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Baseball America’s Top 30 Prospects

Kyle Cody was the No. 2 prospect in the Cape League according to Baseball America.
Kyle Cody was the No. 2 prospect in the Cape League according to Baseball America.

 

Phil Bickford was the Cape League’s top pro prospect award winner, but he slots in behind quite a few other guys in Baseball America’s Top 30 Cape League prospects.

His Y-D teammate Walker Buehler takes the top spot for Baseball America after his brief regular-season stint and his dominant effort in the playoffs. Wareham’s Kyle Cody and Brewster’s Cody Ponce check in next, before the top two hitters, Brewster’s Gio Brusa and Harwich’s Ian Happ. Bickford ranks sixth.

Hyannis’ Marc Brakeman, Bourne’s Richard Martin Jr., Falmouth’s Kevin Newman and Harwich’s C.J. Hinojosa round out the top 10.

The full list:
1. Walker Buehler
2. Kyle Cody
3. Cody Ponce
4. Gio Brusa
5. Ian Happ
6. Phil Bickford
7. Marc Brakeman
8. Richard Martin Jr.
9. Kevin Newman
10. C.J. Hinojosa
11. Alex Young
12. Steven Duggar
13. Chris Shaw
14. Kyle Twomey
15. Eric Hanhold
16. Mikey White
17. Garrett Cleavinger
18. Joe McCarthy
19. Kevin Duchene
20. Zack Erwin
21. Josh Sborz
22. Kal Simmons
23. Kyri Washington
24. Garrett Williams
25. Justin Jacome
26. Kolton Mahoney
27. Ryan Perez
28. Rhett Wiseman
29. David Thompson
30. Andrew Stevenson

 

  • As always a few surprises from guys who show the flashes that scouts love, but don’t necessarily have great seasons, like Wareham’s Kyri Washington and Chatham’s Garrett Williams.

  • Good to see Kevin Newman cracking the top 10. He was not on this list last year, despite winning the batting title.

  • Gio Brusa had the production to match his tools this summer, and it sounds like it was a major step forward for him. He ends up as the top position player prospect.

  • It was a big year for shortstop prospects, with Martin, Newman, Hinojosa, Mikey White and Kal Simmons all on this list. I was a little surprised to not see David Fletcher on there somewhere.

  • A very quiet year for rising sophomores. Bickford – who is leaving Cal State Fullerton so that he can enter next year’s draft – and Garrett Williams are the only two on the list.

  • Ambidextrous Hyannis pitcher Ryan Perez clearly became much more than just a curiosity this summer. He ranks 27th on this list, although BA’s Aaron Fitt speculates that Perez may end up scrapping the two-way routine to become a lefty reliever.

  • The other prospect list you should be looking for is Perfect Game’s, which should be out in the next few weeks.

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    Shutting it Down

    stock_orleans14

     

    On paper, it looked like the Orleans Firebirds had the best pitching in the league coming into the 2014 season. Some of their best – Virginia’s Nathan Kirby and Josh Sborz and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Ferguson – are in Omaha, but that hasn’t slowed the Firebirds down too much.

    Orleans has won five games this summer, and four have been shutouts.

    No. 4 was authored last night by Kolton Mahoney (BYU) and Ryne Combs (Kentucky) in a 7-0 victory over Wareham.

    The Gatemen were riding a string of four straight games with double-digit hits, but Mahoney and Combs didn’t let them come even close to their fifth in a row. They combined to allow five hits and all were singles.

    Mahoney, who threw a no-hitter for BYU this spring, was a draft-eligible sophomore this year and was selected by the Brewers in the 23rd round. He’s certainly catching their attention on the Cape, where he’s allowed four hits and no runs in 10 innings of work.

    Mahoney’s previous outing was a four-inning relief stint in another shutout. Making his first start Saturday, he went six innings and allowed just two hits while striking out six. He allowed single in the second, an infield single in the sixth and nothing else. He’s now tied for the league lead in strikeouts.

    Combs finished it off. The Kentucky reliever allowed three hits in three scoreless innings.

