Former Stompers slugger a Can-Am champ Former Stompersslugger a Can-Am champ

Sonoma’s loss became Canada’s gain this summer, as former Stompers slugger Joel Carranza - a hugely prolific and popular player in the Pacific Association in 2014, and much of 2015 - helped push his new team, the Trois-Rivieres Aigles, to the franchise’s first-ever championship. The Aigles clinched the title in game five of the Canadian-American league championship series, concluding last Sunday, Sept. 20, in New Jersey. In the game, the Aigles beat the New Jersey Jackals 2-1, clinching a fierce championship run in which Carranza, with his prodigious batsmanship, played a clear and integral part.

Though Carranza was only promoted to the Canadian-American league in July – leaving the Stompers in mid-season he quickly established himself as a key acquisition for the Aigles, hitting .260 in 38 games, 10 of those games taking place in the post-season. Since joining the team, Carranza has hit five home runs and five doubles, scored 20 RBIs, and earned an OPS of .795.

While with the Stompers, Carranza, originally from Pembrooke Pines, Florida, set the Pacific Association league’s inaugural home run record in 2014, with a whopping 19 homers.

In the first half of 2015, he established himself as a pitcher-proof presence in the batter’s box, stitching together one of the most impressive individual seasons in the league. Carranza was a formidable force in the Stompers’ first-half championship run, helping his team snag the first-half title by an impressive 7-1/2 games.

His departure from the Stompers in July was a blow for the local team, but a welcome change for the Aigles.

Though Carranza was hitless in the final game of the championship, going 0 for 4, his previous performance throughout the series was nothing short of stellar, making the one-time Stomper a valuable member of the team, and a definite new star within the CanAm league.