Rosters for the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season feature quite a few pitchers from mid-major programs with great track records.
Jordan Foley is pushing his way to the top of the list.
The Central Michigan righty, who’s on the Hyannis roster, has become a bona fide ace in his sophomore season with the Chippewas. He’s 6-1 with a 1.02 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. He ranks seventh nationally in ERA and 14th in strikeouts. The only underclassmen ahead of him on the strikeout list are two you might have heard of – NC State’s Carlos Rodon and LSU’s Aaron Nola.
That’s impressive company, but Foley has proved every step of the way this season that he belongs there. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his starts this year, and he’s gone deep into the game every time. He leads the team in innings pitched by a wide margin. Opponents are hitting .185 against him.
All of this comes after Foley had a bumpy freshman season. The Texas native came in as one of the team’s most highly-touted recruits. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 26th round of the 2011 draft. On campus, though, he saw his ERA balloon to 8.20 ERA, largely because he walked almost a batter an inning – 34 in 37.2 innings. He’s improved drastically in that area this year, with 24 walks in 61.2 innings. The 70 strikeouts – and the 42 hits allowed – don’t hurt either.
If Foley keeps it up, he’ll be poised for a big summer. He just might stay at the top of the list.