Hit Parade

A.J. Murray and Chatham pounded 20 hits in a win over Bourne.

Chatham left Red Wilson Field on Tuesday having combined with Y-D on the highest-scoring Cape League game since 2010.

Wednesday, it seemed like the Anglers never left. On the heels of their 16-14 victory over Y-D, Chatham traveled to Bourne and blew past the West-leading Braves 13-3.

If you’re scoring at home, that’s 29 runs in their last two games. They now have 77 runs on the year, 13 more than any other team.

Ty Moore (UCLA) and Garrett Hampson (Long Beach State) – neither of whom really got in on the action Tuesday – led Wednesday’s surge. Moore, the only player in the starting lineup without a hit on Tuesday, went 4-for-6 with a double, a run scored and two RBI against the Braves. Hampson, who had one hit on Tuesday, also knocked four on Wednesday, to go with three runs scored and an RBI. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State), A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) and Nick Collins (Georgetown) had two hits each, and Chris Shaw (Boston College) had three RBI.

Unlike their slugfest win over Y-D, the Anglers pitchers made sure Bourne didn’t join in the fun on this night. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) allowed one run in five innings for his second win of the year, and three relievers pitched well to finish it off.

Mark Laird (LSU) was a bright spot for Bourne with four hits, but this one belonged to the Chatham offense. It was the first home loss of the season for Bourne, who fell to 10-4. Chatham improved to 7-6-1.

Brewster 8, Cotuit 0

The Whitecaps (6-8) rode six innings of two-hit ball form Cody Ponce to a shutout of the Kettleers (6-8). Ponce, who starred for D-II Cal Poly Pomona this spring, had been tagged for five unearned runs in 2.2 innings in his previous start. This time, he allowed just a second-inning single and a third-inning double before retiring the final 10 batters he faced in order. Ponce struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. Garrett Mundell (Fresno State), Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) and Evan Hill (Michigan) each pitched a hitless inning to secure the shutout. On the other side, Brewster touched up Cotuit starter Sam Tewes (Wichita State) for six runs in an inning and a third. Gio Brusa (Pacific), Travis Maezes (Michigan), Georgie Salem (Alabama) and Josh Vidales (Houston) all had two hits. The Whitecaps sent 10 men to the plate and scored six runs in the second inning.

Orleans 7, Harwich 5

Like West-leading Bourne, East-leading Harwich (10-4) was also knocked down a peg in a loss to Orleans (6-8). David Thompson (Miami) hit two home runs to lead the offense. They were the first of the year for Miami slugger and they added to Orleans’ league-leading total, which now stands at 12. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) added a two-run single as Orleans broke a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning. On the mound, Brett Lilek (Arizona State) allowed a run in four innings. Sam Moore (UC Irvine) got the win in relief and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) picked up the save. Harwich got a home run from Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech).

Falmouth 9, Hyannis 1

The Commodores nearly matched their season home run total of four in one night, as they smacked three long balls in a blowout of Hyannis. Shaun Chase (Oregon) got the fireworks started with a solo shot in the third, touching off a seven-run inning. The burst included a two-run single by Sam Gillikin (Auburn), an RBI single by Conner Hale (LSU), and RBI single by Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia), a bases-loaded walk to Jake Madsen (Ohio) and a sacrifice fly by Trever Morrison (Oregon State). In the sixth, Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North), one of the league’s batting leaders, hit his first home run. In the seventh, Hale added a solo shot, his second of the year. All the offense wasn’t even necessary behind starter Kevin McCanna (Rice), who turned in his third quality start of the summer. He allowed one run in seven innings, striking out two.

Y-D 9, Wareham 8 (10 innings)

The Red Sox followed up Tuesday’s slugfest against Chatham with another one Wednesday in Wareham, but came away with the victory this time. Y-D scored two in the top of the 10th to break a 7-7 tie. Andrew Stevenson (LSU) drew a bases-loaded walk for the go-ahead run Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) delivered an important insurance run with a sac fly. Wareham scored one in the bottom of the 10th, but Y-D reliever Josh Pierce (Kent State) got out of a two-on, two-out jam with a strikeout of Wareham standout Willie Calhoun (Arizona). Both teams finished with 15 hits. Y-D was led by Hunter Cole (Georgia), who hit his league-best third home run in just his seventh game. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) went 4-for-6 with a homer and now leads the league in hitting. Kyri Washington (Longwood) homered for Wareham, and Daniel Rosenbaum (Louisville) went 3-for-5 in his second game of the summer.

