Baseball America’s Top 30 Prospects

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.

July 7, 2014July 7, 2014

Power Pack

Ty Moore hit a grand slam Sunday for his second homer in as many games.

The Chatham Anglers had the best record in the league last summer and picked up where they left off in their first game this year, blowing past Orleans 10-2. It’s been an interesting ride in the weeks since, not quite as smooth as last year. The Anglers scored four total runs in their next four games, looking punchless after their big debut. They’re still sorting out a solid pitching rotation. They’ve generally been pretty up-and-down.

But one thing has stabilized. The Anglers are not punchless.

Chatham won for the fourth straight time on Sunday, topping Hyannis 9-3. It was also the team’s fourth straight big night at the plate. Chatham has scored at least seven runs and hit at least one home run in each of the four victories.

The Anglers lead the league in runs scored, rank second in hits, second in home runs and third in batting average.

And they’ve got a core group that’s consistently delivering.

A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-3 last night, stretching his hitting streak to 11 games. Nine of the 11 have been multi-hit games. Murray is making a strong case for league MVP honors at this point. He’s third in the league in hitting, tied for first in home runs and tied for second in RBI. He has a 1.042 OPS.

And Murray isn’t alone. Chris Shaw (Boston College) went 2-for-5 last night. He hit home runs on back-to-back days last week and is tied with Murray for the league lead. Ty Moore (UCLA) has been hot too. He hit a grand slam on Sunday, giving home runs in consecutive games, and he’s now hitting .284.

Throw in a solid leadoff man in Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) and some big hitters who have had their moments, and it’s no wonder the Anglers are scoring. Pat Mazeika (Stetson) added two hits Sunday and Robert Baldwin (Yale) had three.

In the win over Hyannis, the pitching came through, too. Charlie Dant (Dayton), who was on a temporary contract but is now full-time, gave up three runs and struck out eight in five innings for the win. Bryan Goossens (Siena) pitched two scoreless innings and Kyle Davis (USC) delivered his seventh scoreless appearance in 10 tries to finish it off.

Chatham is now 12-9-1, one point back of Orleans for second place and just two behind Harwich for first.

Orleans 5, Wareham 1

The other budding offensive powerhouse in the East won its second straight with a strong performance against Wareham. David Thompson (Miami) led the way with a homer and four RBI. David Fletcher (Loyola Marymount) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and is now on an eight-game hitting streak after a slow start to the summer. R.J. Ybarra (Arizona State) added an RBI. On the mound, Nathan Bannister (Arizona) made his first start after long relief stints in his first three appearances and responded with six strong innings. He struck out six and allowed one run. The Firebirds are 4-0 in games in which Bannister has pitched. Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) picked up his fourth save.

Falmouth 9, Bourne 3

The Commodores picked up their third straight win and knocked off the Western Division leader in the process. Falmouth is now only three points out of first place. Kevin Newman (Arizona) went 4-for-6 to lead a strong offensive performance. Newman now has seven hits in three games since returning from Team USA trials. Shaun Chase (Oregon) added a home run and three RBI, Conner Hale (LSU) had two RBI and Jake Madsen (Ohio) and Conor Costello (Oklahoma State) had two hits each, with Costello also homering. Ryan Moseley (Texas Tech) allowed three runs in five innings before the bullpen cruised through the last four innings. For Bourne, Blake Davey (Connecticut) hit his third home run.

Harwich 5, Cotuit 5 (10 innings)

Harwich and Cotuit played 10 innings at Lowell Park but still couldn’t settle things before darkness fell as they finished in a tie. Grant Kay (Louisville) and Ian Rice (Chipola) each had four hits to lead a 15-hit Cotuit attack. Jake Fincher (NC State) had three hits for the third consecutive game, raising his average from .375 to a league-best .453. On the mound, Jeff Kinley (Michigan State) kept Harwich off the board over the final two innings. For Harwich, C.J. Hinojosa (Texas) and Matt Winn (VMI) had two hits each. Zack Erwin (Clemson) pitched 5.1 innings of one-run relief.

Y-D 3, Brewster 2

Y-D got a strong start from Justin Jacome (UC Santa Barbara) and a dominant bullpen effort made a one-run lead stand up in a victory over Brewster. Jacome struck out six and allowed two runs in five innings for his third good start of the summer. William Strode (Florida State) pitched 1.1 scoreless innings before Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) took over and did his usual. Bickford struck out four of the eight batters he faced in 2.2 scoreless frames. Bickford, an unsigned first-round pick last year, has three saves and has given up one total hit in those outings. At the plate, Y-D got two hits from Rob Fonseca (Northeastern). League RBI leader Hunter Cole (Georgia) tacked on one more and Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) also drove in a run. For Brewster, Gio Brusa (Pacific) had three hits, including a home run.

The East’s hottest teams and the highest scoring teams in the league will meet at Veterans Field when Chatham hosts Orleans. Two Cape League veterans who were once high draft picks out of high school are scheduled to square off. Andrew Chin (Boston College), a fifth-round pick in 2011 and a 15th-rounder this year, will make his 11th career Cape League start for Chatham. He’s had two tough outings in a row after a good start. For Orleans, 2012 third-rounder Kyle Twomey (USC), who’s made nine relief appearances after a full summer in the bullpen last year, is scheduled to make his first start of the 2014 season. He has a 2.84 ERA.

