Author: Will Geoghegan

Team USA announced its second round of invites for the national team trials, and of the 14 players announced, 11 are on Cape League rosters.

Tommy Medica – C – Santa Clara – So. – Harwich
Ryan Berry – RHP – Rice – So. – Bourne
Dustin Ackley – OF/1B – North Carolina – So. – Harwich
Ryan Jackson – SS – Miami – So. – Hyannis
Ryan Ortiz – C – Oregon State – So. – Yarmouth-Dennis
Josh Phegley – C – Indiana – So. – Wareham
Kyle Seager – 2B – North Carolina – So. – Chatham
Kendal Volz – RHP – Baylor – So. – Wareham
Derek Dietrich – SS – Georgia Tech – Fr. – Wareham
Drew Pomeranz – LHP – Ole Miss – Fr. – Bourne
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – Oregon St. – Fr. – Yarmouth-Dennis

This round hits Wareham pretty hard and also takes a big bite out of Bourne’s pitching staff. Ortiz and Phegley were in line to be the top two catchers on the Cape, while Dietrich looked poised to be one of the top freshmen.

Six more players will be invited to the trials for a total of 32. Only 22 will make the team, so some of these players will end up on the Cape.

YARMOUTH-DENNIS RED SOX
Manager: Scott Pickler
Last Season: 31-12-1

Will the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox be able to turn in a repeat performance?

Probably not.

It’s not that the Red Sox don’t look solid. They could very well make a run to their third consecutive Cape League championship. It’s just that, if they do, they probably won’t do it in the same fashion as they did last year.

It was a once-in-a-decade kind of season. They won 31 games in the regular season, two shy of the Cape League record. They hit a ridiculous .278 with an equally-ridiculous 41 home runs. They steamrolled to their second consecutive championship, and it was really never in doubt. With that kind of offense – Buster Posey and Gordon Beckham may end up being top 10 picks – no one was going to stop them.

As for this year, they look a little easier to stop, at least on paper. They return only two players – two who might have returned, Grant Green and Diego Seastrunk, are on other Cape League teams – and they’ll be relying heavily on freshmen, both in the rotation and in the lineup.

But by the look of things, there is some serious potential. Jerry Sullivan may turn into one of the top pitchers on the Cape, and the rest of the staff is peppered by players who have been highly-touted prospects in the past. It’s a similar story in the field, where returnee Sean Ochinko heads a talented group that includes three dynamic freshmen and two catchers who should be among the best in the league at their position.

And that potential will mean a lot in Y-D. The Red Sox have figured something out the last two years and have gotten talented players to buy into the importance of team success. In a league that showcases individuals, that’s an impressive feat, and if it works again, the Red Sox will once again be a team to be reckoned with.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 2
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 12
Freshmen: 10

Notable

• Jerry Sullivan flew under the radar a little bit last summer, partly because he only pitched in four games. But Sullivan was a major prospect out of high school and would have been a very high pick if not for an arm injury that led to Tommy John surgery. He has worked his way back, though, and has been great for Oral Roberts. I’d expect him to be great this summer, too.
• As for the rest of Y-D’s pitching staff, manager Scott Pickler better be well-versed in their injury history: six of Y-D’s 14 pitchers have had arm trouble in recent years. You can bet the Red Sox have explicit instructions to be careful with certain arms.
• One of the players in that group is Erik Goeddel, who was considered one of the top five high school pitchers in the nation last year. But an arm injury hurt his draft stock, and he has since missed the entire season at UCLA. If he does end up pitching for Y-D, he will most likely be taking it slow.
• In Western Carolina’s Chris Masters, Oregon State’s Kevin Rhoderick, Baylor’s Craig Fritsch and Georgia’s Dean Weaver, the Red Sox have four pitchers who have been lights-out in relief roles this spring.
• With UC-Riverside closer Joe Kelly mixed in, the Red Sox could have a dynamic bullpen. Kelly has struggled this year while battling injury, but last summer, he pitched for Team USA.
• At the moment, Y-D only has nine hitters on the roster, but with only 23 players total, they will certainly be adding some people.
• Oregon State’s Ryan Ortiz and Boston College’s Tony Sanchez will be battling it out for the starting catcher’s job, but whoever doesn’t get it will probably still see a lot of time. Both have hit for average and power this year.
• Sean Ochinko was probably the top freshman hitter on the Cape last year, but he has had a rough go of it this spring. Based on the numbers he put up last year, he’s too good a hitter to keep struggling.
• Arkansas’ Andy Wilkins has the profile of a freshman who could really stand out. He has big credentials and he’s put up the production to match this year, with eight home runs and a .331 batting average.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Jerry Sullivan
2. Sean Ochinko
3. Anthony Ranaudo
4. Erik Goeddel
5. Ryan Ortiz

Pitchers
Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220 – Stetson – Sophomore
Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185 – Baylor – Freshman
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180 – UCLA – Freshman
Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230 – Kennesaw State – Freshman
Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190 – Oregon State – Freshman
Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225 – LSU – Freshman
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192 – Oregon State – Freshman
*Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175 – Pacific – Freshman
Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205 – Georgia – Sophomore
* returning player

Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220
Stetson
Sophomore
Donovan was a 35th-round pick out of high school and posted a 3.93 ERA as a freshman at Stetson. This year, his ERA ballooned to 6.12, though he did lead the team in strikeouts with 56 in 64.2 innings.

Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185
Baylor
Freshman
Fritsch redshirted last season but still made a splash in the Northwoods League last summer, putting up a 2.21 ERA. That earned him the No. 4 spot on Baseball America’s list of top Northwoods League prospects. Fritsch has pitched mostly out of the bullpen this year for Baylor and has a 3.75 ERA in 18 appearances.

Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180
UCLA
Freshman
Goeddel was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 high school player in the class of 2007, but an elbow injury forced him to miss time his senior year and sent his draft stock way down. As a result, he enrolled at UCLA, but hasn’t pitched at all this year, again because of injury. It’ll be interesting to see what the plan is for Goeddel this summer and whether he’s healthy enough to make it to Y-D.

Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230
Kennesaw State
Freshman
Heckathorn was an Atlantic Sun all-freshman team honoree last year and has been solid this season. He finished the regular season with a 4-2 record and a 4.98 ERA. He struck out 64 in 59.2 innings.

Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190
Stanford
Sophomore
Inman was named Stanford’s most outstanding freshman last year after becoming the first rookie to spend most of the season in Stanford’s rotation since the mid-90s. Back in the rotation this year, Inman has gone 7-2 with a 4.53 ERA. In 2006, Inman was a 19th-round pick out of high school.

Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170
UC Riverside
Sophomore
After emerging as Riverside’s closer and earning Freshman All-American honors from several publications, Kelly pitched last summer for Team USA and finished with a 4.50 ERA in 10 relief appearances. Back at Riverside, Kelly missed the early part of this season with injury. He returned to pick up six saves, but saw his ERA climb to 7.47.

Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225
Western Carolina
Sophomore
Masters made an immediate impact as a freshman last year and became Western Carolina’s top reliever. After playing in the Valley League last summer, Masters has been lights out this season. In 27 appearances – all but one out of the pen – Masters has a 3.92 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 33 walks in 62 innings.

Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190
Oregon State
Freshman
Peavey was rated as one of the top high school pitchers in the country last year and was projected to go as high as the first round in the draft. Ultimately, he slipped to the 24th round. He opted to stick with Oregon State and has seen mixed results so far. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he has a 2-3 record and a 5.56 ERA.

Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225
LSU
Freshman
Ranaudo was an 11th-round pick out of high school in New Jersey, and with his size factored in, he came to LSU about as highly-touted as it gets. But elbow tendonitis forced him to miss most of the season. He has returned in the last month and has pitched seven innings in four appearances. He has yet to allow an earned run.

Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192
Oregon State
Freshman
Another highly-touted freshman, Rhoderick was an 18th-round pick out of high school but opted to head to Corvallis. He has pitched very well in the closer’s role for the Beavers, posting 11 saves with a 2.59 ERA.

Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210
Oral Roberts
Sophomore
Sullivan was one of the top pitchers in the country after his junior year in high school but had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss his senior year. As a result, he wasn’t drafted. But he worked his way back to earn Freshman All-America honors at Oral Roberts then pitched part of the summer for Y-D, going 3-0 with a .56 ERA in four appearances. He has been solid again this spring, going 8-2 with a 3.97 ERA and 92 strikeouts against 22 walks in 90.2 innings. Sullivan appears poised to be one of the Cape’s top pitchers this summer.

Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220
Baylor
Freshman
Like Fritsch, Tolleson redshirted his freshman year, but he was forced to do so because of Tommy John Surgery. After a long rehabilitation process, Tolleson has moved back into Baylor’s rotation and has gone 6-4 with a 5.06 ERA this year. Tolleson was a major prospect out of high school, so he’s a prime candidate to turn things around over the summer.

Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175
Pacific
Freshman
Waldron was a 38th-round pick out of high school in Sacramento and he has stepped immediately into the rotation at Pacific. In 14 starts, he’s gone 3-6 with a 5.42 ERA, but he does have three complete games to his credit.

Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205
Georgia
Sophomore
After struggling a bit as a freshman, Weaver has been very solid out of the bullpen for Georgia this year. He is second on the team with 24 appearances, and he has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.22 ERA. In 36.1 innings, he has struck out 41 with just 13 walks.

Position Players
Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225 – Boston College – Sophomore
*Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205 – LSU – Sophomore
Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180 – Kentucky – Junior
Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175 – South Carolina – Freshman
Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180 – Kansas – Sophomore
Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220 – Arkansas – Freshman
Lyle Allen – OF – 6’4 210 – Georgia – Freshman
Khris Davis – OF – 5’11 – 193 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
* returning player

Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200
Oregon State
Sophomore
With Mitch Canham behind the plate last year, Ortiz wasn’t going to get much of a chance as a freshman – he had four at-bats. But he has made the most of his chance this year. Stepping into the starting spot, Ortiz leads the Beavers in hitting with a .354 average. He is tied for the lead in home runs with five and leads the team with 52 RBI. Definitely a catching prospect to keep an eye on.

Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225
Boston College
Sophomore
After hitting .318 as a freshman, Sanchez was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List before this season, and he hasn’t disappointed. He has notched a .313 batting average, nine home runs and 45 RBI, all team-bests.

Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205
LSU
Sophomore
Ochinko was the top freshman hitter on the Cape last summer, posting a .315 average, eight home runs and 23 RBI. Those are great numbers for anybody, let alone a freshman, so big things were expected. But Ochinko hasn’t been himself for the Tigers this spring. He’s hit .262 with only three home runs. I wouldn’t be shocked if Ochinko has a big resurgence when he gets back to Y-D.

Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180
Kentucky
Junior
McClendon was one of the top junior-college recruits in the nation a year ago, and though he’s missed some time to injury this year, he’s been a big boost for the Wildcats. In 43 games, he’s hit .354 with three home runs and 30 RBI while manning third base.

Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175
South Carolina
Freshman
Merrifield was a pretty big recruit out of North Carolina and he has not disappointed in his freshman season. Batting in the two-hole in South Carolina’s powerful lineup, he has hit .323 with three home runs and 22 RBI. He is also 9-for-9 in stolen bases.

Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180
Kansas
Sophomore
Price was an honorable-mention all-conference pick after hitting .286 as a freshman. This season, he has hit .296 while playing mostly at second base. Price is a Northwoods League veteran, having played there before and after his freshman season.

Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220
Arkansas
Freshman
A power-hitting corner infielder, Wilkins has turned in a terrific freshman season for the Razorbacks. Despite missing several weeks with an injury, he has hit eight home runs, to go with a .331 batting average. Wilkins was a 25th-round pick out of high school.

Lyle Allen – OF – 6’4 210
Georgia
Freshman
Another highly-touted freshman from the SEC, Allen came to Georgia after being selected in the 22nd round of last year’s draft. He has hit .271 with two home runs and 24 RBI this season.

Khris Davis – OF – 5’11 – 193
Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore
A 29th-round pick out of high school last year, Davis made 10 starts in his freshman season but saw a lot of spot duty. This season, he has stepped into a bigger role and has hit .261 with four home runs. He has stolen 11 bases.

College postseason honors are starting to roll in and it’s no surprise that former and soon-to-be Cape Leaguers are all over the lists. Here’s a look at some of the notable names so far.

Former Cape Leaguers

Six major conferences have announced their awards and in every one of those conferences, the player of the year, the pitcher of the year, or both played on the Cape last summer.

