August 29, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Given the minor league schedules, there are a few times throughout the campaign where a starting pitcher may have to face the same team twice within one week – a tall task for any arm regardless of experience.

This was something southpaw Kyle Carr (San Marcos, Calif.) had to contend with during the week spanning from August 13 to August 19, and not only did he get the job done, but he excelled for the Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees High-A affiliate), allowing just one unearned run in 10 innings.

For his efforts, he has earned the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week honour.

While Carr was not born in Canada, his father hails from Sydney, Nova Scotia – deep in the heart of Cape Breton – making the left-hander eligible for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic and for the CBN Minor League Player of the Week award.

With the Renegades on the road, Carr started the opening Tuesday night contest as well as the closing Sunday game in the series against the Hickory Crawdads – who boast a Canuck of their own in catcher Konner Piotto (Mississauga, Ont.).

Taking the mound in front of almost 3,000 fans at Heritage Financial Park on August 13, Carr started the game with a swinging strikeout of the leadoff batter. A double to centre field - the only hit Carr would allow in the contest - put a runner on second but his catcher, Antonio Gomez, was able to throw out the runner trying to swipe third. Carr was then able to set down the three-hole hitter on an inside pitch for a called strike three.

Carr started the top of the second with a walk, but the left-hander bounced back to get a fly out and two ground outs to get out of the inning.

The 22-year-old lefty’s third punchout would come in the third inning, sitting down the leadoff batter on just five pitches. Another walk put a runner on first but Carr was able to generate another out via a pop out to shortstop. Carr then made quick work of the same batter who laced the double back in the first inning, fanning the Crawdads’ two-hole hitter.

A fielding error by Carr put a runner on first to start the fourth inning but the next batter grounded into a double play. A line out to right field finished the inning.

In his fifth and final inning, Carr would set down the Crawdads batters in order and notch his fifth K. His performance would earn the win (his first of the season) in Hudson Valley’s eventual 13-0 victory.

The 6-foot-1 left-hander was tasked with facing Hickory again on August 18 to round out the series.

Carr started the contest strong, needing just five pitches to get a ground out, a pop out to first base, and a swinging strikeout.

The second inning saw Hickory put a single on the board early before Carr battled back and generated two fly outs and a ground out.

The third inning was another test for the Yankees pitching prospect. After a ground out to open the inning, the Crawdads had back-to-back singles to put a runner in scoring position. Trying to keep his scoreless streak intact, Carr got the fourth batter of the inning to ground out to third base and the infield quickly turned a double play to end the frame.

The fourth inning went a bit sideways for Carr. The leadoff batter singled and a pair of fielding errors put runners on first and third with nobody out. A sac-fly then put an unearned run on the board for the Crawdads. Carr would bounce back with a strikeout and then receive more help from his catcher, who tossed out the runner trying to advance from first to second.

Heading into the top of the fifth, Carr was looking to put up a clean inning and produced exactly that – amassing one ground out and two strikeouts in his final inning. Unfortunately for Carr, the Renegades bats were silent and the southpaw would be tagged with the loss.

In total, in his two starts against the Crawdads during the week spanning from August 13 to August 19, Carr did not allow an earned run in 10 innings while recording nine strikeouts – tying Red Sox prospect Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.) for the most strikeouts by a Canuck.

2024 CBN minor league Player of the Week Winners

Opening Day to May 6 – LHP Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, BC), Guardians.

May 7- May 12 – INF Charles LeBlanc (Laval, Que.), Angels.

May 13- May 19 – RHP Adam Maier (North Vancouver, BC), Braves.

May 20- May 26 – INF Trei Cruz (Toronto, Ont.), Tigers.

May 27 – June 2 – RHP Lucas Wepf (Georgetown, Ont.), Dodgers.

June 3 – June 9 – C/DH Liam Hicks (Toronto, Ont.), Rangers.

June 10 – June 16 – OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.), Athletics.

June 17 – June 23 – OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.), Athletics.

June 24 – June 30 – RHP Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets.

July 1 – July 7 – OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.), Athletics.

July 8 – July 14 – LHP Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, BC), Guardians.

July 15 – July 21 – OF Jordan Nwogu (Ottawa, Ont.), Cubs

July 22 – July 28 – LHP Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Rangers

July 29 – August 4 – LHP Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, BC), Guardians.

August 5 – August 11 – RHP Matt Duffy (Toronto, Ont.), Red Sox

August 12 – August 19 – LHP Kyle Carr (San Marcos, Calif.), Yankees

Top Canadian Minor League Performances for August 13 to August 19 (Stats Compiled by Pete Berryman)

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