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Firebirds Out for More

The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox get the pub as the league’s most successful franchise over the last 10 years, but the Orleans Firebirds could make a case. For a decade starting in 2002, the Firebirds had a winning record every year.

That streak actually ended last year, which kind of shocked me as I looked back on it. I remember the Firebirds being one of the league’s best teams last year, but a five-game losing streak to end the regular season dropped them to 22-22.

Of course, success was not elusive for too long. The Firebirds knocked off a talented Harwich team in the first round of the playoffs, a fitting response to the team’s first .500 season in a decade.

And it’s something to remember this year – the Firebirds always seem to find a way.

I would expect nothing less this year. The pitching staff has a bevy of dominant closers, led by national ERA leader David Berg of UCLA, and there’s a good crew of potential starters. The offensive nucleus is small at this point, but quality could make up for quantity. Everyone had a solid spring.

We’ll see how it plays out. The roster may remain more in flux than some Cape League teams in the early going, but it’s a safe bet that the Firebirds will find their way.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: Kelly Nicholson
Last Year: 22-22; Lost in East Division finals
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 14
Freshmen: 5

 

NOTABLE

  • Orleans has the smallest roster in the league at this point and has a ton of guys on Super Regional teams. There will be a lot of players other than the ones listed below in a Firebirds uniform, especially at the beginning of the year.

  • You will see relievers with more electric fastballs this summer but you won’t see any with the track record of UCLA’s David Berg. The UCLA sophomore throws sidearm and has mystified hitters for two very busy seasons. In 94 (!) appearances, he has a 1.15 career ERA. He has saved 20 games this season and leads the nation in ERA.

  • Berg is not the only closing option the Firebirds will have. In fact, closers may be the team’s biggest on-paper strength at this point. Kent State’s Brian Clark saved 10 games this year, North Carolina’s Trent Thornton has saved eight for the top-ranked Tar Heels, and Arizona’s Matt Troupe saved nine. The Firebirds will have some options at the back end of the bullpen, I’d say.

  • Ryne Combs pitched mostly out of the bullpen this spring, but the Kentucky freshman is a likely starter down the road. Orleans may be the perfect spot for the transition to begin.

  • Cal State Fullerton has two dominant freshman pitchers in Justin Garza and Thomas Eshelman. Both were originally slated for the Cape, but Eshelman was recently removed from Chatham’s roster. Orleans will be hoping Garza doesn’t follow suit. He’s been as good as any freshman in the nation.

  • Vandy’s Philip Pfeifer pitched out of the bullpen for Orleans last summer but will likely return as a starter – and a good one. He’s not been quite as good as Vandy’s top two starters – stars Tyler Beede and Kevin Ziomek – but he’s been pretty good.

  • Kyle Twomey will be one of the highest-drafted players on the Cape this summer. He was a third-rounder out of high school last year, though he didn’t have the freshman year he was looking for.

  • Orleans seems to have a solid player from Loyola Marymount every year and Colin Welmon fits the mold this year. The righty led the team in ERA as a weekend starter this season.

  • Stony Brook has had quite a few Cape League stars in recent years. Daniel Zamora may be the next one. He led the Seawolves in strikeouts as a freshman this season.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Justin Garza
    2. David Berg
    3. Trent Thornton
    4. Vince Conde
    5. Kyle Twomey

     

    PITCHERS

    David Berg – RHP – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Brian Clark – LHP – 6’3 210 – Kent State – Sophomore
    Ryne Combs – LHP – 6’0 185 – Kentucky – Freshman
    Justin Garza – RHP – 5″11 160 – CS Fullerton – Freshman
    Trevor Kelley – RHP – 6’2 210 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Jared Miller – LHP – 6’6 235 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Luis Paula – RHP – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    *Philip Pfeifer – LHP – 6’0 195 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Trent Thornton – RHP – 6’0 170 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Matt Troupe – RHP – 6’2 195 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Kyle Twomey – LHP – 6’3 165 – USC – Freshman
    Colin Welmon – RHP – 6’3 190 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
    Daniel Zamora – LHP – 6’3 186 – Stony Brook – Freshman
    * – returning player

     
    David Berg – RHP – 6’0 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Berg has been a dominant reliever from the very beginning of his UCLA career. The side-arming righty led the Pac 12 in ERA last season and set a school record for appearances with 50. After a solid summer with Team USA, he’s out-done himself this year. Entering Super Regional play, Berg had a 0.81 ERA – best in the nation – in 44 appearances, and his 20 saves ranked third in the nation. He struck out 69 and walked only seven in 67 innings.

    Brian Clark – LHP – 6’3 210
    Kent State
    Sophomore

    Another dynamic closer, Clark saved 10 games for the Golden Flashes this season. He had a 1.38 ERA and struck out 33 in 32.2 innings. HE earned first-team All-MAC honors.

    Ryne Combs – LHP – 6’0 185
    Kentucky
    Freshman

    Combs was one of the jewels of Kentucky’s top-20 recruiting class and was described as an advanced lefty with a great feel for pitching. He showed in 16 appearances – most out of the bullpen – this spring. He finished with a 2.01 ERA.

    Justin Garza – RHP – 5’11 160
    CS Fullerton
    Freshman

    A 26th-rounder out of high school, Garza is one half of a tremendous freshman pitching duo that has led Fullerton all season, along with Thomas Eshelman. Garza has been at the top of rotation and carried a 1.92 ERA into Super Regional play. He struck out a team-best 89 in 108 innings.

    Trevor Kelley – RHP – 6’2 210
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    After a tough freshman year, Kelley regrouped and posted a 2.64 ERA as a reliever in the Cal Ripken League last summer. He has continued his upward climb this season. He leads the Heels in appearances with 29 and owns a 3.67 ERA.

    Jared Miller – LHP – 6’6 235
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Miller has been a key bullpen arm throughout his tenure in Nashville. Last season, he had a 3.06 ERA. This year, he’s at 2.31 with 24 strikeouts in 23.1 innings.

    Luis Paula – RHP – 6’3 185
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Paula had a so-so freshman campaign in Chapel Hill before pitching well in the Coastal Plain League last summer. This year, he has struggled. He has an 8.59 ERA in nine appearances.

    Philip Pfeifer – LHP – 6’0 195
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    A 44th-round pick out of high school, Pfeifer is the least-heralded pitcher in a vaunted Commodores weekend rotation, but he’s held his own. Pfeifer is 4-0 with a 3.68 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched. Pfeifer pitched out of the Orleans bullpen last summer and had an ERA over five.

    Trent Thornton – RHP – 6’0 170
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Thornton brought good credentials to Chapel Hill but has out-paced all expectations. Slotting in as the Heels’ closer, Thornton has eight saves and a sparkling 1.17 ERA. He has struck out 71 while walking only 12 in 77 innings.

    Matt Troupe – RHP – 6’2 195
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Troupe was a 16th-round pick out of high school but opted for Arizona and won a national championship as the Wildcats’ closer in his first season. He remained in the closer’s role this season, finishing with nine saves, a 3.29 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 38.1 innings.

    Kyle Twomey – LHP – 6’3 165
    USC
    Freshman

    Twomey was one of the highest unsigned picks in the 2012 draft. He went in the third round to Oakland but honored his commitment to USC. He slotted into the weekend rotation this season but didn’t have a great year. He went 2-8 with a 5.55 ERA. He did lead the team in strikeouts with 50.

    Colin Welmon – RHP – 6’3 190
    Loyola Marymount
    Sophomore

    Welmon moved into Loyola’s Friday starter role right off the bat last year and has been very good every step of the way. After posting a 3.87 ERA last season, he dropped it all the way down to 2.30 this year. He also struck out 64 in 78.1 innings. He was named first-team all-conference.

    Daniel Zamora – LHP – 6’3 186
    Stony Brook
    Freshman

    Zamora came to Stony Brook from La Puente, Calif., and made himself at home in his debut season. Though his season ERA was 4.95, he led the team with 77 strikeouts and dazzled in his last start of the season, striking out 13 in eight innings in the America East Tournament.
     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Greg Allen – OF – 6’0 165 – San Diego State – Sophomore
    Vince Conde – INF – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Zach Fish – INF/OF – 5’11 211 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    Kevin Kramer – 3B – 6’0 197 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Jordan Luplow – OF – 6’1 190 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    Chris Marconcini – OF – 6’5 230 – Duke – Junior
    Riley Moore – C – 6’3 190 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Collin Slaybaugh – C – 6’1 195 – Washington State – Junior

     
    Greg Allen – OF – 6’0 165
    San Diego State
    Sophomore

    A San Diego native, Allen has had two good season with the hometown Aztecs. The speedster hit .312 and stole 11 bases as a freshman before batting .299 with 25 steals this year, ranking in the top 50 nationally in stolen bases.

    Vince Conde – INF – 6’0 190
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Conde hit just .195 as a freshman last year but hit eight home runs in the NECBL and was picked by Baseball America as the circuit’s sixth-best prospect. He has picked up where he left off this spring, batting .309 with six homers and 44 RBI.

    Zach Fish – INF/OF – 5’11 211
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Fish hit .248 as a freshman last year but flashed some pop with four home runs. This year, he upped his average to .283 and hit a team-best seven home runs, while driving in 41. He also stole 10 bases.

    Kevin Kramer – 3B – 6’0 197
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Kramer won a Northwoods League championship with the La Crosse Loggers last summer and had a big hand in it, hitting over .500 in the playoffs. This spring, he’s been UCLA’s best hitter, batting .285 with three homers and 40 RBI.

    Jordan Luplow – OF – 6’1 190
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    Luplow was the WAC Tournament MVP last year and rode the momentum into the summer, when he earned an all-star nod in the Alaska Baseball League. He was a steady performer for the Bulldogs this spring, hitting .278 with three homers and 21 RBI.

    Chris Marconcini – OF – 6’5 230
    Duke
    Junior

    Marconcini was a Freshman All-American in 2011 but missed all of the 2012 season with an injury. He returned with a vengeance this year, hitting .284 and blasting eight home runs. He tied for 11th in the ACC in homers.

    Riley Moore – C – 6’3 190
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Another Wildcat who starred as a freshman on the team’s CWS run, Moore hit .301 in his debut season. This year, he batted .285 with two homers and 37 RBI. He was a 21st-round pick out of high school.

    Collin Slaybaugh – C – 6’1 195
    Washington State
    Junior

    Slaybaugh has had three very consistent seasons with the Cougars. He hit .317 this season with a .383 OBP and a team-best 12 stolen bases.

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    Hyannis Aiming for Return to Form

    Hyannis had one of its best-ever seasons in 2011, but couldn’t replicate in 2012, finishing fifth in the West and missing the playoffs. It was still a very memorable summer – thanks in large part to the superstar emergence of Sean Manaea – but the Harbor Hawks wouldn’t mind trading some memories for more success this season.

    They look poised to do just that, with a veteran team that should once again list pitching as its biggest strength.

    While a Manaea repeat is highly unlikely, the Harbor Hawks have half-a-dozen pitchers coming off very good seasons as weekend starters, and that’s something that a lot of teams can’t say. The offense may be a little behind the pitching, but not by much. Returner Dominic Jose should be one of the top prospects in the league, while newcomers like Brian Anderson, Tyler Spoon and Ryan Padilla come in with good track records.

    The Harbor Hawks will also have an older team than most, with 24 sophomores and only one freshmen. That’s a recipe that has worked for them before, most recently in that great 2011 season.

    They’re hoping it all works again.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Chad Gassman
    Last Year: 17-27; Missed playoffs
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 0
    Sophomores: 24
    Freshmen: 1

     

    NOTABLE

  • No pressure, Landon Curry, but the last guy from Indiana State was pretty good.

  • In Kyle Freeland and Jordan Foley, the Harbor Hawks have a pair of pitchers from mid-major schools who should be reliable Cape League starters. Freeland was the second-best prospect in the Alaska League last summer, while Foley is coming off a big season with Central Michigan.

  • Arkansas has a trio of players slated for Hyannis and each of the three is riding high coming in. Brian Anderson and Tyler Spoon were the team’s best hitters while Michael Gunn was great pitching out of the bullpen.

  • Andrew Istler hasn’t been a dominant pitcher at Duke but he sure was dominant last summer, posting a 0.78 ERA in the Coastal Plain League and earning top prospect honors.

  • UC Santa Barbara sophomore Austin Pettibone ranked sixth in the nation in innings pitched this season. He did very well in those innings, too, winning 10 games and posting an ERA under three. He didn’t have huge strikeout numbers but is certainly an arm to keep an eye on.

  • Another workhorse is North Dakota sophomore Andrew Thome, who pitched a no-hitter in the season opener this year and has 10 complete games in 27 career appearances.

  • If Pettibone, Thome and the aforementioned Freeland and Foley are good to go for another heavy workload, they’re going to give the Harbor Hawks the beginnings of a very solid, veteran rotation. Add in UCLA sophomore Grant Watson and it shapes up nicely.

  • Georgia Southern Chase Griffin was one of the top freshman catchers in the nation a year ago. He didn’t have as big a year this season but will be looking to prove himself on a big stage this summer.

  • It hasn’t come together yet at Stanford for Dominic Jose. He didn’t play much as a freshman and hit .235 this year. If last summer is any indication, he’ll be happy to be back in Hyannis. He hit six home runs for the Harbor Hawks and was one of the league’s top freshmen.

  • New Mexico’s Ryan Padilla looked poised for stardom after hitting .353 as a freshman last year. He wasn’t quite as good this year, though there may have been an injury because he only started about half of the Lobos’ games. Still, as a 6’4, 220-pound lefty swinger, Padilla remains firmly on the scouting radar.

  • The Harbor Hawks’ roster includes the son of a Major Leaguer – Drew Stankiewicz – and the nephew of a Major Leaguer – Shane Zeile.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Dominic Jose
    2. Kyle Freeland
    3. Ryan Padilla
    4. Jordan Foley
    5. Austin Pettibone

     

    PITCHERS

    Jordan Foley – RHP – 6’3 215 – Central Michigan – Sophomore
    Kyle Freeland – LHP – 6’4 185 – Evansville – Sophomore
    Michael Gunn – LHP – 6’1 205 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Bryant Holtmann – LHP – 6’5 205 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Andrew Istler – RHP – 5’11 180 – Duke – Sophomore
    Rocky McCord – RHP – 6’2 170 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Austin Pettibone – RHP – 6’4 215 – UC Santa Barbara – Sophomore
    Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240 – Dallas Baptist – Freshman
    Scott Simon – RHP – 6’7 201 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Cy Sneed – RHP – 6’4 200 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
    Andrew Thome – RHP – 6’4 205 – North Dakota – Sophomore
    Grant Watson – LHP – 6’1 190 – UCLA – Sophomore

     
    Jordan Foley – RHP – 6’3 215
    Central Michigan
    Sophomore

    A 26th-round pick out of high school, Foley struggled mightily in his freshman year, finishing with an ERA over eight. But this season, he pulled a 180 and turned into an ace for the Chippewas. Foley finished with a 3.08 ERA and a team-best 90 strikeouts in 90.2 innings. Opponents hit just .209 against him.

    Kyle Freeland – LHP – 6’4 185
    Evansville
    Sophomore

    Freeland was a 35th-round pick out of high school and had a solid freshman year. He then went to Alaska and was named the league’s second-best prospect by Baseball America. He got off to a strong start this season, but hit some rough patches down the stretch and finished with a 4.34 ERA. He struck out 84 in 93.1 innings.

    Michael Gunn – LHP – 6’1 205
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    Former Cape League standout Colby Suggs had ninth-inning duties for Arkansas this year, but Gunn was a valuable part of the bullpen in his own right. The lefty had a 1.21 ERA in 18 appearances, striking out 35 and walking only eight in 29.2 innings. Perfect Game ranked Gunn the top prospect in the MINK League last summer.

    Bryant Holtmann – LHP – 6’5 205
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    Holtmann was the busiest freshman pitcher the Seminoles had in 2012 and made the most of his opportunities, finishing with a 3.20 ERA. This season, he has made 21 appearances and carries a 4.15 ERA into FSU’s Super Regional.

    Andrew Istler – RHP – 5’11 180
    Duke
    Sophomore

    Istler was slated to be a reliever in the Coastal Plain League last summer but ended up as a starter and dominated on his way to being named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. This spring, he was back in the Duke bullpen. He led the team with 28 appearances and had a 4.10 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.

    Rocky McCord – RHP – 6’2 170
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick out of high school in 2011, McCord had an ERA near five in limited action last season. He was then named the second-best prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League last summer. This spring, he had a 3.96 ERA but an injury limited him to seven games.

    Austin Pettibone – RHP – 6’4 215
    UC Santa Barbara
    Sophomore

    Pettibone led the Gauchos in wins as a freshman and did it again this year in workhorse fashion. Pettibone logged 117.2 innings, 34 more than anybody on the team, and went 10-3 with a 2.98 ERA. He struck out 61 and walked 20.

    Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240
    Dallas Baptist
    Freshman

    Shaw is the only freshman on the Hyannis roster, and he should represent the young guys well. In 20 relief appearances, Shaw had a 3.30 ERA with four saves and 24 strikeouts in 30 innings.

    Scott Simon – RHP – 6’7 201
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Simon was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school. He redshirted in 2011 before saving four games for the Cougars last season. This year, he moved into the weekend rotation and held his own, finishing with a 3.95 ERA.

    Cy Sneed – RHP – 6’4 200
    Dallas Baptist
    Sophomore

    Sneed had a decent season in the Dallas Baptist weekend rotation this year, going 4-4 with a 4.84 ERA. He struck out 54 in 83.2 innings.

    Andrew Thome – RHP – 6’4 205
    North Dakota
    Sophomore

    Thome was the only freshman in the nation to toss three nine-inning shutouts in 2012, and he started 2013 with a no-hitter in the season opener. His ERA rose to 4.14 by the end of the year but he still led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts and finished with four more complete games.

    Grant Watson – LHP – 6’1 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Watson tied former Bruin star Trevor Bauer’s record for single-season wins by a freshman last year. This season, he’s been a solid part of the weekend rotation again, going 8-3 with a 3.22 ERA. He has 52 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 86.2 innings.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Brian Anderson – INF – 6’3 180 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Jay Baum – INF – 6’0 190 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Landon Curry – OF – 6’2 185 – Indiana State – Sophomore
    Skyler Ewing – C/INF – 6’1 220 – Rice – Sophomore
    Chase Griffin – C – 6’0 200 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    *Dominic Jose – OF – 6’3 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Will Maddox – INF – 5’11 180 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Ryan Padilla – INF/OF – 6’4 225 – New Mexico – Sophomore
    *Jeff Schalk – INF/OF – 6’3 215 – UAB – Sophomore
    Austin Slater – INF/OF – 6’2 205 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Tyler Spoon – INF/OF – 5’11 190 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Drew Stankiewicz – INF – 5’10 180 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Shane Zeile – INF – 6’1 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Brian Anderson – INF – 6’3 180
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    Anderson was a 20th-round pick out of high school and has taken all the right steps so far. He hit well as a freshman then batted .290 with five home runs in the Northwoods League last summer. This season, he emerged as the top hitter for the Razorbacks, finishing with a team-best .325 average, four home runs, 12 doubles, 36 RBI and a team-best .448 on-base percentage. He ranked fifth in the SEC in OBP.

    Jay Baum – INF – 6’0 190
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Baum has not yet hit his stride in two seasons with the Tigers, batting .239 as a freshman and .228 this season. Perfect Game still liked him as its 10th-best prospect in South Carolina for the 2014 draft.

    Landon Curry – OF – 6’2 185
    Indiana State
    Sophomore

    Curry follows in the footsteps of ISU teammate Sean Manaea, who had a historic summer last year. Curry had a solid year with the bat for the Sycamores, hitting .260 with 21 RBI. He also stole 19 bases.

    Skyler Ewing – C/INF – 6’1 220
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Ewing played in only nine games as a freshman. He has struggled some this year but has gotten ample opportunity. He’s hitting .225 and ranks third on the team with four home runs.

    Chase Griffin – C – 6’0 200
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Griffin hit .320 with 10 home runs last year and was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. After a good summer in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, he hit .272 with four homers and 47 RBI this season.

    Dominic Jose – OF – 6’3 200
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    An 15th-round pick out of high school, Jose only started four games as a freshman last year but made up for lost time with a great summer in Hyannis. He hit .272 with six home runs and was named the league’s 17th-best prospect by Perfect Game. This spring, he was limited to 35 games and hit .237.

    Will Maddox – INF – 5’11 180
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    An SEC All-Freshman pick last year, Maddox excelled again this season for the Vols. He ranked second on the team with a .333 batting average and led the squad with a .425 on-base percentage. He also stole 22 bases, second in the SEC behind Vanderbilt star Tony Kemp.

    Ryan Padilla – INF/OF – 6’4 225
    New Mexico
    Sophomore

    Padilla starred as a freshman last year, ranking sixth nationally among all freshmen in hitting. He finished at .353 with five home runs. This season, he saw his average dip to .266 with three home runs.

    Jeff Schalk – INF/OF – 6’3 215
    UAB
    Sophomore

    Schalk was a Conference USA all-freshman pick in 2012. He hit only .200 for the Harbor Hawks over the summer and didn’t really bounce back this spring. He hit .220 for the Blazers with one home run.

    Austin Slater – INF/OF – 6’2 205
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Slater played in just seven games as a freshman but moved into a much bigger role this year and made the most of it. He hit .269 with three home runs, and his 20 extra-base hits led the team.

    Tyler Spoon – INF/OF – 5’11 190
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    Spoon redshirted in the spring of 2012. When he finally got on the field in Alaska that summer, he starred and was named the league’s fifth-best prospect by Baseball America. He picked up where he left off this spring, hitting .288 with four homers and a team-high 49 RBI.

    Drew Stankiewicz – INF – 5’10 180
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    The son of former Big Leaguer Andy Stankiewicz, Drew inherited the Sun Devil shortstop job from first-round pick Deven Marrero. After hitting .265 last year, he batted .295 this season with two homers and 25 RBI.

    Shane Zeile – INF – 6’1 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    The nephew of former Major Leaguer Todd Zeile, Shane played well when he got a chance as a freshman last year, then earned all-star honors for the Walla Walla Sweets of the West Coast Collegiate League. Baseball America had him as the circuit’s sixth-best prospect. Zeile has not had quite as good a sophomore season as he hoped, hitting .239 with two homers.

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    Whitecaps Look for Resurgence

    Scouts had an eye on Brewster last year. Pitcher Tom Windle and outfielder Aaron Judge were both among the first 11 prospects in Baseball America’s list of the league’s best.

    But like Hyannis with Cape superstar Sean Manaea, the Whitecaps couldn’t put it all together and missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

    As the Whitecaps get set for the 2013 season, they welcome in a team that could cut a similar profile. Florida State sophomores Luke Weaver and Brandon Liebrandt have as much ace potential as any incoming pitchers in the league, while Trevor Mitsui returns after hitting five home runs last year. The rest of the club is much like most Brewster teams have been the last few years – no superstars but some good potential.

    The Whitecaps just hope the result is more in line with what they’re capable of.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: John Altobelli
    Last Year: 17-26-1; Missed playoffs
    Returning Players: 3
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 4

     

    NOTABLE

  • Proven, big-school starting pitchers are becoming a scarcer and scarcer commodity on the Cape every year, but Brewster has a pair that are as good as anybody in Florida State sophomores Luke Weaver and Brandon Liebrandt. Weaver pitched for Brewster last summer and didn’t have a great season but has turned into one of the best sophomore pitchers in the nation this year. Liebrandt was also on the Brewster roster last year but didn’t play. He’s also been very good in the FSU weekend rotation.

  • Weaver in particular sticks out as perhaps the Cape’s best incoming pitcher. He ranks 10th in the nation in strikeouts, tops among 2013 Cape Leaguers, and he has an ERA under two for the Seminoles.

  • Brewster has a third Seminole in sophomore infielder Jose Brizuela, and he’ll be coming in off a big season as well. Brizuela ranks second on the team in batting average.

  • Brewster has a pitcher named Zach Morris. Saved by the Bell fans, I’m working on some jokes. I can’t promise they’ll be good.

  • On the subject of baseball, Zach Morris is sitting out this year at Maryland after transferring from Cincinnati. He had a solid freshman year with the Bearcats and I imagine he’ll be chomping at the bit to take the mound again.

  • Brewster has had some success with players from Memphis in recent years, most notably Drew Martinez, a .359 hitter in 2010. The Whitecaps will look for more from the pipeline with Dylan Toscano and Tucker Tubbs slated to come to town.

  • Frankie Vanderka was one of the heroes of Stony Brook’s Cinderella run to the College World Series last year. He pitched a three-hitter in game three of the Super Regional against powerhouse LSU. This season, Vanderka didn’t get an opportunity to match those heroics, but he still shined and earned first-team America East honors. He also was a workhorse, ranking second in the nation in complete games.

  • Trevor Mitsui didn’t have the prospect buzz of Brewster teammates Ryon Healy and Aaron Judge last summer, but he hit more home runs than Healy and the same amount as Judge. He’s a very solid returning player.

  • Minnesota is another Brewster pipeline team that doesn’t show up on a lot of other CCBL rosters. Connor Schaefbauer represents the Gophers this year and should do it well. He hit .289 in his freshman year.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Luke Weaver
    2. Brandon Liebrandt
    3. Frankie Vanderka
    4. Jose Brizuela
    5. Boo Vazquez

     

    PITCHERS

    Tanner Chleborad – RHP – 6’5 190 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Trey Cochran-Gill – RHP – 5’11 189 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Justin Kamplain – LHP – 6’0 170 – Alabama – Sophomore
    Jonathan Keller – LHP – 6’1 220 – Alabama – Sophomore
    Brandon Liebrandt – LHP – 6’4 205 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Zach Morris – LHP – 6’5 225 – Maryland – Sophomore
    Matt Pirro – RHP – 6’1 200 – Wake Forest – Sophomore
    *Evan Rutter – RHP- 6’3 190 – Rice – Sophomore
    Corey Taylor – RHP – 6’2 235 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
    Dylan Toscano – RHP – 6’5 205 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Frankie Vanderka – RHP – 6’2 205 – Stony Brook – Junior
    *Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 170 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Matt Withrow – RHP – 6’3 200 – Texas Tech – Freshman
    * – returning player

     
    Tanner Chleborad – RHP – 6’5 190
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Chelborad has been a weekend starter since day one. After turning in a 4.24 ERA this year, he struggled this season and finished with a 6.92 ERA.

    Trey Cochran-Gill – RHP – 5’11 189
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    Cochran-Gill had a solid freshman season as a reliever for the Tigers in 2012, then pitched well in the Valley League, where he was named the sixth-best prospect by Baseball America. This season, he remained in the bullpen and was solid again, posting a 3.02 ERA

    Justin Kamplain – LHP – 6’0 170
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Kamplain was pretty good in a swing role as a freshman. His ERA rose to 4.77 this year, but some of his peripherals were better. He struck out 50 in 54.2 innings and opponents hit just .223 against him.

    Jonathan Keller – LHP – 6’1 220
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Keller had a similar freshman season to that of his teammate Kamplain, but he struggled this year. His ERA rose from 3.74 last year to 5.23 this year. He did strike out 56 in 53.1 innings, but he walked 28 and saw opponents hit .293 against him.

    Brandon Liebrandt – LHP – 6’4 205
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    Liebrandt had a tremendous freshman season last year, jumping into the weekend rotation and leading the team in strikeouts. He has kept it up this year for the Super Regional bound Seminoles, going 10-4 with a 3.44 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 89 innings.

    Zach Morris – LHP – 6’5 225
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Morris started his college career at Cincinnati and led the Bearcats in ERA and innings pitched as a freshman. He then transferred to Maryland, where he sat out this year in accordance with NCAA transfer rules.

    Matt Pirro – RHP – 6’1 200
    Wake Forest
    Sophomore

    Pirro held his own in 10 appearances as a freshman. He moved into the weekend rotation with mixed results this year, finishing 3-6 with a 5.52 ERA. Pirro walked more batters than he struck out.

    Evan Rutter – RHP- 6’3 190
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Rutter didn’t see much action in his freshman year with the Owls but turned in a solid summer in Brewster, striking out 36 in 29.2 innings out of the bullpen. He has made 11 appearances this season and owns a 3.86 ERA.

    Corey Taylor – RHP – 6’2 235
    Texas Tech
    Sophomore

    Taylor starred in the junior college ranks last year, helping lead Cisco College to the NJCAA World Series. He had a tough transition to the D-I ranks, finishing his first year in Lubbock with a 7.18 ERA.

    Dylan Toscano – RHP – 6’5 205
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Toscano was healthy for only half of his freshman year last season but pitched well when he was, finishing with a 3.05 ERA. He pitched in eight games this season and had a 3.44 ERA.

    Frankie Vanderka – RHP – 6’2 205
    Stony Brook
    Junior

    Vanderka led the Seawolves in ERA last year and excelled on the biggest stage in the team’s run to Omaha. This year, he emerged as a bona fide ace, going 8-4 with a 2.80 ERA.

    Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 170
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    A 19th-round pick out of high school, Weaver struggled in his freshman season and had an ERA over five for Brewster last summer. This year, though, he has turned it completely around. On his way to second team All-ACC honors, Weaver has gone 7-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a team-best 114 strikeouts against just 17 walks in 92.1 innings pitched. He tied for ninth in the nation in strikeouts and ranked 10th in strikeout-to-walk ratio.

    Matt Withrow – RHP – 6’3 200
    Texas Tech
    Freshman

    Withrow came from the high school ranks, but like his teammate Taylor, he also struggled in his debut with Texas Tech. Withrow finished with a 5.90 ERA, though he did rank third on the team in strikeouts with 52.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    David Armendariz – OF – 6’1 210 – Cal Poly – Junior
    Austin Bailey – INF – 5’10 170 – San Diego – Sophomore
    Braden Bishop – OF – 6’1 190 – Washington – Freshman
    Jose Brizuela – INF/OF – 6’0 200 – Florida State – Sophomore
    P.J. Jones – C – 5’9 186 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Chris Mariscal – INF – 5’11 175 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    *Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 220 – Washington – Sophomore
    Kyle Overstreet – INF – 6’1 195 – Alabama – Freshman
    Connor Schaefbauer – INF – 6’1 175 – Minnesota – Freshman
    Ford Stainback – INF – 5’11 170 – Rice – Sophomore
    Tucker Tubbs – INF – 6’4 199 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Boo Vazquez – OF – 6’4 200 – Pittsburgh – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    David Armendariz – OF – 6’1 210
    Cal Poly
    Junior

    Armendariz was a second-team All-Big West pick as a sophomore. He was solid again this year, hitting .271 with three homers and 23 RBI.

    Austin Bailey – INF – 5’10 170
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Bailey hit .273 as a freshman and was a solid performer again this year for the Toreros. He finished with .301 average and 28 RBI.

    Braden Bishop – OF – 6’1 190
    Washington
    Freshman

    A 36th-round pick of the Braves last year, Bishop started 29 games in his debut season with the Huskies. He batted .270 with 13 RBI.

    Jose Brizuela – INF/OF – 6’0 200
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    Brizuela was a late-round pick out of high school. He started all but one game as a freshman and didn’t have the best year, but like his teammates Liebrandt and Weaver, he has surged as a sophomore Brizuela is hitting .325 with four homers and 43 RBI.

    P.J. Jones – C – 5’9 186
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Jones has had two solid seasons with the Cougars. He hit .303 as a freshman last year. This season, he finished with a .276 average.

    Chris Mariscal – INF – 5’11 175
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    Mariscal has been the Bulldogs’ shortstop since day one last year. He hit only .238 as a freshman, but bumped it up to .302 this season and also hit two home runs. He played summer ball in Alaska last year and hit .256 for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots.

    Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 220
    Washington
    Sophomore

    Mitsui hit .308 as a freshman and .262 this year. In between, he had some flashes of brilliance in Brewster last summer. Mitsui hit .298 for the Whitecaps with five home runs and 26 RBI.

    Kyle Overstreet – INF – 6’1 195
    Alabama
    Freshman

    One of the top high school players in Alabama a year ago, Overstreet started every game of his first season in Tuscaloosa and delivered a solid performance. He hit .271 with 37 RBI

    Connor Schaefbauer – INF – 6’1 175
    Minnesota
    Freshman

    Schaefbauer ranked fourth on the Gophers in hitting with a .279 average as a freshman this season. The former South Dakota high school star also drove in 18.

    Ford Stainback – INF – 5’11 170
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Stainback was a Conference USA all-freshman pick last year and has followed it up with another good season this year. Playing shortstop and batting leadoff, Stainback has hit .293 with 24 RBI.

    Tucker Tubbs – INF – 6’4 199
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    After holding his own as a freshman, Tubbs emerged this season as one of the Tigers’ top hitters. He finished at .327 with a team-best four home runs, and he drove in 32.

    Boo Vazquez – OF – 6’4 200
    Pittsburgh
    Sophomore

    One of the top high school prospects in Ohio in 2011, Vasquez starred last year in his first with the Panthers, hitting .327 and slugging .440. He had another strong campaign this year, batting .337 with two homers and 30 RBI.

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    Kettleers in Line for a Big Year

    The 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League season was full of great storylines, from Wareham’s run to the title, to Harwich’s power display, to Sean Manaea’s dominance on the mound for Hyannis.

