RIGHT FIELD FOG

BREWSTER WHITECAPS
Manager: Tom Myers
2008 Record: 19-21-4

It’s a year of fresh starts in Brewster, where the Whitecaps welcome a new manager, and potentially, an entirely new roster. Tom Myers, the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at UC Santa Barbara, takes over as manager for Bob Macaluso, who was at the helm for seven years. Myers inherits a team with one player who played in Brewster last year, and that’s Yasmani Grandal, who could end up with Team USA.

But while there’s a shortage of Cape League experience, there’s no shortage of college experience. With only four freshman — two of whom are redshirt freshmen — Brewster appears to have the oldest team in the league.

And a lot of their sophomores will be out to prove something.

Out of all the teams I’ve previewed so far, Brewster had the most players who went through sub-par 2009 seasons. If you read through the bios, you can see it. There are pitchers who were Freshman All-Americans last year and charted ERA’s above five this year. There are hitters who hit over .300 in their first year and dipped well below that this year. If this is really is a year of fresh starts in Brewster, there will be a long list of guys looking for their own. How it turns out for them could say a lot for Brewster’s season.

There are several players who won’t need fresh starts, but a lot of them might not be making it to Brewster, either. Jarrett Parker and Jedd Gyorko, the hitters who had the best seasons, have both been invited to Team USA, and Grandal isn’t far behind those two in terms of ’09 success. It also looks like four players will be in Omaha when the Cape season begins.

So a lot will fall to the players in need of big summers, and it’ll be interesting to see what they deliver.

The pitching staff is a little light on weekend starters, but that was the case this time last year, too, and Brewster ended up having solid starting pitching. Guys like Sean Hoelscher, Matt Lujan and Danny Sandbrink will need bounce-back summers. Guys who had success out of the pen this spring like David Goforth and Tyler Thornburg will also be key.

As for the offense, it looks like the Whitecaps should be stronger there. Even if Parker, Gyorko and Grandal end up with Team USA, there’s a decent nucleus with Mark Canha, Tobias Streich, Tim Ferguson and Harold Martinez.

All in all, I don’t think Brewster has the depth of Cotuit, Bourne or Falmouth, and there are certainly a lot of players who struggled this spring.

But I wouldn’t be shocked to see Brewster have success this year. You never know how the roster will shake out, and the chance for those fresh starts can’t be entirely ignored. If the Cape League is a proving ground, I’ll gladly take a bunch of players with a little extra to prove.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 22
Freshmen: 4

Notable

• To get an idea of the how the pitching staff shakes out, take a look at the Five Players I’m Excited to See section, which includes no pitchers. That doesn’t mean there’s no talent. Just that there aren’t many guys who had good numbers this spring. But I’ll say this: in the Cape League, I’d rather have a group of pitchers who struggled than a group of hitters who struggled. Wooden bats change everything.
• One guy who could give Brewster’s staff a big lift is San Diego ace Kyle Blair. People are hearing that he’ll be added to the roster, and that’s good news for the Whitecaps. Blair was a fifth-round pick out of high school and pitched briefly for Chatham last year. He had a 3.13 ERA this year and struck out 62 in 54.2 innings.
• If Blair indeed comes to Brewster, you can bet he won’t be the only addition. The Whitecaps haven’t updated their roster in quite some time, so it will almost certainly look a little different when the season opens.
• Keep an eye on Erik Goeddel this spring. As I wrote below, he has a long track record in the scouting world, but he just hasn’t been able to add to it much because of injury. Depending on how he’s holding up these days, this could be a prime opportunity for Goeddel to re-establsih himself.
• I wouldn’t discount the impact of experience on the Brewster roster. Freshmen often struggle on the Cape. Plenty of sophomores do too, of course, but the extra year can be a big one.
• The fact that Virginia is heading for Omaha means the Whitecaps will be waiting for the services of Jarrett Parker, John Barr and Neal Davis. In the case of Parker, that might not be a bad thing. If the Cavaliers can make a deep run, Parker is less likely to go with Team USA.
• As I wrote the bios, I was getting a little nervous about Brewster’s offense. The players with the best numbers were all Team USA invites. But the list saved the best for last. Mark Canha was Cal’s best hitter this season, hitting for average and power.
• Grandal could potentially be the best catching prospect on the Cape, but even if Team USA takes him, Tobias Streich would be a pretty good consolation prize. He’s one of the best catchers in the Big East.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Jarrett Parker
2. Jedd Gyorko
3. Mark Canha
4. Harold Martinez
5. Yasmani Grandal

Pitchers

Scott Alexander – LHP – 6’2 200 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
Sean Bierman – LHP – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
Neal Davis – LHP – 6’6 210 – Virginia – Junior
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180 – UCLA – RS Freshman
David Goforth – RHP – 5’11 184 – Ole Miss – RS Freshman
Sean Hoelscher – RHP – 6’3 196 – TCU – Sophomore
Matt Lujan – LHP – 6’1 205 – San Francisco – Sophomore
Casey Schmidt – RHP – 6’3 205 – San Diego – RS Sophomore
Danny Sandbrink – RHP – 6’2 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
Sean Tierney – LHP – 6’5 190 – James Madison – Sophomore
Stayton Thomas – RHP – 5’11 175 – Texas – Sophomore
Tyler Thornburg – RHP/OF – 5’11 175 – Charleston Southern – Sophomore

Scott Alexander – LHP – 6’2 200
Pepperdine
Sophomore

A 37th-round pick out of high school, Alexander has a solid career at Pepperdine. This year, he went 4-5 with a 4.11 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched. Opponents hit .230 against him and he didn’t allow a home run all year. Pepperdine’s web site has a list of summer placements and Alexander isn’t on it, so I’m not sure what the deal is there.

Sean Bierman – LHP – 6’0 190
Vanderbilt
Sophomore

Bierman, a late-round pick out of high school, did not have a great first season in Nashville, but his second one was much better. One of the team’s most improved pitchers in the fall, Bierman carried it over to the spring by posting a 4.57 ERA while pitching mostly in relief. He struck out 37 and walked 15 in 43.1 innings.

Neal Davis – LHP – 6’6 210
Virginia
Junior

Davis has been a key part of Virginia’s bullpen the last two seasons. Last year, he posted a 1.58 ERA, second-best among Cavalier relievers. He also had a streak of 27.2 scoreless innings. This year, Davis hasn’t been quite as good, with an ERA of 4.63.

Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180
UCLA
RS Freshman

Goeddel was on the Y-D roster last summer but didn’t make it, just another part of a lost year for the highly-touted Goeddel. He was originally rated as the second-best pitcher in the class of 2007 by Baseball America, but an injury in his senior season kept him from getting drafted. He then missed all of his freshman season. This spring, Goeddel finally saw some time on the mound, posting a 3.38 ERA in nine relief appearances.

David Goforth – RHP – 5’11 184
Ole Miss
RS Freshman

Goforth has been lights out in his first season in Oxford, putting up a 2.80 ERA while making 25 appearances out of the pen, the second-highest total on the team. He has struck out 36 in 35.1 innings.

Sean Hoelscher – RHP – 6’3 196
TCU
Sophomore

Hoelscher had an ERA over five as a freshman, but his 7-3 record and good strikeout numbers earned him some Freshman All-America nods. This year, Hoelscher has gone 2-2 with a 7.03 ERA. He struck out 22 in 24.1 innings, but walked 20.

Matt Lujan – LHP – 6’1 205
San Francisco
Sophomore

Like Hoelscher, Lujan was a Freshman All-American last year on the strength of a 7-2 record and a 3.17 ERA. His second season with the Dons hasn’t been as good. Lujan finished 5-7 with a 5.74 ERA. He struck out 52 in 80 innings.

Casey Schmidt – RHP – 6’3 205
San Diego
RS Sophomore

Schmidt hasn’t pitched in a college game since 2007, when he went 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA in his freshman season at Creighton. After that, he missed all of 2008 with an injury and transferred to San Diego, where he sat out this season due to NCAA transfer rules.

Danny Sandbrink – RHP – 6’2 200
Stanford
Sophomore

Sandbrink surged to a strong freshman season in Palo Alto last year, finishing with a 2.81 ERA. This year, he had his share of trouble, going 1-1 with a 7.09 ERA. He struck out 22 and walked 16 in 33 innings.

Sean Tierney – LHP – 6’5 190
James Madison
Sophomore

Tierney, like Schmidt, will be playing this summer after not pitching at all this spring. Tierney transferred from Virginia and sat out this season. At Virginia, Tierney made only two appearances, finishing with a 6.75 ERA. He was a 35th-round pick out of high school.

Stayton Thomas – RHP – 5’11 175
Texas
Sophomore

Thomas was lights-out as a reliever last season, leading the team in appearances and finishing with a 3.82 ERA. He has been even better this year, with a 2.11 ERA and a 4-0 record out of the pen.

Tyler Thornburg – RHP/OF – 5’11 175
Charleston Southern
Sophomore

After making solid contributions in two spots as a freshman, Thornburg became a standout at those spots these season. As a pitcher, he made 16 relief appearances and put up a 3.73 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 31.1 innings. As a hitter, he finished with a .292 batting average and a team-high 12 home runs.

Position Players

*Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210 – Miami – Sophomore
Zach Jones – C – 6’0 185 – Stanford – Sophomore
Tobias Streich – C – 6’0 210 – West Virginia – Sophomore
Lyle Allen – OF/1B – 6’3 210 – Georgia – Sophomore
Tim Ferguson – IF – 6’1 184 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Niko Gallego – IF – 5’11 165 – UCLA – Sophomore
Jedd Gyorko – IF – 5’10 195 – West Virginia – Sophomore
Harold Martinez – IF – 6’3 200 – Miami – Freshman
Tant Shepherd – 3B/OF – 5’11 210 – Texas – Sophomore
Colin Walsh – IF – 6’1 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
Davy Wright – UTIL – 6’1 195 – TCU – Freshman
Stephen Yarrow – IF – 6’4 205 – San Francisco – Sophomore
John Barr – OF – 6’2 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
Mark Canha – OF – 6’2 195 – California – Sophomore
Jarrett Parker – OF – 6’4 205 – Virginia – Sophomore

Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210
Miami
Sophomore

A 27th-round pick out of high school who was projected to go much higher, Grandal split time behind the plate last year but still lived up to much of the hype. Last summer, he played 20 games for Brewster and hit .279. He followed that up with a strong sophomore season, finishing at .299 with 16 home runs and 45 RBI. Grandal has been invited to Team USA.

Zach Jones – C – 6’0 185
Stanford
Sophomore

Jones started every game for Stanford this year but didn’t have a great season at the plate. He ended up hitting .239 with three home runs and 26 RBI. Jones was a 45th-round pick out of high school and hit .249 as a freshman.

Tobias Streich – C – 6’0 210
West Virginia
Sophomore

Last year Streich became just the second freshman to serve as West Virginia’s everyday catcher and he delivered a solid season. This year, he emerged as one of the top catchers in the Big East, hitting .322 with six home runs and 57 RBI.

Lyle Allen – OF/1B – 6’3 210
Georgia
Sophomore

Allen had a good first season at Georgia and by the end of it, he was the starting left fielder for the Bulldogs in Omaha. This year, Allen hit .255 with five home runs and 23 RBI.

Tim Ferguson – IF – 6’1 184
Ole Miss
Sophomore

Ferguson has had to fight for time in each of his first two years in Oxford but he has made an impression, even without an everyday job. After hitting .289 last year, he led the team with a .358 average this year. He also added 12 extra-base hits, 21 RBI and 18 stolen bases.

Niko Gallego – IF – 5’11 165
UCLA
Sophomore

The son of former Major Leaguer Mike Gallego, Niko has put together two pretty good seasons as UCLA’s shortstop. After hitting .317 as a freshman, he hit .279 this season. Though he didn’t hit a home run, he knocked in 27, stole six bases and committed just nine errors.

Jedd Gyorko – IF – 5’10 195
West Virginia
Sophomore

Gyorko was a star as a freshman, finishing with a .409 average and eight home runs. He didn’t miss a beat this season and even out-did himself. He hit .421 with eight home runs, 28 doubles and 58 RBI, all while dealing with the switch from second base to shortstop. That doubles total was second-best in the country. Gyorko has been invited to Team USA.

Harold Martinez – IF – 6’3 200
Miami
Freshman

Like Grandal last year, Martinez will come to Brewster as a highly-touted Miami freshman. Once thought of as a potential first-round pick, Martinez had some struggles in his senior year of high school and slipped to the 19th round. Miami was happy to welcome him to campus, and he delivered a pretty good freshman season. He hit .270 with nine home runs, 11 doubles and 47 RBI.

Tant Shepherd – 3B/OF – 5’11 210
Texas
Sophomore

Shepherd has been a versatile performer since day one, and he hit .357 as a freshman. This year, his average went down to .264 but he did total 17 extra-base hits.

Colin Walsh – IF – 6’1 200
Stanford
Sophomore

Walsh only got nine starts as a freshman on Stanford’s 2008 CWS team, but he was a key player off the bench and he delivered a .323 average. This year, he grabbed a starting job and led the team with a .320 average. He didn’t hit a home run but he did have 11 doubles.

Davy Wright – UTIL – 6’1 195
TCU
Freshman

A high-school standout on the hill and at the plate, Wright was rated as one of Texas’ top 100 prospects, but he only played in one game this season. Perhaps there was an injury. I haven’t been able to find anything.

Stephen Yarrow – IF – 6’4 205
San Francisco
Sophomore

Yarrow didn’t see a ton of action as a freshman but was an honorable mention all-league pick last summer in the West Coast Collegiate League. This year, he hit .277 with a team-best 13 home runs and 44 RBI.

John Barr – OF – 6’2 190
Virginia
Sophomore

Barr had a great 2008 season in Charlottesville, leading the Cavaliers in both batting average and on-base percentage. This year, he is hitting .305 for the Omaha-bound Cavaliers.