    Orleans also had plenty of offense. Johnny Sewald (Arizona) went 3-for-5 with an RBI at the top of the lineup. Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) drove in two and David Thompson (Miami) had two hits and an RBI.

    Orleans improved to 5-5 while Wareham dropped to 3-7.

     

    Bourne 4, Harwich 2

    Bourne beat Harwich for the second night in a row, and in doing so, created a tie for the best record in the league. Both teams are now 7-3. Samuel Kmiec (Winthrop) turned in six good innings for the Braves, allowing two runs and striking out six. Brett Morales (Florida) and John Gorman (Boston College) combined on three hitless innings of relief. Gorman picked up his third save, which is tied for the best in the league. The Braves offense, though it only scored four runs, smacked 13 hits. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) went 3-for-5, while Mark Laird (LSU), Billy Fleming (West Virginia), Blake Davey (Connecticut) and Brett Sullivan (Pacific) had two hits each.

     

    Y-D 9, Cotuit 1

    The Red Sox handed Cotuit its fourth straight loss in a 9-1 victory. Andrew Stevenson (LSU) and Vincent Jackson (Tennessee) homered for the Red Sox as they hit a season-high in runs. Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) went 3-for-3 and A.J. Simcox (Tennessee) had two hits. On the mound, Justin Jacome (UC Santa Barbara) scattered eight hits in 5.2 scoreless innings for the win. Cotuit got three hits from Kyle Holder (San Diego).

     

    Chatham 6, Falmouth 2

    Max Tishman (Wake Forest) gave Chatham its best starting pitching performance of the season and the Anglers ran with it in a 6-2 victory over Falmouth. Tishman didn’t allow a run in 5.1 innings, striking out three and working around four hits. Michael Wallace (Fairfield) pitched 3.2 innings for the save. Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) hit the team’s second home run of the season while Ty Moore (UCLA) drove in two runs.

     

    Hyannis 4, Brewster 1

    The Harbor Hawks overcame a solid start from Brewster’s Andrew Lee (Tennessee) and got a good start themselves from Jordan Minch (Purdue) in a 4-1 victory. Minch allowed one run and struck out six in six innings. Lance Thonvold (Minnesota) went three scoreless for his third save. Lee gave up two runs in five innings, and the Harbor Hawks added to their lead once he departed. Donnie Dewees Jr. (North Florida) had a double, a triple and two RBI while Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) had two hits. Mikey White (Alabama) homered for Brewster.

     

    What to Watch

    Another set of Sunday doubleheaders are on tap today. The best one may be in Hyannis, where two second-place teams – Orleans and Hyannis – square off.

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    Consistent Firebirds Pack Big Potential


     
    orleans smallThe 2012 season gave Orleans its first non-winning season since 2002. The Firebirds righted the ship to make the Eastern Division finals that year, and last season, they were right back on the winning side of things. They had one of the best records in the league and made the Cape League championship series.

    And this team looks even better. The Firebirds have put together a very talented group to this point. There’s top-notch pitching, with the likes of Nathan Kirby, Brett Lilek and Tyler Ferguson and there’s big offensive potential led by SEC stars Christin Stewart and Dansby Swanson.

    Those proclamations come with the usual caveats – it’s early, rosters change, the College World Series pulls people away, etc. But for right now, I can’t imagine another team surpassing Orleans’ talent level.

    In all those winning seasons, Orleans has had some teams like this and some teams that looked like this at first but didn’t pan out like this. Either way, you can expect another good summer at Eldredge Park.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Kelly Nicholson
    Last Year: 24-19-1; Lost in CCBL Championship
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 0
    Sophomores: 18
    Freshmen: 2

     

    NOTABLE

  • If previous summer success is a good indicator, the Firebirds have a lot of talent on the way. They’ve got four of the first 11 on Perfect Game’s Alaska League 2013 top prospects list, the first three from the NECBL’s list and the second-best from the Northwoods League. As far as summer track records go, few Cape League teams will be able to match that.

  • Winning in the summer is good, too, and the Firebirds have three members of the 2013 Alaska League champion Alaska Goldpanners – Nathan Bannister, Cody Moffett and David Fletcher.