What to Watch

Another league-wide day off today. When the teams get back to action Friday, keep an eye on the match-up in Chatham, where the second-place Anglers host East-leading Harwich.

June 21, 2014June 21, 2014

Beating the Best

Richard Martin Jr. scored what proved to be the winning run as Bourne beat Harwich.

Harwich has been the most well-rounded team in the league so far this summer, with the most runs scored in the league and by far the fewest allowed. They’ve also shined in close games, winning two one-run games and two-run three-run games.

But Bourne gave the Mariners a taste of their own medicine on Friday.

The Braves scored two runs in the fifth, allowed one in the bottom half of the same inning and then slammed the door, beating Harwich 2-1. It was just the second loss for the Mariners, who dropped to 7-2. Bourne, now 6-3, grabbed hold of first place in the West.

After getting shut-out through four by Harwich starter Jake Drossner (Maryland) Bourne scored its first run on an RBI groundout by Billy Fleming (West Virginia). Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) then raced home on a passed ball, which would prove to be a huge run.

Harwich got one back on a Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) RBI single, but Bourne starter Travis Bergen (Kennesaw State) got Skye Bolt (North Carolina) to groundout to end the fifth.

From there, the Braves bullpen took over, with Thomas Hatch (Oklahoma State) and Joey Strain (Winthrop) combining to allow just one hit over the final four innings. Bergen got the win after striking out seven in five innings. Strain picked up the save.

Orleans 3, Cotuit 0

Orleans won by shutout for the third time this season in a 3-0 victory over Cotuit. Trevor Megill (Loyola Marymount) went one scoreless frame before Nathan Bannister (Arizona) turned in his second straight four-inning stint of shutout baseball. Bannister was credited with the win. Reilly Hovis (North Carolina), Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) finished out the shutout. David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount) led the offense with two hits and an RBI, while Edwin Rios (Florida International) picked up his league-leading ninth RBI.

Brewster 4, Y-D 1

The Whitecaps topped Y-D for their second straight win, improving to 5-4. Justin Montemayor (Houston) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, Gio Brusa (Pacific) went 2-for-4 and scored two runs, and Josh Vidales (Houston) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Brewster scored three runs against Y-D starter Michael Murray (Florida Gulf Coast), who was one of the top pitchers in the nation this spring. On the mound for the Whitecaps, Ryan McCormick (St. John’s) allowed just a run on four hits in 5.2 innings.

Wareham 7, Hyannis 5

Wareham also won its second straight, holding off a late charge by Hyannis for a 7-5 victory. Andrew Knizner (NC State) went 3-for-4 with three RBI while Chris Chinea (LSU) drove in two. The Gatemen have put up double-digit hits in four consecutive games and now lead the league in hits with 89. On the mound, Ryan Olson (San Diego) gave up four runs but only one earned in 4.2 innings. Andrew Zapata (Connecticut) got the win in relief with Scott Effross (Indiana) grabbing the save. Hyannis got a home run from Ben DeLuzio (Florida State).

Chatham 3, Falmouth 3

The first tie of the Cape League season happened after 12 innings in Falmouth. The Commodores trailed until the eighth, when they took a 3-2 lead. Chatham answered with a run in the top of the ninth and that was it for the scoring. Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North) went 4-for-6 atop the Commodore lineup and now leads the league in hitting with a .500 average. Steven Duggar (Clemson) drove in two runs. Nicholas Cooney (Wesleyan) pitched six strong innings, while Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) kept Chatham off the board for the final three. Chatham’s Zac Gallen (North Carolina) went six shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out three. Ty Moore (UCLA), A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech), Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) and Landon Cray (Seattle) had two hits each.

What to Watch

Wareham will visit Orleans as it tries to win its third straight behind perhaps it best pitcher, Kentucky’s Kyle Cody. He struck out six in three innings in his first start. The Firebirds counter with Kolton Mahoney (BYU) who struck out seven in four innings of relief in his only other appearance.

June 13, 2014June 13, 2014

Daily Fog: The Start that Counts

Ian Happ is off to a big start for Harwich - and so are his team's starting pitchers. — Ian Happ is off to a big start for Harwich – and so are his team’s starting pitchers.

In a Cape Cod Baseball League season, it always takes a week or two for starting pitchers to warm up. Many have been out of action for a while, so they have to get stretched out. They start small, three innings, four innings, maybe five.

But in Harwich, they have started big.