Jarrett Parker – OF – 6’4 205
Virginia
Sophomore

Parker didn’t have as good a freshman season as his teammate Barr, but he has been out-of-this-world this season. A surefire All-Conference and All-America pick, Parker has hit .369 with 16 home runs, 42 extra-base hits, 65 RBI and 19 stolen bases. A potential five-tool talent, Parker has been invited to Team USA.

Mark Canha – OF – 6’2 195
California
Sophomore

After a decent but not spectacular freshman season, Canha burst onto the scene this year in a big way. He ended up leading the Bears in every major offensive category. He hit .366, blasted 12 home runs, totaled 17 doubles and drove in 43. He also led the team with a .444 on-base percentage.

The twitter page for Beesball.com, a Georgia Tech baseball web site, is reporting that sophomore shortstop Derek Dietrich will go directly to Wareham this summer, rather than Team USA. The Gatemen twitter page has confirmed the news. Dietrich was on Wareham’s roster last year but played for Team USA. He was again on the invite list this year, but apparently has opted for Wareham.

Team USA has added a few more players to the list with Cape connections: Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers (Bourne) and Texas Tech’s Chad Bettis (Falmouth). That brings the total of invites up to 36, which I think is the final number. If someone replaces Dietrich, then I guess there would be one more.

By my count, 23 of the 36 are on Cape League rosters.

YARMOUTH-DENNIS RED SOX
Manager: Scott Pickler
2008 Record:18-25-1

We all knew it had to end at some point. We didn’t know it would end like it did last year for the Y-D Red Sox.

After winning back-to-back league championships, the Red Sox never got off the ground last summer and finished with the worst record in the Eastern Division. It shouldn’t have been all that surprising. In a summer league with heavy turnover, one year means very little for the next. For a Y-D team with few returnees, that was especially true.

But as unsurprising as it was, I’m guessing it was still jarring for the Y-D camp.

You can bet Scott Pickler and Co. are geared up for a return to form.

Five players are set to come back from last year’s squad and they’ll team up with a deep group of productive sophomores and some highly-touted freshman. Though the four Team USA invites could take some of the luster off, I think right now, the Red Sox are in better position than they were last year.

The pitching staff struggled last year, with Y-D’s best starter posting a 3.43 ERA. If Anthony Ranaudo and Trevor Bauer don’t go to Team USA, you’ve got two potential aces who should be able to better that number. Even if those two are gone, sophomores Chris Sale, Greg Holle, Austin Ross and returnee Tyler Waldron are primed to step in. A couple of big-name freshman, Brett Mooneyham and Michael Palazzone, could also make a big splash.

At the plate, the Red Sox return Josh Rutledge and Andy Wilkins, two players who would have made last year’s Cape all-freshman team, if there was such a thing. For all the big bats ticketed for the Cape this summer, few teams have two hitters coming back with solid Cape League track records like Rutledge and Wilkins. When you mix in great seasons from guys like Austin Wates, Derek Ingui, Mickey Wiswall and Nick Santomauro, with the potential for breakout seasons from freshmen like Ben McMahan and Chase Davidson, you’ve got the makings of a solid lineup.

As is the case for every team, how it all comes together will be the key. In Y-D’s championship seasons, the fact that things came together perfectly was as important to the equation as talent.

The Red Sox will be hoping the 2009 equation can yield a similar product.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 18
Freshmen: 10

Notable

• I think Anthony Ranaudo was one of my five to be excited about last year, but this year, I’m more excited — and hopeful that he doesn’t go to Team USA. Ranaudo has been a prospect for awhile, but he has truly broken out this season. His strikeout numbers alone — 138 in 102 innings — make him perhaps the top-performing sophomore pitcher in the country. With those numbers in the book and his 6’7 frame, he’ll be one of the most-talked about prospects on the Cape this year if he makes it.
• Ranaudo’s teammate Austin Ross is also set to come to Y-D, and he’s had a great sophomore season as well. Ross is part of a real solid-looking group of starters on the Y-D roster.
• One member of that group is Chris Sale, who looks like a pretty intriguing prospect. A 6’6 lefty, he put up really good numbers for Florida Gulf Coast this season. I’m sure he’s already drawn plenty of attention from scouts, but with a big summer, he’ll get even more looks.
• In Trevor Bauer, Brett Mooneyham and Michael Palazzone, the Red Sox have three highly-touted freshman who are currently on different places in the spectrum. Bauer was still in high school for last year’s draft but graduated early and promptly became the Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. Mooneyham was a major name in last year’s draft and he showed some great flashes this year, with 72 strikeouts in a starting role. Palazzone, another big name for the draft, has sort of been eased in at Georgia, where he didn’t make a single start.
• Come draft time, watch for Mike Belfiore’s name. From what I’ve read, Belfiore has some draft helium, so he’s likely to go pretty early. If he doesn’t sign right away, Y-D will be getting an elite closer.
• Whether Belfiore comes or not, the closer spot should be taken care of. Kevin Rhoderick has been Oregon State’s closer for two years, with a lot of success.
• If Cal State Fullerton keeps rolling in the tournament, that probably increases the chance that Christian Colon would end up with Y-D, rather than Team USA. Go Titans? I think so. I saw Colon with Team USA last summer, and he’s fun to watch.
• Nick Santomauro will be an interesting player to watch. He’s the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, and by all accounts, he can flat-out hit.
• Chase Davidson was a third-round pick last year, but he didn’t have a huge impact in his first year at Georgia. I always like freshman hitters as breakout candidates more than hitters, but a prospect like Davidson could be the exception.
• I wasn’t familiar with the names Mickey Wiswall and Austin Wates before I wrote all this up, but maybe I should have been. Both were big-time performers in the ACC.
• Since I haven’t finished all the previews, I can’t say this for sure, but I think we can pencil in Andy Wilkins as the top returning power hitter in the league.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Anthony Ranaudo
2. Trevor Bauer
3. Andy Wilkins
4. Chris Sale
5. Brett Mooneyham

Pitchers
Trevor Bauer – RHP – 6’1 170 – UCLA – Freshman
*Mike Belfiore – LHP – 6’3 220 – Boston College – Junior
Tyler Burgoon – RHP – 5’10 165 – Michigan – Sophomore
Darrin Campbell – RHP – 6’4 205 – San Diego – RS Sophomore
Danny Coulombe – LHP – 5’11 180 – USA – Freshman
Anthony DeSclafani – RHP – 6’2 175 – Florida – Freshman
Tyler Hess – RHP – 6’5 240 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
Greg Holle – RHP – 6’8 225 – Texas Christian – Sophomore
Brett Mooneyham – LHP – 6’5 230 – Stanford – Freshman
Michael Palazzone – RHP – 6’3 180 – Georgia – Freshman
*Anthony Ranaudo – RHP – 6’7 235 – LSU – Sophomore
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 190 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Austin Ross – RHP – 6’3 190 – LSU – Sophomore
Chris Sale – LHP – 6’6 185 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore
*Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’1 190 – Oregon State – Sophomore

Trevor Bauer – RHP – 6’1 170
UCLA
Freshman

Bauer came to UCLA without the post-draft hype of fellow freshman pitcher Gerrit Cole, but that’s mostly because he wasn’t eligible for it: He had just completed his junior year in high school at last year’s draft. Bauer was on pace to graduate from high school early, and he took his baseball career with him, enrolling at UCLA in January after graduating high school in December. Now, he’ll head to the Cape this summer — or Team USA — with his own share of buzz. Bauer ended up with better numbers than Cole in most every category this year, going 9-3 with a team-best 2.99 ERA. He struck out 92 and walked 27 in 105.1 innings, and also finished off four complete games. Those numbers earned Bauer Pac 10 Freshman of the Year honors.

Mike Belfiore – LHP – 6’3 220
Boston College
Junior

Belfiore played for Y-D last year but is listed as a temp this year, probably because he’s likely to get drafted in the early rounds. After striking out 21 and walking just four in 14 innings for Y-D last summer, Belfiore served as BC’s closer and put up great numbers. He saved nine games and struck out 59 in 48.1 innings. Baseball America has him ranked 89th in the country for the upcoming draft.

Tyler Burgoon – RHP – 5’10 165
Michigan
Sophomore

Burgoon pitched in relief for Michigan this season, turning in a 4-2 record, a 4.86 ERA and three saves. He struck out 32 in 37 innings of work. Burgoon was also a reliever last year, when he finished with an identical 4.86 ERA and five saves.

Darrin Campbell – RHP – 6’4 205
San Diego
RS Sophomore

After redshirting his freshman year, Campbell compiled a 4.08 ERA last year while pitching mostly out of the bullpen. He went for more of a swing role this year, with eight of his 14 appearances coming as starts. He finished the year with a 5.16 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

Danny Coulombe – LHP – 5’11 180
USC
Freshman

Coulombe was a 17th-round pick last year who was considered a tough sign. He did indeed honor his commitment to USC, but an injury kept him out for a good chunk of his freshman year. He finished the year with just four appearances. He struck out 13 in eight innings.

Anthony DeSclafani – RHP – 6’2 175
Florida
Freshman

DeSclafani got picked by the Red Sox in the 22nd round of last year’s draft, but stuck with Florida, where he’s had a decent first season for the Super Regional-bound Gators. Pitching both in relief and in a starting role, DeSclafani went 6-3 with a 4.98 ERA. He struck out 47 and walked 16 in 65 innings.

Tyler Hess – RHP – 6’5 240
Pepperdine
Sophomore

Hess posted good strikeout numbers in his freshman year then was tabbed as the Central Illinois Collegiate League’s top prospect last summer, showing off electric stuff. This year, his ERA was high again for the Waves, but he struck out 29 in 24.2 innings. He also walked 21, which goes a long way in explaining the plus-seven ERA.

Greg Holle – RHP – 6’8 225
Texas Christian
Sophomore

As imposing a presence as there is in college baseball, Holle has turned in two solid seasons in Fort Worth. After posting a 4.50 ERA last year, Holle has gone 5-2 with a 3.89 ERA this year, while pitching mostly as a starter. He has tallied 26 strikeouts in 41.2 innings. Holle was a 35th-round pick out of high school.

Brett Mooneyham – LHP – 6’5 230
Stanford
Freshman

Mooneyham was rated by Baseball America as the 78th best prospect in the nation for last year’s draft, but his initial scouting report that he might be considered an impossible sign. On draft day, Mooneyham dropped to the 15th round, where San Diego took a shot. Mooneyham did indeed stick with his commitment to Stanford, and he turned in pretty good numbers this season. He finished with a 6-3 record, a 4.14 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 67.1 innings. On the negative side, Mooneyham walked 54.

Michael Palazzone – RHP – 6’3 180
Georgia
Freshman

Palazzone wasn’t too far behind Mooneyham in the rankings last year, coming into the draft as the nation’s 139th-best prospect, according to Baseball America. He ended up going in the 18th round but opted to head for Georgia. This season, Palazzone pitched exclusively out of the bullpen, and though he finished with a 5.13 ERA, he struck out 43 and walked only 15 in 33.1 innings.

Anthony Ranaudo – RHP – 6’7 235
LSU
Sophomore

An 11th-round pick in 2007, Ranaudo came to LSU with as much hype as any pitcher in the country last year, but he didn’t get much of a chance to show off: an injury limited him to 12 innings last season. After LSU’s postseason run ended, Ranaudo joined Y-D and didn’t have a great summer, finishing with a 6.63 ERA. But this spring, everything has clicked for Ranaudo. With the Tigers heading to a Super Regional, Ranaudo is 9-3 with a 3.09 ERA and 138 strikeouts against 42 walks in 102 innings. That’s the third-highest total in the nation, behind Stephen Strasburg and Mike Leake. Pretty good company. Ranaudo has been invited to team USA.

Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 190
Oregon State
Sophomore

Rhoderick was on Y-D’s roster last summer before making Team USA. He didn’t pitch for either team, though, because of an injury. An 18th-round pick in 2007 who earned Freshman All-American honors last year, Rhoderick reprised his role as Oregon State’s closer this year and finished with nine saves. He struck out 33 and walked 15 in 23.2 innings.

Austin Ross – RHP – 6’3 190
LSU
Sophomore

Ross had a very good freshman season while pitching out of the bullpen last year, and over the summer, he was picked as the second-best prospect in the Central Illinois Collegiate League. He got off to fantastic start in LSU’s rotation, and he’s currently toting a 4.94 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 20 walks in 78.1 innings.

Chris Sale – LHP – 6’6 185
Florida Gulf Coast
Sophomore

With his build, Sale certainly carries that projectable tag, and he’s got the production to match in his college career, particularly this season. After putting up big strikeout numbers in a relief role as a freshman, Sale moved into the rotation this year and went 7-4 with a 2.72 ERA. He struck out 104 and walked just 27 in 89.1 innings. Last summer, Sale was ranked by PG Crosschecker as the 12th-best prospect in the Northwoods League.

Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’1 190
Oregon State
Sophomore

After spending his freshman year at Pacific, Waldron pitched for Y-D last year and had a pretty good summer for himself. He ended up making four starts and four relief appearances and finished the season with a 2.92 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 37 innings. He transferred to Oregon State for his sophomore season and went 6-4 with a 4.15 ERA as a weekend starter. He struck out 70 in 93.1 innings.

Position Players

Micah Gibbs – C/1B – 5’11 200 – LSU – Sophomore
Ben McMahan – C – 6’0 201 – Florida – Freshman
Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
Chase Davidson – INF – 6’5 225 – Georgia – Freshman
Tyler Hanover – 2B/3B – 5’7 165 – LSU – Freshman
Derek Ingui – 3B/OF – 6’2 200 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
*Josh Rutledge – INF – 6’1 190 – Alabama – Sophomore
Jake Schlander – INF – 6’2 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
Austin Wates – INF – 6’1 186 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
Jerico Weitzel – INF – 5’11 185 – Florida – Freshman
*Andy Wilkins – 1B/3B – 6’1 225 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Mickey Wiswall – INF – 6’1 205 – Boston College – Sophomore
Jonathan Jones – OF – 5’11 185 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
Nick Santomauro – OF – 6’2 205 – Dartmouth – Junior
Steven Selsky – OF/3B – 6’1 200 – Arizona – Freshman

Micah Gibbs – C/1B – 5’11 200
LSU
Sophomore

Gibbs was one of the best freshmen in the country last year and he helped carry the Tigers to Omaha, hitting .322 with two home runs and 35 RBI. Last summer, he went with Team USA and hit .264. This spring, Gibbs has batted .291 with six home runs and 38 RBI.

