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Louisville Slugger All-Americans

Ten Cape Leaguers, past and future, were among the 17 players named Louisville Slugger First-Team All-Americans today.

Indiana’s Alex Dickerson (Wareham ’09 & ’10) and Arizona State’s Zack MacPhee (Bourne ’09 & ’10) played last year and are slated to come to the Cape again. The other former CCBL’ers are Chris Sale (Y-D ’09), Alex Wimmers (Bourne ’09), Cole Green (Wareham ’09), Yasmani Grandal (Brewster ’08) and Gary Brown (Orleans ’08 & ’09).

The other 2010 Cape Leaguers are Danny Hultzen (Hyannis), Paul Hoilman (Cotuit) and C.J. Cron (Cotuit).

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Early Look: Brewster

TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpgBrewster Whitecaps
Manager: Tom Myers
2009 Record: 17-22-5

The Brewster Whitecaps haven’t been able to put it all together in recent summers. After finishing third in 2007, they were off the pace in 2008 and 2009. Last year, they tied five games, which had to be more than a little frustrating.

As they try to put it all together this year, the Whitecaps will be starting from a pretty good spot, with a foundation of veterans.

Sort of.

The Whitecaps have just one returning player — talented Miami sophomore Harold Martinez — but there are only four freshmen on the roster. The experience is deepest in the crop of position players, where there’s just one freshman.

In a league where good pitching often beats good hitting, having so many veteran backs should really help the cause. Martinez and Troy Channing figure to lead the offense, but the Whitecaps appear to have a lot of depth. I don’t know how many stars are out there, but based on college seasons, the roster has a lot of solid hitters.

The pitching staff — like almost everybody’s at this point — is a little light on players with a lot of starting experience. But guys like Jake Barrett and Bryce Bandilla look like talented arms who are just waiting to take center stage.

All in all, I like how Brewster’s roster shapes up. The pitching probably won’t be overpowering but if things fall the right away, it should be good enough. And the offense has the experience and some versatility. The Whitecaps have a few power hitters and a few leadoff-type hitters. That could be a good recipe.

In the end, it’ll come down to what it always comes down to: teams have to execute.

If they can do that, the Whitecaps have put themselves in a position to shine.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 1
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 22
Freshmen: 4

Notable

  • Among draft-eligible sophomores who are slated for the Cape in 2010, UC Riverside catcher Rob Brantly might go the highest. (Zack Cox would have been that guy, but he’s a projected top-10 pick and isn’t even on the Cotuit roster anymore). Brantly surged into the prospect landscape with a big summer in the Northwoods League last year. He’s ranked 127 on Baseball America’s Top 200 draft prospects.

  • Troy Channing had a remarkable freshman season for St. Mary’s last year when he hit .379 with 20 home runs. He was one of those guys who burst onto the scene and wasn’t a huge prospect coming in, which is probably why he wasn’t on a Cape League roster last summer. He’s slated for Brewster and is definitely a player to watch, though he didn’t have quite as big a season this year.

  • Georgia Tech’s Luke Bard will be the third Bard brother to play on the Cape, joining Daniel (Wareham ’05) and Jared (Brewster ’09). Luke was a 16th-round pick out of high school.

  • Miami third baseman Harold Martinez was one of the freshman I was most excited about last summer. He ended up hitting .236 for Brewster but flashed some power with four homers. This year, he tied for the ACC lead in home runs with 19.

  • Baseball America ranked Arizona State’s recruiting class third in the nation heading into the season. At the top of the list was pitcher Jake Barrett, who’s set for Brewster this summer. As I understand it, it was a bit of a surprise that the third-round pick even ended up on campus. He’s been a reliever all spring, but I could see him starting for the Whitecaps.

  • Brewster could end up with a strong back end of the bullpen much like the one that helped Ole Miss grab a two-seed in a regional. Or exactly like it. Matt Crouse and Brett Huber have been impressive in the late innings for the Rebels and both are ticketed for Brewster.

  • Mike Palazzone was one of the top prep arms in the 2008 draft, but he has struggled at Georgia. We’ll see if he finds his way on the Cape.

  • The Whitecaps have four freshmen on the roster. With Brantly a likely high pick, they might be down to three, but that’s still a lot. It’ll be interesting to see how it works out.

  • Brewster also has a lot of strength on the left side of its infield. Andy Burns, Taylor Featherston and Kirk Singer have been solid shortstops in their careers, while Channing and Martinez should be two of the best third basemen on the Cape.

  • In Chris Ellison, Drew Martinez and Nathan Melendres, the Whitecaps have three speedy outfielders who have stolen a lot of bases this spring. All three have hit well, too, so they may get some chances to run.

  • Freshmen don’t always get a chance to make a big impact at Texas. When I started doing research on freshman Cohl Walla, I expected to see decent numbers in spot duty. Instead, the toolsy outfielder has been one of the best hitters on a talented Longhorns squad.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Troy Channing
    2. Harold Martinez
    3. Jake Barrett
    4. Rob Brantly
    5. Cohl Walla

    Pitchers

    Bryce Bandilla – LHP – 6’4 232 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 180 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’4 235 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Adam Conley – LHP – 6’3 178 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Matt Crouse – LHP – 6’4 173 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Jake Floethe – RHP – 6’3 205 – Cal State Fullerton – Junior
    Andrew Gagnon – RHP – 6’4 190 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Brett Huber – RHP – 6’2 209 – Ole Miss – RS Freshman
    Matt Larkins – RHP – 6’1 225 – UC Riverside – Junior
    Austin Lubinsky – RHP – 6’1 195 – Minnesota – Sophomore
    Chris Matulis – LHP – 6’5 213 – LSU – Sophomore
    Colton Murray – RHP – 6’1 202 – Kansas – Sophomore
    Mike Palazzone – RHP – 6’2 183 – Georgia – Sophomore

    * – returning player
    (Stats as of June 2)

    Bryce Bandilla – LHP – 6’4 232
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Bandilla was a 28th-round pick out of his California high school in 2008. He headed to Arizona and has had a decent go of it so far. He struggled a bit while pitching out of the bullpen last year but he’s been better as a sophomore. He’s made 26 appearances — six starts — and he has a 4.22 ERA to go with 67 strikeouts in 74.2 innings.

    Luke Bard – RHP – 6’2 180
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    The brother of Major Leaguer — and former Gateman — Daniel Bard and former Whitecap Jared Bard, Luke comes in as a highly-touted freshman. He was a 16th-round pick of the Red Sox last year so he could have played in the same system as his brother, but he opted to stick with Georgia Tech. By some measures, he has struggled this year with an ERA over seven. But he does have 25 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.

    Jake Barrett – RHP – 6’4 235
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    Barrett was a third round pick by Tampa last year and he became one of the highest unsigned picks in the country when he opted for Arizona State. Though he hasn’t made a single start for the Sun Devils, he’s been outstanding in a relief role. In 26 appearances, Barrett has a 3.29 ERA with 42 strikeouts and just nine walks in 27.1 innings.

    Adam Conley – LHP – 6’3 178
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Conley didn’t have great numbers last year but he set a school freshman record for appearances. He’s been trotted out just as frequently this year, but with much more impressive results. Pitching as the closer for the regional-bound Cougars, Conley has 11 saves and a 3.13 ERA. In 60.1 innings, he has struck out 41 and walked 17.

    Matt Crouse – LHP – 6’4 173
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Crouse played for former Hyannis manager Rick Robinson at Young Harris College last year. He transferred to Ole Miss and has made an immediate impact. Doing a little bit of everything, Crouse has posted a 5-1 record, a 3.12 ERA and an impressive 58 strikeouts in 52 innings.

    Jake Floethe – RHP – 6’3 205
    Cal State Fullerton
    Junior

    Floethe was a member of Fresno State’s magical national championship run in 2008. He made eight appearances and led the Bulldogs in ERA last year but transferred to Fullerton after the season. He is sitting out this season per NCAA transfer rules.

    Andrew Gagnon – RHP – 6’4 190
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    Gagnon has been starting since day one for Long Beach and he turned into the team’s most reliable option this year. After posting an ERA over six as a freshman, Gagnon led all Long Beach starters in ERA this season at 3.28. He struck out 65 in a team-high 93.1 innings.

    Brett Huber – RHP – 6’2 209
    Ole Miss
    RS Freshman

    Huber redshirted last year after Tommy John surgery but has come back strong and teamed up with Crouse to give the Rebels a dynamic back end of the bullpen. He has 12 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 46 innings of work. Last summer, Huber pitched in the Prospect League and was picked by Baseball America as that league’s third-best prospect.

    Matt Larkins – RHP – 6’1 225
    UC Riverside
    Junior

    Larkins had a strong sophomore season while pitching out of the bullpen last year, compiling a 4-2 record and a 3.86 ERA. Larkins pitched almost full-time as a starter this season with mixed results. He finished with a 6-5 record and a 5.34 ERA.

    Austin Lubinsky – RHP – 6’1 195
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    Lubinsky was a solid option out of the bullpen as a freshman and has pitched well for the Big 10 champion Gophers this season. The sophomore has made nine appearances and six starts. He’s 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 26 innings.