A night after James Mulry (Northeastern) struck out nine in seven shutout innings, Jason Inghram (William & Mary) took a perfect game into the sixth and struck out eight in seven scoreless frames as the Mariners moved to 2-0 with a 10-0 victory over Brewster.

Of the 20 starts made by Cape League pitchers this year, only three have seen the starter go more than six innings, and Harwich’s southpaw duo owns two of those. The average has been 4.2 innings, and Mulry and Inghram have blown that out of the water.

Inghram’s performance was part of a big night for pitching on the Cape, where three games ended in shutouts. His performance was as good as any.

Inghram was the ace of the William & Mary staff this spring with an ERA under two and a 10-2 record. He also racked 109.2 innings, so he’s plenty warmed up. On Thursday, he needed just 86 pitches to get through seven. He retired the first 17 batters he faced before Josh Vidales (Houston) broke up his perfect game in the sixth. He allowed one more two-out hit in the seventh and nothing else.

Ronnie Glenn (Penn) and Skylar Hunter (The Citadel) pitched a scoreless frame each to finish off the win.

The Harwich offense also took care of business, pounding 11 hits and breaking the game open with a six-run fourth. Returning star Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had another big night, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) added two hits and three RBI, while Anthony Hermelyn (Oklahoma) drove in two.

North Carolina star Skye Bolt made his long-awaited Harwich debut when he pinch-hit in the eighth. Bolt was on the Harwich roster last year but ended up with Team USA.

Falmouth 3, Y-D 0

Pitching also shined in Yarmouth, where second-year Falmouth Commodore Kevin McCanna (Rice) tossed six innings of one-hit baseball in a 3-0 win. McCanna had an ERA over six on the Cape last summer, but his spring at Rice was an indicator that he’d be moving in the right direction this summer. He obliged in his first start, striking out four and giving up just the one hit. At the plate, Matt Eureste (San Jacinto) and Austin Afenir (Oral Roberts) – both on temporary contracts – drove in a run apiece, with Afenir notching three hits. Y-D starter Kevin Duchene (Illinois), a former Big 10 Freshman of the Year, gave up two runs in 4.2 innings.

Bourne 1, Orleans 0

The other shutout belonged to Bourne, which moved to 2-0 with an 11-inning victory over the Firebirds. Eric Nyquist (Mercer) gave up two hits in six innings before giving way to the bullpen, which picked up where he left off. Lucas Laster (Mississippi State), John Gorman (Boston College) and Brad Raley (Lake Erie College) delivered five scoreless frames and set the stage for Bourne to walk-off in the 11th. With a runner on third, Billy Fleming (West Virginia) smacked a base hit to bring in the only run of the game and give Bourne the win. The Braves finished with only three hits as Orleans pitchers were just as good as their counterparts. Tyler Honahan (Stony Brook) started and struck out five in five innings.

Wareham 13, Chatham 3

Wareham’s 2013 offense did not score more than 12 runs a single time, but the 2014 Gatemen did it on day two as they got into the win column with a blowout of Chatham. Wareham got at least one hit from every player in the lineup and finished the night with 17. Nick Halamandaris (California) went 3-for-5 with two RBI, while Memphis teammates Jake Little and Keaton Aldridge each hit home runs – the first homers of the Cape League season. Little and Aldridge also had multi-hit games, along with Willie Calhoun (Arizona), Andrew Knizner (NC State) and Charlie Warren (Rice). Anthony Kay (Connecticut) got the win with three scoreless innings of relief.

Hyannis 6, Cotuit 5

The Harbor Hawks and Kettleers met for the second straight night, and the Hawks delivered their second straight one-run win. After trailing 4-0 they rallied to tie it but fell behind 5-4 in the eighth. But in the top of the ninth, they scored two to take a one-run lead and held it through the bottom of the ninth. Florida State star freshman Ben DeLuzio, a third-round pick out of high school, delivered a two-run triple in the eighth to give Hyannis the lead. Lance Thonvold (Minnesota) struck out two in a scoreless ninth to seal the win. Hyannis also got two RBI from Bobby Melley (Connecticut), the Barnstable native who’s coming off a huge year for UConn. Cotuit got another multi-hit night from D.C. Arendas (South Carolina), who went 2-for-3 and is your early league batting average leader.