  • The top prospects from the aforementioned leagues are both on the Orleans roster and are both having big sophomore seasons. Nathan Kirby, who starred in the NECBL last summer, has pitched a no-hitter this year. He’s also been invited to Team USA. Christin Stewart, Alaska’s best, is slugging .561 in the SEC.

  • Orleans has only 10 pitchers on the roster right now, but it looks a high-level group. Kirby, Josh Sborz, Tyler Ferguson, Brett Lilek and Kyle Wilcox have all been successful starters this spring. Even some guys who are relievers this season, like Eric Hanhold and Nathan Bannister had big summers as starters last year. In the pen, Reilly Hovis has been a dominant closer for North Carolina.

  • The NECBL was dominated by pitching last summer, and Orleans has the three best arms from that circuit, according to Perfect Game. Kirby, Lilek and Wilcox went one-two-three in the league.

  • Orleans has two players who have been two-way guys on a regular basis this spring in Arizona’s Bobby Dalbec and Michigan’s Jacob Cronenworth.

  • Orleans almost always has a solid hitter from Vanderbilt, and Dansby Swanson is next in line. The sophomore infielder leads the Commodores in hitting, OBP and slugging.

  • Korey Dunbar has not set the world on fire in his two years at North Carolina, but he was rated the third-best prospect in the Coastal Plain League last summer, and will have a shot to be the top catching prospect on the Cape this summer.

  • David Fletcher is only a freshman, but don’t be surprised if the Loyola Marymount shortstop draws “beyond his years” kind of praise. He played in the Alaska League last summer and wowed everybody with his glove.

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    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Christin Stewart
    2. Nathan Kirby
    3. Brett Lilek
    4. Kyle Wilcox
    5. Dansby Swanson

     

    PITCHERS

    Nathan Bannister – RHP – 6’3 224 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Ryne Combs – LHP – 6’0 200 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Tyler Ferguson – RHP – 6’3 225 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Eric Hanhold – RHP – 6’5 195 – Florida – Sophomore
    Reilly Hovis – RHP – 6’3 190 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Nathan Kirby – LHP – 6’2 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Brett Lilek – LHP – 6’4 194 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Cody Moffett – LHP – 6’4 213 – Arizona – Sophomore
    *Josh Sborz – RHP – 6’3 225 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Kyle Wilcox – RHP – 6’3 180 – Bryant – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     

    Nathan Bannister – RHP – 6’3 224
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Bannister totaled just 4.2 innings as a freshman last spring, but he had a busy and productive summer in Alaska, where he went 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA for the Alaska Goldpanners on his way to a spot as the league’s 11th-best prospect, according to Perfect Game. He has not quite been able to carry the success back to Arizona, where he has an ERA over six in 12 relief appearances this season.

    Ryne Combs – LHP – 6’0 190
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Kentucky’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011, Combs made his presence felt for the hometown Wildcats as a freshman, posting a 2.01 ERA as a valuable member of the bullpen. Combs has hit a rough patch this year and has seen his ERA balloon over six.

    Tyler Ferguson – RHP – 6’3 225
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    In a Vanderbilt rotation headed by star Tyler Beede, Ferguson has more than held his own for the Commodores. He’s 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 67.2 innings pitched. Ferguson had pitched in a swing role for Vandy last year. He pitched for the Newport Gulls last summer and was named the NECBL’s 18th-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    Eric Hanhold – RHP – 6’5 195
    Florida
    Sophomore

    Hanhold didn’t make a big splash in his freshman year, but was named the second best prospect in the prestigious Northwoods League by Baseball America last summer. He has pitched mostly out of the bullpen for the Gators this spring and has a 4.40 ERA.

    Reilly Hovis – RHP – 6’3 190
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Hovis pitched well out of the bullpen as a freshman last year, and it was a sign of things to come. As a sophomore, he’s been busy and dominant. Hovis has made 30 appearances for the Tar Heels and owns a 1.73 ERA. He has struck out a whopping 70 in 52 innings – more strikeouts than two of the Heels’ weekend starters – while allowing opponents to bat just .171. He’s saved six games.