Ben McMahan – C – 6’0 201
Florida
Freshman

McMahan was one of the top prep catchers in the country last year and he got drafted in the 30th round by the Yankees. He decided to head to Florida, where he hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impact. He has played in only 18 games and has put up three hits.

Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180
Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore

A 10th-round pick out of high school, Colon was ticketed for Orleans last summer, but he joined Team USA instead and was the only player to start every game. A defensive wiz, Colon is getting his bat in gear as well. After hitting .263 for Team USA, Colon has hit .351 this spring with seven home runs and 35 RBI. He has been invited to Team USA again.

Chase Davidson – INF – 6’5 225
Georgia
Freshman

Part of a very highly-touted recruiting class, Davidson made it to campus in Athens despite getting picked in the third round of last year’s draft. A big left-handed swinger with a high ceiling, Davidson wasn’t a regular for the Bulldogs this year. He got 31 starts and hit .231 with three home runs.

Tyler Hanover – 2B/3B – 5’7 165
LSU
Freshman

Hanover was the Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina last year and he has made an immediate impact in Baton Rouge. Starting 52 games, Hanover has hit .315 with four home runs and 44 RBI.

Derek Ingui – 3B/OF – 6’2 200
Franklin Pierce
Sophomore

A native of Sterling, Mass., Ingui started college at the University of Tampa but transferred to Franklin Pierce before last season. He has had two very good years for the Ravens. This season, he hit .356 with nine home runs and 47 RBI. He also legged out seven triples and stole 16 bases.

Josh Rutledge – INF – 6’1 190
Alabama
Sophomore

After posting the second-highest average by a freshman in Alabama history, Rutledge delivered a steady summer with Y-D last year. He ended up hitting .294 with a home run and 10 RBI. He had 12 extra-base hits. This spring, Rutledge hit .305 with five home runs and 44 RBI.

Jake Schlander – INF – 6’2 190
Stanford
Sophomore

For the second year in a row, Schlander started every single one of Stanford’s games and, also for the second year in a row, he finished with a .232 average. He had 14 extra-base hits, and in the field, made just nine errors.

Austin Wates – INF – 6’1 186
Virginia Tech
Sophomore

After hitting .324 as a freshman, Wates put together a fantastic sophomore season. He hit .397, second on the team, with five home runs, 28 extra-base hits and 42 RBI. He also stole 16 bases and got caught just once. Listed as a utilityman on the Hokies’ roster, Wates generally played first base this season.

Jerico Weitzel – INF – 5’11 185
Florida
Freshman

Weitzel was a 27th-round pick out of high school, but like his Gator teammate McMahan, he’s had a tough time grabbing a starting job in Gainesville. Weitzel has started only 15 games, though he has become a regular defensive replacement at third base and has seen action in 54 games. He’s hitting .208.

Andy Wilkins – 1B/3B – 6’1 225
Arkansas
Sophomore

After getting drafted in the 25th round out of high school, Wilkins delivered a real solid freshman season and carried it over to the Cape, where he hit .271 and led Y-D in home runs and RBI. This spring, Wilkins has been Arkansas’ top hitter, with a .329 average, 17 home runs and 51 RBI. All of those are team-bests.

Mickey Wiswall – INF – 6’1 205
Boston College
Sophomore

Boston College’s lineup featured ’08 Y-D star Tony Sanchez, a likely early-round pick in June, but Wiswall wasn’t far behind him in terms of production. While starting at third base, Wiswall hit .320 with 14 home runs, 31 extra-base hits and a team-high 63 RBI. Wiswall is a native of Stoneham, Mass.

Jonathan Jones – OF – 5’11 185
Long Beach State
Sophomore

As a freshman last year Jones posted Long Beach’s second-best average and was honorable mention All-Big West. This season, Jones hit .307 with a home run, 23 RBI and 15 stolen bases. Jones is the nephew of Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard.

Nick Santomauro – OF – 6’2 205
Dartmouth
Junior

Santomauro added another chapter to a great career at Dartmouth by taking home Ivy League Player of the Year honors this spring. He hit .372 for the Big Green with eight home runs and 40 RBI. Last summer, Santomauro hit .286 and was an all-star for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL.

Steven Selsky – OF/3B – 6’1 200
Arizona
Freshman

Selsky was a sought-after recruit and he delivered a great first season for the Wildcats. He finished with a .318 average, seven home runs, 17 extra-base hits and 21 RBI.

HYANNIS METS
Manager: Chad Gassman
2008 Record: 22-22

For the third year in a row, it’ll be a bit of a new era in Hyannis. Former pitching coach Chad Gassman is taking over as manager for Rick Robinson, who spent just a year at the helm.

But for all the turnover in that spot, the Hyannis roster has had a consistent look over those years, and it won’t be changing this year. While some other franchises continually end up with the highest of the highly-touted freshman and the certain-to-be-team-USA-invites sophomores, Hyannis seems to operate on a slightly different plane. There’s talent, of course. Every team has talent. And there are prospects, like Ben Paulsen and Chris Dominguez last year. But in general, I always get the feeling that there isn’t quite as much hype for a lot of the guys that end up in Mets uniforms, not as many guys who have were draft picks out of high school or Freshman All-Americans.

And that’s not really a bad thing. The Mets have finished right around .500 the last two years, just outside the playoffs. They’d like to take a leap forward, of course, but when you put together solid teams year after year, eventually, you’ll turn solid into something bigger.

Is this the year? I have no idea, but I do think the Mets have once again created a solid squad.

The pitching staff is a little light on weekend starters, but if 2008 ERA leader Austin Hudson does indeed come back for a third year on the Cape, the Mets will have an anchor at the top. Casey Harman has had a great year as a starter for Clemson, so he should be good, too. And the back end? Well, that should be more than fine. The Mets have five pitchers who have had big seasons as their teams’ closers.

If the Mets are really going to take a big step, I think it’s the offense that can deliver it. Cody Hawn had a fantastic season at Tennessee and, with a big summer, could emerge as one of the best hitters in the country. Catcher Dan Burkhart was the Big 10 Player of the Year at Ohio State. Those two guys, alone, have the potential to make a huge splash this summer, but they’re not the only ones. The Mets have seven players who hit over .330 for their teams this spring, and a lot of them mixed in some power.

So there’s definitely potential, and unlike some teams, there probably won’t be a ton of ifs when the season begins. A few players could still get Team USA invites, but there aren’t a ton of players whose teams appear to be Omaha contenders.

That means the Mets are likely to be steady again. I guess the more things change in Hyannis, the more they stay the same.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 3
Sophomores: 18
Freshmen: 9

Notable

• Out of character thought it may be, the Mets did have Danny Hultzen, a very, very highly-touted freshman, on their initial roster. But Hultzen got a Team USA invite and he is not on the latest roster. That’s a big loss for the Mets and for the league, because Hultzen is probably the best freshman pitcher in the country.
• A year after having saves leader Russell Brewer on the roster, the Mets have lined up themselves up to have the saves leader again. They’ve got plenty of options, at least. As I mentioned above, five players were closers this year. Oklahoma’s Ryan Duke was the most prolific of the bunch, with 15 saves and a 2.78 ERA.
• Austin Hudson has already had himself a heck of a Cape League career, and he’s apparently thinking of coming back for more. I don’t think it would be a bad thing for him. His career ERA at Central Florida is 7.15. On the Cape, it’s 2.70.
• In addition to Hultzen, Thomas Girdwood is also a Team USA invitee, though he is still on the roster.
• It should be fun to watch Boston College pitcher Kevin Moran, who hails from Yarmouthport.
• Colin Bates had a lot of success as a starter for Hyannis last year, but he’s been North Carolina’s closer this year. I’m wondering what role he plays this summer. Since North Carolina is a likely Omaha contender, Bates could be late, in which case he probably wouldn’t be the closer out of the gate.
• The Mets have some catchers who can hit. Even if you take out Eddie Rohan, who has played mostly DH this spring, you’re left with Dan Burkhart and Kenny Swab, both of whom hit over .330 this year.
• Among players across the league who haven’t been invited to Team USA, Cody Hawn will enter the summer as one of the top two or three hitters, based on production. From what I’ve read on Hawn, he was a potential high pick out of high school before an injury, so he has been on the radar for a while as a legitimate hitter.
• The Mets have four outfielders on the roster, all of whom are coming off really good seasons.
• One of those guys is East Carolina’s Trent Whitehead. Last year, Hyannis had pretty good success with another East Carolina outfielder named Trent. That’s Trent Ashcraft, who was an all-star.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Cody Hawn
2. Dan Burkhart
3. Casey Harman
4. Ryan Duke
5. Trent Whitehead

Pitchers

*Colin Bates – RHP – 6’1 185 – RS Sophomore – North Carolina
Kevin Brandt – LHP – 6’2 195 – Freshman – East Carolina
Ryan Duke – RHP – 5’11 175 – Sophomore – Oklahoma
Dallas Gallant – RHP – 6’3 185 – Sophomore – Sam Houston
Thomas Girdwood – RHP – 6’2 215 – Sophomore – Elon
Chris Haney – RHP/C – 5’11 185 – Sophomore – Dallas Baptist
Casey Harman – LHP – 6’2 200 – Sophomore – Clemson
*Austin Hudson – RHP – 6’5 195 – Junior – Central Florida
Cole Johnson – RHP – 6’3 200 – Sophomore – Notre Dame
Eric Maust – RHP – 6’2 190 – Junior – Notre Dame
Jimmy Messer – RHP – 6’1 195 – Freshman – North Carolina
Kevin Moran – RHP – 6’4 205 – Sophomore – Boston College
Dave Peterson – RHP – 6’4 200 – Freshman – College of Charleston
Seth Rosin – RHP – 6’6 250 – Freshman – Minnesota
*Will Weidig – RHP – 6’1 210 – Junior – Brown
Tyler Wilson – RHP – 6’2 185 – Sophomore – Virginia

Colin Bates – RHP – 6’1 185
Sophomore
North Carolina

A Freshman All-American last year, Bates has moved into the closer’s role for the Tar Heels this season and has done very well himself. As UNC starts regional play, he’s got six saves, a 3.02 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. Bates took a medical redshirt in 2007. After his strong freshman campaign last year, he made seven starts for Hyannis, posting a 2.85 ERA.

Kevin Brandt – LHP – 6’2 195
Freshman
East Carolina

Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, Brandt has had a great first season in Greenville. He’s got an 8-1 record, a 3.42 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 68.1 innings.

Ryan Duke – RHP – 5’11 175
Sophomore
Oklahoma

After pitching fairly well in the rotation as a freshman, Duke moved into the closer’s spot this year and has emerged as one of the best in the country. He finished the regular season with 15 saves, good for seventh in the nation. He’s also got good peripheral numbers, with 39 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 32.1 innings, along with a 2.78 ERA.

Dallas Gallant – RHP – 6’3 185
Sophomore
Sam Houston

Pitching in a swing role for the regional-bound Bearkats, Gallant is second on the team in strikeouts with 64 in 69 innings, but he’s also carrying an ERA of 6.52. Gallant had the same good strikeout numbers last year, but finished with a little better ERA.

Thomas Girdwood – RHP – 6’2 215
Sophomore
Elon

As one of the top closers in the country, Girdwood has helped lead Elon to the an NCAA tournament regional. The righty has recorded 17 saves to go with a 4.01 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 24.2 innings. Girdwood has been invited to Team USA, so you know he’s got a power arm.

Chris Haney – RHP/C – 5’11 185
Sophomore
Dallas Baptist

Haney is another closer coming off a pretty good season. He finished with seven saves, a 4.64 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 42.2 innings. Haney follows in the footsteps of Dallas Baptist’s Victor Black, who came to Bourne last year and is now projected as an early pick in the draft.

Casey Harman – LHP – 6’2 200
Sophomore
Clemson

Harman has emerged as Clemson’s most consistent starting pitcher this season. He enters the regionals with a 7-3 record and a 3.86 ERA. In 74.2 innings, he has struck out 77 and walked only 12. Harman is a New England kid, hailing from South Burlington, Vermont, the same hometown as Clemson coach Jack Leggett. Harman pitched for Vermont in the NECBL last year and was picked by Baseball America as the league’s fourth-best prospect.

Austin Hudson – RHP – 6’5 195
Junior
Central Florida

Hudson is about as veteran a Cape League pitcher as you’ll ever see, and he’s had a lot of success, too. He pitched for Hyannis after his freshman year and finished with a 3.59 ERA. Last year, he quietly led the league in ERA, finishing at 1.50 in seven starts. PG Crosschecker wrote in January that Hudson looked like a second-to-fifth round talent for this year’s draft. The fact that he finished the season at UCF with a 10.98 ERA might impact that perception, and it could be why he just showed up on the Hyannis roster.

Cole Johnson – RHP – 6’3 200
Sophomore
Notre Dame

Johnson was Notre Dame’s best starter this season, finishing with a 7-3 record and a 4.47 ERA. He struck out 64 in 94.2 innings of work. Johnson was initially an invited walk-on at Notre Dame but he has had success all the way along. Last summer, he had a 2.87 ERA in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Eric Maust – RHP – 6’2 190
Junior
Notre Dame

In addition to being a member of Notre Dame’s weekend rotation, Maust is the punter for Charlie Weis and the Irish football team. This spring, Maust went 6-3 with a 4.94 ERA.

Jimmy Messer – RHP – 6’1 195
Freshman
North Carolina

Messer was a 44th-round pick out of high school last year. Since arriving in Chapel Hill, he has made nine appearances — five starts — and has posted a 6.35 ERA. Control appears to be an issue, with Messer striking out 19 but walking 15.