What to Watch

Two big-time pitchers will make their Cape League debuts tonight. At 6:30 in Falmouth, Y-D’s Michael Murray (Florida Gulf Coast) gets the ball on the heels of a tremendous spring in which he emerged as one of the nation’s best pitchers. In Orleans, the Firebirds will start Trevor Megill (Loyola Marymount), who was a third-round pick of the Cardinals in this year’s draft. Megill, who was on Orleans’ preseason roster last year, had Tommy John surgery and missed all of this past season at Loyola.

June 11, 2014June 17, 2014

Fresh Start for Whitecaps

It’s hard to be a perennial anything in the Cape Cod Baseball League – powerhouse, doormat or otherwise.

The way the last two seasons have gone for the Brewster Whitecaps, that’s good news. The Whitecaps have had some talented players and have had good summers from a development standpoint, but wins have been hard to come by. Brewster finished last in the East in 2012 and 2013, which has set them up with the longest playoff drought in the league.

With not a single player back from last year, it’s a good time for a fresh start. The Whitecaps have assembled a sophomore-dominated team, with a mix of big prospects like Gio Brusa and Mikey White to go with some steady players with a lot of college innings under their belt.

It’s a whole new year.

THE SKINNY

Manager: John Altobelli
Last Year: 14-29-1; Missed playoffs
Returning Players: 0
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 23
Freshmen: 4

NOTABLE

Blake Fox hasn’t lost a game in his Rice career, and he’s been a part of 18 decisions, so it’s not really a small sample size. The lefty had an ERA under two this season and has ace potential for the Whitecaps.

For a while, Brewster’s roster included highly-touted UCLA sophomore pitcher Hunter Virant. He’s no longer on the squad, which hurts Brewster’s star power, but a host of solid arms could help make up for it. The Whitecaps have five weekend starters on board.

Brewster will have Maryland pitcher Zach Morris on the roster. [Obligatory Saved by the Bell reference].

Arizona seems to always send the same type of player to the Cape – speedy, hard-nosed outfielders who can drive the top of a lineup. Zach Gibbons fits the mold and is headed to Brewster.

Gio Brusa, a guy the Boston Red Sox wanted in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, should be Brewster’s top prospect. He was the third-best prospect in the Alaska League last summer.

Alabama is sending a trio of sophomores Brewster’s way, all of whom are coming off good seasons. Mikey White, who clubbed seven homers this year, looks to be the best of them.

Brewster has become the summer home for players from the fledgling Oregon program. Scott Heineman had a huge impact last year. This year, it’s two talented freshmen – Trent Paddon and Austin Grebeck, the son of former Major Leaguer Craig Grebeck.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Gio Brusa
2. Mikey White
3. Blake Fox
4. Trent Paddon
5. Dalton DiNatale

PITCHERS

Blake Fox – LHP – 6’4 220 – Rice – Sophomore
Evan Hill – LHP – 6’5 190 – Michigan – Sophomore
Andrew Lee – RHP/1B – 6’5 220 – Tennessee – Sophomore
Dave Mahoney – LHP – 6’3 202 – Connecticut – RS Junior
Ryan Mason – RHP – 6’6 215 – California – Freshman
Levi MaVorhis – RHP – 6’1 195 – Kansas State – Sophomore
Joe McCarthy – RHP – 6’5 215 – Southern New Hampshire – Sophomore
Zach Morris – LHP – 6’5 225 – Maryland – RS Sophomore
Kenny Oakley – RHP – 6’3 180 – UNLV – Sophomore
Trent Paddon – RHP – 6’2 235 – Oregon – Freshman
Cody Ponce – RHP – 6’6 240 – Cal Poly Pomona – Sophomore
Pat Ruotolo – RHP – 5’11 240 – Connecticut – Freshman
Dylan Silva – LHP – 6’1 215 – Florida State – Sophomore

Blake Fox – LHP – 6’4 220
Rice
Sophomore

Fox pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman and in the weekend rotation as a sophomore. The common thread? He doesn’t lose. Fox is a perfect 18-0 in his collegiate career. This season, he went 12-0 in 15 starts with a 1.46 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. He was named first-team all-Conference USA.

Evan Hill – LHP – 6’5 190
Michigan
Sophomore

Pitching as a weekend starter right out of the gate, Hill walked nearly as many as he struck out as a freshman but managed to post an ERA under four. This season, he improved his strikeout-to-walk numbers and had an ERA of 3.24. He’s pitched as a starter all but once in his two years with the Wolverines.

