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2012 Early Look: Brewster Whitecaps

TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpgBrewster Whitecaps
Manager: John Altobelli
2011 Record: 20-20-4

Brewster was one of the best teams in the league in 2010. Though the Whitecaps didn’t stand out quite as much in 2011, they were still solidly in third place in the East division.

When I looked back on that, I was actually surprised. I remembered some solid players in Whitecap uniforms, but I didn’t remember a whole lot of team success. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised though. While Brewster hasn’t often been a top-of-the-division team the last few years, it hasn’t been a bottom-of-the-division team either. The Whitecaps always find a way to win, even though they don’t typically bring in quite as much upper-echelon talent as some of the league’s other teams.

There’s a new manager at the helm this year — John Altobelli — but he’s been an assistant in Brewster, so the identity may not change too much. The Whitecaps have a team with several potential standouts and top prospects, along with several other players who will be looking to break out after spring struggles. I don’t doubt that they’ll find a way.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen: 6

Notable

  • John Altobelli, the new manager, is the father of former Whitecap J.J. Altobelli, who hit .295 last summer. J.J. hit .261 for Oregon this spring and was selected in the 21st round of the MLB draft by the Twins. John Altobelli is the head coach at Orange Coast Community College.

  • The likely top prospect for the Whitecaps is a guy who’s already been drafted twice. Pitcher Adrian Sampson is a junior-college star who was drafted in the 16th round after his freshman year and in the fifth round after this his sophomore year. Sampson has committed to Oregon and has until July 13 to sign or stick with that commitment. We’ll see if the Cape is where he spends the time before that deadline.

  • Brewster has a serious west coast flavor, with 13 players from Washington, Oregon or California. That’s a lot of long journeys. In all, the team has just four players from schools east of the Mississippi River.

  • Austin Voth is the lone returnee to Brewster’s pitching staff and it’ll be interesting to see how he’s used. After some struggles as a starter in his freshman year at Washington, Voth became an all-star reliever on the Cape. This spring, he had 11 starts and 11 relief appearances.

  • The other returning Whitecap was also an all-star last summer — outfielder Jason Monda. He was one of the top freshmen in the league last year and could emerge as one of the Cape’s top prospects this year.

  • Ryon Healy is another player with Cape experience, having played for Cotuit last year. He makes the switch to Brewster this year after another strong season at Oregon.

  • Brewster has quite a few high-profile freshmen coming in, led by Florida State pitcher Brandon Leibrandt. The lefty has been the ace of the staff for a Seminole team that is headed to Omaha.

  • Aaron Judge of Fresno State stands 6-foot-7. There are a few pitchers who will be in the league this summer that can match that, but Judge is a position player. He’ll tower over a lot of others.

  • UCLA infielder Kevin Williams has spent the last two summers with the West Coast Collegiate League’s Walla Walla Sweets. One of the owners of that team is our friend at Codball, Greg Shaw.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Brandon Leibrandt
    2. Jason Monda
    3. Adrian Sampson
    4. Ryon Healy
    5. Austin Voth

    Pitchers

    Brady Kirkpatrick – RHP – 6’0 180 – Maryland – Sophomore
    James Leckenby – RHP – 6’4 208 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Brandon Leibrandt – LHP – 6’4 195 – Florida State – Freshman
    Jake McCasland – RHP – 6’2 220 – New Mexico – Sophomore
    Chase McDowell – RHP/OF – 6’2 190 – Rice – Junior
    Evan Rutter – RHP – 6’3 190 – Rice – Freshman
    Adrian Sampson – RHP – 6’2 205 – Bellevue College – Sophomore
    Erik Schoenrock – LHP – 6’2 200 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Michael Theofanopoulos – LHP – 5’10 191 – California – Sophomore
    *Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 200 – Washington – Sophomore
    Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 160 – Florida State – Freshman
    Tom Windle – LHP – 6’3 195 – Minnesota – Sophomore

    Brady Kirkpatrick – RHP – 6’0 180
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Kirkpatrick had an ERA over five as a freshman with Maryland last year. He improved on those numbers as a sophomore, posting a 3.04 ERA despite the fact that he walked one more batter than he struck out.

    James Leckenby – RHP – 6’4 208
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Leckenby had the best ERA among Washington State relievers last year. This season, he moved into the weekend rotation with decent results. He finished with a 4.50 ERA to go with 42 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched.

    Brandon Leibrandt – LHP – 6’4 195
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Leibrandt will be a late arrival because of Florida State’s run to the semifinals, but he could be worth the wait. A 48th round pick out of high school, he has emerged as the ace of the pitching staff on a veteran team. He’s currently 8-2 with a 2.58 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched.

    Jake McCasland – RHP – 6’2 220
    New Mexico
    Sophomore

    McCasland was a 38th-round pick out of high school but has had mixed results in his first two years with the Lobos. As a freshman in 2011, he finished with an ERA over six as a weekend starter. He pitched more out of the bullpen this year, posting a 6.43 ERA in 21 innings pitched.