Kevin Moran – RHP – 6’4 205
Sophomore
Boston College

Moran is a native of Yarmouthport, so he’ll be living the dream of every young Cape League fan when he suits up for Hyannis this summer. He has certainly earned the chance. After a so-so freshman season, Moran has posted a 2.84 ERA this season, second-best on the team. He has pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen, delivering 36 strikeouts in 50.2 innings.

Dave Peterson – RHP – 6’4 200
Freshman
College of Charleston

A tall and lanky freshman, Peterson was drafted in the 40th round out of high school. He earned a starting gig right out of the gate at Charleston, where he finished his freshman season with a 7-3 record and a 5.73 ERA. He struck out 47 and walked only 15 in 77 innings.

Seth Rosin – RHP – 6’6 250
Freshman
Minnesota

A 28th-round pick out of high school, Rosin grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation and has turned in a pretty solid season for the Gophers. With the Gophers heading to a regional, Rosin has a 7-1 record, a 4.08 ERA and 58 strikeouts against 14 walks in 70.2 innings.

Will Weidig – RHP – 6’1 210
Junior
Brown

Weidig pitched for Hyannis last summer and did well, finishing with a 3.41 ERA while pitching mostly in relief. This spring, Weidig made eight starts for Brown, finishing with a 2-5 record and an 8.55 ERA.

Tyler Wilson – RHP – 6’2 185
Sophomore
Virginia

Wilson only pitched 15 innings as a freshman in Charlottesville but played in the Great Lakes League last summer and was named the league’s top prospect. This spring, Wilson has lived up to the hype, posting a 2.96 ERA while pitching in a relief role. Wilson has struck out 52 and walked only 19 in 54.2 innings.

Position Players

Dan Burkhart – C – 5’11 210 – Sophomore – Ohio State
Eddie Rohan – C/OF – 6’1 195 – Sophomore – Winthrop
Kenny Swab – C – 6’2 218 – Sophomore – Young Harris
Nick Crawford – 2B/SS – 5’9 150 – Sophomore – UAB
Dustin Harrington – SS – 5’10 187 – Sophomore – East Carolina
Cody Hawn – 1B/3B – 6’0 185 – Sophomore – Tennessee
Shane Kroker – 3B/SS – 6’4 194 – Freshman – Wake Forest
Cam Seitzer – 1B/3B – 6’5 205 – Freshman – Oklahoma
Elliot Soto – SS – 5’9 155 – Sophomore – Creighton
Jamal Austin – OF – 5’8 170 – Freshman – UAB
Jackie Bradley, Jr. – OF – 5’10 178 – Freshman – South Carolina
Casey Johnson – OF – 5’11 195 – Sophomore – Oklahoma
Johnny Ruettiger – OF – 6’2 190 – Freshman – Arizona State
Trent Whitehead – OF – 5’11 180 – Sophomore – East Carolina

Dan Burkhart – C – 5’11 210
Sophomore
Ohio State

Burkhart was part of a young nucleus that took its lumps last year. He has led the way this year as the Buckeyes grabbed a regional berth. Burkhart was named the Big 10 Player of the Year after hitting .362 with 10 home runs and 60 RBI. Burkhart also has a reputation as a leader behind the plate who handles pitchers very well.

Eddie Rohan – C/OF – 6’1 195
Sophomore
Winthrop

Listed as a catcher/outfielder/first baseman, it looks like Rohan played mostly DH this season. Wherever he was, he was hitting. He finished the year with a .348 average, 14 home runs, 53 RBI and 32 extra-base hits. Last year, Rohan tied the Winthrop freshman home run record, which was held by Daniel Carte, the 2004 Cape League MVP

Kenny Swab – C – 6’2 218
Sophomore
Young Harris

Swab has committed to play for Virginia next year, and he’s coming off a big season for Young Harris, a junior college team coached by former Hyannis manager Rick Robinson. Swab hit .342 this year with eight home runs and 59 RBI.

Nick Crawford – 2B/SS – 5’9 150
Sophomore
UAB

Crawford was a member of the C-USA all-freshman team a year ago and he followed it up with a solid sophomore season. He finished with a .292 average, one home run, 35 RBI and 15 steals.

Dustin Harrington – SS – 5’10 187
Sophomore
East Carolina

In a lineup that can flat-out mash, Harrington has been a key cog this season. After a strong freshman year, he’s hitting .323 this year with 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 27 extra-base hits.

Cody Hawn – 1B/3B – 6’0 185
Sophomore
Tennessee

After getting picked in the 23rd round out of high school in 2007, Hawn headed for Walters State CC, where he hit over .400. Drafted again in the 41st round last year, Hawn decided to enroll at Tennessee instead of signing or staying at Walters. Based on the stats, it was probably the right decision. Hawn hit .364 this season with 22 home runs and 81 RBI, in the process becoming one of the best players in the SEC.

Shane Kroker – 3B/SS – 6’4 194
Freshman
Wake Forest

A highly-touted recruit, Koker delivered a solid first season in Winston-Salem. He finished up with a .261 batting average, two home runs and 21 RBI.

Cam Seitzer – 1B/3B – 6’5 205
Freshman
Oklahoma

In a stacked lineup, Seitzer has had to fight for playing time this season. But even though he’s gotten only 25 starts, he has made an impression. He’s hitting .307 with four home runs and 21 RBI. Seitzer is the son of former Major Leaguer and former Cape Leaguer Kevin Seitzer.

Elliot Soto – SS – 5’9 155
Sophomore
Creighton

Creighton’s starting shortstop, Soto delivered a very strong sophomore season. He hit .322, second-best on the team, and drove in 26. He also stole 13 bases and committed just nine errors.

Jamal Austin – OF – 5’8 170
Freshman
UAB

A two-sport standout in high school, Austin was a 50th-round pick in last year’s draft. At UAB, he put together a good freshman season, hitting .297 with 10 extra-base hits and 20 steals.

Jackie Bradley, Jr. – OF – 5’10 178
Freshman
South Carolina

Bradley has had a fantastic freshman season at South Carolina. With the Gamecocks off to a regional, Bradley is their second-best hitter, carrying a .338 average, nine home runs and 41 RBI. Those numbers earned him an SEC all-freshman nod.

Casey Johnson – OF – 5’11 195
Sophomore
Oklahoma

A regular since day one, Johnson was second on the team in batting average as a freshman and he has delivered another solid season this year. He’s hitting .325 with seven home runs and 44 RBI.

Johnny Ruettiger – OF – 6’2 190
Freshman
Arizona State

A 35th-round pick out of high school, Ruettiger has only started 20 games for the Sun Devils, but he has certainly taken advantage of his opportunities. He’s hitting .338 with a home run, 10 RBI and eight steals. Ruettiger is the nephew of Dan “Rudy” Ruettiger, whose football career at Notre Dame was made famous by the movie “Rudy.”

Trent Whitehead – OF – 5’11 180
Sophomore
East Carolina

Whitehead hit .273 as a freshman, but he has taken a huge leap forward this season and has turned into one of the Pirates’ best hitters. He’s currently hitting .380 with six home runs, 42 RBI, and 30 extra-base hits.

COTUIT KETTLEERS
Manager: Mike Roberts
2008 Record: 24-18

When the first 2009 rosters started popping up, Cotuit’s emerged in my eyes as the most intriguing.

I’m still intrigued, for a number of reasons.

We can start with the bad news. The Kettleers’ 30-player roster has some big stars but six of the biggest are draft-eligible and projected to go very early. That means we may not see Chris Dwyer, Mike Nesseth and Drew Storen lighting up radar guns, or Robbie Shields and Tyler Townsend slugging home runs. In addition, three more players have been invited to Team USA, including UCLA freshman pitcher Gerrit Cole, a first-round pick last year.

So the intrigue with those guys now revolves around the comings and goings.

But the intrigue with the rest of the roster is rooted in some emerging talent. That’s the biggest thing I took from all the bio writing for Cotuit’s players: a lot of guys with star power and hype and track records might not make it to the Cape; but the rest might turn into stars this summer.

Go down the list of position players, and I think you’ll see that most of them fit that mold. Cameron Rupp, Kevin Keyes and Cory Vaughn were top prospects in other summer leagues last year and are coming off big college seasons. Kevin Patterson was one of the league’s stars last year and will be looking to prove himself after a so-so sophomore year. Cody Stanley, Chris Bisson, Brock Holt, Rico Noel and Jeff Rowland have had fantastic springs. Zach Cone and Zack Cox are highly-touted freshmen ready for breakout summers. The pitching staff fits the same profile, with players like Chad Bell, Seth Blair, Brandon Cumpton, Justin Grimm, Max Russell and Daniel Tillman poised for big things.

That means the summer should be an exciting time for a lot of Cotuit’s players, and that has to be a good thing.

As far as what the talent can do, I think Cotuit stacks up pretty favorably to West rivals Bourne, Wareham and Falmouth. The Kettleers pitching staff could take a big hit from the draft, with Dwyer, Nesseth, Storen and Bell all eligible. Depth could be an issue, but Blair was a standout last summer, and Russell and Tillman had tremendous seasons at D-II Florida Southern. And we can’t forget about Chance Ruffin, who’s one of the best pitchers in the country.

The lineup is probably in better shape, even if Rice’s Rick Hague ends up with Team USA. There’s power, with Vaughn, Keyes, Rupp and Patterson, and there’s serious speed potential, with four legit leadoff hitters on the roster.

All in all, I like this team. They may not have the depth of talent that Bourne and Falmouth appear to be bringing in, but I really am intrigued by all the up-and-coming talent. It should make for a fun year in Cotuit.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 4
Juniors: 4
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen: 6

Notable

• Among the draft-eligible pitchers, keep an eye on Clemson’s Chris Dwyer. If I’m placing bets on who doesn’t sign, I’m probably taking him. He’s a draft-eligible freshman (based on age), but his first-year ups and downs at Clemson underscore his development level. From what I gather, he could still go in the second or third round. If he’s planning on heading back to Clemson and proving himself further, the Cape would be a good place to start.
• The other draft-eligible pitchers are Nebraska’s Mike Nesseth, Stanford’s Drew Storen and Walters State’s Chad Bell.
• All those guys have big arms, for sure, but the biggest on Cotuit’s roster probably belongs to Gerrit Cole, the Yankees’ first-round pick last year who has a mid to upper-90s fastball. This spring, Cole led all NCAA freshmen in strikeouts with 104. I think it’s pretty likely that he goes with Team USA, but if not, he would be the highest-drafted player out of high school to play on the Cape since 2003, when John Mayberry, Jr., hit .370 for Y-D.
• Cotuit’s roster features two big freshman prospects from Vanderbilt in Sonny Gray and Navery Moore. Both were all-everything in high school, but only Gray has had sustained success in Nashville so far. He’s been invited to Team USA, but Moore hasn’t. It’ll be very interesting to see what Moore can do. He was considered the best pitcher in his high school class before Tommy John Surgery. This summer will be big for him.
• I haven’t looked closely at this, but off the top of my head, I think Seth Blair could be the league’s best returning pitcher. He had a 1.72 ERA last year, third in the league. It’s probably between him and Brandon Workman.
• The list of position players includes a pair of juniors who would be huge additions if they don’t sign right away. Robbie Shields played for Cotuit last year, and his story is well-known. Tyler Townsend is right there with Middle Tennessee’s Bryce Brentz — who’s on Harwich’s roster — for the best season among 2009 Cape Leaguers.
• Florida Southern sent Shields to Cotuit last year, and this year, it’s a pair of pitchers — Daniel Tillman and Max Russell. Both have put up great numbers this season.
• The Kettleers have some Major League bloodlines. Chance Ruffin is the son of former pitcher Bruce Ruffin, while Cory Vaughn is the son of Greg Vaughn.
• In Cameron Rupp and Cody Stanley, Cotuit has two catchers who have delivered great production. It’s not a stretch to envision both of them having big summers.
• Cotuit’s outfield is going to be really, really athletic. Kevin Keyes, Zach Cone and Cory Vaughn get that “toolsy” label, while Jeff Rowland is a great leadoff hitter for Georgia Tech. Add in Coastal Carolina leadoff man Rico Noel, who can play infield or outfield, and it’s even more impressive.
• Speaking of Noel, he should be the odds-on favorite to win the stolen base title. He’s been successful on 46 of 49 this year, and might be the first prototypical speedster on the Cape since Manny Burriss, who stole 37 bases in 2005. Blake Tekotte in 2007 kind of fits the mold, but last year, it was Tim Wheeler, a corner outfielder, who led the league.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Gerrit Cole
2. Cory Vaughn
3. Tyler Townsend
4. Chris Dwyer
5. Kevin Keyes

Pitchers

Chad Bell – LHP – 6’2 180 – Walters State CC – Sophomore
*Seth Blair – RHP – 6’2 190 – Arizona State – Sophomore
Jake Buchanan – RHP – 6’0 205 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
Gerrit Cole – RHP – 6’3 195 – UCLA – Freshman
Brandon Cumpton – RHP – 6’1 190 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Chris Dwyer – LHP – 6’2 200 – Clemson – Freshman
Matt Grace – LHP – 6’4 205 – UCLA – Sophomore
Sonny Gray – RHP – 5’10 180 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Justin Grimm – RHP – 6’4 195 – Georgia – Sophomore
Navery Moore – RHP – 6’3 205 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Mike Nesseth – RHP – 6’5 213 – Nebraska – Junior
Ryan Rodebaugh – RHP – 6’0 165 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
Chance Ruffin – RHP – 6’0 190 – Texas – Sophomore
Max Russell – LHP – 6’2 190 – Florida Southern – Sophomore
*Drew Storen – LHP – 6’2 175 – Stanford – Sophomore
Daniel Tillman – RHP – 6’1 186 – Florida Southern – Sophomore

Chad Bell – LHP – 6’2 180
Walters State CC
Sophomore

After originally committing to Memphis, Bell headed to Walters State for his freshman year with an eye on the 2008 draft. But after getting picked in the 25th round pick out of high school, he dropped to the 37th round last year. He opted to stay at Walters, where he’s had another fantastic season. He’s posted a 2.08 ERA, with 78 strikeouts in 65 innings and five complete games. He is committed to Tennessee, but he’ll be weighing his options after the draft. Bell was on Harwich’s roster this time last year, but didn’t make it to the Cape.