    Chris Matulis – LHP – 6’5 213
    LSU
    Sophomore

    A 48th-round pick out of high school, Matulis showed flashes of his potential as a mid-week starter last year, finishing with a 4.82 ERA. He hasn’t quite reached the potential as a starter this year. He’s 5-3 with a 5.33 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 54 innings.

    Colton Murray – RHP – 6’1 202
    Kansas
    Sophomore

    Murray has put up solid relief numbers at every stop since arriving at Kansas. As a freshman, he made 33 appearances, struck out a batter an inning and finished with a 3.23 ERA. After a strong summer in the NECBL, Murray put up a 4.83 ERA this year with 36 strikeouts in 31.2 innings.

    Mike Palazzone – RHP – 6’2 183
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Palazzone was one of the top prospects in the country as a high-schooler and he was drafted in the 18th round in 2008. He hasn’t put up great numbers at Georgia yet. After going 3-0 with a 5.13 ERA as a freshman, Palazzone moved into the weekend rotation this year. He went 4-6 with an 8.66 ERA.

    Position Players

    Rob Brantly – C – 6’2 200 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
    Mike Dowd – C – 5’9 215 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
    Tyler Ogle – C – 5’10 180 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Jeremey Schaffer – C – 6’1 205 – Tulane – Sophomore
    Andy Burns – SS – 6’2 190 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Troy Channing – 3B – 6’0 235 – St. Mary’s – Sophomore
    Taylor Featherston – SS – 6’1 175 – TCU – Sophomore
    *Harold Martinez – 3B – 6’3 200 – Miami – Sophomore
    Nathan Melendres – OF – 5’10 185 – Miami – Sophomore
    Kirk Singer – IF – 6’2 165 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Chris Ellison – OF – 6’2 180 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Derek Jones – OF – 6’0 213 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Drew Martinez – OF – 5’10 170 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Danny Oh – OF – 5’11 170 – California – Sophomore
    Cohl Walla – OF – 6’3 165 – Texas – Freshman

    * – returning player

    Rob Brantly – C – 6’2 200
    UC Riverside
    Sophomore

    Brantly is one of the top catching prospects in the country but might not make it to the Cape since he’s a draft-eligible sophomore. The top prospect in the Northwoods League a year ago, Brantly had an impressive sophomore season for Riverside. He batted .373 with seven home runs, 18 doubles and 39 RBI.

    Mike Dowd – C – 5’9 215
    Franklin Pierce
    Sophomore

    Dowd was the Northeast 10 Co-Freshman of the Year and he delivered a solid sophomore season as well. A native of East Bridgewater, Mass., Dowd hit .312 this season with six home runs, 14 doubles and 33 RBI. He helped Franklin Pierce to the Division II World Series.

    Tyler Ogle – C – 5’10 180
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Ogle didn’t see a lot of action last year but excelled when he did get the chance, hitting .545 as a pinch hitter. After a solid summer in the Texas Collegiate League, Ogle has had a productive sophomore season. With the Sooners set to host a regional, Ogle is hitting .303 with seven home runs, nine doubles and 36 RBI.

    Jeremey Schaffer – C – 6’1 205
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    Schaffer burst onto the scene in his freshman season with the Green Wave, hitting .311 and ranking sixth in Conference USA with 14 home runs. This season, Schaffer hit .286 and flashed his power potential again, finishing with 12 homers and 52 RBI.

    Andy Burns – SS – 6’2 190
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Projected as a third-to-fifth rounder out of high school, Burns made his way to the Northwoods League following his senior season and turned some heads. Despite being only 17 and facing much older competition, Burns was named the league’s ninth-best prospect. At Kentucky, he hit .287 with seven home runs as a sophomore. This year, he hit .271 with 11 home runs.

    Troy Channing – 3B – 6’0 235
    St. Mary’s
    Sophomore

    Channing had a remarkable freshman season for St. Mary’s last year. He was the WCC Freshman of the Year and was in the conversation for National Freshman of the Year honors after hitting .379 with 20 home runs, 11 doubles and 75 RBI. He came back to earth a little bit this year but still had a strong season. He hit .310 with 15 homers and 54 RBI.

    Taylor Featherston – SS – 6’1 175
    TCU
    Sophomore

    Featherston made an immediate impact as a freshman, starting all 58 games and finishing fourth on the team with a .322 batting average. As a sophomore, he’s picked up where he left off. Featherston has been a mainstay and is hitting .328 with six home runs for the regional host Horned Frogs.

    Harold Martinez – 3B – 6’3 200
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Martinez came to Miami with a lot of hype and delivered a solid freshman season, hitting .270 with nine home runs. Over the summer, he hit .236 with four home runs for Brewster. This spring, Martinez has done a little more to live up to the hype. He’s hitting .298 and he tied for the ACC lead with 19 home runs. Martinez was a 19th-round pick out of high school.

    Nathan Melendres – OF – 5’10 185
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Like Martinez, Melendres made a decent splash as a freshman and has built on his solid campaign this season. The speedy outfielder is batting .297 with six home runs, 11 doubles and 13 stolen bases.

    Kirk Singer – IF – 6’2 165
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    After getting picked in the 40th round out of high school, Singer hit .317 as a freshman. He hit .315 this season with five home runs, nine doubles and 21 RBI. He stole five bases.

    Chris Ellison – OF – 6’2 180
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Ellison had a solid first season in Norman and played last summer in the Alaska League. This season, he has been a key piece to the puzzle for the regional-bound Sooners. Batting leadoff, Ellison is hitting .331 with four home runs, nine doubles, three triples and 28 RBI. He’s reaching base at a .431 clip and he has stolen 21 bases in 24 attempts.

    Derek Jones – OF – 6’0 213
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Jones batted only .223 as a freshman but he did finish with eight home runs. He’s balanced this things out a little more this season. He’s hitting .300 with a team-best 11 home runs, 10 doubles and 40 RBI. He has also stolen nine bases in 11 attempts, so he has a little speed.

    Drew Martinez – OF – 5’10 170
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Martinez was a member of Conference USA’s All-Freshman team after leading the Tigers in hitting with a .309 average. He didn’t lead the Tigers this year, but that’s only because a teammate hit over .400. Martinez finished at .377 with 10 doubles and five triples. He was 19-for-29 on stolen base attempts.

    Danny Oh – OF – 5’11 170
    California
    Sophomore

    A high-school star in Washington, Oh had a big role as a freshman for the Bears and hit .303 with seven home runs. He’s had another solid season this year. He’s hitting .307 with two home runs and 11 doubles as Cal heads to a regional.

    Cohl Walla – OF – 6’3 165
    Texas
    Freshman

    Walla was the top-ranked member of a strong Texas recruiting class that joined the team this season. A 43rd-round pick out of high school, Walla has had no trouble cracking a lineup — and making an impact — for the powerhouse Longhorns. He’s hitting .332, good for third on the team. He also has eight home runs, 12 doubles and 13 stolen bases.

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    Early Look: Hyannis

    HyannisHawks_150.gifHyannis Harbor Hawks
    Manager: Chad Gassman
    2009 Record: 16-26-1

    New name, new identity?

    We’ll see about that second part. The first part is definitely true. The Hyannis Mets are now the Harbor Hawks. The change comes a year after Major League Baseball instituted merchandising restrictions for copyrighted names. Chatham and Orleans changed their names last year. Hyannis followed suit this year.

    On the field, there’s actually a little more stability. Chad Gassman was the third manager in three years when he took over last year, but he’s back at the helm this season.

    As for that new identity, the Harbor Hawks are bringing in the kind of group that could help establish it. In recent years, Hyannis has been in the middle of the pack or a little further back. The franchise hasn’t had a winning season since 2003. They were right in the mix in 2007 and 2008 but missed the playoffs. Last year, they never got in gear and finished 16-26-1.

    For every Cape League team, the potential is always there to completely turn things around from one year to the next. The first group of Harbor Hawks might have more potential than most: I think this is the most talented roster the team has had since 2007.

    It starts with some legitimate top-level prospects: Danny Hultzen and Jackie Bradley Jr. Both were on the roster last year, but only Bradley made it. He showed flashes of brilliance and was one of the top freshman prospects in the league. Hultzen, who just won ACC Pitcher of the Year honors, has a chance to be the top pitcher in the league.

    Thankfully for Hyannis, the talent doesn’t stop there. Oklahoma teammates Garrett Buechele and Cam Seitzer are among the top players in the Big 12 this spring. Johnny Ruettiger had a nice summer last year and has been productive for Arizona State. Joey Rickard has had a great freshman season at Arizona.

    The bad news is that all the aforementioned standouts other than Hultzen are position players. The pitching staff could have the league’s premier ace in Hultzen, but a lot of guys will have to take things to another level, based on their college numbers.

