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2012 Early Look: Y-D Red Sox

logo1.pngY-D Red Sox
Manager: Scott Pickler
2011 Record: 19-21-4

Last summer marked the first time since 2008 that the Y-D Red Sox didn’t have a winning record. Of course, that still couldn’t really hold the Red Sox down. They won a playoff series over favored Orleans before getting swept by eventual champion Harwich.

Despite that strong finish, the season as a whole felt like one big missed opportunity. The Red Sox had tremendous talent on their roster — perhaps more than any team in the league — but between injuries, the College World Series and Team USA, that talent never completely came together. Y-D ended up having four players drafted in the first round, prompting manager Scott Pickler to jokingly tell the Cape Cod Times that he should be fired for not winning the championship. But with all the changes and the upheaval, you couldn’t blame the Red Sox for scuffling.

That’s in the past now, and the Red Sox don’t look like they’ll have to do quite as much shuffling this year. They have four players in the College World Series and two on the Team USA roster, but everybody else should be set.

And that’s a good thing, because there is once again a lot of talent.

The Red Sox just hope it comes together.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 12
Freshmen: 11

Notable

  • The more successful college players a team has on its roster, the easier it is to write all this stuff up. Sometimes, the early looks can be a grind, but this one flew by, which should tell you something. Of the six teams I’ve done so far, I don’t think anybody has more players coming off good seasons than Y-D.

  • Many of those players coming off good seasons are pitchers. In fact, there isn’t a single pitcher on the Y-D roster who had any significant struggles. Most had great years, particularly starters Jonathan Crawford, Joey DeNato, Alex Gonzalez, Rick Knapp, Ben Lively, Jake Reed and Andrew Thurman. The Red Sox look like they may have some serious pitching depth. It’ll be experienced depth too, with five pitchers returning to the Cape for a second summer.

  • Y-D is going quite a bit younger than a lot of teams this year, with 11 freshmen coming into the fold. A lot of them look like future stars, so if they make a return trip in 2013, we could be talking about another very talented team.

  • Every freshmen on the NC State baseball team — and every freshmen in the nation — was overshadowed by freshman pitcher Carlos Rodon, who was among the national leaders in strikeouts and earned ACC Pitcher of the Year honors. But even in the shadows, it was hard to miss Rodon’s teammate Trea Turner. A freshman infielder, Turner led the nation in stolen bases while batting .336 and five home runs. Unfortunately for Y-D, Team USA notice, and Turner was just added to the roster there.

  • The other biggest freshman standout for the Red Sox looks like Indiana’s Sam Travis, who drove in 50 runs on his way to Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors. Stanford’s Alex Blandino — with eight home runs — isn’t far behind.

  • One concern relating to the big freshman crop is how many of them are hitters — it’s nine of the 10. Y-D could could conceivably have six or seven freshmen in the everyday lineup, and freshmen hitters don’t often shine on the Cape.

  • In addition to Turner, Oregon pitcher Jimmie Sherfy has also been invited to Team USA. He had 19 saves this year to go with ridiculous strikeout numbers.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Trea Turner
    2. Jonathan Crawford
    3. Jimmie Sherfy
    4. Alex Blandino
    5. Sam Travis

    Pitchers

    Jonathan Crawford – RHP – 6’2 205 – Florida – Sophomore
    *Joey DeNato – LHP – 5’10 185 – Indiana – Sophomore
    *Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
    Rick Knapp – RHP – 6’1 200 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore
    Spenser Linney – LHP – 6’5 195 – Stanford – Freshman
    Ben Lively – RHP – 6’4 205 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Jake Reed – RHP – 6’2 180 – Oregon – Freshman
    Jimmie Sherfy – RHP – 6’0 170 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Scott Squier – LHP – 6’6 185 – Hawaii – Freshman
    Cole Swanson – LHP – 6’5 200 – San Diego State – Sophomore
    *Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
    *A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Zack Weiss – RHP – 6’2 210 – UCLA – Sophomore

    Jonathan Crawford – RHP – 6’2 205
    Florida
    Sophomore

    With standouts Brian Johnson, Hudson Randall and Karsten Whitson leading the way, there didn’t seem to be much room in the Florida rotation for anybody else. Crawford forced himself in. The sophomore is 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched. He made national headlines when he tossed a no-hitter in Florida’s regional. Crawford was a 42nd-round pick out of high school.

    Joey DeNato – LHP – 5’10 185
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    After a good freshman season, DeNato made his way to Cape Cod and became one of the most valuable members of Y-D’s pitching staff. He made five starts and seven relief appearances, finishing the summer with a 2.38 ERA. This year, DeNato became an ace for the Hoosiers, going 7-3 with a 3.22 ERA and 76 strikeouts. He led the team in innings pitched with 92.1.

    Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200
    Oral Roberts
    Sophomore

    Gonzalez is set to return to Y-D for his second summer, and he’s poised to emerge as a top-flight starting pitcher. After an impressive freshman season that included 100 strikeouts, Gonzalez had a decent showing on the Cape, finishing with a 3.08 ERA in seven starts. This spring, he kept it up, going 6-3 with a 2.30 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. Gonzalez was an 11th-round pick out of high school.