• Big East – Louisville’s Chris Dominguez (Harwich) and Cincinnati’s Josh Harrison (Cotuit), both of whom struggled on the Cape last year, were named co-players of the year.

• ACC – Florida State catcher Buster Posey (Y-D) was named player of the year and UNC’s Alex White (Chatham) was selected as the pitcher of the year. White is on Chatham’s roster again this summer.

• SEC – Georgia’s Gordon Beckham (Y-D) took home player-of-the-year honors, while ’06 Cape Leaguer and Beckham’s Georgia teammate Josh Fields (Y-D) was named the pitcher of the year.

• Big 10 – Michigan’s Zach Putnam (Chatham) was picked as the pitcher of the year.

• Big 12 – Missouri’s Aaron Crow (Falmouth) was named pitcher of the year.

• CUSA – Tulane’s Shooter Hunt (Falmouth) was also named pitcher of the year.

Soon-To-Be Cape Leaguers

Not as many guys taking home the big honors, but a lot of guys who will be on the Cape this summer were named all-conference.

• Big East – Louisville pitcher Justin Marks (Chatham) and Notre Dame outfielder A.J. Pollock (Falmouth) were first-team picks. Louisville first baseman Andrew Clark (Falmouth) was named to the second team.

• ACC – A long list of first-team picks: UNC outfielder Tim Fedroff (Falmouth), Miami pitcher Chris Hernandez (Brewster), Miami shortstop Ryan Jackson (Hyannis) and UNC pitcher Alex White (Chatham). Second team: UNC’s Dustin Ackley (Harwich), Georgia Tech shortstop Derek Dietrich (Wareham), Miami pitcher Eric Erickson (Orleans), Florida State pitcher Matt Fairel (Cotuit), Duke outfielder Alex Hassan (Orleans) and UNC second baseman Kyle Seager (Chatham).

• SEC – Florida outfielder Matt den Dekker (Brewster) was picked for the first team, while Auburn first baseman Hunter Morris (Falmouth) was selected to the second team.

• Big 10 – Indiana catcher Josh Phegley (Wareham) and pitcher Matt Bashore (Wareham) were both named first-team all-conference. Michigan’s Adam Abraham (Hyannis) was a third-team pick.

• Big 12 – Oklahoma State pitcher Andy Oliver (Wareham) was named to the first team. Missouri catcher Trevor Coleman (Falmouth) earned second-team honors.

• CUSA – Rice third baseman Diego Seastrunk (Falmouth) was a first-team selection.

I was perusing rosters today and noticed a very notable addition in Chatham.

USC’s Grant Green, who excelled last year for Y-D, is now on the Chatham roster. Before that, he hadn’t been on any Cape League roster, which I thought was strange. I chalked it up to the fact that Green to Team USA must have been a foregone conclusion. Maybe it’s not or maybe this is a just-in-case measure on the part of Green and his USC coaches. Regardless, it could be a coup for Chatham if he actually comes.

Last summer, Green played all over the field for Y-D, both because he could, and because that lineup was tough to crack. Wherever he played, he hit the ball well, finishing with a .291 average and four home runs, some of the best numbers of any freshmen on the Cape. A shortstop by trade, Green was the only freshman position player on Baseball America’s Cape League Top Prospects List.

This season for USC, Green has held on to that momentum. He leads the team with a .386 average. If Green does make it to the Cape, he will become, in my book, the top returning position player, just ahead of Blake Dean, Sean Ochinko and Josh Phegley.

Also of note, Green is now the second Trojan to switch Cape League teams, with Chatham as the destination. Brad Boxberger pitched last summer for Orleans, but is now on Chatham’s roster. Two other Trojans — Tom Milone and Kevin Couture — played for Chatham last year and are on the roster again.

HYANNIS METS
Manager: Rick Robinson
Last Season: 20-21

The best number to sum up the 2007 season for Hyannis is a simple one: 25. That’s the number of players who donned a Hyannis uniform. For the Cape League, that’s unusually low. Most teams are up in the 30’s, thanks to temporary players, players who leave early, etc. Hyannis had none of that typical turnover. Their 25-man roster rarely fluctuated.

That stability served them fairly well – they were probably the steadiest team in the league. While Y-D was putting up ridiculous numbers and Bourne was adjusting on the fly, while Chatham and Falmouth were riding a rollercoaster, Hyannis was always right there.

Unfortunately for the Mets, that consistency didn’t pay off in the standings. They finished a half game out of second place and missed the playoffs.

But that won’t stop the Mets from trying for consistency again.

The ’08 Mets appear to have shied away from the biggest of the big-time prospects. On top of that, they’ll have what is sure to be the oldest roster on the Cape, with seven juniors. A lot of teams don’t have any.

Now, it would be almost impossible for the Mets to avoid any and all turnover like they did last year, and with a new manager, they’ll have a different look. But they do look steady once again. They bring back five players, all of whom were solid. Returning pitchers Andrew Doyle and Austin Hudson should anchor the staff, while shortstop Ryan Jackson, catcher Dale Cornstubble and outfielder Joey Gonzales bring a veteran presence to the lineup. With a few good-looking players mixed in, the Mets look like they can make some noise.

But, if it’s anything like last year, the volume probably won’t go up and down too much.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 5
Juniors: 7
Sophomores: 11
Freshmen : 7

Notable

• As I mentioned above, the Mets have a lot of juniors, which could be interesting if they all make it to the Cape
• If there are any who don’t make it, Brown’s Ryan Lavarnway and Virginia’s Andrew Carraway are the likeliest candidates. Lavarnway is one of the best hitters in the country, while Carraway is one of the ACC’s best pitchers.
• If we do get to see Lavarnway, look out. He led the NCAA in hitting last year and hasn’t fallen too far off the pace this year. With questions about his ability to stick at catcher, he may be thinking of using the summer to prove himself, so it may not be a foregone conclusion that he’s gone, even if he gets drafted high.
• Miami’s Ryan Jackson was one of the top defensive shortstops in the league last year but now he’s got some offense to go with his defense. He has hit .360 this year.
• In Furman’s Jay Jackson, Michigan’s Adam Abraham and Brown’s Matt Nuzzo, the Mets have three of the most versatile athletes around. Jackson was a baseball and basketball star in high school and now pitchers and plays in the field for Furman. Abraham played junior hockey before switching to baseball, where he, too, pitches and plays in the field. Nuzzo was the top football player in Massachusetts in high school before switching full time to baseball this year.
• Speaking of other sports, with a pitching staff that includes 6’5 Austin Hudson, 6’6 Drew Muren and 6’7 Alex McRee to go with Jay Jackson, the Mets might make a decent basketball team
• Can we go ahead and call Hyannis the smartest team in the league? They’ve got two players from Brown and one from Yale, not to mention one from Virginia and one from Vanderbilt
• Serious predictions will come later, but I really like this Hyannis team as a sleeper pick. They’ve clearly taken a different approach than the Wareham’s and Chatham’s of the world, and I could see it paying off, both in terms of experience and stability.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Ryan Lavarnway
2. Andrew Carraway
3. Ryan Jackson
4. Jay Jackson
5. Adam Abraham