    Chase McDowell – RHP/OF – 6’2 190
    Rice
    Junior

    McDowell battled an injury last year but came back and delivered decent results this year. He finished with a 4.50 ERA in 10 appearances on his way to being picked in the 30th round of this year’s Major League Baseball draft. McDowell also hit .243 in limited action at the plate.

    Evan Rutter – RHP – 6’3 190
    Rice
    Freshman

    Rutter was a Texas All-Stater in high school last season. He didn’t see a lot action in his first year with the Owls, but pitched well when he was out there. In 7.1 innings of work, he didn’t allow a run.

    Adrian Sampson – RHP – 6’2 205
    Bellevue College
    Sophomore

    Sampson had a tremendous sophomore season in the junior college ranks at Bellevue. He went 11-0 with a 1.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts in just 79.1 innings pitched. He was eligible for the draft this year and went in the fifth round to the Pirates after going in the 16th round after his freshman year at Bellevue. Sampson likely would have been drafted out of high school if not for Tommy John surgery as a senior.

    Erik Schoenrock – LHP – 6’2 200
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Schoenrock made 12 appearances as a freshman and finished with an ERA over six. He was busier as a sophomore, making 17 appearances mostly out of the bullpen. Though his ERA was over five, he struck out 26 in 27 innings pitched.

    Michael Theofanopoulos – LHP – 5’10 191
    California
    Sophomore

    Theofanopoulos jumped into Cal’s weekend rotation this year and didn’t have the smoothest ride. He finished 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

    Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 200
    Washington
    Sophomore

    After a so-so debut season as a starting pitcher with the Huskies last spring, Voth headed for Brewster, moved to the bullpen and became one of the Cape League’s top relievers. He earned all-star honors and finished with a 1.98 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. This spring, Voth divided his time between the bullpen and the rotation and had pretty good success wherever he was. He went 7-1 with a 4.14 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

    Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 160
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Weaver is another Florida State freshman hurler, and he came to Tallahassee with even more hype than Leibrandt. Weaver was a 19th-round pick out of high school last year. He’s made 16 appearances for the Seminoles, nine of them out of the bullpen. He has an ERA of 5.68 but 38 strikeouts in 38 innings.

    Tom Windle – LHP – 6’3 195
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    Windle led the Gophers in ERA as a freshman reliever this year. The number wasn’t quite as low this year, but Windle still had an impressive campaign. In 18 appearances, he had a 3.27 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched. Windle was a 28th-round pick out of high school.

    Position Players

    Derek Campbell – INF – 6’0 172 – California – Sophomore
    Dylan Davis – OF – 6’0 200 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Erik Forgione – SS – 6’1 166 – Washington – Freshman
    Ryon Healy – INF – 6’5 215 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Aaron Judge – OF – 6’7 230 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    Jeff McNeil – 2B – 6’1 160 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 222 – Washington – Freshman
    *Jason Monda – OF – 6’4 201 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Spencer Navin – C – 6’2 205 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Dan Olinger – 3B – 6’2 190 – Minnesota – RS Sophomore
    Kevin Williams – INF – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore

    Derek Campbell – INF – 6’0 172
    California
    Sophomore

    Campbell has been a consistent contributor in two years with the Golden Bears. After hitting .263 as a freshman in 2011, Campbell finished at .264 this year a homer and 13 RBI.

    Dylan Davis – OF/RHP – 6’0 200
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    Davis was the top high school prospect in Washington last year, standing out as a two-way talent. In his first season with Oregon State, he hit .247 with three home runs, 12 doubles and 30 RBI. He also pitched some, making 10 appearances and posting a 4.32 ERA.

    Erik Forgione – SS – 6’1 166
    Washington
    Freshman

    Forgione was a 33rd round pick out of high school and he got a chance to start right away for the Huskies. While he had his bright spots, offense in general was a struggle as Forgione finished the season with a .173 average.

    Ryon Healy – INF – 6’5 215
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Healy was undrafted out of high school because of high bonus demands but he made an immediate splash before he even got to college when he was named the top prospect in the California Collegiate League the summer after his senior year of high school. He had a good freshman season in Oregon before hitting .244 with Cotuit last summer. Previously a two-way player, Healy focused on hitting this spring and finished at .312 with four home runs, 13 doubles and 42 RBI.

    Aaron Judge – OF – 6’7 230
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    A 30th-round pick out of high school, Judge had a huge debut with Fresno State last year, hitting .358 on his way to WAC Freshman of the Year honors. It was more of the same this year, as Judge hit .308 with four home runs, 14 doubles and 27 RBI.

