2012 Early Look: Harwich Mariners

Harwich Mariners
Manager: Steve Englert
2011 Record: 24-19-1

Harwich has won two of the last four Cape Cod Baseball League championships, including the 2012 crown. At the start of the playoffs, I’m not sure I would have picked them in either year they won (they were 24-20-1 in 2008 and 24-19-1 last year). But twice now, they’ve seemed to shine when the stage was at its biggest.

That’s something that you can’t predict, and it’s something that is probably more related to the identity of an individual team than the identity of an organization. But at the same time, Harwich is clearly doing things right. The Mariners are bringing in a lot of talent year after year and they seem to have the right guy to mold it in Englert.

This year is no different. There are 35 players on the roster at this point so there will certainly be shuffling. But when it’s all sorted out in August, I wouldn’t be surprised if Harwich was the most talented team on the Cape.

And if they hit their playoff stride again, watch out.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 8
Sophomores: 17
Freshmen: 10

Notable

Harwich has a huge roster at this point, with 35 players listed, so not all of these guys will end up on the Cape. But if this is a case of throwing a lot to the wall and seeing what sticks, it looks like a pretty good plan. Lots of talent here. I could have gone 10 deep on the players I’m excited to see without having to stretch it.

The Mariners had an outstanding bullpen last season and it was one of the biggest reasons they won the championship. Whether the 2012 crew can replicate that success remains to be seen, but there’s certainly potential with guys like C.K. Irby, Evan Mitchell and Brandon Woodruff looking like candidates to lead the way.

Aaron Nola has followed in his brother Austin’s footsteps at LSU, and now he’s following Austin’s path to Harwich. Aaron is coming in off a great freshman season.

The Mariners have done well with Missouri State pitchers over the years, and they’ve got two more coming this year in returnee Grant Gordon and newcomer Tyler Burgess. But the Mariners were also supposed to have Missouri State’s Nick Petree, the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year. He is no longer on the roster.

Another mid-major program that’s had some success in Harwich is Samford, who sent flamethrower Lex Rutledge a few years ago. Two more will come from Samford this year and they bring big credentials with them. C.K. Irby was an outstanding two way player and Phil Ervin had a huge season with the bat.

Kentucky had two star freshmen this year in A.J. Reed and Austin Cousino. While Cousino has been invited to Team USA and probably won’t make it to Hyannis, Reed is still on the Harwich roster. He’s got the potential a star at the plate and on the mound.

I love when hometown players get a chance to play in the Cape League, and Harwich is giving that opportunity to native son Andrew Sadoski. He may be able to hold his own too, after an outstanding spring on the mound at Bridgewater State.

The Jared King on the Harwich roster is one of two Jared Kings expected to be on the Cape this summer. The other is from Kansas State and is on the Falmouth roster. I’m definitely going to confuse the two of them at some point.

I will also confuse Notre Dame players Eric Jagielo and Trey Mancini, who had nearly identical numbers this spring. I already had to check their names like three times for this note.

If you didn’t see him last year, you should make a point to go to a Harwich game and watch Austin Wilson. At 6’5, 245 and with plenty of athleticism, he is not the type of player you typically see making it to college or making it to the Cape. With a good summer, Wilson could secure his spot as the major prospect he’s always been touted as.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Austin Wilson
2. Brian Ragira
3. Aaron Nola
4. Brett Austin
5. Eric Skoglund

