Elliott: Hicks, Pinkney, Hartman, Poturnak, Rienguette enjoying Draft League -- Update

Former Toronto Met Connor Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) leads the MLB Draft League in hitting with the West Virginia Black Bears.

June 25, 2025

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Well, if there was any doubt, the West Virginia Black Bears are Canada’s team in the MLB Draft league.

Especially since the Junior National Team vacated the league after playing a five-game partial schedule, of course.

The Black Bears have the most Canucks of any of the six teams with Connor Hicks of the Southeastern Fire, University of British Columbia Thunderbirds Jonny McGill and Scott Rienguette from Kansas State Wildcats.

DH Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) leads the way -- and the whole league -- with a .481 average (13-for-27) in nine games with seven doubles, two homers, 10 RBIs and a 1.574 OPS in nine games.

RF McGill (Richmond, BC) is hitting .280 (14-for-50) with three doubles, a triple, seven RBIs and a .780 OPS.

RHP Rienguette (Sudbury, Ont.) has a 3.00 ERA in four games, walking one and striking out five in six innings.

Elsewhere around the league ...

Terriers alum Hugh Pinkney (Etobicoke, Ont.) is batting .317 for State College.

With the State College Spikes

Former Terriers’ DH Hugh Pinkney, from the Tulane Green Wave, is batting .317 (13-for-41). Pinkney (Etobicoke, Ont.) has three doubles, two homers, nine RBIs and a .852 OPS in 12 games.

RF Caden Shapiro, former Toronto Met and Princeton Tiger, is also with the Spikes. The son of Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro is hitting .129 (4-for-31) with two homers, seven RBIs and a .437 OPS in 10 games.

Williamsport Crosscutters

1B Taeg Gollert of the Missouri State Bears owns a .293 average (12-for-41). Gollert (Etobicoke, Ont.) has three doubles, a homer, eight RBIs and .892 OPS in 14 games.

Former Okotoks Dawgs OF Max Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.)

Mahoning Valley Scrappers

RF Max Hartman, from the Washington State Cougars, owns a .300 mark (9-for-30). Hartman (St. Albert, Alta.) has a double, three RBIs and a .783 OPS. in 10 games.

Trenton Thunder

3B Jakob Poturnak (Vancouver, BC) from the Sacramento State Hornets is one of two Thunder. He is hitting .333 (20-for-60) with two doubles, two triples, a home run, 20 RBIs and an .831 OPS.

Kai Fyke (Langley, BC) of the Central Arizona Vaqueros is on the Thunder’s roster.