    Nathan Kirby – LHP – 6’2 185
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Kirby has been invited to Team USA, but if he were to end up on Cape Cod, he’d easily be the most accomplished pitcher in the league. The top prospect in the NECBL last summer, Kirby tossed a no-hitter this year and has been consistently terrific outside of that game. He has a 1.62 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched.

    Brett Lilek – LHP – 6’4 194
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A 37th-round pick out of high school, Lilek held his own in 11 appearances last spring. He then pitched in the NECBL and was ranked just behind Kirby on Perfect Game’s top prospects list. This spring, he has emerged as a bona fide ace for the Sun Devils, posting a 2.27 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched.

    Cody Moffett – LHP – 6’4 213
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Moffett joined his Arizona teammate Bannister on the Goldpanners and the Alaska League top prospects list last summer, ranking eighth in the league after a terrific season out of the bullpen. He has continued to pitch in relief for the Wildcats this spring and is sporting a 4.20 ERA in 19 appearances. He has picked up two saves.

    Josh Sborz – RHP – 6’3 225
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Sborz was a terrific reliever for the Cavaliers as a freshman before suiting up for Orleans last summer. He had some rough outings but impressed enough to crack Perfect Game’s list of the CCBL’s top 100 prospects. Sborz has moved seamlessly into the starting rotation this spring and is 4-3 with a 2.93 ERA.

    Kyle Wilcox – RHP – 6’3 180
    Bryant
    Sophomore

    Wilcox had an ERA over six for Bryant last spring, but he turned a lot of heads with a high-90’s fastball. He then had a strong stint in the NECBL that earned him No. 3 prospect honors behind Kirby and Lilek. This season, he has pitched mostly as a starter for the Bulldogs and has posted a 3.21 ERA to go with 40 strikeouts in 53 innings.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Jacob Cronenworth – INF/RHP – 6’1 167 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Bobby Dalbec – UTIL – 6’4 219 – Arizona – Freshman
    Korey Dunbar – C – 6’0 215 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    David Fletcher – SS – 6’1 175 – Loyola Marymount – Freshman
    Devin Pearson – OF – 5’11 192 – California – Sophomore
    Johnny Sewald – OF – 6’0 160 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Christin Stewart – OF – 6’0 205 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    Dansby Swanson – 2B/SS – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    David Thompson – 3B/1B – 6’2 207 – Miami – Sophomore
    Mitchell Tolman – 1B/3B – 6’0 190 – Oregon – Sophomore

     

    Jacob Cronenworth – INF/RHP – 6’1 167
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    Cronenworth is listed as just an infielder on the Orleans roster, but at Michigan, he’s been a dynamic two-way player. A second-team all-conference pick as a freshman, Cronenworth has 10 saves this year to go with a 1.61 ERA. At the plate, he’s hitting .264 with two homers.

    Bobby Dalbec – UTIL – 6’4 219
    Arizona
    Freshman

    Projected as one of the best freshmen in the country, Dalbec has done it all for the Wildcats in his first year in Tucson. As one of the team’s busiest relievers, he leads the Wildcats in ERA at 1.94 and has saved two games. As a regular in the everyday lineup, he’s hitting .266 with two homers and 27 RBI.

    Korey Dunbar – C – 6’0 215
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    A 39th-round pick out of high school, Dunbar hit under .200 in part-time action last year. He’s played nearly every day this season and is hitting .232 with three home runs. Last summer, Dunbar shined in the Coastal Plain League, where he was named the circuit’s third-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    David Fletcher – SS – 6’1 175
    Loyola Marymount
    Freshman

    Fletcher went undrafted out of high school but got a shot to play in the Alaska League and earned the league’s official top prospect award. He ranked fifth on Perfect Game’s list, with glowing scouting reports about his defense at shortstop and the part he played in helping his Goldpanners to the league championship. As a freshman at the collegiate level this year, Fletcher is continuing to shine, hitting .323 with 13 stolen bases.

    Devin Pearson – OF – 5’11 192
    California
    Sophomore

    A football and baseball star in high school, Pearson hit over .300 as a freshman for the Bears. He has struggled this year to a a.178 average.