    Rick Knapp – RHP – 6’1 200
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    An Atlantic Sun All-Freshman pick in 2011, Knapp earned all-star honors in the Northwoods League last summer. This spring, he built on that success with a big campaign. He went 9-4 with a 2.34 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched. He was named the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year.

    Spenser Linney – LHP – 6’5 195
    Stanford
    Freshman

    A 44th-round pick out of high school, Linney didn’t see much action for the Cardinal this year. In 10 appearances, he logged 6.1 innings of work. He allowed four earned runs while striking out five.

    Ben Lively – RHP – 6’4 205
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Lively was a 26th-round pick out of high school in 2010, and though he had an ERA over five last year, he still made enough of an impression to earn Conference USA All-Freshman honors. This year, Lively made good on his potential with an impressive sophomore campaign. Emerging as the team’s ace, he went 9-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.

    Jake Reed – RHP – 6’2 180
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Reed was a 40th-round pick out of high school but was mentioned as a third-to-fifth rounder heading into the draft. He stuck with his commitment and became a standout immediately in Eugene. Reed went 8-4 with a 2.92 ERA in his debut season. He struck out 67 and walked 42 in 114 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .230 against him.

    Jimmie Sherfy – RHP – 6’0 170
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Sherfy has been invited to Team USA so he may not make it to the Cape, but if he does, he’ll be bringing one of the most electric arms in the nation with him. Sherfy ranked second in the nation in saves with 19, but his strikeout numbers were even more eye-popping. He K’d 93 in 61.1 innings, good for a K/9 ratio of 13.7.

    Scott Squier – LHP – 6’6 185
    Hawaii
    Freshman

    A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Squier made the trek to Hawaii and didn’t disappoint upon arrival. He vaulted right into the weekend rotation and went 3-4 with a 3.50 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched. Squier was a 21st round pick out of high school, and he reportedly hit 94 on the gun as a high-school senior.

    Cole Swanson – LHP – 6’5 200
    San Diego State
    Sophomore

    After a great freshman season, Swanson was poised for big things this year as he stepped into the Friday starter role for the Aztecs. Instead, he had to have an appendectomy early in the season, leaving him with just six appearances in what supposed to be a breakout season.

    Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200
    UC Irvine
    Sophomore

    Thurman pitched well in a swing role last year for the Anteaters then had a good showing in 33 innings of work with Y-D over the summer. This year, Thurman became the ace of the Irvine staff and finished 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 69 in 98 innings of work.

    A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Vanegas was a seventh round pick in the 2010 draft. When he stuck with his commitment to Stanford, he became one of the highest unsigned picks in his class. After putting up solid numbers in his freshman campaign, he pitched well in a short stint with Y-D last summer. This spring, he was a key pitcher for the Cardinal, posting a 2.62 ERA while pitching mostly out of the bullpen. He struck out 53 in 65.1 innings.

    Zack Weiss – RHP – 6’2 210
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Weiss was a 10th-round pick out of high school and delivered a strong first season with the Bruins last year. He had his ups and downs on the Cape last summer, but has come back with a strong season for the Omaha-bound Bruins this spring. He’s currently 3-2 with a 4.04 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched.

    Position Players

    Alex Blandino – SS – 6’0 175 – Stanford – Freshman
    Jaycob Brugman – OF – 6’0 185 – BYU – Sophomore
    Matt McGovern – OF – 5’10 169 – Boston College – Junior
    Robert Pehl – 2B – 6’1 200 – Washington – Freshman
    Justin Shafer – INF/OF – 6’3 205 – Florida – Freshman
    Chris Sujka – OF – 5’11 190 – Indiana – Freshman
    Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 200 – Stanford – Freshman
    Josh Tobias – INF – 5’9 208 – Florida – Freshman
    Sam Travis – 3B – 6’0 205 – Indiana – Freshman
    Trea Turner – SS – 6’1 170 – NC State – Freshman
    Sean Dwyer – OF – 6’1 200 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore

    Alex Blandino – SS – 6’0 175
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Blandino was considered a tough sign out of high school so he slipped to the 38th round of last year’s draft. He made an immediate splash in Palo Alto this spring. He hit .294 and clubbed eight home runs, the second-highest total on the team, despite the fact that he started only 29 of 49 games. He also drove in 40 runs.

    Jaycob Brugman – OF – 6’0 185
    BYU
    Sophomore

    Brugman was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year last season after hitting .317 with nine home runs. He shipped out to Alaska last summer and hit .262 with the Matsu Miners. This spring, Brugman didn’t light it up quite like he did last year, but he still hit .279 with two home runs, four doubles, five triples and a team-best 30 RBI.

    Matt McGovern – OF – 5’10 169
    Boston College
    Junior

    As a sophomore last year, McGovern came back from an injury and emerged in the latter half of the season as one of the team’s top hitters. He finished at .371 with a homer and 18 RBI. This spring was more of a struggle as McGovern hit .239.

    Robert Pehl – 2B – 6’1 200
    Washington
    Freshman

    Pehl was a mainstay from day one in Washington this year and finished out a solid debut season with a .293 average, 13 extra-base hits and 23 RBI. He started 50 of the team’s 55 games.

