News: Welland’s Sam Cawker Named IBL Rookie of the Year

The Intercounty Baseball League on Friday announced that Sam Cawker of the Welland Jackfish has been named IBL Rookie of the Year and the recipient of the Brian Kerr Memorial Trophy.

The award is presented annually to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the IBL as determined in a vote of IBL directors. Brian Kerr was a former player with the Waterloo Tigers in the 1940’s. In 1964 he managed the Kitchener Panthers.

Jakob Newton of London finished second, followed by Barrie’s Owen Jansen.

Cawker recorded a .348 average with 13 doubles and 5 home runs. Appearing in 36 games with the Jackfish, the Courtice, Ontario native also recorded 38 RBI and 282 put-outs as a catcher.

IBL Rookie of the Year Winners
2022 Sam Cawker, Welland Jackfish
2021 Hayden Jaco, London Majors
2019 Brendan Dadson, Welland Jackfish
2018 Garret Takamatsu, Toronto
2017 Zac Orchard, Toronto
2016 Connor Morro, Barrie
2015 Adam Odd, Burlington
2014 Chandler McLaren, Guelph
2013 Tanner Nivins, Kitchener
2012 Clay Caufield, Toronto
2011 Shaun Valeriote, Kitchener
2010 Andy St. Gelais, London
2009 Marcus Knecht, Oshawa
2008 Randy Schwartz, Barrie
2007 Lee Witmer, Kitchener
2006 Rudy Vallejos, London
2005 Ryan Asis, Guelph
2004 T.J. Shimizu, Brantford
2003 Harpreet Padda, Kitchener
2002 Brad Grievison, Barrie
2001 Cameron Newitt, Toronto
2000 John Ogiltree, Guelph
1999 Chad Ertel, Toronto
1998 Brad Drew, Guelph
1997 Matt Stockman, Toronto
1996 Dominic Campeau, Toronto
1995 Jason Gooding, Brantford
1994 Todd Schell, Stratford
1993 Dean Castelli, Hamilton
1992 Todd Hlushko, Guelph
1991 Rob Nixon, Toronto
1990 Rick Ross, St. Thomas
1989 Clark Austin, Guelph
1988 Richard Thompson, London
1987 Mike Dorrington, Brantford
1986 Martin Cauchon, St. Thomas
1985 Randy Curran, Kitchener
1984 Paul Kirkpatrick, Toronto
1983 Paul Fulton, Stratford
1982 Scott Mann, Cambridge
1981 Mike Holgate, Windsor
1980 Joe Ivan, Windsor
1979 Paul McKeegan, Toronto
1978 John Gourley, London
1977 Bruno Jurgaitis, Toronto
1976 Craig Kennedy, Brantford
1975 Jamie Corke, Brantford
1974 Phil Schmidt, London
1973 Bill Carey, Guelph
1972 Terry Holbrook, London
1971 John Osborne, Toronto

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