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2011 Early Look: Wareham Gatemen

gatemen_logo_opt.jpgWareham Gatemen
Manager: Cooper Farris
2010 Record: 19-24-1

Wareham seems to get hit hard by Team USA and other defections every year, and they’re a prime example that the juggling that a lot of teams have to do doesn’t always work out.

But the Gatemen have once again assembled a good looking crop of players. Now they’ll just hope.

Wareham will be led by five returnees, among them Max Muncy, who could be the top returning hitter from 2010. Pitchers Josh Urban and Joe Flynn are also expected back, along with two big hitters from UConn in Jon Andreoli and Lee Mazzilli, Jr. Mazzilli, for one, has turned into a star this spring.

The rest of the roster is dotted with big-time prospects, small-school standouts and plenty of guys in between. The pitching rotation could turn out to be a strength if top-flight starters Justin Amlung and Matthew Grimes pitch well. The lineup might shape up nicely as well, with Muncy, Daniel Palka and William Carmona looking like a very strong middle.

From there, the Gatemen will need some players who struggled this year to step up. And they’ll probably have to do some juggling, though they don’t yet have a Team USA invitee.

They’ll be hoping that this year, it all works out.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 3
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 9

Notable

  • For the first time since I’ve been doing this, my high school alma mater will be represented in the Cape League. Justin Amlung attended the great St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky., of which I am a notable alumnus. Amlung might end up more famous than me, though — he had a great sophomore season for Louisville.

  • Max Muncy was Wareham’s best run producer last season, after a strong freshman year for Baylor. He should be primed for even more this year, making him one of the top returning hitters in the league.

  • Wareham has two sons of current or former Major League managers. Lee Mazzilli, Jr., is the son of the former O’s skipper, and Luke Farrell is the son of current Blue Jay head man John Farrell.

  • Matthew Grimes looks like Wareham’s most hyped pitcher. He was a fourth-round pick a year ago and struck out better than a batter an inning in his freshman year for Georgia Tech.

  • Another Tech freshman, Daniel Palka, was one of the top home run hitters in the ACC.

  • Stony Brook’s Nick Tropeano was a great pitcher for Cotuit last year, and the Sea Wolves have a couple of guys on the Cape this year. William Carmona comes to Wareham as the America East Player of the Year.

  • Derek Dennis struggled last summer and this spring, but he’s a guy scouts have been on for a while. They’ll keep watching, and Dennis will keep pushing for a turnaround. Wareham would be a good place for it.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Max Muncy
    2. Lee Mazzilli, Jr.
    3. Matthew Grimes
    4. William Carmona
    4. Daniel Palka

    Pitchers
    Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210 – Northwestern – Sophomore
    Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175 – UConn – Sophomore
    Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216 – Louisville – Freshman
    *Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185 – Baylor – Freshman
    Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185 – Maine – Sophomore
    Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195 – Harvard – Junior
    Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    *Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220 – Texas – Sophomore
    Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180 – Arizona – Freshman

    Justin Amlung – RHP – 6’0 175
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Amlung didn’t have much hype coming into the year and wasn’t even on the Wareham roster when the college season started. But from day one, Amlung was dominant. He finished the year 10-2 with a 2.35 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 105 innings of work. He was a first-team All-Big East selection.

    Barrett Astin – RHP – 6’1 185
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Astin arrived in Arkansas and became a key part of the bullpen right off the bat. He ended up leading the team in appearances with 27, and his numbers were good. He had a 2.72 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.

    Bobby Brosnahan – LHP – 6’0 170
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    After a redshirt year in 2009, Brosnahan was pretty good in his debut, putting up a 4.38 ERA last season. This year, Brosnahan struggled, going 1-9 with a 7.82 ERA.

    Luke Farrell – RHP – 6’6 210
    Northwestern
    Sophomore

    The son of former Red Sox pitching coach and current Blue Jays manager John Farrell, Luke is coming off a strong sophomore season with the Wildcats. After struggling last year, he went 6-3 this year with a 3.33 ERA. In 81 innings, he struck out 65.

    Daniel Feehan – RHP – 6’0 175
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Feehan has been a big part of the Husky bullpen since last year. This season, he has put up a 2.36 ERA in a team-best 26 appearances. He has struck out 22.

    Andy Flett – RHP – 6’7 216
    Louisville
    Freshman

    After limited innings as a freshman, Flett became a valuable reliever for Louisville this spring. He made 18 appearances and finished with an ERA of 2.82 to go with 16 strikeouts.

    Joseph Flynn – RHP – 6’2 210
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    A native of Plymouth and a high school star, Flynn was solid as a freshman then put up a 2.13 ERA for Wareham last summer. This spring, he went 2-2 with a 3.45 ERA.

    Matthew Grimes – RHP – 6’6 194
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Grimes was a fourth-round pick of the White Sox last year, but stuck with Georgia Tech and immediately put himself into the weekend rotation. He finished his freshman year with a 7-4 record, a 4.15 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 73.2 innings.

    Dillon Newman – RHP – 6’2 185
    Baylor
    Freshman

    A 49th-rounder out of high school, Newman was strong out of the pen for Baylor this spring. He finished 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA and 17 strikeouts.

    Steve Perakslis – RHP – 6’1 185
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Perakslis hails from Abington, Mass., and was slated to come to Wareham last year but never made it. He’ll be back this year, and he’ll be coming off a big spring. Perakslis went 6-4 with a 3.52 ERA and 55 strikeouts.

    Brent Suter – LHP – 6’5 195
    Harvard
    Junior

    Suter was a first-team All-Ivy performer last year when he went 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA. His ERA climbed to 5.26 this season, but he still struck out almost a batter an inning.

    Joshua Turley – LHP – 6’0 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    After pitching mostly in relief last season, Turley became a starter this year and had a lot of success. He ended up 4-5 with a 3.39 ERA. He was second on the team with 95.2 innings pitched and struck out 63.

    Josh Urban – RHP – 6’4 220
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Urban got very limited action with the Longhorns then came to the Cape and got a chance to start for the Gatemen. He struggled, though, and finished with an ERA above five. This year, Urban has been a key in the Longhorns’ bullpen. In 13 games, he’s posted a 3.65 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 17 innings of work.

    Konnor Wade – RHP – 6’3 180
    Arizona
    Freshman

    A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Wade was a 35th-round pick of the hometown Diamondbacks but still stuck with his commitment to Arizona. With the Wildcats, he delivered a good first season. He made 17 appearances with eight starts and posted a 3.21 ERA.

    Position Players

    *John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210 – UConn – Junior
    C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165 – Mississippi State – Freshman
    William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    *Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185 – UConn – Sophomore
    *Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180 – Harvard – Junior
    Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225 – LSU – Freshman
    Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215 – Texas – Sophomore

    John Andreoli – OF/1B – 6’1 210
    UConn
    Junior

    After batting .362 as a sophomore, Andreoli hit .244 in 19 games with Wareham last summer and .240 in 11 games for Brewster. This year, he has helped UConn to a super regional by hitting .319 with 31 RBI. He was also just drafted in the 17th round.

    C.T. Bradford – OF – 5’9 165
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    Bradford was a 48th-round pick out of high school and has delivered a strong showing in his freshman year with the Bulldogs. He’s hitting .309 with 12 doubles and has also nabbed 11 bases.

    William Carmona – INF/RP – 6-0 225
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    The Stony Brook program is getting more and more players on Cape League rosters, and Carmona looks like one of its best. The America East Rookie of the Year last season, Carmona continued to shine this year, hitting .357 with six homers, 27 doubles and 40 RBI. He slugged .585 and was named America East Player of the Year.

    Derek Dennis – SS – 6’3 185
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    Dennis was a 10th-round pick out of high school so he came to Ann Arbor with some hype. After hitting .267 as a freshman, he came to Wareham and struggled, finishing with a .178 average. This spring, his bat was off again, as Dennis hit just .216.

    Mott Hyde – SS/2B – 6-0 180
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Like his teammate Grimes, Hyde made a big impact for Tech as a freshman. He started every game and hit .275 with four homers and 47 RBI. Hyde was a 44th-round pick last year.

    Lee Mazzilli Jr. – SS/3B – 6’0 185
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Mazzilli is another Husky who is expected back for a second summer in Wareham. He hit .207 in 26 games last summer. This spring, he has turned into the player everyone thought he would be. He’s hitting .346 with three homers, 23 doubles and 32 RBI. He has also stolen 11 bases.

    Max Muncy – INF – 6’0 190
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Muncy had a big freshman season for the Bears, hitting .300 with 11 homers. On the Cape last summer, Muncy hit .244 but led the Gatemen with 14 extra-base hits. This year, he picked up where he left off in Waco, hitting a team-best .322 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.

    Daniel Palka – 1B/LHP – 6’2 190
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    A 19th-round pick out of high school, Palka flashed as much power as anybody in a Tech uniform this spring. He finished with a .297 average, 12 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI. The 12 home runs tied him for fourth in the ACC. Listed as a two-way player, Palka didn’t pitch at all this spring.

    Robert Refsnyder – OF – 6’1 205
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Refsnyder was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a freshman and followed that up with an impressive sophomore season. He finished at .320 with six home runs, 13 doubles, six triples and a team-best 55 RBI. He also stole nine bases.

    Jeff Reynolds – UTL – 5’11 180
    Harvard
    Junior

    A first-team all-Ivy League selection, Reynolds was Harvard’s best hitter this spring. He finished with a .301 average, two home runs and 19 RBI.

    Tyler Ross – C – 6’3 225
    LSU
    Freshman

    A 46th-round pick out of high school, Ross immediately grabbed the starting catcher’s job at LSU. He had his struggles at the plate, though, finishing at .223 with one home run.

    Brandon Thomas – OF – 6’3 205
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Thomas was a late-round pick out of high school and played as a reserve for Tech in his freshman year. Getting a bigger chance in the Florida Collegiate League last summer, Thomas shined and was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. This spring, he hit .307 with three home runs and also stole 19 bases.

    Jon Walsh – C – 6’5 215
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Walsh hit .273 in a reserve role last year. This season, he’s gotten more playing time and has hit .257 with two homers and 16 doubles.

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    2011 Early Look: Orleans Firebirds

    firebird1.jpgOrleans Firebirds
    Manager: Kelly Nicholson
    2010 Record: 23-19-2

    It took me a lot longer to do this Orleans early look than all the others, mostly because the Firebirds have 35 players listed on their roster. Now, it’s taking me longer still, because I don’t how how to sum it all up. It could go a lot of different ways.

    I can only imagine how the Firebirds feel.

    They aren’t in a vastly different boat than all the other teams in the league, but there does seem to be more uncertainty here than with a lot of rosters. For one thing, the Firebirds have 13 juniors, which might be as many as all the other teams combined. They also have six players who were drafted this week.

    Throw in a few players in super regionals and some Team USA questions, and it’s a wonder anyone knows who’s coming and going.

    But that’s not to say that the Firebirds can’t put something together this season. Plenty of teams juggle then deliver big summers. This team has the talent to do that.

    In Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha, Orleans has two potentially dominant pitchers. The offense looks even better, with veterans like Steve Selsky and Jayce Boyd leading a group that’s had a lot of success this year.

    Beyond that, I really have no idea how it will all shake out for the Firebirds. But it could certainly be good.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 13
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 3

    Notable

  • If by some chance Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha both make it to Orleans, the Firebirds will have perhaps the two best sophomore pitchers in the country, and probably the two best in the league. Things are way up in the air for Wacha, who’s on the Team USA roster and still pitching in postseason play. Heyer may make it, but he could also get a Team USA invite.

  • Nick Mutz was a mystery for a while, but I eventually learned that he did not play for any college team this year. However, he got a pre-draft workout with the Angels, flashed a mid-90’s fastball and got drafted in the ninth round. I don’t remember any players with a story quite like that, although it seems vaguely familiar. I might just be thinking of Summer Catch. Will Jessica Biel be around?

  • Kenny Long didn’t get drafted this year but he’s been a lights-out reliever the last two seasons at Illinois State and last summer in Orleans. He should be a key to the Firebirds’ bullpen this year.

  • Among the 22 position players on the Orleans roster, there are plenty of stand-outs. The intriguing thing is the number of players who are trying to bounce back. Steve Nyisztor and Steve Selsky have produced in the past but missed big chunks of this season. A couple of other guys had struggles and will be looking for rebounds.