Seth Blair – RHP – 6’2 190
Arizona State
Sophomore

Blair was one of the most impressive pitchers on the Cape last summer, going 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA for the Kettleers. He has followed that up with a very good sophomore season in Tempe. As ASU’s third starter, he is 6-2 with a 3.42 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 71 innings.

Jake Buchanan – RHP – 6’0 205
North Carolina State
Sophomore

After a solid freshman season, Buchanan saw his ERA ballon up over six this season. He still had good strikeout numbers, with 72 in 74.1 innings.

Gerrit Cole – RHP – 6’3 195
UCLA
Freshman

Cole made national headlines last year when he turned down first-round money from the New York Yankees to go to UCLA, becoming the highest pick to enroll in college since 2002, when first-rounder John Mayberry, Jr., went to Stanford. Obviously, Cole brought a lot of hype with him to the UCLA campus and he has done a pretty good job living up to it. Despite a 4-8 record, he’s got a 3.49 ERA with 104 strikeouts and 38 walks in 85 innings. Not surprisingly, he has been invited to Team USA.

Brandon Cumpton – RHP – 6’1 190
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Cumpton had a decent summer for Cotuit last year, posting a 4.43 ERA while pitching as a starter and a reliever. As one of Tech’s weekend starters this year, Cumpton has gone 4-2 with a 4.83 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 59.2 innings.

Chris Dwyer – LHP – 6’2 200
Clemson
Freshman

Dwyer is the rare draft-eligible freshman. He’s in that position because of an extra year in elementary school and another at a prep school. He’s considered to be a second-round talent, but since he’s just a freshman, there may be some signability concerns. This spring, Dwyer had some strong starts but ended up with a 5.30 ERA. He struck out 75 in 73 innings.

Matt Grace – LHP – 6’4 205
UCLA
Sophomore

Grace put up good numbers in a relief role his freshman year and he has done the same this year. He’s got a 4.54 ERA with 33 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 39.2 innings.

Sonny Gray – RHP – 5’10 180
Vanderbilt
Freshman

Boasting a mid-90s fastball and a sharp curveball, Gray was one of the top high school pitchers in the nation a year ago, but his size, a spring injury and a strong commitment to Vanderbilt pushed him to the 27th round of the draft. He opted to honor his commitment to Vandy, where he has surged to a strong finish. For the season, he’s got a 5.14 ERA, but he’s turned in three solid starts since sliding into the rotation.

Justin Grimm – RHP – 6’4 195
Georgia
Sophomore

Grimm didn’t have a great freshman season but he has posted the best ERA — 4.19 — among Georgia’s weekend starters this year. A 13th-round pick out of high school in 2007, Grimm has struck out 67 in 73 innings.

Navery Moore – RHP – 6’3 205
Vanderbilt
Freshman

Before Tommy John surgery in 2007, Moore was considered one of the top pitchers in his class. Though he made it back for last season, his senior year, he ended up slipping to the 26th round of the draft. Like Gray, he stuck with his commitment to Vanderbilt. He has thus far seen limited action, with a 7.20 ERA in three appearances.

Mike Nesseth – RHP – 6’5 213
Nebraska
Junior

Ranked as the second-best prospect in the Northwoods League a year ago, Nesseth was looking for a big junior year after two solid seasons in Lincoln. He didn’t quite have it though, finishing with a 5.01 ERA. He did, however, strike out 73 in 64.2 innings. Nesseth will probably go in the first 10 rounds in June, so we’ll have to wait and see on his summer destination.

Ryan Rodebaugh – RHP – 6’0 165
Kennesaw State
Sophomore

On a pitching staff with two big-time prospects — Kyle Heckathorn and Chad Jenkins — Rodebaugh has shown some good things, too. Pitching in a swing role, he’s got a 4.10 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 48.1 innings of work.

Chance Ruffin – RHP – 6’0 190
Texas
Sophomore

The son of former Major Leaguer Bruce Ruffin, Chance was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season and one of the best freshman pitchers in the nation. He finished his first year with an ERA of 1.96. This season, his ERA isn’t quite as low, but he’s still one of the best in the nation. Heading into regional play, Ruffin is 9-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 100.1 innings.

Max Russell – LHP – 6’2 190
Florida Southern
Sophomore

Cotuit got a great start from D-II Florida Southern’s Robbie Shields last year, before an injury cut short his season. Shields is still projected as a high pick, and Russell will try to follow in his footsteps. He has put up fantastic numbers this year, going 10-2 with a 3.80 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 104.1 innings.

Drew Storen – LHP – 6’2 175
Stanford
Sophomore

A late-round pick because of signability, Storen had a great first season at Stanford and he added to his resume in Cotuit last summer, when he recorded five saves while posting a 2.76 ERA. This spring, he’s recorded seven saves with 66 strikeouts and just eight walks in 42.2 innings. A draft-eligible sophomore, Storen’s big arm could land him in the top two or three rounds.

Daniel Tillman – RHP – 6’1 186
Florida Southern
Sophomore

Tillman will join Russell in Cotuit, and he’s coming off a great season in his own right. While serving as Florida Southern’s closer, he has posted 12 saves to go with a 3.15 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 54.1 innings.

Position Players
Cameron Rupp – C – 6’2 235 – Texas – Sophomore
Cody Stanley – C – 5’10 200 – UNC Wilmington – Sophomore
Chris Bisson – INF – 5’11 185 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Zack Cox – INF/RHP – 6’0 215 – Arkansas – Freshman
Rick Hague – INF – 6’2 185 – Rice – Sophomore
Brock Holt – INF – 5’9 170 – Rice – Junior
Rico Noel – INF/OF – 5’9 165 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
*Kevin Patterson – 1B – 6’4 220 – Auburn – Sophomore
*Robbie Shields – INF – 6’1 195 – Florida Southern – Junior
Tyler Townsend – 1B – 6’3 215 – Florida International – Junior
Zach Cone – OF – 6’2 204 – Georgia – Freshman
Kevin Keyes – OF – 6’4 225 – Texas – Sophomore
Jeff Rowland – OF – 5’10 185 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
Cory Vaughn – OF – 6’3 225 – San Diego State – Sophomore

Cameron Rupp – C – 6’2 235
Texas
Sophomore

A late-round pick out of high school in 2007, Rupp immediately grabbed the starting catcher’s job at Texas and delivered a .309 batting average and four home runs, numbers that earned him several Freshman All-America honors. He spent the summer in the California Collegiate League, and was named the league’s third-best prospect. This season, Rupp has hit .269 with seven home runs.

Cody Stanley – C – 5’10 200
UNC Wilmington
Sophomore

After hitting .286 as a freshman, Stanley turned in a big summer in the NECBL and was tabbed by Baseball America as the league’s 10th-best prospect. He has continued his upward rise this spring with a .332 average, 12 home runs and 56 RBI. He led the team with 31 extra-base hits.

Chris Bisson – INF – 5’11 185
Kentucky
Sophomore

A middle-infielder who hails from Canada, Bisson really came on this season. In a starting role, he led the Wildcats with a .362 average and 52 RBI. He also had 14 extra-base hits and 13 steals.

Zack Cox – INF/RHP – 6’0 215
Arkansas
Freshman

Cox was rated as the 72nd best prospect in last year’s draft by Baseball America, but when he dropped to the 20th round, he decided to honor his commitment to Arkansas. Though he has a fastball that reaches the low 90s, it seems his future may be as a hitter. For now, he’s doing both. In his freshman year, he hit .266 with nine home runs. In 18 innings on the mound, he posted a 3.50 ERA with 15 strikeouts and only three walks.

Rick Hague – INF – 6’2 185
Rice
Sophomore

Hague was on Wareham’s roster last summer, but an injury kept him home and kept us from seeing one of the best young shortstops in college baseball. This year, Hague has hit .320 with nine home runs and 51 RBI. He has been invited to Team USA.

Brock Holt – INF – 5’9 170
Rice
Junior

A junior-college transfer, Holt has been a key part of Rice’s success this season. After grabbing the starting second base gig and the leadoff spot in the lineup, Holt has hit .344 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI. He’s also got 10 steals.

Rico Noel – INF/OF – 5’9 165
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore

Noel is one of several leadoff hitters on the Cotuit roster this year, but he might have the edge over the rest. This spring, he has stolen 46 bases in 49 attempts. He’s also got a .424 on-base percentage to go with a .317 batting average and seven home runs.

Kevin Patterson – 1B – 6’4 220
Auburn
Sophomore

Patterson had a steady summer for Cotuit last year and was probably the top-performing freshman in the league. He ended up hitting .296 with four home runs and a team-best 27 RBI. He also won the league’s Daniel J. Silva Sportsmanship Award. This spring at Auburn, Patterson had kind of a down a year, hitting .231 with six home runs.

Robbie Shields – INF – 6’1 195
Florida Southern
Junior

Shields was the talk of the league last year when he got off to a .349/2 HR start in 12 games. An injury derailed the rest of his season, but he still made an impression and entered the spring as a potential first or second-rounder. After hitting .345 with five home runs this spring, he’s being mentioned as a third or fourth-round talent by Baseball America.

Tyler Townsend – 1B – 6’3 215
Florida International
Junior

Recently named a first-team All-American by Louisville Slugger, Townsend had a remarkable junior season at FIU. He ended up hitting .434 with 24 home runs and 77 RBI. He finished 13th in the nation in batting average and fifth in home runs. As a junior, he’s draft-eligible this year and is sure to be rising up draft boards as we speak.

Zach Cone – OF – 6’2 204
Georgia
Freshman

Cone was the third-highest pick to attend college from last year’s draft, behind Gerrit Cole and Cone’s Georgia teammate, Chase Davidson, who’s on the Y-D roster. In a tough-to-crack Georgia lineup, Cone has gotten only 17 starts this spring. He has hit .308 with two home runs.

Kevin Keyes – OF – 6’4 225
Texas
Sophomore

A big-time prospect with a lot of tools, Keyes went in the 26th round out of high school in 2007, but honored his commitment to Texas, where he is putting together a solid career. He hit .339 as a freshman, tore up the California Collegiate League en route to top prospect honors last summer, and is hitting .293 with four home runs this year.

Jeff Rowland – OF – 5’10 185
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

Rowland had a great first season in Atlanta and hasn’t missed a beat this season. He’s hitting .348 with eight home runs and 35 RBI. He has also stolen a team-best 18 bases. Last summer, he was rated the fourth-best prospect in the Cal Ripken Senior League.

Cory Vaughn – OF – 6’3 225
San Diego State
Sophomore

The son of former Major League slugger Greg Vaughn, Cory has done some slugging of his own this season. He’s hit .329 with 10 home runs and 51 RBI for the Aztecs. He has also stolen 15 bases, tops on the team. Vaughn played in the Northwoods League last summer and impressed scouts with his enormous potential. He was tabbed by Baseball America as the league’s top prospect.

FALMOUTH COMMODORES
Manager: Jeff Trundy
2008 Record: 23-20-1

The past two seasons, the Falmouth Commodores have hovered around .500. On the surface, that doesn’t seem like a spectacular standard to live up to.

But a deeper look reveals that the last two seasons in Falmouth have been more than a little special. For one thing, the Commodores have parlayed those .500 records into back-to-back playoff appearances, the first time that’s happened for the franchise this decade.

Then there’s the talent.

The last two MVP’s — A.J. Pollock and Conor Gillaspie — wore a Falmouth uniform. Two years ago, the pitching staff was historically good, with four players who got picked in the first or second round of last year’s draft, and another — Kyle Gibson — who will be a first-round pick this year. Last year, the pitching staff was anchored by Ben Tootle, who lit up radar guns more often than anybody else in the league.

So there is, in fact, quite a bit to live up to. In terms of getting there, I’ll say this: there are a large number of possibilities.

And I mean that literally.

As of this writing, the Commodores have 39 players on their roster. They’ve got guys who will get drafted in the first three rounds. They’ve got juniors who might want another summer to prove themselves. They’ve got junior college stars itching for a chance to showcase themselves against tougher competition. They’ve got sophomores ready for their big summer. They’ve got hyped freshmen.

In short, they have everything.

Eventually, they won’t. You can’t have 39 players on a roster. But for now, you can get excited about the possibilities.

By my count, 10 players currently on the roster could get drafted this June. Some could end up in Falmouth anyway. Kentrail Davis would become perhaps the top position player prospect in the league if he comes. Trevor Coleman would be the most veteran of presences behind the plate. Mitch Mormann would assume Tootle’s spot as resident flamethrower.

The draft isn’t the only if. Hunter Morris has been invited to Team USA for a second straight year. If he comes to Falmouth, he’ll be a potential home run champion.

With all those players, things will be up in the air for awhile. Even if they don’t make it to Falmouth, though, the cupboard won’t be bare.

The pitching staff looks particularly strong, with a mix of potential and production. The offense shouldn’t be any slouch, either, with Chad Mozingo, Brian Fletcher and Todd Cunningham looking like guys who can lead the way.

