Minor League All-Stars: Double A

In an effort to keep tabs on former Cape Leaguers, I present the 2012 Cape League Minor League All-Stars. The lists are divided by level. Players who spent time at two levels are listed where they spent more time. This is the fifth in the series.

Double A tends to be home to a lot of baseball’s best high-level prospects. Some of the top Cape League alumni prospects called Double A home in 2012, including Darin Ruf and Hunter Morris (pictured), who had two of the best seasons of anyone in minor league baseball.

Catcher – J.T Wise – Charlotte (Southern League) – Dodgers
Wise played for Harwich in 2008 and was a fifth round pick the next year. He has risen steadily through the Dodgers organization since, with solid success at every stop. He hit .278 this year with nine homers, a league-best 41 doubles and 70 RBI.
In the Running: Caleb Joseph, Sean Ochinko, Charles Cutler, Tony Sanchez

First Base – Darin Ruf – Reading (Eastern League) – Phillies
Ruf had a solid stint with Falmouth in 2008 but didn’t get taken until the 20th round in the 2009 draft out of Creighton. He’s done nothing but hit since then, and this year, he turned in perhaps the most impressive season in all of minor league baseball. Ruf hit .317 with 38 homers and 104 RBI, to go with a .408 on-base percentage. He earned Eastern League MVP honors and was a September call-up to Philadelphia.
In the Running: Wes Hodges, Allan Dykstra, Andy Wilkins, Rich Poythress, Beau Mills, Casey Haerther, Shane Peterson, Nate Freiman, Ben Paulsen

Second Base – David Adams – Trenton (Eastern League) – Yankees
Adams, a former Falmouth stand-out, was a third round pick back in 2008 but had his rise through the minors derailed by an ankle injury that cost him the better part of two seasons. He was able to play 86 games this year and made the most of them, hitting .306 with eight homers and 48 RBI.
In the Running: Alden Carrithers

Third Base – Mike Olt – Frisco (Texas League) – Rangers
Before a call-up to the big club, Olt — a former Orleans Firebird and one of the Rangers’ top prospects — powered through the Texas League. He hit .288 with 28 homers and 82 RBI. He still won the Texas League home run title despite getting promoted on August 2.

Shortstop – Josh Rutledge – Tulsa (Texas League) – Rockies
A Y-D stand-out in 2009, Rutledge made waves at the Major League level this year when he played well as a replacement to the injured Troy Tulowitzki. Before that, Rutledge shined at Double A, hitting .306 with 13 homers and 35 RBI.
In the Running: Addison Maruszak, Joey Terdoslavich

Outfield – Gary Brown – Richmond (Eastern League) – Giants
Rated by Baseball America as the top prospect in the Giants system a year ago, Brown continued to hit well as he moved up the ladder to Double A. The former Orleans Firebird hit .279 with a .347 OBP and stole 87 bases.

Outfield – Todd Cunningham – Mississippi (Southern League) – Braves
The Cape League’s Top Prospect award winner in 2009, Cunningham had his best year as a pro this season, batting .309 with three homers, 23 doubles and 51 RBI.

Outfield – Austin Wates – Corpus Christi (Texas League) – Astros
A break-out star with Y-D in 2009, Wates was a third-round pick in 2010 and has hit well every step of the way so far. This year, he batted .304 with seven homers and 48 RBI.
In the Running: Jared Mitchell, Ryan Patterson, Ryan LaMarre, Jake Goebbert

Designated Hitter – Hunter Morris – Huntsville (Southern League) – Brewers
Morris was drafted in the second round of out of high school, then went to Auburn and didn’t disappoint when he hit eight homers for Falmouth in 2009. Morris was drafted in the fourth round in 2010 and he delivered a break-out campaign in his second full season. He hit .303 with 28 homers, 40 doubles and 113 RBI.

Starting Pitcher – Tyler Thornburg – Huntsville (Southern League) – Brewers
Thornburg, who was a reliever for Brewster in 2009, is a starter in the professional ranks and this year cemented his status as one of Milwaukee’s top prospects. Before a promotion to Triple A, Thornburg made 13 starts with Huntsville and had a 3.00 ERA to go with 71 strikeouts in 75 innings. Opponents hit .212 against him.

Starting Pitcher – Justin Grimm – Frisco (Texas League) – Rangers
Grimm, a former Cotuit standout, was all over the place in 2012, pitching in Double A, Triple A and making his Major League debut. He was at his best in the Texas League, where he 9-3 with a 1.72 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 83.2 innings.

Starting Pitcher – David Hale – Mississippi (Southern League) – Braves
Hale struggled with Chatham in 2008 but was drafted in the third round in 2009. He has since become a solid prospect in Atlanta’s system, and he went 8-4 this year with a 3.77 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 145.2 innings.
Also in the Running: Brandon Cumpton, Ryan Perry

Relief Pitcher – Carter Capps – Jackson (Southern League) – Mariners
Capps dominated for Harwich in 2011 after getting drafted earlier in the summer. One year later, he is rocketing through the Mariners’ system, and with good reason. In 38 games with Jackson, he struck out 72 and walked just 12 in 50 innings, while posting a 1.26 ERA.

Relief Pitcher – Vic Black – Altoona (Eastern League) – Pirates
A 2008 Bourne Brave, Black was a first round pick in 2009 and delivered on some of the promise this season. He pitched in 51 games, recorded 13 saves, had an ERA of 1.61 and and struck out 85 in 60 innings pitched.

Relief Pitcher – Josh Fields – Portland (Eastern League) – Red Sox
The closer on the 2006 Y-D championship team, Fields played all four years at Georgia before joining the professional ranks. It was a struggle early, but he delivered his best season this year, posting a 2.62 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 44 innings.

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