Sean Newcomb pitched briefly for Wareham in 2012 and 2013.
With players like Kris Bryant, Dallas Keuchel, A.J. Pollock and Kyle Schwarber taking the torch as Major League Baseball’s young Cape League stars, it seems the next wave of alumni to crash on big league shores is still brewing.
MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list released Friday is a good place to see what’s cooking.
With Bryant, the former Chatham Angler, now off prospect lists and in Wrigley Field, there’s no obvious next top-of-the-heap prospect with Cape League roots, and the Top 100 list reflects that, with no Cape alumni in the top 20. (Interestingly, there aren’t a lot of college guys in general in that group, so it’s not a Cape League-only gap. Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson are the only former college players in the top 20, and they both were on Cape League rosters before going to Team USA).
The top former Cape Leaguer checks in at No. 21, and it’s former Wareham Gatemen pitcher Sean Newcomb.
The lefty from Hartford was limited by mono in his 2013 season with the Gatemen but struck out 28 in 22.1 innings, flashing his potential. He then delivered on it in a big way with a huge junior season at Hartford, and was drafted 15th overall by the Angels in the 2014 draft. He was sent to the Braves in the Andrelton Simmons trade this off-season.
Newcomb struck out 168 in 136 innings of minor league action last year and is emerging as one of the game’s elite pitching prospects.
From his MLB Pipeline Scouting Report:
There were readings of Newcomb’s fastball touching triple digits in 2015 and he’ll sit in the 94-97 mph range. Big and physical, he maintains that velocity and does so without too much effort. Newcomb’s curve has become a plus pitch, one that misses plenty of bats. His changeup gives him a third at least Major League average offering.
Newcomb does have to cut down on his walks to reach his ceiling, but as a Northeast guy who used to divide focus among two sports, he has more upside than your typical college arm. If the control improves, he could even outperform those Jon Lester comps.
The other Cape Leaguers in the Top 100:
26. Bradley Zimmer – Cotuit – Cleveland
31. Aaron Judge – Brewster – New York Yankees
40. A.J. Reed – Harwich – Seattle
52. Jeff Hoffman – Hyannis – Colorado
56. Aaron Blair – Y-D – Atlanta
60. Tyler Jay – Y-D – Minnesota
65. Kyle Zimmer – Cotuit – Kansas City
68. Sean Manaea – Hyannis – Oakland
70. Mark Appel – Y-D – Philadelphia
76. Ian Happ – Harwich – Chicago Cubs
78. Erick Fedde – Y-D – Washington
MLB Pipeline also has lists of the top 10 prospects at every position. Those lists feature a number of additional Cape Leaguers including 2013 MVP Max Pentecost.
Daniel Savas struck out 12 in eight innings as Y-D topped Harwich.
It has not been a good year for Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox pitchers and with ace Erick Fedde taking a detour to Team USA, it didn’t look like this week would be much help.
Daniel Savas had something to say about that.
The righty from Illinois State turned in as dominant a performance last night as anyone on the Cape has delivered this summer. He struck out 12 and allowed one run in eight innings as the Red Sox beat Harwich 5-3.
It was the the third straight win for Savas, who is steadily emerging as one of the top pitchers in the league. He has suddenly vaulted himself into second in the league in strikeouts, despite the fact that he didn’t make his first appearance until June 23 and his first start until July 5.
The performance is only surprising in the sense that you might not have seen it coming. Savas was a late arrival – on a temporary contract, in fact – but his spring was tremendous. He went 10-0 for Illinois State with a 1.79 ERA and five complete games in 15 starts. He struck out 98 in 100.1 innings. Opponents hit just .180 against him.
Savas had a solid freshman season in 2011 before redshirting in 2012. This season represented an impressive return. He was a first-team all-Missouri Valley pick.
After all of that, though, Savas was not drafted this spring. He hit the road for the Cape, and the Red Sox are very happy he did. He’s been just what the doctor ordered for them – they’re 3-0 in games he’s started.
Last night, Savas actually gave up a home run to the first batter he faced, Ian Happ (Cincinnati), but it was smooth sailing from there. He struck out the side after the home run, then cruised, allowing just four more hits. He only got stronger as the game went on, retiring the last 11 batters he faced.
He had plenty of support, too. The Red Sox got two RBI from D.J. Stewart (Florida), plus one RBI each by Taylor Smart (Tennessee) and Alex Blandino (Stanford).
The Red Sox are now just one game under .500, and they may get their ace back soon – Fedde is expected back when Team USA’s season ends next week.
But with Savas in the mix, it may get crowded at the top of the rotation.
Chatham 11, Cotuit 8
The East and West first-place teams rank third and fourth in team ERA, but their third meeting of the year was a slugfest. Chatham prevailed, running its record against the Kettleers to 3-0 and becoming the first team in the league to 20 wins. They’re now 20-9. The Anglers scored six runs in the fourth, still found themselves in a tied game but took the lead with one in the sixth and three in the seventh. J.D. Davis (Cal State Fullerton) hit his second home run, part of a three-hit, three RBI night. Michael Russell (North Carolina) drove in two runs, while Dante Flores (USC), Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) drove in one each. On the mound, Andrew McGee (Monmouth) had another tough outing, but the bullpen picked up the slack, allowing just one run over the final 4.1 innings. Ryan Leach (Franklin Pierce) got the win and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) notched his fourth save in just his fifth appearance. For Cotuit, Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) went 3-for-4 with his first home run of the summer.