Pitchers

Tyler Burgess – LHP – 6’0 185 – Missouri State – Freshman
Eddie Campbell – LHP – 6’0 195 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
*Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 180 – Missouri State – Junior
Justin Hageman – RHP – 6’2 205 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
Ryan Harvey – RHP – 6’2 220 – Seton Hall – Junior
C.K. Irby – RHP/INF – 6’2 195 – Samford – Sophomore
Dimitri Kourtis – RHP – 6’3 190 – Mercer – Freshman
Clark Labitan – RHP – 5’9 170 – Virginia Tech – Junior
Corey Littrell – LHP – 6’3 195 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Dylan Maki – RHP – 6’1 205 – Northeastern – Junior
Evan Mitchell – RHP – 6’2 176 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
Aaron Nola – RHP – 6’2 180 – LSU – Freshman
Garrett Nuss – RHP – 6’2 190 – Central Florida – Freshman
Cole Pitts – RHP – 6’5 225 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
A.J. Reed – LHP/INF – 6’4 230 – Kentucky – Freshman
Andrew Sadoski – RHP – 6’4 200 – Bridgewater State – Sophomore
Eric Skoglund – LHP – 6’7 180 – Central Florida – Freshman
Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 215 – Mississippi State – Freshman

Tyler Burgess – LHP – 6’0 185
Missouri State
Freshman

Burgess was a dominant high-school pitcher in Missouri and didn’t have much of a struggle with the transition to college ball. He lead the Bears in appearances this season with 26 and was very effective, posting a 2.08 ERA to go with 31 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched.

Eddie Campbell – LHP – 6’0 195
Virginia Tech
Sophomore

Campbell hails from Bridgewater, Mass., so he’ll be playing relatively close to home this summer. Campbell had an ERA over six this spring but flashed his potential with 40 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched.

Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 180
Missouri State
Junior

Gordon has shuffled around between the bullpen and the rotation at Missouri State but has had success in every role. He pitched with Harwich last summer and had a 3.06 ERA as a valuable member of the bullpen. This spring, he remained in the bullpen for the Bears and had a 3.28 ERA in 19 appearances.

Justin Hageman – RHP – 6’2 205
Western Kentucky
Sophomore

Hageman burst onto the scene for the Hilltoppers last year, posting a 3.22 ERA on his way to Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. He hit a bit of a sophomore slump this year, going 4-6 with a 5.28 ERA.

Ryan Harvey – RHP – 6’2 220
Seton Hall
Junior

After two strong seasons in a row at Seton Hall, Harvey was selected by the Rangers in the 18th round of this year’s draft, so we’ll wait and see if he ends up playing at all for the Mariners. He was a standout starting pitcher for Seton Hall this spring, going 6-4 with a 3.04 ERA and 90 strikeouts in only 77 innings pitched.

C.K. Irby – RHP/INF – 6’2 195
Samford
Sophomore

Irby had a solid freshman season for Samford and emerged as one of the top two-way players in the country this season. Pitching in the closer’s role, he finished with 10 saves, a 2.06 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched. At the plate, Irby hit .340 with five home runs and 48 RBI.

Dimitri Kourtis – RHP – 6’3 190
Mercer
Freshman

Kourtis was a valuable arm for Mercer in his debut season. He made 25 appearances, with eight starts, and ended up with a 3.90 ERA. HE struck out 38 in 64.2 innings pitched.

Clark Labitan – RHP – 5’9 170
Virginia Tech
Junior

Labitan has been at Virginia Tech for four years as a result of a redshirt year in 2010. This season, he finally found his groove and became one of the team’s top relievers. In 28 appearances, he had a 3.18 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched.

Corey Littrell – LHP – 6’3 195
Kentucky
Sophomore

Littrell was a 35th round pick out of high school. As a freshman in 2011, he didn’t have great overall numbers but showed flashes of brilliance. This year, he sustained those flashes as he became the ace of the UK staff. Littrell went 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 98.2 innings pitched.

Dylan Maki – RHP – 6’1 205
Northeastern
Junior

A native of Gloucester, Mass., Maki had a strong 2011 as a reliever for the Huskies, posting a 3.26 ERA and striking out better than a batter an inning. He had some struggles this year, finishing with a 7.52 ERA in 16 appearances.

Evan Mitchell – RHP – 6’2 176
Mississippi State
Sophomore

Mitchell has had two strong seasons with the Bulldogs, finishing both seasons with more strikeouts than innings pitched. This year, he had a 3.52 ERA in 13 appearances and struck out 43 in 38.1 innings pitched.

