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.