The way things look right now, it’ll be awhile before we see how this Falmouth team shapes up. But whichever combination of possibilities you throw out there, it’s looking pretty good.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 7
Juniors: 6
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen: 17

Notable

• I can’t get over how many players are on this roster. In writing the stuff up above, I found myself forgetting about the players whose bios I wrote before the roster update. It’s almost like Falmouth has two teams.
• It will be very interesting to see how it shakes out, but having 10 draft-eligible players will take care of a lot of it.
• I saw Team USA play the Newport Gulls last year and Kentrail Davis was the player I was most impressed with. He’s short and squat, so he doesn’t have the kind of build that makes you take notice. But he absolutely crushes the ball. They say the ball sounds different off a great hitter’s bat, and that’s the way it was with Davis. Falmouth may just be a backup plan for him since he’s a draft-eligbile sophomore, but I’d love to see him.
• Hunter Morris is another “maybe,” who would be a huge addition if he makes it to the Cape. He was on Team USA last year and has been invited again. Though the slugging first baseman hasn’t hit for a high average this year with Auburn, he’s still the same guy who got picked in the second round in 2007.
• The freshman pitchers on the Falmouth roster look really good. Jordan Cooper, Charlie Lowell, Cecil Tanner, Taylor Wall, Scott Weissman and Tommy Collier have all had great seasons. Some of the other guys are long on potential, without the production to match yet.
• Of the 17 freshmen on the roster, 13 got drafted last year.
• One of the things that stands out about Falmouth’s roster is the number of junior-college players. And they’re all good ones. LSU commit Mitch Mormann throws in the mid-90s and might go in the first 10 rounds. His JUCO teammate Patrick Cooper could also get a call, while Tommy Collier has had the most impressive season of the three. In recent years, we haven’t seen many JUCO stars on the Cape, so I’m hoping a few of these guys end up in Falmouth. It’ll be fun to see what they can do.
• Patrick Cooper and Wichita State’s Jordan Cooper do not appear to be related.
• Jordan Cooper should be a shoo-in for a Freshman All-America nod, and he looks like a future ace for Wichita State. Last year, Cooper got drafted in the 17th round out of high school. Baseball America’s scouting report for the draft noted that he isn’t very big, but that he’s a great athlete who repeats his delivery and throw four pitches for strikes. Sounds a little bit like Mike Leake.
• Rice’s Chad Mozingo hit two home runs as a freshman and zero in the California Collegiate League last summer, when he set a league record for batting average. This spring, Mozingo has hit eight home runs. That’s dome nice development.
• Tulane pitcher Shane Farrell is the son of Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. Shane’s brother, Jeremy, played for Falmouth in 2007.
• Missouri’s Trevor Coleman, who played for Falmouth in 2008, will probably get picked in the first five or six rounds, but after what has to be considered a disappointing junior season, he might be looking for more.
• Coleman is one of three junior returnees, along with Joey Wong and Kevin Nolan. If those two make it to Falmouth, the Commodores will have one heck of a veteran infield. And Wong will be the best defensive shortstop in the league, again.
• Jason Esposito and Josh Adams look like cornerstones of a really good infield. Esposito was a seventh-round pick last year, while Adams is hitting .340 this year.
• TCU’s Walker Kelly has been on a bigger stage than most of his teammates. Pitching for Fort Worth West Side, he was one of the stars of the 2002 Little League World Series. I actually remember him very clearly. A team from my hometown of Louisville, Ky., ended up winning the whole thing and I watched most of their games. They had to go through Kelly to get there. Unlike the Little League stars who are good because they grew faster, Kelly was a pitcher through and through. Interestingly, one of the players from that Louisville team is Zach Osborne, who is currently Tennessee’s starting shortstop.
• There are a lot more notables, but I can’t mention all of them. This is what happens when you have 39 players. Just read the bios, and you should get the picture.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Kentrail Davis
2. Jordan Cooper
3. Hunter Morris
4. Chad Mozingo
5. Josh Adams

Pitchers

*Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 185 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
Mickey Brodsky – LHP – 6’0 200 – Cornell – Sophomore
Tommy Collier – RHP – 6’2 195 – San Jacinto CC – Freshman
Jordan Cooper – RHP – 6’2 200 – Wichita State – Freshman
Patrick Cooper – RHP – 6’3 – Des Moines Area CC – Sophomore
*Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
Shane Farrell – RHP – 6’4 230 – Marshall – Sophomore
Conrad Flynn – RHP – 6’3 220 – Tulane – Sophomore
Grayson Garvin – LHP – 6’6 210 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Walker Kelly – LHP – 5’11 185 – TCU – Freshman
Charlie Lowell – LHP – 6’4 225 – Wichita State – Freshman
Steve Mazur – RHP – 6’0 190 – Notre Dame – Junior
Mitch Mormann – RHP – 6’6 – Des Moines Area CC – Sophomore
Mark Pope – RHP – 6’2 204 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Cecil Tanner – RHP – 6’6 223 – Georgia – Freshman
*Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219 – Missouri – Sophomore
Taylor Wall- LHP – 6’2 180 – Rice – Freshman
Scott Weismann – RHP – 6’1 180 – Clemson – Freshman
Kyle Winkler – RHP – 5’11 195 – TCU – Freshman

Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 185
Texas Tech
Sophomore

Though he had an ERA over six, Bettis showed a lot of promise when he worked as a weekend starter for the Red Raiders in his freshman season. Since then, he has lived up to the promise, in whatever way he’s been asked to. Bettis pitched for Falmouth last summer and quietly became the ace of the staff, making eight starts and finishing with a 3-0 record, a 2.68 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. This spring, Bettis started four games, but is now Tech’s closer. He’s got seven saves, a 3.76 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 64 innings.

Mickey Brodsky – LHP – 6’0 200
Cornell
Sophomore

A southern California kid who made the trek East, Brodsky posted a 5.59 ERA for Cornell this spring. He pitched mostly in a starting role and flashed good control with 18 strikeouts and five walks in 37 innings. Though he’s just listed as a pitcher on the Falmouth roster, he’s started 40 games in the lineup, hitting .309 with three home runs.

Tommy Collier – RHP – 6’2 195
San Jacinto CC
Freshman

Collier was a 29th-round pick out of high school last year, but opted for San Jacinto, where he has posted a fantastic freshman season. He’s gone 12-1 with a 2.81 ERA and an eye-popping 115 strikeouts in 83 innings. Opponents have hit just .196 against him. I haven’t been able to find much that’s been written about Collier, but as a JUCO player, he should be eligible for the draft this year.

Jordan Cooper – RHP – 6’2 200
Wichita State
Freshman

Cooper was a highly-sought after recruit, and he has shown why in his first season. After a grabbing a starting role for a young Shockers club, Cooper has gone 8-5 with a 2.73 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 89 innings. He has two complete games to his credit. Cooper was picked in the 17th round of last year’s draft, though he was projected as a fourth or fifth rounder.

Patrick Cooper – RHP – 6’3
Des Moines Area CC
Sophomore

Cooper is another junior-college pitcher who’s a big fan of the strikeouts. He tallied 100 of them this spring in just 68 innings. He also only walked 20, while posting a 3.04 ERA. Cooper started his career at Eastern Kentucky. He was then tabbed as the top prospect in the Jayhawk League last summer, before heading off to Des Moines, a well-known baseball junior college. He has signed with Bradley for next year, but he’s also likely to get drafted somewhere in June.

Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230
Notre Dame
Sophomore

Danieli came into Notre Dame with a fair amount of hype, but he hasn’t yet had a great college season. His freshman year, he finished with a 5.00 ERA, and this year, he’s had his season derailed by an injury and has made just two appearances. In between, though, Danieli did have a pretty good summer with the Commodores last year, posting a 2.95 ERA in 12 relief appearances.

Shane Farrell – RHP – 6’4 230
Marshall
Sophomore

Farrell has somehow gone 1-6 this year for Marshall despite putting up good peripheral numbers. He’s got a 3.91 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 53 innings.

Conrad Flynn – RHP – 6’3 220
Tulane
Sophomore

Flynn’s ERA is a little higher than you would like at 4.15, but he’s been the Green Wave’s best starting pitcher this season. He’s also got a statistic that really stands out: He has struck out 55 and walked just five in 80.1 innings. That’s the best walks allowed per nine innings ratio in the country. Flynn was the Outstanding Pitcher at the JUCO World Series last year, when he led Grayson CC to the title. He was a 25th-round pick out of high school.

Grayson Garvin – LHP – 6’6 210
Vanderbilt
Freshman

Coming out of high school in Georgia, Garvin was an intriguing prospect, but with more potential than production and a strong commitment to Vanderbilt, he didn’t get picked until the 45th round in last year’s draft. This spring, he hasn’t seen a ton of action with Vandy, just eight appearances. He’s got a 6.57 ERA but some good strikeout numbers, with 18 in 12.1 innings.

Walker Kelly – LHP – 5’11 185
TCU
Freshman

Kelly played in the Little League World Series and after a great high school career, was a 50th-round pick last June. At TCU, Kelly has pitched mostly out of the bullpen, compiling a 7.71 ERA in 11 appearances. He has an impressive 18 strikeouts in 11.2 innings.

Charlie Lowell – LHP – 6’4 225
Wichita State
Freshman

Another Shocker freshman with a lot of upside, Lowell has been just as good ad Cooper in his first year on campus. He’s gone 6-2 with a 2.97 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 60.2 innings of work. Lowell was a 27th-round pick out of high school last year.

Steve Mazur – RHP – 6’0 190
Notre Dame
Junior

Mazur was named the Jayhawk League’s fifth-best prospect last summer, but it’s been a struggle in his junior season. He’s made 18 appearances and he has struck out 22 in 22 innings, but he has an ERA of 10.07.

Mitch Mormann – RHP – 6’6
Des Moines Area CC
Sophomore

Though he hasn’t posted as many strikeouts as his teammate Cooper (66 in 70.2 innings), Mormann has the bigger arm, and it’ll be taking him places. He has committed to LSU, but the draft could come calling as well. With a fastball that has touched the mid-90’s, Mormann got some attention last year and ultimately went in the 17th round of the draft. In the preseason, Mormann was ranked as the 14th best JUCO prospect by PG Crosschecker.

Mark Pope – RHP – 6’2 204
Georgia Tech
Freshman

Pope was a 17th-round pick out of high school, and he has seen a lot of action out of the bullpen for Tech this spring. The results have mixed. Pope has a 7.36 ERA.

Cecil Tanner – RHP – 6’6 223
Georgia
Freshman

A late-round pick out of high school, Tanner has been very good in his first season in Athens. In 22 appearances — five starts — he’s put up a 3.97 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 34 innings of work. That’s the best K/9 ratio on Georgia’s staff.

Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219
Missouri
Sophomore

Missouri has been waiting for Tepesch to turn into a frontline starter, but he hasn’t figured it all out yet. This season, Tepesch has struck out 78 in 76 innings, but he’s also allowed 98 hits. The result: a 6.16 ERA. He’s still a guy with a lot of potential, though, so we’ll see what he can do this summer.

Taylor Wall- LHP – 6’2 180
Rice
Freshman

A well-though of recruit, Wall slid into Rice’s starting rotation from day one and has done pretty well for himself. The lefty has a 4.23 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 29 walks in 72.1 innings of work.

Scott Weismann – RHP – 6’1 180
Clemson
Freshman

Weismann, who hails from Boxborough, Mass., has been fantastic in his first season at Clemson. In 15 appearances mostly out of the pen, he’s got a team-best 1.29 ERA. He’s allowed just 20 hits in 28 innings, and he has struck out 24. Weismann was a big prospect out of high school, and he got picked in the 18th round last year.

Kyle Winkler – RHP – 5’11 195
TCU
Freshman

A 37th-round pick out of high school, Winkler has had a little more freshman success than his TCU teammate, Walker Kelly. Pitching mostly as a starter, Winkler has posted a 4.73 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 51.1 innings. Last year, Baseball America said Winkler “may be the best high school pitcher in the state of Texas.” His size and a strong commitment to TCU kept him from going higher in the draft.

Position Players

*Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 211 – Missouri – Junior
Tom Conley – C – 6’1 225 – Massachusetts – Freshman
John Nester – C/1B – 6’0 200 – Clemson – Sophomore
Chris O’Brien – C – 6’0 195 – Wichita State – Freshman
Josh Adams – INF – 5’11 205 – Florida – Sophomore
Jason Esposito – INF – 6’2 200 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
*Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185 – Auburn – Sophomore
Scott Lawson – INF – 5’10 185 – Miami – Junior
Conner Mach – INF – 6’0 190 – Missouri – Freshman
Brad Miller – INF – 6’2 180 – Clemson – Freshman
Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205 – Auburn – Sophomore
*Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196 – Winthrop – Junior
Matt Skole – INF – 6’4 246 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Jason Stolz – INF – 6’2 197 – Clemson – Freshman
*Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 175 – Oregon State – Junior
Todd Cunningham – OF – 6’0 200 – Jacksonville State – Sophomore
Kentrail Davis – OF – 5’9 200 – Tennessee – Sophomore
Matt Grosso – OF – 5’10 – 170 – Notre Dame – Junior
Chad Mozingo – OF – 5’11 185 – Rice – Sophomore
P.J. Polk – OF – 5’10 180 – Tennessee – Sophomore

Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 211
Missouri
Junior

Coleman was one of the more consistent catcher on the Cape last year. He started every game of Falmouth’s season — the only Commodore to do so — and finished with a .244 batting average. He was hoping for a big junior season at Missouri, but it hasn’t fully materialized. He’s hitting .250 with six home runs, and that kind of performance could hurt his draft stock. Baseball America currently has him projected as fifth or sixth rounder.

Tom Conley – C – 6’1 225
Massachusetts
Freshman

A Boston schoolboy star at BC High, Conley headed to Amherst and turned in a solid first season. Playing in 49 games, Conley hit .309 with a home run and 15 RBI.

John Nester – C/1B – 6’0 200
Clemson
Sophomore

Nester had a decent freshman season before struggling in the Coastal Plain League last summer. He’s bounced back with a good sophomore season, hitting .315 with five home runs and 31 RBI.

Chris O’Brien – C – 6’0 195
Wichita State
Freshman

O’Brien has alternated between catcher and DH in his first season in Wichita, with a decent amount of success. He’s hitting .256 with five home runs and 11 doubles.

Josh Adams – INF – 5’11 205
Florida
Sophomore

Last year, Adams became the first Florida freshman since 1991 to be named first-team all-SEC. He has followed up that campaign with another that’s worthy of a nod. Playing mostly at second base, Adams is hitting .341 with seven home runs and 46 RBI. A 30th round pick out of high school, Adams has only helped himself with his first two seasons in Gainesville.