  • Nyisztor got a lot of attention in the Northwoods League last year, with Baseball America raving about his five-tool potential. If he’s healthy, he might be an MVP candidate this summer.

  • Nyisztor and Jake Stewart give Orleans the top two prospects from the summer leagues that are probably right behind the Cape in terms of talent. Nyisztor in the Northwoods, and Stewart in Alaska.

  • I haven’t sorted it all out quite yet, but I think Zeke DeVoss is the highest-selected 2011 draftee who’s on a Cape League roster for this summer. He went in the third round.

  • Jason Wheeler isn’t far behind. He was an eighth-rounder this year.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kurt Heyer
    2. Michael Wacha
    3. Steve Nyisztor
    4. Jake Stewart
    5. Nick Mutz

    Pitchers

    Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215 – Oregon State – Sophomore
    *John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200 – Elon – Junior
    Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225 – UConn – Sophomore
    Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215 – College of Southern Nevada – Sophomore
    Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235 – Rutgers – Sophomore
    Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190 – Kentucky – Freshman
    Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
    Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195 – Stony Brook – Junior
    *Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155 – Illinois State – Junior
    Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200 – Western Oklahoma – Freshman
    Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
    Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255 – Loyola Marymount – Junior

    Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215
    Oregon State
    Sophomore

    Boyd was a two-way standout last year, earning several Freshman All-America nods. He focused almost exclusively on pitching this year with great results. Working out of the pen, Boyd made 29 appearances, recorded a team-best 1.45 ERA and struck out 35 in 43.1 innings. He also saved four games.

    John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200
    Elon
    Junior

    Brebbia struggled in his first two years at Elon but had a pretty good campaign for Orleans last summer. Building off that, Brebbia turned everything around back at school. He made 27 appearances out of the pen and put up a team-best 1.76 ERA. He struck out 35 and walked just eight in 41 innings. Brebbia was picked in the 30th round earlier this week.

    Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225
    UConn
    Sophomore

    Butler wasn’t at the top of his game last year, with an ERA almost touching six as a freshman. This year, he’s been a little better, but his ERA is still 5.33 and he has walked twice as many hitters as he has struck out.

    Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215
    College of Southern Nevada
    Sophomore

    Playing for the school Bryce Harper made famous, Dunbar went 5-3 this year with a 3.62 ERA, and he struck out 66 in 49.2 innings.

    Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235
    Rutgers
    Sophomore

    Gebler burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, setting a new school record with 12 saves. This year, Rutgers moved Gebler into the starting rotation, and he went 5-5 with a 3.22 ERA. He struck out 53.

    Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190
    Kentucky
    Freshman

    The Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Gott headed to Lexington and turned in a strong first season. Pitching in relief, Gott had a 3.62 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.

    Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    After shining as a freshman in the weekend rotation, Heyer became perhaps the top sophomore pitcher in the nation this year. In 20 starts, he went 8-5 with a 2.41 ERA and struck out 134 in 138.1 innings pitched, with just 26 walks. He was an all-conference pick and ranked fourth in the nation in strikeouts, up in the rarefied air of Trevor Bauer and Danny Hultzen.

    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180
    Dartmouth
    Sophomore

    Hunter has had two solid seasons for Dartmouth. Last year, he led the team in ERA. This year, he went 5-3 with a 3.77 ERA and struck out 43.

    Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195
    Stony Brook
    Junior

    Johnson was an all-conference pick last year as a sophomore and turned in a strong junior campaign this year. As a member of the weekend rotation, he went 9-3 with a 2.30 ERA. In 78.1 innings, he struck out 62 and walked just 17.

    Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155
    Illinois State
    Junior

    After struggling as a freshman, Long has been a dynamic closer for the Illinois State the last two seasons. He saved nine games last year then saved six this year, while also posting an ERA of 0.92 and striking out 45 in 39.1 innings. Last summer for Orleans, Long led the team in appearances, had a 1.71 ERA and struck out 36 in 32 innings.

    Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200
    Western Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Mutz is a really interesting story. He pitched for NAIA Dakota State last year, then left and didn’t pitch anywhere this spring. But he went for a pre-draft workout with the Angels and they liked him so much, they drafted him in the ninth round. The plan for the Angels is to follow him on the Cape this summer. With a mid-90’s fastball, he should be a good player to watch.

    Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200
    Texas A&M
    Sophomore

    Wacha was a Freshman All-American last year and has continued to shine this year, going 8-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 106 strikeouts. But I’m not sure we’ll see him in Orleans. His team is still alive in the NCAA tournament, and he’s on the Team USA roster.

    Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255
    Loyola Marymount
    Junior

    Wheeler is listed at 6’8 by Orleans, but the Loyola web site has him at 6’6. Either way, though, he’s a big man who’s had some big success. Last summer, he was the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year. This spring, he went 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA. The brother of former Brewster Whitecap Ryan Wheeler, Jason was drafted earlier this week in the eighth round by the Twins.

    Position Players

    Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    *Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175 – Miami – Sophomore
    Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215 – Florida International – Sophomore
    Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200 – USC – Freshman
    Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
    Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205 – Long Beach State – Junior
    Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185 – Palm Beach Atlantic – Junior
    Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175 – La Salle – Junior
    Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200 – Rutgers – Sophomore
    *Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205 – Duke – Junior
    Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Junior
    Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210 – NC State – Sophomore
    *Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Junior
    Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200 – USC – Junior
    Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245 – Jacksonville State – Junior
    Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195 – Georgia State – Junior

    Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Aplin hit .337 as a part-timer last year. This season, he’s gotten more of a chance and has hit .285 with a homer and 19 RBI. Aplin was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school.

    Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    A 19th-rounder out of high school, Boyd was one of the top freshman hitters in the country a year ago, batting .326 with eight homers. He then came to Orleans, where he hit .236 with two home runs and 16 RBI. This spring, Boyd kept it up, hitting .335 with six homers and 56 RBI.

    Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175
    Miami
    Sophomore

    DeVoss hit .338 this spring and stole 32 bases. A draft-eligible sophomore, his speed caught a lot of eyes, and DeVoss was picked by the Cubs in the third round earlier this week. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.

    Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    Duffy hit .244 as a freshman after he grabbed a starting job on the infield. This year, he hit .265.

    Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215
    Florida International
    Sophomore

    Flores had a huge freshman season last year, batting .357 with five homers and 23 RBI. He saw a bit of a downturn in average this year, finishing at .291, but still produced. He hit eight homers and 21 doubles and drove in 52 RBI.

    Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Gomez didn’t waste any time making an impression as a freshman last year. He hit .379 to lead the Commodores. This year, he’s stayed hot and is hitting .342 with 43 RBI.

    Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Gragnani started only 12 games last year but made the most of his time and hit .365. In a bigger role this season, Gragnani has hit .278 with 31 RBI. He was a 27th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school.

    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200
    USC
    Freshman

    A 22nd-round pick out of high school, Hernandez had some struggles in his first season with the Trojans. He started only 12 games and hit .200.

    Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225
    Loyola Marymount
    Sophomore

    Lowenstein was the WCC Freshman of the Year a season ago after hitting .344 in his debut. This year, he led Loyola with a .349 average and a .437 OBP.

    Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205
    Long Beach State
    Junior

    A transfer from Sacramento City College, Marjama had a solid first season in Long Beach, hitting .290 with a homer and 27 RBI. He was drafted this year in the 23rd round.

    Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185
    Palm Beach Atlantic
    RS Junior

    Natale started his career at Rice and then moved on to St. Petersburg College. In his first year at Palm Beach Atlantic, he fought through injuries to hit .281.

    Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175
    La Salle
    Junior

    Negrin has been a steady performer throughout his career at La Salle, and he hit .276 this season.

    Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200
    Rutgers
    Sophomore

    Nyisztor came into the 2011 season with a lot of hype after hitting .410 as a freshman and earning top prospect honors in the Northwoods League last summer. His sophomore season didn’t go like he hoped — Nyisztor played in only 12 games. I can’t find anything certain, but I’m assuming it was due to injury.

    Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205
    Duke
    Junior

    As a sophomore Piwnica-Worms hit .313 with six homers and 44 RBI then came to Orleans and hit .200. This spring, he hit .264 with two homers and 31 RBI.

    Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205
    Arizona
    Junior

    Selsky had one of the best seasons in the Pac-10 a year ago when he hit .370. After a solid summer in Orleans — he hit .273 with four home runs — Selsky missed much of this season and is a late addition to the Arizona roster. He was drafted 33rd round this year.

    Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210
    NC State
    Sophomore

    A 38th-round pick out of high school, Senay has been solid for NC State. He hit .264 this year with two home runs.

    Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205
    UC Irvine
    Junior

    Shaeffer has put together a good career at UC Irvine. He hit .388 as a freshman, .318 last year and .271 this year. He played in Orleans last summer and hit .190.

    Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200
    USC
    Junior

    After hitting .315 as a sophomore, Sherrod blossomed this year into one of USC’s best hitters. He finished at .318 with six home runs and 35 RBI.

    Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    A 14th-round pick out of high school, Stewart struggled with the bat as a freshman but then earned top prospect honors in the Alaska League. This year, he hit .292 with 15 doubles and 19 RBI.

    Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Tissenbaum was third on the team last season with a .344 batting average. He continued to emerge as a top-flight player this year, hitting .343 with five home runs, 20 doubles and 43 RBI.

    Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245
    Jacksonville State
    Junior

    Waldrip hails from Medford, Mass., and started his career St. Anselm. He then went to Cypress College before transferring to Jacksonville State for this season. He made a splash for the Gamecocks, hitting .344 with 10 home runs. He was a 40th-round pick this year.

    Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195
    Georgia State
    Junior

    Williams had a strong junior season, putting himself into the Georgia State career record books in several categories. He finished at .342 with 36 RBI.

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    2011 Early Look: Bourne Braves

    TeamLogo_Bourne2003.jpgBourne Braves
    Manager: Harvey Shapiro
    2010 Record: 24-20

    The last two years, Bourne has become very good at adjusting on the fly.

    Two seasons ago, their patched-together roster won the Cape League championship. Last season, the Braves looked like one of the top two or three most talented teams in the league in the preseason then had to deal with significant personnel losses.

    Still, Bourne went 24-20 and won the West Division regular-season title.

    That’s why it’s tough to figure out how the 2011 Braves stack up. They have some talent, but again they might lose some of it. Still, though, I’d never count them out.

    Looking at what they do have, the Braves will welcome back seven players from last year’s team, which is among the highest number in the league. All the pitchers coming back had strong summers, too, like R.J. Alvarez, Will Jolin and Michael Morin. Those experienced guys should carry the load for a staff that doesn’t have huge prospect hype.

    As for the offense, the Braves have some potential stars, like North Carolina freshman Colin Moran and Florida sophomore standouts Austin Maddox and Nolan Fontana. But all those players are also still alive in the NCAA tournament, meaning the Braves will have to adjust as much as any team in the league.

    But if anybody can do it, the Bourne Braves can.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 7
    Juniors: 0
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 7

    Notable

  • R.J. Alvarez will probably be happy to be back in Bourne. He’s had his struggles at Florida Atlantic but dominated out of the bullpen for the Braves last summer, emerging as one of the top relievers in the league.

  • We’ll see what happens with Clemson’s Kevin Brady. He was drafted in the 17th round earlier this week but he also might want to show the Indians what he can do this summer after battling injuries this spring. If he gets to Bourne and is healthy, he has the potential to be a top-flight pitcher.

  • Florida’s Austin Maddox was perhaps the best freshman in the nation a year ago. He was slated for Bourne last year but never made it. When I saw him on the roster again this year, I figured he was a shoo-in for Team USA, but he’s had somewhat of a sophomore slump — at least compared to what he did last year — and could certainly end up in Bourne. And he’d be looking for a resurgence

  • Nolan Fontana is another Florida kid I’d love to see. He committed four errors all of last season, and this year started to hit more on top of his stellar defense.

  • Ryne Stanek is among the highest unsigned picks from the 2010 draft. After a solid first season, he might be ready for big things this summer.

  • North Carolina’s Colin Moran hasn’t just been the best freshman hitter on the UNC squad — he’s been the best hitter period. Moran is UNC’s first ACC Freshman of the Year since Dustin Ackley, and he’s now chasing Ackley’s freshman RBI record.