Aaron Nola – RHP – 6’2 180
LSU
Freshman

The brother of former Harwich standout Austin Nola, Aaron will make his way north after a great freshman season in Baton Rouge. Pitching in the weekend rotation, Nola went 7-4 with a 3.61 ERA. He struck out 89 and walked just seven in 89.2 innings, good for the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the nation. Nola was a 22nd round pick out of high school.

Garrett Nuss – RHP – 6’2 190
Central Florida
Freshman

Central Florida had a great pitching staff this year and two of its best are coming to Harwich in Nuss and Eric Skoglund. Nuss pitched mostly out of the bullpen and finished with a 3.89 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. Nuss was a 32nd-round pick of the Yankees last year.

Cole Pitts – RHP – 6’5 225
Georgia Tech
Freshman

A 32nd-round pick out of high school last year, Pitts jumped immediately into the Tech rotation this season and had a strong campaign. He went 6-4 with a 4.50 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched.

A.J. Reed – LHP/INF – 6’4 230
Kentucky
Freshman

Reed is raking in the Freshman All-America honors after a season in which he starred as a two-way player for the Wildcats. On the mound, Reed went 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA and 51 strikeouts against just nine walks in 53.2 innings pitched. At the dish, he hit .300 with four home runs and 43 RBI. Reed was a 25th-round draft pick out of high school last year.

Andrew Sadoski – RHP – 6’4 200
Bridgewater State
Sophomore

Sadoski is a Harwich native and he’s getting a chance to return home this summer while he’s in the midst of a great career at Bridgewater State. Sadoski was 8-1 this year with a 1.72 ERA.

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

Another standout freshman from UCF, Skoglund earned C-USA all-freshman honors after a great debut season. He went 5-3 with a 3.21 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work. Skoglund was a 16th-round pick out of high school last year

Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 215
Mississippi State
Freshman

Woodruff was a two-way star in high school. At Mississippi State this year, he focused mostly on pitching and met good results. In 12 appearances, with six starts, Woodruff had a 2.38 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched.

Position Players

Brett Austin – C – 6’1 190 – NC State – Freshman
Michael Connolly – C – 6’0175 – Maine – Sophomore
Sam Dove – OF – 6’2 188 – Georgia Tech – Junior
Tanner English – OF – 5’9 170 – South Carolina – Freshman
Phil Ervin – OF – 5’10 195 – Samford – Sophomore
Zane Evans – C/RHP – 6’2 210 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Colin Gay – OF – 6’1 180 – Maine – Sophomore
Eric Jagielo – INF – 6’2 215 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
*JaCoby Jones – OF – 6’3 207 – LSU – Sophomore
Jared King – INF – 6’1 205 – Virginia – Junior
Justin Leeson – OF – 6’3 205 – Georgetown – Junior
Trey Mancini – INF – 6’4 215 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
Brian Ragira – OF – 6’2 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
Matt Reida – INF – 5’11 175 – Kentucky – Sophomore
John Sheridan – OF – 6’2 195 – Brown – Junior
Austen Smith – INF – 6’4 240 – Alabama – Sophomore
*Austin Wilson – OF – 6’4 235 – Stanford – Sophomore

Brett Austin – C – 6’1 190
NC State
Freshman

A supplemental first round pick last year, Austin came to NC State with considerable hype. While he didn’t have as good a season as some of his freshmen teammates in Raleigh, he was still solid. He hit .284 with 17 doubles and 37 RBI.

Michael Connolly – C – 6’0 – 175Maine
Sophomore

A native of Middleborough, Mass., Connolly hit .248 as a freshman for the Black Bears. This year, he saw in action in only 17 games and hit .147.

Sam Dove – OF – 6’2 188
Georgia Tech
Junior

A junior, Dove did not get drafted this year, but it wasn’t for a lack of success on the diamond. Dove was second on the team with a .340 batting average. He also had three home runs and 30 RBI to go with 12 stolen bases.