    It was easy to lose track of some other stories, like the 2012 Cotuit Kettleers. Wareham won the title, Harwich had the pop, Y-D had the highest team batting average we’re likely to see in years. But it was Cotuit that had the league’s best record.

    The Kettleers caught fire midway through the season and finished 30-14, becoming the league’s first 30-win team since a legendary 2007 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox club.

    In the end, the Kettleers fell short of the title, but the season was a great one, and they’re poised for another in 2013. The Kettleers bring back some sophomores ready for breakouts like Jordan Ramsey and Aramis Garcia and the rest of the roster is as solid looking as any in the league. The majority of their position players are coming off good seasons, and some off great seasons – like Bradley Zimmer, Patrick Mazeika and Joey Pankake. Freshmen like Rhett Wiseman and Max Schrock bring top-prospect flair. A veteran pitching staff has six starters with proven track records, and guys like Ramsey and Daniel Mengden have star potential.

    It adds up to a great-looking club on paper. The Cape League may not be able to match its 2012 storylines in 2013, but the Kettleers very well could.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Mike Roberts
    Last Year: 30-14; Lost in Western Division Semifinals
    Returning Players: 3
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 18
    Freshmen: 6

     

    NOTABLE

  • The Kettleers have a quite a few players from College World Series contenders, like Vanderbilt and South Carolina. It could be an uneven start to the summer if those squads make it to Omaha.

  • Kyle Zimmer used a solid summer with Cotuit in 2011 as a springboard into a tremendous junior season and a spot as the fifth overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft. His brother will be on the beginnings of the same path this year. Bradley Zimmer attends San Francisco like his brother did, and has been the team’s best hitter. He’s ticketed for Cotuit this summer.

  • Coastal Carolina’s Ryan Connolly was one of the Cape League’s best relievers last summer with Cotuit, and the Kettleers will be hoping for a similar showing from Connolly’s teammate Patrick Corbett. The sophomore righty has been a key part of the Coastal bullpen this spring.

  • Another Chanticleer, Ben Smith, is a likely starting pitcher and a potential ace for the Kettleers. He was a first-team All Big South pick this season and led the team in strikeouts and ERA among starters.

  • Vanderbilt’s starting rotation gets a lot of pub, and with good reason, but the bullpen has been dynamic too and a pair of future Kettleers have been a big reason why. Sophomore Brian Miller has 15 saves and a 1.59 ERA, while freshman Carson Fulmer has an ERA under three and has struck out better than a batter an inning.

  • Cotuit will also welcome Vanderbilt’s Rhett Wiseman. The Mansfield, Mass., native was a top prospect out of high school, and though he’s been in the background for a veteran Vandy team this year, there’s no denying his ability. A summer in Cotuit could be a prime breakout chance for him.

  • Danny Diekroeger doesn’t have a lot of Cape League experience, but he sure got some quality innings last year. Diekroeger was a late-season pickup by Y-D and he was a key part of the Red Sox’ run to the CCBL finals.

  • It’ll be interesting to see what Daniel Mengden focuses on this summer. The Texas A&M two-way player seems to be settling into the role of an ace on the mound. He was one of the top starters in the SEC this year.

  • Two South Carolina sophomores – Joey Pankake and Jordan Montgomery – could be big additions for the Kettleers. Neither showed up on any SEC all-conference lists, but it’s a safe bet they’ll get there next year. Pankake is hitting .335 with 10 home runs, while Montgomery has a 1.86 ERA as a weekend starter. Gamecock freshman Max Schrock should also be poised for a good summer.

  • Junior college star Elliott Caldwell is a future Gamecock, and they’re getting a good one. The top prospect in the Prospect League last summer, Caldwell is one to keep an eye on this summer.

  • Washington State doesn’t have the baseball pedigree of many of its Pac-12 compatriots, but the Cougars have sent some talented players to the Cape in recent years. Two more are bound for Cotuit this summer. Joe Pistorese was the ace of the staff and a workhorse, while Yale Rosen belted seven home runs.

  • UNC Wilmington’s Jordan Ramsey is slated to return to Cotuit, but he’ll be coming back on a different level. He had a 4.35 ERA last summer in 11 games. This year, he was one of the top pitchers in the Colonial and I’d expect the rise to continue.

  • In his second year with Cotuit, Aramis Garcia has star potential and could emerge as a top-notch catching prospect. He’s coming off a huge sophomore season.

  • Springfield native Patrick Mazeika will be playing closer to home this summer but his journey to Florida has been very good to him. The Stetson freshman was the Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year after hitting .382.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Aramis Garcia
    2. Bradley Zimmer
    3. Jordan Ramsey
    4. Daniel Mengden
    5. Elliott Caldwell

     

    PITCHERS

    Christian Cecilio – LHP – 6’1 190 – San Francisco – Sophomore
    Patrick Corbett – RHP/INF – 6’5 185 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Chris Ellis – RHP – 6’5 195 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    John Hochstatter – LHP – 6’4 215 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Adam McCreery – LHP – 6’8 219 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Daniel Mengden – RHP/C – 6’1 210 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
    Brian Miller – RHP – 6’4 200 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Jordan Montgomery – LHP – 6’3 215 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Joe Pistorese – LHP – 6’2 174 – Washington State – Sophomore
    *Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 198 – UNC Wilmington – Sophomore
    David Schmidt – RHP – 6’0 175 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Ben Smith – LHP – 6’2 175 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Wyatt Strahan – RHP – 6’3 195 – USC – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Christian Cecilio – LHP – 6’1 190
    San Francisco
    Sophomore

    Cecilio has had two solid seasons in the Dons’ weekend rotation. For a regional-bound club this year, Cecilio is 3-3 with a 4.11 ERA. He has 46 strikeouts in 70 innings.

    Patrick Corbett – RHP/INF – 6’5 185
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Corbett has been a very good reliever in two years with the Chanticleers. After posting a 3.54 ERA in 17 games last year, he has been one of the team’s busiest bullpen arms this year. In 23 appearances, he has a 2.47 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched.

    Chris Ellis – RHP – 6’5 195
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Ellis had a solid freshman season as a reliever in 2012. He has seen limited action this year while dealing with an injury and has an ERA over six.

    Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    A 15th-round pick of the Red Sox last year, Fulmer has had a very strong debut in the Vanderbilt bullpen. The righty earned SEC All-Freshman honors with a 2.98 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. He’s second on the team in appearances.

    John Hochstatter – LHP – 6’4 215
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick in 2011, Hochstatter had his struggles as a freshman but took some strides as a member of the weekend rotation this year. Hochstatter posted a 3.88 ERA and struck out 29.

    Adam McCreery – LHP – 6’8 219
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A 14th-round pick out of high school, McCreery is long on potential but he hasn’t yet put it all together. He had an ERA over five for Cotuit last summer. This spring, he had a 5.94 ERA while pitching as both a starter and a reliever.

    Daniel Mengden – RHP/C – 6’1 210
    Texas A&M
    Sophomore

    Mengden has done it all in two years with the Aggies, saving games as a freshman and emerging as a bona fide ace this season. He’s 8-3 with a 1.84 ERA and a team-best 91 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. He’s also a valuable hitter, carrying a .283 average and three home runs.

    Brian Miller – RHP – 6’4 200
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    After saving five games as a freshman, Miller moved into the closer’s role full-time this year and has emerged as one of the best in the country. Miller has 15 saves and an ERA and a team-best 1.59 ERA for the No. 2 national seed Commodores.

    Jordan Montgomery – LHP – 6’3 215
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    A Freshman All-American as a weekend starter last year, Montgomery has been even better this year as the Gamecocks’ Saturday starter. He’s 4-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 53 innings.

    Joe Pistorese – LHP – 6’2 174
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Pistorese led the Cougars in ERA as a freshman and it wasn’t a flash in the pan. He logged 100.1 innings this year as the Friday starter and went 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA. He didn’t have huge strikeout numbers compared to the high-innings total, but he still led the team with 61.

    Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 198
    UNC Wilmington
    Sophomore

    Ramsey was a 28th-rounder out of high school and a Colonial All-Rookie pick last year. He then made his way to Cotuit and had a 4.35 ERA in 11 appearances. This spring, he has made the kind of jump you’d expect from a player with his pedigree. Emerging as an ace, Ramsey has a 2.36 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 99.1 innings for regional-bound Wilmington. He earned second-team All-Colonial honors.

    David Schmidt – RHP – 6’0 175
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Schmidt has had two solid seasons as a reliever in Palo Alto. He had a 3.98 ERA last year and dropped it to 3.68 this season. He struck out 19 in 29.1 innings.

    Ben Smith – LHP – 6’2 175
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Smith pitched in a swing role for the Chanticleers last year before becoming an ace in the weekend rotation this year. Smith is 5-3 with a 2.19 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched. Smith earned first-team All Big South honors.

    Wyatt Strahan – RHP – 6’3 195
    USC
    Sophomore

    Strahan was drafted in the 27th round out of high school and delivered a strong debut for the Trojans last year, posting a 1.37 ERA as a reliever. He moved into the weekend rotation this year and led the Trojans with a 2.45 ERA, despite walking nearly as many as he struck out.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Kevin Bradley – SS/3B – 6’2 185 – Clemson – Freshman
    Elliott Caldwell – OF – 6’2 190 – Spartanburg Methodist – Sophomore
    Hunter Cole – OF – 6’1 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
    Danny Diekroeger – INF – 6’1 190 – Stanford – Junior
    *Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200 – Florida International – Sophomore
    Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195 – Stanford – Freshman
    Patrick Mazeika – 1B – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Freshman
    Joey Pankake – INF – 6’0 195 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Yale Rosen – INF/OF – 6’2 208 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180 – South Carolina – Freshman
    Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    Bradley Zimmer – OF – 6’5 195 – San Francisco – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Kevin Bradley – SS/3B – 6’2 185
    Clemson
    Freshman

    A late-round draft pick out of high school, Bradley hasn’t had a big impact yet with Clemson. He has seen action in 34 games this year, with only four starts, and is hitting under .200.

    Elliott Caldwell – OF – 6’2 190
    Spartanburg Methodist
    Sophomore

    After limited action at Winthrop as a freshman, Caldwell has been a star for Spartanburg Methodist, one of the top junior college teams in the country. Caldwell is hitting .357 with three homers, 42 RBI and 18 stolen bases for a JUCO World Series club. Caldwell was named the top prospect in the Prospect League last summer by Baseball America and has committed to South Carolina for next year.

    Hunter Cole – OF – 6’1 190
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Cole led the Bulldogs in home runs as a freshman last year and followed it up with a very good sophomore season. Cole hit .303 with four homers and 33 RBI.

    Danny Diekroeger – INF – 6’1 190
    Stanford
    Junior

    A late addition to the Y-D Red Sox roster last summer, Diekroeger hit .306 in the Cape League playoffs. He returns to the Cape bound for Cotuit, and he comes in off a solid junior season. Diekroeger batted .299 with two homers and 28 RBI for the Cardinal. Brother Kenny was a fourth-round pick of the Royals last year.

    Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200
    Florida International
    Sophomore

    Garcia was steady as a freshman and pretty good last summer with the Kettleers. This spring, he took a step toward becoming one of the top catching prospects in the country when he hit .321 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI.

    Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195
    Stanford
    Freshman

    A 37th-round pick out of high school, Jackson struggled in his first collegiate season. He hit .207 in 41 games, with 24 starts.

    Patrick Mazeika – 1B – 6’3 210
    Stetson
    Freshman

    A native of Springfield, Mass., Mazeika headed south for college and made himself right at home, earning Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year honors. He hit a league-best .382 with three home runs, 33 RBI and a .488 OBP.

    Joey Pankake – INF – 6’0 195
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick in 2011, Pankake was an SEC All-Freshman pick in 2012. This year, he has emerged as one of the top players for the Gamecocks, hitting .315 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI.

    Yale Rosen – INF/OF – 6’2 208
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Rosen didn’t do much as a freshman, but he took a leap as a sophomore and emerged as one of the team’s best players. He hit .314 with seven homers and 35 RBI. The home run total tied him for a team-high with former Cape League all star Jason Monda.

    Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180
    South Carolina
    Freshman

    Schrock was drafted in the 28th round out of high school. He opted to stick with his pledge to the Gamecocks and is in the midst of a solid first season. Schrock is hitting .286, and his five home runs and 37 RBI rank him third on the team.

    Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    One of the top high school players in the country a season ago and a 25th-round pick of the Cubs, the Mansfield, Mass., native headed to Vanderbilt and has made the most of his time there. He’s appeared in 49 games and while he’s only started nine of them, Wiseman has three home runs and a .296 average.

    Bradley Zimmer – OF – 6’5 195
    San Francisco
    Sophomore

    The brother of former Kettleer pitcher and first-round pick Kyle Zimmer, Bradley plies his trade at the plate and does it very well. On his way to West Coast Conference all-league honors, Zimmer is hitting .335 with seven homers, 36 RBI and a team-best .456 on-base percentage. He has helped lead the Dons to an NCAA Regional.

    Posted on

    Anglers Build Solid Foundation

    After missing the playoffs in two straight years, one of the Cape’s most storied franchises started using a different approach to assembling its roster last season and is doing the same thing this season.

    And it just may work.

    While the Anglers had an up-and-down campaign last year, they’re sticking with the same blueprint of bringing in quite players from mid-major schools and building around a group that can be in town all summer.

    The difference this year is that stability and small-school players’ desire to prove themselves is only part of the equation. In fielding that kind of team, the Anglers have also attracted some of the league’s top incoming players in terms of 2013 production. It’s not a group that wows you in terms of names and hype, but it could end up being very, very solid.

    Eight of the team’s position players had very successful springs, including Big West Co-Player of the Year Taylor Sparks. The pitching staff is a little lighter on 2013 success, but there are still some strong track records.

    If the success translates, expect Chatham to be back in the playoffs again – and doing some damage.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: John Schiffner
    Last Year: 21-21-2; Lost in East first round
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 4

     

    NOTABLE

  • In addition to the aforementioned roster-building approach, Chatham is also not putting its eggs in just a handful of baskets. The Anglers have three players from North Carolina and two from Boston College, but no more than one from any other school.

  • UC Irvine’s Taylor Sparks had a breakout summer in the West Coast League last year and carried it straight into a huge sophomore season. Sparks was named the Big West’s Co-Player of the Year and should be one of the Cape’s top incoming players.

  • A number of high picks from the 2011 draft are ticketed for the Cape, including Boston College lefty Andrew Chin, who has the shortest track record of all of them. Chin redshirted last year after Tommy John surgery during his senior year of high school, but was solid in the weekend rotation this year. Summer could be a springboard for him.

  • Chatham has had a lot of success with Louisville pitchers, most recently Dace Kime and Nick Burdi last year. Kyle Funkhouser will follow in their footsteps with a similar track record. The freshman has had a strong season in the Cardinal bullpen.

  • While big arms from powerhouse programs often take the summer off, pitchers from mid-major schools regularly fill the void and shine on the Cape. Siena’s Matt Gage is one of this year’s candidates. The burly lefty struck out 88 this season.

  • Another is Monmouth junior Andrew McGee, who had a 2.12 ERA and an impressive seven complete games.

  • Every year, you see plenty of Cape Leaguers whose brothers also played in the league, but you usually don’t see an age gap like this one. Kenny Koplove’s older brother, Mike, played for Chatham in 1998 and spent seven seasons in Major League Baseball. Kenny comes to Chatham from Duke.

  • It’s been a dream season for Franklin Pierce, who’s in the D-II World Series, and it’ll continue for junior pitcher Ryan Leach, who’s slated to come to Chatham. Leach struck out 80 as a dominant reliever.

  • His fellow North Carolina freshman Skye Bolt has gotten more pub, but Chatham-bound Landon Lassiter has been almost as good. Lassiter is hitting .348 and leads the team with a .498 OBP, which is saying something since the Tar Heel lineup includes Colin Moran.

  • Fullerton’s J.D. Davis was a fifth-round pick out of high school and is having a strong sophomore season. He ranks second only to Titans star Michael Lorenzon on the team’s RBI list.

  • Chatham’s only returning player is USC shortstop Dante Flores, one of many Trojan infielders who have had a stay in Chatham. Flores was a 41st round pick out of high school.

  • Michigan State is not a Cape League regular, but Jimmy Pickens looks like a good guy to carry the torch this season. Pickens earned second-team All-Big 10 honors and blasted nine home runs.

  • Long Beach State’s Richard Prigatano was one of the top prospects in the Northwoods League last summer, when he hit 11 home runs. His power deserted him this spring, but he’s still a potential star.