Pitchers
Colin Bates – RHP – 6’1 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
Russell Brewer – RHP – 6’1 185 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Andrew Carraway – RHP – 6’2 200 – Virginia – Junior
Jeff DeCarlo – LHP – 6’2 190 – Michigan – Sophomore
*Andrew Doyle – RHP – 6’3 215 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
*Austin Hudson – RHP – 6’5 190 – Central Florida – Sophomore
Jay Jackson – RHP – 6’1 195 – Furman – Junior
Eric Katzman – LHP – 6’0 210 – Michigan – Sophomore
Alex McRee – LHP – 6’7 238 – Georgia – Junior
Drew Muren – RHP – 6’6 185 – CS-Northridge – Freshman
Matt Ridings – RHP – 6’0 195 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
Ryan Sharpley – RHP – 6’4 195 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Graham Stoneburner – RHP – 6’1 190 – Clemson – Freshman
* returning player

Colin Bates – RHP – 6’1 185
North Carolina
Freshman
After redshirting last year due to a blood clot in his shoulder, Bates has been lights out this season in a relief role. In 20 appearances, he has a 5-0 record, a 1.49 ERA and 46 strikeouts against 11 walks in 42.1 innings.

Russell Brewer – RHP – 6’1 185
Vanderbilt
Freshman
Another redshirt freshman at a powerhouse program, Brewer has worked mostly out of the bullpen for the Commodores and has excelled in that role. In 20 appearances, he has a 2.50 ERA, 47 strikeouts and just seven walks. He’s also been used as a closer at times and has recorded five saves.

Andrew Carraway – RHP – 6’2 200
Virginia
Junior
Carraway was a reliever last season and pitched well. As a starter this year, he’s done better than well. In 11 starts, he’s 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA. He has struck out 66 and walked only 10 in 60.1 innings. This comes after a solid summer in the NECBL. Carraway had a 2.19 ERA and struck out 40 for the Newport Gulls.

Jeff DeCarlo – LHP – 6’2 190
Michigan
Sophomore
DeCarlo is a New England kid, hailing from Medford, Mass., so he’ll be close to home this summer. He has pitched well for the Wolverines in his sophomore season, posting a 3.00 ERA in seven appearances, all but one out of the bullpen. He appears to be the crafty lefthander type.

Andrew Doyle – RHP – 6’3 215
Oklahoma
Sophomore
Doyle pitched last year on the Cape and was quietly solid. Despite a 4-1 record and a 2.83 ERA, he flew under the radar, at least for me, and was overshadowed by fellow frosh Kyle Gibson and Andy Oliver. But if Doyle, who has a 4.48 ERA this spring for Oklahoma, can have another god summer, he’ll step out of the shadows a bit.

Austin Hudson – RHP – 6’5 190
Central Florida
Sophomore
Hudson joins Doyle as a returning pitcher for the Mets, and he too will try to build on a strong summer. He finished with a 3.59 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. Though he started all summer, he has been in the bullpen this spring, posting a 4.78 ERA in 18 appearances.

Jay Jackson – RHP – 6’1 195
Furman
Junior
Jackson is listed as just a pitcher on the Hyannis roster so that may be his focus this summer. But this spring, he’s one of the most versatile players around. He’s hitting .319 with eight home runs, and on the mound, he’s 9-2 with a 2.90 ERA. He could be an interesting player to watch for the Mets.

Eric Katzman – LHP – 6’0 210
Michigan
Sophomore
Katzman has pitched mostly in relief for the Wolverines this spring, and he has done it well. In 14 appearances, he has a 3.21 ERA. Katzman was all-everything as a high school pitcher in New Jersey.

Alex McRee – LHP – 6’7 238
Georgia
Sophomore
It’s unclear exactly how big McRee is – the Georgia site says 6’6 230 – but whatever the exact measurements are, McRee is tall. He is also putting in a good season this spring, with a 3.76 ERA mostly out of the bullpen.

Drew Muren – RHP – 6’6 185
CS-Northridge
Freshman
Muren has the projectable frame that scouts like and he has pitched fairly well this spring for Northridge. In eight appearances – six starts – he’s 3-4 with a 4.20 ERA. His strikeout numbers are low for a power pitcher, though. He has just 15 in 30 innings. Muren has also seen a lot of time in the outfield and has hit. 264 in 129 at-bats.

Matt Ridings – RHP – 6’0 195
Western Kentucky
Sophomore
Ridings has been the best starter for the Hilltoppers this spring, posting a 9-2 record with a 4.29 ERA. He has struck out 80 and walked 30 in 77 innings. Ridings also led the team in strikeouts as a freshman, when he earned All-American honors from Ping Baseball.

Ryan Sharpley – RHP – 6’4 195
Notre Dame
Freshman
Like fellow ND freshman Evan Danieli – who will play for Falmouth – Sharpley is a highly-touted, highly projectable hurler. He has put up good numbers to match, with a 4-1 record in six starts and a 2.45 ERA. He has struck out 28 in 29.1 innings. Sharpley’s brother, Evan, also plays for Notre Dame.

Graham Stoneburner – RHP – 6’1 190
Clemson
Freshman
Stoneburner redshirted last season due to a torn ACL, but he has moved into the rotation this year. A fairly highly-touted prospect out of Virginia, Stoneburner has shaken off the rust this year to post a 5-4 record and a 4.98 ERA.

