all-stars: east division

A player-by-player look at the 2007 Cape Cod Baseball League all-star game, which will be held Saturday, July 28 at 6 p.m. in Wareham.

EAST STARTERS

C – Jason Castro – Y-D
Sophomore
Stanford
6’3″ 215
.333, 2HR, 13 RBI, .901 OPS

Castro has played at least six games at three different positions — C, 1B and OF — and though he’s played the fewest at catcher, he gets the starting nod at this spot. Wherever Castro has played this summer, he’s hit. On a Y-D team full of great hitters, Castro’s .333 average leads the way. He has also struck out just 14 times in 81 at-bats. Interestingly, Castro is coming off a terrible year at Stanford. He played mostly first base and hit just .167 with only four extra-base hits. But that season appears to be the exception. Castro hit .283 as a freshman then hit .286 in the Alaska Baseball League last summer. He’s returned to that form this summer.

1B – Yonder Alonso – Brewster
Sophomore
Miami
6’2″ 215
.316, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .949 OPS

Alonso has put up some of the best all-around numbers in the league this summer, showing the ability to hit for power, hit for average and get on base (.469 OBP), which is exactly what he did this spring. As one of the top players in the ACC, Alonso led Miami with a .376 average, 18 home runs, 74 RBI and a .519 on-base percentage. His home run and RBI totals also tied him for the conference lead. As a freshman, Alonso also led the Hurricanes in HR and RBI. By all accounts, Alonso is one of the top hitting prospects on the Cape this summer.

2B – Cole Figueroa – Harwich
Freshman
Florida
5’10” 180
.308, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .785 OPS

Figueroa hasn’t played a game at shortstop this summer, but he’ll get the starting spot here, and it’s well-deserved. With a wealth of shortstop talent on the Cape, Figueroa is near the top of the list. He’s also one of just two freshmen starting the all-star game (the other is Wareham catcher Josh Phegley for the West). Figueroa was a highly-touted recruit out of Tallahassee, Fla., after hitting .563 his senior year. The Blue Jays selected him in the ninth round of the 2006 draft, but Figueroa opted to become a Gator — and just kept hitting. He started every game for Florida and hit .332 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI. Baseball America named him a freshman all-american.

3B – Jermaine Curtis – Chatham
Sophomore
UCLA
6’1″ 190
.299, 2 HR, 15 RBI, .833 OPS

Curtis arrived a little late to the Cape, but the wait was worth it as Curtis has become one of Chatham’s best hitters. He has the second-most RBI on the team, and the top slugging percentage (.442). As a sophomore at UCLA, Curtis hit .329 with four home runs and 33 RBI.

SS – Gordon Beckham – Y-D
Sophomore
Georgia
6’0″ 181
.311, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 1.017 OPS

Beckham has been arguably the league’s best all-around hitter this summer. He ranks ninth in batting average, first in home runs, second in RBI, second in slugging percentage, tied for first in extra-base hits and second in OPS. So yes, Beckham has had a great summer — and it comes after a pretty great spring. For Georgia, Beckham hit .307 with a team-best 13 home runs and 51 RBI. The year before, Beckham hit .280 with 12 home runs and earned freshman all-american honors.

LF – Charlie Cutler – Brewster
Sophomore
California
6’0″ 185
.307, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .767 OPS

Cutler is in a platoon at the catching spot in Brewster with Ryan Babineau, but he plays in the outfield when he’s not catching, mostly because Brewster needs his bat in the lineup. His average is second on the team. This spring for Cal, Cutler hit .310. He was one of the top catching prospects in the nation coming out of high school in 2005.

CF – Collin Cowgill – Y-D
Junior
Kentucky
5’9″ 190
.301, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .834 OPS

Cowgill would have been forgiven if he showed up on the Cape and was a little rusty. But he’s been anything but. Cowgill was a pre-season all-american this spring but suffered a hand injury and missed the entire season. He took a redshirt year, came to the Cape fully healthy, and is picking up where he left off. Concern over the injury had Cowgill slipping to the 29th round in this June’s draft, but he’s reinforcing his status this summer.

RF – Dennis Raben – Orleans
Sophomore
Miami
6’3″ 218
.272, 5 HR, 25 RBI, .922 OPS

Raben joins his college teammate Alonso on the all-star team, and though he isn’t quite matching Alonso’s numbers, he’s putting up some good ones. Raben is the league leader in RBI and is near the top in home runs. Raben hit .280 for the Hurricanes this spring with 12 home runs and 48 RBI.

DH – Allan Dykstra – Chatham
Sophomore
Wake Forest
6’5″ 231
.306, 1 HR, 18 RBI, .827 OPS

Dykstra hasn’t shown quite as much pop as he did last year for Chatham when he belted seven home runs and led the league in RBI with 29. But Dykstra’s batting average is up more than 70 points from .232 last season, and is still driving in runs. Regardless of home run totals, Dykstra is still one of the premier power threats in his class. This spring for Wake, he tied Maimi’s Alonso for the ACC lead in home runs with 18.

SP – Eddie Burns – Y-D
Redshirt Sophomore
Georgia Tech
6’8″ 220
4-0, 2.25 ERA, 28 K in 40 IP, .93 WHIP

Burns’ size makes people take notice and his numbers should, too. He has been one of the most consistent starters in the league, striking out 28 while walking just six. All this after a big season at Tech where he posted a 3.58 ERA. Draft eligible this year, Burns was taken in the 16th round by the Braves. Whether he signs with them after the summer or returns to school and re-enters the draft next year, Burns has surely helped himself a lot.