Bourne 7, Brewster 0
Jaron Long (Ohio State) was terrific again as the Braves shut out Brewster for their second straight win. Long went six scoreless, striking out three and giving up just three hits. He’s now 5-0 and owns more than a third of his team’s wins. He has allowed one run all summer and just 17 hits in 28 innings pitched. Michael Costello (Radford) and Justin McCalvin (Kennesaw State) finished off the shutout, with McCalvin striking out the side in a spotless ninth. The Bourne offense was led by Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Trent Gilbert (Arizona) went 4-for-4.
Falmouth 12, Hyannis 1
The Commodores was 0-4 against Hyannis but exacted a measure of revenge last night, pounding 18 hits on their way to the lopsided victory. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) went 2-for-4 and hit his sixth home run, which vaults him into the league lead. Five other Commodores also had multi-hit games, led by Kevin Cron (TCU), who went 4-for-4 with three RBI. Dylan Davis (Oregon State) had three RBI and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) had two, bumping his league-high total to 26. On the mound, Trey Teakell (TCU) – who pitched in a loss to Hyannis last week – went seven strong innings, striking out four and giving up only one hit.
Orleans 4, Wareham 0
The Firebirds have been struggling but picked up a much-needed victory with a shutout of the Gatemen. Vanderbilt lefty Jared Miller made his third start and was at his best, tossing seven innings of two-hit baseball. He struck out four. Jeremy Rhoades (Illinois State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) finished it off, with Troupe getting his sixth save. Jordan Luplow (Fresno State) went 4-for-4 with his second home run of the summer, stretching his hit streak to six games. Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) and Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) had two hits each.
What to Watch
Cotuit and Hyannis, the top two teams in the West, will square off for the fourth time this season at 6 p.m. at McKeon Park. The Kettleers are 3-1 in the four match-ups. Kyle Freeland (Evansville), who’s won his last two starts, gets the ball for Hyannis. Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has settled in after one bad June start, is on the hill for Cotuit.
The halfway point of the season always sneaks up on me. We’re roughly there now, with a couple of teams just past it and a few more right on the number.
It’s been an interesting year – not quite as eye-popping as last summer, but with some good storylines. Stars are starting to emerge, and these guys are the best of the best with 22 games in the books.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Kevin Cron, Falmouth
Cron’s teammate Rhys Hoskins has been the front-runner all season in my book, but in a 22-game sample size, one hot streak can mean a lot.
And Cron is on one.
He’s been steady all summer, with a nine-game hitting streak at one point, and in the last week, he’s been on fire.
At the halfway mark, Cron ranked fourth in the league in hitting at .367. He sat second in home runs with four. He led in RBI with 20. Cron’s triple-slash line was .367/.444/.620.
A former third-round pick, Cron had a great freshman season at TCU in 2012 but followed with a shaky sophomore year. It’s safe to say he’s back on track.
IN THE RUNNING
Rhys Hoskins, Falmouth
Dante Flores, Chatham
Mike Ford, Cotuit
Ian Happ, Harwich
Jose Brizuela, Brewster
Skyler Ewing, Hyannis
Jimmy Pickens, Chatham
Chris Marconcini, Orleans
D.J. Stewart, Y-D
Max Pentecost, Bourne
OUTSTANDING PITCHER
Erick Fedde, Y-D
This was the toughest of the three awards to pick. Nobody has run through the league with dominant outing after dominant outing. Fedde gets the nod with a blend of dominance, steadiness and durability.
The rising junior at UNLV delivered the best start of opening night and has kept doing it pretty much every step of the way.
In five starts, he leads the league in innings pitched with 30.2. He owns a 2.35 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, a league-high 26 strikeouts and just eight walks. Opponents are hitting just .204 against him.
IN THE RUNNING
Aaron Bummer, Harwich
Jaron Long, Bourne
Andrew McGee, Chatham
Bobby Poyner, Orleans
Ryan Kellogg, Bourne
Justin Kamplain, Brewster
Andrew Thome, Hyannis
Chandler Shepherd, Harwich
Lukas Schiraldi, Chatham
OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER
Matt Troupe, Orleans
Troupe is one off the league-leading saves pace of Hyannis’ Eric Eck, but Troupe has been as dominant as any pitcher in the league.
The Arizona junior has five saves to go with a 0.00 ERA. He has struck out 16 and walked four in just 8.1 innings, giving him an eye-popping K/9 ratio of 17.3.
It’s still early, so that K/9 number will probably go down. But in the last four years, among pitchers with a good amount of innings, the highest number was around 15.
However it shakes out, it’s a safe bet Troupe will continue to dominate.
