‘In the Minors’ is a regular feature on Baseball.ca that will highlight Canadian’s in the minor leagues during the 2011 season.
In this edition of In the Minors, we feature a player who realized his MLB dream last week, two players who represented Canada at the 2010 Pan Am Games Qualifier, and one player just starting out his professional career.
Rene Tosoni (Port Coquitlam, BC) – Minnesota Twins (MLB)
Tosoni should not be eligible for this list as he made his MLB debut with the Twins last week. However, it is worth noting his strong month of April with Rochester (AAA), which had a lot to do with the call-up. Hitting safely in nine out of his last ten games with Rochester, Tosoni also carried a .286 batting average along with 3 homeruns and 16 RBI. The 36th round draft choice of the Twins in 2005 picked up a single in his first MLB at-bat and has three hits through his first five games played in the big leagues.
Jamie Romak (London, ON) – Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
The reigning Senior National Team MVP is in his second season with the Naturals, an affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Romak has spent parts of three seasons at the AA level and will look to jump a level with a strong showing with Northwest Arkansas. Seeing action at both first and third base, the versatile Romak can also play the outfield as he did with the National Team at last October’s Pan Am Games Qualifier. Romak has clubbed 3 homeruns on the season while hitting .269 with 13 RBI.
Trystan Magnuson (Vancouver, BC) – Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
Magnuson is adjusting to life with a new organization, after the right-hander was dealt to the Oakland Athletics during the off-season. A first round selection by the Toronto Blue Jays, out the University of Louisville in 2007, Magnuson is in his first season at the AAA level. Coming out of the bullpen, Magnuson has pitched in 9 games and only given up 7 hits and 3 runs. He has also kept batters to a .156 average and struck out 15 in 13 and 1/3 innings. With his strong start, hopefully Magnuson’s MLB debut will not be far away.
Nathan Forer (Brampton, ON) – Charleston RiverDogs (A)
Fresh off being selected by the New York Yankees in the 46th round of the 2010 MLB, Forer is spending his first full season in professional baseball. The product of Southern Illinois University quickly signed with the Yankees after the draft and spent last summer at Short Season Staten Island where he carried 1.99 ERA through 22 innings pitched. This season, Forer has seen time in the closers role as he’s picked up 2 saves to go along with a 1-2 win-loss record through eight appearances.
