Wareham followed up one of the franchise’s most memorable seasons with one of its most forgettable. After winning the Cape League title in 2012, the Gatemen just didn’t have the horses last year and won only nine games. They finished second-to-last in the league in both batting average and ERA, an easy recipe for a rough season.

As 2014 rolls around, the Gatemen would love a step back in the right direction, and they’re bound to get it just based on how much they struggled last year. If things come together well, they may get a good-sized step.

Four players return from last year, including two SEC pitchers who could anchor the rotation in Kyle Cody and Trey Killian. The lineup lacks the thumpers that Wareham had in 2012, but there’s some certainly some potential.

For the Gatemen, there’s nowhere to go but up.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: Cooper Farris
Last Year: 9-33; Missed playoffs
Returning Players: 4
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 10
Freshmen: 9

 

NOTABLE

Kentucky’s Kyle Cody pitched all of nine innings with the Gatemen last summer but made enough of an impression to check in on the league’s top prospect lists. This could be a big summer for him.

Wareham got a longer look at Trey Killian last year and had to like what they saw. He struck out nearly a batter an inning in the Gatemen rotation and will be a good bet for an even better summer this year.

Indiana’s Scott Effross may have the inside track at the closer’s job, based on college numbers. He’s saved five games each of the past two years.

It wasn’t too long ago that Wareham brought in UConn stars George Springer and Matt Barnes. Anthony Kay and Andrew Zapata may not be at their level, but the freshman pitchers are coming off solid debuts.

Elliot Surrey has been the second-best starting pitcher for a talented UC Irvine team that is headed to Omaha.

Also headed to Omaha are the Louisville Cardinals, who have three players pegged for Wareham. All would provide a boost, so the Gatemen will be waiting.

Texas-San Antonio catcher John Bormann was a 19th-round pick of the Angels in last week’s MLB draft.

If Bormann is in town, Wareham will have a dynamic catching duo. The other half is Rice junior John Clay Reeves, a juco transfer who was Conference USA’s Newcomer of the Year this season. LSU’s Chris Chinea can also catch but could bounce around the diamond as well.

 

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Kyle Cody
2. Trey Killian
3. John Clay Reeves
4. Elliot Surrey
5. John Bormann

 

PITCHERS

*Kyle Cody – RHP – 6’7 245 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Scott Effross – RHP – 6’2 195 – Indiana – Sophomore
Max Engelbrekt – LHP – 6’3 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Myles Gentry – RHP – 6’0 200 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
Drew Harrington – LHP – 6’1 215 – Louisville – Freshman
Anthony Kay – LHP – 6’1 185 – Connecticut – Freshman
*Trey Killian – RHP – 6’3 205 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Ryan Olson – RHP – 6’3 185 – San Diego – Freshman
Elliot Surrey – LHP – 5’11 185 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Andrew Zapata – RHP – 6’0 190 – Connecticut – Freshman
* – returning player

 

Kyle Cody – RHP – 6’7 245
Kentucky
Sophomore

Cody worked his way into Kentucky’s weekend rotation by the time conference play hit last season, starting the emergence that has him among the best sophomore arms in the country. He played briefly for Wareham last summer and offered a tantalizing glimpse for scouts. Perfect Game rated him as the Cape’s 30th-best prospect. This spring, he started six games and made 12 relief appearances, posting a 2.84 ERA.

Scott Effross – RHP – 6’2 195
Indiana
Sophomore

Effross saved five games with a 2.44 ERA last year en route to Freshman All-America honors. The 11th-best prospect in the Great Lakes Collegiate League, Effross followed up with an even better sophomore campaign. He saves five games again while dropping his ERA to 1.98. He struck out 40 and walked just 11 in 54 innings.

Max Engelbrekt – LHP – 6’3 200
Oregon State
Sophomore

Engelbrekt has been a valuable left-handed arm out of the bullpen throughout his stay in Corvallis. He made 17 appearances this year and posted a 2.84 ERA.

Myles Gentry – RHP – 6’0 200
Mississippi State
Sophomore

A Mississippi high school standout, Gentry jumped into the Bulldogs pen as a freshman and turned in a strong season, limiting opponents to a .200 batting average and posting a 3.69 ERA. This year, he had a 4.78 ERA in 20 appearances.

Drew Harrington – LHP – 6’1 215
Louisville
Freshman

Kentucky’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013, Harrington has flashed his potential in his freshman season with the Omaha-bound Cardinals. Though his ERA is 4.95 in 21 appearances, he has struck out 34 and walked only seven 36.1 innings.

Anthony Kay – LHP – 6’1 185
Connecticut
Freshman

Kay was drafted in the 29th round by the Mets but stuck with UConn and had a strong first season in a swing role. He had a 3.49 ERA and struck out 56 in 67 innings. He was second on the team in strikeouts.