IN THE RUNNING
Eric Eck, Hyannis
Trace Dempsey, Bourne
Jacob Dorris, Chatham
Darrell Hunter, Y-D
Brian Miller, Cotuit
Sarkis Ohanian, Hyannis
Joel Seddon, Cotuit
Bradley Roney, Wareham
Patrick Corbett, Cotuit
Chad Sobotka, Chatham
Ryan Riga, Wareham
Cotuit's Brian Miller picked up his third save on a night in which every winning team got a save.
Tuesday featured a night of close games in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Three one-run games, one two-run game and – the largest margin – one three-run game.
It was a good night to be a closer.
The league’s best were on display, with Eric Eck (Wofford) picking up his league-best sixth save for Hyannis, Matt Troupe (Arizona) getting his fifth for Orleans and Cotuit’s Brian Miller (Vanderbilt) and Brewster’s Brad Schreiber (Purdue) each picking up their third.
While Eck has been the saves leader for a week or so, Troupe has been the most dominant. He struck out one in a quick 15-pitch ninth inning last night as Orleans shut out Harwich 3-0.
Interestingly, for a team that doesn’t have terrific pitching numbers – Orleans has the league’s fifth-best ERA – it was the fourth shutout of the season for the Firebirds.
It helps to have Troupe. He’s pitched at the back end of each of those shutouts, accounting for four of his five saves. And when he’s come in, the shutouts are not in doubt.
Troupe has allowed no earned runs this season and just one unearned. In 8.1 innings, he has struck out 16, walked four and allowed just three hits. Opponents are hitting .111 against him.
As a freshman in 2012, Troupe had six saves in Arizona’s College World Series championship season. He then pitched briefly for Orleans last summer and saved nine more games this spring for the Wildcats.
This summer, he wasted no time establishing himself as the closer – despite being in a bullpen full of closers. Troupe struck out the side in his first two appearances. He has cruised from there.
The Firebirds, meanwhile, have been up-and-down, with a perfectly even 11-11 record. Last night, they got a dominant performance from Trent Szkutnik (Michigan), who went six shutout innings five days after pitching the first leg of another shutout. Chris Marconcini (Duke) drove in a run to lead the offense. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) pitched a scoreless inning each.
And as usual, Troupe finished it all off.
Hyannis 4, Chatham 3
The save by Eck came in an impressive victory for Hyannis (14-7), who held off a first-place Chatham team that had won five straight overall and two straight games on walk-offs. The Anglers fell to 15-7-1. Austin Slater (Stanford) and Jake Hernandez (USC) led the Hyannis offense with an RBI apiece. Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Steve Wilkerson (Clemson) had two hits each. Cy Sneed (Dallas Baptist) picked up the win with five strikeouts in five strong innings. Chatham got two runs off reliever Mike Gunn (Arkansas) to put another rally in play, but Hyannis slammed the door. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke), who’s emerging as one of the best setup men in the league, struck out two in two scoreless frames before Eck worked around a two-out single to pitch a scoreless ninth. For Chatham, Michael Russell (North Carolina) had two hits and two RBI.
Brewster 1, Y-D 0
Brandon Leibrandt (Florida State) went seven shutout innings as the Whitecaps (7-15) edged Y-D 1-0. Liebrandt, who starred for the Seminoles this spring, had made one relief appearance and one short start this summer. He broke out in a big way Tuesday, allowing just four hits and striking out three while pitching seven full. Evan Rutter (Rice) and Schreiber finished off the shutout. Brewster got just enough offense to back Leibrandt and company, with Austin Bailey (San Diego) delivering an RBI single in the third inning. Y-D ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) gave up just the one run in four innings but took the loss. Alex Blandino (Stanford) had two hits for the Red Sox, who dropped to 10-12-1.
Cotuit 2, Wareham 1
The Gatemen got one of their best pitching performances of the season but ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) allowed two runs on four hits in eight innings but those two runs were enough for a Cotuit victory. Yale Rosen (Washington State) delivered both runs with a third-inning single, and the Kettleers got a strong pitching performance of their own. Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who gave up four runs in his last start, was back on track, surrendering just an unearned run in six innings. Reliever Joel Seddon (South Carolina) turned in his sixth zero-earned run start of the summer before Miller came on for the save. Cotuit remains in a three-way tie with Falmouth and Hyannis for first place in the West.
Falmouth 5, Bourne 3
The Commodores (14-8) won for the third straight time, using a big third inning to beat Bourne (9-13). Surprisingly, Falmouth did not hit any home runs, but had enough offense anyway. Troy Stein (Texas A&M), who’s been kind of an unsung hero behind the team’s power bats, went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) and Dylan Davis (Oregon State) also knocked in runs. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) and Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) each had a double. John Means (West Virginia) was solid on the mound, striking out three and giving up two runs in six innings. Donny Murray (Holy Cross) struck out four in two innings and Hunter Brothers (Lipscomb) struck out the side in the ninth for his first save. Bourne got a big night from Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who went 3-for-4 with his third home run.
What to Watch
Great match-up in Falmouth. Top prospect Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) will make his second start of the summer for Hyannis, and it will come against the league’s most powerful team in the Commodores. Trey Teakell (TCU), who’s been Falmouth’s best starter, will oppose Hoffman. The teams are tied for first place in the West.
