CBN POW, Week XX: Adam Hall
Great Lake Canadians INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) had a week to remember with class-A Aberdeen in the Baltimore Orioles system. Photo: Adam Morisette.
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
Adam Hall hit .667 last season.
Hall was 6-for-9 playing for the rookie-class Gulf Coast Orioles before suffering an oblique injury in his second game as a pro.
Now, INF Hall (London, Ont.) is hitting the ball wall to wall -- and over the wall -- for the class-A Aberdeen Ironbirds. Hall shared the lead in hits with Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Que) of the class-A Williamsport Crosscutters and led all Canuck hitters RBIs (10).
The Great Lake Canadians and London Badgers grad is the Canadian Baseball Network’s minor league player of the week for Week XX.
Hall went 8-for-22 (.455) with a home run and eight RBIs.
How the week that was went for Hall as he:
_ Was 1-for-2 with a solo homer batting seventh and playing shortstop as Aberdeen beat the Lowell Spinners 5-2 before 2,338 fans at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Hall homered to left facing Taylor Ahearn leading off the second giving the IronBirds a 4-0 lead. He also walked twice and stole two bases.
_ Was 2-for-4 with four RBIs batting sixth and playing second in an 11-1 win against Lowell in front of 2,904 fans at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Hall singled to right -- and stole second base, his ninth -- knocking in a pair of runs in the first, hit a two-run triple to centre in the fourth He stole two bags giving him 11 on the season.
_ Was 2-for-5, knocking in a run as he played short and hit sixth in a 12-2 victory against the Connecticut Tigers before 3,576 fans at Dodd Stadium.. Hall led off the second with a bunt single and hit a run-scoring single to left in the fourth.
_ Was 2-for-3, hitting fifth and playing second in a 5-4 victory against the Connecticut in front of 2,403 at Dodd Stadium. Hall reached on an infield single to short in the fourth and singled to right leading off the sixth. He also swiped a base.
_ Went 1-for-4 with a two-run double, hitting seventh and playing short in a 6-5 win against the Vermont Lake Monsters in front of 3,297 fans at Centennial Field. Hall hit a two-run double to centre in the fourth.
_ Was 1-for-3, hitting fifth and playing second base in a 6-2 loss to Vermont before 2,641 at Centennial Field. Hall singled to right in the eighth. He also walked and stole three bases.
_ Was 1-for-5 leading off and playing short as Aberdeen beat Vermont 9-4 in front of : 2,191 at Centennial Field. Hall singled to centre in the fifth. He swiped a base giving him 16 steals in 20 tries.
Hall has hit eight doubles, two triples, one homer and driven in 21 runs while hitting .276 with a .709 OPS in 52 games. He was selected in the second round of the 2017 draft by Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich.
Highlights of the Week _ OF Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Que) - Named Player of the Week in class-A New York - Penn League (Aug. 13 - Aug. 19).
Top Offensive Performances
Player Class Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Adam Hall A Aberdeen 22 6 10 1 8 .455
Connor Panas A New Hampshire 16 2 7 0 4 .438
Ben Pelletier A Williamsport 27 4 10 3 7 .370
Brett Siddall A Stockton 20 4 7 1 3 .350
Andrew Yerzy - A Hillsboro 21 5 7 2 4 .333
Tristan Pompey - A Jupiter 22 4 7 0 4 .318
Otto Lopez - A Vancouver 23 3 7 1 2 .304
Abraham Toro - AA Corpus Christi 17 3 5 0 1 .294
Daniel Pinero - A Lakeland 17 4 5 1 5 .294
Jacob Robson - AAA Toledo 24 2 7 0 1 .292
Brad Antchak - IND Quebec 15 2 5 0 2 .333
Maxx Tissenbaum IND Quebec 31 5 10 0 7 .323
Mike Crouse - MEX Puebla 17 5 5 3 7 .294
(Minimum 10 AB’s)
Top pitching performances
JORDAN ROMANO RHP - AA NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.2 3 1 1 1 6 1-0 - 0.77 1.73
Jordan Romano has had an excellent season with New Hampshire in the Double A Eastern League, and this week he made another solid start. On Aug. 19th in a 12-1 victory over Trenton Thunder he pitched five and two thirds innings, gave up three base hits and one earned run while striking out six Trenton hitters, to earn his 11tg win of the season. This outing improved his record in 23 appearances with the Fisher Cats to 11-7 with a 3.57 ERA. To confirm Romano’s fine performance this year with the Fisher Cats, one need only consult current Eastern League statistics which confirm he ranks in the Top Three in starts, wins, innings Pitched and strikeouts.
