Rijo Earns 1st Team All-Canadian Team Infield
First base _ Ryan Rijo (Barrie, Ont.) New Mexico JC Thunderbirds
He hit .386 with 14 doubles and 20 homers -- seventh most among JUCO sluggers. He drove in 59 runs with a 1.346 OPS in 52 games. He was the only Canuck to hit 20 homers.
Rijo had two-hit games against GateWay, Yavapai (RBI); Southern Nevada (RBI); Southwest (RBI); Southwest (two doubles); Navarro (solo homer); Weatherford (RBI); New Mexico Military (double, solo homer); Frank Phillips (RBI double) and Temple (solo homer).
He also had three-hit outings facing Eastern New Mexico (two doubles, four RBIs) Odessa (solo homer); Odessa (double, two RBIs); El Paso (two doubles, homer, two RBIs); Midland (homer, two doubles); Frank Phillips (two homers, three RBIs; Howard (two homers, four RBIs). Plus, a four-hit game against Midland (double, homer, four RBIs) helping him earn Western Junior College Conference all-star honours.
Rijo, who played for the Ontario Blue Jays and coach Mike Steed, earned Canadian Baseball Network First Team honours in 2017.