    But maybe some guys who have struggled will forge a new identity, too. If they do, they’ll be helping their team do the same thing.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 2
    Sophomores: 20
    Freshmen: 8

    Notable

  • The Harbor Hawks have three players with Major League bloodlines. Garrett Buechele is the son of Steve Buechele; Cam Seitzer’s father is Kevin Seitzer; and Tyler Thompson is the son of Robby Thompson. If all the fathers come for a visit, the crowd would have a pretty awesome infield.

  • Danny Hultzen was one of those helium guys before the 2008 draft, a player who burst onto radar screens with a jump in velocity and a big senior season. At Virginia, he’s done nothing to fall off the radar. He’s become one of the to pitchers in the country. If you get a chance to see any Virginia postseason games on TV in the coming weeks, it’s a treat to watch Hultzen.

  • You could have lost track of Jackie Bradley Jr last summer because he didn’t get off to the best of starts. But he ended up hitting .380 with eight extra-base hits in the final 18 games of the season. The way he’s playing this spring, Bradley should be avoid the bad start this year.

  • As redshirt sophomore, Garrett Buechele will be eligible for the draft this year. I hope he makes it to the Cape, though, because it seems like he’s a guy who could really emerge with a big summer.

  • It’ll be interesting to see how Hyannis uses Clemson’s Will Lamb. He’s a 6’5 pitcher and first baseman who stole 26 bases in the Coastal Plain League last summer. Whatever he does, scouts will be watching. Lamb was the top prospect in the CPL last year, according to Baseball America.

  • Is Winthrop’s Matteo D’Angelo the first native of Italy to play on the Cape? I think he might be.

  • While the pitching staff is a little short on starters with impressive numbers, the Harbor Hawks figure to have some options out of the bullpen. Virginia’s Tyler Wilson is one of the top set-up guys in the nation and he has a solid Cape League track record. South Carolina freshman Matt Price has seven saves with 57 strikeouts in 38 innings.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Danny Hultzen
    2. Jackie Bradley Jr.
    3. Garrett Buechele
    4. Cam Seitzer
    5. Johnny Ruettiger

    Pitchers

    Joey Bourgeois – RHP – 6’2 224 – LSU – Sophomore
    *Kevin Brandt – LHP/1B – 6’1 195 – East Carolina – Sophomore
    Matteo D’Angelo – RHP – 6’2 198 – Winthrop – Junior
    Matt Dermody – LHP – 6’4 190 – Iowa – Freshman
    Trent Howard – LHP – 6’2 192 – Central Michigan – Sophomore
    Danny Hultzen – LHP – 6’2 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Will Lamb – LHP/1B – 6’5 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *Jimmy Messer -RHP – 6’1 195 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Tyler Mizenko – RHP – 6’2 195 – Winthrop – Sophomore
    Matt Price – RHP – 6’1 215 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Tyler Ray – RHP – 6’1 180 – Troy – Sophomore
    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’3 230 – Florida – Sophomore
    Cody Stiles – RHP – 6’2 177 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Drew Verhagen – RHP – 6’6 215 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    *Tyler Wilson – RHP – 6’2 190 – Virginia – Junior

    * – returning player
    (Stats as of May 27)

    Joey Bourgeois – RHP – 6’2 224
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Bourgeois started his career at LSU-Eunice, a junior-college program. After going 12-2 and striking out 98 in 87 innings, Bourgeois got drafted in the 39th round then took his power arm to Baton Rouge. This season, he’s 4-1 with a 6.52 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 58 innings.

    Kevin Brandt – LHP/1B – 6’1 195
    East Carolina
    Sophomore

    Brandt pitched out of the bullpen at the beginning of last season but eventually worked his way into a starting role and ended up with solid numbers. He pitched as a starter and a reliever again for Hyannis last summer and went 1-2 with a 3.92 ERA. With a little more time in the rotation this year, Brandt has gone 3-7 with a 5.28 ERA. He has struck out 68 in 75 innings.

    Matteo D’Angelo – RHP – 6’2 198
    Winthrop
    Junior

    A native of Italy, D’Angelo blossomed after a decent freshman year and became a second-team all-conference pick last season. This year, he’s been a fixture in the rotation and is 7-5 with a 4.18 ERA. He has 71 strikeouts in 88.3 innings.

    Matt Dermody – LHP – 6’5 200
    Iowa
    Freshman

    Dermody made Iowa high-school history last year when he struck out every batter he faced in a six-inning perfect game. He got drafted by the Pirates in the 26th round but opted to stick with Iowa. He has struggled a bit this spring, with an 8.90 ERA in nine appearances.

    Trent Howard – LHP – 6’2 192
    Central Michigan
    Sophomore

    Howard had a strong debut with the Chippewas last season and followed it up with a fantastic summer. He led the Coastal Plain League in ERA at 1.01 and struck out 64 in 53.1 innings. Howard has continued the progression this spring. Pitching mostly in relief, he has gone 4-3 with a 3.52 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 53.2 innings.

    Danny Hultzen – LHP – 6’2 190
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Hultzen came to Virginia as one of the most hyped freshmen in the nation, and he has lived up to every bit of it at every turn. Last season, Hultzen was the No. 1 starter and starting first baseman on a team that made it to the College World Series. He went 9-1 with a 2.17 ERA and hit .327. He’s been atop the rotation again this year and he’s been a big reason why the Cavaliers are one of the top teams in the nation. Focusing more on pitching, Hultzen is 8-1 with a 2.08 ERA. In 86.2 innings, he has struck out 106 and walked only 20. He was recently named ACC Pitcher of the Year.

    Will Lamb – LHP/1B – 6’5 185
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    A two-way player, Lamb had a 2.45 ERA in 15 appearances and hit .236 as a freshman. The numbers weren’t much more eye-popping in the Coastal Plain League, but Lamb still turned a lot of heads. After striking out 32 in 30.1 innings and stealing 26 bases, Lamb was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. Lamb hasn’t put everything together yet but has a lot of potential. His ERA is 5.31 this spring but he’s hitting a solid .296.

    Jimmy Messer -RHP – 6’1 195
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Messer was a 44th-round pick out of high school. After a decent freshman season, he came to Hyannis last summer and had an 8.27 ERA in 10 appearances. He has put up better numbers this spring with a 3.86 ERA in 17 appearances.

    Tyler Mizenko – RHP – 6’2 195
    Winthrop
    Sophomore

    Mizenko grabbed the closer job as a freshman and ended up setting a school record for single-season saves with 14. He hasn’t matched that this year but the surrounding numbers have been just as good: Mizenko has a 3.79 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 40.1 innings.

    Matt Price – RHP – 6’1 215
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Price hasn’t just made an impact for the Gamecocks as a freshman; he’s become a dominant force out of the bullpen. The righty has saved seven games this spring and has a 2.84 ERA. In 38 innings, he has struck out 57 and walked only 15. He was recently tabbed as a second-team all-conference pick.

    Tyler Ray – RHP – 6’1 180
    Troy
    Sophomore

    Ray went 7-3 with a 4.60 ERA and earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors last season. This spring, he’s 8-3 with a 5.09 ERA. In 81.1 innings, he had struck out 50 and walked 19.

    Steven Rodriguez – LHP – 6’3 230
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Rodriguez was a 48th round pick last year and has become a valuable bullpen arm for the Gators this spring. In 17 appearances, Rodriguez has a 2.22 ERA. He has struck out 24 and walked only four in 24.1 innings of work.

    Cody Stiles – RHP – 6’2 177
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Stiles was picked in the 39th round of last year’s draft but honored his commitment to North Carolina. He’s made seven appearances in his freshman season, with a 4.50 ERA.

    Drew Verhagen – RHP – 6’6 215
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Standing 6’6, Verhagen certainly has a projectable body, but he’s had limited chances to make an impression this spring. He has pitched in six games. He has a 3.38 ERA and he has struck out 13 in 13.1 innings.

    Tyler Wilson – RHP – 6’2 190
    Virginia
    Junior

    Wilson emerged as a standout reliever as a sophomore and he’s been just as good this season. In a team-high 27 appearances, Wilson is 7-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 55 innings. Wilson pitched for Hyannis last year and had a 1.60 ERA with 28 strikeouts and just five walks.

    Position Players

    Dane Phillips – C – 6’2 195 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
    Dan Sheppard – C – 6’0 180 – Iowa – Freshman
    Michael Zunino – C – 6’1 210 – Florida – Freshman
    Garrett Buechele – 3B – 6’0 200 – Oklahoma – RS Sophomore
    Casey McElroy – SS/2B – 5’8 178 – Auburn – Sophomore
    Zach Osborne – SS – 5’7 165 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    A.J. Pettersen – SS – 5’9 160 – Minnesota – RS Sophomore
    Cam Seitzer – 1B/3B – 6’5 205 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Cody Stubbs – 1B/3B – 6’3 220 – Tennessee – Freshman
    Matt Williams – SS – 6’0 165 – Liberty – Sophomore
    *Jackie Bradley Jr. – OF – 5’11 180 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Jeff Lusardi – OF – 5’10 180 – Missouri – Sophomore
    Joey Rickard – OF – 6’1 175 – Arizona – Freshman
    *Johnny Ruettiger – OF – 6’2 190 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Tyler Thompson – OF – 6’1 185 – Florida – Sophomore

    * – returning player

    Dane Phillips – C – 6’2 195
    Oklahoma State
    Freshman

    Phillips hit almost .700 in his senior year of high school and got the attention of major programs like LSU, Texas and North Carolina. He committed to Oklahoma State and stuck with it after getting drafted in the 49th round. He has had a strong freshman season in Stillwater. Playing mostly at designated hitter, Phillips is batting .337 with three home runs, 14 doubles and 34 RBI.