  • A couple of Angler catchers are coming off strong seasons. Brandon Sedell and Connor Joe should make a very good tandem.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Taylor Sparks
    2. J.D. Davis
    3. Richard Prigatano
    4. Matt Gage
    5. Jimmy Pickens

     

    PITCHERS

    Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 180 – Boston College – Sophomore
    Jake Dorris – RHP – 6’2 155 – Texas A&M Corpus Christi – Sophomore
    Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 190 – Louisville – Freshman
    Matt Gage – LHP – 6’4 255 – Siena – Sophomore
    Aaron Garza – RHP – 6’4 180 – Houston – Sophomore
    Ryan Leach – RHP – 6’0 196 – Franklin Pierce – Junior
    Chris McCue – RHP – 6’0 160 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Andrew McGee – LHP – 6’0 220 – Monmouth – Junior
    Luke Morrill – RHP – 6’4 215 – Maine – Sophomore
    Chad Sobotka – RHP – 6’7 200 – South Carolina-Upstate – Sophomore

     
    Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 180
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    Chin was a fifth-round pick in 2011 out of Newton, Mass. He redshirted in 2012 and had a decent debut season this year. Slotted into the weekend rotation, Chin had a 1-8 record but a 3.88 ERA, which was second among Eagles’ starters. He led the team with 45 strikeouts.

    Jake Dorris – RHP – 6’2 155
    Texas A&M Corpus Christi
    Sophomore

    Dorris shined this year as a closer for the Islanders, finishing with 13 saves and a team-best 2.36 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked just 10 in 26.2 innings.

    Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 190
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Funkhouser came to Louisville with solid credentials and has forced his way into a key role in the Louisville bullpen. In 19 appearances, the righty has a 1.93 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 51.1 innings.

    Matt Gage – LHP – 6’4 255
    Siena
    Sophomore

    Gage had a solid freshman season and was labeled as a breakout candidate by the Siena coaching staff this year. He delivered, emerging as one of the top pitchers in the MAAC. On his way to first-team all-conference honors, he had a 3.42 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 97.1 innings.

    Aaron Garza – RHP – 6’4 180
    Houston
    Sophomore

    Garza had an ERA over five as a freshman settled in this season as one of Houston’s top starters. Garza went 5-5 with a 3.88 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

    Ryan Leach – RHP – 6’0 196
    Franklin Pierce
    Junior

    Leach has been one of the top arms for the Ravens as they’ve made their way to the Division II World Series this season. In 20 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen, Leach struck out 80 in 66 innings with a 3.14 ERA.

    Chris McCue – RHP – 6’0 160
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    McCue had a solid first season in Chapel Hill and then shined in the Coastal Plain League, where Baseball America pegged him as the fourth-best prospect. He has reprised his role this season as a member of the dominant Tar Heel bullpen. He has a 2.12 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.

    Andrew McGee – LHP – 6’0 220
    Monmouth
    Junior

    After two solid seasons, McGee had a breakout campaign as a member of the Monmouth weekend rotation this year. He went 8-2 with a 2.12 ERA and 69 strikeouts against 15 walks in 110.1 innings. He’s also a workhorse, with seven complete games on his resume.

    Luke Morrill – RHP – 6’4 215
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Morrill has had some ups and downs in two seasons with the Black Bears. He had a 5.91 ERA last year and finished at 5.12 this year.

    Chad Sobotka – RHP – 6’7 200
    South Carolina-Upstate
    Sophomore

    Sobotka saved 12 games on his way to Atlantic Sun All-Freshman honors last year. This season, the towering righty saved seven games with a 3.86 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Blake Butera – INF – 5’9 175 – Boston College – Sophomore
    J.D. Davis – RHP/1B – 6’3 220 – CS Fullerton – Sophomore
    Josh Eldridge – OF – 6’3 200 – Old Dominion – Sophomore
    *Dante Flores – INF/OF – 5’10 160 – USC – Sophomore
    Mitchell Gunsolus – 3B/OF – 6’0 190 – Gonzaga – Sophomore
    Kenny Koplove – INF/RHP – 6’1 160 – Duke – Freshman
    Connor Joe – C – 6’0 205 – San Diego – Sophomore
    Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 175 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Jimmy Pickens – OF – 6’0 200 – Michigan State – Sophomore
    Sheehan Planas-Arteaga – 1B/OF – 6’2 200 – Barry – Sophomore
    Jarrard Poteete – OF/1B – 6’1 200 – Texas Tech – Freshman
    Richard Prigatano – OF/1B – 6’4 215 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Michael Russell – INF – 6’2 204 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Brandon Sedell – C – 6’1 200 – Nova Southeastern – Sophomore
    Taylor Sparks – 1B/3B – 6’4 210 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Blake Butera – INF – 5’9 175
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    Butera came to Chestnut Hill from Louisiana. After hitting .267 as a freshman, he batted .239 this year with nine RBI.

    J.D. Davis – 1B/RHP – 6’3 220
    CS Fullerton
    Sophomore

    A fifth-round pick of the Rays out of high school, Davis had a decent debut with the Titans last year then starred in the Northwoods League. He has emerged as one of the top two-way players around this season. He’s hitting .325 with four homers and 47 RBI. On the mound, he has four saves and a 2.14 ERA.

    Josh Eldridge – OF – 6’3 200
    Old Dominion
    Sophomore

    A Washington, D.C., high school star, Eldridge had a solid freshman season for ODU but took it to another level this season. He hit .297 and flashed some pop with six home runs and a team-best 50 RBI. He also stole eight bases. Perfect Game ranked Eldridge the 17th-best prospect in the Coastal Plain League last year.

    Dante Flores – INF/OF – 5’10 160
    USC
    Sophomore

    The lone returning Angler, Flores hit just .154 in 20 games last summer after a solid freshman season for the Trojans. He was limited to 25 games this spring and batted .256.

    Kenny Koplove – INF/RHP – 6’1 160
    Duke
    Freshman

    The brother of former Angler and Major League pitcher Mike Koplove, Kenny was the Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year last season. He only pitched in three games in his first season in Durham but was a solid contributor at the plate. He hit .288 in 46 games.

    Mitchell Gunsolus – 3B/OF – 6’0 190
    Gonzaga
    Sophomore

    A cousin of former Cape Leaguer Greg Peavey, Gonsolus struggled in limited action as a freshman. He has settled in this year, hitting .288 with 21 RBI.

    Connor Joe – C – 6’0 205
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    A WCC All-Freshman pick in 2012, Joe has been a standout for the Toreros this season. He’s hitting .321 with seven homers and 40 RBI. He ranks third on the team in homers and RBI, categories led by former Angler and National Player of the Year candidate Kris Bryant.

    Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 175
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    A 16th-round pick out of high school, Lassiter is an infielder by trade but has forced his way into the North Carolina lineup as the DH, and he hasn’t left. Lassiter is hitting .348, fourth on the team, with a homer, 26 RBI and a team-best .498 on-base percentage.

    Jimmy Pickens – OF – 6’0 200
    Michigan State
    Sophomore

    Pickens had a solid first season in East Lansing then hit .365 with five homers in the Northwoods League. He followed that up with a very impressive sophomore campaign. Pickens hit .303 with nine homers and 42 RBI. He earned second-team All-Big 10 honors. He ranked second in the league in home runs and seventh in RBI.

    Sheehan Planas-Arteaga – 1B/OF – 6’2 200
    Barry
    Sophomore

    Planas-Arteaga hit over .300 as a freshman for D-II Barry last year. This season, he ranked second on the team with a .367 average and led the squad with a .477 OBP.

    Jarrard Poteete – OF/1B – 6’1 200
    Texas Tech
    Freshman

    An Oklahoma high school star, Poteete headed to Lubbock and had a solid first season. He hit .285 with three homers and 25 RBI.

    Richard Prigatano – OF/1B – 6’4 215
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    A 16th-round pick out of high school, Prigatano had a solid freshman season then really broke out in the Northwoods League, where he hit 11 home runs and was named the third-best prospect by Baseball America. He hit .302 this spring with a homer and 23 RBI.

    Michael Russell – INF – 6’2 204
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Russell started from day one last year and held his own with a .269 average. He’s been a valuable piece to the puzzle again this season, hitting .307 with two homers and 31 RBI.

    Brandon Sedell – C – 6’1 200
    Nova Southeastern
    Sophomore

    A transfer from Florida, Sedell made a big impact for D-II Nova Southeastern this season. He ranked third on the team with a .333 batting average and second with 35 RBI.

    Taylor Sparks – 1B/3B – 6’4 210
    UC Irvine
    Sophomore

    Sparks hit just .200 as a freshman, giving no indication of what was to come. In the summer, though, his production started to catch up to his tools as he was named the West Coast League’s top prospect. This season, he picked up where he left off, hitting .360 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI on his way to earning Big West Co-Player of the Year honors.

    Posted on

    Commodores Back to Baseball

    The off-season usually isn’t too eventful for Cape Cod Baseball League teams – they sign some players, maybe make some field improvements, but not a whole lot else.

    It was a little different for the Falmouth Commodores. In September, longtime manager Jeff Trundy was dismissed, only to be brought back as a result of an uproar, which then prompted three team officials to resign.

    So, fairly eventful.

    The Commodores will be back to business this year with Trundy still at the helm and a new leadership team in place. They’ll welcome in an almost entirely new group of players – just two are back from last year – but there’s a lot of potential in a deep pitching staff and it looks like there are some hitters ready to cement themselves as stars.

    Whatever happens, the folks in Falmouth will be happy to get back to baseball.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Jeff Trundy
    Last Year: 21-23; Lost in West Division first round
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 8
    Sophomores: 19
    Freshmen: 12

     

    NOTABLE

  • Falmouth only has two returning players – Casey Turgeon and Kyle Ruchim – but both should have a big impact. Turgeon has a solid track record with the bat, while Ruchim quietly had a great season on the mound last summer. A two-way player, Ruchim also hit .365 this spring.

  • Oregon freshman Garrett Cleavinger has been a dominant setup man to star closer Jimm Sherfy. Cleavinger has an ERA under two and is just a hair off Sherfy’s strikeout pace. If he’s the heir apparent to Sherfy, the summer could be a perfect time for a transition to the closer role.

  • Then again, Falmouth has another option for closing. Rice sophomore Zech Lemond – yes, Zech – led Conference USA with 14 saves.

  • Falmouth got a great season in 2009 from Kyle Winkler, an undersized starter from TCU. Brandon Finnegan is cut from the same cloth and has struck out better than a batter an inning this season.

  • The brother of former Cotuit Kettleer C.J. Cron, Kevin was already making a name for himself around the same time his brother was. Kevin was drafted in the third round in the 2011 draft, the same year C.J. went in the first round.

  • Clemson sophomore Daniel Gossett just earned second-team All-ACC honors after another strong season in the weekend rotation for the Tigers. He should be one of the Cape’s top incoming pitchers.

  • Plenty of Cape Leaguers take circuitous routes in their baseball careers, but I don’t know if anybody’s story can match Jim Ploeger’s. He hails from the Netherlands and came to America to play baseball in the juco ranks at Laney College. He’s now at Arkansas Pine Bluff.

  • Ploeger’s teammate Isias Alcantar is not from the Netherlands, but he’s been on a similar journey the last few years. Alcantar also started his career at Laney College. At Arkansas Pine Bluff this year, he was named SWAC Player of the Year.

  • It’ll be interesting to see what Myles Smith can do. He is now at Lee University after a stop at Missouri and Miami-Dade and after a commitment to the University of Miami. He was a 16th-round pick out of the junior college ranks last year.

  • The Commodores have three players who are the brothers of former Cape Leaguers. Hunter Brothers and Casey Gillaspie both had brothers play in Falmouth (Rex and Conor), while Kevin Cron’s brother C.J. played briefly for Cotuit.

  • Gillaspie is probably the best of that bunch. His brother Conor was the Cape League MVP in 2007 and is currently in the bigs. Casey is having a huge sophomore season at Wichita State.

  • Sacramento State’s Rhys Hoskins was one of the top freshmen in the country last year. He’s in the midst of a little sophomore slump this season but still brings big potential with him.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Casey Gillaspie
    2. Daniel Gossett
    3. Rhys Hoskins
    4. Isias Alcantar
    5. Brandon Finnegan

     

    PITCHERS

    Hunter Brothers – RHP – 6’1 200 – Lipscomb – RS Sophomore
    Danny Brown – RHP – 5’10 165 – Flagler College – Sophomore
    Garrett Cleavinger – LHP – 6’1 206 – Oregon – Freshman
    Jeff Dally – LHP – 6’6 215 – State College of Florida – Sophomore
    Brandon Finnegan – LHP – 5’11 184 – TCU – Sophomore
    David Gates – RHP – 6’5 215 – Howard College – Sophomore
    Andrew Grant – RHP – 6’4 220 – UMass – Sophomore
    Daniel Gossett – RHP – 6’0 180 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Daniel Koger – LHP – 6’5 181 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Zech Lemond – RHP – 6’4 195 – Rice – Sophomore
    Brandon Magallones – RHP – 6’3 185 – Northwestern – Sophomore
    Nic Manuppelli – RHP – 6’3 225 – Youngstown State – Junior
    Kevin McCanna – RHP – 6’1 185 – Rice – Freshman
    Kevin Mooney – RHP – 6’1 195 – Maryland – Freshman
    Preston Morrison – RHP – 6’2 185 – TCU – Sophomore
    Donny Murray – RHP – 6’2 200 – Holy Cross – Sophomore
    Jimmy O’Neill – RHP – 6’8 250 – State College of Florida – Sophomore
    Jim Ploeger – LHP – 6’3 225 – Arkansas Pine Bluff – Junior
    Jared Price – RHP – 6’2 190 – Maryland – Freshman
    Alex Robinson – LHP – 6’3 220 – Maryland – Freshman
    Clate Schmidt – RHP – 6’1 190 – Clemson – Freshman
    John Sheehan – RHP – 5’11 190 – William & Mary – RS Junior
    Myles Smith – RHP – 6’1 170 – Lee – Junior
    Brent Stong – LHP – 6’1 180 – Bradley – Freshman
    Josh Uhen – RHP – 6’4 205 – Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Sophomore
    Jacob Waguespack – RHP – 6’6 215 – Ole Miss – Freshman

     
    Hunter Brothers – RHP – 6’1 200
    Lipscomb
    RS Sophomore

    The younger brother of former Commodore and current Colorado Rockies farmhand Rex Brothers, Hunter hasn’t had quite as much success this far in his college career. He is 3-5 this year with a 6.39 ERA.

    Danny Brown – RHP – 5’10 165
    Flagler College
    Sophomore

    Brown led the Division II Saints in ERA as a freshman last year. His ERA ballooned up over five this year, but he still led the team in strikeouts by a wide margin, with 68 in 70.2 innings.

    Garrett Cleavinger – LHP – 6’1 206
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Cleavinger headed to Oregon from Kansas and has made himself at home in the Ducks bullpen this season. He’s second on the team in appearances with 32 and he has an 8-0 record with a 1.24 ERA. He has struck out 47 in 36.1 innings.

    Jeff Dally – LHP – 6’6 215
    State College of Florida
    Sophomore

    Dally started his college career at Central Florida, redshirted and then transferred to the State College of Florida, one of the top junior college programs in the country. He hasn’t pitched much for the Manatees, but is committed to Central Arkansas for next season.

    Brandon Finnegan – LHP – 5’11 184
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Finnegan had a solid freshman season for the Horned Frogs and has followed it up with a great sophomore season as a member of the weekend rotation. Though he’s somehow 0-7, he has a 2.90 ERA with a team-best 86 strikeouts in 77.2 innings pitched. Finnegan has been invited to Team USA.

    David Gates – RHP – 6’5 215
    Howard College
    Sophomore

    Gates has been a standout starter for the junior college Hawks. He’s 8-5 with a 3.82 ERA this season and 62 strikeouts in 75.1 innings pitched.

    Andrew Grant – RHP – 6’4 220
    UMass
    Sophomore

    A native of Westboro, Mass., Grant will be playing relatively close to home this summer. He has struggled this spring at UMass, posting a 6.50 ERA as a starter.

    Daniel Gossett – RHP – 6’0 180
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    A 16th-round pick out of high school, Gossett led the Tigers in strikeouts as a freshman. He was on the Falmouth roster last year but didn’t play on the Cape. He’s been impressive again this spring, going 9-3 with a 2.20 ERA. He has led Clemson in strikeouts again, with 83 in 86 innings.

    Daniel Koger – LHP – 6’5 181
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    Koger got more starts than anybody in a Tiger uniform last year and finished his first season with a 3.19 ERA. He has struggled some this year, going 0-3 with a 5.01 ERA.

    Zech Lemond – RHP – 6’4 195
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Lemond had a solid freshman year for the Owls, putting up a 2.52 ERA in 35 innings out of the bullpen. He’s been even busier – and better – this season as the Rice closer. Lemond has 14 saves to go with a 1.34 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. He earned first-team all-conference honors.