Position Players
Curt Casali – C – 6’2 215 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
*Dale Cornstubble – C – 6’0 180 – Central Michigan – Junior
Ryan Lavarnway – C – 6’4 225 – Yale – Junior
Adam Abraham – 3B/RHP – 6’0 215 – Michigan – Junior
Casey Frawley – 2B – 5’10 160 – Stetson – Sophomore
John Hinson – 2B – 6’1 190 – Clemson – Freshman
*Ryan Jackson – SS – 6’2 175 – Miami – Sophomore
Matt Nuzzo – SS/3B – 6’0 200 – Brown – Junior
Ben Paulsen – 1B – 6’4 205 – Clemson – Sophomore
Steve Daniels – OF – 5’11 180 – Brown – Junior
Ryan Eden – OF – 6’1 195 – New Orleans – Sophomore
*Joey Gonzales – OF – 5’9 180 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
* returning player

Curt Casali – C – 6’2 215
Vanderbilt
Freshman
One of the top high school prospects in New England last year, Casali, who hails from New Canaan, Conn., took his game south and has turned in a solid freshman season for the Commodores. He has had to fight for playing time, but has seen action in 28 games and has posted a .317 batting average and a .463 on-base percentage.

Dale Cornstubble – C – 6’0 180
Central Michigan
Sophomore
Statistically, Cornstubble is a bit of an anomaly among Cape Leaguers. This will be his second summer with Hyannis and he’ll be there despite a career average at Central Michigan that’s in the .250s. But by all accounts, Cornstubble is a tremendous defensive catcher, a quality that’s extremely valuable. And with the potential to hit better, he should play a big role for the Mets this summer.

Ryan Lavarnway – C – 6’4 225
Yale
Junior
There have been questions about Lavarnway’s defense and he may end up being an outfielder not a catcher, but when it comes to offense, there are no questions. As a sophomore, Lavarnway led the nation in hitting with a .467 batting average. He spent the summer in the NECBL and was named one of the league’s top prospects. He is draft eligible this year so he may not make it to Hyannis, but if he does, you can expect him to be one of the league’s top hitters.

Adam Abraham – 3B/RHP – 6’0 215
Michigan
Junior
Abraham will be the only player on the Cape with this claim: he’s been a professional athlete. Not too long ago, he was giving up baseball to play major junior hockey in Canada, which is considered a professional level. He had his eyes on the NHL draft. These days, after giving up hockey to play baseball full-time at Michigan, Abraham probably isn’t too far away from the MLB draft. This season, he has hit .344 with seven home runs and 50 RBI.

Casey Frawley – 2B – 5’10 160
Stetson
Sophomore
Another Connecticut kid who headed South, Frawley will be back in New England this summer toting a solid resume. After hitting .303 as a freshman, Frawley has batted .346 for Stetson this season, with seven home runs and 34 RBI.

John Hinson – 2B – 6’1 190
Clemson
Freshman
Hinson can play all over the infield and has seen pretty significant action as a freshman for the Tigers. In 38 games, he’s hit .271. Hinson was a 40th-round pick out of high school last year.

Ryan Jackson – SS – 6’2 175
Miami
Sophomore
Jackson was a big prospect out of high school and though he started all year as a freshman for the Hurricanes, he hit only .236. Playing for Hyannis last summer, he met similar results, finishing the season with a .215 average and no home runs. But Jackson has had a breakthrough this season, posting a .360 average and a team-best 19 doubles, to go with the stellar defense that was always there.

Matt Nuzzo – SS/3B – 6’0 200
Brown
Junior
Nuzzo is a Cape League veteran, having spent parts of the last two summers in Falmouth, though he was only there for 12 games last year. At one time, Nuzzo, who was a star football player in high school, was a backup quarterback at Brown, but he decided to focus exclusively on baseball this year. He has hit .298 with six home runs.

Ben Paulsen – 1B – 6’4 205
Clemson
Sophomore
Paulsen showed flashes of potential as a freshman then put his tools on full display in the NECBL last summer, hitting .318. He has built on that performance this spring, notching a .322 average with 12 home runs and 45 RBI.

Steve Daniels – OF – 5’11 180
Brown
Junior
Another Ivy League junior, Daniels profiles as a leadoff-hitting centerfielder for the Mets. In the same role for Brown, Daniels has hit .341 with a .427 on-base percentage and a team-best 19 steals.

Ryan Eden – OF – 6’1 195
New Orleans
Sophomore
After college teammate Johnny Giavotella turned in a solid summer for Harwich last year, Eden will try to do the same this summer with the Mets. Eden has hit .297 with two home runs this spring for the Privateers. He also has 15 steals.

Joey Gonzales – OF – 5’9 180
UC Riverside
Sophomore
Gonzales arrived to Hyannis a little late last year but still made his presence felt, hitting .255 in 27 games. That performance came after Gonzales earned Big West Freshman of the Year honors. This season, Gonzales has hit .326 with four home runs.

The 2007 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox were perhaps the best offensive team of the Cape League’s modern era, and we don’t need much more proof of that. The numbers they put up were staggering.

Nonetheless, there is more proof. As the college season winds down, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Y-D was simply a special collection of talent. Here’s a look at the college statistics of last year’s Y-D starters.

C – Buster Posey – Florida State – .469, 16 HR, 66 RBI
1B – Sean Ochinko – LSU – .256, 3 HR, 17 RBI
2B – Joey Railey – San Francisco – .329, 4 HR, 36 RBI
3B – Nick Romero – San Diego State – .327, 11 HR, 59 RBI
SS – Gordon Beckham – Georgia – .402, 22 HR, 55 RBI
OF – Colin Cowgill – Kentucky – .378, 18 HR, 54 RBI
OF – Aaron Luna – Rice – .344, 8 HR, 48 RBI
OF – Matt Long – Santa Clara – .305, 9 HR, 36 RBI
DH – Jason Castro – Stanford – .366, 11 HR, 52 RBI
Util – Grant Green – USC – .386, 8 HR, 42 RBI

If your eyes glossed over when you read that, let me summarize.

Wow.

Ochinko is the only player who’s struggling. Everybody else is crushing the ball. Your typical Y-D starter’s college numbers: .356, 11 HR, 47 RBI.

If you did the same for every Cape team, you’d see good numbers across the board there, too. But these numbers are a little beyond good, just like that Y-D offense.

I imagine will get further proof come draft time. Both Posey and Beckham could be top-10 picks.