Greg Allen and Orleans notched a big win over Chatham.
On a night when Cape Cod Baseball League teams combined for 10 home runs, you would have thought Chatham – one of the league’s best teams – would get in on the act.
Orleans wasn’t having it.
Four Firebirds pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout of the first-place Anglers in a 3-0 victory. It was the third straight win for the Firebirds and it stopped a three-game winning streak by the Anglers.
It also stopped a strong offensive run. Chatham had scored 22 runs in its three straight victories, making the Orleans pitching performance look that much more impressive.
Trent Szkutnik (Michigan) made his second start of the summer and dominated, striking out five in five innings. He gave up Chatham’s only hit of the night, a second inning single by Sheehan Planas-Arteaga (Barry).
Brian Clark (Kent State), who had a rough go of it the last time he faced Chatham, followed Szkutnik to the hill and cruised, striking out three in two innings of work. Trevor Kelley (North Carolina) then made his second appearance since arriving after UNC’s run to the College World Series and picked up a strikeout in a scoreless frame.
Matt Troupe (Arizona), as usual, finished it off. The righty struck out the side in the ninth on 14 pitches, despite going through three of the best hitters in the Chatham order. Troupe now leads the league with four saves and he has struck out 14 in just 6.2 innings.
Orleans backed the stellar pitching effort with just enough offense. Late arrival Ross Kivett (Kansas State), who had gone hitless in his first four games, followed up his 3-hit breakout from Tuesday with a home run in a 2-for-2 performance. He drove in two of the three runs. Austin Davidson (Pepperdine) also added two hits.
Aaron Garza (Houston) struck out seven in five innings for Chatham and was the hard-luck loser.
The Firebirds are now 9-7, just three points back of 10-6-1 Chatham.
Falmouth 5, Cotuit 3
Falmouth (10-7) had a big night with the bats and knocked off the league’s top team. Dylan Davis (Oregon State), playing in his second game of the summer, smashed two home runs and Kevin Cron (TCU) also went yard as the Commodores took an early lead and never looked back. Davis, who played briefly with Brewster last summer, finished 3-for-4 with three RBI. Cron went 2-for-4 and Leon Byrd Jr (Rice) also had two hits. Falmouth did most of the damage against Chris Ellis (Ole Miss), who has been one of the best pitchers in the league. He had allowed just one earned run and only two extra-base hits coming into the game. Trey Teakell (TCU) picked up the win for Falmouth. Mike Ford (Princeton) homered for Cotuit, his second of the year. The Kettleers fell to 11-6.
Harwich 10, Brewster 3
It was also a big night for the long ball in Harwich, where the Mariners (10-7) also hit three on their way to a blow-out of the Whitecaps (3-13). Ian Happ (Cincinnati) hit two homers as part of a 4-for-5, 3 RBI night that raised his average to .367, good for second in the league. Ben Moore (Alabama) also had a huge night, hitting a home run and going 4-for-4 with three RBI. Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) added two hits, while Derek Fisher (Virginia), Gunnar Heidt (College of Charleston) and Branden Cogswell (Virginia) knocked in one run each. Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) picked up the win with five solid innings. Dillon Peters (Texas), a stand-out for the Longhorns this spring, made his Cape debut and struck out three in two innings of relief. Ian Tompkins (Western Kentucky) and Chris Oliver (Arkansas) finished it off.
Y-D 6, Hyannis 5
The Harbor Hawks (10-5) joined the home run party with two, but Y-D (8-8-1) rallied for two runs in the sixth on its way to the win. Sox ace Erick Fedde (UNLV) had his worst outing of the year, giving up five runs in seven innings, but he still picked up the victory. Kody Kerski (Sacred Heart) and Darrell Hunter (Oregon) worked scoreless innings to keep Y-D in front. Andrew Daniel (San Diego) led the offense with two hits, raising his average back above .400. Taylor White (UNLV) drove in two runs. Kyle Wood (Purdue), Alex Blandino (Stanford) and Jose Trevino (Oral Roberts) drove in one run each. Jeff Schalk (UAB) and Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) hit the home runs for Hyannis.
Bourne 4, Wareham 2
The Braves (8-9) steadily took control on their way to a victory over the Gatemen (3-14). Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) struck out seven and gave up just two runs in seven innings for the win. Michael Costello (Radford), who has hooked on with the Braves after Harwich let him go, struck out two in a scoreless frame, as did Trace Dempsey (Ohio State). Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) led the offense, going 4-for-4 with two RBI. Eric Fisher (Arkansas) went 3-for-3.
What to Watch
The holiday series continue with the same match-ups tonight. It should be another good one between Chatham and Orleans, with Andrew McGee (Monmouth), who’s been the league’s best pitcher, going against Josh Sborz (Virginia). In Hyannis, Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) – Baseball America’s seventh-best prospect in the league last year – returns to the Harbor Hawks and will make his first start. He goes against Y-D and Kyle Wood (Purdue).
Max Schrock slides into second in Cotuit's game with Chatham.