  • Travis Jankowski seized the day last summer when he was a late sign by the Braves. He continued his success in his sophomore season and will be trying to have another good summer in Bourne. This time, he’ll be doing it from day one.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Austin Maddox
    2. Nolan Fontana
    3. Colin Moran
    4. Kevin Brady
    5. Ryne Stanek

    Pitchers

    *R.J. Alvarez – RHP – 6’1 200 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
    *Kevin Brady – RHP – 6’3 200 – Clemson – RS Sophomore
    Ryan Connolly – RHP – 6’0 180 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Josh Conway – RHP 6’1 175 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Ryan Eades – RHP – 6′ 2 189 – LSU – Freshman
    John Farrell – RHP – 6’2 210 – William & Mary – Sophomore
    Chad Green – RHP – 6’4 200 – Louisville – Freshman
    *Will Jolin – RHP – 6’3 205 – UConn – Sophomore
    *Michael Morin – RHP – 6’4 180 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Daryl Norris – RHP – 6’1 220 – Mississippi State – Freshman
    *R.C. Orlan – LHP – 6’0 175 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Slade Smith – RHP – 6’2 178 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Ryne Stanek – RHP – 6’4 180 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Brian Ward – LHP – 6’3 185 – UConn – Freshman
    Alex Wood – LHP – 6’4 216 – Georgia – Sophomore

    R.J. Alvarez – RHP – 6’1 200
    Florida Atlantic
    Sophomore

    Alvarez has flashed electric stuff since day one at Florida Atlantic but hasn’t posted great numbers there. Last summer in Bourne, though, he was lights out. After posting an ERA over five last spring, he came to Bourne and dominated out of the bullpen, putting up a 0.79 ERA and striking out 29 in 22.2 innings. He was one of the top relievers in the league, earned a spot in the All-Star Game and was named the league’s 26th-best prospect by Baseball America. Back at FAU this spring, he moved into the rotation with mixed results — he went 6-6 with a 5.23 ERA but did strike out 72 in 74 innings.

    Kevin Brady – RHP – 6’3 200
    Clemson
    RS Sophomore

    Brady had some great peripheral numbers as a redshirt freshman for the Tigers last year, then had an ERA of 0.96 in nine relief appearances on the Cape. He wasn’t fully healthy this spring for the Tigers, but still showed off his swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 33 in 23.1 innings and walking just one. He was drafted in the 17th round this week by Cleveland.

    Ryan Connolly – RHP – 6’0 180
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Connolly was a dynamic and very busy reliever for the Chants as a freshman, pitching in 40 games with a 2.15 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He was a little less busy this year, but just as good. Connolly pitched in 32 games, posting a 2.79 ERA and striking out 36. He also had three saves.

    Josh Conway – RHP – 6’1 175
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Conway was solid as a freshman and was even better this year. As a sophomore, he made 20 appearances — 12 starts — and went 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA. He struck out 70 in 77 innings of work.

    Ryan Eades – RHP – 6′ 2 189
    LSU
    Freshman

    Eades was a 19th-round pick out of high school and had a decent debut with the Tigers. He finished with a 4-1 record, a 4.81 ERA and 31 strikeouts.

    John Farrell – RHP – 6’2 210
    William & Mary
    Sophomore

    Farrell had a strong freshman season a year ago, saving six games and posting an ERA of 3.99. His ERA jumped to 6.55 this year and he didn’t record a save. He did strike out 26 in 22 innings.

    Chad Green – RHP – 6’4 200
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Green was a 37th-rounder out of high school last year and turned in a very strong first season in Louisville. Pitching out of the bullpen, Green had a team-best 1.93 ERA. He struck out 23 in 42 innings and opponents hit just .217 against him.

    Will Jolin – RHP – 6’3 205
    UConn
    RS Sophomore

    Jolin transferred to UConn from Florida and sat out last season. When he finally got some work with Bourne, he was solid, starting seven games and putting up a 2.60 ERA. This spring, Jolin has been a valuable reliever for the Huskies on their run to the super regionals. Jolin is 2-2 with a 3.76 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.

    Michael Morin – RHP – 6’4 180
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    As a freshman, Morin made 24 appearances and though he had an ERA over five, he struck out better than a batter an inning. This year, Morin has kept his ERA in the fours and has saved eight games for the Tar Heels. He has once again struck out more than a batter per inning. In between his two years in Chapel Hill, Morin pitched as a starter for Bourne last summer and had a 3.29 ERA.

    Daryl Norris – RHP – 6’1 220
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    A late-round pick out of high school, Norris has been one of the most solid arms in the Mississippi State bullpen as a freshman. He’s pitched in 12 games and put up a 2.49 ERA, striking out 19 in 25.1 innings.

    R.C. Orlan – LHP – 6’0 175
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Orlan has been a solid situational reliever throughout his UNC career. This year, he’s made 30 appearances and has put up a 3.77 ERA. Last summer for Bourne, Orlan had a 1.62 ERA out of the bullpen.

    Slade Smith – RHP – 6’2 178
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    After an up-and-down freshman year, Smith went 2-2 this season for the Tigers with an ERA of 5.83.

    Ryne Stanek – RHP – 6’4 180
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Stanek was a third-round pick out of high school last year but still honored his commitment to Arkansas. Immediately tabbed as one of the top freshmen in the country, Stanek had a pretty good debut season. He went 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA and struck out 41 in 64 innings.

    Brian Ward – LHP – 6’3 185
    UConn
    Freshman

    Ward has been a key contributor to UConn’s pitching staff since day one. He’s made 10 starts as a freshman and has been very solid, putting up a 6-1 record and a 3.28 ERA.

    Alex Wood – LHP – 6’4 216
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Wood spent most of his freshman season on the shelf after Tommy John surgery. He came back strong this year, though, pitching over 100 innings as a weekend starter. He finished with a 4.44 ERA and 79 strikeouts.

    Position Players

    Zach Alvord – INF – 6’0 173 – Auburn – Freshman
    Johnny Bladel – OF – 6’1 190 – James Madison – Sophomore
    Garrett Cannizaro – INF – 6’0 185 – Tulane – Sophomore
    Tommy Coyle – INF – 5’9 170 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Blake Crohan – C – 5’11 170 – Tulane – Sophomore
    *Josh Elander – C/OF – 6′ 0 205 – TCU – Sophomore
    Nolan Fontana – INF – 5’11 190 – Florida – Sophomore
    *Travis Jankowski – OF – 6’3 185 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Austin Maddox – C – 6’3 225 – Florida – Sophomore
    Colin Moran – INF – 6’3 180 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Kamm Washington – OF – 5’10 180 – Florida – Sophomore

    Zach Alvord – INF – 6’0 173
    Auburn
    Freshman

    An 18th-round pick out of high school and Auburn’s top recruit, Alvord didn’t have a great first season with the Tigers. HE played in 35 games and hit .197. He could be primed for a turnaround this summer.

    Johnny Bladel – OF – 6’1 190
    James Madison
    Sophomore

    After hitting .324 as a freshman, Bladel did it all for James Madison this spring. On his way to all-conference honors, Bladel hit .360 with 12 doubles, five triples, four homers and 41 RBI. He also stole 26 bases. Last summer, Baseball America had Bladel as the seventh-best prospect in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

    Garrett Cannizaro – INF – 6’0 185
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    A C-USA all-freshman pick last year, Cannizaro hit a bit of a sophomore slump this year. He finished hitting .240 with no home runs and 30 RBI. Cannizaro was a 26th-round pick out of high school in 2009.

    Tommy Coyle – INF – 5’9 170
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Coyle hit .282 last year, and this year ranks second to UNC and Bourne teammate Colin Moran for the team lead in batting average. Coyle is at .322 with two homers and 36 RBI. He’s also stolen 18 bases.

    Blake Crohan – C – 5’11 170
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Cannizaro, Crohan was also an all-freshman pick last year before struggling with the bat this season. He hit .235 with two homers and 30 RBI.

    Josh Elander – C/OF – 6′ 0 205
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Elander was a Freshman All-American last spring but had his struggles in Bourne, finishing with a .186 average. He followed that up with a good sophomore season, finishing with a .333 average, five homers and 38 RBI.

    Nolan Fontana – INF – 5’11 190
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Fontana was a consensus Freshman All-America pick last season, in large part because of his wizardry with the glove. He committed just four errors while starting at shortstop all season and was named to the national Rawlings Gold Glove team. This year, Fontana has made a few more errors — 10 total — but he’s upped his batting average to .309 and smacked four home runs. Last summer, Fontana played for Team USA.

    Travis Jankowski – OF – 6’3 185
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Jankowski was a late-season addition to the Braves last summer and made the most of his opportunity, hitting .346 in seven games. Back at Stony Brook this spring, Jankowksi had a huge year, hitting .355 with two homers and 38 RBI. He was a first-team all-conference pick.

    Austin Maddox – C/INF – 6’3 225
    Florida
    Sophomore

    A top prospect out of high school, Maddox had a huge first season in Gainesville, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .333 with 17 homers and 72 RBI. Maddox has slumped at times this year and is hitting .280 with six home runs.

    Colin Moran – INF – 6’3 180
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    From an undrafted high-schooler to the best hitter on one of the best teams in the country. That’s the journey Moran’s taken this year. He leads the Tar Heels in all the major offensive categories, hitting .335 with nine home runs, 19 doubles, 69 RBI and a .552 slugging percentage. Moran was recently named ACC Freshman of the Year.

    Kamm Washington – OF – 5’10 180
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Washington hit .308 in limited action as a freshman and has been solid with a little more playing time this year. Washington is hitting .284 with a homer and eight RBI.

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    2011 Early Look: Chatham Anglers

    anglers_logo_11.jpgChatham Anglers
    Manager: John Schiffner
    2010 Record: 20-22-2

    The way they started the season, the 2010 Chatham Anglers looked like a force to be reckoned with. They’re middle of the order was raking, and the pitching was on target. The Anglers won five of their first six games.

    But the great season didn’t materialize. Chatham started sliding then had a stretch where it lost 15 of 17 games. After its promising start, Chatham ended up finishing in last place in the East and didn’t make the eight-team playoffs.

    The Anglers will be pushing for a bounce back with a lot of new faces — and the franchise’s typical stable of talent.

    Zack Jones, Chris Munnelly, Beau Amaral and Stephen Perez return from last year’s team. They were all contributors but not the driving forces. I imagine they’ll be counted on a little more this year.

    Thankfully for Chatham, it looks like there’s a nice influx of talent coming. Tim Cooney, Buck Farmer, Dominic Leone and Hudson Randall are impressive-looking starters in top-notch leagues. With Jones, Florida reliever Steven Rodriguez and UCLA freshman standout Nick Vander Tuig in the bullpen, that looks like a strength as well.

    In the lineup, Chatham figures to get a lot from Pac-10 Player of the Year Tony Renda, WCC Co-Player of the Year Kris Bryant and Clemson standout Richie Shaffer.

    All in all, I don’t know that the Anglers have as much pop or prospect hype as they did last year. But we saw how that worked out — this recipe could be okay too.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 7

    Notable

  • Wake Forest isn’t a baseball power in the ACC, but Tim Cooney fit the mold of a power’s ace. The lefty struck out 91 this year and earned second-team all-conference honors.

  • Staying with the Demon Deacons, Matt Conway will be the second really tall first baseman to go from Wake to Chatham. Allan Dykstra was really solid for Chatham a few years back, and Conway wouldn’t mind following a similar path.

  • For an indication of how good Buck Farmer’s sophomore season was, consider this: he tied 2011 first-round pick and Georgia Tech teammate Jed Bradley for the team lead in strikeouts and had a better ERA than Bradley.

  • Chatham may have some of the strongest starting pitching in the league, considering the track record of the guys I mentioned above — and the leagues they play in. If Florida’s Hudson Randall makes it to the Cape, the rotation will be even better.

  • Nick Vander Tuig will be an interesting guy to watch. He was considered a first-round talent until Tommy John surgery. He seems fine now, and dominated as a freshman for UCLA.
  • I’ve read some articles questioning Tony Renda’s selection as Pac-10 Player of the Year. The doubts are justified — plenty of guys had better seasons. But lost in that is the fact that Renda did have a very good season.

  • Dane Phillips is a big-hitting catcher for Oklahoma State. I was slightly surprised to learn, then, that he led the Big 12 in triples.