    Jeff McNeil – 2B – 6’1 160
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    McNeil saw plenty of time last year in his freshman season with Long Beach State, and he hit .271. This spring, the average dipped slightly to .258, but McNeil was still a key player for the 49ers.

    Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 222
    Washington
    Freshman

    Mitsui was the state of Washington’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011, and he was drafted by the Rays in the 12th round. He still stuck with the plan to play for his home-state school and delivered a strong freshman campaign. Mitsui hit .308 with a home run and 14 RBI.

    Jason Monda – OF – 6’4 201
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    After a decent freshman season with the Cougars, Monda burst onto the scene in Brewster last summer. For quite a while, he was the league’s hottest hitter and he ended up with a .333 average and an all-star nod. He was also named the league’s 14th best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Monda hit .275 with a homer, 10 doubles and 18 RBI.

    Spencer Navin – C – 6’1 205
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    After seeing action in just eight games as a freshman, Navin became a regular for the Commodores this year and made the most of his opportunity. He finished with a .298 average, which was good for third on the team. He also had three home runs and 27 RBI.

    Dan Olinger – 3B – 6’2 190
    Minnesota
    RS Sophomore

    After redshirting in 2010, Olinger had a solid freshman season in 2011. This year, he took a leap forward and emerged as one of the team’s top offensive threats. Olinger hit .318 with 13 doubles and a team-best 34 RBI.

    Kevin Williams – INF – 6’0 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Williams was a 41st-round pick out of high school who didn’t have a ton of success in his first season with the Bruins last year. It’s been a different story this year, though. As a regular starter for the Omaha-bound Bruins, Williams is hitting .305 with two home runs and 19 RBI.

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    2011 Early Look: Brewster Whitecaps

    TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpgBrewster Whitecaps
    Manager: Tom Myers
    2010 Record: 26-17-1

    Nobody started the 2010 season hotter than Brewster, who went 11-3 out of the gates. Unfortunately for the Whitecaps, it was a tough pace to maintain. Anthony Ranaudo, who garnered headlines early in the summer, left early and so did a few other key players. The Whitecaps still had Drew Martinez raking and Andrew Gagnon pitching well, but it wasn’t enough. They finished just behind Y-D in the final standings and lost to Orleans in the playoffs.

    Still, it was an impressive season for the Whitecaps, who built one of the league’s best pitching staffs on the fly and had several offensive players step up in a big way.

    They may need more of that this year. Where some Cape teams are stacked with big 2012 draft prospects and hyped freshmen, Brewster is a little light in that department. That certainly doesn’t mean they’re in for a tough year — just that players without as much of a track record might have to shoulder a big load.

    But the Whitecaps do have some nice pieces. Returning pitchers Jake Barrett and Luke Bard look primed for breakout seasons, while Jon Berti brings some Cape League experience to the lineup.

    And, as always, the “mights” and “mays” are key words. This time last year, we didn’t know Ranaudo was going to be on the Cape. We didn’t know Martinez or Gagnon would turn into all-stars. So a lot can change.

    Maybe Brewster starts hot again. Right now, I wouldn’t make that pick, but June might tell a very different story.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 3
    Juniors: 4
    Sophomores: 12
    Freshmen: 6

    Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Jake Barrett
    2. Luke Bard
    3. Chase Anselment
    4. Jon Berti
    5. Ryan Jones

    Notable

  • Jake Barrett looks like Brewster’s top prospect. He pitched out of the bullpen for them last year, just as he did with ASU. This spring, he’s been in the rotation and has pitched well, living up to his pedigree — he was a third-round pick out of high school.

  • Luke Bard is also back for a second summer. Like brother, Daniel in the bigs, he’s found success in the bullpen for Tech, with six saves.

  • Brewster has quite a few juniors on the roster, and that could be a nice thing for them. None of the juniors appear to be surefire top picks in the draft, so there’s a good chance they make it to the Cape and give Brewster a serious veteran presence.

  • Scott Griggs will be someone to keep an eye on. He was a top prospect coming out of high school and was a summer top prospect last year out West. All the while, he has struggled to put up great numbers. The Cape is a nice place for a struggling pitcher to get those numbers.

  • In Chase Anselment and Taylor Davis, Brewster looks like it has two very good catchers. Anselment was one of the top prospects in the West Coast League last summer, while Davis is having the best spring season of any 2011 Whitecap.

  • Jon Berti was a guy I didn’t have a great feel for last summer — I didn’t realize that he had hit .423 for Bowling Green last spring. He didn’t have great numbers for Brewster, but if he makes it back for another year, he should be a major contributor.

  • The Brewster roster looks like it’s in flux for the moment. I went with the latest update from the league for this list, but the Brewster web site still has quite a few other guys on the roster. We’ll see how it shakes out.

