COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Former Golden Eagle slugger A.J. Kirby-Jones has earned accolades as the NWL Player of the Week after batting .391 and bringing in nine runs total on the week for the Vancouver Canadians, class-A affiliate of the Oakland A’s, who drafted Kirby-Jones in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
He launched five long balls, including his first professional grand slam on July 26 to contribute to a 10-3 victory over Eugene on the road. He went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk on the day, batting .300 as the Canadians swept the three-game series.
Kirby-Jones followed up with his first career multi-home run game on July 31st when he went yard twice at Boise in a 5-4 loss in 12 innings. He went 3-for-4 with two homers and two walks, slugging an outstanding 2.250 with a .750 average on the day, earning a .833 on-base percentage.
Thus far in his professional career, Kirby-Jones has played in all 44 of the Canadians games this summer, making 146 total plate appearances and maintaining a .247 batting average. He has 36 hits - including five doubles and eight home runs - 35 walks and has notched 20 RBI this season, rounding the bases 24 times himself.
Kirby-Jones, who plays first base for Vancouver, becomes the second Canadian offensive player to win the weekly honor (3B Tony Thompson) and the fifth C's player overall this season to win a NWL award (RHP Ryan Doolittle, RHP Deyvi Jimenez and RHP Matt Thomson).
The Canadians went 6-1 (.857) during the week that Kirby-Jones was considered for this award.