  • With former Chatham coach Rich Hill at the helm, San Diego has sent some very good prospects to Chatham over the years. Kris Bryant is next in line. As a freshman, all he did was win WCC Player of the Year honors.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Hudson Randall
    2. Buck Farmer
    3. Kris Bryant
    4. Tim Cooney
    5. Richie Shaffer

    Pitchers

    Tim Cooney – LHP – 6’3 195 – Wake Forest – Sophomore
    Trae Davis – RHP – 5’11 208 – Baylor – Freshman
    Buck Farmer – RHP – 6’4 227 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Jeff Gibbs – RHP – 6’5 200 – Maine – Sophomore
    Tucker Healy – RHP – 6’1 195 – Ithaca – Junior
    Eric Jaffe – RHP – 6’4 230 – UCLA – Freshman
    *Zack Jones – RHP/IF – 6’2 200 – San Jose State – Sophomore
    Dace Kime – RHP – 6’4 213 – Louisville – Freshman
    Matt Koch – RHP – 6’3 205 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Dominic Leone – RHP – 5’11 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *Chris Munnelly – RHP – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Cody Penny – RHP – 6’3 195 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Hudson Randall – RHP – 6’3 185 – Florida – Sophomore
    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’2 225 – Florida – Sophomore
    Nick Vander Tuig – RHP – 6’3 190 – UCLA – Freshman

    Tim Cooney – LHP – 6’3 195
    Wake Forest
    Sophomore

    Cooney pitched a lot as a freshman in 2010 but had some struggles, finishing with an ERA above five. It was a completely different story this year as Cooney earned second-team All-ACC honors with a huge sophomore season in Wake’s rotation. Cooney finished 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA. In 98.2 innings, he struck out 91 and walked only 18.

    Trae Davis – RHP – 5’11 208
    Baylor
    Freshman

    Davis was a three-sport stand-out and one of the top prospects in texas coming out of high school. He struggled a bit in his first year with the Bears, posting a 6.75 ERA while striking out 18 and walking 18.

    Buck Farmer – RHP – 6’4 227
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Farmer was a late-round draft pick out of high school and had a solid first season as a reliever for the Yellow Jackets. He then went to the Coastal Plain League last summer and was named the league’s second-best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Farmer took a big leap. Moving into the weekend rotation, he went 11-3 with a 2.91 ERA and 106 strikeouts. He was named second-team all-ACC.

    Jeff Gibbs – RHP – 6’5 200
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Gibbs has had two solid seasons for the Black Bears and will be trying to make a splash on a bigger stage this summer. As a freshman, Gibbs had a 3.94 ERA and led the team in strikeouts. This year, he went 8-5 with a 3.42 ERA and struck out 69 in 76.1 innings.

    Tucker Healy – RHP – 6’1 195
    Ithaca
    Junior

    A native of Needham, Mass., Healy is a two-time all-conference pick for Ithaca. Last year, he posted a 1.17 ERA and struck out 47 in just 30 innings. This year, his ERA climbed to 5.00, but he still struck out 28 in 18 innings.

    Eric Jaffe – RHP – 6’4 230
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Jaffe was a 19th-round pick of the Red Sox last year but opted to attend California. He then transferred to UCLA and was declared eligible for this year, but didn’t see any action for the Bruins.

    Zack Jones – RHP/IF – 6’2 200
    San Jose State
    Sophomore

    A 24th-round pick out of high school, Jones was voted the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2010. He then headed to Chatham, where he posted a 2.33 ERA in 11 relief appearances. Pitching as the Spartans’ closer again this spring, Jones saved 10 games, posted a 3.98 ERA and struck out 53 in 43 innings.

    Dace Kime – RHP – 6’4 213
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Kime was drafted in the eighth round out of high school then delivered a strong first season in Louisville’s bullpen. Kime made 15 appearances, posted a 3.96 ERA and struck out 25 in 25 innings of work.

    Matt Koch – RHP – 6’3 205
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick in 2009, Koch has been solid throughout his two years with the Cardinals. Last year, he had a 3.27 ERA. This year, he started 11 games and went 5-5 with a 3.48 ERA.

    Dominic Leone – RHP – 5’11 185
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Leone is a native of Norwich, Conn., so he’ll be coming close to home this summer. And he’ll be coming in off a very good season. A weekend starter, Leone went 6-2 with a 3.70 ERA. In 65.2 innings, he struck out a team-best 72.

    Chris Munnelly – RHP – 6’3 185
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    After a so-so freshman season, Munnelly came to Chatham and quietly put up some of the best numbers on the Anglers’ staff. He ended up with a 1.71 ERA and 22 strikeouts. This spring, Munnelly has gone 6-5 with a 4.11 ERA 57 strikeouts in 70 innings.

    Cody Penny – RHP – 6’3 195
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Penny has pitched out of the bullpen in his first two years with the Tar Heels. This year, he’s made 22 appearances and has a 5.62 ERA, to go with 18 strikeouts in 16 innings.

    Hudson Randall – RHP – 6’3 185
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Randall has been steadily dominant for the Gators in his second season in Gainesville. Emerging as the Friday starter, Randall has gone 9-3 with a 2.38 ERA. Though he has only struck out 54 in 102 innings, he has displayed masterful control, walking just 10 in those 102 innings.

    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’2 225
    Florida
    Sophomore

    After a strong freshman season in Florida’s bullpen, it’s been more of the same this year for Rodriguez. While making a team-high 27 appearances, Rodriguez has put up a 1.44 ERA and has struck out 34 in 31.1 innings of work.

    Nick Vander Tuig – RHP – 6’3 190
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Vander Tuig had first-round credentials out of high school but was coming off Tommy John surgery and slipped to the 39th round in last year’s draft. UCLA was the beneficiary. Vander Tuig grabbed the closer’s role for the Bruins and never let go, recording nine saves and a 2.90 ERA. He also struck out a batter an inning.

    Position Players

    *Beau Amaral – OF – 5’10 185 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Kris Bryant – 3B – 6’5 210 – San Diego – Freshman
    Alex Calbick – IF/OF – 6’0 190 – Maine – Freshman
    Matt Conway – 1B – 6’7 231 – Wake Forest – Sophomore
    Evan Marzilli – OF – 5’11 175 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Darrel Matthews – OF – 5’8 160 – California – Sophomore
    *Stephen Perez – IF – 5’11 182 – Miami – Sophomore
    Dane Phillips – C – 6’1 192 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    Tony Renda – IF – 5’9 170 – California – Sophomore
    Matt Roberts – C – 6’1 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Joe Sever – IF – 5’11 187 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
    Richie Shaffer – 1B/3B – 6’3 205 – Clemson – Sophomore
    J.T. Watkins – C – 5’11 190 – Army – Junior

    Beau Amaral – OF – 5’10 185
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    The son of former big leaguer Rich Amaral, Beau will be back for a second summer in Chatham. Last year, he hit .232 for the Anglers. This spring, he was one of UCLA’s top hitters, finishing at .299 with two homers, 29 RBI and a .404 on-base percentage.

    Kris Bryant – 3B – 6’5 210
    San Diego
    Freshman

    Bryant was highly-touted coming out of high school and was drafted in the 18th round. He hasn’t disappointed at San Diego. After hitting .365 with nine home runs and a .482 OBP, Bryant was named the WCC Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year.

    Alex Calbick – IF/OF – 6’0 190
    Maine
    Freshman

    Calbick came to Maine all the way from British Columbia and had a solid first season. He started all but one of the team’s games, hit .280 and delivered five home runs.

    Matt Conway – 1B – 6’7 231
    Wake Forest
    Sophomore

    Conway shined as a freshman for the Demon Deacons, hitting a team-best .382 with six homers. He didn’t have quite as much success average-wise this year, finishing at .256, but he hit six home runs again and ranked second on the team with 38 RBI.

    Evan Marzilli – OF – 5’11 175
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Marzilli grabbed a starting spot for the Gamecocks last season and had a big hand in the team’s run to the College World Series title. This year, he’s been a key from day one. Marzilli is hitting .302 with three homers and 30 RBI as South Carolina tries to get back to Omaha.

    Darrel Matthews – OF – 5’8 160
    California
    Sophomore

    Matthews batted .259 as a freshman and had similar production this season, finishing with a .267 average and nine extra-base hits.

    Stephen Perez – IF – 5’11 182
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Perez was considered one of the top freshmen in the country a year ago and had a solid first season for Miami. He struggled in Chatham, though, finishing the summer with a .162 batting average. This spring, he hit .262 with 12 doubles and 31 RBI.

    Dane Phillips – C – 6’1 192
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Phillips was a 49th-round pick out of high school then delivered a strong first season for the Cowboys, hitting .337 with three home runs. It was more of the same this year, with Phillips hitting .339 with four homers and 32 RBI. He also had 16 doubles and a Big 12-high eight triples.

    Tony Renda – IF – 5’9 170
    California
    Sophomore

    After delivering one of the best freshman seasons in school history last year, Renda took home Pac-10 Player of the Year honors this year. He finished the season with a .335 average, three home runs, 14 doubles and a team-best 41 RBI. He also stole nine bases.

    Matt Roberts – C – 6’1 185
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Roberts was a 38th-round pick out of high school. He hasn’t seen a ton of action for the Tar Heels and has hit .211 so far.

    Joe Sever – IF – 5’11 187
    Pepperdine
    Sophomore

    As a freshman in 2010, Sever led the Waves in batting average before delivering a strong summer in the Northwoods League. This year, he was solid again, hitting .279 with a team-best six home runs.

    Richie Shaffer – 1B/3B – 6’3 205
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Shaffer was a 25th-round pick out of high school and made a splash last year at Clemson despite battling injuries. He hit .323 with seven homers. This year, Shaffer wasn’t hampered by much of anything. He hit .315 with a team-best 13 home runs and 55 RBI. He tied for second in the ACC in home runs.

    J.T. Watkins – C – 5’11 190
    Army
    Junior

    Watkins has been Army’s starting catcher since day one. As a freshman, he hit .256 then last year bumped it to .320. This year, he hit .298 with two homers and 27 RBI.

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    2011 Early Look: Falmouth Commodores

    falmouthlogo.gifFalmouth Commodores
    Manager: Jeff Trundy
    2010 Record: 21-22-1

    I don’t often start these previews with a focus on one particular area. So much can change that it’s usually fruitless to make predictions about pitching or hitting success. But I’m feeling dangerous today, and Falmouth’s pitching staff makes the risk look a lot smaller.

    It wasn’t too long ago that Falmouth had the most dominant pitching staff in the league, with future first-round picks Aaron Crow, Kyle Gibson and Christian Friedrich leading the way. I don’t know if this staff can come close to that one, but among all the teams I’ve looked at so far for 2011, the Commodores have the best-looking staff.

    It even starts with another lefty named Christian — Christian Jones from Oregon, who was a Cape League All-Star last year and is one of my very early favorites for Cape League Pitcher of the Year in 2011. Fellow sophomores Ty Blach, Tyler Duffey, Sean Hagan and Andrew Heaney had solid springs, while a freshmen Kent Emanuel, Marco Gonzales and John Simms look like future stars.

    That’s a pretty good starting point for Falmouth. Plenty of Cape League teams are looking for college relievers to become solid Cape League starters. At the very least, Falmouth has a leg up on that.

    The offense looks pretty good, as well, with Jeremy Baltz, Barrett Barnes and Ross Heffley leading the way. Heffley, in particular, will be an interesting player to watch. He’s a junior and he’s a bit undersized, but he also hit .419 and was a first-team All-American this season.

    How will the summer develop? It’s hard to say, as always. Who would have thought Falmouth would finish a game under .500 last year and still finish in second place in the West? You can insert whatever cliche you want here. They all apply. At this point, though, I think you can count on Falmouth doing some pitching.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 3
    Seniors: 1
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 15
    Freshmen: 10

    Notable

  • I mentioned Christian Jones as a potential pitcher of the year, and he’s got a couple of things going for him. One, he’s very good. Two, he’s been to the Cape before. And three, his Oregon team didn’t make the NCAA tournament, meaning Jones should be ready to go from day one.

  • Andrew Aizenstadt is the rare senior on a Cape League roster. He’s had a nice career at Babson, and I’m guessing he’ll be trying to catch someone’s eye this summer.

  • In addition to its production, one of the big things that stands out about the Falmouth pitching staff is the number of left-handers. The Commodores have six of them, and they’ve all been very good this spring.

  • North Carolina has had some great pitchers over the years, and Kent Emanuel seems to fit the mold. A big freshman lefty, he’s been very impressive this spring for a very good team.

  • It’ll be interesting to see what Falmouth does with Georgia Tech freshman DeAndre Smelter. He’s a two-way talent whose future may be dictated by his 95-mph fastball. But I imagine he’d be pretty valuable at the plate and on the field too.