EAST RESERVES

C – Buster Posey – Y-D
Sophomore
Florida State
6’2″ 195
.266, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .705 OPS

Posey was a shortstop and a pitcher before this spring, but switched to catcher with the Seminoles and has stayed there this summer. In the process, he’s become one of the top catching prospects in his class. His average has dipped of late with Y-D, but it’s still solid, especially for someone who’s still adjusting to a new position. This spring for FSU, Posey hit .382.

IF – Sean Ochinko – Y-D
Freshman
LSU
5’11” 205
.303, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .890 OPS

Ochinko has been one of the top freshman hitters on the Cape, putting up good a good average and plenty of extra-base hits (6 doubles, 5 home runs). He has played mostly first base for Y-D, as he did for LSU, but Ochinko can also catch. He hit .277 for LSU this spring.

OF – Kyle Day – Harwich
Sophomore
Michigan St.
5’11” 194
.281, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .805 OPS

Day has quietly put up very solid numbers, though he doesn’t appear on any leaderboards. He has nine extra-base hits to go with his .281 average. As a sophomore with Michigan St., Day hit .295 with three home runs and 26 RBI.

OF – Blake Tekotte – Brewster
Sophomore
Miami
6’0″ 166
.260, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .741 OPS, 16 SB

Tekotte has done plenty with his bat but even more with his legs as he leads the league in stolen bases. Batting at the top of the Brewster order, Tekotte has been one of the best leadoff men in the league, with his comibination of speed and his ability to get on base (.385 OBP). This spring for Miami, Tekotte hit .333 with 15 steals.

RHP – Brad Boxberger – Orleans
Freshman
USC
6’2″ 185
1-0, 1.38 ERA, 22 K in 26 IP, .88 WHIP

Boxberger has put up some of the best numbers of any freshman starter this summer, allowing just four runs and 14 hits in 26 innings. Boxberger was the top starter this spring for USC, posting a 3.20 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 90 innings.

LHP – Corey Young – Harwich
Sophomore
Seton Hall
6’1″ 180
2-0, 2.17 ERA, 19 K in 29 IP, .90 WHIP

Young has been one of the most solid left-handed starters on the Cape this summer. He has started four games, and has averaged more than seven innings per start. For Seton Hall this spring, Young posted a 3.86 ERA.

LHP – Will Atwood – Orleans
Sophomore
South Carolina
6’3″ 185
2-0, 1.69 ERA, 16 K in 21.1 IP, 1.28 WHIP

Atwood was an all-star last year for Brewster, and has pulled off the same feat this summer with Orleans. Working out of the pen for all but one of his nine appearances, Atwood has put up some of the best numbers of any reliever in the league. In a similar role for South Carolina this spring, Atwood posted a 4.91 ERA.

RHP – Mike Colla – Brewster
Sophomore
Arizona
6’2″ 230
2-1, 2.17 ERA, 28 K in 29 IP, 1.21 WHIP

Colla has the build of a power pitcher and the numbers to back that up. He’s posted nearly a strikeout per inning in five starts with Brewster. He’s also flashed good control in walking just 10. Colla had a 5.20 ERA for Arizona. He was a 38th round pick out of high school.

RHP – Matt Couch – Brewster
Junior
San Diego
6’0″ 185
1-1, 2.77 ERA, 32 K in 39 IP, 1.26 WHIP

Couch has teamed with Colla to give Brewster a strong 1-2 punch atop the rotation. In his junior year at San Diego, Couch went 9-2 with a 3.60 ERA, joining veteran Josh Romanski and major prospect Brian Matusz in the weekend rotation.

RHP – Ryan Perry – Orleans
Sophomore
Arizona
6’4″ 200
1-2, 4.70 ERA, 19 K in 15.1 IP, 1.52 WHIP

Perry hasn’t put up great stats as a reliever for the Cardinals, but he has put up some other great numbers, and that’s why he’s here. From what I’ve read, Perry has a 96-mph fastball, which puts him in select company. The scouts want to see a guy like that in the all-star game, which is why Perry gets the spot over someone who might have better numbers. By all accounts, Perry hasn’t quite put it all together. This spring for Arizona, he had a 6.35 ERA.

LHP – Evan Crawford – Harwich
Sophomore
Auburn
6’1″ 185
0-0, .84 ERA, 33 K in 21 innings, .99 WHIP, 3 SV

Crawford has assumed the closer’s role for Harwich and had put up some impressive numbers, namely the 33 strikeouts in just 21 innings, a ratio of 14.4 K/9 innings. Crawford was mostly a starter this spring for Auburn and struggled to a 5.91 ERA. Whether the switch to the closer spot will continue into next spring or not, it’s suiting Crawford well right now.

RHP – Nick Cassavechia – Y-D
Junior
Baylor
6’0″ 190
1-1, .96 ERA, 20 K in 18.2 IP, .88 WHIP, 8 SV

Cassavechia did good things out of the bullpen last summer for Wareham and is now the closer for Y-D. He leads the league in saves, and his 20 strikeouts look impressive, especially considering he’s only walked two. Cassavechia was the closer for Baylor this spring, finishing with 11 saves and a team-best 3.12 ERA.

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