Trey Killian – RHP – 6’3 205
Arkansas
Sophomore

The top high school prospect in the state of Arkansas in 2012, Killian made a splash for the Razorbacks last spring when he posted a 3.19 ERA in a swing role. He moved into the weekend rotation full-time this year and didn’t miss a beat, putting up a 2.30 ERA while striking out 62 in 94 innings. Killian made six starts for Wareham last summer and struck out nearly a batter an inning with an ERA a shade over four.

Ryan Olson – RHP – 6’3 185
San Diego
Freshman

Olson struck out 31 in 36 innings for the Toreros in his debut season but finished with an ERA over six.

Elliot Surrey – LHP – 5’11 185
UC Irvine
Sophomore

Surrey didn’t see a ton of innings as a freshman but has made up for lost time this year. Taking over as a weekend starter, Surrey has a 1.99 ERA and ranks second in innings pitched on the Omaha-bound UC Irvine club. He has struck out 75 and walked 27 in 108.1 innings.

Andrew Zapata – RHP – 6’0 190
Connecticut
Freshman

Another UConn freshman from New York, Zapata also pitched in a swing role and had some success in his debut season. The right finished with a 2.57 ERA despite walking one more batter than he struck out.

 

POSITION PLAYERS

John Bormann – C – 6’0 200 – Texas-San Antonio – Junior
Willie Calhoun – INF – 5’9 180 – Arizona – Freshman
*Christopher Chinea – C – 6’0 215 – LSU – Sophomore
Nick Halamandaris – INF – 6’1 225 – California – Sophomore
Anderson Miller – OF/LHP – 6’3 205 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
Corey Ray – OF – 6’0 190 – Louisville – Freshman
John Clay Reeves – C – 6’0 200 – Rice – Junior
Kramer Robertson – INF – 5’10 170 – LSU – Freshman
Errol Robinson – INF – 5’11 170 – Mississippi – Freshman
*Danny Rosenbaum – INF – 6’1 200 – Louisville – Sophomore
Charlie Warren – OF/RHP – 6’2 185 – Rice – Freshman
* – returning player

 

John Bormann – C – 6’0 200
Texas-San Antonio
Junior

Bormann was just selected by the Angels in the 19th round of this year’s draft. If he plays in Wareham, he’ll come in off a strong junior season. Bormann hit .288 with four homers and 24 RBI.

Willie Calhoun – INF – 5’9 180
Arizona
Freshman

Calhoun was a 17th-round pick of Tampa Bay last season but headed to Arizona. He finished his freshman year with a .247 batting average.

Christopher Chinea – C – 6’0 215
LSU
Sophomore

Chinea hit .247 as a freshman in part-time duty last year. After holding his own with Wareham, he made more solid contributions to the Tigers this year. He hit .250 with two homers.

Nick Halamandaris – INF – 6’1 225
California
Sophomore

Halamandaris was an eighth-round pick of the Mariners out of high school but has yet to make big waves at Cal. After hitting just over .200 last year, he batted .244 this year.

Anderson Miller – OF/LHP – 6’3 205
Western Kentucky
Sophomore

Miller was off to a strong start in his freshman year before it was cut short due to injury. Upon returning this year, he picked up where he had left off in a big way. Miller hit .335 with three homers, 18 extra-base hits and 33 RBI. He was a second-team all-Sun Belt selection.

Corey Ray – OF – 6’0 190
Louisville
Freshman

Ray was Seattle’s 33rd round pick last year but the Chicago native headed to Louisville. With the Cards, he has forced his way into more and more playing time thanks to a .347 batting average, a .434 OBP and eight extra-base hits.

John Clay Reeves – C – 6’0 200
Rice
Junior

Reeves started his career at Arkansas before a stint at Navarro Junior College last year. He burst onto the scene at Rice this year, hitting .317 with six homers en route to the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award. Reeves has also been praised for his work behind the plate.

Kramer Robertson – INF – 5’10 170
LSU
Freshman

The son of Baylor women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey, Robertson headed East after a strong high school career in Texas. He played in 47 games for the Tigers this spring, starting 30 of them, and hit .200.

Errol Robinson – INF – 5’11 170
Mississippi
Freshman

A Maryland native, Robinson has had a strong debut in Oxford. Playing regularly for the CWS-bound Rebels, Robinson has a .290 batting average.

Danny Rosenbaum – INF – 6’1 200
Louisville
Sophomore

Rosenbaum has been one of the top hitters in a loaded Louisville lineup that begins play in the College World Series this week. The sophomore is batting .297 with 11 extra-base hits and 24 RBI. He played in Wareham last summer and hit .246.

Charlie Warren – OF/RHP – 6’2 185
Rice
Freshman

A Texas high school star, Warren started 35 games for the Owls this spring, finishing with a .264 batting average.