    Dan Sheppard – C – 6’0 180
    Iowa
    Freshman

    Sheppard was a 30th round pick out of high school but honored his commitment to Iowa. He has seen action in 26 games this spring and is hitting .257 with one extra-base hit. Perfect Game ranked Sheppard as the top catching prospect in Illinois last year.

    Michael Zunino – C – 6’1 210
    Florida
    Freshman

    One of three top-flight catching prospects on the Florida roster, Zunino has earned a lot of playing time and has made the most of it. With starts in 45 games, Zunino is hitting .273 with eight home runs, six doubles and 35 RBI. Out of high school, he was drafted in the 30th round last year. He was ranked 163 on Baseball America’s top 200 draft prospects.

    Garrett Buechele – 3B – 6’0 200
    Oklahoma
    RS Sophomore

    After redshirting in 2008, Buechele earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors last year when he hit .353. He’s been even better this year and has emerged as one of the top players in the Big 12. The son of ex-Major Leaguer Steve Buechele, Garrett is hitting .384 with 13 home runs, 15 doubles and a team-high 59 RBI.

    Casey McElroy – SS/2B – 5’8 178
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    Last year, McElroy started at shortstop from day one for the Tigers and finished with a solid .286 average. He was the only infielder to start every game. This season, McElroy is hitting .330 with six home runs, nine doubles and 37 RBI.

    Zach Osborne – SS – 5’7 165
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Osborne made 54 starts last year, batted .281 and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. A former Little League World Series MVP, Osborne is hitting .286 this year with five home runs, nine doubles and 25 RBI.

    A.J. Pettersen – SS – 5’9 160
    Minnesota
    RS Sophomore

    Pettersen earned second-team all-conference honors last year after hitting .353. This season, he’s hitting .290 with two home runs, 12 doubles and 31 RBI. He’s been a key player for a team that won the Big 10 regular-season title.

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

    Like Buechele, Seitzer is the son of a former Major Leaguer (Kevin Seitzer), and he too is tearing it up for the Sooners. A true sophomore with a lot of potential, Seitzer is hitting .328 with a team-best 14 home runs and 51 RBI.

    Cody Stubbs – 1B/3B – 6’3 220
    Tennessee
    Freshman

    Stubbs was the Red Sox’ 29th-round pick out of high school last year. In Knoxville, he’s seen action in 46 games and is hitting .241 with three home runs. He was one of the top prospects in North Carolina coming out of high school.

    Matt Williams – SS – 6’0 165
    Liberty
    Sophomore

    Liberty has emerged as one of the top teams in the Big South this season, and Williams is a big reason why. After a solid freshman season and a .277 campaign in the Coastal Plain League, Williams has turned into a star this year. He’s hitting .367 with three home runs, 21 doubles and 28 RBI. He has also stolen eight bases.

    Jackie Bradley Jr. – OF – 5’11 180
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Bradley earned Freshman All-America honors from several publications last year and came to the Cape as one of the top prospects in his class. He struggled early but really picked things up late and ended up hitting .275 with 10 extra-base hits. A player with five-tool potential, Bradley was picked as the league’s 18th-best prospect by Baseball America. He was the fourth-best in his class. This spring, Bradley has been very good for the Gamecocks. He’s hitting .368 with nine home runs, nine doubles and 43 RBI.

    Jeff Lusardi – OF – 5’10 180
    Missouri
    RS Freshman

    Lusardi started his career at Arizona State and redshirted. He transferred to Missouri and is sitting out this season, per the NCAA’s new baseball transfer rules. Lusardi is a Missouri native.

    Joey Rickard – OF – 6’1 175
    Arizona
    Freshman

    Rickard teamed with fifth-round pick Jeff Malm to help lead Bishop Gorman High School to four consecutive Nevada state championships. A 38th-round pick, Rickard has continued his success at Arizona. He’s hitting .324 with eight home runs, eight doubles and 48 RBI. The RBI total is second on the team, and Rickard has also stolen 13 bases.

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

    Ruettiger pushed for playing time more and more last season and ended up playing a big role for the Sun Devils in the College World Series. On the Cape, Ruettiger turned heads quickly and made the all-star team. He finished the summer hitting .255. This year, Ruettiger is hitting .375 with four home runs, six triples, five doubles and 31 RBI.

    Tyler Thompson – OF – 6’1 185
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Thompson hit .235 in a limited role as a freshman but has gotten more chances this year and done a lot with them. In 44 games, Thompson is hitting .276 with two home runs, three doubles and two triples. He also has six stolen bases. Thompson is the son of former San Francisco Giant Robby Thompson.

    Posted on

    Future Commodores Take Big 12 Honors

    Kansas State’s Nick Martini was named the Big 12 Co-Player of the Year with Missouri’s Aaron Senne. Texas Tech’s Barrett Barnes was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Both Martini and Barnes are ticketed for Falmouth this summer.

    Martini finished with a league-best .415 batting average. Barnes hit .336 with 12 home runs, 19 doubles and 50 RBI.

    Posted on

    Dickerson Wins POY, Gets USA Invite

    Wareham-bound Alex Dickerson was named Big 10 Player of the Year yesterday. In a bit of news that’s not quite as good for the Gatemen, the Wareham web site reports he’s been invited to Team USA trials.

    Regardless of where Dickerson ends up this summer, congratulations to him. The honor is well-deserved. Dickerson finished the regular season hitting .419 with 23 home runs, 19 doubles and 73 RBI.

    Posted on

    Bauer off Y-D Roster

    UCLA sophomore Trevor Bauer, one of the best pitchers in the nation, is no longer on the Yarmouth-Dennis roster. If that holds, it’s a huge loss. Bauer likely would have been the top incoming pitching prospect in the league. He’s 9-3 this year with a 2.95 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 94.2 innings. He ranks sixth in the nation in strikeouts and is tops among sophomores. He’s got three more than his highly-touted teammate Gerrit Cole.

    In other changes, Vanderbilt’s Regan Flaherty, Kansas’ Lee Ridenhour and LeMoyne’s Jerome Werniuk are also no longer on the roster. There are three additions: NC State’s Cory Mazzoni, Stanford’s Brett Mooneyham and Florida’s Tommy Toledo. Mooneyham was one of the top lefties in the country coming out of high school two years ago but was considered unsignable because of his commitment to Stanford. Mooneyham has a 4.82 ERA this season as a sophomore. He has struck out 87 in 74.2 innings but he has also walked 57.

    Posted on

    Early Look: Harwich

    TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpgHarwich Mariners
    Manager: Steve Englert
    2009 Record: 18-25-1

    This preview took me about an hour longer than I expected. Just as I was writing the last of the bios, I stopped in at Harwich’s web site and saw some new names on the roster. Seven of them to be exact.

    It might be that kind of summer for the Harwich Mariners.

    Every year, someone wrestles with extreme amounts of roster turnover. Sometimes it doesn’t work out (Wareham ’08); sometimes it does (Bourne ’09). We’ll see which end of the spectrum Harwich ends up on, because at this point, it does look like the Mariners will have to do some serious shuffling. Six of their players have been invited to Team USA. Several others are on College World Series contenders. A handful are draft eligible.

    But know this: that extra hour didn’t bother me much because the seven additions make up a really talented group. If all the changes turn out the same way, the Mariners will be fine.

    As it stands now, the Mariners have a large and productive roster, particularly on the offensive side of things. LSU’s Mikie Mahtook is a familiar face for college baseball fans and he’ll be poised to make a run at Cape League top prospect honors if he doesn’t stick with Team USA. Steven Proscia is batting cleanup for the best team in the country, Levi Michael is a Cape veteran who’s having a big sophomore season. Clint Moore is perhaps the best player in Army history; Austin Nola one of the best defensive shortstops in the country. I could go on and on. There’s a lot to talk about.

    The pitching staff has some big arms, and the biggest might end up being one you’ve probably never heard of. Division II star Joe Holtmeyer is one of the recent additions. There are some strong sophomore prospects in the fold, as well as a couple of highly-touted freshman.

    It’s a good mix. But like those Wareham and Bourne teams from the past few years and countless others before them, success will hinge on a lot more than what happens on the field. That’s true of any Cape team, but it rings even truer for a team like this.

    But I didn’t mind a little extra work tonight. As they work to sort everything out — and return to the glory of their 2008 championship — I’m sure the Harwich staff won’t mind either.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 5
    Sophomores: 23
    Freshmen: 5

    Notable

  • Only two players are back for the Mariners, and one — Matt Price — is a draft-eligible sophomore. Still, with 23 sophomores and only five freshmen, the Mariners are a veteran club.