    Brandon Magallones – RHP – 6’3 185
    Northwestern
    Sophomore

    After leading the Wildcats in strikeouts as a freshman, Magallones saw those numbers dip from 67 to 48 this year, but he also dropped his ERA down to 3.30

    Nic Manuppelli – RHP – 6’3 225
    Youngstown State
    Junior

    Manuppelli had an ERA over five as a sophomore for the Penguins but headed to New England and earned all-star honors for Laconia in the NECBL. He’s followed that up with his best season in Youngstown. Pitching as a reliever, he has a 3.49 ERA.

    Kevin McCanna – RHP – 6’1 185
    Rice
    Freshman

    McCanna was a 22nd-round pick out of high school and was mentioned as a possible weekend starter candidate for the Owls this year. He’s pitched in a swing role instead and has a 4.54 ERA.

    Kevin Mooney – RHP – 6’1 195
    Maryland
    Freshman

    The top pitching prospect in Maryland a year ago, Mooney has been great as the closer for the Terps. He has nine saves and a 2.18 ERA while leading the team in appearances.

    Preston Morrison – RHP – 6’2 185
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Just like his teammate Finnegan, Morrison was solid in a swing role last year and has emerged as a very good weekend starter this season. He is 7-3 with a 1.22 ERA. He has struck out only 60 in 103.1 innings, but he has walked only 16 and opponents are hitting just .216.

    Donny Murray – RHP – 6’2 200
    Holy Cross
    Sophomore

    After a solid campaign as a freshman, the Boston College High product moved into the weekend rotation for Holy Cross this spring and held his own. He finished 7-3 with a 4.33 ERA and a team-best 61 strikeouts.

    Jimmy O’Neill – RHP – 6’8 250
    State College of Florida
    Sophomore

    O’Neill struck out 19 in 22 innings as a freshman last year. This year he was limited to three games and just 2.2 innings pitched.

    Jim Ploeger – LHP – 6’3 225
    Arkansas Pine Bluff
    Junior

    A native of the Netherlands, Ploeger went 5-4 in the Pine Bluff weekend rotation this year with a 4.11 ERA and a team-high 65 strikeouts. Ploeger started his American baseball career at Laney College, a junior college in California.

    Jared Price – RHP – 6’2 190
    Maryland
    Freshman

    A 33rd-round pick out of high school, Price hasn’t had as good a debut as his freshman teammate Mooney. Price is 2-2 with a 5.92 ERA, though he has struck out better than a batter an inning.

    Alex Robinson – LHP – 6’3 220
    Maryland
    Freshman

    Another Maryland freshman, Robinson made the biggest early splash when he grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation. He had some ups and downs in that role, going 1-3 with a 4.89 ERA.

    Clate Schmidt – RHP – 6’1 190
    Clemson
    Freshman

    A 36th-round pick out of high school, Schmidt was hyped as one of the top newcomers in the ACC. He has had some struggles in his debut, going 3-3 with a 4.89 ERA and almost as many walks as strikeouts.

    John Sheehan – RHP – 5’11 190
    William & Mary
    RS Junior

    A native of Westwood, Mass., Sheehan saw limited action in two years at William & Mary and missed another entire season with an injury. He’s finally been able to get some more innings this year and has a 4.50 ERA in 26 appearances.

    Myles Smith – RHP – 6’1 170
    Lee
    Junior

    Smith started his career at Missouri before transferring to Miami-Dade, a juco powerhouse. He was drafted in the 16th round by the Mets out of Miami-Dade last year. He didn’t sign and was originally ticketed for the University of Miami. Instead, he is at NAIA Lee University, where he’s been dominant. Smith is 11-3 with a 1.51 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 71 innings.

    Brent Stong – LHP – 6’1 180
    Bradley
    Freshman

    Stong was named the Preseason MVC Freshman of the Year by CollegeSportsMadness.com, and did a pretty good job living up to the hype. Pitching mostly as a reliever, Stong had a 3.77 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 31 innings.

    Josh Uhen – RHP – 6’4 205
    Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    Sophomore

    Uhen took a medical redshirt in 2011 and saw limited action while working his way back in 2012. He remained on the radar as one of the top prospects in the Horizon League and showed why this year. In 20 relief appearances, he posted a 2.84 ERA.

    Jacob Waguespack – RHP – 6’6 215
    Ole Miss
    Freshman

    A 37th-round pick out of high school last year, Waguespack has been limited to just five innings of work in his freshman year with the Rebels.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Isias Alcantar – SS/P – 6’0 215 – Arkansas Pine Bluff – Junior
    Leon Byrd – OF/INF – 5’7 170 – Rice – Freshman
    Brandon Cipolla – OF – 6’0 190 – Holy Cross – Junior
    Kevin Cron – INF – 6’5 245 – TCU – Sophomore
    Casey Gillaspie – 1B/OF – 6’4 238 – Wichita State – Sophomore
    Sam Gillikin – OF – 6’2 197 – Auburn – Freshman
    Rhys Hoskins – 1B/OF – 6’4 225 – Sacramento State – Sophomore
    Joseph Maggi – OF/INF – 5’10 178 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Richie Martin – SS – 6’0 180 – Florida – Freshman
    Kevin Newman – INF – 6’1 175 – Arizona – Freshman
    *Kyle Ruchim – P/INF – 5’10 185 – Northwestern – Junior
    Troy Stein – C – 6’1 210 – Texas A&M – Junior
    *Casey Turgeon – INF – 5’9 170 – Florida – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Isias Alcantar – SS/P – 6’0 215
    Arkansas Pine Bluff
    Junior

    Alcantar is coming off a huge junior season that ended with him earning Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors. He batted .345 and led the team with six home runs, 44 RBI and a .421 OBP.

    Leon Byrd – OF/INF – 5’7 170
    Rice
    Freshman

    A 25th-round pick out of high school, Byrd quickly became an everyday player for the Owls and he’s had a solid debut. He’s hitting .256 with a .411 OBP and a home run.

    Brandon Cipolla – OF – 6’0 190
    Holy Cross
    Junior

    After a tough freshman year, Cipolla earned all-conference honors as a sophomore last year. He was even better this year, finishing at .333 with two homers and 30 RBI.

    Kevin Cron – INF – 6’5 245
    TCU
    Sophomore

    A third-round pick out of high school, Kevin starred as a freshman, hitting .338 with six homers on his way to Freshman All-America honors. He has hit a sophomore slump this year and is batting just .212.

    Casey Gillaspie – 1B/OF – 6’4 238
    Wichita State
    Sophomore

    The brother of former Commodore and current Major Leaguer Conor Gillaspie, Casey is making a name for himself. After hitting .274 as a freshman he was named the fifth-best prospect in the Northwoods League by Baseball America last summer. He has continued his emergence this year and is hitting .305 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI.

    Sam Gillikin – OF – 6’2 197
    Auburn
    Freshman

    Gillikin was a 33rd-round pick out of high school but he has struggled with the bat in his first year with the Tigers. Gillikin is hitting .159 in spot duty.

    Rhys Hoskins – 1B/OF – 6’4 225
    Sacramento State
    Sophomore

    Hoskins had an enormous freshman season in Sacramento, hitting .353 and blasting 10 home runs on his way to a host of Freshman All-America accolades. This season has not been quite as good. Hoskins is batting .284 with three homers and 22 RBI.

    Joseph Maggi – OF/INF – 5’10 178
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Maggi had a big freshman season while helping the Wildcats to the national championship last year. He’s been solid again this year, with a .293 average and a .429 OBP. Maggi’s brother, Drew, played for Arizona’s rival Arizona State.

    Richie Martin – SS – 6’0 180
    Florida
    Freshman

    A late-round draft pick last year, Martin has pushed his way into the Gators’ starting lineup and is making himself at home. He leads the team with a .304 batting average and his .374 OBP ranks second.

    Kevin Newman – INF – 6’1 175
    Arizona
    Freshman

    Newman grabbed the starting shortstop gig immediately for the defending national champs and has shown why all season. He’s hitting .332 with 32 RBI and a .391 OBP. He has also made just six errors all season.

    Kyle Ruchim – P/INF – 5’10 185
    Northwestern
    Junior

    Ruchim was a late addition to the Commodores last summer but proved indispensable as the season wore on. In 15 appearances out of the bullpen, he had a 1.47 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. He also hit .235. This spring, Ruchim was named third-team All Big 10 after hitting .365 and posting a 2.60 ERA.

    Troy Stein – C – 6’1 210
    Texas A&M
    Junior

    Stein saw limited action as a freshman but starred as a sophomore last year, hitting .304 on his way to second-team All Big 12 honors. He has continued to hit well this year, batting .300 with a team-high five home runs.

    Casey Turgeon – INF – 5’9 170
    Florida
    Sophomore

    The only other returning Commodore, Turgeon followed up a Freshman All-American campaign by hitting .261 with three homers in Falmouth. He’s hitting .269 for the Gators this year, with five homers and 32 RBI.

    Posted on

    Mariners Building on Recent Success

    For much of the 2012 season, it looked like the Harwich Mariners were primed to repeat as Cape Cod Baseball League champions. The Mariners set a Cape League record for home runs, had the MVP and had some purely dominant stretches.

    But as always in the Cape League, great teams don’t always win. The most powerful offensive team in Cape League wood-bat history was limited to two runs in a first-round sweep at the hands of Orleans.

    Disappointing finish aside, the Mariners were once again one of the most talented teams in the league. It’s a tradition that’s been growing every year, so much so that it’s hard to believe Harwich had an 11-year playoff drought before winning the CCBL championship in 2008.

    Harwich is poised for more in 2013. The roster looks like a strong collection of talent again, particularly on the offensive side, where Brett Austin returns and Mark Zagunis, Skye Bolt and Derek Fisher headline a great crop of newcomers. The pitching staff has some proven starters in the fold, too.

    All in all, it looks like more of the same. The Mariners may not be breaking any records this year, but I’d be surprised if they weren’t in the mix.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Steve Englert
    Last Year: 27-16-1; Lost in East First Round
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 21
    Freshmen: 7

     

    NOTABLE

  • Note to his fellow Mariners: don’t challenge Pat Connaughton to a pick-up basketball game this summer. Connaughton averaged 8.9 points per game as a sharp-shooting guard for the Notre Dame basketball team in the winter. He’s a solid left-handed pitcher for the baseball Irish in the spring.

  • K.J. Hockaday was poised to become a star for Maryland this spring, but an injury and a suspension have turned his sophomore season upside down. There’s still a lot of potential – the former 14th-round pick hit .346 in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League last summer.

  • In Alex Bregman, Skye Bolt and C.J. Hinojosa, Harwich has a tremendous trio of freshmen on its roster. Bregman is on Team USA’s roster as well, so the Mariners may not get all three, but even two would be a great addition.

  • Bregman, in particular, has had an incredible season. For a while, you could say he was having a better season than any freshmen in the country. Now, you can drop the freshmen label and still make a pretty good case.

  • Based on his Cape track record on the mound and his spring with the bat, Kentucky’s A.J. Reed could make a case to simultaneously be the top returning pitcher and hitter in the league. He had a 2.20 ERA for the Mariners last year and has blasted 13 homers for the Wildcats this spring.

  • Brandon Woodruff pitched for Harwich last summer too, but I somehow missed the fact that he was a fifth-round pick out of high school in 2011. He has not been as dominant as you might expect from someone who went so early. If he gets a chance to be a full-time starter this summer, it could be his opportunity for a breakout.

  • With two big seasons at Virginia Tech to his name, there’s a good chance Mark Zagunis ends up as the top catching prospect on the Cape. This year, Zagunis has almost the same statistics as teammate Tyler Horan, a guy you probably remember. Horan blasted 16 homers for Wareham last summer.

  • Zagunis isn’t the only standout catcher on the roster. Brett Austin returns for a second summer in Harwich. He was a supplemental first round pick out of high school and has been solid in two years at NC State.

  • Virginia went from unranked in the preseason to one of the top teams in the country this year, and a trio of Cavaliers are slated for Harwich. All of them – Branden Cogswell, Nick Howard and Derek Fisher – have had a big hand in the team’s success. Fisher may be the best of the bunch – he was the top prospect in the Northwoods League last summer.

  • I usually have a pretty good grasp on incoming stars, but I was not familiar with Gunnar Heidt. The College of Charleston sophomore infielder has been tremendous, one of the top players in the Southern Conference. And that league sent CCBL MVP Phil Ervin to Harwich last summer.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Alex Bregman
    2. Skye Bolt
    3. A.J. Reed
    4. Derek Fisher
    5. Mark Zagunis

     

    PITCHERS

    Aaron Bummer – LHP – 6’3 200 – Nebraska – Sophomore
    Bryan Bonnell – RHP – 6’5 205 – UNLV – Freshman
    Gunnar Carroll – RHP – 6’1 190 – Army – Junior
    *Tyler Burgess – LHP – 5’11 180 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Pat Connaughton – RHP – 6’5 215 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
    Jake Drossner – RHP – 6’3 200 – Maryland – Freshman
    Johnathan Frebis – LHP – 6’4 230 – Middle Tennessee State – Sophomore
    Keaton Haack – RHP – 6’4 205 – Alabama – Freshman
    Logan Jernigan – RHP – 6’3 201 – NC State – Sophomore
    Mason McCullough – RHP – 6’4 220 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Dillon Peters – LHP – 5’10 190 – Texas – Sophomore
    *A.J. Reed – LHP – 6’4 220 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Chandler Shepherd – RHP – 6’2 185 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Justin Taylor – RHP – 6’4 187 – East Carolina – Freshman
    *Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 220 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Aaron Bummer – LHP – 6’3 200
    Nebraska
    Sophomore

    A 31st-round draft pick out of high school in 2011, Bummer had a solid freshman campaign as a bullpen arm. He’s gotten more work in a swing role this year and owns a 2.72 ERA.

    Bryan Bonnell – RHP – 6’5 205
    UNLV
    Freshman

    Another 31st-round pick, Bonnell has struggled in spot relief duty this year. He has a 13.03 ERA in eight appearances.

    Gunnar Carroll – RHP – 6’1 190
    Army
    Junior

    Carroll emerged as Army’s closer last season and entered this year ranked fourth on the school’s all-time saves list. He has four saves this year to go with a 5.66 ERA.

    Tyler Burgess – LHP – 5’11 180
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Burgess set Missouri State’s freshman saves record in 2012 on his way to Freshman All-American honors. He pitched for Harwich last summer and was a valuable bullpen arm, posting a 2.16 ERA in 15 appearances. Back at Missouri State this spring, Burgess is one of three pitchers the Bears have used as a closer. He has three saves and a 3.52 ERA.

    Pat Connaughton – RHP – 6’5 215
    Notre Dame
    Sophomore

    Connaughton, a two-sport standout for the Irish, has followed up a strong basketball season with a solid campaign on the diamond. In eight starts, he has a 2.29 ERA. Perfect Game rated Connaughton as the Big East’s second-best prospect for the 2014 draft entering this season.

    Jake Drossner – RHP – 6’3 200
    Maryland
    Freshman

    Drossner was one of the top high school prospects in Pennsylvania last year and was drafted by the Cubs in the 23rd round. He has had an up-and-down first season in College Park, with a 5.80 ERA in 12 games.

    Johnathan Frebis – LHP – 6’4 230
    Middle Tennessee State
    Sophomore

    Frebis was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2012 after leading the Blue Raiders in strikeouts. He’s been a weekend starter this year but has hit a sophomore slump. He has a 5-5 record and a 5.46 ERA.

    Keaton Haack – RHP – 6’4 205
    Alabama
    Freshman

    A high-school star in North Carolina, Haack headed for SEC country and is making himself right at home in Tuscaloosa. In 19 relief appearances, he has a 2.30 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 31.1 innings.

    Logan Jernigan – RHP – 6’3 201
    NC State
    Sophomore

    Jernigan had an ERA over five as a freshman but has settled in this year. In seven appearances, he has a 1.06 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 17 innings.

    Mason McCullough – RHP – 6’4 220
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    In his second year as a reliever with the Heels, McCullough has only pitched 10.1 innings but has made the most of them. He has a 0.87 ERA with 13 strikeouts.

    Dillon Peters – LHP – 5’10 190
    Texas
    Sophomore

    Texas has had some uncharacteristic struggles this season, but you can’t blame Peters. The sophomore lefty has emerged as an ace for the Longhorns. He’s 6-3 with a 1.79 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.

    A.J. Reed – LHP – 6’4 220
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Reed continues to cement himself as one of the top two-way players in the country and is slated to do it all in Harwich again. He actually struggled with the bat for the Mariners last year but was a standout on the mound. This spring, he has not struggled in any area. Reed is hitting .287 with 13 homers and 51 RBI. On the mound, he has a 4.04 ERA as a weekend starter.

    Chandler Shepherd – RHP – 6’2 185
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Shephered was the top prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League last summer and has picked up where he left off this season. In 24 appearances, Shepherd has a 2.94 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 52 innings.