Four teams were considered for the top spot in the second edition of the power rankings, and you could make a case for or against all of them. The Kettleers held pretty steady after a great first week and seem to have the fewest chinks in the armor.
RANK
TEAM
RECORD
THE SKINNY
1
Cotuit Kettleers
8-4
The Kettleers checked in at No. 2 on this list last week, behind only Chatham. With the Anglers hitting the skids, Cotuit edges its way to the top. It wasn’t a great week for the Kettleers, who went 2-3 – and lost to both Harwich and Chatham – but they beat Hyannis and continued to flash the steady play they’ve shown all season. They rank second in the league in hitting and have the fifth-best team ERA. Mike Ford continues to rake, high-upside outfielder Rhett Wiseman is heating up and two Cotuit starters have ERA’s under one.
2
Harwich Mariners
8-4
The Mariners were in the meat of the curve last week but promptly went 5-1 and jumped to the top of the East division standings. They lead the league in ERA and their starting pitching has been tremendous. The only thing keeping them from the top of the rankings is a consistent offense. Despite having the league’s leading hitter in Aaron Barbosa, the Mariners are hitting only .226, ninth in the league. With the bats they have in the fold, though, there’s nowhere to go but up.
3
Chatham Anglers
7-4-1
This time last week, Chatham was 6-1 and riding high. A 1-3-1 week has dropped them back to the pack, but the Anglers did finish the week better than they started it. After a 1-0 loss and a 6-1 loss, they lost in the late-innings to Orleans, beat Cotuit and tied Y-D. With Andrew McGee at the top of the rotation and the offense looking pretty consistent, I think the Anglers are poised to stay in the top half of the league all summer.
4
Hyannis Harbor Hawks
8-3
The Harbor Hawks were way down the list last week after a couple of brutal games, but they’ve since caught fire, winning five of six and sprinting to the best record in the league. The knock is that they’re not hitting that well – their .218 average is worst in the league – and they’re winning by the skin of their teeth. Six of eight wins have been by one run. The flip side of that is the Harbor Hawks might just be the kind of team that finds a way to win more often than not.
5
Falmouth Commodores
7-5
The Commodores were hot this week, too, going 4-1 to jump into third place in the West. Their only loss on the week was to division-leading Hyannis. As was the case last week, you can easily envision the Commodores being higher on this list, based on their numbers. Rhys Hoskins is probably the early MVP favorite and the pitching staff leads the league in strikeouts.
6
Orleans Firebirds
6-6
The Firebirds went 3-3 in week one and 3-3 again in week two, so it’s hard to put them anywhere but right in the middle. Orleans leads the league in home runs, and the middle of the order has been dynamic. Pitching has been a little more up-and-down, with the Firebirds holding a 3.51 team ERA.
7
Bourne Braves
5-7
Bourne has been very streaky thus far, following up a five-game winning streak with a three-game losing skid. The pitching staff has been great, with the league’s second-best ERA, and there’s potential for it to get better with the starting rotation looking as deep as any in the league. The Braves still need more production from the offense, though. They have just 13 extra-base hits.
8
Y-D Red Sox
4-7-1
Y-D leads the league in hitting, but pitching has been a pretty serious struggle. The Red Sox have a league-worst 5.85 ERA and gave up a combined 40 runs in one three-game stretch this week. They do have an ace in Erick Fedde, but until the rest of the staff settles in, it’s going to be an adventure. The Red Sox can certainly hit, though, with recent addition D.J. Stewart buttressing an already strong lineup.
9
Brewster Whitecaps
3-8
The Whitecaps have had their struggles, but a slugfest win over Y-D and a victory over Wareham push them out of the basement. They’ve shown the ability to score some runs.
10
Wareham Gatemen
1-5
It’s been a very tough go for the reigning champs, who are struggling to keep their heads above water while waiting for some reinforcements. The Gatemen went 1-5 for the second straight week and have the league’s worst record. The pitching staff ranks eighth in ERA. On the offensive side, the Gatemen have a better team batting average than two teams but continue to show very little pop. The Gatemen have only seven extra-base hits in 12 games.
Zach Fish homered last night and has been part of a huge stretch for the middle of the Orleans batting order.
This time last year, the Harwich Mariners were already well on their way to a historic season of long balls.
The 2013 Orleans Firebirds will not match them – they’re not even a third of the way to Harwich’s one-month total – but in the return of the pitcher-friendly Cape League, they’re doing their best.
The Firebirds lead the league with eight home runs, and the middle of their order is steadily emerging as the best in the league. Thanks to a home run by Zach Fish (Oklahoma State) and another solid night by the rest of the big bats, Orleans knocked off Harwich – the hottest team in the East – with a 6-2 victory. The Firebirds are now 6-4, tied with Harwich for second place and a half-game back of Chatham.
The Firebirds have won two in a row and three of four, a stretch that started with a 17-12 mauling of Y-D.
