CBN Minor League Player of the Week: David Calabrese
Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team grad David Calabrese (Maple, Ont.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of the Week after he went 6-for-12 in three games to help the Toronto Blue Jays’ High-A Vancouver Canadians to a Northwest League title. Photo: Vancouver Canadians/Facebook
September 14, 2026
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
With the Vancouver Canadians trailing 7-5 with two out in the ninth inning in Game 3 of the Northwest League final against the Eugene Emeralds, David Calabrese walked to the plate and promptly blasted a two-run home run to tie the game.
Three innings later, the Canadians would secure a 9-8 victory and their first Northwest League title since 2023.
That home run was Calabrese’s sixth - and most important - hit of the postseason for the Canadians. He also had a double, a triple and three singles in the Final and finished with a .500 batting average.
For his efforts, Calabrese (Maple, Ont.) has become the first to win the Canadian Baseball Network’s Minor League Player of Week in back-to-back weeks this season.
The speedy outfielder started the Northwest League Final with a triple and a run in two at bats in the Canadians’ 8-7 win over the Emeralds in Game 1 at Nat Bailey Stadium.
He followed that up with a three-hit performance (a single and two doubles) in a Canadians’ 5-4, 10-inning victory on Wednesday.
He then added a single, a two-run homer and a stolen base for the Canadians in their championship-clinching game on Friday.
Released by the Angels on August 4, the Ontario Blue Jays grad resurrected his career with the Canadians in the season’s final two months, batting .348 with three home runs and seven stolen bases in 16 regular season games prior to his outstanding postseason performance.
2026 CBN Minor League Player of the Week winners
Opening Day to April 5 - Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), Rangers
April 7 to April 12 - Dante Nori (Toronto, Ont.), Phillies
April 14 to April 19- Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Guardians
April 21 to April 26 - Eric Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.), Braves
April 28 to May 3 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets
May 5 to May 10 - Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.), Royals
May 12 to May 17 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays
May 19 to May 24 - Mitch Bratt (Newmarket, Ont.), Diamondbacks
May 26 to May 31 - Matt Wilkinson (Surrey, B.C.), Giants
June 2 to June 7 - Owen Gregg (Oakville, Ont.), Blue Jays
June 9 to June 14 - Tyler Boudreau (Middle Sackville, N.S.), Yankees
June 16 to June 21 - Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.), Royals
June 23 to June 28 - Tyson Moran (Wingham, Ont.), Royals
July 7 to July 12 - Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.), Rays
July 14 to July 19 - Cedric De Grandpre (Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Que.), Braves
July 21 to July 26 - Charles Davalan, (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.), Dodgers
July 28 to Aug. 2 - Emilien Pitre (Repentigny, Que.), Rays (and now Mets)
Aug. 4 to Aug. 9 - Connor Caskenette (Duncan, B.C.), Marlins
Aug. 11 to Aug. 16 - Avery Owusu-Asiedu (Saskatoon, Sask.), Diamondbacks
Aug. 18 to Aug. 23 - Jacob Zibin (Langley, B.C.), Guardians
Aug. 25 to Aug. 30 - Jonah Tong (Markham, Ont.), Mets
September 1 to September 6 - David Calabrese (Maple, Ont.), Blue Jays
September 8 to September 14 - David Calabrese (Maple, Ont.), Blue Jays
Top Canadian Minor League Batters (September 8 to September 14)
Top Canadian Minor League Pitchers (September 8 to September 14)