  • Gonzaga’s Marco Gonzalez is another two-way star, and he’s had more success thus far than Smelter. Gonzales was the Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference, sharing both honors with San Diego’s Kris Bryant.

  • You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on Rice freshman pitcher John Simms. He’s been used in a swing role by the Owls but could be poised to be a top Cape League starter this summer.

  • Jeremy Baltz and Barrett Barnes were two of the top freshmen in the nation last year. Neither quite duplicated the numbers this year, but I would still expect big things.

  • I mentioned Heffley above. Coming off a huge junior season, he’s definitely a player to watch. Two years ago, a junior with Cape League experience — Kyle Roller — was the league MVP. The way Heffley hit this season, I wouldn’t put a similar leap past him.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Christian Jones
    2. Ross Heffley
    3. Kent Emanuel
    4. Marco Gonzales
    5. John Simms

    Pitchers

    Andrew Aizenstadt – RHP – 6’5 185 – Babson – Senior
    Ty Blach – LHP – 6’1 200 – Creighton – Sophomore
    Tyler Duffey – RHP – 6’3 210 – Rice – Sophomore
    Adam Duke – RHP – 6’1 185 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Josh Easley – RHP – 6’3 172 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Kent Emanuel – LHP – 6’4 205 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Marco Gonzales – LHP/OF/1B – Gonzaga – Freshman
    Sean Hagan – LHP – 6’6 225 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 174 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    *Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 205 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Taylor Sandefur – RHP – 6’2 245 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
    John Simms – RHP – 6’3 210 – Rice – Freshman
    DeAndre Smelter – RHP/OF – 6’3 225 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Andrew Smith – RHP – 6’2 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Nathan Thornhill – RHP – 6’1 178 – Texas – Freshman

    Andrew Aizenstadt – RHP – 6’5 185
    Babson
    Senior

    Aizenstadt comes to Falmouth from Division III Babson, where he’s been very good. This season, Aizenstadt went 4-2 with a 2.56 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 56.1 innings.

    Ty Blach – LHP – 6’1 200
    Creighton
    Sophomore

    Blach led Creighton in ERA as a freshman, and he’s taken things to an even higher level as a sophomore. Blach is 10-2 with a 2.72 ERA. In 96 innings, he has struck out 93 and walked only 28.

    Tyler Duffey – RHP – 6’3 210
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Duffey has been a workhorse in his first two years with the Owls, and he’s had a lot of success along the way. After pitching in 26 games as a freshman, Duffey has made 29 appearances this year. He’s got an 8-1 record, a 2.50 ERA and an eye-popping 72 strikeouts in only 57.1 innings pitched.

    Adam Duke – RHP – 6’1 185
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    The top player in Utah, Duke was a 16th-round pick in last year’s draft. He’s missed much of his freshman season in Corvallis with injury and has made just four appearances.

    Josh Easley – RHP – 6’3 172
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Easley went 10-2 as a freshman at Weatherford College before transferring to NC State. He’s posted an ERA over six in his first season with the Wolfpack, but he has also struck out 53 in 44.1 innings.

    Kent Emanuel – LHP – 6’4 205
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Emanuel was a 19th-round pick out of high school and has looked like a future star in his first season with the Tar Heels. As a regular in the weekend rotation, he’s gone 7-1 with a 2.62 ERA. In 89.1 innings, he has struck out 79. All in all, those are some of the best numbers by any freshman pitchers in the country. A few days ago, he shut out Maine in an NCAA Regional game.

    Marco Gonzales – LHP/OF/1B – 6’1 185
    Gonzaga
    Freshman

    Gonzales was a 29th-round pick out of high school and has become an immediate star at Gonzaga. After shining both at the plate and on the mound in his freshman year, Gonzales was named WCC Co-Freshman of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. He was at his best on the mound, where he went 11-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 90 strikeouts. At the dish, he hit .291 with 14 RBI.

    Sean Hagan – LHP – 6’6 225
    St. John’s
    Sophomore

    Hagan has been a starter and a reliever for the Red Storm this spring, and he’s been pretty good in both roles. Hagan is 7-2 with a 4.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 66 innings of work. Hagan had similar numbers as a freshman, with 53 strikeouts and a 4.85 ERA.

    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 174
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Heaney was a 24th-round pick out of high school then led Oklahoma State in wins as a freshman last year. This season, he went 7-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. Heaney was on Falmouth’s roster last year but didn’t make it to the Cape.

    Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 205
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    After a solid freshman campaign for the Ducks, Jones came to Falmouth last summer and had a very good season, posting a 2.36 ERA and earning a spot in the All-Star Game. He’ll be back this summer as one of the top returning pitchers in the league. This spring, Jones went 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA. In 77.2 innings, he struck out 73.

    Taylor Sandefur – RHP – 6’2 245
    Western Carolina
    Sophomore

    Sandefur has had some struggles at Western Carolina — he finished with an ERA above eight this year — but he is firmly on scouts’ radar thanks to his performance last summer. Pitching in the Valley League, Sandefur went 7-0 with a 2.26 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 60 innings, numbers that earned him the league’s Pitcher of the Year award. He was also named the Valley’s second-best prospect by Baseball America.

    John Simms – RHP – 6’3 210
    Rice
    Freshman

    Simms was one of the top high-school prospects in Texas a year ago but was considered a tough sign and went in the 39th round. He came in to Rice with plenty of hype and he has made good on it. Pitching as both a starter and reliever, Simms has gone 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 62.1 innings of work.

    DeAndre Smelter – RHP/OF – 6’3 225
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Smelter was a standout in multiple sports in high school, and he was considered one of the most athletic draft prospects in the nation a year ago. He ended up going in the 14th round but stuck with his commitment to Georgia Tech. A two-way player, Smelter has hit only .222 this season but he’s been outstanding as a reliever. In 15 innings pitched, he hasn’t allowed an earned run.

    Andrew Smith – RHP – 6’2 185
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Smith hasn’t been in the rotation like his freshman teammate Emanuel but he’s made a big impact out of the bullpen. In 22 appearances, he’s posted a 2.92 ERA and has struck out better than a batter an inning. Smith was a 40th-rounder out of high school.

    Nathan Thornhill – RHP – 6’1 178
    Texas
    Freshman

    Thornhill has made a big impact as a freshman reliever for the Longhorns this year. In 19 appearances, he’s posted a 1.69 ERA. HE has struck out 30 and walked only 5 in 32 innings of work. Opponents have hit .197 against him.

    Position Players

    Jeremy Baltz – OF – 6’3 205 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    *Barrett Barnes – OF – 6’1 195 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
    Chase Butler – 3B – 5’10 202 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Eric Garcia – SS/RHP – 5’11 175 – Missouri – Sophomore
    Ross Heffley – INF – 5’8 175 – Western Carolina – Junior
    Spencer Kieboom – C – 6’0 210 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Jack Marder – UTIL – 6’0 185 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Jake Rodriguez – C/INF – 5’8 190 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Shane Rowland – C – 5’10 180 – Miami – Freshman
    *Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 175 – Texas Christian – Sophomore
    Max White – OF/INF – 6’1 203 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Jantzen Witte – 3B/SS – 6’1 195 – Texas Christian – RS Sophomore

    Jeremy Baltz – OF – 6’3 205
    St. John’s
    Freshman

    Baltz was perhaps the top freshman in the nation a year ago when he hit .396 with 24 home runs. Like a lot of college hitters, he slowed down a bit this year, but has still turned in a productive campaign. He’s hitting .311 with six homers and a team-best 58 RBI. He also has a .443 on-base percentage.

    Barrett Barnes – OF – 6’1 195
    Texas Tech
    Sophomore

    Barnes was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season when he hit .341 with 14 homers. He then played for Falmouth and finished with a .223 batting average. This spring, Barnes saw his average fall to .290 but he still hit 10 home runs and 15 doubles.

    Chase Butler – 3B – 5’10 202
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Butler was a three-sport star in high school. He hasn’t had the chance to play a lot in his freshman season with the Yellow Jackets, and has hit .207 in 30 games.

    Eric Garcia – SS/RHP – 5’11 175
    Missouri
    Sophomore

    Garcia had a solid freshman campaign for the Tigers last season, and it was more of the same this year. Garcia hit .264 with two homers and 25 RBI.

    Ross Heffley – INF – 5’8 175
    Western Carolina
    Junior

    Heffley might be a familiar name to Cape League fans — he played in 34 games for Orleans in 2009. This year, he’ll be returning to the Cape as one of the top hitters in the country. Heffley was recently named a first-team All-American after hitting .419 with 11 home runs, 18 doubles and 65 RBI for the Catamounts. He ranked seventh in the nation in batting average.

    Spencer Kieboom – C – 6’0 210
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Kieboom hit .263 in limited duty last year but has pushed himself into a regular role this season. Kieboom is hitting .287 with 28 RBI.

    Jack Marder – UTIL – 6’0 185
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    A 30th-round pick out of high school, Marder hit .249 as a freshman last year. This season, he struggled a bit more, finishing with a .209 average, though he remained a mainstay in the lineup.

    Jake Rodriguez – C/INF – 5’8 190
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    Rodriguez was an 11th-round pick out of high school. He was injured for part of his freshman season, but has come back to hit .270 with a home run.

    Shane Rowland – C – 5’10 180
    Miami
    Freshman

    Rowland was a top catching prospect coming out of high school and got picked in the 36th round. He’s been a regular for the Hurricanes this year but has struggled with the bat, hitting .179 in 47 games.

    Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 175
    Texas Christian
    Sophomore

    Von Tungeln hit .236 as a freshman then was a solid contributor for the Commodores last summer. This spring, he’s hit .274.

    Max White – OF/INF – 6’1 203
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    White was a Freshman All-American last year when he cranked 15 home runs and hit .293. He was pretty steady this year, too, finishing with a .292 average and three home runs while getting limited to only 36 starts.

    Jantzen Witte – 3B/SS – 6’1 195
    RS Sophomore
    Texas Christian

    After hitting .374 last year, Witte has continued to emerge this season as one of TCU’s top players. He’s hitting .325 with four homers, 44 RBI and a team-high 20 doubles.

    Posted on

    2011 Early Look: Harwich Mariners

    TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpgHarwich Mariners
    Manager: Steve Englert
    2010 Record: 22-21-1

    On the heels of a championship season in 2008, the Harwich Mariners never quite put it all together last season, finishing just above .500 and barely squeaking into the playoffs. The stats pretty much told the story — the Mariners had some solid hitters who struggled, and the team hit just .224, ninth in the league. The pitching numbers were in the middle of the pack.

    With four returning players and a deep group of sophomores, the Mariners are once again strong on paper — they’ll just be looking for a little more production.

    It’ll be interesting to see if they get it. The Mariners don’t seem to have quite as many guys coming off seasons, primed to emerge as top prospects. But they have some big arms in Kevin Gausman and Lex Rutledge, plus a lot of pitchers and hitters who were solid this season. A big summer, and any number of those guys could emerge. Throw in some draft-eligible guys who might make it, and the Mariners have the makings of a team that can compete.

    They also have a very good freshman class. It’s only four-deep, but Gausman, JaCoby Jones, Brian Ragira and Austin Wilson are about as good a quartet as you could find.

    All in all, the Mariners look a lot like everybody else right now. And that’s not a bad spot to be in.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 3
    Sophomores: 22
    Freshmen: 4

    Notable

  • As noted above, the Mariners have a couple of guys with destinations unknown. Carter Capps and Brian Goodwin are the most notable. Both could be pretty early picks, but we’ve seen in recent years that that doesn’t guarantee a player will miss out on the Cape.

  • Capps has been incredibly dominant this year for D-II Mt. Olive. If a team isn’t sure how he stacks up against tougher competition, maybe they could keep an eye on him on the Cape? Let’s hope, because I think he’d be a fun pitcher to have in the league.

  • On a similar note, I still included South Carolina’s Christian Walker on the list. He has been named to Team USA. This is the first year USA Baseball has just picked a team without trials, so I don’t know if that’s up in the air at all, or if he’s definitely going with USA. We shall see.

  • Lex Rutledge was one of the top freshman arms on the Cape last season, and I think he’ll be one of the top sophomores this year. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s used — he’s been both a starter and a reliever at Stamford.

  • Kevin Gausman will be a definite pitcher to watch. He’s one of the top freshmen in the nation, and since he’s eligible for the draft in 2012, this could be a big summer for him.

