OTTAWA-‘Down on the Farm’ is a regular feature on Baseball.ca that highlights Canadian’s in the minor leagues. This week we profile 3 veteran National Team players having solid seasons in the minors.
First, some news on National Team alum Dustin Molleken (Regina, SK) who is leaving North America to play for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League. Molleken was a member of the Pan Am Games gold medal club in 2011 and spent all of this season with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox (Rockies affiliate) in Triple A where he compiled a 3-0 record with 1 save and 36 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Molleken is expected to arrive in Japan this week to begin play with his new club.
Shawn Hill - (Georgetown, ON) Las Vegas 51’s (Blue Jays) Triple-A
This veteran right-hander found himself back in affiliated baseball after opening the season with the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League. Hill started five games with the Revolution and had a 2-0 record with a 2.43 ERA before the Jays signed him to a minor league contract in late June after the injury bug hit Toronto’s pitching staff. Pitching in the hitter friendly Pacific Coast League, Hill has impressed in five starts as he has a 3-0 record and a very respectable 3.66 ERA for the 51’s. Hill was a key member of the 2011 Pan Am gold medal team as he picked-up the win in a semi-final victory over host Mexico. Hill is looking to get back to the big-leagues for the first time since 2010 when he was also a member of the Blue Jays organization.
Adam Loewen – (Surrey, BC) Buffalo Bisons (Mets) Triple-A
Loewen signed with the Mets in the off-season after returning to the big-leagues as a position player in 2011 with the Blue Jays. Loewen’s season did not get off to a good start as he was sent to Triple-A after Spring Training and broke his right foot on April 20th in Syracuse. After rehabbing the injury for over two months Loewen returned to action at High-A Port St. Lucie where he hit .286 in four games before being promoted back to Buffalo. In 10 games with the Bisons, Loewen has been on fire as he’s belted five home runs including a string of three in three consecutive games, while hitting .311 with twelve RBIs. Loewen spent three seasons with the Junior National Team (2000-2002), pitched in the WBC in 2006 and played as an outfielder in the 2009 World Cup and 2010 Pan Am Games Qualification tournament.
Jimmy Van Ostrand – (Richmond, BC) Harrisburg Senators (Nationals) Double-A
Similar to Hill, Van Ostrand started the season in independent ball after being released by the Houston Astros during Spring Training. Playing with the Sugar Land Skeeters in the Atlantic League, Van Ostrand hit .368 with 3 home runs and 20 RBIs in 27 games which was enough for the Washington Nationals to sign the first baseman to a minor league deal. Assigned to Double-A Harrisburg, Van Ostrand has shown the Nationals that they made a good decision by hitting .333 with 6 home runs and 15 RBIs in 40 games. A long-time member of the National Team, Van Ostrand came up huge for Canada last October at the Pan Am Games as his single against Team USA in the gold medal game scored two runs to give Canada a lead they would not relinquish en route to capturing gold!
To keep track of all Canadians playing baseball in the minor leagues this season check out their stats courtesy of the Canadian Baseball Network:
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