    Justin Shafer – INF/OF – 6’3 205
    Florida
    Freshman

    Shafer has gotten a chance in Florida’s veteran lineup and has delivered a solid season. While playing in 48 games, with 42 starts, Shafer is hitting .275 with five doubles and 26 RBI.

    Chris Sujka – OF – 5’11 190
    Indiana
    Freshman

    Sujka had a great high school career in Illinois and didn’t struggle much with the adjustment to the next level. While starting 50 games this year, Sujka hit .269 with five home runs, eight doubles and 38 RBI.

    Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 200
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Taylor was the Texas prep baseball player of the year and was selected in the 14th round of last year’s Major League draft by the Angels. He honored his commitment to Stanford but didn’t see much action in his first year with the Cardinal. He got eight starts and hit .152.

    Josh Tobias – INF – 5’9 208
    Florida
    Freshman

    Like his Florida teammate Shafer, Tobias has gotten an opportunity for the Gators and has done pretty well with it. He’s hitting .248 with seven extra-base hits. Tobias was a 31st-round pick out of high school.

    Sam Travis – 3B – 6’0 205
    Indiana
    Freshman

    Another Indiana freshman, Travis made an even bigger splash than his teammate Sujka. A 40th-round pick out of high school, Travis burst onto the scene with a .319 average, nine home runs, 17 doubles and a team-best 50 RBI, which was also good for second in the Big 10. Those numbers earned Travis Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors.

    Trea Turner – SS – 6’1 170
    NC State
    Freshman

    Turner was a 20th-round pick out of high school, but his debut season at NC State made that seem way too low. Turner started every game, typically batted leadoff and emerged as a tremendous threat. He hit .336 with five home runs, 13 doubles and 43 RBI. He also had an on-base percentage of .432 and he led the nation with 57 stolen bases. He earned second-team all-ACC honors.

    Sean Dwyer – OF – 6’1 200
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    One of two FGCU players on the roster, Dwyer is also coming in off a strong spring. He hit .297 with three home runs, 16 doubles and a team best 39 RBI. A 15th-round pick out of high school, Dwyer was rated as the 14th-best prospect in the Northwoods League last year.

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    2011 Early Look: Y-D Red Sox

    logo1.pngYarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
    Manager: Scott Pickler
    2010 Record: 27-17

    The Y-D Red Sox seem to be updating things this off-season, with a fancy new web site that looks great and a tweaked logo.

    On the field, they don’t need many updates — they’ll be looking for more of the same.

    The Red Sox were the most successful franchise of the last decade and they started the new decade by picking up where they left off. Y-D put together the league’s best record last season and made the championship series before losing to Cotuit.

    With manager Scott Pickler still at the helm and a host of talented players on the roster, the Red Sox are poised for more big things in 2011.

    Just like last year, the Red Sox only have two returning players. But on paper, their roster looks more talented than last year’s, particularly on the mound. Mark Appel, Kyle Hansen and Brian Johnson could very well be top-five pitchers in the league when all is said and done. There’s strength in the bullpen too, with closer D.J. Baxendale returning and Joe Rogers coming in.

    At the plate, it starts with Kenny Diekroeger, the guy I’d pick as the preseason top prospect in the league. The Stanford sophomore has been impressive every step of the way since opting to attend college after getting drafted in the second round in 2009.

    There isn’t quite as much hype around some of the other Y-D bats, but Diekroeger’s teammate Stephen Piscotty should be very good, along with Florida catcher Mike Zunino, who’s been one of the best players on one of the best teams in the country this season.

    All in all, the Red Sox look like they’ve given themselves a good chance to contend, just as they’ve done almost every year. With a proven track record of seizing that chance, the Red Sox should be in the mix again.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 2
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 6

    Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kenny Diekroeger
    2. Mark Appel
    3. Brian Johnson
    4. Kyle Hansen
    5. Mike Zunino

    Notable

  • Y-D has had a Stanford connection for a long time, and it could really pay some dividends this season. Sophomores Mark Appel and Kenny Diekroeger are two of the top prospects in the nation for the 2012 draft, and Stephen Piscotty is up there, as well. A.J. Vanegas is a highly-thought of freshman. If all four of those players make it to the Cape, they’ll be quite a group.

  • Diekroeger and Appel spent last summer close to the Cape, playing for the Newport Gulls in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. They were the top two prospects in the league according to Baseball America. Teammates again this summer, they could easily pull off the same feat.

  • Sticking with the Stanford boys for a moment, Piscotty was listed on the league’s roster release as a 3B/LF/1B/RHP. The Y-D web site wisely just decided to go with Utility. Either way, Piscotty can do it all.

  • D.J. Baxendale was quietly one of the best closers in the Cape League last year. It’ll be interesting to see what role he plays this summer, because he’s started and relieved for Arkansas. Whatever he does, he seems poised to make a leap to even bigger things this year.