  • Andrew Rash hit 18 home runs this year for Virginia Tech and became just the second Tech player to earn first-team All-ACC honors. The other? Former Y-D star Austin Wates.

  • Stanford is sending some top-notch prospects to the Cape this year, and Harwich has two of them in Brian Ragira and Austin Wilson. Both are in the midst of very good freshman seasons.

  • I imagine Austin Nola is a player Harwich would love to have back. He’s a junior so he’s eligible for the draft, but I think it’s possible he still comes to Harwich. A veteran at shortstop is a nice building block for a Cape League team.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kevin Gausman
    2. Carter Capps
    3. Brian Goodwin
    4. Lex Rutledge
    5. Austin Wilson

    Pitchers

    Eddie Butler – RHP – 6’2 165 – Radford – Sophomore
    Carter Capps – RHP – 6’4 220 – Mount Olive College – RS Sophomore
    Kevin Gausman – RHP – 6’4 170 – LSU – Freshman
    Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 175 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Blake Hauser – RHP – 6’2 175 – Virginia Commonwealth – Sophomore
    *Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’3 180 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Branden Kline – RHP – 6’3 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Joe Mantiply – RHP – 6’4 204 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Chris Overman – RHP – 6’2 228 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Tanner Perkins – LHP – 6’3 190 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
    Taylor Rogers – LHP – 6’3 170 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’2 205 – Samford – Sophomore
    Chris Stratton – RHP – 6’3 186 – Mississippi State – Sophomore

    Eddie Butler – RHP – 6’2 165
    Radford
    Sophomore

    Butler was a 35th-round draft pick out of high school and was tabbed as one of the top newcomers in the Big South after his freshman season. This year, Butler went 9-2 with a 4.15 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.

    Carter Capps – RHP – 6’4 220
    Mount Olive College
    RS Sophomore

    After flashing a 96-mph fastball and earning top prospect honors in the Coastal Plain League last summer, Capps has delivered an absolutely dominant season for D-II Mt. Olive this year. Capps is 14-0 with a 1.37 ERA. In 111.1 innings, he has struck out 124 and walked just 16. Those numbers prompted the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association to pick Capps as its National Pitcher of the Year. The only bad news for Harwich is that Capps is eligible for the draft this year and is ranked as the nation’s 151st best prospect by Baseball America.

    Kevin Gausman – RHP – 6’4 170
    LSU
    Freshman

    Gausman was a sixth-round pick last year and when he opted for LSU, he immediately was labeled as one of the top freshmen in the country. Overall, he hasn’t disappointed. Though he went 5-6 in 14 appearances, he posted a solid 3.51 ERA and tallied a team-high 86 strikeouts in 89.2 innings pitched. Gausman really heated up late in the year and earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors twice in the month of May.

    Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 175
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Gordon made a big impression out of the bullpen as a freshman when he finished seventh in the nation with a K/9 ratio of 11.89. This year, Gordon moved into the rotation and saw his numbers go in the wrong direction. He struck out 50 in 69.2 innings and walked 41. Despite that, he still managed to post a 4.26 ERA.

    Blake Hauser – RHP – 6’2 175
    Virginia Commonwealth
    Sophomore

    A 25th-round pick out of high school, Hauser had a solid 2010 with the Rams then went to the Cal Ripken Collegiate League, where he was named the second-best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Hauser went 3-4 with a 4.65 ERA and struck out 47 in 50.1 innings.

    Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’3 180
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Johnson was a 15th-round pick out of high school in 2009 and after a rough debut for Missouri State, he came to Harwich and was quietly very impressive. Johnson went 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA and struck out 41 in 42.2 innings. This spring, Johnson had a little better luck for the Bears, finishing 6-7 with a 4.76 ERA. He struck out almost a batter an inning.

    Branden Kline – RHP – 6’3 190
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    After an impressive season as a swing guy a year ago, Kline has emerged as one of the top closers in the nation for one of the best teams in the nation. In 27 appearances, Kline has been lights out. He has a 1.85 ERA, 46 strikeouts in 34 innings and 17 saves. That saves mark is tied for third in the country. Out of high school, Kline was a sixth-round pick of the Red Sox.

    Joe Mantiply – RHP – 6’4 204
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Mantiply didn’t put up great numbers as a freshman but returned as one of the Hokies’ more experienced pitchers for 2011. He ended up starting a team-high 14 games, and he went 5-8 with a 4.36 ERA. He struck out 66 in 84.2 innings.

    Chris Overman – RHP – 6’2 228
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Overman saw limited action as a freshman in 2009, but it’s been a very different story this year. Overman has been busy and he leads the team with 27 appearances. He’s also made the most of them — the righty has a 2.54 ERA, six saves and 40 strikeouts in 46 innings.

    Tanner Perkins – LHP – 6’3 190
    Western Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Perkins went right into the Hilltopper rotation as a freshman last year and took his lumps, but the experience must have paid off. This year, he earned second-team all-conference honors thanks to an impressive campaign. Perkins went 7-4 with a 2.36 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched.

    Taylor Rogers – LHP – 6’3 170
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    A lefty with a lot of potential, Rogers hasn’t quite lived up to it thus far in Lexington. As a freshman, he was in the weekend rotation all year and had a solid start before finishing with an ERA above six. This year, Rogers went 3-7 with a 5.14 ERA and 49 strikeouts.

    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’2 205
    Samford
    Sophomore

    Rutledge was a 26th-round pick out of high school but has been climbing the charts in his draft class ever since he posted a 1.71 ERA and posted big velocity as a freshman in 2009. He then came to Harwich and left as the Cape League’s 10th-best prospect, according to Baseball America. This season, Rutledge got an opportunity to start and continued to shine, posting a 3.71 ERA in 79 strikeouts in 63 innings.

    Chris Stratton – RHP – 6’3 186
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Stratton has been a mainstay in the Mississippi State rotation since day one. Last year, he struck out almost a batter an inning and earned SEC All-Freshman honors. This year, his ERA is above five, but he has again posted big strikeout numbers. He has 74 in 74.1 innings.

    Position Players

    Stephen Bruno – INF – 5’7 165 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Billy Burns – OF – 5’9 170 – Mercer – Junior
    Mike Garza – INF – 6’1 200 – Georgetown – RS Sophomore
    *Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 195 – Miami-Dade CC – Sophomore
    Jabari Henry – OF – 6’1 195 – Florida International – Sophomore
    JaCoby Jones – INF – 6’3 200 – LSU – Freshman
    *Austin Nola – INF – 5’11 185 – LSU – Junior
    Brian Ragira – 6’2 205 – Stanford – Freshman
    Andrew Rash – OF – 5’11 193 – Virginia Tech – RS Sophomore
    Darnell Sweeney – INF – 6’1 170 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Alex Swim – C – 5’11 180 – Elon – Sophomore
    Luke Viot – C – 6’3 220 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Christian Walker – INF – 6’0 220 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Keith Werman – INF – 5’7 150 – Virginia – Junior
    Austin Wilson – 6’4 235 – Stanford – Freshman
    *John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197 – East Carolina – Sophomore

    Stephen Bruno – INF – 5’7 165
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Bruno didn’t see a ton of action as a freshman in Charlottesville but made the most of his time and hit .388. This year, Bruno has played in only seven games, and he holds a .240 average. Bruno was a 26th-round pick in the 2009 draft.

    Billy Burns – OF – 5’9 170
    Mercer
    Junior

    Burns was a 16th-round pick out of high school but opted to attend Mercer, where he’s had a great college career. After hitting .294 as a freshman, he batted .381 last season. This year, he finished at .357 with six homers, 33 RBI, a .473 on-base percentage and 29 stolen bases.

    Mike Garza – INF – 6’1 200
    Georgetown
    RS Sophomore

    Garza transferred from Stanford and sat out last season. This year, he hit .306 with four homers, 39 RBI and 14 steals.

    Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 195
    Miami-Dade CC
    Sophomore

    Goodwin was one of the most watched players on the Cape last summer, when he hit .281 with 15 stolen bases for the Mariners. Originally labeled as one of the top prospects for the 2012 draft, Goodwin became eligible for the 2011 draft when he left North Carolina. He hit .382 with eight home runs for Miami Dade this spring and is ranked by Baseball America as the nation’s 44th-best prospect for the 2011 draft.

    Jabari Henry – OF – 6’1 195
    Florida International
    Sophomore

    Henry was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year a season ago after he hit .311 with 12 homers and 51 RBI. Henry’s batting average dipped to .241 this year but he still hit nine home runs with 33 RBI. Henry was a 39th-round pick out of high school in 2009.

    JaCoby Jones – INF – 6’3 200
    LSU
    Freshman

    The Mississippi player of the year out of high school and a 19th-round pick, Jones arrived on campus in Baton Rouge and didn’t disappoint. While starting every game, he hit .338 with four home runs and 32 RBI. He also added 12 stolen bases.

    Austin Nola – INF – 5’11 185
    LSU
    Junior

    Nola has been a mainstay in the LSU lineup since 2009, when he helped the Tigers win the College World Series. After hitting .221 for Harwich last summer, the slick-fielding shortstop hit .296 this year with two home runs and 42 RBI.

    Brian Ragira – 6’2 205
    Stanford
    Freshman

    A 30th-round draft pick in 2010, Ragira has had a big first season in Palo Alto and was recently named Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. Ragira is hitting .321 with four homers and a team-high 41 RBI.

    Andrew Rash – OF – 5’11 193
    Virginia Tech
    RS Sophomore

    After a redshirt year, Rash emerged as a solid performer last season when he hit .344 with six home runs. This season, he took things to another level, earning first-team all-conference honors after hitting .335 with 18 home runs, 17 doubles and 53 RBI. He was tied for eighth nationally in home runs.

    Darnell Sweeney – INF – 6’1 170
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick out of high school in 2009, Sweeney made the Conference USA All-Freshman team after hitting .358 this season. He’s been solid this year, with a .279 average and 43 RBI. He has also stolen 12 bases.

    Alex Swim – C – 5’11 180
    Elon
    Sophomore

    Swim hit .310 last year and earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors. This year, he batted .280, and though he didn’t hit a home run, he smacked 15 extra-base hits and had 33 RBI.

    Luke Viot – C – 6’3 220
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Viot was drafted in the 32nd round out of high school in 2009 then had a solid first season for the Bears. This year, he hit .286 with six home runs and 35 RBI.

    Christian Walker – INF – 6’0 220
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Walker was a Freshman All-American last year when he helped lead the Gamecocks to the national championship. He’s trying to do the same thing this year and pulling even more weight. Walker is hitting .357 with nine home runs, 57 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage. He leads the team in average, doubles, home runs, RBI and slugging, and he was a second-team All-SEC pick.

    Keith Werman – INF – 5’7 150
    Virginia
    Junior

    As a sophomore, Werman earned All-ACC honors and led the Cavaliers with a .414 batting average, one of the highest marks in school history. This year, Werman has still been a fixture in the lineup for the Cavs, but his numbers have come back to earth. He’s hitting .214

    Austin Wilson – 6’4 235
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Another talented Stanford freshman, Wilson — a 12th-round pick last year — came in with a little more hype than his teammate Ragira. He didn’t quite match Ragira’s numbers but wasn’t far off. Wilson hit .313 with four homers and 21 RBI.

    John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197
    East Carolina
    Sophomore

    Wooten hit .311 last spring then played in Harwich, where he hit .211. This year, Wooten is at .284 with 27 RBI. He’s second on the team with 15 doubles.

    Posted on

    2011 Early Look: Cotuit Kettleers

    cotlogo.jpgCotuit Kettleers
    Manager: Mike Roberts
    2010 Record: 19-23-2

    Yes, you did read that right. The Cotuit Kettleers went 19-23-2 last season. I had kind of forgotten that.

    Because the Kettleers also won the Cape League championship. That’s the part you remember.

    It was a special run for the Kettleers, who didn’t look much like a title contender during the season. But they got hot at exactly the right moment, sweeping their way to the championship then beating Y-D — the team with the best record — in three games.

    It’s also a reminder of how crazy a Cape League summer can be — and how tough it is to predict anything this time of year. Last season, I waited until the last possible moment to write Cotuit’s early look, because their roster was so in flux. They had more changes and earlier changes than anybody. You could see the potential; what you couldn’t see was how Mike Roberts would actually fill out a lineup card. There was a lot of uncertainty.