    Justin Taylor – RHP – 6’4 187
    East Carolina
    Freshman

    Taylor was the jewel of a strong East Carolina recruiting class that arrived on campus this fall. But this spring, he has been limited to three appearances.

    Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 220
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Woodruff was a solid performer for Harwich last summer, posting a 3.37 ERA while pitching as both a starter and a reliever. He has a 4.34 ERA for the Bulldogs this spring. Woodruff was a fifth-round draft pick out of high school.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    *Brett Austin – C – 6’1 200 – NC State – Sophomore
    Kevin Krause – C – 6’2 190 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Mark Zagunis – C – 6’0 205 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Alex Bregman – INF – 6’0 190 – LSU – Freshman
    Branden Cogswell – INF – 6’1 175 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Brendon Hayden – INF – 6’6 215 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Gunnar Heidt – INF – 6’0 195 – College of Charleston – Sophomore
    C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 185 – Texas – Freshman
    K.J. Hockaday – INF – 6’3 220 – Maryland – Sophomore
    Nick Howard – INF – 6’4 215 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Aaron Barbosa – OF – 5’10 172 – Northeastern – Junior
    Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 – 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Tanner English – OF – 5’9 165 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Derek Fisher – OF – 6’3 205 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Ben Moore – OF – 6’0 200 – Alabama – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Brett Austin – C – 6’1 200
    NC State
    Sophomore

    Austin was a supplemental first round pick out of high school in 2011. After batting .284 last spring and .276 for Harwich last summer, he’s right in the same range as a sophomore. Austin is at .279 with two homers and 32 RBI this season.

    Kevin Krause – C – 6’2 190
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Krause was a freshman star for the Seawolves in their College World Series season last year, batting .330 with three homers. He has been limited to 19 games this season with injury and is hitting .217.

    Mark Zagunis – C – 6’0 205
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Zagunis had a terrific freshman season in 2012 and has not slowed down one bit since then. He was named the second-best prospect in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League last summer. This spring, he’s been better than ever, batting .336 with eight homers and 46 RBI, to go with a team-best .440 OBP. He also, surprisingly for a catcher, has 16 steals.

    Alex Bregman – INF – 6’0 190
    LSU
    Freshman

    Bregman was a 29th-round pick out of high school and was one of those guys who certainly could have gone earlier. He’s been tremendous for the Tigers in his debut. He’s hitting .388 with five homers, 15 doubles, seven triples and 49 RBI, while also playing a great shortstop. Bregman has been invited to Team USA.

    Branden Cogswell – INF – 6’1 175
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Cogswell hit .260 in part-time duty this year. He’s been full-time this season and a big part of Virginia’s great campaign. Cogswell is hitting .346 and has added 12 steals.

    Brendon Hayden – INF – 6’6 215
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    A 36th-round draft pick out of high school, Hayden hit .336 as a freshman in 2012. His sophomore season has been a struggle. Hayden is hitting .209 with four homers. Hayden has also made 10 appearances as a pitcher and has a 3.00 ERA.

    Gunnar Heidt – INF – 6’0 195
    College of Charleston
    Sophomore

    Heidt started in the middle infield from day one last year and hit .243. This year, he’s taken a giant leap and has emerged as one of the best players in the Southern Conference. Heidt is hitting .344 with four homers and 53 RBI.

    C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 185
    Texas
    Freshman

    Perfect Game ranked Hinojosa as the 32nd-best prospect in the nation ahead of last year’s draft and he went in the 26th round. At Texas, he is hitting .288 with two homers and 27 RBI.

    K.J. Hockaday – INF – 6’3 220
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Hockaday had a strong freshman campaign in 2012 and followed it up with a great summer in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League, where he was named the top prospect by Baseball America. Bit his sophomore season has been a rough one – Hockaday battled an injury and was later suspended in April. He’s back now and is hitting .286.

    Nick Howard – INF – 6’4 215
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Cogswell, Howard went from part-time to full-time this year and has made the most of it. Howard is hitting .325 with two homers and 34 RBI. He also pitches for the Cavs 5-4 with a 3.43 ERA as a weekend starter.

    Aaron Barbosa – OF – 5’10 172
    Northeastern
    Junior

    Barbosa has led the way for the Huskies this spring. The junior is hitting .321 with 16 RBI. He is also 26-for-27 in stolen bases, which ranks him top-30 nationally.

    Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 – 185
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Bolt got his debut season off to a roaring start and hasn’t slowed down on his way to becoming one of the top freshmen in the nation. An injury robbed him of a good chunk of time, but he’s still hitting a team-best .386 with six homers and 42 RBI. Bolt was a 26th-round pick out of high school.

    Tanner English – OF – 5’9 165
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    English was a 13th-round pick out of high school. He started 68 games as a freshman and hit .298. This season, English is hitting .265.

    Derek Fisher – OF – 6’3 205
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    After hitting .288 with seven homers as a freshman, Fisher shined in the Northwoods League, where Baseball America tabbed him as the top prospect. He has impressed again this spring. Fisher is hitting .320 with seven homers and 44 RBI.

    Ben Moore – OF – 6’0 200
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Moore hit .342 last year and was picked for the SEC All-Freshman team. His numbers are down a bit this year, but he’s still been the top hitter for the Tide. Moore is batting .298 with four homers and 38 RBI.

    Posted on

    Braves Ready to Have Some Fun

    Bourne had some serious talent last year, but didn’t pitch all that well and tied Hyannis for the worst record in the league. When the chips were down, though, the Braves knocked off West No. 1 seed Cotuit in the first round of the playoffs and were close to beating eventual champ Wareham for a spot in the finals.

    It was a fitting surge for a team that had a lot of fun last season. The Braves were a gritty bunch and it was on display when – down to eight position players and using a pitcher as the designated hitter – they somehow rallied past Cotuit in game three of their West semifinal series. Whether it was the magic of Mason Robbins or the steady high-level play of Colin Moran, the Braves authored a memorable season despite their apparent struggles.

    Regardless of results, that kind of season is a good thing to hope for, and Bourne will be angling for another one just like it in 2013. The Braves lack a star like Moran, but Robbins is expected to be back. The Braves have quite a few veteran bats lined up in addition to Robbins like Jordan Hankins, Ty Young and Clinton Freeman. With talented arms like Austin Gomber and Ryan Kellogg, the starting rotation should be better.

    However it shakes out, expect the Braves to have some fun. It’s what they do.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Harvey Shapiro
    Last Year: 24-19-1; Won CCBL Championship
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 9
    Sophomores: 24
    Freshmen: 7

     

    NOTABLE

  • Bourne currently has 40 players on the roster, so you will not see all of these guys on the Cape this summer.

  • Before Florida Gulf Coast made headlines with its NCAA tournament run this past basketball season, Chris Sale was its athletic claim to fame. The Major League and former Cape Leaguer helped put a fledgling program on the map. The latest Eagle making the trek is Jack English, who comes to Bourne as a standout reliever.

  • Bourne hit paydirt with Florida Atlantic’s R.J. Alvarez, who was a dominant bullpen presence in 2010 and 2011. This year, the Braves will welcome an FAU starter and a good one in Austin Gomber. He has 84 strikeouts in 80 innings this year.

  • Arizona State freshman Ryan Kellogg has been dynamite, probably one of the best freshman starters in the country. Though he doesn’t have high strikeout numbers – just 47 in 83 innings – he has only walked 14 and opponents are hitting .233 against him. That explains the 3.36 ERA and the spotless 10-0 record.

  • Nigel Nootbaar’s great grandfather, Herbert, is a USC benefactor and he funded the USC baseball offices. His grandson is making him proud for the Trojans. Nigel was the third-ranked prospect in the Alaska League last summer.

  • Temple’s Patrick Peterson has a twin brother Eric who also plays for the Owls. Patrick is on the Bourne roster, while Eric is not on a Cape roster. I guess if the Braves need an extra pitcher, they know who to ask.

  • Proof of what Georgia Tech freshman Matt Gonzalez can do: he’s the only freshman in the starting lineup for a Georgia Tech team that’s full of veteran power bats.

  • With a new draft signing deadline going into effect last year, juniors were few and far between on the Cape last summer. The days of a junior getting drafted then increasing his stock by playing on the Cape may be over. It’s looking like the same story this year, but Bourne is taking its chances with a few guys, most notably Jordan Hankins, Clint Freeman and Ty Young, who all have a shot to get drafted somewhere. If that trio does make it to Bourne, it could be a coup for the Braves. They’re dynamic hitters.

  • Mason Robbins was one of the Cape’s best players a season ago, and his propensity for clutch plays had the Bourne crew making lots of Batman & Robin references. The bat signal is shining again this year, as Robbins is slated to return to Bourne.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Mason Robbins
    2. Jordan Hankins
    3. Ryan Kellogg
    4. Austin Gomber
    5. Ty Young

     

    PITCHERS

    *Hawtin Buchanan – RHP – 6’8 245 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Will Cox – RHP – 6’4 230 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    Jack English – RHP – 5’10 195 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore
    Kris Gardner – LHP – 6’5 200 – Wichita State – Junior
    Austin Gomber – LHP – 6’5 215 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
    Ryan Harris – RHP – 6’2 200 – Florida – Sophomore
    Joshua Harris – LHP – 6’4 226 – Villanova – Sophomore
    Ryan Kellogg – LHP – 6’5 215 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Kody Kerski – RHP – 5’10 175 – Sacred Heart – Junior
    Anthony Kidston – RHP/1B – 6’2 190 – Louisville – Freshman
    Kyle Kubat – LHP – 6’1 170 – Nebraska – Sophomore
    Josh Laxer – RHP – 6’2 210 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Jacob Lindgren – LHP – 5’11 206 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    Cody Livingston – LHP – 6’3 205 – Southern Miss – Sophomore
    Justin McCalvin – RHP – 6’0 159 – Kennesaw State – RS Sophomore
    Nigel Nootbaar – RHP – 6’1 175 – USC – Freshman
    Nick Palewicz – RHP – 6’1 191 – Washington – Junior
    Patrick Peterson – LHP – 6’3 190 – Temple – Freshman
    Eric Skoglund – LHP – 6’7 180 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    David Speer – LHP – 6’1 185 – Columbia – Junior
    Tanner Wilt – RHP – 6’1 195 – Pittsburgh – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Hawtin Buchanan – RHP – 6’8 245
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Buchanan’s size turns heads and so does his potential, which he flashed throughout last spring and summer. After putting up a 3.98 ERA as a reliever in Oxford, he came to Bourne and posted a 3.78 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 16.2 innings. This year, Buchanan hasn’t had a chance to start living up to the potential – he’s made only six appearances while battling an injury.

    Will Cox – RHP – 6’4 230
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Cox has had two solid seasons pitching in various roles for Mississippi State. He had a 4.64 ERA as a mid-week starter last year. This year, he’s been a valuable bullpen arm, with a 3.27 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 22 innings.

    Jack English – RHP – 5’10 195
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    English struggled to an ERA over five last season but has became a top reliever for the Eagles this season. He has a 2.60 ERA, second-best on the team, and he has struck out 31 in 27.2 innings. Batters are hitting just .178 against him.

    Kris Gardner – LHP – 6’5 200
    Wichita State
    RS Sophomore

    After redshirting in 2011, Gardner had a solid debut with the Shockers last year, turning in a 2.66 ERA and a 5-2 record. He was named by Baseball America as the seventh-best prospect in the Prospect League last summer but hasn’t had the best sophomore season. Gardner is 2-6 with a 4.10 ERA.

    Austin Gomber – LHP – 6’5 215
    Florida Atlantic
    Sophomore

    Gomber has a solid debut season for FAU in 2012, ranking second on the team in strikeouts while putting up a 3.82 ERA. He’s emerged as an ace this year and is 5-4 with 3.04 ERA and a team-best 84 strikeouts in 80 innings. He ranks among the top 50 nationally in strikeouts.

    Ryan Harris – RHP – 6’2 200
    Florida
    Sophomore

    A 37th-round pick out of high school, Harris pitched well in spot relief duty last year and has kept it up while staying much busier this season. Harris leads the Gators in appearances with 32 and has struck out 45 in 51 innings of work.

    Joshua Harris – LHP – 6’4 226
    Villanova
    Sophomore

    The other Harris on the Braves roster, Joshua had an ERA over five as a freshman but has been solid while moving into the starting rotation this year. He has a 4.04 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 78 innings.

    Ryan Kellogg – LHP – 6’5 215
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    A native of Ontario, Kellogg was a 12th-round pick out of high school by the Blue Jays last year, but opted not to sign with his hometown team and headed for sunny Arizona instead. He’s made himself right at home. Kellogg is 10-0 as a weekend starter for the Sun Devils, with a 3.36 ERA.

    Kody Kerski – RHP – 5’10 175
    Sacred Heart
    Junior

    Kerski had an ERA over four in each of his first two years with Sacred Heart but was also the winning pitcher in the Northeast Conference championship game in both seasons. He’s been much steadier this year, with a 2.55 ERA.

    Anthony Kidston – RHP/1B – 6’2 190
    Louisville
    Freshman

    A high-school star in Ohio, Kidston hasn’t gotten much of a chance to hit in his first year with the Cardinals but has been a valuable swing pitcher. In 13 appearances – six starts – he’s 5-0 with a 1.31 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 48 innings.

    Kyle Kubat – LHP – 6’1 170
    Nebraska
    Sophomore

    Kubat made a name for himself in a swing role last year, compiling a 2.63 ERA on his way to Freshman All-American honors. He missed the early part of this season but has been outstanding since jumping into the weekend rotation. In five starts, he’s 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA.

    Josh Laxer – RHP – 6’2 210
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    A 20th-round pick out of high school in 2011, Laxer struggled in his first year with the Rebels. He’s rebounded this year to post a 3.21 ERA and a 2-0 record in 10 appearances.

    Jacob Lindgren – LHP – 5’11 206
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Lindgren was a 12th-round pick of the Cubs in the 2011 draft. After a solid first season with the Bulldogs, he’s pitched fairly well as a weekend starter this year. In 13 games, he’s 4-2 with a 3.91 ERA.

    Cody Livingston – LHP – 6’3 205
    Southern Miss
    Sophomore

    Livingston had a solid debut as a reliever in 2012 and has posted nearly identical numbers this year. In 15 appearances, all in relief, Livingston has a 4.42 ERA.

    Justin McCalvin – RHP – 6’0 159
    Kennesaw State
    RS Sophomore

    McCalvin had a 3.51 ERA in his first season of action with Kennesaw State last year. After dominating to the tune of a 0.38 ERA in the Great Lakes League last summer, McCalvin has been terrific out of the bullpen again this spring. He has a 2.22 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 28.1 innings.

    Nigel Nootbaar – RHP – 6’1 175
    USC
    Freshman

    Nootbaar had a 3.13 ERA while pitching as a reliever in his freshman year. His ERA is a little higher this year at 4.03 but he’s also struck out 34 in 38 innings. Nootbaar was the third-best prospect in the Alaska Baseball League last summer, according to Baseball America.

    Nick Palewicz – RHP – 6’1 191
    Washington
    Junior

    Injury derailed the early part of Palewicz’s career. He’s been back in action the last two years but has struggled, posting an ERA over five in both seasons.

    Patrick Peterson – LHP – 6’3 190
    Temple
    Freshman

    Peterson was a standout weekend starter for the Owls last year, posting a 3.51 ERA with 65 strikeouts. Last summer, he was tabbed by Baseball America as the third-best prospect in the Atlantic Collegiate League. He’s had a bit of sophomore slump this year, with a 4.62 ERA and a 2-6 record.

    Eric Skoglund – LHP – 6’7 180
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Skoglund had a solid first season at Central Florida then pitched briefly for Harwich last summer. He has struggled in his second college season, going 1-3 with a 4.81 ERA. He has walked more batters then he has struck out. Skoglund was an 18th-round pick out of high school, so he’ll be looking to recapture his form this summer.

    David Speer – LHP – 6’1 185
    Columbia
    Junior

    After two so-so years, Speer has emerged as Columbia’s top starter this season. He’s 6-2 with a team-best 2.17 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.