  • The term five-tool player gets thrown around a lot, but when you see Mikie Mahtook play, you’re seeing a true five-tool guy. He’s got it all.

  • LSU’s College World Series run last season was sparked in part by the emergence of three freshmen — Mahtook, Austin Nola and Matty Ott. All three are on the Harwich roster this summer, as well as the Team USA invite list.

  • Virginia’s rise to national prominence has had a pretty big impact in Harwich. Last year, the Cavaliers sent some big guns Harwich’s way and they’re doing it again this year with Steven Prosica and John Hicks. Both are having strong sophomore seasons.

  • The Mariners have two players whose brothers played in the Cape League. Tyler Pill’s brother Brett played for Orleans in 2005. Braden Kapteyn’s brother Wade played for Bourne in 2007.

  • As I mentioned above, you probably haven’t heard of Joe Holtmeyer. I hadn’t, but his is a name I’m not going to forget. Holtmeyer pitches for the University of Nebraska at Omaha and might be the first player from that school to ever play on the Cape. I think he’ll represent pretty well. Holtmeyer led Division II in strikeouts with 152, and he compiled them in just 87.1 innings. That means he struck out 1.75 batters per inning, which is unheard of. Obviously the level is different, but just for a reference point — not to compare in any way — Stephen Strasburg struck out 1.79 per inning last year. So keep an eye on Holtmeyer. It’ll be interesting to see how he does against the nation’s best.

  • Braden Kapteyn and Andrew Leenhouts were both summer standouts in other leagues last year, and they’ve been pretty impressive in their sophomore seasons. Northeastern’s Leenhouts has put up really good strikeout numbers.

  • This roster is so big that it’s tough to get a handle on the Harwich offense, but I think it’s going to be really good. The three new position players — Stewart Ijames, Taylor Motter and Max White have some of the best numbers on the team, and the team was already pretty stacked.

  • The Harwich outfield could be really special. Taylor Dugas and Mahtook are two of the best players in the SEC. Ronnier Richardson and Brian Goodwin are two of the most athletic freshmen in the country. Ijames is a power bat and Aaron Conway almost broke the Northwoods League stolen base record last summer.

  • I don’t remember many players from Army making it to the Cape, but Clint Moore looks like the perfect ambassador, in more ways than one. Not only has Moore had an outstanding career on the field, he was a finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award, a prestigious honor given to the nation’s outstanding amateur athlete. It’s based on success as well as leadership, character, sportsmanship and the ideals of amateurism.

  • Harwich could have a dynamic bullpen if things fall right. Daniel Burawa is a flamethrower for St. John’s while freshman Lex Rutledge has been dominant as Samford’s closer. Ott was one of the nation’s best closers last season.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Mikie Mahtook
    2. Steven Proscia
    3. Joe Holtmeyer
    4. Stewart Ijames
    5. Levi Michael

    Pitchers

    Daniel Burawa – RHP – 6’3 215 – St. John’s – Junior
    Dylan Floro- RHP – 6’2 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Freshman
    Sean Gilmartin – LHP – 6’2 192 – Florida State – Sophomore
    Joe Holtmeyer – RHP – 6’3 230 – Nebraska at Omaha – Sophomore
    Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’2 165 – Missouri State – Freshman
    Braden Kapteyn – RHP – 6’4 220 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Andrew Leenhouts – LHP – 6’3 190 – Northeastern – Sophomore
    Will Locante – LHP – 6’0 190 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Kyle McKenzie – RHP – 6’0 165 – Tulane – Freshman
    Adam Morgan – LHP – 6’1 180 – Alabama – Sophomore
    Matty Ott – RHP – 6’1 184 – LSU – Sophomore
    *Matt Price – RHP – 6’2 163 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Tyler Pill – RHP – 6’1 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
    Matt Ramsey – RHP – 5’10 208 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Nick Routt – LHP – 6’4 198 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’1 185 – Samford – Freshman
    Ryan Sharpley – RHP – 6’4 210 – Notre Dame – Junior
    Mike Wright – RHP – 6’5 185 – East Carolina – Sophomore

    * – returning player
    (Stats as of May 23)

    Daniel Burawa – RHP – 6’3 215
    St. John’s
    Junior

    Burawa started his career at Suffolk County Community College in New York. He transferred to St. John’s and didn’t see any action last year, but he has shined this season. Pitching as the Red Storm’s closer, he has eight saves with a 2.41 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 18.2 innings. One report I read says Burawa has run his fastball up to 95 this season.

    Dylan Floro – RHP – 6’2 180
    Cal State Fullerton
    Freshman

    Floro was projected to go as high as the second round in last year’s draft, but he lasted until the 20th and stuck with his commitment to Fullerton. The Titans are happy to have him. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen as a freshman, Floro leads the team with a 2.79 ERA. He’s 5-0 with 40 strikeouts in 58 innings. He has issued just five walks all season.

    Sean Gilmartin – LHP – 6’2 192
    Florida State
    Sophomore

    Gilmartin was one of the best freshman pitchers in the country a year ago when he went 12-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He was initially on Cotuit’s roster last year but ended up playing briefly as a position player in the NECBL instead. This spring, Gilmartin is 6-6 with a 4.63 ERA. In 83.2 innings, he has struck out 86. He’s also hitting .405 in 42 at-bats. He’s a Team USA invitee.

    Joe Holtmeyer – RHP – 6’3 230
    Nebraska at Omaha
    Sophomore

    Pitching for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a Division II program, Holtmeyer earned first-team All-American nods with an amazing season. He went 9-2 with a 2.89 ERA, but most impressively, he struck out 152 and walked just 35 in 87.1 innings. He led Division II in strikeouts by a pretty wide margin. Holtmeyer’s fastball has reportedly been clocked in the mid-90s.

    Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’2 165
    Missouri State
    Freshman

    The Rays liked Johnson enough to make him a 15th-round pick last year despite the fact that he saw limited innings in his senior season because of a broken hand. Johnson opted to attend Missouri State anyway. He has pitched as a starter and a reliever and currently has a 7.15 ERA. He has struck out almost a batter an inning, but he’s walked almost as many as he has struck out.

    Braden Kapteyn – RHP – 6’4 220
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Kapteyn was part of a talented recruiting class that arrived in Lexington last year, and he’s flashed as much potential as any member of that class. A two-way player, Kapteyn hit .319 as a freshman and had some success pitching out of the bullpen. Over the summer, he really broke out in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. On his way to being named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America, Kapteyn hit .319 with four home runs and went 4-1 with a 2.47 ERA and a remarkable 72 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. He’s hitting .294 this year and has a 4.09 ERA.

    Andrew Leenhouts – LHP – 6’3 190
    Northeastern
    Sophomore

    Leenhouts had a strong first season for the Huskies, posting a 2.37 ERA out of the bullpen. Over the summer, he was named the Atlantic Collegiate League’s sixth-best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, it’s been easy to see why scouts thought so highly of him. Leenhouts is currently 3-3 with a 3.25 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 63.2 innings.

    Will Locante – LHP – 6’0 190
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Locante made the second-most appearances by a freshman in school history last year, and though his ERA ended up over six, he struck out 31 in 21 innings. This season, Locante leads the team in appearances again and has a 7.36 ERA.

    Kyle McKenzie – RHP – 6’0 165
    Tulane
    Freshman

    A Boston native who attended Thayer Academy, McKenzie was ranked as the top prospect in Massachusetts last year. Baseball America had him labeled as eighth-to-10th round talent, but with his commitment to Tulane, he didn’t go until the 30th round. McKenzie has pitched mostly in relief for the Green Wave this year and it’s been a bit of a struggle. He has an 8.47 ERA.

    Adam Morgan – LHP – 6’1 180
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Morgan was much better as a starter last year than a reliever, posting a 2.96 ERA in nine starts and an ERA over 12 in four relief appearances. He’s starting full-time this season with mixed results. He’s currently 5-4 with a 6.38 ERA. He has struck out 58 in 72 innings, but he’s also given up 95 hits.

    Matty Ott – RHP – 6’1 184
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Ott exploded onto the college baseball scene last year when he became LSU’s closer and set a school saves record for the eventual CWS champion Tigers. He ended up with a 2.68 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. He earned several All-America nods and was also named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year. The numbers in Ott’s second season haven’t been as good. He’s got 11 saves but also a 6.64 ERA.

    Matt Price – RHP – 6’2 163
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Price had some ups and downs as a freshman pitching in the weekend rotation last year, but he followed that with a solid summer for the Mariners. He ended up with a 2.97 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. This year, Price has gone 7-3 with a 4.50 ERA. In 80 innings, he has struck out 76 and walked only 23. He’s a draft-eligible sophomore.