Jason Esposito – INF – 6’2 200
Vanderbilt
Freshman

Esposito, a seventh-round pick last year, became one of the highest unsigned picks when he opted to honor his commitment to Vanderbilt. Rated in the preseason as the 39th best freshman in the nation by Baseball America, Esposito has turned in a pretty good season. He’s hitting .294 with four home runs and 38 RBI while lining up as Vandy’s starting third baseman.

Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185
Auburn
Sophomore

A late-round pick out of high school two years ago, Fletcher hit .324 with 10 home runs in his freshman year, which prompted a Team USA invite. He didn’t make the final roster so he headed for Falmouth, where he struggled most of the summer. But this year, he’s having another great spring, with a .294 average and 16 home runs.

Scott Lawson – INF – 5’10 185
Miami
Junior

After leading Grayson Community College to the College World Series title last year, Lawson came to Miami and immediately made his presence felt. As the Hurricanes’ starting second baseman, Lawson has hit .340 with four home runs and a team-best 20 doubles.

Conner Mach – INF – 6’0 190
Missouri
Freshman

Mach has had a decent first season in Columbia, posting a .252 average with two home runs. Conner’s brother, Kyle, is a senior on the Missouri squad.

Brad Miller – INF – 6’2 180
Clemson
Freshman

A 39th-round pick last year who grabbed Clemson’s shortstop job, Miller has started every game of his first season, and he’s been solid. He’s currently hitting .277 with three home runs and 33 rbi.

Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205
Auburn
Sophomore

Morris was a second-round pick out of high school, but stick with Auburn. Obviously, he’s a guy who’s been on scouts’ radar for a long time, and he’s still very much on it. His freshman year, he hit .351 with 11 home runs, earning SEC freshman of the year honors. He then played for Team USA. His sophomore year has seen a dip in batting average (to .284), but he still has 12 home runs.

Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196
Winthrop
Junior

Nolan was the star of Cape League opening night last year, going 4-for-5 with two RBI as Falmouth topped Wareham. It would have been tough to go up from there and Nolan didn’t, but he still had a good summer. He finished with a .255 average and two home runs. This spring, Nolan has hit .385 with 15 doubles.

Matt Skole – INF – 6’4 246
Georgia Tech
Freshman

His bio highlights his power potential, and he has lived up to it in his freshman season. Skole is hitting .301 with 15 home runs and 50 RBI. Roughly a fourth of his hits have been home runs.

Jason Stolz – INF – 6’2 197
Clemson
Freshman

Another late-round pick who made it to Clemson, Stolz didn’t get tabbed for a starting job from day one like Miller, but he has pushed for playing time from day one. While playing in 47 of the team’s 56 games, Stolz has hit .341.

Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 175
Oregon State
Junior

Probably the Cape’s best defensive shortstop each of the past two seasons, Wong might find himself making a third trip to Falmouth. He hit .256 last summer and made just two errors, but in the midst of his junior season, he still hasn’t seen his bat come alive. He’s currently hitting .268 for Oregon State.

Todd Cunningham – OF – 6’0 200
Jacksonville State
Sophomore

The OVC freshman of the year last season, Cunningham has picked up right where he left off as sophomore. He’s got a .343 average with seven home runs and 40 RBI. He’s also got nine triples and 14 doubles, which gives him a team-best 30 extra-base hits. Last summer, Cunningham played in the Texas Collegiate League and hit .310.

Kentrail Davis – OF – 5’9 200
Tennessee
Sophomore

Davis is one of the more intriguing high-level prospects for the upcoming draft. As a sophomore, he’ll have some leverage, but he might not need it if he goes as high as some projections, which have him in the first or second round. Davis had a big freshman campaign for Tennessee last year then flashed tons of potential for Team USA before getting hurt and missing most of the summer. This spring, he has hit .308 with nine home runs. Davis was a 14th-round pick out of high school.

Matt Grosso – OF – 5’10 – 170
Notre Dame
Junior

Grosso arrived at Notre Dame last year but had to sit out because he had transferred twice, from Connecticut to Maine and then to Notre Dame. This season, Grosso has played in only 20 games and has hit .159. He was a high school teammate of A.J. Pollock, last year’s Cape League MVP.

Chad Mozingo – OF – 5’11 185
Rice
Sophomore

After a good freshman campaign, Mozingo vaulted himself into the next level with a huge summer in the California Collegiate League. He hit .470, a new league record and finished second in league MVP voting. This spring, Mozingo is hitting .331 with seven home runs and 44 RBI.

P.J. Polk – OF – 5’10 180
Tennessee
Sophomore

Polk had a very good freshman season with the Vols and he has stayed on pace this year. He’s batting .298 with three home runs and 21 RBI.

The Falmouth preview was all set to go. Then I went to check one last thing on their web site and saw that they had added 17 new players to their roster. Seventeen! Their roster wasn’t full so I had a feeling this was coming. I did not expect them to add almost as many players as they had on the roster to begin with.

So I’m going to go write some more bios. Hopefully, I will still get the post up today.

In the meantime, check out the new additions. They include Tennessee’s draft-eligible sophomore Kentrail Davis, who’s projected a first or second-rounder. Maybe he’ll try to get some more bargaining power with a trip to Falmouth.

After months as the only ones who hadn’t, Chatham and Harwich have released their rosters. It looks like Harwich did it yesterday, while the Anglers posted theirs today. I’ll get into much more detail when I get to their early looks. For now:

We’ve got four returnees from Chatham — Matt Harvey, Jacob Thompson, Kevin Scanlan and Addison Johnson, who played in ’07. Johnson missed all of last season at Clemson and has struggled this year, so he’ll be trying to work his way back into form. Scanlan only saw limited action.

The roster also includes five Cape Leaguers who players for other teams last year: Vanderbilt closer Russell Brewer (Hyannis ’08), UNC’s Patrick Johnson (Harwich ’08), South Carolina’s Whit Merrifield (Y-D ’08), Clemson’s Jeff Schaus (Cotuit ’08) and Baylor’s Shawn Tolleson (Y-D ’08). I don’t recall a team ever having that many players from other Cape League squads.

Some other names of note: Southern Cal freshman Ricky Oropesa, who’s hitting .318 with 12 home runs and Baylor freshman Logan Verrett, who has 60 strikeouts in 52 innings.

As for the Mariners, they’ll have two returnees from their championship squad — Notre Dame pitcher Brian Dupra and LSU shortstop D.J. LeMahieu. Keep in mind that LeMahieu is a draft-eligible sophomore who could go in the top two or three rounds. Harwich has two players from other teams: Alabama’s Ross Wilson (Bourne ’08) and North Carolina’s Nate Striz (Falmouth ’08).

Middle Tennessee State’s Bryce Brentz, who’s having an astounding season (.485, 27 home runs), is on the roster but has also been invited to Team USA. North Carolina’s Levi Michael and Virginia’s Phil Gosselin and Dan Grovatt have had great years in the ACC. LSU’s Leon Landry and Auburn’s Trent Mummey have been great in the SEC. Those guys alone should give Harwich a really strong offense.

The pitching staff features Fullerton ace Daniel Renken, who’s got a 2.42 ERA.

First, let me apologize for the delay in starting the early looks. I finished most of the Wareham preview long before it went up, but work and various other things got in the way of the finishing touches. It’ll be a bit of a sprint to the finish from here on out, but so far, so good. I’m working on Falmouth right now.

Roster News

• Some teams haven’t updated anything in a while, but Cotuit is doing a real nice job of documenting the comings and goings. Unfortunately for the Kettleers, there are some big goings. Texas A&M pitcher Barrett Loux, Santa Clara pitcher Thain Simon, Florida State pitcher Sean Gilmartin and Georgia outfielder Johnathan Taylor have all had their contracts released. Loux is one of the better prospects for the 2010 draft, Gilmartin has been FSU’s ace this season and Taylor has been a star freshman for the Bulldogs. Big losses all around, and Cotuit might yet have to deal with a few more. Rick Hague, Gerrit Cole and Sonny Gray have all been invited to Team USA.
• Hyannis has also posted a few updates, the biggest of which is the subtraction of Danny Hultzen. The Virginia lefty has been probably the top freshman pitcher in the nation this year, and he’s on the Team USA invite list. With him off the Hyannis roster, I guess there’s no doubt he’s going. Elon pitcher Tom Girdwood has also been invited, though he’s still listed on the Hyannis roster.
• One guy who’s still slated for Hyannis is Tennessee’s Cody Hawn, and he’s a guy worth getting excited about. I’ll get to the details in the Hyannis preview, but when I was looking at Blake Forsythe’s numbers, I saw Hawn and thought, “Wow, I hope he’s coming to the Cape.” The numbers that catch your eye: .364, 22 HR, 81 RBI.
• Dear Chatham and Harwich: Are you guys going to have players this year or what? Love, Everyone.

Draft News

• The draft is less than a month away (June 9), and, as always, plenty of former Cape Leaguers are in the middle of things. Baseball America came out with its first mock draft this week. It’s subscriber content, but I can tell you that 13 of the projected first-rounders are former Cape Leaguers.
• Grant Green, projected as a possible No. 2 pick after his huge summer on the Cape, has seen his stock drop a little bit. He’s had a good season, but not a great season at USC, with his three home runs and 15 errors standing out as red flags. Still, Green probably won’t drop out of the top 10.
• Dustin Ackley, who played briefly for Harwich last year, seems to have passed Green as the top college hitter. Where Green’s junior season hasn’t been perfect, Ackley’s has. He’s hitting .405 with 17 home runs.
• In a draft that’s real light on college bats, former Orleans Cardinal Tim Wheeler is stepping into the vacuum as a legitimate first-rounder. The Sacramento State was an all-star on the Cape last year and led the league in stolen bases, which was pretty remarkable for a 6’4 corner outfielder. He’s added power to the equation this spring, blasting 18 home runs to go along with 15 steals and a .385 batting average. He could vault into the top half of the first round.
• LSU two-sport standout Jared Mitchell made the briefest of appearances on the Cape last summer, playing in five games for Y-D before departing for football practice. But baseball will be calling in a big way in June, with Mitchell getting projected as a first-rounder.
• For the third year in a row, the first pick will not be a former Cape Leaguer (assuming the Nats pick Stephen Strasburg). The last Cape Leaguer to go No. 1 overall was Luke Hochevar in 2006, and he had just a brief stint with Cotuit after his freshman year.

BOURNE BRAVES
Manager: Harvey Shapiro
2008 Record: 23-20-1

As I went to write this, prepared to use the typical “talk about last year, transition into this year” form, I realized something. I remember very little about the 2008 Bourne Braves. I’m not sure why this is. They had one of the best hitters, and best stories, in the league in Marc Krauss. They also had Nick McCully, the Pitcher of the Year.

The Braves may have been not-so-memorable last year, but they were also good, winning their last five games to force a tiebreaker with Falmouth. And this year, when I first looked at their roster, I wasn’t overly impressed.

Now, I am fairly impressed.

Bourne has put together a talented group. In fact, I’d call it the most talented roster they’ve had in the last three years. There’s a danger there, of course, and four players have already been invited to Team USA, with more rounds of invites left to come. But even if they take some hits in that department, the Braves are going to bring some talent over the bridge. After all, they have 31 players on the roster, so they’ve got some contingency plans.

It starts with some top-shelf sophomores. Alex Wimmers is one of the top pitchers in the country and Drew Pomeranz isn’t far behind, particularly in terms of prospect status. Cody Wheeler has turned into Coastal Carolina’s ace this season, ahead of the aforementioned McCully, and he’s slated to be in Bourne, too. Dan Mahoney, Seth Maness and Kevin Munson are also big-time arms.

But I think the real strength of this team could be its offense, which has a ton of depth, more than any Cape League team had at this time last year. Blake Forsythe is arguably the top offensive catcher in the country and Anthony Rendon might be the top freshman hitter in the country. Tyler Holt is an average and on-base machine who’s got great speed, as well. Ben Klafczynski is an all-american caliber player, as is Scott Woodward, who played for Team USA last year. Ryan Lockwood was the National Freshman of the Year last season, according to several sources. Dominic D’Anna, Paul Karmas, Josh Richmond Stefen Romero are legit college hitters, and middle infielders Pierre LePage, Michael Mooney and Zack McPhee look very good, as well.

If it seems like I just mentioned an entire roster, it’s because there’s just that many names worth mentioning. Not all of these players will be in Bourne, of course. Forsythe, Rendon, Pomeranz and Wheeler have already gotten the Team USA call, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Wimmers and Holt get an invite in the next round.

