Ontario Blue Jays grad Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) had eight hits for the week -- two homers, two doubles and a triple -- while knocking in seven for class-A Lake Elisnore. Photo: Bobby DeMuro.

By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network

A few times in the almost 340 times we have chosen a Canadian Baseball Network minor league Canadian of the week two players have shared the honour.

Not many but it has happened.

We don’t recall that a pair of teammates have ever shared the weekly award.

It happened this week as 1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) of the class-A Lake Elisnore Storm shared Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Week honors for Week, adjudged the best of the 43 Canucks in affiliated ball.

Yet, judging from their pedigrees the pair of San Diego Padres prospects could be repeat winners.

Naylor was selected in the first round -- 12th over-all -- from the Ontario Blue Jays by the Miami Marlins in the 2015 draft, while Quantrill also went in the first -- eighth over-all -- by the San Diego Padres in 2016 from Stanford University after graduating the Ontario Terriers program. Last year at the deadline Naylor was part of a seven-played deal which sent Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to Miami.

Naylor led all hitter with a .471 average (8-for-17) with two homers and seven RBIs, while Quantrill was 1-0 in two starts, allowing three runs -- two earned -- on 12 hits and three walks, while fanning 16 in 12 innings.

RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), an Ontario Terriers grad fanned 12 a career high. Photo: Cherished Memories.

How the week that was went to Naylor and Quantrill ...

_ Quantrill pitched six innings for the win as Lake Elisnore, frequent home of many a Storage Wars auction, knocked of the Visalia Rawhide 4-1 before 1,001 fans at Visalia’s Recreation Park. Quantrill threw 81 pitches (56 strikes) allowing one run on five hits and two walks, striking out five. Quantrill recorded six ground ball out and three fly balls. He left with a 3-1 lead and moved to 3-1 on the season with support from Naylor. Playing first, Naylor singled in the three-run fourth to put the Storm up 1-0 and then doubled to centre, his fourth in the ninth.

_ Playing first Naylor had two hits and knocked in a pair as Lake Elisnore fell 7-4 to Visalia in front of 1,509 at Recreation Park. Naylor singled to right in the sixth and hit a two-run homer to centre in the eighth, his fourth.

_ Playing first Naylor had three hits, including a triple and a homer while knocking in three runs in a 9-6 Lake Elisnore victory against the Inland Empire 66ers before 3,713 at San Manuel Stadium. Naylor tripled to centre in the fifth to drive in a pair of runs cutting Inland Empire’s lead to 6-3. He hit a solo homer to right centre, his fifth, with one out in the ninth to break a 6-6 tie.

_ Playing first, Naylor doubled in the lone run as Lake Elisnore fell 3-1 to Inland Empire in front of 5,139 fans at San Manuel Stadium. Naylor’s fifth double in the fifth inning knocked in the Storm’s only run. However, when the Storm came out for the sixth Peter Van Gansen had replaced Naylor, who went on the disabled list the next day, after being hit on his cheek.

_ Quantrill had his second start of the week, fanning 12 in a 4-3 home win against the
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes before 1,639 fans at The Diamond. Quantrill was dominant allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk lowering his ERA to 3.29. He threw 91 pitches (60 strikes) his longest outing since Tommy John surgery in 2015.

BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCES
Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Josh Naylor - A Lake Elsinore 17 6 8 2 7 .471
Jacob Robson - A West Michigan 22 6 8 - 2 .364
Jamie Romak - AAA El Paso 24 5 8 1 7 .333
Gareth Morgan - A Clinton 13 2 4 1 3 .308
Matt Hague - AAA Rochester 18 4 5 2 4 .278
(Minimum 10 AB’s required)

BEST PITCHING PERFORMANCES
JESEN THERRIEN RHP - AA READING FIGHTIN’ PHILS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 3.0 1 - - 1 5 - 2 0.67 0.00

Jesen Therrien has pitched exceptionally well in 2017 for the Fightin’ Phils, and this week the trend continued. He made two relief appearances, the first on April 26th in a 4-2 victory over
Harrisburg Senators when he tossed one scoreless inning, gave up no hits while striking out two Harrisburg hitters, to earn his second save of the season. On April 29th in a 6-5 win over Portland Sea Dogs he pitched two scoreless, gave up only one base hit while striking out three Portland batters and picked up his second save of the week. The two relief appearances improved his record in 10 games with Reading in the Double A Eastern League to 0-1, three saves with a 2.13 ERA.

