2022 Ontario Blue Jays Awards!
**Award Winners are voted by our Ontario Blue Jays Staff**
COLLEGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – DAVID MCCABE
David led the Charlotte 49ers with a .386 Batting Average. He also added 16 home runs (2nd) in addition to his team leading .513 OBP and .784 slugging percentage. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 4th Round (125th pick) following his outstanding season with the 49ers.
PROFESSIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR – BO NAYLOR
Bo started the year with Cleveland's AA affiliate, the Akron RubberDucks. During his time there, Naylor put up a .271 Batting Average with 6 home runs and 21 RBIs in 52 games. Bo was promoted to the AAA affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. Since joining the club, he has been red-hot, slugging .476 with a .375 OBP and 7 home runs in just 40 games.
JASON FREEMAN MEMORIAL AWARD – THOMAS REILLY
This award is given to the player who, in the face of adversity, excels in overcoming it to ultimately succeed at their goal. Thomas did exactly that. Having to leap over some tough hurdles around the time COVID-19 hit. Thomas did an outstanding job pushing through and putting together an outstanding season on top of that.
MVP – BRENDAN LAWSON
Lawson had an outstanding season which helped propel the 16U Red team to a Perfect Game Championship. His offensive presence in the middle of the order impacted the team in many ways, not only with his performance but affecting the way hitters around him were thrown. Lawson exhibits great leadership qualities on and off the field, earning him respect from coaching staff and players. Brendan’s offensive stats speak for themselves. Batting Average .387, OPS 1.340, with 8 Home Runs and 54 RBI’s in 46 games.
16U Red Hitting Coach Brandon Dhue says, “Lawson is the best bat in the Country, and I think this year was his coming out party. Personally, I think his defence is overshadowed by his bat. His offence is so loud, people tend to forget how special the glove is. He got better each day of the season. I believe he learned more about his own swing as he started teaching the people around him. He is a remarkable talent that can slide into the top of any batting order.”
PITCHER OF THE YEAR – MAKAIO CISNEROS
Cisneros put together an outstanding season on the mound for the 16U White OBJ team, including winning the CPBL Playoff Championship. Makaio finished the season with a 1.96 ERA to go along with 73 Strikeouts over 51.1 innings.
Pitching coach Darren Shred had this to say about Cisneros’ season, “There isn’t much more you can ask for from a front end starter in your rotation. Cis was aggressive all season, attacking hitters and showing why he’s one of the best arms in his class. I can’t wait to see what next season has in store for him. He's a hard worker and passionate about his craft. Cis is a great addition to any pitching staff he’s a part of.”
COACH OF THE YEAR – STAN WILSON
Coach Stan led the OBJ 16U White squad to a league best .700 Winning Percentage, ending the season 14-5 during league play. Not only did they finish the regular season with an outstanding record, but went on to win the CPBL Championship. Stan is a tremendous leader not only on the field, but off the field as well.
President Corey Eckstein on Stan Wilson,
“Stan has been a proven winner in the OBA for years. It is no surprise he helped lead this group of young men to victory at the 16U CPBL Championships this year. They also had a great run at this year's PG BCS National Championship, earning themselves a spot in the final round of 32. Stan is very organized, competitive, and has a special demeanour in the dugout which gets the most out of his players. I enjoyed sitting back and watching him lead his staff and players to victory all year. Job well done!”
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR – FRANCIS CUBOS
This year, the Ontario Blue Jays are announcing a brand-new award, “The Employee of the Year”. This award recognizes outstanding efforts and over the top achievements by a staff member. Whether that be on the field, off the field, or both.
President Corey Eckstein had this to say on Cubos, “It’s important to recognize the selfless work ethic, which sometimes doesn’t get the recognition it deserves inside our walls. Cubos has gone above and beyond for me, the OBJ franchise and its family. From organizing all our rental groups to taking a lead role in our newly developed Sandlot Sluggers Program. I am proud of his efforts, and he deserves to be the first recipient of this award in 2022.”
Congratulations to all our 2022 Award Winners and everyone who was a part of our outstanding 2022 seasons!