Their three biggest bats have done a lot of the damage. Over the last four games, Jordan Luplow (Fresno State), Chris Marconcini (Duke) and Fish have hit .388 with four home runs, two doubles, 11 runs scored and 19 RBI. Marconcini, who hit eight home runs for Duke this spring, has been the best of the bunch, going 9-for-18 with two homers, five runs and nine RBI. He leads the league in hitting with a .376 average. He’s tied for second in home runs and ranks second in RBI.
On Monday, he took a backseat to Fish, whose third inning two-run homer put the Firebirds in control. Luplow and Marconcini each added a hit, while Austin Davidson (Pepperdine), another key contributor went 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Recent arrival Vince Conde (Vanderbilt) chipped in two hits and an RBI.
Corey Miller (Pepperdine) got the win for the Firebirds with five strong innings.
Chatham 6, Cotuit 4
Cotuit took Chatham’s spot atop Perfect Game’s latest summer collegiate league rankings, but the Anglers got the best of the Kettleers for the second time this season. The teams now have matching 7-4 records. Chatham starter Andrew McGee (Monmouth) continued his early-season dominance, striking out eight and allowing just one earned run in seven innings. That was the first run he’s allowed all year, and he leads the league in strikeouts with 20. Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) each hit home runs to lead the Chatham offense. Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion) drove in two key runs in the ninth as Chatham held off a late charge by the Kettleers. Max Schrock (South Carolina) had three hits to lead Cotuit.
Hyannis 6, Falmouth 4
The Harbor Hawks trailed 4-1 into the sixth but rallied to tie it then won in the 11th inning and are now 7-3, a half-game ahead of Cotuit and Chatham for the best mark in the league. Skyler Ewing (Rice) doubled in the tying run in the ninth. In the 11th, Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) knocked in the go-ahead run. Eric Eck (Wofford) got the win for the Harbor Hawks and Andrew Istler (Duke) came on in the bottom of the 11th to get the save. Steve Wilkerson (Clemson), Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) and Drew Stankiewicz (Arizona State) all had two hits for the Harbor Hawks. Leon Byrd, Jr. (Rice) went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two stolen bases for the Commodores (6-5).
Y-D 9, Bourne 1
After giving up 40 runs in its last three games, Y-D (4-7) got a much-needed quality pitching performance from Erick Fedde (UNLV) in an easy win over Bourne (5-6). Fedde, who had already turned in two solid starts, gave up just one run on five hits in seven innings and struck out five. He has a 0.92 ERA and ranks second in the league in strikeouts. The Red Sox offense – which has been steady but just unable to keep up in some slugfests – did the rest, scoring five runs in the first and cruising from there. Taylor Gushue (Florida) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and Brandon Downes (Virginia) also drove in two runs. Andrew Daniel (San Diego), Robert Pehl (Washington) and D.J. Stewart (Florida State) all had two hits. Bourne had won five straight before blowout losses the last two nights.
Brewster 6, Wareham 4
The Whitecaps (3-7) and Gatemen (2-9) got together for the second straight night, but this time Brewster prevailed. Jose Brizuela (Florida State) and Keaton Aldridge (Memphis) each had three hits and two RBI for the Whitecaps, while Cole Lankford (Texas A&M) had three hits and knocked in one. Corey Taylor (Texas Tech) got his second win in three days with two scoreless innings of relief. Brad Schreiber (Purdue) picked up the save.
What to Watch
Y-D could use another solid pitching performance and may have the right guy on the hill as it hosts Chatham at 5 p.m. Jeremy Null, who ranked 17th in the nation in strikeouts at Western Carolina, will make his first start after three relief appearances. Aaron Garza (Houston) goes for Chatham.
Chatham's Joshua Eldridge leads off in a game earlier this year. The Anglers are a perfect 6-0 thus far.
It would have been impressive enough for the Chatham Anglers to run their record to 6-0. No Cape League team has started that hot since the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, and they were Cape League royalty.
But to do it like the Anglers did – just go ahead and tip your hat at this point.
Chatham went on the road Tuesday to take on the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, the league’s only other unbeaten team, and dispatched them with ease, winning 10-0. It’s the most lopsided victory of the season for any team in the league. Chatham smacked 15 hits, and Andrew McGee (Monmouth) delivered his second straight dominant start.
Chatham now leads the league in average, on-base percentage, slugging, runs, hits, doubles, total bases and walks. On the pitching side, they lead the league in ERA.
Add all that up, and this is what you get.
On Tuesday, they immediately went to work, scoring four runs in the first four innings. They blew it open with one in the eighth and four more in the ninth.
The first five hitters in the Chatham lineup all had two hits, while No. 8 hitter Kenny Koplove (Duke) went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI. The two-hit parade was manned by Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga), Connor Joe (San Diego) and Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State), who also had two RBI each. Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) and Erich Weiss (Texas) had two hits as well.
As good as the offense was, it was largely unnecessary. McGee, the reigning NEC Pitcher of the Year, made his second start of the summer and was just as good as he was the first time. He struck out three and allowed just two hits in six shutout innings. On the year, he has struck out 12 and hasn’t allowed a run.
The bullpen also did its part. Stephen Marino (Williams) worked out of a mini-jam in the seventh and Mitch Merten (UC Irvine) struck out three over the final two innings.