CAL QUANTRILL RHP - A LAKE ELSINORE STORM
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 12.0 12 3 2 3 16 1-0 - 1.17 1.50

Continuing to pitch at a very consistent level, Cal Quantrill made another excellent start for Lake Elsinore this week. On April 26th in a 4-1 victory over rival Visalia Rawhide, he pitched six innings surrendered five base hits and only one earned run while striking out five Visalia hitters, to earn his third win of the season. His record with the Storm is now 3-1 with a 3.29 ERA, and his numbers for wins, innings pitched and strikeouts place him in the Single A California League’s Top 10 is each category.

ANDREW ALBERS LHP - AAA GWINNETT BRAVES
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.2 6 1 1 1 2 1-0 - 1.35 1.73

An off season Free Agent signing by the Atlanta Braves, the veteran Andrew Albers is off to a good start with Gwinnett Braves in the Triple A International League. On April 29th in a 2-1 win over Pawtucket Red Sox, he pitched 5 2/3 innings gave up six base hits and only one earned run while striking out two Pawtucket batters, to pick up his second win of the season. His record with Gwinnett now stands at 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA.

JORDAN ROMANO RHP - A DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.1 7 2 2 - 3 1-0 - 1.37 3.53

Jordan Romano is a 24 year old Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect, and this week the native of Markham, Ontario had another solid outing for Dunedin. On April 29th in a 6-2 win over Ft. Myers Miracle he pitched five and a third innings, gave up seven base hits and only two earned runs, while striking out three Ft. Myers batters, to earn his second win of the young season. His overall record with Blue Jays in Single A Florida State League now stands at 2-0 with a 3.47 ERA.

RYAN KELLOGG LHP - A MYRTLE BEACH PELICANS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
2 11.0 11 5 5 - 5 1-1 - 1.00 4.09

Ryan Kellogg gained some valuable experience when he was named to Team Canada’s roster for the 2017 World Baseball Classic and, after spending some additional time at the Cubs extended spring training facility in Arizona, was finally activated this week at Single A Myrtle Beach. He made two starts and although the results were mixed, he performance was not. On April 26th in a 7-3 win over Wilmington Blue Rocks he threw five innings, gave up four base hits and three earned runs while striking out four Wilmington batters, to earn his first win of the season. He followed that up on May 2nd in a 2-1 loss to Frederick Keys, when he pitched six innings allowed seven hits and two earned runs while striking out one Frederick hitter, but took the loss. His overall record with Myrtle Beach in the Single A south Atlantic League now stands at 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA.

PLAYER MOVES AND TRANSACTIONS
RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) - Moved by Houston Astros to Double A Corpus Christi Hooks from Single A Tri City Valley Cats.

INF T.J. Bennett (Lethbridge, Alta.) - Moved by the San Francisco Giants to Single A San Jose Giants from Double A Richmond Flying Squirrels.

LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) - Activated by the Chicago Cubs at Single A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

RHP Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) - Activated by the Cincinnati Reds at Single A Dayton Dragons.

OF Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) - Activated off the Disabled List by Toronto Blue Jays at Single A Dunedin Blue Jays.

RHP Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) - Placed on the Disabled List by Detroit Tigers at Triple A Toledo Mud Hens.

1B Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) - Placed on the Disabled List by San Diego Padres at Single A Lake Elsinore Storm.

LHP Evan Rutckyj (Windsor, Ont.) - Released by the New York Yankees.

OF Trevor Gretzky (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) - Free Agent signs with Trois Rivieres Eagles IND Can Am League.

RHP Skylar Janisse (Maidstone, Ont.) - Placed on the Suspended List by Joliet Slammers IND Frontier 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).

Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, CBN POW, Week IV Moves