    • Pitchers

    *Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 191 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    *Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’3 219 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Chris Bates – LHP – 6’5 190 – Richmond – Freshman
    Tony Bucciferro – RHP – 6’3 200 – Michigan State – Junior
    Scott Griggs – RHP – 6’4 205 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Jordan John – LHP – 6’3 200 – Oklahoma – RS Freshman
    Daniel Langfield – RHP – 6’2 196 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Patrick Lowery – RHP – 6’5 195 – Columbia – Junior
    T.J. Oakes – RHP – 6’5 215 – Minnesota – Sophomore
    Cayle Shambaugh – LHP/OF – 6’0 195 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    Billy Soule – RHP – 6’1 170 – Minnesota – Sophomore
    Drew Steckenrider – RHP/OF – 6’5 215 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 189 – Washington – Freshman

    Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 191
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    A 16th-round pick out of high school and the brother of Red Sox reliever Daniel, Luke Bard came to Georgia Tech and to the Cape last year with plenty of expectations. He ended up struggling a bit for Tech and had an ERA over seven. In Brewster, he was a little better but still had an ERA over four. So far in his second season in Atlanta, it looks like Bard has taken the leap. As Tech’s closer, he has six saves, a 3.58 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 37.2 innings. I would expect a similar jump for Bard’s second season in Brewster.

    Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’3 219
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A third-round pick out of high school, Barrett has been a prospect to watch since day one with the Sun Devils. He was a key pitcher out of the bullpen last year then came to Brewster and pitched well, compiling a 1.35 ERA in 10 relief appearances. Like his Brewster teammate Bard, Barrett has taken on a bigger role this season, but his jump has been to the starting rotation. It’s been a good move — Barrett is 7-3 with a 3.98 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. Barrett has been ranked as the fifth-best player in his class by Baseball America.

    Chris Bates – LHP – 6’5 190
    Richmond
    Freshman

    Bates was picked in the 15th round of last year’s draft but stuck with Richmond. He’s been solid in his debut with a 4.91 ERA while both starting and relieving. He ranks second on the team with 41 strikeouts in 47.2 innings.

    Tony Bucciferro – RHP – 6’3 200
    Michigan State
    Junior

    Bucciferro had a decent first two years in East Lansing but made a bigger impression last summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, where he posted a 0.82 ERA, struck out almost a batter an inning and earned first-team All-League honors. This spring, Bucciferro has built on that campaign, going 7-2 with a 3.38 ERA. He has struck out 46 in 80 innings but has flashed great control with just 12 walks.

    Scott Griggs – RHP – 6’4 205
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    With a blazing fastball, Griggs was a highly-ranked prospect coming out of high school but was considered a tough sign and went to UCLA. He saw limited action in his first year and didn’t pitch great in the West Coast Collegiate League. But he was still impressive enough last summer to get picked as the league’s fourth-best prospect by Baseball America. Griggs has made eight appearances so far this year and has a 5.40 ERA. Control remains his biggest issue — he has walked 21 and struck out 20 in 16.2 innings.

    Jordan John – LHP – 6’3 200
    Oklahoma
    RS Freshman

    John sat out last season after Tommy John surgery but has come back with a vengeance this season. In 15 appearances — five starts — he’s 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 38.2 innings. That sounds like a pretty impressive return.

    Daniel Langfield – RHP – 6’2 196
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Langfield is a native of Somerset, Mass., so he’ll be coming close to home this summer. And it looks like he’ll be coming back off a pretty solid season. While Langfield is just 2-3 with a 4.61 ERA, he has struck out 78 in 70.1 innings.

    Patrick Lowery – RHP – 6’5 195
    Columbia
    Junior

    Lowery was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year in 2010, when he went 5-3 with a 3.46 ERA. This year has been more of a struggle. Lowery has been the Friday starter and is 1-5 with a 4.62 ERA. He has struck out 37 in 48.2 innings but has also walked 31.

    T.J. Oakes – RHP – 6’5 215
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    The son of Gopher pitching coach Todd Oakes, T.J. has made his dad proud this season. After earning third-team all-conference honors a year ago, Oakes has been a regular starter for the Gophers and is 5-5 with a 3.53 ERA. He has 44 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.

    Cayle Shambaugh – LHP/OF – 6’0 195
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    A two-way star, Shambaugh has focused on pitching in Norman, with some success. He has only pitched in 10 games, but he’s 1-0 with a 4.38 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings. As for the offense, Shambaugh only has one at-bat.

    Billy Soule – RHP – 6’1 170
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    After a solid first season for Minnesota last year, Soule has picked up where he left off this season. He’s second on the team with 16 appearances and has a 3.72 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 29 innings.

    Drew Steckenrider – RHP/OF – 6’5 215
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Steckenrider has had his struggles at the plate and on the mound in his first two years in Knoxville, but he does flash some pretty good peripheral numbers. Despite a 6.33 ERA this year, Steckenrider has 35 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.

    Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 189
    Washington
    Freshman

    Despite his youth, the freshman Voth has started more games than any other Husky pitcher this season. He’s been a little up and down, though, with a 2-4 record and a 5.34 ERA He does have 48 strikeouts against only 15 walks.

    Position Players

    J.J. Altobelli – INF – 6’1 190 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Chase Anselment – C – 6’1 208 – Washington – Sophomore
    Jon Berti – INF – 5’10 175 – Bowling Green University – Junior
    Jamie Bruno – 1B – 6’0 215 – LSU – Junior
    Taylor Davis – C/3B – 5’10 200 – Morehead State – Junior
    Danny Hayes – INF – 6’4 205 – Oregon State – Sophomore
    Ryan Jones – 2B – 5’10 170 – Michigan State – RS Sophomore
    Tanner Nivins – OF – 5’10 195 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Trace Tam Sing – SS – 5’11 174 – Washington State – Freshman
    Andrew Toles – OF – 5’10 185 – Tennessee – Freshman

    J.J. Altobelli – INF – 6’1 190
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    As mentioned above, Altobelli will join his father — assistant coach John Altobelli — in a Brewster uniform this summer. Last year, J.J. was an honorable mention all-conference performer, but he’s hit a sophomore slump this year. Altobelli is hitting .197.

    Chase Anselment – C – 6’1 208
    Washington
    Sophomore

    Anselment has a great debut with the Huskies last year, hitting .347 with six home runs. He followed that up with a solid summer in the West Coast League, where he was named the second-best prospect by Baseball America. Anselment hasn’t had quite as much success this spring. He’s hitting .234 with three home runs.

    Jon Berti – INF – 5’10 175
    Bowling Green University
    Junior

    Berti had one of the best seasons in school history a year ago, hitting .423 with four homers and 29 stolen bases. He made his way to Brewster last summer and didn’t hit as well, but was still a solid contributor for the Whitecaps. This spring, Berti is hitting .356 and has stolen 17 bases.

    Jamie Bruno – 1B – 6’0 215
    LSU
    Junior

    Bruno transferred from Tulane after two seasons with the Green Wave, so he’s sitting out this season. Bruno played in the Northwoods League last summer and popped 10 home runs.

    Taylor Davis – C/3B – 5’10 200
    Morehead State
    Junior

    After getting picked in the 49th-round out of high school, Davis has steadily turned himself into one of the best players in his conference, particularly this season. He hit .350 last year and has upped that to .399 this year. He also has 12 doubles and 15 home runs. Considering those numbers and the fact that he’s a catcher, Davis looks like a small-school breakout candidate.

    Danny Hayes – INF – 6’4 205
    Oregon State
    Sophomore

    After hitting .284 as a freshman, Hayes has been solid again this year. He’s hitting .277 with three homers, 10 doubles and 33 RBI. He also has a .410 on-base percentage.

    Ryan Jones – 2B – 5’10 170
    Michigan State
    RS Sophomore

    After a redshirt year, Jones burst onto the scene last spring when he hit .380 and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. From there, Jones went to the Great Lakes League and was named the 13th-best prospect by Perfect Game. There hasn’t been a drop-off in Jones’ second season with the Spartans. He’s hitting .349 with 14 doubles and 11 stolen bases.

    Tanner Nivins – OF – 5’10 195
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Nivins hit .298 last year and was an All-Rookie pick in the America East. This year, he’s at .316 with 14 doubles, three triples, two homers and 33 RBI.

    Trace Tam Sing – SS – 5’11 174
    Washington State
    Freshman

    Tam Sing was an All-Stater in Bellevue, Wash., and has had a decent first year with the Cougars. He’s hitting .245.

    Andrew Toles – OF – 5’10 185
    Tennessee
    Freshman

    Toles was one of the highest unsigned picks in the 2010 draft, a fourth-rounder by the Marlins. He opted for Tennessee, where he’s had a solid first season. Starting all but two games, Toles has hit .258 with 10 doubles, 23 RBI and 19 stolen bases. Coming into the season, Toles was ranked as the 27th-best freshman in the nation by Baseball America.

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    Early Look: Brewster

    TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpgBrewster Whitecaps
    Manager: Tom Myers
    2009 Record: 17-22-5

    The Brewster Whitecaps haven’t been able to put it all together in recent summers. After finishing third in 2007, they were off the pace in 2008 and 2009. Last year, they tied five games, which had to be more than a little frustrating.

    As they try to put it all together this year, the Whitecaps will be starting from a pretty good spot, with a foundation of veterans.

    Sort of.

    The Whitecaps have just one returning player — talented Miami sophomore Harold Martinez — but there are only four freshmen on the roster. The experience is deepest in the crop of position players, where there’s just one freshman.

    In a league where good pitching often beats good hitting, having so many veteran backs should really help the cause. Martinez and Troy Channing figure to lead the offense, but the Whitecaps appear to have a lot of depth. I don’t know how many stars are out there, but based on college seasons, the roster has a lot of solid hitters.