    Johnny Sewald – OF – 6’0 160
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A product of Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman, Sewald saw spot duty last year but has become a solid contributor this spring. He’s hitting .305 and has stolen 12 bases in 16 tries. He’s also getting on base at a .425 clip.

    Christin Stewart – OF – 6’0 205
    Tennessee
    Sophomore

    The Firebirds’ Alaska contingent could be headed by Stewart, who was named the league’s top prospect by Perfect Game. Playing for the Mat-Su Miners, Stewart hit five home runs and led the league in slugging. Stewart was a prolific home run hitter in high school and the power has played this spring too. Stewart is slashing .341/.396/.561 with five homers, 18 doubles and six triples.

    Dansby Swanson – 2B/SS – 6’0 190
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Swanson was a 38th-round pick out of high school but his freshman season in Nashville was limited to 11 games because of an injury. This season, the sophomore infielder has made up for lost time. He leads the Commodores in hitting at .342, OBP at .421 and slugging at .497. He’s hit three home runs and driven in 27. He’s among the top 10 hitters in the SEC.

    David Thompson – 3B/1B – 6’2 207
    Miami
    Sophomore

    A 38th-round pick out of high school, Thompson hit .286 with six homers last year on his way to Freshman All-America honors. He’s been limited to 19 games this season but is hitting .328 with five doubles.

    Mitchell Tolman – 1B/3B – 6’0 190
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Another Freshman All-American, Tolman hit .315 in his first season with the Ducks and has been even better this season. The infielder is hitting .322 with a .453 on-base percentage, 20 extra-base hits and a team-high 45 RBI.

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    First Place Duel

    Kyle Freeland struck out six in two innings and combined with Jeff Hoffman on a shutout of Chatham.

     
    For all the parity in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, there have been just four 1-0 games. Two of them have come in the budding rivalry between division leaders Hyannis and Chatham.

    And knowing Hyannis’ propensity for winning close games, you can guess how they’ve gone.

    The Harbor Hawks posted their second 1-0 win of the season against the Anglers last night, and this one was the most impressive. Jeff Hoffman (East Carolina) and Kyle Freeland (Evansville) combined for 16 strikeouts as the Harbor Hawks shut down the Anglers. Chatham pitchers did their part in the pitcher’s duel too, but Hyannis scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to win it.

    Hyannis is now 21-12-1 and leading the West by two points over Cotuit. Chatham is 23-10-1 and has a whopping 12-point cushion on second-place Harwich in the East.

    Wednesday’s match-up shaped up as a pitcher’s duel. Hoffman is perhaps the league’s top prospect while Chatham starter Tommy Lawrence (Maine) was rolling in with a 14.1 inning scoreless streak.

    Neither blinked.

    Hoffman is on a short leash this summer and Wednesday’s game was scheduled to be his last start. He went out with a bang, striking out 10 and allowing just four hits in seven scoreless innings. After a rough outing in his second start, Hoffman finished his short stint in Hyannis with a pair of shutout performances. He struck out 33 in 24.1 innings.

    Freeland picked up where Hoffman left off. He allowed three hits in two innings but all the outs he recorded came via the strikeout. Freeland leads the league in strikeouts with 39, despite coming out of the bullpen in two of his seven appearances. Hoffman and Freeland combined to shut-out a Chatham team that had scored 39 runs in its last four games, all wins.

    Lawrence kept up with the Hyannis aces, turning in his second straight quality start. He struck out four and gave up three hits in six innings. Chad Sobotka (South Carolina Upstate) worked a scoreless seventh and Kyle Funkhouser (Louisville) struck out the side in the eighth.

    Just when it was looking like the battle would go on forever, though, Hyannis broke through. Tyler Spoon (Arkansas) hit a fly ball down the right-field line that was ruled fair and bounced past a diving Josh Eldridge (Old Dominion). Spoon raced to third and when the ball got away on a bad relay, he scampered home with the winning run.

    Hyannis is now 3-1 against Chatham this season, with each win coming by one run. Chatham’s lone victory came by a 10-0 score.

