HarbourCanucks Corner - 10-day contract edition

Normally our HarbourCanucks Corner blog post features the Canadians who have been signed to full-season contracts, but this update focuses on the five Canucks who have been signed to 10-day contracts. While it’s unclear how long these guys will spend with the HarbourCats this summer, they will likely play an important role in the early going.

Darren Honeysett has been the regular centre fielder for Monterey Peninsula College, but the versatile Canadian has also seen time in left field, first base and even the second sack. The sophomore from Port Coquitlam is hitting .279 with no homers and 15 RBI in 104 at-bats for the Lobos (not to be confused with the University of New Mexico Lobos). Honeysett has shown good strike-zone judgement and he sports a tidy .389 on-base percentage. Perhaps his most impressive statistic so far is his team-leading 10 stolen bases in only 11 attempts.

Nanaimo’s Alex Rogers has been the top starter in the Trinidad State Junior College (Colorado) rotation so far this season. The freshman pitcher has reeled off four good starts in a row and now holds a 2.78 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 45 ⅓ innings pitched. Rogers hasn't struck out very many guys (5.0 K/9), but he has shown excellent control (2.0 BB/9) for the Trojans.

Victoria Eagles product Eric Hegadoren has been hampered by injuries this spring with the College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita, California). The 6’ 10” freshman got into his second game of the season this week, and he has walked three and struck out three in 1 ⅓ scoreless innings on the hill.

Former Victoria Mariner Matt Bryan has been the regular left fielder at Treasure Valley Community College (Ontario, Oregon) this spring. The sophomore is hitting .209 with no homers and 7 RBI in 43 at-bats, but Bryan has shown a keen batting eye and has an excellent .407 on-base percentage. He has also played error-free baseball in the 16 games in which he has appeared.

Mike Gershman has posted a 5.40 ERA in 25 innings pitched as a junior at Valley City State University. Gershman has been hit relatively hard, but he has shown excellent control. The versatile Manitoban has also hit .260 with two homers and 14 RBI in 73 at-bats.

HarbourCatNip

Jordan Smith

• Jordan Smith has been hired as the new voice of the Victoria HarbourCats. Smith has been the play-by-play man for the Victoria Cougars junior hockey team for the past four years and he was also the PA announcer for UVic basketball games this season. You can follow him on Twitter at @VicPlayByPlay.
• Griffin Andreychuk registered a four-hit game on March 29th and has managed to raise his batting average from .160 to .263 over the last couple of weeks. Andreychuk is back to being the team’s starting shortstop, but unfortunately his fielding remains inconsistent (.881 fielding percentage in 20 games).
• Former Victoria Eagle Brandon Feldman made his first two starts of the season in late March and only gave up one earned run in 9 innings pitched. He now has a sparkling 0.82 ERA with 10 strikeouts and 5 walks in 11 innings on the hill this season. Feldman, who can also play in the outfield and both corner infield positions, hasn't made any plate appearances since March 16th and is hitting .167 in 24 at-bats.
• Kelly Norris Jones has been limited to one at-bat since March 22nd, a double on Friday. He’s hitting .190 in only 21 at-bats this season. The Fighting Illini’s starting catcher (Jason Goldstein) is leading the team in hitting, so it has been tough for Norris-Jones to get any playing time.
• Seattle U’s Will Dennis had an outing for the ages on Saturday afternoon, especially considering the fact that he has been used exclusively as a short reliever this year. The lefty sidearmer entered the game with a couple of runners on in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Redhawks knotted in a 3-3 tie with Sacramento State. Not only did he induce an inning-ending double play, but Dennis went on to pitch EIGHT outstanding innings of relief. Unfortunately, he eventually gave up a run in the bottom of the 15th to take the loss. His line for the day? A slick 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K. Remarkably, Dennis only needed 64 pitches to get through those eight innings. Opponents are hitting a feeble .215 against him this season.
• In spite of hitting .356 on the season, freshman Hunter Mercado-Hood hasn't been able to claim much playing time of late. In the last two weeks, Mercado-Hood has been relegated to pinch-hit and DH duties and has gone two-for-six with an RBI. His on-base percentage is .457 in 59 at-bats this season.
• Sophomore infielder Bryce Greager has received four starts at DH over the last couple of weeks for the University of Nevada, going 3-for-14 in that span. He is now hitting .243 in 37 at-bats, but he has a respectable .333 on-base percentage.