    You’d think the uncertainty must have gone away, that that’s how they won. But it really never did. The Kettleers had 41 different players suit up for them last summer. The team that won the championship didn’t look much like the one that played Wareham on the first night of the season, but with eight teams now making the playoffs, it didn’t really matter. The Kettleers got their chance and seized it.

    In terms of 2011, this is all a very roundabout way of saying that I don’t know exactly how the Kettleers stack up. Their roster is pretty small at this point, so there will be additions. But they do have some of the best returning players in the league in Deven Marrero, Brady Rodgers and Mike Yastrzemski. That’s a pretty good starting point. Throw in some guys primed to make a big impression, like Victor Roache and Ryon Healy, and you’ve got a lot of nice pieces. The nucleus looks much like it did last year — short on depth but long on talent.

    Can the Kettleers win their second straight title? Definitely. I see a lot to like.

    And after last year, I certainly wouldn’t count them out.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 3
    Sophomores: 14
    Freshmen: 6

    Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Deven Marrero
    2. Victor Roache
    3. Brady Rodgers
    4. Cory Spangenberg
    5. Ryon Healy

    Notable

  • I’ve touched on this before, but one of the interesting things about this year is that top prospects aren’t quite as established, and there’s a lot of room for under-the-radar guys to break in. I don’t know how Victor Roache was under my radar, but I guess I wasn’t the only one. Roache is a relatively recent addition to the Cotuit roster, but he’s beyond deserving. The Georgia Southern sophomore leads the nation with 27 home runs. In a year where offense is down because of the new bat requirements, Roache is laughing in the face of an offensive dip. The 6’1, 225-pound outfielder should be fun to watch this summer. He already has more home runs than any 2010 Cape Leaguer hit last spring.

  • Cory Spangenberg is a definite player to watch — if we get to see him. On the heels of an MVP campaign in the Valley League last summer, the junior-college stand-out and Miami commitment may end up going in the first round of June’s draft. That doesn’t rule him out for the Cape, but it’ll probably be a fluid situation.

  • On paper, the Cotuit offense looks good. We talked about Roache, and Deven Marrero was perhaps the top freshman on the Cape last year. The Kettleers also have Mike Yastrzemski back in the fold, and guys like Patrick Biondi, Torsten Boss, Chris O’Dowd and just about everybody else look like really solid performers.

  • And of course, when we’re talking Mike Roberts team, there’s speed. Biondi leads a speedy group with 25 steals.

  • Two freshman from Oregon will make the long journey and should give Cotuit a big boost. Ryon Healy and Stefan Sabol are having solid first seasons in Eugene, and they’re no strangers to summer success. They earned top prospect honors in their respective summer leagues last year.

  • The Cape always has a lot of Major League Baseball bloodlines, but how about the NFL? Sabol is a cousin of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

  • At some point, Cotuit is going to find some more pitchers, because right now, they have seven. They actually had a similar number this time last year and that worked out okay. Their late additions included fourth-rounder Austin Wood and ninth-rounder Josh Spence.

  • I’m going to go ahead and start a campaign: “Brady Rodgers: No Walks 2011.” He walked five in 31.1 innings on the Cape last summer and has walked six in 68.2 innings this spring. Let’s shoot for zero this summer, Brady.

  • Rodgers looks like the leader of Cotuit’s small staff, but I think all these guys are poised for good summers. Keep an eye on Keenan Kish, Dillon Overton and Kevin Ziomek. All are highly-touted freshman who could use the summer to really break out.

    • Pitchers

    Chris Beck – RHP – 6’3 225 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    Michael Clevinger – RHP – 6’4 190 – Seminole State – Sophomore
    Nick Cunningham – RHP – 6’2 196 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Keenan Kish – RHP/OF – 6’3 193 – Florida – Freshman
    Dillon Overton – LHP – 6’2 170 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    *Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman

    Chris Beck – RHP – 6’3 225
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Beck was a 35th-round pick out of high school in 2009, but didn’t have a great first season for Georgia Southern, finishing with an 8.31 ERA. This year, though, it’s been a much different story. Beck is 7-3 with a 3.24 ERA, and in 77.2 innings, he has struck out 84. That ranks him second in the Southern Conference in strikeouts.

    Michael Clevinger – RHP – 6’4 190
    Seminole State
    Sophomore

    Clevinger was previously at The Citadel, but has spent this season in the juco ranks with Seminole State. He’s been impressive out of the bullpen, with a 2.84 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 31.2 innings.

    Nick Cunningham – RHP – 6’2 196
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Cunningham had an impressive first year for the Wildcats, setting a freshman record for appearances while saving three games and striking out almost a batter an inning. His sophomore year hasn’t been quite as good — Cunningham has a 5.51 ERA in 14 appearances.

    Keenan Kish – RHP/OF – 6’3 193
    Florida
    Freshman

    Kish was an early-round talent coming out of Germantown, Pa., but his commitment to Florida sent him tumbling to the 34th round, and he headed south. The Gators are stacked with pitching talent so Kish hasn’t had a ton of opportunities but he has made the most of the ones he’s gotten. In eight innings of work, Kish has allowed just two hits and no runs, and opponents are hitting .083. He has struck out six.

    Dillon Overton – LHP – 6’2 170
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Overton was a 26th-round pick out of high school but stuck with his commitment to Oklahoma. He’s been used as a starter and a reliever, and he’s been very good regardless of when he’s pitching. Overton is 8-3 with a 1.97 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 64 innings.

    Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Rodgers was a 39th-round pick out of high school in 2009, and he quickly emerged as one of the top freshmen in the country once he arrived at ASU. He ended up setting a school record for lowest ERA by a freshman pitcher. He followed that with a very good summer for Cotuit, going 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA. He was named the Cape’s 21st-best prospect by Baseball America. This year, Rodgers hasn’t really missed a beat while moving into the rotation. He’s 7-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 55 strikeouts against just six walks.

    Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 190
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    Hailing from Amherst, Mass., Ziomek was considered the top high-school prospect in New England last year, and he was drafted in the 13th round by Arizona. He headed to Vanderbilt, though, and he’s having a very impressive first season. In 21 appearances — five starts — Ziomek has a 1.96 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.

    Position Players

    Patrick Biondi – OF – 5’9 163 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Torsten Boss – 3B – 6’0 190 – Michigan State – Sophomore
    Ryon Healy – RHP/INF – 6’5 210 – Oregon – Freshman
    Micah Johnson – INF – 5’11 190 – Indiana – Sophomore
    Luke Maile – C – 6’3 210 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    *Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Chris O’Dowd – C – 5’11 185 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
    Victor Roache – OF – 6’1 225 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    Stefan Sabol – C – 6’1 203 – Oregon – Freshman
    Cory Spangenberg – INF – 6’1 180 – Indian River – Sophomore
    Logan Vick – OF – 5’11 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Kyle Wren – OF – 5’9 158 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    *Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 170 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore

    Patrick Biondi – OF – 5’9 163
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    Biondi was a 35th-round pick out of high school and he had a great first season first season in Ann Arbor, hitting .313 while setting a school freshman record with 29 stolen bases. He’s been solid again this season, with a .297 average, 20 RBI and 25 steals.

    Torsten Boss – 3B – 6’0 190
    Michigan State
    Sophomore

    Boss owns the Michigan high-school record for career triples, but he actually didn’t hit any in his freshman year with the Spartans. That was okay, though — he did just about everything else. Boss hit .341 with six homers and 41 RBI, before earning all-league honors in the Prospect League last summer. He has picked up where he left off this season and is hitting .366 with six homers and 54 RBI.

    Ryon Healy – INF/RHP – 6’5 210
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Healy made a splash on the college baseball landscape even before he got to Oregon. Following his senior year of high school, he played in the California Collegiate League and was named the top prospect by Baseball America. While he has a big arm, it was his bat that stood out, as Healy hit .360 with a league-high 17 doubles. At Oregon, Healy hasn’t disappointed. He has pitched well in three games but has made a bigger impact at the plate, where he’s hitting .337 with three home runs.

    Micah Johnson – INF – 5’11 190
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    Johnson made a splash last season, hitting .312 with 11 homers in his freshman campaign with the Hoosiers. His power is down a bit this year, but he’s still hitting .312 with two homers and 31 RBI. He has also stolen 18 bases.

    Luke Maile – C – 6’3 210
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Maile was a late-round pick out of high school and didn’t get a huge opportunity to shine in his first year with Kentucky. But last summer, he break out and hit .318 to lead his team to the New York Collegiate Baseball League championship. This spring, Maile is getting his opportunity and making the most of it. He’s batting .287 with a team-high nine home runs.

    Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A 17th-round pick in 2009, Marrero has consistently been ranked as one of the top prospects in his class. In his first year with the Sun Devils, he hit .397 with six home runs, and he continued to shine in Cotuit, where he hit .306 and was arguably the top freshman in the league. Baseball America named him the league’s seventh-best prospect. This year, his average is down a bit to .320, and he has two home runs with 15 RBI. Before the college season, he was tabbed as the seventh-best prospect for the 2012 draft by Perfect Game.

    Chris O’Dowd – C – 5’11 185
    Dartmouth
    Sophomore

    O’Dowd was voted Dartmouth’s Offensive Player of the Year last season and was named the Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Year after he hit .384 with six home runs. This year, O’Dowd has been very good again. He’s hitting .326 with a team-high seven home runs. Out of high school, O’Dowd was a 40th-round pick.

    Victor Roache – OF – 6’1 225
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Roache hit .252 with eight home runs last season. Not bad for a freshman year, but compared with what Roache is doing this year, those numbers look pedestrian. Roache currently leads the nation in home runs with 27. He’s also hitting .338 with 75 RBI and a .427 on-base percentage. A 25th-round pick out of high school, Roache is now officially one of the best power hitters in the country.

    Stefan Sabol – C – 6’1 203
    Oregon
    Freshman

    A top-ranked player out of high school, Sabol slipped to the 17th round because of a strong commitment to Oregon. He then followed the same path as his teammate Healy last summer, just in a different league. Sabol was tabbed by Baseball America as the top prospect in the West Coast League. In Eugene, Sabol has hit .269 with a homer and 12 RBI.

    Cory Spangenberg – INF – 6’1 180
    Indian River
    Sophomore

    Spangenberg earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors last season then lit up the Valley League, hitting .399 and earning Most Valuable Player honors. He then transferred to Indian River State College, a juco program, and is still slugging to the tune of .477 with five home runs. Spangenberg is committed to Miami for next year, but as mentioned above, he’s been labeled as a first-round talent for this year’s draft by Baseball America.

    Logan Vick – OF – 5’11 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Vick earned first-team Freshman All-America honors last season after hitting .329 with 10 home runs. This year has been more of a struggle. Vick is hitting .211 with two homers, so he’ll be looking for a bounce back in Cotuit.

    Kyle Wren – OF – 5’9 158
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Wren has had an outstanding first season for the Yellow Jackets and is a shoo-in for Freshman All-America honors. He leads the team with a .374 average, he has 18 extra-base hits and he’s stolen 13 bases. Wren is the son of Atlanta Braves general manager Frank Wren.

    Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 170
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Yastrzemski was a key piece to the puzzle for Cotuit last summer, hitting .235 and leading the team with 17 RBI. He’s been a mainstay for Vanderbilt throughout his sophomore season, hitting .299 with 32 RBI while starting each of the team’s 50 games. And in case you missed it last year, Yastrzemski is the grandson of Red Sox great Carl.

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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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    2011 Early Look: Hyannis Harbor Hawks

    HyannisHawks_150.gifHyannis Harbor Hawks
    Manager: Chad Gassman
    2010 Record: 14-30

    The commentators on Monday Night Baseball this week were having an interesting discussion about organizational philosophies — how some teams have a very clear philosophy and others don’t. The implication was that the teams with a strong philosophy tend to be more consistently successful.

    To some extent, Cape League franchises can have philosophies. It’s a lot harder to stick with them when things change so much from year to year, but teams certainly have tendencies.

    If there’s a philosophy for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks this season, it’s to build around older players — and good hitters.

    Hyannis, which had the worst record in the league last year, is currently slated to have a roster without a single freshmen or junior. It’s all about the sophomores. The Harbor Hawks are also a little light on weekend rotation pitchers but seem to have a good stable of bats.

