August 7, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Former Okotoks Dawgs left-hander and Cleveland Guardians pitching prospect Matt Wilkinson has been named the Canadian Baseball Network Minor League Player of the Week.

It’s the third time in four weeks that a pitcher has earned the honour.

It’s also the third time that Wilkinson (Ladner, B.C.) has collected the award, which ties him with OF Denzel Clarke (Pickering, Ont.) for most CBN Player of the Week honours this season.

Wilkinson earned the award for his dominant start for the Guardians’ High-A Lake County Captains on August 2 in which he allowed just two hits and struck out seven in six scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins’ Beloit Sky Carp at Classic Auto Group Park.

In the Friday evening contest, the 21-year-old lefty would strike out three batters in the first two innings, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the second.

He then fanned the first batter he faced in the third and got the No. 9 hitter to ground out weakly to third before recording another K to end the frame.

In the fourth, Wilkinson only needed 13 pitches to retire the Sky Carp – collecting two fly outs and a ground out to shortstop.

The Canuck southpaw carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning and made quick work of the first two Sky Carp batters, via a ground out and a pop out before Beloit SS Wilfredo Lara spoiled the no-hit bid with a single up the middle. But Wilkinson rebounded with his sixth strikeout of the game to end the inning.

In his sixth and final inning, Wilkinson registered a swinging strikeout for his seventh K before the Sky Carp collected their second hit -- a grounder through the left side. A stolen base gave Wilkinson a runner in scoring position to worry about for the first time. But he quickly ended that threat by collecting another fly out and line out.

That would be all for Wilkinson. His dominant performance earned him the win in the Captains’ 3-1 victory.

The game represented Wilkinson’s 11th start in High-A and his 14th outing of the season (split between single-A and High-A) where he has amassed seven or more strikeouts. It was also his eighth start in which he held the opponents scoreless.

Wilkinson leads the minor leagues in strikeouts (144), K/9 rate (14.09) and K% (40.2) this season.

Former 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.

Top Canadian Minor League Performances for July 29 to August 4 (Stats Compiled by Pete Berryman)

Hitters

Pitchers