     

    Orleans 5, Bourne 4

    The Firebirds edged Bourne for their fourth straight win and are suddenly just a point back of Harwich for second place in the East. I wouldn’t have expected the win streak to continue with unbeaten Jaron Long (Ohio State) on the mound for Bourne, but Orleans touched him up for two unearned runs and,with his all-star start coming Saturday, he departed after two innings. The Firebirds offense was led by Jordan Betts (Duke), who had three hits. Will Fulmer (Vanderbilt) had two hits and an RBI. On the mound, Josh Sborz (Virginia) gave up two earned in 3.1 innings before Kyle Twomey (USC) dominated. He struck out five in 3.2 innings of relief for the win. It was the best outing of the summer for the former third-round pick. Brian Clark (Kent State) and Matt Troupe (Arizona) followed him to the mound and pitched an inning each, with Troupe recording his eighth save.

     

    Y-D 7, Harwich 6

    The Red Sox are also making a run in the East and they’re now two points back of Harwich thanks to an 11-inning win over the Mariners. The Red Sox strung four hits together in the top of the 11th, with the last one a D.J. Stewart (Florida State) RBI single to put them in front. Darrell Hunter (Oregon) then worked a perfect bottom of the 11th for his sixth save. Dan Altavilla (Mercyhurst) picked up the victory with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. The Red Sox offense was led by Alex Blandino (Stanford), who went 3-for-6 with a home run and two RBI.

     

    Cotuit 5, Brewster 4

    The Kettleers held off a late rally by the Whitecaps to win 5-4 and stay two points back of first-place Hyannis in the West. Evan Beal (South Carolina) was dominant on the mound, striking out seven in seven shutout innings. It was a return to form for Beal, who had given up six runs in his last outing after two straight scoreless starts. Brewster scored four in the ninth off the Cotuit bullpen, but Joel Seddon (South Carolina) eventually closed the door when he induced a double play and finished things with a strikeout. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt) continued his hot streak with a 2-for-4, two RBI night. He’s 11 for his last 21. Logan Ratledge (NC State) added two hits and an RBI. And the win wasn’t the only good news for Cotuit. According to Greg Joyce of the Cape Cod Times, Bradley Zimmer (San Francisco) will be returning to Cotuit after spending most of the summer with Team USA.

     

    Falmouth at Wareham, ppd. to July 30

     

    What to Watch

    Orleans will try for its fifth straight win as it hosts Cotuit at 7 p.m. Jared Miller (Vanderbilt) went seven shutout innings in his last start and gets the ball for the Firebirds. Cotuit counters with Christian Cecilio (San Francisco), who has turned in four solid starts in a row.
     

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    Lighting Up Hyannis

    Jeff Hoffman, pictured last year, was dominant in his third start this year.

     
    Jeff Hoffman won’t have the kind of season Sean Manaea had last year. He was a late arrival, so he won’t be on the same innings pace, and he had a tough outing in his last start that shot his ERA through the roof.

    But Hoffman is getting plenty of love and for one night, he wowed fans and scouts at McKeon Park just like his former Hyannis teammate did last summer.

    The East Carolina righty turned in the most dominant pitching performance of the Cape summer last night, striking out 11 and giving up just three hits in 7.2 scoreless innings as Hyannis beat Orleans 3-0. He walked one and needed just 90 pitches to get into the eighth.

    Hoffman is no stranger to summer success. He was quietly solid in the shadow of Manaea last summer, finishing with a 2.40 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 30 innings. And the quiet turned very loud when he lit up radar guns at the All-Star Game. Baseball America rated him the Cape League’s seventh-best prospect.

    After a pretty good spring at East Carolina, he returned to Hyannis and made his 2013 debut on July 4. He struck out eight in six innings that night.

    His next start looked like a classic in the making – his power vs. the power bats in the Falmouth lineup. It didn’t pan out. Hoffman was chased in the fourth inning and then Hyannis came back to win.

    But on Wednesday, Hoffman was firmly back on track. He struck out the side in the second and third innings, tossed a four-pitch inning in the sixth and struck out the first two batters in the eighth. According to Perfect Game’s Frankie Piliere, Hoffman’s fastball reached 98 and consistently sat between 94 and 97. Piliere calls Hoffman a new candidate for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft.