  • Kyle Hansen is following in the footsteps of brother Craig Hansen, who played for St. John’s and on the Cape. Where Craig was standout reliever, Kyle has been a starter all the way and he’s been great in his first two seasons with the Red Storm. He’s also 6’8, so you won’t be able to miss him.

  • I’ll be interested to see if Brian Johnson goes both ways on the Cape. He’s a standout on the mound and at the plate for Florida, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him focus on one thing for the summer. That’s the way it usually goes for top utility guys.

  • Matt Watson is slated to return to Y-D after a solid first season on the Cape last summer. The Boston College sophomore has struggled this spring but he was the league’s top New England prospect a year ago.

  • Mike Zunino was overshadowed a bit last spring by teammates like Austin Maddox and Nolan Fontana, but he’s having a huge sophomore season for Florida. He could emerge as one of the top catching prospects in his class.

    • Pitchers
    Mark Appel – RHP – 6-5 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *D.J Baxendale – RHP – 6’2 190 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Matt Carasiti- RHP – 6’3 200 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    Joey DeNato – LHP/OF – 5’10 165 – Indiana – Freshman
    Daniel Gibson – LHP – 6’3 215 – Florida – Freshman
    Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200 – Oral Roberts – Freshman
    Kyle Hansen – RHP – 6’7 191 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    Brian Johnson – LHP – 6’4 227 – Florida – Sophomore
    Joe Rogers – LHP – 6’1 205 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200 – UC Irvine – Freshman
    A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205 – Stanford – Freshman
    Cory Williams – LHP – 6’1 200 – Vanderbilt – RS Sophomore

    Mark Appel – RHP – 6-5 190
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    With a mid-90’s fastball and a big frame, Appel was highly-regarded coming out of high school. He was drafted in the 15th round but might have gone higher if not for a solid commitment to Stanford. He has remained firmly on the radar for scouts with the Cardinal, and he made a big splash last summer when he was named the second-best prospect in the New England Collegiate Baseball League by Baseball America. I’ve seen him rated among the top five prospects for the 2012 draft. So far this season, he’s 2-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 50.1 innings.

    D.J Baxendale – RHP – 6’2 190
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    Baxendale was a mainstay at the back end of the Y-D bullpen last season and recorded nine saves, good for second in the league. He was named the team’s pitcher of the year. Back at Arkansas, Baxendale has been both relieving and starting, but he’s been very good either way. The sophomore leads the team with a 1.62 ERA. He also has a 5-1 record and 40 strikeouts in 39 innings.

    Matt Carasiti- RHP – 6’3 200
    St. John’s
    Sophomore

    Carasiti was the Connecticut Player of the Year and a 36th-round pick in high school. After a so-so freshman campaign with the Red Storm, Carasiti has emerged as the team’s top bullpen arm this season. He currently has a 2.70 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 20 innings. He also hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit. Last summer, Carasiti played in the NECBL and ranked as the sixth-best prospect, according to BA.

    Joey DeNato – LHP/OF – 5’10 165
    Indiana
    Freshman

    The Indiana program has a bit of a pipeline to the San Diego area, and it’s paying dividends again with DeNato. In his first year in Bloomington, DeNato has posted a 3.10 ERA and has struck out 23 in 29 innings. Also listed as an outfielder, DeNato has seen just two at-bats so it appears he’s focusing on pitching at this point.

    Daniel Gibson – LHP – 6’3 215
    Florida
    Freshman

    Gibson was a 26th-round pick out of high school, but for the moment, he’s kind of waiting his turn on a stacked Gator pitching staff. So far, Gibson has appeared in eight games out of the bullpen. He has a 1-0 record and a 5.40 ERA.

    Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200
    Oral Roberts
    Freshman

    Gonzalez was an 11th-round pick out of high school last year and he’s showing why as a freshman at ORU. Gonzalez has been the team’s best pitcher and one of the best in the Summit League. So far, he’s 3-4 with a 2.75 ERA. In 59 innings, he has struck out 47.

    Kyle Hansen – RHP – 6’8 215
    St. John’s
    Sophomore

    A 40th-round pick out of high school, Hansen burst onto the scene as a freshman last year when he went 8-3 with a 3.71 ERA and 85 strikeouts. He didn’t play summer ball but has picked up right where he left off this season. So far, he’s 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 54.1 innings. Before the season, he was ranked by Perfect Game as the 44th-best prospect for the 2012 draft. He’s the brother of former Cape Leaguer and Major Leaguer Craig Hansen.

    Brian Johnson – LHP – 6’4 227
    Florida
    Sophomore

    A consensus Freshman All-American last year, Johnson has continued to cement his status as one of the top players — and maybe the top utility player — in his class this season. On the mound, Johnson is 5-1 with a 2.42 ERA and a team-best 43 strikeouts in 52 innings. At the plate, he’s hitting .315 as a full-time starter. Perfect Game tabbed Johnson as the nation’s 15th best prospect for 2012 in preseason rankings.

    Joe Rogers – LHP – 6’1 205
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Rogers was installed as UCF’s closer right off the bat as a freshman last season and didn’t disappoint, saving eight games and earning Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America honors. This year, Rogers is delivering more of the same. He’s saved six games already and has a 3.04 ERA. He’s also flashed great control, with 20 strikeouts and just three walks in 24.2 innings.

    Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200
    UC Irvine
    Freshman

    Thurman came to Irvine after an impressive high-school career and he’s made a pretty good splash with the Anteaters. In 11 appearances — six starts — he’s posted a 3.86 ERA. He has struck out 29 in 39.2 innings.

    A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Vanegas was one of the top pitchers in the California high-school ranks last year and was drafted in the seventh round. He stuck with Stanford, though, and was tabbed by BA as the fifth-best freshman in the country coming into the season. He has pitched mostly in relief, thus far and has done well, posting a 3.28 ERA to go with 17 strikeouts in 24 innings.

    Cory Williams – LHP – 6’1 200
    Vanderbilt
    RS Sophomore

    Williams redshirted his freshman year at Vandy and was pitching well in his first action last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He’s back this year and has chipped in a lot for the top-ranked Commodores. In 15 relief appearances, Williams has struck out 24 — better than a batter an inning. He’s got a 4.63 ERA.

    Position Players
    Kenny Diekroeger – SS – 6’2 195 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Connor Harrell – OF – 6’3 215 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Chase Jensen – SS – 6’3 190 – Houston – Sophomore
    Cody Keefer – OF – 6’1 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Jacob Lamb – 3B – 6’3 210 – Washington – Sophomore
    Michael O’Neill – OF – 6’1 180 – Michigan – Freshman
    Bennett Pickar – C – 6-2 205 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
    Stephen Piscotty – UTIL – 6’3 205 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Matthew Reynolds – SS – 6’1 200 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Jordan Smith – 3B/OF – 6’4 225 – St. Cloud State – Sophomore
    Chris Taylor – SS/3B – 6’1 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
    *Matthew Watson – C – 6’0 200 – Boston College – Sophomore
    Michael Zunino – C – 6’1 218 – Florida – Sophomore

    Kenny Diekroeger – SS – 6’2 195
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Diekroeger was drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2009 draft. When he opted for Stanford instead, he became the second-highest drafted player that year to attend a four-year college. He’s done nothing to disappoint since then. After earning Pac 10 Freshman of the Year honors last year, he played for the Newport Gulls in the NECBL and was tabbed by BA as the league’s top prospect. BA also ranked him as the nation’s second-best sophomore heading into the season. This year, he’s hitting a team-best .355 with a homer and 15 RBI.

    Connor Harrell – OF – 6’3 215
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Harrell worked his way into a starting job as a freshman last season and ended up hitting .300. He’s still a key part of the lineup this year and he’s hitting .241 with a homer and 12 RBI.

    Chase Jensen – SS – 6’3 190
    Houston
    Sophomore

    Jensen spent last season at Weatherford College in the juco ranks and earned all-conference honors. He transferred to Houston this season and is fast becoming one of the top hitters in Conference USA. He’s currently at .329 with three homers, seven doubles and a league-best 37 RBI.

    Cody Keefer – OF – 6’1 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Keefer was a 33rd-round pick out of high school and delivered a solid first season with the Bruins last year, hitting .318. After a solid summer in the West Coast Collegiate League, Keefer is hitting .269 this year with five doubles.

    Jacob Lamb – 3B – 6’3 210
    Washington
    Sophomore

    The top player in Washington as a high-school senior, Lamb stayed home and turned in an impressive freshman season last year. He finished with a .347 average, four home runs and 12 doubles. This year, Lamb has been very good again, posting a team-best .333 average. He’s also got two homers, seven doubles and 16 RBI.

    Michael O’Neill – OF – 6’1 180
    Michigan
    Freshman

    O’Neill was one of the top players in Ohio last year and was drafted in the 42nd round. He’s now in the midst of a very good freshman season with the Wolverines. So far, he’s hitting .299 to go with four doubles, two triples and a home run. He leads the team with 18 RBI.

    Bennett Pickar – C – 6-2 205
    Oral Roberts
    Sophomore

    Pickar has joined his battery-mate Gonzalez as a late addition to the Y-D roster. Pickar hit .286 as a freshman but has struggled thus far this season. He’s currently hitting .145.

    Matthew Reynolds – SS – 6’1 200
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    Reynolds opened his freshman season as the team’s starting shortstop but struggled with the bat and lost the job. After delivering a solid summer in the Northwoods League, Reynolds is back in a full-time role and hitting .262. He also has nine extra-base hits.

    Stephen Piscotty – UTIL – 6’3 205
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Like his teammates Appel and Diekroeger, Piscotty followed up a solid freshman campaign by catching scouts’ eyes over the summer. He headed north to Alaska and was picked by BA as the league’s third-best prospect. While Piscotty is listed as a hitter and a pitcher, he hasn’t pitched at all this season. But he’s contributing plenty with the bat, hitting .346 with a homer and 16 RBI.

    Jordan Smith – 3B/OF – 6’4 225
    St. Cloud State
    Sophomore

    Smith had a record-breaking freshman season with D-II St. Cloud State, hitting .457. He followed that debut with a huge summer in the Northwoods League, where he hit .374 with five homers and 56 RBI. BA rated him as the 15th-best prospect in the league. As a sophomore, Smith hasn’t cooled down much. He’s currently hitting .371 with five home runs and 25 RBI.