    Tyler Pill – RHP – 6’1 180
    Cal State Fullerton
    Sophomore

    Pill followed in the footsteps of brother Brett and made an immediate impact at Fullerton last year. Stepping into a gap in the weekend rotation, Pill set school freshman records in wins, shutouts and winning percentage. This season, Pill is 4-4 with a 3.36 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. He also sees regular action for the Titans when he’s not on the mound and he’s currently hitting .347 with five home runs. Pill has been invited to Team USA.

    Matt Ramsey – RHP – 5’10 208
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Locante, Ramsey hasn’t been lights out in his relief career, but he’s put up impressive strikeout numbers along the way. Last year, he fanned 44 in 36.1 innings. This year, he’s brought his ERA down to 4.28 while striking out 43 in 35.2 innings. Ramsey was a 46th-round pick out of high school.

    Nick Routt – LHP – 6’4 198
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Routt was a weekend starter from day one last season and charted a 4.15 ERA, good enough to earn a few Freshman All-America nods. This season, an injury sidelined Routt for a while. He’s 1-1 with a 6.52 ERA. He has struck out 21 in 19.1 innings.

    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’1 185
    Samford
    Freshman

    Rutledge was a 26th-round pick out of high school. In the midst of his outstanding freshman campaign, you can bet Samford is happy he didn’t sign. Rutledge has pitched as the team’s closer this spring and he has been impressive. He currently sports a 1.20 ERA to go with 11 saves. In 45 innings, he has struck out 61 and walked only 15.

    Ryan Sharpley – RHP – 6’4 210
    Notre Dame
    Junior

    Sharpley made his first Cape League appearance two years ago, when he pitched for Hyannis in 2008. He missed all of last spring, summer and fall with an injury. Sharpley was a top prospect coming out of high school, so the ability is there. This season, while working his way back to full strength, Sharpley has 0-1 with an 8.22 ERA in nine appearances.

    Mike Wright – RHP – 6’5 185
    East Carolina
    Sophomore

    Wright didn’t have a great first season with the Pirates but he delivered a solid summer last year in the Coastal Plain League. This spring, the tall righty has gone 2-2 with a 6.35 ERA, but some of his other numbers have been a little more impressive. In 28.1 innings, he has struck out 28 and walked only three.

    Position Players

    John Hicks – C/1B – 6’2 205 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Craig Manuel – C – 6’2 200 – Rice – Sophomore
    Pratt Maynard – C – 6’0 210 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Andrew Ciencin – INF – 6’1 205 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Dan Evatt – INF – 6’2 – 218 – Baylor – Junior
    *Levi Michael – INF – 5’11 175 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Clint Moore – INF – 5’11 190 – Army – Junior
    Taylor Motter – INF – 6’1 205 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Austin Nola – INF – 5’11 185 – LSU – Sophomore
    Steven Proscia – INF – 6’2 215 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Max White – INF – 6’0 196 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197 – East Carolina – Freshman
    Aaron Conway – OF – 5’8 170 – Missouri State – Junior
    Taylor Dugas – OF – 5’7 165 – Alabama – Sophomore
    Stewart Ijames – OF – 6’1 205 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Mikie Mahtook – OF – 6’1 196 – LSU – Sophomore
    Ronnie Richardson – OF – 5’7 175 – Central Florida – Freshman
    Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 190 – North Carolina – Freshman

    * – returning player

    John Hicks – C/1B – 6’2 205
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    As a freshman, Hicks played at several different positions and was a key part of Virginia’s run to the College World Series. He finished with a .307 average and eight home runs. This year, Hicks has settled in at first base for the top-ranked Cavaliers and has been a consistent performer while starting all but two games. He’s currently hitting .297 with seven home runs and 41 RBI.

    Craig Manuel – C – 6’2 200
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Manuel had a solid freshman season for the Owls, working his way into a fair mount of playing time and hitting .292. He also excelled behind the plate. This season, Manuel has been in a similar position and is hitting .275.

    Pratt Maynard – C – 6’0 210
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Primarily a pitcher in high school, Maynard converted to catcher at NC State and became an intriguing prospect pretty quickly. After hitting .261 as a freshman, he blossomed in the Coastal Plain League, batting .318 with four home runs. Baseball America tabbed him as the league’s third-best prospect. This spring, Maynard has continued his ascendance, hitting .286 with 10 home runs, 11 doubles and 46 RBI.

    Andrew Ciencin – 2B/3B – 6’1 205
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Ciencin broke into the starting lineup as a freshman and ended up leading the Wolfpack in batting and slugging. After a solid summer teaming with Maynard on the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plain League, Ciencin has become a force in the middle of the Wolfpack order this spring. He’s hitting .314 with nine home runs and 19 doubles, and ranks third in the ACC with 68 RBI.

    Dan Evatt – INF – 6’2 – 218
    Baylor
    Junior

    After getting picked in the 45th round out of high school in 2007, Evatt redshirted his first season in Waco. Last year, he made his debut and hit .308 for the Bears with seven home runs. This season, Evatt is hitting .213

    Levi Michael – INF – 5’11 175
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Michael graduated from high school early so that he would be enrolled at North Carolina in time for last season. Young as he was, he managed to hit .290 with 13 home runs as a freshman. After hitting .247 for Harwich last summer, Michael has emerged as an all-conference caliber player for the Tar Heels. He’s hitting a team-best .355 with eight home runs, 13 doubles and 50 RBI.

    Clint Moore – SS – 5’11 190
    Army
    Junior

    Moore has become one of the best players in Army baseball history in his three years at West Point. He hit .395 last year with 11 home runs, 18 doubles and 65 RBI, earning several All-American honors. This season, he’s hitting .311 with seven home runs, eight doubles and 33 RBI.

    Taylor Motter – INF – 6’1 205
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    Motter made a big impact for the Chanticleers as a freshman, hitting .286 and starting all but one of the team’s games. This season, Motter has been a mainstay again and he’s putting up better numbers. As a key piece of a powerful lineup, he’s currently hitting .330 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 42 RBI.

    Austin Nola – SS – 5’11 185
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Nola’s insertion into the starting lineup last year at shortstop solidified the defense and had a lot to do with LSU’s run to the national championship. Nola ended up hitting .240 but excelled with the glove. Over the summer, he was named the eighth-best prospect in the Prospect League by Baseball America. This year, he’s hitting .316 with five home runs, 12 doubles and 46 RBI. In the field, he’s made six errors all season. Nola has been invited to Team USA.

    Steven Proscia – 3B – 6’2 215
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Proscia hit .333 with 10 home runs as a freshman and was predicted by Baseball America to be a breakout star this season. While his numbers haven’t been eye-popping, all you need to know is that Proscia hasn’t moved from the clean-up spot all year for the No. 1 team in the country. And the numbers have been good: he’s hitting .317 with eight home runs, 16 doubles and a team-best 58 RBI.

    Max White – INF – 6’0 196
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    White was one of the top high school players in Oklahoma and he has lived up to the potential this season in Norman. He’s hitting .321 with 14 home runs, 11 doubles and 39 RBI.

    John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197
    East Carolina
    Freshman

    Wooten was a 20th-round pick out of high school last year and he has made an immediate impact in his first season with the Pirates. While starting almost all of ECU’s games, Wooten has hit .311 with nine home runs, 10 doubles and 40 RBI. He was projected to contend for a starting job at first base, but he has settled in at shortstop instead. He’s also been batting cleanup.

    Aaron Conway – OF – 5’8 170
    Missouri State
    Junior

    Conway has been pretty steady in his Missouri State career, hitting around .300 and bringing plenty of speed to the table. After stealing 18 bases in the spring of last year, he stole 44 in 47 tries in the Northwoods League over the summer, coming one shy of the league record. This season, Conway is hitting .286 with seven homers, seven doubles and 23 steals.

    Taylor Dugas – OF – 5’7 165
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Dugas hit .352 and earned Freshman All-America recognition last year, but had vaulted to another level this year. As a fixture atop the Crimson Tide lineup, Dugas finished the regular season ranked fourth in the SEC with a .404 batting average. He hit 13 doubles, four triples and a home run and also stole 17 bases. Dugas has been invited to Team USA.

    Stewart Ijames – OF – 6’1 205
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Ijames had a fantastic freshman year in Louisville before an injury cost him his sophomore season. He got healthy in time for the summer, though, and was named the eighth-best prospect in the Coastal Plain League by Baseball America. Back with the Cards this season, Ijames is hitting .344 with 12 home runs, 16 doubles and 57 RBI.

    Mikie Mahtook – OF – 6’1 196
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Like his teammate Nola, Mahtook emerged as a freshman and was a key piece of LSU’s championship run. Mahtook is an athletic center-fielder with five-tool potential, and he’s living up to it this season. As one of the top sophomores in the country, Mahtook is hitting .333 with 13 homers, 18 doubles, 46 RBI and 22 stolen bases. Also like Nola, Mahtook is a Team USA invitee.

    Ronnie Richardson – OF – 5’7 175
    Central Florida
    Freshman

    Richardson was drafted in the 11th round last year out of high school, largely because of his tremendous speed, which rates as a 70 on the 20-80 scale. He opted not to sign with the Twins and he’s had a solid first season with Central Florida. He’s hitting .297 with four homers, nine doubles, two triples and 12 stolen bases.

    Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 190
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Goodwin follows in a long line of talented Tar Heel freshman who’ve come to the Cape over the years. An athletic outfielder, Goodwin was drafted in the 17th round last June and had been projected to go even higher. When he opted not to sign, he became one of the most hyped incoming freshman in the land. In his first season, he’s hitting .293 with seven home runs, 12 doubles and seven triples.

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    2010 Spotlight: Alex Dickerson

    3539144-1.jpegAround this time last year, the Wareham Gatemen had just found a spot for Alex Dickerson. He was initially a non-roster invitee, but roster changes eventually allowed Dickerson to get a permanent spot.

    Bringing Dickerson on board was a good move then. He burst onto the scene in his first year at Indiana and was on his way to being named Big 10 Freshman of the Year. The Gatemen were thrilled to lock him up, even if he only hit .224 over the summer.

    Now, it’s looking like a great move.

    The sophomore outfielder has become one of the top hitters in the country this season and should contend for Big 10 Player of the Year honors. He’s hitting .414 with 22 home runs, 18 doubles and 69 RBI. He leads the Big 10 in the Triple Crown categories. He ranks fourth nationally in home runs, is tied for 14th in RBI and checks in at 44 in batting average. Only a handful of players are up that high in all three.

    Pretty amazing for a guy who grew up in San Diego but drew little interest from big-time California programs.

    Now they all wish they had him. Just like the rest of the Cape League teams.

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    New Firebirds

    Vanderbilt sophomore Jason Esposito is now listed on Orleans’ online roster, as expected. And he’s not the only addition.

    USC sophomore infielder Taylor Wrenn was on the first roster Orleans released but wasn’t listed when I was writing the preview. He’s back on there now. Wrenn was a 25th-round pick out of junior college last year and is hitting .258 this spring.

    Also on the roster is Arizona State junior Matt Newman. The outfielder/pitcher hit .305 last spring and spent the summer with Team USA. He’s hitting .264 with 18 extra-base hits this year. He hasn’t pitched at all.

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    Early Look: Falmouth

    falmouthlogo.gifFalmouth Commodores
    Manager: Jeff Trundy
    2009 Record: 17-24-2

    Falmouth has had as many great players as any team in the league the last few years, from Conor Gillaspie and Aaron Crow in 2007, to A.J. Pollock in 2008 and Todd Cunningham in 2009. In fact, a Commodore has won the last three batting titles.

    This year, Falmouth has a roster full of players whose college seasons indicate they can be the next great Commodore. As a franchise, Falmouth will just be looking for a different result.

    Despite all the individual success, the Commodores didn’t win a Cape League title in the last few years and they haven’t won one since 1980. Even in ’07, when Gillaspie was the top hitter and the pitching staff featured five players who would end up being drafted in the first two rounds, the Commodores couldn’t get over the hump. They lost to a once-in-a-decade Y-D team in the championship.

    Last year, the Commodores suffered their first losing season since 2003. The offense was among the strongest in the league, and the pitching staff was in the middle of the pack. But the team never got hot, and the result was a summer without a playoff appearance.

    To get back, the Commodores are bringing in a relatively young team, but one that appears to have a pretty high ceiling.

    There are no juniors on the roster for now. That will probably change along with some other things — the roster lacks a catcher — but the nucleus of the team as it’s constituted now is young and talented. The pitching staff features Matt Purke, who will be the most hyped freshman pitcher on the Cape in quite a while if he doesn’t go with Team USA. There are four other freshman who look like potential stars, along with a strong group of sophomores. Kyle Winkler, Taylor Wall and Mark Pope all had Cape League success last summer and are poised for more of it after solid college seasons.

    As with every team I’ve written about so far, Falmouth’s offense looks very good. I don’t know if that means we’ll see more offensive talent than usual, but whatever the case may be, the Commodores should be able to keep pace. B.A. Vollmuth is probably the league’s top returning prospect among position players, while Matt Skole, K.C. Serna, Kevin Medrano and Nick Martini look like anchors of a potent attack. Barrett Barnes is also there, and he’s one of the top freshman hitters in the country.

    It’s enough to make me think the Commodores will be in the mix. If the stars are bright again, all the better.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 8
    Juniors: 0
    Sophomores: 17
    Freshmen: 8

    Notable

  • Matt Purke: you’ve probably heard of him. Last year, he was the 14th overall pick in the Major League draft but he went unsigned and headed to TCU. He’s been among the best freshman pitchers in the country just as you’d expect. He has been invited to Team USA, but he’s a guy who will be eligible for the draft as a sophomore, so a summer of Cape scouting could be a nice draw for him.

  • Sticking with TCU, Kaleb Merck and Kyle Winkler will also be coming to the Falmouth, though Winkler is another USA invitee. Merck is an undersized flamethrower while Winkler is a polished pitcher through and through. Both should be very good.

  • Charlie Lowell was one of two highly-touted Wichita State freshmen to come to Falmouth last year. With the other, Jordan Cooper, eligible for the draft as a sophomore, Lowell is currently slated to fly solo this year.

  • The Commodores have a ton of left-handed pitching and by the looks of it, a ton of good left-handed pitching. Andrew Heaney, Brian Johnson, Christian Jones and Purke are all freshmen with success under their belts. Lowell, Taylor Wall and Nick Maronde are sophomores who have also been good.

  • Georgia’s Cecil Tanner has walked almost twice as many as he struck out this season, but scouts will be watching him. In the college preseason, I saw lots of mentions of Tanner as one of the top arms in his class. He just needs to figure it out.

  • I saw Florida’s Brian Johnson pitch on ESPNU and college baseball analyst Kyle Peterson was raving about him. He’s a lefty with a full arsenal.

  • I wrote last week that Nick Martini could win Falmouth a fourth straight batting title. He certainly could, but he’s not the only one. Missouri State’s Kevin Medrano has proven himself every step of the way and is hitting .417 this year.

  • B.A. Vollmuth has a legitimate shot to be the top prospect in the league. He hasn’t been invited to Team USA either, so we could get a full summer out of him.

  • Texas Tech’s Barrett Barnes was not on any top-freshman lists I saw in the preseason, but he’d be way up on a redo. Barnes is one of the top hitters in the Big 12.

  • Georgia Tech’s Matt Skole has some pop. In two seasons, he has 33 home runs. He’s also hitting .358 this year.

  • Falmouth has had a lot of success with players from Jacksonville State in Ben Tootle two years ago and Todd Cunningham last year. Outfielder Kyle Bluestein follows in their footsteps. His numbers are not spectacular this year, but they were last year.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Matt Purke
    2. B.A. Vollmuth
    3. Nick Martini
    4. Matt Skole
    5. Barrett Barnes

    Pitchers

    Eric Anderson – RHP – 6’4 210 – Missouri – Freshman
    Steven Gruver – LHP – 6’1 200 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 164 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
    Brian Johnson – LHP – 6’3 225 – Florida – Freshman
    Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 195 – Oregon – Freshman
    *Charlie Lowell – LHP – 6’4 234 – Wichita State – Sophomore
    Nick Maronde – LHP – 6’3 210 – Florida – Sophomore
    Kaleb Merck – RHP – 6’0 200 – Texas Christian – Sophomore
    *Mark Pope – RHP – 6’2 203 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Matt Purke – LHP – 6’4 180 – Texas Christian – Freshman
    Matt Summers – RHP/OF – 6’1 205 – UC-Irvine – Sophomore
    *Cecil Tanner – RHP – 6’6 223 – Georgia – Sophomore
    *Taylor Wall – LHP – 6’2 180 – Rice – Sophomore
    Scott Weismann – RHP – 6’0 190 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *Kyle Winkler – RHP – 5’11 190 – Texas Christian – Sophomore

    * – returning player
    (Stats as of May 17)

    Eric Anderson – RHP – 6’4 210
    Missouri
    Freshman

    Anderson fits the mold of former Missouri and Falmouth pitcher Kyle Gibson: a tall righty with a lot of potential. If Anderson does what Gibson does in Falmouth — become one of the best in the league — the Commodores will be very happy. Anderson was a 28th-round pick out of high school. He has made nine starts this year and is 1-4 with a 5.74 ERA. He has 31 strikeouts in 42.1 innings.

    Steven Gruver – LHP – 6’1 200
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    Gruver had an up-and-down freshman season but delivered a very strong summer in the Northwoods League. He went 7-1 with a 2.23 ERA for the La Crosse Loggers. This spring, Gruver has been a regular starter for the Vols with mixed results. He’s 4-4 with a 6.62 ERA.

    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 164
    Oklahoma State
    Freshman

    A smooth left-hander with an easy delivery, Heaney was a favorite among scouts and was drafted in the 24th round. His Baseball America scouting report calls him unsignable, and he did indeed stick with his commitment to Oklahoma State. In his first season in Stillwater, he’s gone 5-2 with a 5.22 ERA. In 60.1 innings, he has struck out 50 and walked 23.