    The pitching staff — like almost everybody’s at this point — is a little light on players with a lot of starting experience. But guys like Jake Barrett and Bryce Bandilla look like talented arms who are just waiting to take center stage.

    All in all, I like how Brewster’s roster shapes up. The pitching probably won’t be overpowering but if things fall the right away, it should be good enough. And the offense has the experience and some versatility. The Whitecaps have a few power hitters and a few leadoff-type hitters. That could be a good recipe.

    In the end, it’ll come down to what it always comes down to: teams have to execute.

    If they can do that, the Whitecaps have put themselves in a position to shine.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 22
    Freshmen: 4

    Notable

  • Among draft-eligible sophomores who are slated for the Cape in 2010, UC Riverside catcher Rob Brantly might go the highest. (Zack Cox would have been that guy, but he’s a projected top-10 pick and isn’t even on the Cotuit roster anymore). Brantly surged into the prospect landscape with a big summer in the Northwoods League last year. He’s ranked 127 on Baseball America’s Top 200 draft prospects.

  • Troy Channing had a remarkable freshman season for St. Mary’s last year when he hit .379 with 20 home runs. He was one of those guys who burst onto the scene and wasn’t a huge prospect coming in, which is probably why he wasn’t on a Cape League roster last summer. He’s slated for Brewster and is definitely a player to watch, though he didn’t have quite as big a season this year.

  • Georgia Tech’s Luke Bard will be the third Bard brother to play on the Cape, joining Daniel (Wareham ’05) and Jared (Brewster ’09). Luke was a 16th-round pick out of high school.

  • Miami third baseman Harold Martinez was one of the freshman I was most excited about last summer. He ended up hitting .236 for Brewster but flashed some power with four homers. This year, he tied for the ACC lead in home runs with 19.

  • Baseball America ranked Arizona State’s recruiting class third in the nation heading into the season. At the top of the list was pitcher Jake Barrett, who’s set for Brewster this summer. As I understand it, it was a bit of a surprise that the third-round pick even ended up on campus. He’s been a reliever all spring, but I could see him starting for the Whitecaps.

  • Brewster could end up with a strong back end of the bullpen much like the one that helped Ole Miss grab a two-seed in a regional. Or exactly like it. Matt Crouse and Brett Huber have been impressive in the late innings for the Rebels and both are ticketed for Brewster.

  • Mike Palazzone was one of the top prep arms in the 2008 draft, but he has struggled at Georgia. We’ll see if he finds his way on the Cape.

  • The Whitecaps have four freshmen on the roster. With Brantly a likely high pick, they might be down to three, but that’s still a lot. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out.

  • Brewster also has a lot of strength on the left side of its infield. Andy Burns, Taylor Featherston and Kirk Singer have been solid shortstops in their careers, while Channing and Martinez should be two of the best third basemen on the Cape.

  • In Chris Ellison, Drew Martinez and Nathan Melendres, the Whitecaps have three speedy outfielders who have stolen a lot of bases this spring. All three have hit well, too, so they may get some chances to run.

  • Freshmen don’t always get a chance to make a big impact at Texas. When I started doing research on freshman Cohl Walla, I expected to see decent numbers in spot duty. Instead, the toolsy outfielder has been one of the best hitters on a talented Longhorns squad.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Troy Channing
    2. Harold Martinez
    3. Jake Barrett
    4. Rob Brantly
    5. Cohl Walla

    Pitchers

    Bryce Bandilla – LHP – 6’4 232 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 180 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’4 235 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Adam Conley – LHP – 6’3 178 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Matt Crouse – LHP – 6’4 173 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Jake Floethe – RHP – 6’3 205 – Cal State Fullerton – Junior
    Andrew Gagnon – RHP – 6’4 190 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Brett Huber – RHP – 6’2 209 – Ole Miss – RS Freshman
    Matt Larkins – RHP – 6’1 225 – UC Riverside – Junior
    Austin Lubinsky – RHP – 6’1 195 – Minnesota – Sophomore
    Chris Matulis – LHP – 6’5 213 – LSU – Sophomore
    Colton Murray – RHP – 6’1 202 – Kansas – Sophomore
    Mike Palazzone – RHP – 6’2 183 – Georgia – Sophomore

    * – returning player
    (Stats as of June 2)

    Bryce Bandilla – LHP – 6’4 232
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Bandilla was a 28th-round pick out of his California high school in 2008. He headed to Arizona and has had a decent go of it so far. He struggled a bit while pitching out of the bullpen last year but he’s been better as a sophomore. He’s made 26 appearances — six starts — and he has a 4.22 ERA to go with 67 strikeouts in 74.2 innings.

    Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 180
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    The brother of Major Leaguer — and former Gateman — Daniel Bard and former Whitecap Jared Bard, Luke comes in as a highly-touted freshman. He was a 16th-round pick of the Red Sox last year so he could have played in the same system as his brother, but he opted to stick with Georgia Tech. By some measures, he has struggled this year with an ERA over seven. But he does have 25 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.

    Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’4 235
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    Barrett was a third round pick by Tampa last year and he became one of the highest unsigned picks in the country when he opted for Arizona State. Though he hasn’t made a single start for the Sun Devils, he’s been outstanding in a relief role. In 26 appearances, Barrett has a 3.29 ERA with 42 strikeouts and just nine walks in 27.1 innings.

    Adam Conley – LHP – 6’3 178
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Conley didn’t have great numbers last year but he set a school freshman record for appearances. He’s been trotted out just as frequently this year, but with much more impressive results. Pitching as the closer for the regional-bound Cougars, Conley has 11 saves and a 3.13 ERA. In 60.1 innings, he has struck out 41 and walked 17.

    Matt Crouse – LHP – 6’4 173
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Crouse played for former Hyannis manager Rick Robinson at Young Harris College last year. He transferred to Ole Miss and has made an immediate impact. Doing a little bit of everything, Crouse has posted a 5-1 record, a 3.12 ERA and an impressive 58 strikeouts in 52 innings.

    Jake Floethe – RHP – 6’3 205
    Cal State Fullerton
    Junior

    Floethe was a member of Fresno State’s magical national championship run in 2008. He made eight appearances and led the Bulldogs in ERA last year but transferred to Fullerton after the season. He is sitting out this season per NCAA transfer rules.

    Andrew Gagnon – RHP – 6’4 190
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    Gagnon has been starting since day one for Long Beach and he turned into the team’s most reliable option this year. After posting an ERA over six as a freshman, Gagnon led all Long Beach starters in ERA this season at 3.28. He struck out 65 in a team-high 93.1 innings.

    Brett Huber – RHP – 6’2 209
    Ole Miss
    RS Freshman

    Huber redshirted last year after Tommy John surgery but has come back strong and teamed up with Crouse to give the Rebels a dynamic back end of the bullpen. He has 12 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 46 innings of work. Last summer, Huber pitched in the Prospect League and was picked by Baseball America as that league’s third-best prospect.

    Matt Larkins – RHP – 6’1 225
    UC Riverside
    Junior

    Larkins had a strong sophomore season while pitching out of the bullpen last year, compiling a 4-2 record and a 3.86 ERA. Larkins pitched almost full-time as a starter this season with mixed results. He finished with a 6-5 record and a 5.34 ERA.

    Austin Lubinsky – RHP – 6’1 195
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    Lubinsky was a solid option out of the bullpen as a freshman and has pitched well for the Big 10 champion Gophers this season. The sophomore has made nine appearances and six starts. He’s 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 26 innings.

    Chris Matulis – LHP – 6’5 213
    LSU
    Sophomore

    A 48th-round pick out of high school, Matulis showed flashes of his potential as a mid-week starter last year, finishing with a 4.82 ERA. He hasn’t quite reached the potential as a starter this year. He’s 5-3 with a 5.33 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 54 innings.

    Colton Murray – RHP – 6’1 202
    Kansas
    Sophomore

    Murray has put up solid relief numbers at every stop since arriving at Kansas. As a freshman, he made 33 appearances, struck out a batter an inning and finished with a 3.23 ERA. After a strong summer in the NECBL, Murray put up a 4.83 ERA this year with 36 strikeouts in 31.2 innings.

    Mike Palazzone – RHP – 6’2 183
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Palazzone was one of the top prospects in the country as a high-schooler and he was drafted in the 18th round in 2008. He hasn’t put up great numbers at Georgia yet. After going 3-0 with a 5.13 ERA as a freshman, Palazzone moved into the weekend rotation this year. He went 4-6 with an 8.66 ERA.

    Position Players

    Rob Brantly – C – 6’2 200 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
    Mike Dowd – C – 5’9 215 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Tyler Ogle – C – 5’10 180 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Jeremey Schaffer – C – 6’1 205 – Tulane – Sophomore
    Andy Burns – SS – 6’2 190 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Troy Channing – 3B – 6’0 235 – St. Mary’s – Sophomore
    Taylor Featherston – SS – 6’1 175 – TCU – Sophomore
    *Harold Martinez – 3B – 6’3 200 – Miami – Sophomore
    Nathan Melendres – OF – 5’10 185 – Miami – Sophomore
    Kirk Singer – IF – 6’2 165 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Chris Ellison – OF – 6’2 180 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Derek Jones – OF – 6’0 213 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Drew Martinez – OF – 5’10 170 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Danny Oh – OF – 5’11 170 – California – Sophomore
    Cohl Walla – OF – 6’3 165 – Texas – Freshman

    * – returning player

    Rob Brantly – C – 6’2 200
    UC Riverside
    Sophomore

    Brantly is one of the top catching prospects in the country but might not make it to the Cape since he’s a draft-eligible sophomore. The top prospect in the Northwoods League a year ago, Brantly had an impressive sophomore season for Riverside. He batted .373 with seven home runs, 18 doubles and 39 RBI.