Chatham will try to stretch the streak to seven tonight when it visits Bourne. The Anglers are slated to face Ohio State standout Jaron Long, who’s just arrive back in town for a second summer with the Braves. It’ll be a challenge, but at this point, I wouldn’t bet against the Anglers.
Coutit 8, Y-D 3
The Kettleers also stayed hot, improving to 5-1 with a lopsided win over the Red Sox (2-4). Cotuit scored seven runs in the seventh inning to bust open what had been a one-run game. Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco), Mike Ford (Princeton) and Yale Rosen (Washington State) drove in two runs each to lead the Cotuit offense. Connor Castellano (Sante Fe CC) went 1-for-2 and remained the league’s leading hitter at .462. Kevin Bradley (Clemson) added two hits. On the mound, Jared Walsh (Georgia) turned in his second impressive start of the summer, allowing three hits in six shutout innings. For Y-D, Erick Fedde (UNLV), the best starter on opening night, struck out five and gave up one earned run in six innings before the Kettleers got to the Red Sox bullpen. Fedde leads the league in strikeouts with 13. Robert Pehl (Washington) had two hits for the third straight game for Y-D.
Falmouth 5, Wareham 3
After three straight losses, Falmouth got back into the win column with a victory over the Gatemen (1-4). Every player in the Commodore lineup had at least one hit, part of a 13-hit attack. Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) extended his season-long hitting streak to six games, the longest in the league, with a 1-for-4 night. Sam Gillikin (Auburn) had three hits and three RBI, while Conner Hale (State College of Florida) and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had two hits apiece. Preston Morrison (TCU) got the win with 5.1 innings in relief of TCU teammate Brandon Finnegan. Nic Manuppelli (Youngstown State) picked up the save.
Orleans 8, Brewster 2
Orleans cruised past Brewster, becoming the only East team other than Chatham to own a winning record and keeping Brewster as the only winless team in the league. Colin Welmon (Loyola Marymount) tossed five shutout innings and the offense delivered 10 hits. Will Fulmer (Montevallo) and Riley Moore (Arizona) knocked in two runs each, while Collin Slaybaugh (Washington State) and Chris Marconcini (Duke) had two hits apiece.
Bourne 7, Harwich 1
After its first win on Monday, Bourne made it two in a row with a win over the Mariners (2-3). The Braves scored three runs in the sixth and three more in the ninth to take control. Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) had three hits and two RBI, while Vinny Siena (UConn) had three hits and drove in one. Eric Fisher (Arkansas Baptist) and Bobby Boyd (West Virginia) had two hits each. Kyle Kubat (Nebraska) scattered six hits in 5.1 scoreless innings. Jack English (Florida Gulf Coast) struck out the side in the ninth.
What to Watch
Chatham sends Aaron Garza (Houston) to the hill in the aforementioned match-up with Bourne, which is set for 6 p.m. at Doran Park. In Orleans, Cotuit will try to keep its streak going against Firebirds starter Kyle Twomey (USC), an unsigned third round pick from last year’s draft.
Connor Castellano is off to a great start for the 4-1 Cotuit Kettleers.
The beginnings of a Cape Cod Baseball League summer are often short on clear lines. Everybody’s shuffling – and a lot of times, everybody’s 3-2 or 2-3.
Not so in 2013.
Chatham is 5-0, the best start for any Cape League team since the 2007 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, a club that won the league title and featured Buster Posey and Gordon Beckham. Hyannis is 3-0, having made up for lost time after its first two games were postponed. And Cotuit has ridden a three-game winning streak to a 4-1 start.
All three are impressive. The most interesting streak belongs to Cotuit.
Chatham and Hyannis are succeeding in part because they have the teams they thought they’d have. For both, only six players who weren’t on initial rosters are playing now – which is among the lowest numbers in the league at this point.
On the flip side, 33 players have taken the field for Cotuit – and 17 of them were not on the team’s roster a few weeks ago. Whether they’re temporary contracts or late pickups, it’s a juggling act for the Kettleers.
They have made it work.
Cotuit’s only loss was by a run in a walk-off to undefeated Chatham. The Kettleers moved to 4-1 on Monday with a 6-1 victory over Brewster.
Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) led the charge in the latest win, going 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and an RBI. Hunter Cole (Georgia) continued his hot start with a 2-for-4 day, and he’s not hitting .400. Connor Castellano (Sante Fe CC), a TCU commit who’s in town on a temporary contract, had another big night, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and his fourth stolen base. He ranks second in the league in hitting, is tied for the league lead in RBI, and ranks second in stolen bases.
Another temp, Eric Karch (Pepperdine), got the start on the mound and the victory on Monday. He struck out four and allowed one run in five innings. Joel Seddon (South Carolina) followed with two scoreless innings. And for good measure, another temp, Trevor Seidenberger (TCU) finished the job with three strikeouts over the final two frames.
The roster juggling will continue over the next few weeks as Cotuit decides who’s staying and who’s going. But if five games are any indication, the winning will continue too.