    Chris Taylor – SS/3B – 6’1 180
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Taylor didn’t see a ton of action last year but made the most of his time and hit .305. This year, he’s been a mainstay in the Cavaliers’ lineup and is hitting .294 with 11 extra-base hits. His 26 RBI ranks third on the team.

    Matthew Watson – C – 6’0 200
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    A native of Portland, Maine, Watson had a solid freshman season at BC and a good summer on the Cape. Playing for Y-D, Watson hit .239 with four home runs and took home New England Top Prospect honors. So far this season, Watson has struggled at the dish, holding a .207 average.

    Michael Zunino – C – 6’1 218
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Part of Florida’s vaunted recruiting class that came in last year, Zunino was solid last year but didn’t have the kind of enormous season that some of his freshman teammates put together. This year, he’s doing it. Zunino was scorching at the beginning of the year and is still holding steady with a .339 average. He also has six homers, eight doubles and is tied for the team lead with 27 RBI.

    Posted on

    Early Look: Yarmouth-Dennis

    TeamLogo_YD2003.jpgYarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
    Manager: Scott Pickler
    2009 Record: 28-15-1

    The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox were the most successful franchise of the last decade, with three Cape League titles to their name.

    This year, they’ll try to start down the same path in the new decade.

    The Red Sox have been consistent contenders for quite a while now. They bring in talented players year in and year out, and manager Scott Pickler always seems to get the best out of them. Last season, the Red Sox didn’t make the championship, but they had the best regular-season record in the league.

    That was despite the fact that the team didn’t shape up like you would have expected in the preseason. Looking back on last year’s preview, four of the five players I was excited to see never made it to the Cape. But the Red Sox found a way behind a solid offense and a steady pitching staff.

    Right now, the team has a similar make-up this year. This isn’t a squad loaded with prospects or guys who had huge college seasons, but the potential is there for these Red Sox to turn into another solid club.

    The pitching staff took a hit when UCLA star Trevor Bauer was dropped from the roster. The Red Sox don’t appear to have an ace like Chris Sale last year. They’ll need some big summers.

    Offensively, they return only two players, so there may be some growing pains. But guys like Joe Panik, Dusty Robinson and Beau Taylor are sophomores with proven track records.

    All in all, I wouldn’t rank the Red Sox among the top two or three teams, on paper.

    But if we’ve learned anything in the last decade about Y-D’s ability to put things together, I also wouldn’t count them out.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 18
    Freshmen: 7

    Notable

  • I think the Y-D pitching staff would make a pretty formidable basketball team. At 6’9, Kentucky’s Alex Meyer is the tallest of a really tall bunch. Six more pitchers stand 6’5 or taller. The average height of the staff is around 6’5.

  • Alex Meyer and Brett Mooneyham should be really interesting to watch. Both were major prospects coming out of high school and both have had their struggles at the college level. The strikeout numbers have been consistently high for both, so it stands to reason that against wooden bats, they’ve got a good shot at putting up better all-around numbers.

  • Kyle Hansen is the brother of former St. John’s and Harwich star Craig Hansen. While Craig was a fantastic closer, Kyle is making his name as a starter. He had a really impressive freshman year, and could easily become the top freshman pitcher on the Cape.

  • Hansen’s teammate Joe Panik had the top offensive numbers of any Red Sox player this season. A talented shortstop, Panik hit .380 with nine home runs.

  • Central Florida’s Beau Taylor heads a solid group of catchers. Ben McMahan has been good at Florida and Matt Watson had a decent freshman season at Boston College. From what I’ve read, Taylor is a bit undersized but he’s put up great numbers all the way along.

  • Tyler Hanover is not the most heralded member of the LSU contingent that’s headed for the Cape, but he brings the most experience to the table. The sophomore hit .300 and was an all-star for Y-D last year.

  • Matt Jensen had a great freshman season and big things were expected this year — he was one of the first players invited to Team USA. Injuries hampered him though, and he ended up hitting .270.

  • LSU star pitcher and Red Sox draftee Anthony Ranaudo is reportedly coming to Cape Cod, but I haven’t heard which team he’ll be playing for. I note this here because Ranaudo pitched for Y-D in 2008, so there’s an established relationship.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kyle Hansen
    2. Joe Panik
    3. Dusty Robinson
    4. Alex Meyer
    5. Brett Mooneyham

    Pitchers

    D.J. Baxendale – RHP – 6’2 190 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Derek Benny – RHP – 6’5 210 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    Anthony Desclafani – RHP – 6’2 190 – Florida – Sophomore
    Ryan Gibson – LHP – 6’2 227 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    Kyle Hansen – RHP – 6’7 195 – St. John’s – Freshman
    D.J. Hicks – RHP – 6’5 230 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Cory Mazzoni – RHP – 6’1 189 – NC State – Sophomore
    Alex Meyer – RHP – 6’9 220 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Brett Mooneyham – LHP – 6’5 235 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Tanner Poppe – RHP – 6’6 220 – Kansas – Freshman
    Jordan Pries – RHP – 6’1 195 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Ali Simpson – LHP – 6’3 170 – Bethune Cookman – Sophomore
    Scott Snodgress – LHP – 6’5 215 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 190 – Florida – RS Sophomore

    D.J. Baxendale – RHP – 6’2 190
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Baxendale was Arkansas’ Gatorade Player of the Year as a high-school senior and he stayed home to play for the Razorbacks. They’re glad he did, and they’ve had no qualms giving him a lot of work. Baxendale leads the team in appearances with 28, all but three out of the bullpen. He has pretty good numbers, too, with a 4.00 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 54 innings.