    Mike Dowd – C – 5’9 215
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    Dowd was the Northeast 10 Co-Freshman of the Year and he delivered a solid sophomore season as well. A native of East Bridgewater, Mass., Dowd hit .312 this season with six home runs, 14 doubles and 33 RBI. He helped Franklin Pierce to the Division II World Series.

    Tyler Ogle – C – 5’10 180
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Ogle didn’t see a lot of action last year but excelled when he did get the chance, hitting .545 as a pinch hitter. After a solid summer in the Texas Collegiate League, Ogle has had a productive sophomore season. With the Sooners set to host a regional, Ogle is hitting .303 with seven home runs, nine doubles and 36 RBI.

    Jeremey Schaffer – C – 6’1 205
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    Schaffer burst onto the scene in his freshman season with the Green Wave, hitting .311 and ranking sixth in Conference USA with 14 home runs. This season, Schaffer hit .286 and flashed his power potential again, finishing with 12 homers and 52 RBI.

    Andy Burns – SS – 6’2 190
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Projected as a third-to-fifth rounder out of high school, Burns made his way to the Northwoods League following his senior season and turned some heads. Despite being only 17 and facing much older competition, Burns was named the league’s ninth-best prospect. At Kentucky, he hit .287 with seven home runs as a sophomore. This year, he hit .271 with 11 home runs.

    Troy Channing – 3B – 6’0 235
    St. Mary’s
    Sophomore

    Channing had a remarkable freshman season for St. Mary’s last year. He was the WCC Freshman of the Year and was in the conversation for National Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .379 with 20 home runs, 11 doubles and 75 RBI. He came back to earth a little bit this year but still had a strong season. He hit .310 with 15 homers and 54 RBI.

    Taylor Featherston – SS – 6’1 175
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Featherston made an immediate impact as a freshman, starting all 58 games and finishing fourth on the team with a .322 batting average. As a sophomore, he’s picked up where he left off. Featherston has been a mainstay and is hitting .328 with six home runs for the regional host Horned Frogs.

    Harold Martinez – 3B – 6’3 200
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Martinez came to Miami with a lot of hype and delivered a solid freshman season, hitting .270 with nine home runs. Over the summer, he hit .236 with four home runs for Brewster. This spring, Martinez has done a little more to live up to the hype. He’s hitting .298 and he tied for the ACC lead with 19 home runs. Martinez was a 19th-round pick out of high school.

    Nathan Melendres – OF – 5’10 185
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Like Martinez, Melendres made a decent splash as a freshman and has built on his solid campaign this season. The speedy outfielder is batting .297 with six home runs, 11 doubles and 13 stolen bases.

    Kirk Singer – IF – 6’2 165
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    After getting picked in the 40th round out of high school, Singer hit .317 as a freshman. He hit .315 this season with five home runs, nine doubles and 21 RBI. He stole five bases.

    Chris Ellison – OF – 6’2 180
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Ellison had a solid first season in Norman and played last summer in the Alaska League. This season, he has been a key piece to the puzzle for the regional-bound Sooners. Batting leadoff, Ellison is hitting .331 with four home runs, nine doubles, three triples and 28 RBI. He’s reaching base at a .431 clip and he has stolen 21 bases in 24 attempts.

    Derek Jones – OF – 6’0 213
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Jones batted only .223 as a freshman but he did finish with eight home runs. He’s balanced this things out a little more this season. He’s hitting .300 with a team-best 11 home runs, 10 doubles and 40 RBI. He has also stolen nine bases in 11 attempts, so he has a little speed.

    Drew Martinez – OF – 5’10 170
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Martinez was a member of Conference USA’s All-Freshman team after leading the Tigers in hitting with a .309 average. He didn’t lead the Tigers this year, but that’s only because a teammate hit over .400. Martinez finished at .377 with 10 doubles and five triples. He was 19-for-29 on stolen base attempts.

    Danny Oh – OF – 5’11 170
    California
    Sophomore

    A high-school star in Washington, Oh had a big role as a freshman for the Bears and hit .303 with seven home runs. He’s had another solid season this year. He’s hitting .307 with two home runs and 11 doubles as Cal heads to a regional.

    Cohl Walla – OF – 6’3 165
    Texas
    Freshman

    Walla was the top-ranked member of a strong Texas recruiting class that joined the team this season. A 43rd-round pick out of high school, Walla has had no trouble cracking a lineup — and making an impact — for the powerhouse Longhorns. He’s hitting .332, good for third on the team. He also has eight home runs, 12 doubles and 13 stolen bases.