    Tanner Wilt – RHP – 6’1 195
    Pittsburgh
    Sophomore

    Wilt picked up six saves as a freshman last year. He has been limited to 3.1 innings of work this year.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Bobby Boyd – OF – 5’9 160 – West Virginia – Sophomore
    Tim Caputo – INF – 5’8 142 – Rhode Island – Sophomore
    Joey Cujas – INF – 6’0 180 – VCU – Junior
    Bill Cullen – OF – 5’9 165 – VCU – Junior
    *Connor David – C – 6’1 205 – Connecticut – Sophomore
    Eric Fisher – INF – 6’3 210 – Arkansas – RS Sophomore
    Clinton Freeman – OF/LHP – 6’2 195 – East Tennessee – Junior
    *Trent Gilbert – INF – 6’2 – 185 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Matt Gonzalez – SS – 6’0 185 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Richard Gonzalez – C – 5’10 – Alabama State – Sophomore
    Jordan Hankins – INF – 5’10 191 – Austin Peay – Junior
    Pat Kelly – 2B – 5’11 170 – Nebraska – Sophomore
    Mark Laird – OF – 6’1 172 – LSU – Freshman
    Michael Martin – OF/INF – 6’0 160 – Harvard – Sophomore
    Max Pentecost – C/1B – 6’1 190 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
    *Mason Robbins – OF – 6’0 205 – Southern Miss – Sophomore
    Vinny Siena – INF – 6’7 185 – Connecticut – Freshman
    Joshua Tobias – INF – 5’9 205 – Florida – Sophomore
    Tyler Young – INF – 5’10 173 – Louisville – Junior
    * – returning player

     
    Bobby Boyd – OF – 5’9 160
    West Virginia
    Sophomore

    Boyd starred as a freshman in Morgantown, leading the team in hitting and stolen bases. He has kept it up this season, batting .316 with 15 steals.

    Tim Caputo – INF – 5’8 142
    Rhode Island
    Sophomore

    Caputo earned A-10 All-Rookie honors last year after .303 for the Rams. He’s been steady this year, too, with a .288 average and a .377 OBP.

    Joey Cujas – INF – 6’0 180
    VCU
    Junior

    Cujas has been consistently good in three years with VCU and could be a great veteran presence for the Braves. After hitting .390 last year, he’s at .333 this year with a homer and a team-best 37 RBI.

    Bill Cullen – OF – 5’9 165
    VCU
    Junior

    Like Cujas, Cullen has also had a strong career for the Rams. He hit .347 with five homers last year. This season, he’s batting .276 with three long balls.

    Connor David – C – 6’1 205
    Connecticut
    Sophomore

    David played well in a bench role as a freshman and spent most of last summer in the NECBL. When Bourne needed some help, he signed late in the year and hit .300 in five playoff games for the Braves. Back in Storrs, he has hit .224 this season.

    Eric Fisher – INF – 6’3 210
    Arkansas
    RS Sophomore

    After redshirting in 2012, Fisher has struggled in his first season back. He’s hitting .211 with two homers. Fisher did have a solid summer in the California Collegiate League last year.

    Clinton Freeman – OF/LHP – 6’2 195
    East Tennessee
    Junior

    Freeman was one of the best players in the Atlantic Sun conference a year ago and is delivering a repeat performance this year. He’s hitting .351 with 10 homers and 54 RBI. He leads the league in slugging percentage and ranks second in home runs and RBI. Last summer, Freeman won the Alaska League batting title. And for good measure, he pitches as a closer for the Bucs. He has eight saves this year.

    Trent Gilbert – INF – 6’2 – 185
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Gilbert was the starter at second base as the Wildcats won the College World Series last year. He finished with a .272 average. After struggling to a .156 average with Bourne, he’s back in business this year, hitting .333 with a team-best 45 RBI. Gilbert was a 40th-round pick out of high school.

    Matt Gonzalez – SS – 6’0 185
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    An 11th-round pick last year, Gonzalez has forced his way into the lineup for a veteran Georgia Tech team this year and has more than held his own. Gonzalez is hitting .302 with three homers and 32 RBI.

    Richard Gonzalez – C – 5’10
    Alabama State
    Sophomore

    A native of Puerto Rico, Gonzalez has been the top hitter this year for the Hornets, who play in the SWAC. Gonzalez is batting .360 with a homer and 32 RBI.

    Jordan Hankins – INF/C – 5’10 191
    Austin Peay
    Junior

    Hankins hit .337 with 10 homers and 66 RBI on his way to several All-American nods and a spot on Team USA last summer. It’s been more of the same this spring, with Hankins hitting .342 and blasting nine home runs.

    Pat Kelly – 2B – 5’11 170
    Nebraska
    Sophomore

    Kelly hit .313 with eight home runs last year and was a consensus Freshman All-American. He’s hitting .315 this year, though his power has deserted him. He doesn’t have a home run thus far.

    Mark Laird – OF – 6’1 172
    LSU
    Freshman

    Laird was a stand-out pitcher, hitter and football player in high school. He’s focused on hitting with the Tigers and has held his own in his first season. He’s batting .286.

    Michael Martin – OF/INF – 6’0 160
    Harvard
    Sophomore

    Martin has been a solid contributor in his two years with the Crimson. This year he’s hitting .287 with a .388 on-base percentage.

    Max Pentecost – C/1B – 6’1 190
    Kennesaw State
    Sophomore

    Pentecost was a seventh-round pick in 2011. After a solid freshman season, he played well in his first summer trip to New England last year, hitting .303 for Holyoke in the NECBL. This spring, he is hitting .303 again with a homer and 20 RBI.

    Mason Robbins – OF – 6’0 205
    Southern Miss
    Sophomore

    Robbins starred on the Cape last summer, hitting .316 with seven home runs. He was Baseball America’s 15th-best prospect in the league, which put him as the second freshmen on the list. This spring, Robbins is hitting .326 with two homers and a team-best 36 RBI.

    Vinny Siena – INF – 6’7 185
    Connecticut
    Freshman

    A Connecticut native, Siena stayed home to play for the Huskies and has had a strong freshman season. He ranks second on the team in hitting with a .291 average.

    Joshua Tobias – INF – 5’9 205
    Florida
    Sophomore

    An SEC All-Freshman pick in 2012, Tobias played 18 games for Yarmouth-Dennis last summer and hit .250. He is hitting .231 this spring. Tobias was a 31st-round pick out of high school.

    Ty Young – INF – 5’10 173
    Louisville
    Junior

    After a strong season in the Northwoods League last year, Young has been the top hitter for the 10th-ranked Cardinals. Young is batting .374 with four homers and a team-best 52 RBI.

    Posted on

    Red Sox Looking for More of the Same

    In any sport, you try to build a good team and hope for the best.

    In the Cape Cod Baseball League – with a short season and dozens of factors at play – that approach takes hold even more. You can assemble the best collection of talent in the history of the league when you sign players in the fall, but Team USA might take half of them. You can put together a tremendous season, but you might run out of pitchers in the playoffs when kids have to get back to school.

    In that landscape, it’s about putting your team in position to win – and then hoping it works out.

    Over the past decade, no one has done that better than the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Every year, almost without fail, the Red Sox contend. Even in 2011, when they went 19-21-4 in the regular season, they won a playoff series. They won titles in 2006 and 2007 and have had the best record in the league in two of the last four years.

    Last season was more of the same. The Red Sox lost some of their top prospects to Team USA, but they stayed neck-and-neck with a very talented Harwich team all season and surged to the Cape League championship series, where they lost a heartbreaker to Wareham.

    With the 2013 season approaching, it looks like the Red Sox have again put themselves in a good position. Robert Pehl, Alex Blandino, Justin Shafer and Sam Travis – all standouts last summer – are set to return, giving the Red Sox a great nucleus to build around. Some standout sophomore hitters like Matt Chapman, Andrew Daniel and Brandon Downes are also on board.

    If it all works out, Y-D could be right back at the top of the standings. At this point, I wouldn’t bet against them.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Scott Pickler
    Last Year: 25-19; Lost in CCBL championship series
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 20
    Freshmen: 3

     

    NOTABLE

  • Offense looks like it could be a strength again for the Red Sox, who were the best hitting team in the league a year ago. Of the 17 position players on the roster, at least a dozen have proven track records as legitimate hitters and many are veterans.

  • Robert Pehl was one of the Cape League’s best players in 2012 and would have been a shoo-in for playoff MVP honors if the Red Sox had held on to win the title in game three of the championship series. Pehl hasn’t had a great sophomore season at Washington, so you can bet he’ll be excited to return to Yarmouth.

  • Y-D is a little light in the pitching department, with only nine arms on the roster right now. Expect some reinforcements to be in place by the time the season rolls around.

  • Y-D hit the jackpot with a player from Mercyhurst last year, as Zak Blair hit .338 and earned an all-star nod. They’ll be trying again with pitcher Dan Altavilla.

  • UNLV pitcher Erick Fedde might be under the radar, but he has the profile of a very solid Cape League starting pitcher. He’s been steady in each of his first two years and has struck out 74 this season.

  • UCLA freshman pitcher James Kaprielian was slated to be one half of a dynamic freshman duo for the Bruins that was also bound for Y-D. But Hunter Virant has missed most of the college season and has been removed from the Y-D roster. Kaprielian is having a great year as a reliever, though, so he’ll be able to pull his weight.

  • The Bryant Bulldogs have been one of the best stories of the 2013 college baseball season. In their first season of Division I postseason eligibility, they’re in position to make the most of it and are primed to contend for an NCAA regional spot. Sophomore pitcher Kevin McAvoy has been a big part of it and he’s bound for Y-D this summer.

  • Neither is having a great sophomore season, but Alex Blandino and Matt Chapman profile as two of the best incoming middle infield prospects. Blandino starred on the Cape last year, while Chapman was tabbed by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Northwoods League.

  • Trea Turner has been invited to Team USA. He still appears on the Y-D roster, but it’s probably a long-shot. If by chance he does make it to the Cape, it’ll be a treat – he’s probably the nation’s most exciting player.

  • Quite a few future Red Sox are in the midst of sophomore slumps, including the aforementioned Blandino and Chapman, as well as San Diego’s Andrew Daniel. If those guys put it together in the summer, this roster looks a lot better than it does if you’re just considering 2013 college stats.

  • Virginia’s Brandon Downes is not in a sophomore slump. He leads the Cavaliers in home runs and RBI, and he slots in as Y-D’s top incoming hitter.

  • Indiana’s Sam Travis was Y-D’s best player not named Robert Pehl last summer. The only bad part of his summer was the way it ended – Travis suffered an injury in the first game of the championship series and couldn’t play again. The title series certainly could have been different with him in there.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Trea Turner
    2. Sam Travis
    3. Robert Pehl
    4. Alex Blandino
    5. Matt Chapman

     

    PITCHERS

    Dan Altavilla – RHP – 5’11 200 – Mercyhurst – Sophomore
    Sam Coonrod – RHP – 6’2 190 – Southern Illinois – Sophomore
    Erick Fedde – RHP – 6’4 175 – UNLV – Sophomore
    Ryan Horstman – LHP – 6’2 185 – St. John’s – RS Freshman
    James Kaprielian – RHP – 6’4 195 – UCLA – Freshman
    Jose Lopez – RHP – 6’1 195 – Seton Hall – Sophomore
    Kevin McAvoy – RHP – 6’3 210 – Bryant – Sophomore
    Jordan Minch – LHP – 6’4 180 – Purdue – Freshman
    Kellen Urbon – RHP – 6’0 180 – Cornell – Sophomore
     

    Dan Altavilla – RHP – 5’11 200
    Mercyhurst
    Sophomore

    Altavilla dominated as a reliever for Mercyhurst last year. In the starting rotation this year, he saw his ERA rise over five and went 5-5, but he did strike out 66 in 62.2 innings.

    Sam Coonrod – RHP – 6’2 190
    Southern Illinois
    Sophomore

    Coonrod struck out 54 while pitching in a swing role as a freshman last year. He moved into the rotation this season and went 3-4 with a 4.06 ERA, but his strikeout numbers were good again. He fanned 56 in 64.1 innings.

    Erick Fedde – RHP – 6’4 175
    UNLV
    Sophomore

    A 24th-round pick out of high school in 2011, Fedde led UNLV in innings pitched, strikeouts and wins in his debut season last year. He’s been just as good this year as a weekend starter, going 6-2 with a 3.66 ERA and striking out 74 in 86 innings pitched.

    Ryan Horstman – LHP – 6’2 185
    St. John’s
    RS Freshman

    After redshirting last year, Horstman has worked his way into the weekend rotation this season and has been dynamite in the process. He leads the team’s starting pitchers with a 1.84 ERA and he has struck out 46 in 53.2 innings pitched.

    James Kaprielian – RHP – 6’4 195
    UCLA
    Freshman

    Kaprielian wasn’t drafted until the 40th round last year but was ranked by Baseball America as the 73rd best prospect in the country. He has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in his first season with the Bruins and has done it well. He has a 1.48 ERA in 19 appearances with 34 strikeouts in 24.1 innings.

    Jose Lopez – RHP – 6’1 195
    Seton Hall
    Sophomore

    Lopez has been a steady contributor out of the bullpen and as a starter in his two seasons with the Pirates, posting a 3.68 ERA last season and checking in at 3.40 this year. He has struck out 37 in 39.2 innings this year in 15 appearances.

    Kevin McAvoy – RHP – 6’3 210
    Bryant
    Sophomore

    McAvoy was the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year in 2012 and has been a key part of Bryant’s success this season. The big righty owns a 3.86 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched.

    Jordan Minch – LHP – 6’4 180
    Purdue
    Freshman

    Minch hasn’t had a fantastic year, but he’s been the best pitcher in Purdue’s weekend rotation. He’s 5-4 with a 4.98 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 68.2 innings pitched.

    Kellen Urbon – RHP – 6’0 180
    Cornell
    Sophomore

    Urbon grabbed the closer’s role for the Big Red as a freshman last year and dominated, posting a 0.47 ERA on his way to Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. He pitched only 5.1 innings this year before an injury ended his season.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    *Alex Blandino – SS/RHP – 6’0 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Auston Bousfield – OF – 5’11 185 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Matt Chapman – SS/3B – 6’2 210 – CS Fullerton – Sophomore
    Andrew Daniel – INF – 6’1 185 – San Diego – Sophomore
    Brandon Downes – C/OF – 6’3 195 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Eric Filia – OF – 6’0 185 – UCLA – Sophomore
    Taylor Gushue – C/1B – 6’2 200 – Florida – Sophomore
    Matt Honchel – OF – 6’1 195 – Miami (OH) – Sophomore
    *Robert Pehl – IF/RHP – 6’1 209 – Washington – Sophomore
    Cole Peragine – SS – 6’0 180 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    *Justin Shafer – OF – 6’3 195 – Florida – Sophomore
    D.J. Stewart – OF – 6’0 230 – Florida State – Freshman
    *Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 205 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Sam Travis – OF/1B – 6’0 195 – Indiana – Sophomore
    Jose Trevino – INF – 5’11 195 – Oral Roberts – Junior
    Trea Turner – INF – 6’2 180 – NC State – Sophomore
    Kyle Wood – OF/LHP – 6’0 220 – Purdue – RS Freshman
    * – returning player

     
    Alex Blandino – SS/RHP – 6’0 190
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Blandino was a 38th-round pick out of high school in 2011 and had a great freshman season with the Cardinal in 2012. He followed that up with an all-star campaign for Y-D last summer and finished with a .312 batting average. Baseball America had him as the league’s 21st-best prospect, third among freshmen. This year, he’s hit a bit of a sophomore slump. Blandino is batting .243 with four home runs.

    Auston Bousfield – OF – 5’11 185
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Bousfield earned the starting center field job as a freshman last year, no easy task in Oxford. He hit .281 in his debut season and has been solid again this year, batting .291 with two homers, 18 RBI and nine stolen bases.

    Matt Chapman – SS/3B – 6’2 210
    CS Fullerton
    Sophomore

    The spring and summer of 2012 were pretty perfect for Chapman. He earned Big West Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .286 for the Titans and he shined in the Northwoods League, where Baseball America as the circuit’s second-best prospect. It’s been a little bit of tougher road this year, with Chapman hitting .252.

    Andrew Daniel – INF – 6’1 185
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Daniel was a consensus Freshman All-American after hitting .339 with 45 RBI last season. He’s cooled off this year and is hitting .240 with two homers.

    Brandon Downes – C/OF – 6’3 195
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2011, Downes was a contributor as a freshman. This year, he’s one of the players who has blossomed into a star as an inexperienced Cavalier squad has worked its way into the top 10. Downes is hitting .319 with a team-bests of seven home runs and 47 RBI.

    Eric Filia – OF – 6’0 185
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Like Chapman, Filia also starred in the Northwoods League last summer, batting .383, earning all-star honors and checking in at No. 10 on Baseball America’s league prospect rankings. He’s been solid in his second year with the Bruins, hitting .265 with 17 RBI.

    Taylor Gushue – C/1B – 6’2 200
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Gushue didn’t have a lot of success in his freshman campaign, but on a young Florida team needing players to step up, he has come through in a big way this season. Gushue leads the team with a .308 batting average, five home runs and 33 RBI.

    Matt Honchel – OF – 6’1 195
    Miami (OH)
    Sophomore

    Honchel had a tremendous debut season for Miami last year. His .395 batting average ranked 14th nationally and was the best mark among all freshmen. He hasn’t hit quite as well this year, but is still checking in at .330 with 17 RBI.