NOTES

• One top-flight prospect who apparently will never make it to the Cape is San Diego State’s Stephen Strasburg. The 6’4 righty has become one of the most talked about players in the nation this spring thanks to these numbers: 8-1 record, 1.28 ERA and 125 strikeouts against 11 walks in 84.1 innings. He’s likely to be one of the top picks in 2009, and he’ll be surrounded there by Cape League alums. But Strasburg won’t be one of them. He pitched last summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, and he isn’t on any Cape League rosters this year, which suggests that he’ll spend the summer with Team USA. It’s rare that a major college prospect doesn’t spend at least one summer on the Cape, but such is the case with Strasburg. In one sense, it speaks to the fact that bringing freshmen to the Cape is a bit of a crapshoot. Rosters are largely filled before the college season begins, so freshmen who make it to the Cape get there because of hype and potential. It’s possible that Strasburg didn’t have enough of either before his freshman season, which pushed him to the NECBL. Now that he’s become one of the top pitchers in college baseball, he’s almost gone beyond the Cape League.

• I just noticed that Tyler Ladendorf, who I wrote about at length in the Cotuit early look, is listed in the “Contract Released” section of Cotuit’s roster. I guess we won’t be seeing him.

• The Hyannis early look is almost done, then it’s on to the Eastern Division. Keep checking.

COTUIT KETTLEERS
Manager: Mike Roberts
Last Season: 14-27-3

Cotuit was right in the thick of things through the early part of last summer, but when things went south, they went way south. The Kettleers hit the skids in July and went on a 12-game losing streak. In a 44-game season, that’s extremely difficult to recover from. They ended up finishing last in the Western Division, the first time since 2004 that they didn’t make the playoffs.

Clearly, the Kettleers had a lot of things go wrong. The biggest one was this: aside from Reese Havens, Cotuit didn’t have any stars. A couple of hitters had good seasons but didn’t truly separate themselves. A few pitchers showed flashes but didn’t deliver on a consistent basis.

That’s why it’s a little bit surprising that Cotuit’s 2008 roster has probably the fewest hyped players of any roster in the league.

But hype doesn’t always make stars, and sometimes, the best Cape League teams are the ones that are solid, not necessarily spectacular. If the Kettleers have success this year, that’s probably how they’ll do it.

One player returns from last year – Robert Stock – and he’s the one with the most hype. He gives the Kettleers a solid foundation and he should one of the top two catchers in the league this summer.

Aside from that, Cotuit’s a little tough to read. Mike Leake would give them a bona fide ace, but he was on Team USA’s initial invites list, meaning he probably won’t be in Cotuit this summer. Tyler Ladendorf could be a star at the plate, but he’s likely to get drafted in the early rounds this June.

But if being solid is the name of the game, the Kettleers could be in good shape. They have twice as many sophomores as freshmen so they’ll be a veteran team, and on top of that, a majority of their hitters are turning in great college seasons.

For now, I don’t know if that’s enough to put Cotuit in the same breath as some of the teams with loaded rosters like Wareham. But come summer, the Kettleers could very well be right there.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen : 8

Notable

• As I mentioned above, Arizona State’s Mike Leake is a Team USA invitee, and losing him would be a big blow to the pitching staff. Leake is 7-1 with a 3.45 ERA for the Sun Devils this spring.
• If Leake indeed goes with Team USA, Florida State’s Matt Fairel is a likely choice to take the torch. Fairel is 9-1 for the Seminoles with a 2.84 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 76 innings.
• Fairel, Mario Hollands, Casey Gaynor, and Zach von Tersch look like the top candidates to grab spots in the starting rotation
• Drew Stoern, Steve Richards and Daniel Wolford have all been putting up great numbers out of the bullpen this spring
• I wrote a lot below about JUCO player Tyler Ladendorf. The gist is he’s really good, he might get drafted very high and if he makes it to the Cape, he’ll be an interesting player to watch.
• I’m curious to see what Robert Stock can do this year. Last summer, he was the youngest player on the Cape by far and hit a wall late in the season. As he tries to ramp things up for the 2009 draft, you can expect big things.
• Outfielders Tyler Holt (Florida State), Brett Jackson (Cal) and Jeff Schaus (Clemson) are all hitting well over .300 for their college teams.
• In case you start wondering, the Evan Crawford slated to play shortstop for the Kettleers is not the same Evan Crawford who pitched last summer for Harwich

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Mike Leake
2. Robert Stock
3. Tyler Ladendorf
4. Matt Fairel
5. Mario Hollands

Pitchers
Paul Applebee – LHP – 6’3 185 – UC-Riverside – Sophomore
Seth Blair – RHP – 6’1 195 – Arizona State – Freshman
Brandon Cumpton – RHP – 6’1 190 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Matt Fairel – LHP – 6’3 200 – Florida State – Sophomore
Casey Gaynor – RHP – 6’2 215 – Rutgers – Sophomore
Mario Hollands – LHP – 6’5 205 – UC-Santa Barbara – Sophomore
Mike Leake – RHP – 6’0 160 – Arizona State – Freshman
Steve Richards – LHP – 5’11 160 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Trent Rothlin – RHP – 6‘1 185 – Clemson – Freshman
Drew Storen – RHP – 6’1 165 – Stanford – Freshman
Zach Von Tersch – RHP – 6’5 215 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Daniel Wolford – RHP – 6’2 210 – California – Sophomore

Paul Applebee – LHP – 6’3 185
UC-Riverside
Sophomore
Applebee saw very limited action as a freshman for the Highlanders, but he has emerged this season as one of the team’s top pitchers. In 12 appearances – five starts – he has a 4.25 ERA to go with 30 strikeouts and eight walks.

Seth Blair – RHP – 6’1 195
Arizona State
Freshman
Blair was the top player in Illinois as a high school senior and he took his talents to the desert after being drafted in the 47th round. So far, he’s been used both as a starter and as a reliever. He has a 7.82 ERA in 14 appearances.

Brandon Cumpton – RHP – 6’1 190
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Cumpton had a tremendous high school career in Evans, Ga., and has seen a lot of action for the Yellow Jackets in this his freshman season. So far, he has a 6.21 ERA in 10 appearances.

Matt Fairel – LHP – 6’3 200
Florida State
Sophomore
After a solid freshman campaign that saw him work mostly out of the bullpen, Fairel has made the transition to the rotation, and he has made it well. With an 8-1 record and a 2.81 ERA, he has become the Seminoles’ top starting pitcher, as well as one of the top starters in the ACC.