Tanner English – OF – 5’9 170
South Carolina
Freshman

English has been a key to success for the Gamecocks, who are chasing their third consecutive national championship. A 13th-round pick out of high school, English is hitting .306, good for second on the team, and has stolen nine bases.

Phil Ervin – OF – 5’10 195
Samford
Sophomore

Ervin had a huge freshman campaign for Samford last year, hitting a team-best .371 on his way to first-team all-conference honors. For an encore, Ervin had another big year in 2012. He hit .327, with 10 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI.

Zane Evans – C/RHP – 6’2 210
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Evans grabbed the starting catcher’s job immediately last year and earned Freshman All-America honors with a solid season. This year, he was a little bit better, hitting .295 with four home runs, 17 doubles and 51 RBI. Evans also made 19 appearances as a relief pitcher, posting a 3.68 ERA and striking out 34 in 36.2 innings.

Colin Gay – OF – 6’1 180
Maine
Sophomore

Another Southeastern Massachusetts product, Gay made the trek from Franklin up to Maine, where he’s having a solid career. This spring, he hit .299 with a homer and 28 RBI. He also stole 14 bases.

Eric Jagielo – INF – 6’2 215
Notre Dame
Sophomore

Jagielo was picked in the last round of the 2010 draft, but if his sophomore season is any indication, he’ll go a lot higher when he’s eligible again next year. Jagielo hit .310 this spring with 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 43 RBI.

JaCoby Jones – OF – 6’3 207
LSU
Sophomore

Like his LSU teammate Nola, Jones — a 19th round pick out of high school in 2010 — is likely to get a lot of attention from scouts this summer. He played briefly for Harwich last year, hitting .234 in 14 games. This spring, he hit .253 with four home runs and 29 RBI. He also stole 11 bases.

Jared King – INF – 6’1 205
Virginia
RS Junior

King redshirted the 2010 season after a shoulder injury. He returned last year and had a solid campaign, hitting .321. His average dipped to .253 this year, but he did have four home runs, 12 doubles, five triples and 44 RBI.

Justin Leeson – OF – 6’3 205
Georgetown
Junior

Leeson was eligible for the draft this year and went in the 39th round to Kansas City. That comes after a great junior season, in which Leeson hit .325 with two home runs and 25 RBI. He also stole 18 bases.

Trey Mancini – INF – 6’4 215
Notre Dame
Sophomore

Mancini had a strikingly similar campaign to his teammate Jagielo. He hit .317 with 12 home runs, 10 doubles and 45 RBI. Mancini also hit nine home runs last year as a freshman.

Brian Ragira – OF – 6’2 200
Stanford
Sophomore

Ragira was slated to join his teammate Austin Wilson in Harwich last summer but didn’t end up coming after serving as an alternate for Team USA. The Mariners would love to get both this year, because they’re probably isn’t a pair of more highly-touted teammates in the league. Ragira hit .329 this year with five home runs and 50 RBI.

Matt Reida – INF – 5’11 175
Kentucky
Sophomore

One of three Wildcats on the Harwich roster, Reida had some struggles with the bat this year but still started every game. He finished with a .239 average, two home runs and 22 RBI.

John Sheridan – OF – 6’2 195
Brown
Junior

Sheridan hails from Palo Alto, Calif., but has spent the last three years in Providence, where he’s had a solid career at Brown. He hit .315 this year with a home run, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

Austen Smith – INF – 6’4 240
Alabama
Sophomore

Smith started every game as a freshman last year and hit .297 with 44 RBI. He slumped a bit in his sophomore year, finishing at .240 with three homers and 23 RBI.

Austin Wilson – OF – 6’4 235
Stanford
Sophomore

Wilson already has the body of a Major Leaguer and he draws plenty of attention wherever he goes. Perfect Game picked him as the Cape Leagues third-best prospect last year despite the fact that he struggled for much of the summer. Wilson still hasn’t put it all together but he continued to show flashes this spring, hitting .285 with 10 home runs and 54 RBI.