Andrew Lee – RHP/1B – 6’5 220
Tennessee
Sophomore

Lee didn’t pitch at all as a freshman, focusing all his energies on hitting. This year, he went the other way, seeing just six at-bats while emerging as a valuable arm on the mound. Making 7 starts and 16 relief appearances, Lee had a 3.90 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 56 innings.

Dave Mahoney – LHP – 6’3 202
Connecticut
RS Junior

Mahoney has been at UConn since 2011, when he redshirted. Since then, he’s been busy, making 71 appearances out of the bullpen in three seasons. This year, he finished with a 5.06 ERA.

Ryan Mason – RHP – 6’6 215
California
Freshman

Mason eased his way into a big role on the Bears’ pitching staff this spring. In nine starts and seven relief appearances, he went 7-1 with a 3.04 ERA.

Levi MaVorhis – RHP – 6’1 195
Kansas State
Sophomore

MaVorhis showed glimpses of big things in a Big 12 All-Freshman campaign last year. This spring he slid into K-State’s Friday starter role and delivered, posting a 3.95 ERA.

Joe McCarthy – RHP – 6’5 215
Southern New Hampshire
Sophomore

McCarthy earned All-Freshman honors in the Division II Northeast 10 Conference last year, after striking out a batter an inning while pitching mostly as a reliever. He went 5-1 this year with a 4.03 ERA.

Zach Morris – LHP – 6’5 225
Maryland
RS Sophomore

Morris led the Cincinnati Bearcats in ERA as a freshman in 2012 but transferred to Maryland, where he sat out the 2013 season. In his return to action this year, he made seven starts and three relief appearances while turning in a 2.77 ERA.

Kenny Oakley – RHP – 6’3 180
UNLV
Sophomore

Oakley pitched well in a swing role as a freshman in 2013 then saved five games in the Texas Collegiate League, where Perfect Game had him as the 16th-best prospect. This spring, he started 14 games and put up a 3.15 ERA. He struck out 79 in 97 innings.

Trent Paddon – RHP – 6’2 235
Oregon
Freshman

A California high school star, Paddon made a strong debut with Oregon this spring. In 21 appearances mostly out of the bullpen, he had a 3.38 ERA. He struck out 41 and walked only 11 in 50.2 innings. Paddon got a taste of summer ball last year when he played in the West Coast Collegiate League as a rising freshman.

Cody Ponce – RHP – 6’6 240
Cal Poly Pomona
Sophomore

Ponce has had two good seasons on the mound for Division II Cal Poly Pomona. This season, he had a 2.48 ERA as a starter, striking out 49 in 72.2 innings. He had four complete games.

Pat Ruotolo – RHP – 5’11 240
Connecticut
Freshman

A native of Peabody, Mass., Ruotolo emerged as a reliable bullpen arm for the Huskies this spring, making 25 appearances and sporting a 2.86 ERA. He struck out 49 in 44 innings.

Dylan Silva – LHP – 6’1 215
Florida State
Sophomore

Silva saw spot duty as a freshman in 2013 but made an impression when he allowed just one earned run in 11 innings of work. He played a bigger role this season and continued to pitch well, putting up a 1.98 ERA in 17 appearances. He struck out 28 in 23.2 innings.

POSITION PLAYERS

Braden Bishop – OF – 6’1 190 – Washington – Sophomore
Gio Brusa – OF/RHP – 6’3 190 – Pacific – Sophomore
Dalton DiNatale – INF/OF – 6’4 205 – Arizona State – Sophomore
Zach Gibbons – OF – 5’11 182 – Arizona – Sophomore
Austin Grebeck – OF – 5’8 152 – Oregon – Freshman
Luke Lowery – C/1B – 6’2 237 – East Carolina – Sophomore
Travis Maezes – INF – 6’0 188 – Michigan – Sophomore
Kevin Martir – C – 6’0 200 – Maryland – Sophomore
Justin Montemayor – INF/OF – 6’3 225 – Houston – Sophomore
Kyle Overstreet – INF – 6’1 210 – Alabama – Sophomore
Georgie Salem – OF – 5’11 210 – Alabama – Sophomore
John Sansone – INF – 5’11 200 – Florida State – Sophomore
Josh Vidales – INF – 5’8 160 – Houston – Sophomore
LaMonte Wade – INF/OF – 6’1 180 – Maryland – Sophomore
Mikey White – INF – 6’1 200 – Alabama – Sophomore

Braden Bishop – OF – 6’1 190
Washington
Sophomore

Bishop was a 36th-round pick out of high school and had a good debut for Washington last year. This season, he established himself as one of the best players in the Pac 12 when he hit .304 with a .394 OBP, 10 extra-base hits and a league-high 21 stolen bases.