Casey Gaynor – RHP – 6’2 215
Rutgers
Sophomore
Gaynor started all season as a freshman and has become Rutgers’ best starter this year. Despite a 1-4 record, he has a 3.32 ERA with 39 strikeouts and nine walks in 40.2 innings. As a side note, Gaynor was a member of the Tom’s River, N.J., Little League team that won a world championship in Williamsport. Former Scarlet Knight and Chatham A Todd Frazier was also on that team.

Mario Hollands – LHP – 6’5 205
UC-Santa Barbara
Redshirt Freshman
A highly-touted lefthander, Hollands red-shirted in his first year on campus but has moved into the weekend rotation this year and has been solid. In 10 starts, he has a 3.12 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 60 innings.

Mike Leake – RHP – 6’0 160
Arizona State
Sophomore
Leake turned in a very impressive freshman season last year and he hasn’t shown any signs of a sophomore slump. In 11 starts, Leake has a 7-1 record, a 3.29 ERA, and 68 strikeouts against 12 walks. Last summer, he stayed in Arizona and played in a collegiate league there. He should make a big splash this summer on the Cape.

Steve Richards – LHP – 5’11 160
Arkansas
Sophomore
Richards put up some decent numbers as a freshman but has become Arkansas’ best reliever this season. In 13 appearances – all out of the bullpen – the lefty has a 3.27 ERA with 30 strikeouts and nine walks in 22 innings.

Trent Rothlin – RHP – 6‘1 185
Clemson
Freshman
Rothlin was a late-round draft pick out of high school but hasn’t quite found his footing yet for the Tigers. In seven appearances, he has a 9.69 ERA. According to Clemson’s official site, Rothlin battled injuries in the fall ball season.

Drew Storen – RHP – 6’1 165
Stanford
Freshman
Hailing from Brownsburg, Ind., Storen made the long trek to Palo Alto and it’s been worth the trip, based on his performance so far. Storen has been pretty dominant coming out of the bullpen. In 18 appearances, he has four saves, a 2.97 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 10 walks in 33 innings.

Zach Von Tersch – RHP – 6’5 215
Georgia Tech
Sophomore
Von Tersch is an imposing figure on the mound and he has the numbers to match this season. After posting an ERA over 10 last year, he has moved into the rotation this season and has a 3.44 ERA in 10 starts.

Daniel Wolford – RHP – 6’2 210
California
Sophomore
A transfer from Long Beach State, Wolford has been a key piece of No. 6 Cal’s bullpen. He has a 4.62 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 33 innings of work.

Position Players
Joey Lewis – C – 6’4 215 – Georgia – Sophomore
Robert Stock – C/P – 6’1 195 – USC – Sophomore
Kevin Patterson – 1B/C – 6’4 220 – Auburn – Freshman
Evan Crawford – SS – 6’2 160 – Indiana – Sophomore
Jeff Kobernus – 3B/OF – 6’2 190 – California – Sophomore
Tyler Ladendorf – INF/OF – 6’1 205 – Howard College – Sophomore
Dallas Poulk – INF – 6’0 180 – NC State – Sophomore
Robbie Shields – INF – 6’1 195 – Florida Southern – Sophomore
Blair Dunlap – OF – 5’11 185 – UCLA – Junior
Tyler Holt – OF – 6’0 180 – Florida State – Freshman
Brett Jackson – OF – 6’2 210 – California – Sophomore
Jeff Schaus – OF – 6’1 200 – Clemson – Freshman

Joey Lewis – C – 6’4 215
Georgia
Sophomore
Lewis started 49 games at catcher for the Bulldogs last year and is on a similar pace this season, though he’s also seeing some time at the DH spot. Through 43 games, he’s hitting .259 with three home runs and 21 RBI.

Robert Stock – C/P – 6’1 195
USC
Sophomore
Stock was one of the more interesting stories in college baseball last spring and on the Cape last summer. A highly-touted prospect, he skipped his senior year of high school to enroll early at USC then became the youngest player on the Cape when he signed on with Cotuit. He was an all-star before a late-season slump left his final batting average at .228 Still, Stock is a major prospect and is hitting .311 in this his sophomore season. He also moonlights as a relief pitcher.

Kevin Patterson – 1B/C – 6’4 220
Auburn
Freshman
Patterson was a 24th-round pick out of high school last year after posting a career .392 average in high school. The results haven’t yet been there this season, with Patterson hitting .242. He does have four home runs, and his versatility should be a major asset this summer.

Evan Crawford – SS – 6’2 160
Indiana
Sophomore
Crawford emerged as a dynamic player for the Hoosier last year and he’s only gotten better. After hitting .311 and stealing 18 bases as a freshman, he’s hitting .329 this year, and is already up to 12 steals.

Jeff Kobernus – 3B/OF – 6’2 190
California
Sophomore
Kobernus burst onto the scene last year and earned Freshman All-American honors after hitting .331, good for second best on the team. This season, Kobernus has hit .309 with 16 extra-base hits, and he’s maintained that steady pace despite a position shift. After playing in the outfield last year, he’s become Cal’s starting third baseman this season.

Tyler Ladendorf – INF/OF – 6’1 205
Howard College
Sophomore
Ladendorf is an intriguing player, and he’ll be someone to watch if he actually makes it to Cotuit. Ladendorf plays for Howard College, a junior college in Texas. He’s there largely because he was a draft-and-follow player back in 2006, when he was picked in the 34th round by the Yankees. Leading up to the ’07 draft, he opted not to sign with the Yankees, thus entering the draft again. He was again a 34th-round pick, this time by the Giants, and again he didn’t sign. Since then, his stock has risen significantly. This season for Howard, he’s hitting .552 with 14 home runs and 29 steals in 30 attempts. Last year, he was 65 for 65 in stolen bases. The future is up in the air for Ladendorf, who could go in the early rounds of this June’s draft. Regardless of where he goes, he may end up on the Cape looking to gain some leverage. If he again chooses not to sign after the draft, he has committed to Oklahoma for next year.

Dallas Poulk – INF – 6’0 180
NC State
Sophomore
Poulk made a big splash in his freshman season for the Wolfpack, leading the team with a .394 batting average and earning Freshman All-America honors in the process. He’s seen his numbers drop this year, with the average dipping to .277.

