Wareham Gatemen
Manager: Cooper Farris
2010 Record: 19-24-1
Wareham seems to get hit hard by Team USA and other defections every year, and they’re a prime example that the juggling that a lot of teams have to do doesn’t always work out.
But the Gatemen have once again assembled a good looking crop of players. Now they’ll just hope.
Wareham will be led by five returnees, among them Max Muncy, who could be the top returning hitter from 2010. Pitchers Josh Urban and Joe Flynn are also expected back, along with two big hitters from UConn in Jon Andreoli and Lee Mazzilli, Jr. Mazzilli, for one, has turned into a star this spring.
The rest of the roster is dotted with big-time prospects, small-school standouts and plenty of guys in between. The pitching rotation could turn out to be a strength if top-flight starters Justin Amlung and Matthew Grimes pitch well. The lineup might shape up nicely as well, with Muncy, Daniel Palka and William Carmona looking like a very strong middle.
From there, the Gatemen will need some players who struggled this year to step up. And they’ll probably have to do some juggling, though they don’t yet have a Team USA invitee.
They’ll be hoping that this year, it all works out.
Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 3
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 9
Notable
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Max Muncy
2. Lee Mazzilli, Jr.
3. Matthew Grimes
4. William Carmona
4. Daniel Palka
Pitchers
Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175 – Louisville – Sophomore
Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185 – Arkansas – Freshman
Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170 – Michigan – Sophomore
Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210 – Northwestern – Sophomore
Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175 – UConn – Sophomore
Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216 – Louisville – Freshman
*Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185 – Baylor – Freshman
Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185 – Maine – Sophomore
Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195 – Harvard – Junior
Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
*Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220 – Texas – Sophomore
Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180 – Arizona – Freshman
Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175
Louisville
Sophomore
Amlung didn’t have much hype coming into the year and wasn’t even on the Wareham roster when the college season started. But from day one, Amlung was dominant. He finished the year 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 105 innings of work. He was a first-team All-Big East selection.
Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185
Arkansas
Freshman
Astin arrived in Arkansas and became a key part of the bullpen right off the bat. He ended up leading the team in appearances with 27, and his numbers were good. He had a 2.72 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.
Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170
Michigan
Sophomore
After a redshirt year in 2009, Brosnahan was pretty good in his debut, putting up a 4.38 ERA last season. This year, Brosnahan struggled, going 1-9 with a 7.82 ERA.
Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210
Northwestern
Sophomore
The son of former Red Sox pitching coach and current Blue Jays manager John Farrell, Luke is coming off a strong sophomore season with the Wildcats. After struggling last year, he went 6-3 this year with a 3.33 ERA. In 81 innings, he struck out 65.
Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175
UConn
Sophomore
Feehan has been a big part of the Husky bullpen since last year. This season, he has put up a 2.36 ERA in a team-best 26 appearances. He has struck out 22.
Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216
Louisville
Freshman
After limited innings as a freshman, Flett became a valuable reliever for Louisville this spring. He made 18 appearances and finished with an ERA of 2.82 to go with 16 strikeouts.
Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210
Franklin Pierce
Sophomore
A native of Plymouth and a high school star, Flynn was solid as a freshman then put up a 2.13 ERA for Wareham last summer. This spring, he went 2-2 with a 3.45 ERA.
Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Grimes was a fourth-round pick of the White Sox last year, but stuck with Georgia Tech and immediately put himself into the weekend rotation. He finished his freshman year with a 7-4 record, a 4.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 73.2 innings.
Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185
Baylor
Freshman
A 49th-rounder out of high school, Newman was strong out of the pen for Baylor this spring. He finished 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA and 17 strikeouts.
Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185
Maine
Sophomore
Perakslis hails from Abington, Mass., and was slated to come to Wareham last year but never made it. He’ll be back this year, and he’ll be coming off a big spring. Perakslis went 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 55 strikeouts.
Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195
Harvard
Junior
Suter was a first-team All-Ivy performer last year when he went 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA. His ERA climbed to 5.26 this season, but he still struck out almost a batter an inning.
Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185
Baylor
Sophomore
After pitching mostly in relief last season, Turley became a starter this year and had a lot of success. He ended up 4-5 with a 3.39 ERA. He was second on the team with 95.2 innings pitched and struck out 63.
Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220
Texas
Sophomore
Urban got very limited action with the Longhorns then came to the Cape and got a chance to start for the Gatemen. He struggled, though, and finished with an ERA above five. This year, Urban has been a key in the Longhorns’ bullpen. In 13 games, he’s posted a 3.65 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 17 innings of work.
Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180
Arizona
Freshman
A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Wade was a 35th-round pick of the hometown Diamondbacks but still stuck with his commitment to Arizona. With the Wildcats, he delivered a good first season. He made 17 appearances with eight starts and posted a 3.21 ERA.
Position Players
*John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210 – UConn – Junior
C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165 – Mississippi State – Freshman
William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185 – Michigan – Sophomore
Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
*Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185 – UConn – Sophomore
*Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190 – Baylor – Sophomore
Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180 – Harvard – Junior
Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225 – LSU – Freshman
Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215 – Texas – Sophomore
John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210
UConn
Junior
After batting .362 as a sophomore, Andreoli hit .244 in 19 games with Wareham last summer and .240 in 11 games for Brewster. This year, he has helped UConn to a super regional by hitting .319 with 31 RBI. He was also just drafted in the 17th round.
C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165
Mississippi State
Freshman
Bradford was a 48th-round pick out of high school and has delivered a strong showing in his freshman year with the Bulldogs. He’s hitting .309 with 12 doubles and has also nabbed 11 bases.
William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225
Stony Brook
Sophomore
The Stony Brook program is getting more and more players on Cape League rosters, and Carmona looks like one of its best. The America East Rookie of the Year last season, Carmona continued to shine this year, hitting .357 with six homers, 27 doubles and 40 RBI. He slugged .585 and was named America East Player of the Year.
Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185
Michigan
Sophomore
Dennis was a 10th-round pick out of high school so he came to Ann Arbor with some hype. After hitting .267 as a freshman, he came to Wareham and struggled, finishing with a .178 average. This spring, his bat was off again, as Dennis hit just .216.
Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Like his teammate Grimes, Hyde made a big impact for Tech as a freshman. He started every game and hit .275 with four homers and 47 RBI. Hyde was a 44th-round pick last year.
Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185
UConn
Sophomore
Mazzilli is another Husky who is expected back for a second summer in Wareham. He hit .207 in 26 games last summer. This spring, he has turned into the player everyone thought he would be. He’s hitting .346 with three homers, 23 doubles and 32 RBI. He has also stolen 11 bases.
Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190
Baylor
Sophomore
Muncy had a big freshman season for the Bears, hitting .300 with 11 homers. On the Cape last summer, Muncy hit .244 but led the Gatemen with 14 extra-base hits. This year, he picked up where he left off in Waco, hitting a team-best .322 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.
Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190
Georgia Tech
Freshman
A 19th-round pick out of high school, Palka flashed as much power as anybody in a Tech uniform this spring. He finished with a .297 average, 12 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI. The 12 home runs tied him for fourth in the ACC. Listed as a two-way player, Palka didn’t pitch at all this spring.
Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205
Arizona
Sophomore
Refsnyder was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a freshman and followed that up with an impressive sophomore season. He finished at .320 with six home runs, 13 doubles, six triples and a team-best 55 RBI. He also stole nine bases.
Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180
Harvard
Junior
A first-team all-Ivy League selection, Reynolds was Harvard’s best hitter this spring. He finished with a .301 average, two home runs and 19 RBI.
Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225
LSU
Freshman
A 46th-round pick out of high school, Ross immediately grabbed the starting catcher’s job at LSU. He had his struggles at the plate, though, finishing at .223 with one home run.
Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205
Georgia Tech
Sophomore
Thomas was a late-round pick out of high school and played as a reserve for Tech in his freshman year. Getting a bigger chance in the Florida Collegiate League last summer, Thomas shined and was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. This spring, he hit .307 with three home runs and also stole 19 bases.
Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215
Texas
Sophomore
Walsh hit .273 in a reserve role last year. This season, he’s gotten more playing time and has hit .257 with two homers and 16 doubles.