    With Hoffman’s performance in the books, Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) sealed the victory for the Hawks with 1.1 scoreless innings. He has now made nine appearances without allowing a run.

    Orleans starter Josh Sborz (Virginia) did his best to match Hoffman, striking out eight in five innings, but the Hyannis offense did enough to get control. Skyler Ewing (Rice) went 1-for-4 with two RBI and Dominic Jose (Stanford) drove in the other run.

     

    Bourne 11, Wareham 3

    In the only other game of the night, the Braves had 15 hits, only three more than Wareham, but scored eight more runs in an easy victory. Every player in the Bourne lineup had a hit. Mark Laird (LSU), who made his Cape League debut last week, had his best game yet, going 3-for-5 with three RBI. Jeff Gardner (Louisville) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) also drove in two. Kris Gardner (Wichita State) got the start for the Braves and gave up a run in four innings. Jacob Lindgren (Mississippi State) got the win in relief. Cole Sturgeon (Louisville) led Wareham with three hits.

     

    What to Watch

    Division leaders Cotuit and Chatham will square off at 7 p.m. at Veterans Field. Evan Beal (South Carolina), who tossed six shutout innings against Falmouth in his last start, goes for the Kettleers. Andrew McGee (Monmouth), who had his first bad outing of the summer last time after a terrific beginning, is slated to go for Chatham.
     

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    Shut Down

    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).

     

    Posted on

    East Supremacy

    Ryan Lindemuth hit a home run and had three RBI as Harwich cruised past Orleans on Wednesday.

    Orleans was a perfect 6-0 against its East Division counterparts heading into Wednesday’s game with Harwich.

    The streaking Mariners wouldn’t let the Firebirds get to seven.

    Harwich won for the sixth time in seven games, riding another solid pitching performance and a late-inning offensive burst to a 7-2 victory. The Mariners are now 8-4 and sitting atop the East. They’re the third team in the league to get to eight wins, joining Cotuit and Hyannis.

    Nick Howard (Virginia) was great on the mound on his pitching debut. Facing off against his Cavalier teammate Josh Sborz, Howard struck out eight and allowed two runs in 5.2 innings.

    The bigger key was the bullpens. Michael Costello (Radford) went 3.1 scoreless frames for Harwich, striking out three and not giving up a single hit. In the meantime, Harwich got to the Orleans pen with a five-run eighth inning. Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) doubled, starting a parade of key hits. Mark Zagunis (Virginia Tech) had an RBI single, Ben Moore (Alabama) had an RBI single, Brendon Hayden (Virginia Tech) drove in a run with a double, Ryan Lindemuth (William & Mary) knocked one in with a single, and finally – in his second at-bat of the inning – Barbosa brought a run home with a base hit.

    Just like that, a 2-2 game has turned into a 7-2 game, and the Mariners were well on their way.

    Barbosa finished 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI, while Lindemuth went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Everybody in the Harwich lineup reached base at least once.

    Chris Marconcini (Duke) hit a home run for Orleans – his third – but the Firebirds managed only six total hits. They dropped to 6-6 on the year.

    The Harwich-Orleans game was the only one on the schedule yesterday.

     

    What to Watch

    The top two teams in the East square off in Harwich at 7 p.m. as the Mariners welcome Chatham to town. Johnathan Frebis (Middle Tennessee State), who’s been good in relief, will make his first start for the Mariners. Lukas Schiraldi (Navarro College), a 35th-round pick who’s committed to Texas next year, will make his third start for Chatham. He has a 2.79 ERA with eight strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

    Posted on

    It’s a Start

    Keaton Haack is one of many Harwich starting pitchers who have been dominant this year.

    The Harwich Mariners lead the league with a 2.04 ERA. It’s an impressive number. Look a little deeper, and it’s even more impressive.

    Harwich’s starting pitching has been unbelievably good.

    Last night, Jalen Beeks (Arkansas) went six shutout innings as the Mariners cruised to a 6-1 victory over Brewster. That was the sixth time in 11 games that a Harwich starter has allowed no earned runs.