JORDAN BALAZOVIC RHP - A CEDAR RAPIDS KERNELS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 5.0 2 1 1 2 5 1-0 - 0.80 1.80
The stat line above is slightly different from last week, but the result is exactly the same, another excellent start by Jordan Balazovic, and another win for the Kernels. On Aug. 17 in a 7-1 win over Peoria Chiefs he threw five innings, surrendered two base hits and only one earned run while striking out five Peoria batters, to pick up his seventh win of the season. His record with Cedar Rapids in twelve Midwest League starts, now stands at 7-3 with a 3.94 ERA.
BROCK DYKXHOORN RHP - AA CORPUS CHRISTI HOOKS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.2 3 2 2 3 7 1-0 - 0.97 2.90
One thing certainly holds true for Brock Dykxhoorn this year, and it’s the fact he’s been very consistent. This week he had another excellent start on Aug. 15th in a 6-2 win over the Tulsa Drillers when he threw 6 2/3 innings, gave up three base hits and two earned runs while striking out seven Tulsa hitters, to earn the win. His record with Corpus Christi in 11 Texas League appearances, improved to 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA. His overall record for the season, including his 11 game stint with Triple A Fresno Grizzlies in the Pacific Coast League, now stands at 8-3 with a 3.40 ERA.
EVAN GRILLS LHP - AA HARTFORD YARD GOATS
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
1 6.0 7 2 2 1 6 1-0 - 1.33 3.00
Evan Grills missed the entire year in 2017 due to an injury, and was only activated by the Rockies at Double A Hartford in Week X of the 2018 season. No doubt, he’s still in the process of refining his game, and trying to get back to the position he was in prior to the injury. On Aug. 21 in a 7-3 win over Trenton Thunder he pitched six innings, scattered seven base hits and allowed two earned runs while striking out six Trenton batters, to earn his third win of the year. This result improved his record with Hartford in fourteen appearances, to 3-4 with a 3.48 ERA.
Canadian Baseeball Network
Minor League Players of the Week
Week 1 _ OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Memphis (Cards) and Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres).
Week II _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) New Hampshire (Blue Jays).
Week III _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Gwinett (Braves).
Week IV _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Corpus Christi (Astros).
Week V _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).
Week VI _ RP Phillippe Aumont (Hull, Que.) Toledo (Tigers)
Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).
Week VIII _ RHP Curtis Taylor (Coquitlam, BC) Montgomery (Rays)
Week IX _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres)
Week X _ 3B Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Longueuil, Que,) Buise Creek (Astros) and 2B Charles Leblanc (Lavall, Que.) Down East Wood (Rangers).
Week XI _ C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) Hillsboro (Diamondbacks).
Week XII _ LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) Hartford (Rockies).
Week XIII _ OF Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Que.) Williamsport (Philies)
Week XIV _ OF Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) Vancouver (Blue Jays)
Week XV _ INF Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) Lakeland (Tigers)
Week XVI _ OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Memphis (Cards)
Week XVII _ OF Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Greensboro (Marlins)
Week XVIII _ RHP RJ Freure (Burlington, Ont.) Tri Cities (Astros)
Week XIX _ 3B Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que,) Corpus Christi (Astros).
Week XX _ INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) Abderdeen (Orioles).