.32 ERA.

 
KODY  ROCK    RHP   -   RKIE   AZL  BREWERS  
APP     IP    H    R     ER    BB      K     W-L S IP WK ERA    
2      3.1    4    1     -      1      4    1-0     1.61  0.00
 
Kody Rock an undrafted Free Agent was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers in mid-season and, based on recent performance by the Canora, Sask. native, it was a wise move by the Brewers.  This past week he made two relief appearances, the first on Aug. 16th in a 6-0 loss to AZL Dodgers when he pitched a scoreless 1/3 of an inning gave up no base hits while striking out the only batter he faced, but was not involved in the decision   On Aug. 20th in a 4-3 win over the AZL Rangers, he threw three innings, surrendering four base hits and one unearned run while striking out three Ranger hitters to earn his second win of the season. These two outings improved his record in 10  appearances in Rookie Class Arizona League to 2-0 with three saves and a 4.32 ERA.
 
DYLAN  RHEAULT    RHP   -   A   SAN  JOSE  GIANTS
APP     IP    H    R     ER    BB      K     W-L S IP WK ERA   
2      1.0    1     -     -   -        1      -  1  1.00     0.00  
 
If one was to describe Dylan Rheault’s 2017 season with the Giants as being above and beyond expectations, you would not be wrong. Two more relief appearances this week, the first on Aug. 16th in a 4-2 win over Lancaster JetHawks when he threw one perfect inning with no base hits and no runs, to earn his 20th save of the season. On Aug. 22nd in an 11-inning 5-1 win over Visalia Rawhide, he pitched one scoreless inning giving up one base hit while striking out one Rawhide batter but was not involved in the decision. The two outings improved his record with San Jose in 50 appearances in the Single A California League to 2-1 with 20 saves and a 2.44 ERA. Current League statistics confirm that his 50 appearances and 20 saves, rank him first in both categories.  In recognition of this outstanding performance, He was named the 2017 Relief Pitcher of the with the Year San Jose Giants.
 

PLAYER  MOVES  &  TRANSACTIONS
LHP  Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.)  -  Recalled to Major League Roster by Chicago Cubs from Triple A Iowa Cubs on August 18th, did not appear in a big league game and was optioned back to Iowa on August 20th.
 
RHP  Nick Pivetta  (Vicoria, BC)  -  Optioned by the Philadelphia Phillies to Triple A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs on August 16th, did not appear in a game at Lehigh Valley and was recalled by Phillies to the Major League roster on August 22nd.
 
RHP  Zach Pop  (Brampton, Ont.)  -  2017 Seventh Round Draft Pick activated by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rookie Class AZL Dodgers.
 
2B  Mattingly Romanin  (Burlington, Ont.)  -  Moved by Toronto Blue Jays to Single A Vancouver Canadians from Single A Lansing Lugnuts.
 
LHP  Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC)  -  Activated from the Disabled List by Texas Rangers at Triple A Round Rock Express.
 
C  Chris Shaw (Winnipeg, Man.)  -  Activated by the Baltimore Orioles at Single A Delmarva Shorebirds from his Re Hab Assignment with Rookie Class Gulf Coast Orioles. 
 
INF  T.J. Bennett (Lethbridge, Alta.)  -  Placed on the Disabled List by the San Francisco Giants at Double A Richmong Flying Squirrels.
 
OF  Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.)  -  Placed on the Disabled List by the Houston Astros at Rookie Class Gulf Coast Astros.
 
 
RHP  Andrew Cooper (Belle River, Ont.)  -  Free Agent re signs with the Ottawa Champions IND Can Am League.
 
INF  Jerome Duchesneau (Quebec City, Que.)  -  Signed as a Free Agent by Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League, appeared in one game and was released.
 
OF  Charles Demers (Levis, Que.)  -  Signed as a Free Agent by the Quebec Capitales IND Can Am League, appeared in one game and was released.
 
2B  Austin Marcellus (Oshawa, Ont.)  -  Released by the Ottawa Champions IND Can Am League.

2017 Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week I _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week II _ RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) Lehigh Valley (Phillies).

Week III _ INF Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) El Paso (Padres).

Week IV _ 1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) Lake Elisnore (Padres).

Week V _ OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers).

Week VI _ OF Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) Clinton Lumberkings (Mariners).

Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Lansing Lugnuts (Blue Jays).

Week VIII _ 1B Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) Dayton Dragons (Reds).  

Week VIV _ LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)

Week X _ INF Danny Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) West Michigan Whitecaps (Tigers)

Week XI _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Mississippi Braves (Braves).

Week XII _ OF Miles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.) Rookie-class Billings (Reds)

Week XIII _ RP Dylan Rheault (Garson, Ont.) class-A San Jose (Giants).

Week XIV _ OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) Lakeland Flying Tigers (Tigers).

Week XV _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Mississippi Braves (Braves).

Week XVI _ 3B-C Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Longueuil, Que.) Tri-City ValleyCats (Astros.)

Week XVII _ CF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) triple-A Memphis Redbirds (Cards) and LF Brett Siddalll (Windsor, Ont.) class-A Stockton Ports (A’s).
 
Week XVIII _ LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) triple-A Gwinnett (Braves.)

Week XIX _ INF Danny Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) class-A West Michigan (Tigers) and Andrew Yerzy (North York, Ont,) Rookie-class Missoula (Diamondbacks).
 
Week XX _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) class-A Dunedin (Blue Jays).