    Derek Benny – RHP – 6’5 210
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    A 45th-round pick out of high school, Benny made his way into the weekend rotation last season and finished second on the team in strikeouts. It was a struggle this year for Benny, who walked almost as many as he struck out. He finished with an 8.18 ERA.

    Anthony Desclafani – RHP – 6’2 190
    Florida
    Sophomore

    DeSclafani was a 22nd round pick out of high school, but he hasn’t quite put it all together yet in Gainesville. After going 6-3 with a 4.98 ERA as a freshman, he’s 2-3 this season with a 6.97 ERA. He has struck out 39 and walked only seven but he’s allowed 58 hits in 40 innings.

    Ryan Gibson – LHP – 6’2 227
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Gibson was selected in the 48th round of last year’s draft. At Oklahoma, he’s had a really solid freshman season. He’s made 10 starts and two relief appearances and is 5-2 with a 3.76 ERA. He has struck out 40 and walked 23 in 40.2 innings.

    Kyle Hansen – RHP – 6’7 195
    St. John’s
    Freshman

    Hansen is the brother of former St. John’s and Cape League star Craig Hansen, who’s now in the Pittsburgh system. Kyle, a 40th-round pick last year with a lot of upside, is making his own name this spring. As the team’s best starter, he went 8-2 with a 3.55 ERA. He struck out 84 and walked 36 in 91.1 innings. His scouting report for the draft last year had his fastball touching 94.

    D.J. Hicks – RHP – 6’5 230
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Hicks hit .301 as a freshman and also saved three games on the mound on his way to C-USA All-Freshman honors. This spring, he was limited by injury. He played in six games and didn’t make a pitching appearance.

    Cory Mazzoni – RHP – 6’1 189
    NC State
    Sophomore

    Mazzoni had an up-and-down freshman year but finished strong and pitched well in the Prospect League, where he struck out 63 in 52 innings. This year, Mazzoni went 7-3 with a 5.20 ERA. He struck out 89 and walked 40 in 91.2 innings.

    Alex Meyer – RHP – 6’9 220
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Meyer burst onto the prospect scene before his senior year of high school and was mentioned as a first-round pick. With Scott Boras advising him and a strong commitment to Kentucky, he lasted until the 20th round and stuck with the Wildcats. He’s considered perhaps the best recruit in Kentucky history, but the statistics haven’t caught up with the hype at this point. After going 1-4 with a 5.73 ERA last year, he went 5-3 this year with a 7.06 ERA. He did strike out 63 in 51 innings.

    Brett Mooneyham – LHP – 6’5 235
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Like Meyer, Mooneyham was a big-time prospect in high school, with some clubs ranking him as the top prep left-hander in the country. He was considered unsignable because of his commitment to Stanford but he still went in the 15th round. For the Cardinal, he hasn’t dominated but he’s shown flashes. He had a 4.14 ERA as a freshman, and teams hit just .204 off him. This year he went 3-7 with a 5.07 ERA, but he also struck out 99 in 87 innings.

    Tanner Poppe – RHP – 6’6 220
    Kansas
    Freshman

    Poppe was a three-sport standout and was getting D-I football looks until his fastball and pitching potential pushed him toward baseball. Poppe didn’t put up great numbers for the Jayhawks this year, going 3-4 with a 5.25 ERA and walking more than he struck out, but he has a lot of potential.

    Jordan Pries – RHP – 6’1 195
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Pries became Stanford’s Friday starter as his freshman season unfolded last year. He ended up going 4-4 with a 4.62 ERA. This year, Pries made 15 starts and went 4-4 again with a 4.07 ERA. He struck out 65 in 97.1 innings.

    Ali Simpson – LHP – 6’3 170
    Bethune Cookman
    Sophomore

    Simpson made the long trek from his native British Columbia to Bethune Cookman in Florida. He’s had a solid career. His freshman year was outstanding, as Simpson went 9-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 79 strikeouts. This year, Simpson saw his ERA rise to 4.93, but he still struck out almost a batter an inning.

    Scott Snodgress – LHP – 6’5 215
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Snodgress had a decent freshman season but really made waves in the Alaska League last summer when he posted a 2.93 ERA. Baseball America rated him the league’s fourth-best prospect. This year, Snodgress had a 5.59 ERA with 38 strikeouts and 29 walks in 37 innings.

    Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 190
    Florida
    RS Sophomore

    Toledo was one of the highest unsigned picks in the 2007 draft and he had a solid freshman season for the Gators. But after that, he missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. He returned this year and has made nine appearances. He’s 3-2 with a 4.38 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.