    Brian Johnson – LHP – 6’3 225
    Florida
    Freshman

    A 27th-round pick out of high school and a top-100 recruit, Johnson wasted no time jumping into Florida’s weekend rotation. He’s been there from the beginning and has made a good first impression. He’s currently 5-2 with a 3.53 ERA. He has 41 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 58.2 innings.

    Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 195
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Jones was the centerpiece of Oregon’s latest recruiting class, and Baseball America called him one of the top incoming freshman pitchers in the nation. Jones has pitched out of the bullpen for the Ducks and has done well so far. In 15 appearances, he’s got a 3.24 ERA to go with 11 strikeouts in 16.2 innings. Jones wasn’t drafted last year but was ranked among the nation’s top 200 prospects.

    Charlie Lowell – LHP – 6’4 234
    Wichita State
    Sophomore

    A big lefty who was a 27th-round pick out of high school, Lowell had a strong first season with the Shockers. He had some struggles in his first season with Falmouth, making six appearances with an ERA over six. This spring, he got off to a solid start before being sidelined with forearm tightness. He has yet to return, but he is expected back for the postseason.

    Nick Maronde – LHP – 6’3 210
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Maronde was one of the most highly-touted members of a talented recruiting class that arrived in Gainesville for the 2009 season. A 43rd-round pick out of high school, Maronde pitched well as a freshman, checking in with a 4.40 ERA. This season, Maronde has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen. In 19 appearances, he’s got a 5.92 ERA. Though he’s walked almost a batter an inning, he does have 32 strikeouts in 24.1 innings.

    Kaleb Merck – RHP – 6’0 200
    Texas Christian
    Sophomore

    Merck had a decent freshman season in Fort Worth but he has blossomed this season. Pitching as a reliever, Merck leads the Horned Frogs with a 1.17 ERA in 17 appearances. He has struck out 17 and walked only four in 23 innings. His fastball velocity has apparently gone way up since he moved to the bullpen.

    Mark Pope – RHP – 6’2 203
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Pope was a 17th-round pick out of high school but honored his commitment to Georgia Tech and made an early splash. He became the team’s closer as a freshman and pitched well. For Falmouth over the summer, he pitched in a swing role and had a 2.10 ERA. This year, Pope has moved into the weekend rotation with impressive results. He’s 7-1 with a 4.13 ERA. In 65.1 innings, he has struck out 62 and walked only eight.

    Matt Purke – LHP – 6’4 180
    Texas Christian
    Freshman

    Like UCLA’s Gerrit Cole last year, Purke made headlines when he didn’t sign after getting picked in the first round. While Cole was one of the last picks in the first round in 2008, Purke went 14th to the Rangers in ’09 but still opted for TCU. He has lived up to every bit of the hype in his freshman year. He’s currently 10-0 with a 3.62 ERA. In 77 innings, he has 94 strikeouts and 22 walks.

    Matt Summers – RHP/OF – 6’1 205
    UC-Irvine
    Sophomore

    Summers has been a two-way player since day one for the Anteaters. He didn’t have a lot of success doing it last year, but the numbers are better this year, at least on offense. Summers is hitting .320 in spot duty. On the mound, he’s 2-2 but his ERA is over nine.

    Cecil Tanner – RHP – 6’6 223
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Tanner’s potential has been touted for some time but he has yet to fully live up to it. He pitched well for Falmouth last summer, posting a 3.28 ERA in 17 appearances. This spring, he’s tied for the Georgia lead in appearances but the results have been inconsistent. He has struck out 23 in 24.2 innings but he has also walked 43, which has a lot to do with the 11.68 ERA.

    Taylor Wall – LHP – 6’2 180
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Whether in Houston or Falmouth, Wall has been pretty steady in his college career. A 40th-round pick out of high school, Wall delivered a strong freshman season and a good summer on the Cape, where he posted a 2.62 ERA. He’s taken on a bigger role this year as Rice’s Friday starter and has pitched fairly well. He’s got a 4.44 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 73 innings.

    Scott Weismann – RHP – 6’0 190
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Weismann was an 18th-round pick out of high school then led Clemson in ERA while pitching out of the bullpen last year. A native of Boxborough, Mass., Weismann was on the Falmouth roster this time last year but didn’t end up on the Cape. This spring, Weismann has moved into the rotation and is 5-2 with a 5.17 ERA.

    Kyle Winkler – RHP – 5’11 190
    Texas Christian
    Sophomore

    Winkler doesn’t have the classic pitcher’s build but he was a high-school standout who got plenty of attention from scouts. He was solid as a freshman then got an invite to Team USA. He ended up in Falmouth and finished the summer with a 3.62 ERA. This year, he’s been just as much an ace as TCU teammates Purke and Steven Maxwell. Winkler is 8-1 with a 3.52 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 84.1 innings.

    Position Players

    Barrett Barnes – SS/2B/OF – 5’11 195 – Texas Tech – Freshman
    Kevin Medrano – 2B – 6’0 150 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    K.C. Serna – SS – 6’0 185 – Oregon – Sophomore
    *Matt Skole – 1B/3B – 6’4 228 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    *Jason Stolz – INF – 6’2 195 – Clemson – Sophomore
    *B.A. Vollmuth – SS – 6’4 200 – Southern Mississippi – Sophomore
    Kyle Bluestein – OF – 6’3 200 – Jacksonville State – Sophomore
    Nick Martini – OF – 5’11 193 – Kansas State – Sophomore
    Zach Taylor – OF – 6’3 220 – Georgia – Freshman
    Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 180 – Texas Christian – Freshman

    * – returning player

    Barrett Barnes – SS/2B/OF – 5’11 195
    Texas Tech
    Freshman

    Those position listings mean Barnes can play pretty much anywhere. If his freshman season is any indication, he’ll do well wherever he is. To say he’s doing well now would be an understatement. Barnes hit two home runs and drove in six runs in his collegiate debut and he hasn’t slowed down. He’s hitting .344 with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, 48 RBI and 11 stolen bases and should be getting serious consideration for Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors. Also, it seems he’s playing mostly first base this spring, so add it to the list.

    Kevin Medrano – 2B – 6’0 150
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Medrano earned Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year honors when he hit .329 with 40 RBI last year. The numbers have gotten even better since then. Medrano hit .363 in the Southern California League last year and is hitting .417 this spring, to go with three homers, 15 doubles and 15 steals.

    K.C. Serna – SS – 6’0 185
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    A key piece of George Horton’s first recruiting class at Oregon, Serna has been a mainstay since he walked on campus. He has already started close to 100 games for the Ducks and he’s starting to hit his stride at the plate. After batting .228 as a freshman, he went to the Northwoods League and hit .314 while setting a Mankato team record with 25 stolen bases. This year, Serna is hitting .321 with 12 steals.

    Matt Skole – 1B/3B – 6’4 228
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Skole showed a lot of pop in his freshman season and finished with a .302 batting average and 17 home runs. His summer in Falmouth was a struggle, though, as he hit .181 with one homer. This spring, Skole picked up where he left off for Tech — and then some. He’s hitting .358 with 16 home runs, 13 doubles and 54 RBI.

    Jason Stolz – INF – 6’2 195
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Stolz started 42 games as a freshman and hit .315 then played in five games with Falmouth over the summer. He has slumped this spring and is hitting .182.

    B.A. Vollmuth – SS – 6’4 200
    Southern Mississippi
    Sophomore

    When Vollmuth became a starter for the golden Eagles midway through last season, he began a meteoric rise that hasn’t yet hit its peak. Vollmuth was a key part of his team’s run to the College World Series, and once he arrived on the Cape, he became one of the most talked-about players in the league. He hit .230 for Falmouth but almost half his hits went for extra-bases and he was named the 20th best prospect in the league by Baseball America. This spring, Vollmuth has put it all together and is hitting .380 with 12 home runs, 17 doubles and 57 RBI.

    Kyle Bluestein – OF – 6’3 200
    Jacksonville State
    Sophomore

    Bluestein put up eye-popping numbers as a freshman, hitting .393 with nine homers and 21 doubles. He has come back to Earth this year with a .271 average and seven home runs, but clearly the potential is there.

    Nick Martini – OF – 5’11 193
    Kansas State
    Sophomore

    After a solid freshman campaign, Martini has blossomed this year into the Big 12’s best hitter. He’s currently batting .429 with two home runs, 16 doubles and 51 RBI. His on-base percentage is .515 and he has stolen 18 bases in 22 attempts. Martini was named the third-best prospect in the MINK League by Baseball America.

    Zach Taylor – OF – 6’3 220
    Georgia
    Freshman

    Taylor hails from Statesboro, Ga., and he’s gotten plenty of chances to make a splash at the state school. He has seen action in 41 games and has started 20. He’s hitting .238 with a home run and five doubles.

    Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 180
    Texas Christian
    Freshman

    Von Tungeln is a speedy center fielder who was considered an impact recruit for the Horned Frogs after a strong high-school career. He has struggled a bit in his first season with TCU, hitting .220 in 36 games. He does have 12 RBI and is 3-for-4 in stolen base attempts.