    We’ll see where the philosophy takes them, but on paper, I like this team. Players like Corey Roberts and Brad Schreiber should be very capable Cape League starters, while Dylan Floro is a potential star. The bats look solid enough to make up for any pitching deficiencies, too. Adam Brett Walker might be the most toolsy player on the Cape this summer, and he has the production to match, with a .417 batting average. Richy Pedroza and Joey Rickard are also raking, and the Harbor Hawks should have ton of speed with Jamodrick McGruder and Eric Stamets.

    If it works out like the Harbor Hawks hope, maybe it’s a philosophy they can go back to.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 0
    Sophomores: 26
    Freshmen: 0

    Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Adam Brett Walker
    2. Richy Pedroza
    3. Joey Rickard
    4. Dan Gulbransen
    5. Dylan Floro

    Notable

  • We’ll start with Adam Brett Walker, who comes by way of Jacksonville University in Florida. He’s 6’5, 225, he’s the likely Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and he has produced like few other sophomores in the country. He has plenty of prospect hype, too, but it seems primed to grow to new levels on the Cape. The one concern for Walker is strikeouts, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can keep them down with wood bats and tough pitching. Regardless, the guy can mash the ball.

  • Walker’s teammate at Jacksonville, Dan Gulbransen, might be in the running for A-Sun honors, too. He’s hitting .370 with five home runs and 15 doubles.

  • Cal State Fullerton shortstop Richy Pedroza is a fan favorite in the making. He’s listed at either 5’5 or 5’6 depending on where you look, but he’s done nothing but hit in his time with the Titans.

  • Sticking with the hitters for another moment, Arizona’s Joey Rickard has been one of the Pac 10’s best hitters this spring. He was over .400 for a while and still checks in at .390. Rickard, Gulbransen and Walker would be one heck of an outfield for Hyannis.

  • I mentioned the speed above, and Hyannis definitely has it. Jamodrick McGruder has 28 steals this year and Eric Stamets has 24. Throw in Pedroza’s eight and you’ve got a speedy top of the order however you shake it out.

  • Brad Schreiber and Corey Roberts have had the most success as starters this season. Dylan Floro has pitched out of the bullpen for Fullerton but I would think he could start as well, based on his workload. Other than those guys, Hyannis will need some pitchers to step up.

    • Pitchers

    Kolt Browder – RHP – 5’11 200 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Dietrich Enns – LHP – 6’1 195 – Central Michigan – Sophomore
    Scott Firth – RHP – 6’0 170 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Dylan Floro – RHP – 6’2 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
    Ryan Gibson – LHP – 6’4 230 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Tyler Hale – RHP – 5’9 173 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Dean McArdle – RHP – 5’10 175 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Jon Moscot – RHP – 6’4 195 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
    Corey Roberts – RHP – 6’0 210 – UNC Charlotte – Sophomore
    Eric Ruth – RHP – 6’0 185 – Winthrop – Sophomore
    Brad Schrieber – RHP – 6’4 235 – Purdue – Sophomore
    Andrew Strenge – RHP – 6’1 195 – Cincinnati – Sophomore

    Kolt Browder – RHP – 5’11 200
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Browder walked on at Baylor as a shortstop but quickly moved to the bullpen, where he’s become a pretty solid performer. Last year, he had a 4.88 ERA in 20 appearances. After being named the 10th best prospect in the Texas Collegiate League by Baseball America, Browder has pitched in 12 games this year and has a 3.48 ERA.

    Dietrich Enns – LHP – 6’1 195
    Central Michigan
    Sophomore

    Enns burst onto the scene last season as a key bullpen arm for the Chippewas, earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors after posting a 2.12 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 59.1 innings. Enns has grabbed the closer’s spot this year and has delivered similar success. He has five saves, a 2.62 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.

    Scott Firth – RHP – 6’0 170
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Firth was a 35th-round pick out of high school and delivered a solid freshman season with the Tigers last year. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he had a 3.58 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. This season, Firth has made 12 appearances — half of them starts — and has posted a 4-1 record and a 3.40 ERA.

    Dylan Floro – RHP – 6’2 180
    Cal State Fullerton
    Sophomore

    A 20th-round pick out of high school, Floro has been a steady workhorse since arriving on campus in Fullerton. Last year, he earned Freshman All-American honors while pitching 91 innings, most of them out of the bullpen. He ended up with a 3.26 ERA and he walked just 11 in those 91 innings. This year, Floro has again been busy. In 22 appearances, 18 in relief, he has a 2.92 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 13 walks. Before the season, Baseball America ranked Floro as the nation’s 14th-best sophomore.

    Ryan Gibson – LHP – 6’4 230
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Gibson had a solid first year in Norman, striking out almost a batter an inning while posting a 3.75 ERA as a member of the starting rotation. This season, Gibson has only made five appearances and has a 7.27 ERA.

    Tyler Hale – RHP – 5’9 173
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Hale joined standouts Kurt Heyer and Kyle Simon in the Wildcats’ weekend rotation this year but hasn’t had quite as much success as his teammates. In 10 starts, Hale is 3-4 with a 5.26 ERA. HE has struck out 39 in 51.1 innings but has also walked 28.

    Dean McArdle – RHP – 5’10 175
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    McArdle posted a 5.25 ERA last year but still managed to work his way into the weekend rotation by the end of the year. He’s stayed there this season, and he’s gone 7-2 with a 4.20 ERA.

    Jon Moscot – RHP – 6’4 195
    Pepperdine
    Sophomore

    Moscot transferred in from Cuesta College this season and has had a solid first campaign with the Waves. A regular starter, Moscot is 1-1 with a 4.74 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

    Corey Roberts – RHP – 6’0 210
    UNC Charlotte
    Sophomore

    Roberts delivered a Freshman All-American season last year and has been just as good this season for the A-10 leading 49ers. Roberts is 7-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 74.1 innings.

    Eric Ruth – RHP – 6’0 185
    Winthrop
    Sophomore

    Ruth saw a lot of action as a freshman, finishing second on the team in appearances with 28. This year, he’s tied for the team lead with 21 appearances so far, and he currently boasts a 5-1 record with a 4.10 ERA. In 41.2 innings, he has 35 strikeouts and only 12 walks.

    Brad Schrieber – RHP – 6’4 235
    Purdue
    Sophomore

    Schrieber pitched out of the bullpen in his first season with the Boilers and had a 3.70 ERA in 17 appearances. This year, he’s become a reliable starter, posting a 4-0 record and a 3.80 ERA. He’s struck out a team-best 50 in 47.1 innings and had walked just 16. Last summer, Schreiber played in the Northwoods League and was voted the league’s 11th-best prospect by Baseball America.

    Andrew Strenge – RHP – 6’1 195
    Cincinnati
    Sophomore

    Strenge delivered an impressive freshman season last year, posting a 1.93 ERA out of the bullpen and setting a new Big East record for lowest ERA in conference play. He also led the league in conference opponents’ batting, runs allowed and walks allowed. Strenge has moved into the rotation this year without quite as much success — he’s 3-5 with a 4.73 ERA.

    Position Players

    Austin Elkins – SS – 5’11 185 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
    Cole Frenzel – INF – 6’2 208 – Arizona – Sophomore
    John Frost – 3B/1B – 6’1 190 – UAB – Sophomore
    Dan Gulbransen – OF – 5’11 205 – Jacksonville – Sophomore
    Drew Harrison – 1B – 6’4 250 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Duncan McAlpine – C/RHP – 5’10 200 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
    Jamodrick McGruder – SS/2B – 5’8 165 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
    Richy Pedroza – SS – 5’6 140 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
    Kevin Plawecki – C – 6’2 205 – Purdue – Sophomore
    Joey Rickard – OF – 6’1 175 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Eric Stamets – SS – 6’0 185 – Evansville – Sophomore
    Cal Towey – OF – 6’1 200 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Zach Vincej – SS/2B – 6’0 170 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
    Adam Brett Walker – RF/1B – 6’4 225 – Jacksonville – Sophomore

    Austin Elkins – SS – 5’11 185
    Dallas Baptist
    Sophomore

    Elkins had a huge freshman year with Dallas Baptist, hitting .341 with eight homers and 15 doubles. He’s cooled down this year and is currently hitting .244. He does have 10 extra-base hits and 27 RBI.

    Cole Frenzel – INF – 6’2 208
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick out of high school, Frenzel missed part of his freshman year with injury but came back to hit .286. This year, Frenzel hasn’t been slowed down by anything. The first baseman is second on the team with a .379 batting average and he has 14 doubles to go with three home runs. His 40 RBI rank second on the team, and his on-base percentage is at an amazing .491, 24th-best in the country.

    John Frost – 3B/1B – 6’1 190
    UAB
    Sophomore

    Frost hit .338 last year and was a member of the Conference USA all-freshman team. His average has dipped to .211 this year, but he still leads the team with 33 RBI.

    Dan Gulbransen – OF – 5’11 205
    Jacksonville
    Sophomore

    Gulbransen was the Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year last season when he hit .391 with a .498 on-base percentage. After a solid summer in the Great Lakes League, he has picked up where he left off this season. Gulbransen is hitting .370 with five home runs, 15 doubles, 40 RBI and a .472 on-base percentage.

    Drew Harrison – 1B – 6’4 250
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Harrison hit .243 as a freshman last season, but flashed some power with three homers and five doubles out of his 17 hits. This year, Harrison hasn’t had as many opportunities and is hitting .217 in 15 games.

    Duncan McAlpine – C/RHP – 5’10 200
    Dallas Baptist
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Elkins, McAlpine had a big freshman season, hitting .296 with 13 homers. He too has seen a bit of a dip in production this year, but he’s still hitting .278 with seven homers and 38 RBI.

    Jamodrick McGruder – SS/2B – 5’8 165
    Texas Tech
    Sophomore

    McGruder stuffed the stat sheet as a freshman, hitting .322 and stealing 27 bases. Those numbers earned him several Freshman All-America nods. As a sophomore, McGruder’s average is down to .293, but he’s still running wild. He leads the team with four triples and ranks second in the Big 12 with 28 stolen bases.

    Richy Pedroza – SS – 5’6 140
    Cal State Fullerton
    Sophomore

    Despite getting stuck behind star Christian Colon at shortstop, Pedroza found his way into the Fullerton lineup as a freshman and made his presence felt, hitting .331 while grabbing the starting job at third. This year, Pedroza is back at shortstop and has been one of the team’s top hitters. He’s currently at .342 with a .396 on-base percentage. He also has eight steals.

    Kevin Plawecki – C – 6’2 205
    Purdue
    Sophomore

    Plawecki has been a star from day one in West Lafayette, leading the team in hitting last year and setting a new school freshman record with 53 RBI. After an impressive summer in the Prospect League, where he was named the third-best prospect, Plawecki is once again leading Purdue in hitting with a .366 average. He has also walked 17 times and struck out only nine times.

    Joey Rickard – OF – 6’1 175
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Rickard had a solid freshman season for the Wildcats hitting .307 with eight home runs. As a sophomore, he’s been a little better than solid. For much of the season, Rickard has been one of the nation’s best hitters. He’s cooled off a little bit lately, but he’s still batting .390 with four home runs, 10 doubles and 31 RBI. He’s also stolen 12 bases.

    Eric Stamets – SS – 6’0 185
    Evansville
    Sophomore

    Stamets was the MVC Freshman of the Year last season and then earned an All-Star nod in the Valley League. He’s been pretty good this year, too, with a .298 average, 12 doubles and 24 steals.

    Cal Towey – OF – 6’1 200
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    After a redshirt season in 2009, Towey made a solid debut last season for the Bears, hitting .314 with three homers and 20 RBI. This season, Towey is batting .261 with four homers and 13 RBI.

    Zach Vincej – SS/2B – 6’0 170
    Pepperdine
    Sophomore

    Vincej was tabbed as a member of the West Coast Conference all-freshman team after hitting .292 last season. He spent the summer in the Alaska League, where he hit .247. This year, it’s been more of a struggle, with Vincej hitting .207. He has still started every game, though, and has played a solid shortstop.

    Adam Brett Walker – RF/1B – 6’5 225
    Jacksonville
    Sophomore

    Last but certainly not least, Walker checks in with one of the best seasons among 2011 Cape Leaguers — and really, one of the best seasons in the country. Like his teammate Gulbransen, Walker was a Freshman All-American last year and then he went to the Great Lakes League, where he earned top prospect honors. This year, he has lived up to all the hype — and then some. Walker is hitting .417 with 10 homers, 19 doubles, 64 RBI and 11 stolen bases. His batting average ranks second in the nation among sophomore hitters.

    Posted on

    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.