    Position Players

    *Ben McMahan – C – 6’0 205 – Florida – Sophomore
    Beau Taylor – C – 5’11 195 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Matt Watson – C – 6’0 200 – Boston College – Freshman
    Matt Hamlet – INF – 6’0 167 – Boston College – Junior
    *Tyler Hanover – INF – 5’6 165 – LSU – Sophomore
    Matt Jensen – INF – 5’10 195 – Cal Poly – Sophomore
    Joe Panik – INF – 6’2 190 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    Tyler Sibley – INF – 5’10 160 – Texas State – Sophomore
    Lance Ray – OF/1B – 6’2 200 – Kentucky – Junior
    Dusty Robinson – OF – 6’0 205 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    Matt Vinson – OF – 6’2 195 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Bobby Crocker – OF – 6’3 225 – Cal Poly – Sophomore
    Cody Keefer – OF – 6’1 190 – UCLA – Freshman

    Ben McMahan – C – 6’0 205
    Florida
    Sophomore

    The Gators have as much catching talent as any team in the country, which makes playing time tough to come by. McMahan has done well in his chances, though. In 34 games, he’s hitting .324 with two home runs and three doubles. McMahan was a 30th-round pick out of high school. He played for Y-D last summer and hit .241 with three homers.

    Beau Taylor – C – 5’11 195
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Taylor has put up impressive numbers and turned heads at every stop. As a freshman, he hit .335 with four homers and earned C-USA All-Freshman honors. Last summer, he played in the Cal Ripken Sr. League, hit .271 and was named the league’s fourth-best prospect by Baseball America. This year, he hit .354 with seven homers, 16 doubles and 35 RBI and was on the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, which is presented to the nation’s best catcher.

    Matt Watson – C – 6’0 200
    Boston College
    Freshman

    Watson was a 26th-round pick out of high school and he flashed plenty of his potential this spring with the Eagles. He hit only .259 but more than a third of his hits went for extra bases. He finished with seven home runs, eight doubles and two triples.

    Matt Hamlet – INF – 6’0 167
    Boston College
    Junior

    Hamlet hit over .300 in his first two years at BC. That average dipped just below .300 to .292 this year, but Hamlet showed some pop with 13 doubles and three homers. He also stole nine bases.

    Tyler Hanover – INF – 5’6 165
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Hanover hit .321 as a freshman and helped lead the Tigers to the College World Series championship. When the celebrations were done, Hanover came to the Cape and delivered a solid summer. He hit .300 with two homers and four doubles and he made the all-star team. This year, Hanover hit .332 with two homers and 16 doubles.

    Matt Jensen – INF – 5’10 195
    Cal Poly
    Sophomore

    Jensen earned Big West Freshman of the Year honors last season after hitting .375 with nine home runs and 15 doubles. This season, Jensen battled an injury and hit .270 with two home runs, seven doubles and six triples. He has been invited to Team USA.

    Joe Panik – INF – 6’2 190
    St. John’s
    Sophomore

    The Red Storm shortstop hit .322 as a freshman and was even better this year. He hit .380 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and four triples. He earned third-team all-conference honors. In Perfect Game’s February preview of the New England/New York college landscape, he was tabbed as the best defender.

    Tyler Sibley – INF – 5’10 160
    Texas State
    Sophomore

    Sibley had an outstanding freshman season at Texas State last year, hitting .359 with 10 home runs and earning Freshman All-American honors. His numbers weren’t quite as good this year, but he was still solid. Sibley hit .304 with a homer and 14 doubles.

    Bobby Crocker – OF – 6’3 225
    Cal Poly
    Sophomore

    Crocker got 34 starts as a freshman last year and hit .323. He headed to the West Coast League for the summer and hit .292. Baseball America tabbed him as the league’s fourth-best prospect. This season, Crocker was even better. He led the team with a .351 batting average and added three home runs, 15 doubles and 5 triples. He also stole 18 bases in 22 attempts.

    Cody Keefer – OF – 6’1 190
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Keefer got a jump on his collegiate career when he hit .292 in the West Coast Collegiate League last year. In his first season in Pasadena, he’s been a big part of UCLA’s success. With the Bruins heading for a Super Regional, Keefer is batting .318 with two home runs and nine doubles.

    Lance Ray – OF/1B – 6’2 200
    Kentucky
    Junior

    Ray was a junior-college standout for two years before joining the Wildcats this season and making an immediate impact. He led the team with a .356 batting average and he added 10 home runs, 11 doubles and 34 RBI.

    Dusty Robinson – OF – 6’0 205
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    In his freshman year, Robinson made an immediate splash with the Bulldogs, hitting .319 with 12 doubles. This year, he emerged as a major run producer and power threat. Robinson finished with a .308 average, 16 home runs, 11 doubles and 60 RBI. He ranked fifth in the WAC in home runs.

    Matt Vinson – OF – 6’2 195
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Vinson started the year in competition to grab a starting job. He’s played in 44 games for the Razorbacks, with 21 starts. He’s hitting .209, but almost half his hits have gone for extra bases.