Chatham 4, Falmouth 2
The Anglers ran their record to 5-0 with another steady performance. Andrew Chin (Boston College), who pitched out of the bullpen for a win on opening night, picked up another victory with five strong innings. He struck out two and didn’t allow a hit until the fourth. The Chatham offense – which has scored the most runs in the league and has the best batting average by more than 50 points – also kept it up and did its part. Jimmy Pickens (Michigan State) hit the team’s first home run and Mitchell Gonsolus (Gonzaga) also drove in a run. Connor Joe (San Diego) and Brandon Sedell (Nova Southeastern) had one hit apiece. Jacob Dorris (Texas A&M Corpus Christi), who saved 13 games this spring, made his second appearance of the summer and worked a scoreless frame for his first save. For Falmouth, Rhys Hoskins (Sacramento State) hit a home run and Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State) had a double. Richard Martin, Jr. (Florida) stole his league-leading sixth base.
Hyannis 5, Wareham 4
The Harbor Hawks moved to 3-0 with a comeback win over the Gatemen (1-3). Wareham led 3-0 into the seventh, with Andro Cutura (Southeastern Louisiana) cruising on the mound, but Hyannis scored a run there and four in the eighth to take a lead it never lost. Chase Griffin (Georgia Southern) led the charge with two hits and an RBI, while Tyler Spoon (Arkansas), Dominic Jose (Stanford) and Ryan Padilla (New Mexico) all drove in a run. Patrick Andrews (Clemson) got the win in relief and Eric Eck (Wofford) picked up the save, getting out of a two-on, two-out jam in the bottom of the ninth.
Bourne 6, Orleans
Bourne picked up its first victory of the season in dramatic fashion, walking off with a win in the bottom of the 10th inning. Michael Martin (Harvard) knocked in Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State) with a base hit to give the Braves the victory. The alternative would have made for a frustrating night – the Braves pounded out 17 hits, a league-high this season. Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and Tim Caputo (Rhode Island) led the way with three hits apiece, while Clinton Freeman (East Tennessee State) had two hits and two RBI. On the mound, the Braves used seven pitchers. Cody Livingston (Southern Mississippi) picked up the win.
What to Watch
Several pitchers who were impressive on opening night will make their second starts tonight. Erick Fedde (UNLV) goes for Y-D at Cotuit after striking out eight in his debut, while Andrew McGee (Monmouth) tries to build on a nine-strikeout debut as Chatham visits Hyannis in a battle of the only unbeaten teams in the league. In Falmouth, standout lefty Brandon Finnegan (TCU) will make his second and final start before departing for Team USA.
Cape League teams will be eager to get back on the field today. You can blame me for this. Mother Nature and I are in a pretty serious feud this spring. It began with the Kentucky Derby – we made the trip down and were greeted by pretty much the worst weather I’ve ever seen for a derby – and she’s been sticking it to me ever since. I feel like it rains every time I want to do something outside. Now the Cape League is an innocent victim.
What’s the opposite of a rain dance? Let’s get on that.
It’s a little early to be drawing conclusions about the impact of juice-less baseballs, but it’s worth noting that zero home runs were hit on opening night, compared to three last year. If the trend continues, the baseballs may not be the only factor. Last summer’s numbers were certainly inflated but the guys hitting the home runs were going to hit some home runs regardless of which baseballs were being thrown at them. Tyler Horan, Phil Ervin, Eric Jagielo, Daniel Palka, Daniel Aldrich – there were some serious power bats on the Cape last year. I’m not sure there will be as many this year. Outside of Kyle Schwarber – who may end up with Team USA – only one Cape Leaguer was in the NCAA’s top 50 in home runs – Harwich’s A.J. Reed with 13. There were eight last year.
If you’re looking for names to watch this summer, Kiley McDaniel’s list of players to watch for the 2014 draft is a good place to start. Several of the pitchers are on the Cape, including Wareham’s opening night starter Sean Newcomb and Southern Illinois righty Sam Coonrod, who’s slated to start for Y-D tonight. The hitters list includes Bourne returnee Mason Robbins, who’s already on the Cape, and Derek Fisher, who’s slated to be in Harwich.
Another of the pitchers on that list is Falmouth’s Brandon Finnegan, but he’s not long for the Cape. Finnegan, a lefty from TCU, is on the Team USA roster and according to a TCU release, he’ll report to Team USA on June 20. Fellow Commodore Preston Morrison will also be leaving.
The top pitching performance so far belongs to Y-D’s Erick Fedde. The right-hander from UNLV struck out eight in 6.2 innings of two-hit ball in the opener. Last year, Perfect Game liked Fedde as Nevada’s top prospect for the 2014 draft.
Lukas Schiraldi is scheduled to start for Chatham on Saturday. He is the son of former Big Leaguer Calvin Schiraldi. He pitched in the junior college ranks this year and was drafted in the 35th round. He has a commitment to the University of Texas.
Princeton’s Mike Ford is back in Cotuit on a temporary contract, and he returns after a tremendous season. Ford was both the Ivy League Player of the Year and the Pitcher of the Year, the first time one player has ever won both honors in the history of the league. Ford hit .320 with six home runs at the plate and had a 0.98 ERA on the mound.