    And the numbers don’t end there. In the team’s seven wins, Harwich starters have given up a total of three earned runs, and every starter has gone at least five innings. The starters’ ERA in the team’s victories is 0.67.

    Even some of the losses have featured strong performances. Pat Connaughton (Notre Dame) and Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) both had scoreless outings in losses. In fact, in 11 games, Harwich has had only one start that could be called bad – a three-inning outing by Sam Howard (Georgia Southern), who gave up four earned runs.

    Aaron Bummer (Nebraska) and Shepherd have been at the head of the class. Both have made two starts without allowing an earned run. Beeks, who was a reliever at Arkansas, has done his part as well. He allowed two earned runs in his first start before dominating last night. He gave up just two hits in six innings.

    With pitching like that, the offense doesn’t have to out-slug people, which is good considering Harwich’s team batting average is .218. That offense should get better as some recent arrivals settle in, but even now, the Mariners have been steadily taking control of games. Derek Fisher (Virginia) went 2-for-5 with three RBI on Tuesday, while Ian Happ (Cincinnati) drove in two and Aaron Barbosa (Northeastern) had three hits.

    The bullpen got in on the act too, with three pitchers combining to allow just a run in finishing Beeks’s strong performance.

    As long as that keeps up – and the Mariners keep finishing – look out.

    Because it sure looks like the starts are going to be good.

     

    Hyannis 4, Bourne 3

    The league-leading Harbor Hawks (8-3) played extra-innings for the second night in a row and won again, edging the Braves (5-7) on a walk-off sacrifice fly by Skyler Ewing (Rice). Kyle Freeland (Evansville) was dominant on the mound for the Harbor Hawks, striking out eight in seven scoreless innings. The Braves made their comeback in the eighth and ninth thanks in large part to two home runs by Max Pentecost (Kennesaw State), who is the first Cape Leaguer in 2013 to hit two homers in the same game. But Hyannis came back to life in the 10th, with Landon Curry (Indiana State) singling, getting to second on an error, stealing third and scoring on Ewing’s fly ball. Hyannis has played six one-run games, and amazingly, has won all of them.

     

    Falmouth 4, Orleans 0

    Falmouth (7-5) shut down a hot Orleans (6-5) team for its fourth victory in five games. Trey Teakell (TCU) went seven shutout innings, striking out four and scattering six hits for his second win of the year. In both victories, he hasn’t given up a run. Kevin McKanna (Rice) finished the job with two scoreless innings. Kevin Cron (TCU) and Conner Hale (State College of Florida) led the offense with two hits and two RBI each. Cron hit his league-leading sixth double.

     

    Cotuit 9, Wareham 2

    Nobody has won more lopsided games than Cotuit, and the Kettleers (8-4) did it again with an easy victory over the Gatemen (2-10). Ben Smith (Coastal Carolina) struck out eight and gave up one earned run in six innings. His Coastal Carolina teammate Patrick Corbett did the rest, allowing just one hit in three scoreless frames. Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), who started the year 0-for-6, had his third multi-hit game in the last six, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. He’s now hitting .310. Kevin Bradley (Clemson), who had been off to a rough start, matched his season total for hits with a 3-for-3, two RBI night.

     

    Chatham 5, Y-D 5

    The Red Sox (4-7-1) forced extra innings with two runs in the ninth, and the teams only got one more inning in before darkness forced the game to end in a 5-5 tie. Chatham (7-4-1) took a 5-1 lead in the sixth but watched the Red Sox get two in the sixth and the two in the ninth to tie it. D.J. Stewart (Florida State) hit a two-run homer in the ninth, his first of the year, to force extras. Taylor Smart (Tennessee) also had an RBI for the Red Sox, while Dante Flores (USC) went 4-for-4 for the Anglers.

     

    What to Watch

    Just one game on the schedule tonight as Harwich visits Orleans. Nick Howard (Virginia), a two-way player who has only hit so far, is scheduled to make his pitching debut for the Mariners. Interestingly, he’ll square off with his Virginia teammate Josh Sborz, who has a 4.15 ERA in two relief appearances for Orleans.