But there’s talent here, even without some of the top-line prospects. It could be an interesting summer in Bourne.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 24
Freshmen: 6

Notable

• To give you another example of how good this roster looks, I really would have preferred to make the “Five Players” feature below a “Ten Players” feature. For some teams, it’s tough to fill the list. For the Braves, it was tough to cut it down.
• With their one returning player — Pierre LePage — Bourne has one more returning player than it had last season. While some teams are heavy on returning players every year, Bourne never seems to be one of them. The fact that they don’t take many freshmen probably has a lot to do with it. They had six frosh last year, same as this year.
• I haven’t gone through every roster in detail, but numbers-wise, we probably won’t see a better pitcher on the Cape than Ohio State’s Alex Wimmers. He’s having one hell of a sophomore season, with 110 strikeouts and an ERA under three. To this point, he hasn’t been tabbed for Team USA, but like I said above, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets an invite. I actually would be surprised if he didn’t.
• If Wimmers does get an invite he would join Drew Pomeranz and Cody Wheeler as Braves starters with Team USA calling. If all three of those guys somehow make it to Bourne, we’re looking at a crazy 1-2-3 punch atop the starting rotation.
• Tanner Robles has not had a great career at Oregon State, but he was one of the top prep pitchers in the nation two years ago. He’ll be out to prove something this summer.
• The other thing that strikes me about Bourne’s pitching staff is the potential bullpen depth. Virginia’s Robert Morey and Connecticut’s Dan Mahoney have been bullpen guys through and through this season and should be there again this summer. To have two successful setup/middle reliever types like that is a good situation, I think. Better than having guys who pitched in swing roles all season trying to get used to bullpen work. UPDATE (5/29): Morey is actually now a starter for Virginia. My mistake.
• Bourne should also have a dynamite closer. James Madison’s Kevin Munson has nine saves this year with a ridiculous 62 strikeouts in 43.1 innings.
• In terms of the offense, Anthony Rendon and Blake Forsythe have both been invited to Team USA, but there’s still a lot to like behind those two. Oh, and if they should make it to Bourne, they’d be two of my top 10 players coming into the season.
• Tyler Holt might not be a true five-tool talent, but I think he’s pretty close. With a great average, decent power numbers and great speed, he’ll be an exciting player to watch.
• Ben Klafczynski has already been entered into my spellcheck so it doesn’t come up with a red line every time I type it. The problem is, you still have to spell it right, which I did not do just now. By the way, he’s good.
• In case you can’t glean it from the bios below, there isn’t a single Bourne position player who’s having a bad season right now. In a league where rosters are sketched out six months before the college season begins, that’s pretty remarkable.
• Here’s a name to keep an eye on in early June: Ryan Lockwood. After taking a medical redshirt two years ago, he was one of the nation’s top hitters in 2008 and was tabbed by several publications as the country’s best freshman. Since he’s been in college three years, he’ll be draft-eligible this year. I said when the roster first came out that I would be surprised to see Lockwood in Bourne. However, in the midst of a season where his average is down over 100 points (it’s still good at .295), there might be a need to raise his stock with some time on the Cape. We’ll see.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Alex Wimmers
2. Anthony Rendon
3. Blake Forsythe
4. Drew Pomeranz
5. Tyler Holt

Pitchers

Eric Cantrell – RHP – 6’4 200 – George Washington – Sophomore
Michael Dimock – RHP – 6’2 177 – Wake Forest – Freshman
Kenny Ferrer – RHP – 6’2 225 – Elon – Sophomore
Stephen Harrold – RHP – 6’2 208 – UNC Wilmington – Sophomore
Dan Mahoney – RHP – 6’4 204 – UConn – Sophomore
Seth Maness – RHP – 6’0 180 – East Carolina – Sophomore
Robert Morey – RHP – 6’1 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
Kevin Munson – RHP – 6’2 180 – James Madison – Sophomore
Turner Phelps – RHP – 6’3 180 – James Madison – Sophomore
Drew Pomeranz – LHP – 6’5 231 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Justin Poovey – RHP – 6’0 195 – Florida – RS Freshman
Michael Rocha – RHP – 5’10 210 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Cameron Roth – LHP – 6’2 185 – UNC Wilmington – Sophomore
Cody Wheeler – LHP – 5’11 150 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
Alex Wimmers – RHP – 6’2 195 – Ohio State – Sophomore

Eric Cantrell – RHP – 6’4 200
George Washington
Sophomore

Cantrell was a member of the A-10 all-rookie team last year after spending the season as a starter and leading the Colonials in ERA. Cantrell has reprised his starting role this year, with decent results. His ERA is a bit high at 4.66, but he’s got 56 strikeouts in 65.2 innings.

Michael Dimock – RHP – 6’2 177
Wake Forest
Freshman

Dimock is part of a big group of talented freshman hurlers who arrived in Winston-Salem this year. His first-year numbers haven’t been spectacular. Those he’s put up decent strikeout totals, he’s allowed 72 hits in 56.2 innings. His ERA is 6.83. He’s been used as both a starter and a reliever.

Kenny Ferrer – RHP – 6’2 225
Elon
Sophomore

A power arm with some potential, Ferrer has had an interesting sophomore season with the Phoenix. He’s got an ERA above five, and yet he’s toting an 8-1 record. I’m sure the Elon coaches would like a little more consistency from Ferrer, who has 47 strikeouts and 34 walks, but they’ll take the wins.

Stephen Harrold – RHP – 6’2 208
UNC Wilmington
Sophomore

Harrold inherited closer duties for the Seahawks last season and earned Freshman All-America honors from several publications after picking up six saves. Harrold hasn’t had quite as much success this year, with just one save in 18 appearances and an ERA over six. He’s also made a few starts.

Dan Mahoney – RHP – 6’4 204
UConn
Sophomore

Mahoney had a rough freshman season with the Huskies, going 0-5 with an ERA around eight. He’s been much better this year. Working exclusively out of the pen, Mahoney has posted a 4.68 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25 innings. Last summer, he was named the NECBL’s top pro prospect by PG Crosschecker.

Seth Maness – RHP – 6’0 180
East Carolina
Sophomore

Bourne has had a lot of recent success with ECU players, and Maness looks well-equipped to carry on the tradition. As a freshman, Maness went 9-2 with a 3.57 ERA, numbers that earned him a host of accolades, including Conference USA Freshman of the Year. This season Maness is 8-0 with a 4.22 ERA. In 81 innings, he has struck out 67 and walked just 14.

Robert Morey – RHP – 6’1 185
Virginia
Sophomore

Morey was a 29th-round pick out of high school in 2007 and he turned in a pretty solid freshman season before posting good numbers for the Newport Gulls in the NECBL. This season, pitching mostly out of the bullpen, Morey has been very good. He’s got a 2.74 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 42 innings.

Kevin Munson – RHP – 6’2 180
James Madison
Sophomore

Still listed as a pitcher and a catcher, Munson has focused solely on pitching this spring, with fantastic results. As JMU’s closer, Munson has saved nine games. He’s got a 3.10 ERA, and most impressively, 62 strikeouts in 43.1 innings. Munson also had great numbers last year, with 34 strikeouts in 31.2 innings.

Turner Phelps – RHP – 6’3 180
James Madison
Sophomore

Another player who’s ERA doesn’t quite match up with his record, Phelps is up over five, but he’s got an 8-1 record. Another number does match that record — Phelps has 82 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. With numbers like that, you can see why he was tabbed by Baseball America as the Colonial Athletic Association’s No. 4 prospect.

Drew Pomeranz – LHP – 6’5 231
Ole Miss
Sophomore

Pomeranz was ticketed for Bourne last year before Team USA came calling. The same could happen this year, as Pomeranz was one of the first invites. If he comes to Bourne, the Braves will be getting a star. After a great freshman season, Pomeranz has been better this year, posting a 3.58 ERA with 72 strikeouts against 26 walks in 60.1 innings. Pomeranz was a 12th-round pick out of high school and is likely to climb higher for the 2010 draft.

Justin Poovey – RHP – 6’0 195
Florida
RS Freshman

Poovey took a medical redshirt last season. This year, he’s made 11 appearances and has come in with a 6.84 ERA.

Michael Rocha – RHP – 5’10 210
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Pitching in a swing role this season, Rocha has posted a 4.06 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 51 innings of work. He played in Alaska last summer and finished the season with a 0.32 ERA.

Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200
Oregon State
Sophomore

Robles was one of the top prep pitchers in the nation two years ago, but he’s had a bit of an up-and-down career with the Beavers. Last year, his ERA was up over six. This year, he’s got a 3.42 ERA but he’s also only made six appearances.

Cameron Roth – LHP – 6’2 185
UNC Wilmington
Sophomore

After a freshman all-american season last year, Roth has had a rough go of it this season. In 10 appearances, he has a 10.12 ERA, with nine strikeouts and nine walks.

Cody Wheeler – LHP – 5’11 150
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore

Wheeler has been the best member of a great Chanticleers pitching staff this season. In 12 starts, he’s gone 9-0 with a 3.04 ERA. He has struck out 82 and walked only 22 in 77 innings of work. He also has a no-hitter to his credit this season. Wheeler is a Team USA invite, so we’ll see what happens with him.

Alex Wimmers – RHP – 6’2 195
Ohio State
Sophomore

Wimmers has been the Big 10’s best pitcher this season, and one of the best in the nation. In 13 starts, he’s gone 8-1 with a 2.75 ERA, but those aren’t even the numbers that stand out the most. He’s also got 110 strikeouts in 88.1 innings, which gives him a K/9 ratio over 11. That’s not quite Strasburg territory, but it’s still really, really good. He’s fifth in the nation in total strikeouts.

Position Players

Blake Forsythe – C – 6’2 220 – Tennessee – Sophomore
Taylor Hightower – C – 5’11 195 – Ole Miss – Freshman
Dominic D’Anna – 1B – 6’1 230 – Cal State Northridge – Sophomore
Paul Karmas – 1B/OF – 6’3 220 – St. John’s – Sophomore
*Pierre LePage – INF – 5’7 157 – UConn – Sophomore
Zack MacPhee – INF/OF – 5’9 180 – Arizona State – Freshman
Michael Mooney – INF – 5’8 160 – Florida – Junior
Anthony Rendon – INF – 5’11 170 – Rice – Freshman
Stefen Romero – INF – 6’3 225 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Austin Stadler – INF/OF/LHP – 6’2 195 – Wake Forest – Freshman
Tyler Holt – OF – 6’0 175 – Florida State – Sophomore
Ben Klafczynski – OF – 6’3 195 – Kent State – Sophomore
Ryan Lockwood – OF – 5’10 175 – South Florida – RS Sophomore
Josh Richmond – OF – 6’1 190 – Louisville – Sophomore
Scott Woodward – OF/INF – 6’1 185 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore

Blake Forsythe – C – 6’2 220
Tennessee
Sophomore

Based purely on the statistics from his freshman campaign, Forsythe didn’t look like a player who could become one of the top two or three catchers in the nation. But this season, that’s exactly what Forsythe has become. He’s hitting .348 for the Vols with 14 home runs and 43 RBI. He’s got a total of 29 extra-base hits and an on-base percentage of .490.

Taylor Hightower – C – 5’11 195
Ole Miss
Freshman

Hightower was ranked as one of the nation’s top 200 prospects and got picked in the 42nd round. At Ole Miss, he’s played in only 13 games, but has posted a .450 batting average.

Dominic D’Anna – 1B – 6’1 230
Cal State Northridge
Sophomore

After a solid freshman season in Northridge, D’Anna has been even better this year. He’s hit .326 with seven home runs and 32 RBI. He’s also made just four errors at first base.

Paul Karmas – 1B/OF – 6’3 220
St. John’s
Sophomore

Karmas had a real good freshman season with the Red Storm, and he’s duplicated it this year. He’s batting .302 with two home runs and 25 RBI.

Pierre LePage – INF – 5’7 157
UConn
Sophomore

The lone returning player for the Braves, LePage was a late-summer addition last year. He ended up holding his own and posting a .233 average while starting 15 games down the stretch. This spring, LePage has a solid season, hitting .319 with 14 doubles and 30 RBI. He’s also made just three errors.

Zack MacPhee – INF/OF – 5’9 180
Arizona State
Freshman

MacPhee was a 22nd-round pick out of high school, but opted for Arizona State, where he joined the nation’s top recruiting class. He’s been a starter at second base pretty much from day one and he has put up solid numbers. He’s currently hitting .272 with four home runs

Michael Mooney – INF – 5’8 160
Florida
Junior

A junior-college transfer, Mooney grabbed the starting shortstop job for the Gators this season and hasn’t let go. He’s hitting .333 with a .468 on-base percentage.

Anthony Rendon – INF – 5’11 170
Rice
Freshman

Rendon was highly-touted as a high school senior, and since arriving at Rice, he hasn’t disappointed even a little bit. Called a “rare talent” by legendary Rice coach Wayne Graham, Rendon has been one of the nation’s best freshmen. He’s leading the Owls with a .380 average, and he’s also got a team-high 16 home runs and 56 RBI. He has also struck out only 20 times in 192 at-bats. He’s a Team USA invitee.

Stefen Romero – INF – 6’3 225
Oregon State
Sophomore

After hitting over .400 in one junior-college season, Romero transferred to Oregon State, where he’s become one of the team’s best hitters. While starting all but one game, Romero has hit .309 with four home runs, a team-best 43 RBI and a total of 22 extra-base hits. Oddly enough for a player of his size, he’s also tied for the team lead in triples with three.

Austin Stadler – INF/OF/LHP – 6’2 195
Wake Forest
Freshman

In his first season in Winston-Salem, Stadler has done a little bit of everything and done all of it pretty well. In 40 games as a position player, Stadler has hit .267 with two home runs. In 13 appearances on the mound, he has posted a 4.13 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 52.1 innings.

Tyler Holt – OF – 6’0 175
Florida State
Sophomore

After a good freshman campaign with the Seminoles, Holt was on Cotuit’s roster but played in only three games early in the season. Based on his sophomore year, Bourne would love to have him for a full summer. Holt is among the nation’s leaders in batting average and on-base percentage, with a .404 average and a ridiculous .533 OBP. He’s also got five home runs, 22 extra-base hits and 28 steals in 31 attempts.

Ben Klafczynski – OF – 6’3 195
Kent State
Sophomore

Klafczynski hit .339 with 11 home runs as a freshman and is having a sophomore season that’s right on par with that. He’s currently toting a .323 average with five home runs, 20 doubles and 39 RBI.

Ryan Lockwood – OF – 5’10 175
South Florida
RS Sophomore

As mentioned above, Lockwood is an interesting case. He’ll likely get drafted, but if he ends up in Bourne, he should be a big-time contributor. This season, Lockwood is hitting .295 with with 13 extra-base hits and an on-base percentage of .408.

Josh Richmond – OF – 6’1 190
Louisville
Sophomore

After a pretty solid freshman season, Richmond has been very good this year. He currently has a .321 average with five home runs and 19 extra-base hits.

Scott Woodward – OF/INF – 6’1 185
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore

Woodward played for Team USA last summer, but didn’t see a ton of game action. He got into just 11 of the team’s 24 games. His sophomore season has been a good one, but it’s also been abbreviated. Woodward missed nearly a month after suffering an injury in early April. He’s back now, currently sporting a .305 batting average.