Gio Brusa – OF/RHP – 6’3 190
Pacific
Sophomore

Brusa was drafted in the 37th round in 2012, but would have gone much higher if he hadn’t been set on attending Pacific. As a freshman, he hit .256 before emerging as one of the best prospects in the Alaska League last summer. Perfect Game had him rated third. This spring, the offensive potential started to shine through as Brusa had a similar batting average at .257 but cracked 22 extra-base hits and drove in 40.

Dalton DiNatale – INF/OF – 6’4 205
Arizona State
Sophomore

The brother of former Miami and Brewster standout Dave DiNatale, Dalton makes the trek to the Cape off a solid sophomore campaign. He batted .294 with three homer, 16 extra-base hits and 36 RBI, which ranked second on the team.

Zach Gibbons – OF – 5’11 182
Arizona
Sophomore

After seeing regular duty last year, Gibbons jumped to the leadoff spot in the Wildcats order this season and excelled there. He hit .338 with a .414 on-base percentage. He also stole seven bases.

Austin Grebeck – OF – 5’8 152
Oregon
Freshman

The son of former Big Leaguer Craig Grebeck, Austin made his presence felt in part-time duty for the Ducks this spring. He hit .254, smacked eight doubles and had an on-base percentage of .369. Like his teammate Paddon, he also played in the West Coast Collegiate League last summer and was named the circuit’s 18th-best prospect.

Luke Lowery – C/1B – 6’2 237
East Carolina
Sophomore

The brother of former Johnny Bench Award winner Jake Lowery – who attended James Madison – Luke is making his mark at East Carolina. He hit .284 this season and smacked four home runs. He was the 11th-best prospect in the Coastal Plain League last year.

Travis Maezes – INF – 6’0 188
Michigan
Sophomore

A native of Ann Arbor, Maezes has had two very good seasons for his hometown Wolverines. As a freshman, he hit .313 with 16 extra-base hits. This season, he batted .302 with a .413 OBP, 25 extra-base hits and 19 stolen bases.

Kevin Martir – C – 6’0 200
Maryland
Sophomore

Martir played at catcher and DH as a freshman and hit .279. He hit .269 this year and popped four home runs for the Terps.

Justin Montemayor – INF/OF – 6’3 225
Houston
Sophomore

After a strong freshman year, Montemayor had a big hand in Houston’s breakout season this year, which saw the Cougars rise into the national top 10. Montemayor hit .298 with a .345 OBP and drove in 31 runs on his way to a first-team all-conference nod.

Kyle Overstreet – INF – 6’1 210
Alabama
Sophomore

Part of a trio of Alabama hitters who are headed to Brewster, Overstreet was an SEC all-freshman pick in 2013 and followed that with a solid sophomore season. He hit .278 this year with four homers and 30 RBI.

Georgie Salem – OF – 5’11 210
Alabama
Sophomore

Like Overstreet, Salem has been solid in two years in Tuscaloosa, hitting .282 this year with 14 extra-base hits and 22 RBI. Last summer, he played in the Northwoods League and was named the 16th-best prospect by Perfect Game.

John Sansone – INF – 5’11 200
Florida State
Sophomore

A 39th-round pick out of high school, Sansone has been a regular contributor for two years running in Tallahassee. After hitting .233 last year, he dropped to .221 this year, but did have 15 extra-base hits and a .361 on-base percentage.

Josh Vidales – INF – 5’8 160
Houston
Sophomore

Like Montemayor, Vidales built on a strong freshman campaign to help lead Houston’s breakout this season. He hit .285 on the year with 30 RBI and stole 11 bases. He was named the MVP of the American Athletic Conference tournament after going 5-for-5 in the title game.

LaMonte Wade – INF/OF – 6’1 180
Maryland
Sophomore

Wade was a versatile performer as a freshman, playing the infield, outfield and pitching. He stayed off the mound entirely this year, and finished with a .247 average, 15 extra-base hits and 25 RBI. He was the 11th-best prospect in the Cal Ripken League last year, according to Perfect Game.

Mikey White – INF – 6’1 200
Alabama
Sophomore

White was a second-team All-SEC pick as a freshman and delivered an even better sophomore season. He hit .300, reached base at a .399 clip and ranked second on the team with seven home runs.