Robbie Shields – INF – 6’1 195
Florida Southern
Sophomore
Shields started 60 games as a freshman and hit .298 with eight home runs. Things have been even better this year, as Shields leads the team with a .354 average and nine home runs while holding down the starting shortstop job.

Blair Dunlap – OF – 5’11 185
UCLA
Redshirt Sophomore
Dunlap hit .300 in his freshman season with the Bruins but missed almost all of last season with an injury. After receiving a medical redshirt, Dunlap has worked his way back but the numbers haven’t yet followed. In 23 games this year, he’s hitting .232.

Tyler Holt – OF – 6’0 180
Florida State
Freshman
Holt has started every game of his freshman season with the powerful Seminoles and has done his part in helping FSU to its lofty rankings. Through 42 games, Holt has hit .320 with three home runs and 27 RBI.

Brett Jackson – OF – 6’2 210
California
Sophomore
Jackson got 19 starts in center field as a freshman last year and didn’t put up great numbers. But changed that tune in the Northwoods League, where he hit .343. So far this season, he’s built on that performance. He’s hitting .329 with an on-base percentage of .436.

Jeff Schaus – OF – 6’1 200
Clemson
Freshman
Schaus hasn’t shown a lot of power, but he has hit early and often with the Tigers. In 44 games, he has a .318 average, second on the team. Schaus was a 35th-round pick out of high school.

Team USA announced Thursday its list of initial invitees, which includes seven players who are on Cape League rosters for the upcoming summer. The list:

Christian Colon – INF – Cal State Fullerton – Fr. – Orleans
Kyle Gibson – RHP – Missouri – So. – Falmouth
A.J. Griffin – RHP – San Diego – So. – Brewster
Mike Leake – RHP – Arizona State – So. – Cotuit
Mike Minor – RHP – Vanderbilt – So. – Wareham
Hunter Morris – 1B – Auburn – Fr. – Falmouth
Andy Oliver – LHP – Oklahoma State – So. – Wareham

It’s my understanding that being invited doesn’t necessarily mean these players will automatically go and spurn the Cape. Timing will also play a big role. For players whose teams make the College World Series, Team USA becomes a less likely option. Team USA’s trials begin a full two weeks before the CWS ends, and its official season begins on the day the CWS ends. Last year, that meant that Team USA didn’t have a single player from Oregon State or North Carolina, the CWS finalists.

However, last year, every single one of the players on the initial list was on the team, so take that for what it’s worth.

The best catcher on the Cape last summer was Florida State’s Buster Posey, who helped power Yarmouth-Dennis to another league championship. He was good: .281 AVG, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .736 OPS.

I didn’t know he was this good.

Posey has put up some numbers this spring for the Seminoles that could best be desrcibed as ridiculous. In 42 games, he’s hit .465. He has 11 home runs and 49 RBI, and a total of 31 extra-base hits. His OPS is 1.380.

I know college numbers are far different than Cape League numbers, but even in that realm, those statistics are astounding.

And plenty of people are astounded.

This ESPN story from earlier this month highlights Posey’s remarkable junior season.

“I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t go in the first five picks,” said FSU assistant Mike Martin Jr. “I’ll tell anybody that will listen: Having been with him for three years, he’s Jason Varitek behind the plate and he’s Derek Jeter as a hitter. I really believe that. He’s that good.”

Catcher is always a premium position come June. Players who can stay at the position and hit become very hot commodities. Witness the 2006 draft, when four catchers who played on the Cape were first-round or supplemental round picks.

I figured Posey would fall into the same category, but his stock has gone through the roof thanks to his incredible spring. We may be talking Matt Wieters territory when all is said and done.

Pretty good for a guy who didn’t even catch until his sophomore season at FSU.

Don’t Forget About Beckham

If Posey is the ’07 Cape Leaguer making the biggest impression this spring, his Y-D teammate Gordon Beckham isn’t far behind.

The Georgia shortstop, who would have been the MVP of the league last season if not for Conor Gillaspie, has picked up right where he left off. As of April 27, he was hitting .427 with 20 home runs, 48 RBI and an OPS of 1.421.

With that combination of power and average, Beckham is making a serious case for national player of the year honors. Regardless of what happens there, Beckham will surely join Posey near the top of the June draft.

Notes

• When I put together the Right Field Fog Top 25 back in January, I knew it wouldn’t really reflect a college team’s actual strength, just its strength on the Cape the previous summer. I still thought strong teams would be strong, though, but in the case of USC, I was wrong. I had the Trojans ranked No. 1 because of their hitting and pitching balance, but they’ve struggled to a 20-22 record. Former Cape Leaguers Tom Milone and Grant Green have been great — Milone has a 2.89 ERA and Green is hitting .391 — but not much else has gone right for the Trojans. Shows what I know.

• Chatham and Harwich, the last two teams to put up rosters, finally did get them up. Perhaps the most exciting — and least surprising — roster inclusion is Matt Harvey in Chatham. Harvey was drafted in the third round last year out of high school in Connecticut but opted to attend North Carolina, immediately making himself one of the top freshmen in the nation. It’s no surprise, then, that he’s signed on with a Cape team, and even less of a surprise that he’s in Chatham. The A’s and the Tar Heels have had quite the pipeline working the last few season, and the minute Harvey didn’t sign, it became a foregone conclusion that he’d be in Chatham. Let’s hope he does indeed make it. With a 2.13 ERA this spring, he’s lived up to the hype and may be a prime candidate for Team USA. But young and highly touted UNC pitchers Andrew Miller and Alex White have made it to the Cape in past years, so that could be working in Chatham’s favor. Definitely something to watch.

I finally got another early look posted, so check below for that one. It’s Falmouth. They look pretty good, but with three of these done, Wareham still looks like the best team.

I’m going to be picking up the pace on these early looks so that all of them will be done by June. Cotuit is coming next. Unfortunately, the first two don’t include this season’s college stats, so I might add in some updates here and there. I will make a note of it if I do.

When all the early looks are done, I plan to put together a big season preview that will include the 50 players I’m excited to see, made up of the five from each team.

Also, from now until the start of the season, I’m going to post a weekly notes column in addition to the early looks. I’ll be shooting for Tuesday nights on those.

Only 47 days, people. I’m excited.