Canadian Collegiate - Players of the Week
March 9, 2021
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PBR Canada Collegiate Performers of the Week
Every week, we'll highlight one hitter and one pitcher to be our PBR Canada Collegiate Players of the Week which is powered by Mizuno. This is the fourth week and really full of outstanding performances as the D1 season kicked off and Canadians were all over the box scores.
The decisions are going to get tougher and tougher every week, but there is no denying these two players in week 5 of our Canadian Collegiate Performer of the Week.
THE OFFENSIVE SIDE
Hitter of the Week
Jacob Ervin, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
Background: Ervin was one of two Ontario Blue Jays from Ontario’s Class of 2018 to commit to NEO, alongside teammate Tyler Small, and the pair have dominated at the plate since arriving on campus. NEO is now 10-2 on the season and Ervin’s offensive impact has been significant to the hot start for the Norsemen as he leads the team in home runs and is currently slashing .357/.396/.714. Ervin was no stranger to the long ball and hit some towering homeruns while in high school as the power has always been in play with the right-handed stick from Ervin. The Mississauga native should draw significant interest from four-year programs.
Performance: The first and final games of a three game set against Arkansas Baptist propelled Ervin to Canadian College Hitter of the Week. On Friday night Ervin blasted two home runs, going 2-for-5 with a sac fly, two runs scored and five RBI. On Saturday evening he didn’t go deep but he shot the gaps for three doubles, going 4-for-5 with four runs, three RBI and a walk.
STAT LINE: 3 GP... 7-for-14, 2 HR, 3 2B, 7 R, 8 RBI, 1 BB
ON THE MOUND
Pitcher of the Week
Brandon Deans, Oakland University
Background: Deans, another Ontario Blue Jays alumni, is a right-hander that we became very familiar with prior to joining Oakland University in the fall of 2019. Deans has attended multiple ProCase’s and several other events, and it seemed he continued to get better each time out. Deans, a true sophomore, has already pitched more innings than he did in 2020 and over 14 innings he’s struck out 13 with an ERA of 0.64. It was a quick arm in high school with developing stuff and secondary that seemed to get better every year.
Performance: Saturday night was Deans longest outing of the year and he went seven strong innings for the Grizzlies as they took on Dayton. He racked up ten punchouts along the way while allowing three walks, four hits and no earned runs in a 2-1 victory. The Mississauga native entered the game with a 1.29 ERA and trickled it down to a mere 0.64.
STAT LINE: W, 7.0 IP, 0 ER (1 R), 10 K, 4 H, 3 BB