    Robert Pehl – IF/RHP – 6’1 209
    Washington
    Sophomore

    Pehl was one of the bigger surprises of the 2012 Cape League season when he .329 with six homers and 38 RBI, numbers that put him in the MVP conversation. He’s hitting .261 this spring with a homer and 27 RBI.

    Cole Peragine – SS – 6’0 180
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Peragine was the youngest contributor on Stony Brook’s College World Series team in 2012 and he hit .304 on his way to Freshman All-America honors. With a ton of talent gone, Peragine is a veteran now and has been one of the team’s best hitters. He’s at .293 with a homer and 17 RBI.

    Justin Shafer – OF – 6’3 195
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Shafer was a solid contributor last spring and summer, hitting .284 for the Gators and batting .315 once he arrived in Yarmouth. He’s been steady again this year, checking in just behind Gushue with a .302 average. His 17 doubles lead the team.

    D.J. Stewart – OF – 6’0 230
    Florida State
    Freshman

    A 28th-round pick of the Yankees last year, Stewart is in the midst of a terrific freshman season in Tallahassee. He ranks second on the team with a .318 batting average and he leads the club in RBI with 46. He’s hit four home runs and a team-best 18 doubles.

    Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 205
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Taylor was a 14th-round pick out of high school and didn’t get much of a chance to shine in his first season in Palo Alto. But last summer, he was a steady contributor for the Red Sox, hitting .292 with 13 RBI. He’s played a bigger role for the Cardinal this year and is batting .261 with a homer and 17 RBI.

    Sam Travis – OF/1B – 6’0 195
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    Travis joined Robert Pehl as a freshman star for Y-D last summer. He hit .339 with four homers and earned all-star honors. The reigning Big 10 Freshman of the Year, Travis has had another strong campaign for the Hoosiers. He’s batting .291 with six homers and 36 RBI.

    Jose Trevino – INF – 5’11 195
    Oral Roberts
    Junior

    Trevino blasted his way onto the scene as a freshman last year, hitting 13 home runs and batting .317. He also led the Golden Eagles in RBI and he spent the summer playing with Team USA. This year, Trevino is hitting .256 with eight home runs. Despite the lower average, he still leads the team in RBI.

    Trea Turner – INF – 6’2 180
    NC State
    Sophomore

    Turner has been one of the nation’s best players for two years running. After leading the country in stolen bases last year, he’s running wild again this year with 23 steals and he’s also hitting .397 with six homers.

    Kyle Wood – OF/LHP – 6’0 220
    Purdue
    RS Freshman

    After a medical redshirt in 2012, Wood has been a solid contributor in his debut this season. He’s batting .254 with four homers and 22 RBI.

    Posted on

    Gatemen Out to Defend Title

    Wareham Gatemen fans will remember the summer of 2012 for a long time, and with good reason.

    The Gatemen had an up-and-down regular season but caught fire in the playoffs and authored one of the most memorable championship runs the Cape Cod Baseball League has seen in years. Three times at the end of the regular season and three times in the playoffs, the Gatemen rallied for victories. The most memorable comeback was the final one, when the Gatemen rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the ninth inning of the decisive championship series game three and went on to the win.

    So, for an encore?

    The Gatemen may not catch lightning in a bottle again quite like they did last year, but they’ll be trying to put the pieces in place. The best news for them is that there will be some familiar pieces. Kyle Schwarber is the most notable. The Indiana sophomore was responsible for much of the aforementioned postseason magic last year and was the CCBL Playoff MVP. He’s also tearing it up for the Hoosiers this spring, with 12 home runs and an average near .400.

    Mix in returning pitchers like Jared Ruxer and Jonathan Holder, and the Gatemen have a good nucleus of players who were part of last year’s success, which is not a bad place to start. The Gatemen won’t have the veteran power bats they had last year, like Daniel Palka, Tyler Horan and Mott Hyde, the guys who made the team’s identity what it was.

    They’ll have memories, though – and plenty to aspire to.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Cooper Farris
    Last Year: 21-23; Won CCBL Championship
    Returning Players: 7
    Juniors: 3
    Sophomores: 16
    Freshmen: 11

     

    NOTABLE

  • San Diego State right-hander Michael Cederoth has the size and the big arm to turn a lot of heads this summer. As of right now, he leads all incoming 2013 Cape Leaguers in strikeouts with 85. While his ERA is a shade higher than you might expect this spring, there’s a good chance it ends up much lower on the Cape. He’s primed to be an ace for the Gatemen and one of the top pitchers in the league.


  • Did Kyle Schwarber ever actually leave the Cape? Is Indiana playing all its games in Wareham and just making it look like Indiana? The way Schwarber is playing, you’ve got to wonder. He was lights-out in the playoffs last year and has picked up exactly where he left off. He’s a candidate to earn Big 10 Player of the Year honors, and I’d pencil him in as the Cape League’s top returning player for 2013.


  • A couple of returning pitchers from Louisville will be looking for improvement this summer. Both Joe Filomeno and Jared Ruxer have struggled for the Cardinals but they have a lot of solid Cape experience to lean on.


  • Jonathan Holder could have been a tremendous Cape League closer last year, but the Gatemen didn’t need him for that. If he’s not in that role this year, I’d be shocked. Holder has been one of the top closers in the country for Mississippi State this spring and has averaged almost two strikeouts an inning.


  • It’ll be interesting to see how the Gatemen use Arkansas freshman pitcher Trey Killian. He was a lights-out as a reliever early in the year and has been pretty solid in a handful of starts too.


  • LSU pitcher Kurt McCune looked like an ace in the making when he stepped into the weekend rotation as a freshman in 2011 and starred. He had an up-and-down sophomore season and has been battling injury since.


  • Sean Newcomb has followed a similar path as Cederoth and could be ready for a big breakout. He’s just behind Cederoth in the national strikeout rankings with 76.


  • Six of Wareham’s 14 position players are freshmen, so the lineup is going to have a much different feel without the aforementioned power bats. A lot of the team’s hitters have struggled this spring, too, so it’s a safe bet that the Gatemen will be forging a new identity.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Kyle Schwarber
    2. Michael Cederoth
    3. Jonathan Holder
    4. Sean Newcomb
    5. Jared Ruxer

     

    PITCHERS

    Michael Cederoth – RHP – 6-6 215 – San Diego State – Sophomore
    Kyle Cody – RHP – 6-7 230 – Kentucky – Freshman
    Will Coursen-Carr – LHP – 6-4 215 – Indiana – Freshman
    Andro Cutura – RHP – 6-0 180 – SE Louisiana – Sophomore
    *Joe Filomeno – LHP – 5-10 244 – Louisville – Sophomore
    *Jonathan Holder – RHP – 6-2 247 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    Trey Killian – RHP – 6-3 190 – Arkansas – Freshman
    *Kurt McCune – RHP – 6-4 180 – LSU – Junior
    *Sean Newcomb – LHP – 6-5 240 – Hartford – Sophomore
    Ryan Riga – LHP – 6-1 180 – Ohio State – Sophomore
    Bradley Roney – RHP – 6-2 185 – Southern Miss – Sophomore
    *Jared Ruxer – RHP – 6-2 185 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Adam Schemenauer – LHP – 6-9 225 – Louisville – Freshman
    Tucker Simpson – RHP – 6-6 225 – Florida – Freshman
    Ryan Smith – RHP – 6-0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Spencer Turnbull – RHP – 6-3 220 – Alabama – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    Michael Cederoth – RHP – 6-6 215
    San Diego State
    Sophomore

    Cederoth was a late-round pick out of high school, and after starting his career at SDSU in the bullpen, he moved to the Friday starter role and hasn’t left. He had a 4.14 ERA last season and struck out nearly a batter an inning. This year, he’s been one of the nation’s top strikeout pitchers, with 85 in 74 innings. He’s also toting a 3.41 ERA and opponents are hitting just .207 against him. He ranks 20th in the nation in strikeouts

    Kyle Cody – RHP – 6-7 230
    Kentucky
    Freshman

    A 33rd-round pick out of high school last year, Cody has had flashes of brilliance in his freshman season with the Wildcats. Pitching as both a starter and a reliever, he has an ERA over four, but has struck out 41 in 46.1 innings. He was the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year in 2012.

    Will Coursen-Carr – LHP – 6-4 215
    Indiana
    Freshman

    The top high-school player in Indiana a year ago, Coursen-Carr stayed home to play for the Hoosiers and has been a valuable arm in his debut season. As both a starter in mid-week games and a reliever, Coursen-Carr leads the team with a 1.30 ERA.

    Andro Cutura – RHP – 6-0 180
    SE Louisiana
    Sophomore

    Cutura was the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year in 2012 after posting a 3.41 ERA in his debut. He missed a chunk of this season but has held his own since returning. He has a 4.44 ERA to go with 18 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched.

    Joe Filomeno – LHP – 5-10 244
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Filomeno is part of a huge Louisville contingent set to come to the Cape League, and he’s one of the returners. The lefty reliever had an ERA over five last summer with Wareham, but that was skewed by two bad outings. He didn’t allow an earned run in nine of his 15 appearances. This spring, Filomeno is trying to get on track. He has an 8.71 ERA.

    Jonathan Holder – RHP – 6-2 247
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Holder was overshadowed in the Wareham bullpen last year by flamethrower Colby Suggs, but he was a star in his own right, striking out 33 in 22.2 innings and putting up an ERA under two. He probably won’t be playing second fiddle to anyone this summer based on his season with the Bulldogs. He’s tied for eighth in the nation with 13 saves and has struck out 64 in just 35.2 innings.

    Trey Killian – RHP – 6-3 190
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    The top prospect in the state of Arkansas a year ago, Killian stayed home to play with the Razorbacks and has had a great freshman season. He’s pitched as a starter and a reliever and has compiled a 3.18 ERA. He has struck out 30 in 34 innings.

    Kurt McCune – RHP – 6-4 180
    LSU
    Junior

    Injury kept McCune from having much of an impact in Wareham last summer as he only made only four starts. It’s been a slow road back this spring, but McCune has made seven appearances and has a 3.38 ERA. McCune was a freshman All-American in 2011, so the potential is certainly there.

    Sean Newcomb – LHP – 6-5 240
    Hartford
    Sophomore

    An injury cut short Newcomb’s freshman season last year but he made enough of a splash to grab a spot on the America East All-Rookie team. After limited action for Wareham last summer, Newcomb is back in business this year. Though his ERA is 4.19 he has struck out 76 in 58 innings, the best total in the conference.

    Ryan Riga – LHP – 6-1 180
    Ohio State
    Sophomore

    Ohio State has one of the nation’s best closers in Trace Dempsey but Riga has been a very good supporting actor. The lefty has a 2.47 ERA in 23 appearances and he has struck out 34 while walking only eight in 40 innings.

    Bradley Roney – RHP – 6-2 185
    Southern Miss
    Sophomore

    An 18th-round pick out of high school, Roney set a Southern Miss freshman record for saves when he closed out 11 games last year. His ERA has ballooned this year but he has still tallied seven saves.

    Jared Ruxer – RHP – 6-2 185
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Like his Louisville teammate Filomeno, Ruxer will also be making a return trip to Wareham. Ruxer was an underrated starter for the Gatemen last year, posting a 2.94 ERA in eight starts. He has a 5.77 ERA for the Cards this spring.

    Adam Schemenauer – LHP – 6-9 225
    Louisville
    RS Freshman

    Schemenauer was a 12th-round pick out of high school but hasn’t gotten a chance to prove himself at the college level. He redshirted last year with an injury and has pitched only 1.2 innings this season. If he’s healthy, Wareham could be the first stop to getting back into the groove.

    Tucker Simpson – RHP – 6-6 225
    Florida
    Freshman

    A star out of the Alabama high school ranks, Simpson is one of the young guns on an inexperienced Florida team. He’s had his ups and downs this spring, with a 1-2 record and a 4.98 ERA.

    Ryan Smith – RHP – 6-0 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Smith earned Big 12 All-Freshman honors last year and has reprised his role as a valuable member of the Baylor bullpen this spring. He has a 4.32 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 41.2 innings.

    Spencer Turnbull – RHP – 6-3 220
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Turnbull does not have the best peripheral numbers – namely, opponents are hitting .290 against him – but he’s found a way to be a consistent weekend starter for the Crimson Tide. He leads the team’s starters with a 3.28 ERA and has a 4-2 record.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    C.J. Saylor – C – 5-9 195 – San Diego State – Freshman
    *Matthew Walsh – C – 5-10 210 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Christopher Chinea – 1B – 5-11 220 – LSU – Freshman
    Tino Lipson – 2B – 5-10 166 – UC-Davis – Junior
    Trevor Podratz – 1B – 5-11 – 230 – Hawaii – Sophomore
    Daniel Rosenbaum – 3B – 6-1 205 – Louisville – Freshman
    Will Schwanke – INF/RHP – 6-1 190 – Arkansas – Freshman
    Mikey White – SS – 6-1 190 – Alabama – Freshman
    Vance Vizcaino – 2B – 6-2 196 – Tennessee – Freshman
    *Kyle Schwarber – OF/C – 6-0 230 – Indiana – Sophomore
    Sean McMullen – OF – 5-9 185 – LSU – Junior
    Jeffrey Boehm – OF – 6-1 210 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Will Drake – OF – 6-1 180 – Cincinnati – Sophomore
    Adam Toth – OF – 5-8 170 – Baylor – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     
    C.J. Saylor – C – 5-9 195
    San Diego State
    Freshman

    Saylor is slated to join his teammate Cederoth in Wareham this summer, though the two will just be getting to know each other as battery mates. Saylor has not played in his freshman year for the Aztecs. Out of high school, he was a 33rd round pick and was projected by one publication as the Mountain West Freshman of the Year.

    Matthew Walsh – C – 5-10 210
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    Walsh hails from Plymouth so he’s a hometown hero for the Gatemen. In his first go-round with the team last year, he hit only .139 so he’ll certainly be looking for more. This spring, Walsh is hitting .277 with three home runs for Franklin Pierce.

    Christopher Chinea – 1B – 5-11 220
    LSU
    Freshman

    Chinea was a star out of Miami’s Gulliver Prep but hasn’t gotten the chance to make a huge splash with the Tigers. He has played in 26 games with eight starts and is hitting .231.

    Tino Lipson – 2B – 5-10 166
    UC-Davis
    Junior

    After redshirting in 2011, Lipson became one of the team’s top hitters in 2012. He’s been just as good this year, with a .298 average and a .376 on-base percentage.

    Trevor Podratz – 1B – 5-11 – 230
    Hawaii
    Sophomore

    Podratz has been a steady contributor in each of his first two years at Hawaii. He’s hitting .267 this year with 18 RBI after batting .248 last year.

    Daniel Rosenbaum – 3B – 6-1 205
    Louisville
    Freshman

    A top prospect out of Pennsylvania last year, Rosenbaum has forced his way into a lot of playing time on a veteran Louisville squad. He’s hitting .267 with a homer and 13 RBI thus far in 36 games. He has started 23.

    Will Schwanke – INF/RHP – 6-1 190
    Arkansas
    Freshman

    Schwanke was a high school star in Texas and has seen a little bit of action in his debut season with the Razorbacks. He’s hitting .238 with a homer and five RBI in 21 starts.

    Mikey White – SS – 6-1 190
    Alabama
    Freshman

    Alabama’s Mr. Baseball and a 34th-round draft pick last year, White has been a starter since day one with the Crimson Tide. He’s hitting .250 with 20 RBI.

    Vance Vizcaino – 2B – 6-2 196
    Tennessee
    Freshman

    Vizcaino, the son of Major League scout Junior Vizcaino, has struggled in his first season in Knoxville. He’s hitting .213. He was a 31st-round pick out of high school last year.

    Kyle Schwarber – OF/C – 6-0 230
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    Fresh off his huge summer with the Gatemen, Schwarber hasn’t missed a beat. He’s currently hitting .391, good for second in the conference, and his 12 homers lead the league. Also of note, he’s been playing some catcher this year.

    Sean McMullen – OF – 5-9 185
    LSU
    Junior

    McMullen was a junior college All-American last season and has been a solid addition for the Tigers. He’s hitting .307 with a homer and 19 RBI.

    Jeffrey Boehm – OF – 6-1 210
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Boehm hit .357 in limited action off the bench last year, before grabbing a full-time job in the Perfect Game Collegiate League and running with it. He finished the summer with a .326 average and was named one of the top 30 prospects in the league by Perfect Game. Boehm is hitting .171 this spring.

    Will Drake – OF – 6-1 180
    Cincinnati
    Sophomore

    After hitting .293 as a freshman at Michigan, Drake announced in December that he would be transferring. He has landed at Cincinnati but is not eligible this season.

    Adam Toth – OF – 5-8 170
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Like his Baylor teammate Ryan Smith, Toth was a Big 12 All-Freshman team pick a year ago. He’s hitting .255 this year with 15 RBI.