July 3, 2014July 3, 2014

A Grand Night

Wade Wass hit two grand slams and had nine RBI last night.

On a July night last summer, Max Pentecost delivered the season’s most memorable performance when he went 5-for-5 with two home runs. The Bourne catcher had a great summer overall, but that was the night he put himself in the MVP running and the night he cemented his burgeoning prospect status.

It remains to be seen what the rest of the 2014 summer – and beyond – holds for Brewster catcher Wade Wass (Alabama). But on a July night, Wass had the same kind of night that Pentecost had.

In a 12-5 Brewster win over Wareham at Stony Brook Field, Wass hit two grand slams and drove in nine runs.

Cape Cod Baseball League single game records are not readily available online, but I’ve got to think Wass’s performance cracks the books somewhere. In Major League Baseball history, players have two hit grand slams in a single game just 13 times. The last was in 2009. Nine RBI is a little more common at the MLB level, but in seven years of writing about the Cape League, I can’t remember a player hitting that number.

Obviously, it was a heck of a night.

Wass, a junior-college transfer, hit .302 with five homers for Alabama this spring. He was a 13th-round draft pick in 2012 out of the junior college ranks but stayed put.

This summer, he had just five hits in his first nine games but broke out with a home run on a 3-for-4, four RBI night on Saturday. After an 0-4 on Sunday, he delivered his grand performance Wednesday.

With a television audience on Fox College Sports – the crew’s first Cape broadcast of the summer – Wass came up in the third inning with the bases loaded and delivered his first grand slam. In the fifth, he doubled home a run, giving him a pretty good performance even if he had stopped there.

He did not. In the eighth, he came up again with the bases loaded and again smashed a grand slam.

Brewster won 12-5, with big nights from Braden Bishop (Washington) and Gio Brusa (Pacific) as well. Cody Ponce (Cal Poly Pomona) and Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) combined on a solid pitching performance.

And they would all agree the night belonged to their teammate. Wass, not surprisingly, now leads the league in RBI with 18 and is tied for second in home runs with three.

Orleans 13, Hyannis 0

The Firebirds now own the longest win streak of the summer thanks to a 13-0 shutout of Hyannis last night. Trent Thornton (North Carolina) struck out seven in five innings and combined with Cody Moffett (Arizona) and Tyler Honahan (Stony Brook) on the shutout. Thornton, who gave up five runs in his last start, allowed just three hits, all singles. The Firebirds offense gave him plenty of support, racing to a 7-0 lead after three innings. R.J. Ybarra (Arizona State) went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Brett Lang (North Carolina) drove in three runs. Edwin Rios (Florida International) also had two RBI, giving him 16 on the year. Orleans is now 11-8, just one game back of Harwich for first place in the East. The Firebirds have scored 39 runs in their last three games and 59 in the six-game streak.

Bourne 7, Harwich 6

Losers of three straight, Bourne came to Whitehouse Field and righted the ship with a narrow victory over East-leading Harwich. The Braves are now 12-6, matching Harwich for the best record in the league. The teams combined for 29 hits in their match-up, but Bourne had a little more offense. Blake Davey (Connecticut) had three hits and two RBI, while five of his teammates knocked in one run apiece. Davey and Harrison Bader (Florida) both homered. Harwich was balanced as well, getting at least one hit from every spot in the lineup, including two from recently arrived C.J. Hinojosa (Texas). Jacob Sparger (Louisville) got the win in relief for Bourne. Joey Strain (Winthrop) picked up a save.

Chatham 7, Cotuit 2

The big night by Wass will make headlines, but nobody in the league has been hotter of later than Chatham’s A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech). He went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI last night as the Anglers beat Cotuit 7-2. Murray is riding an eight-game hit streak that includes seven two-hit games and three home runs. He’s batting an even .500 – 18-for-36 – in the streak. He’s tied for the league lead in homers, ranks second in RBI and is sixth in batting average. Last night, Chris Shaw (Boston College) also homered for the Anglers and Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) added two hits. Jordan Hillyer (Kennesaw State) allowed one run in five innings, maintaining some remarkable consistency. He has gone exactly five innings and given up exactly one run in all three of his starts, and he has won them all.

Y-D 8, Falmouth 1

Kevin Duchene (Illinois) delivered the performance Y-D’s been waiting for, striking out nine in six shutout innings as the Red Sox beat Falmouth 8-1. Duchene, the former Big Ten Freshman of the Year, hadn’t yet hit his groove and sported a 6.08 ERA after three starts. But Wednesday, he didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and gave up just two overall. The nine strikeouts vaulted him to second in the league. With Duchene pitching like that and Falmouth starting Kevin McCanna (Rice) the game shaped up as a low-scoring affair, but Y-D scored five runs – four unearned – off McCanna, who had allowed four runs all season. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) went 3-for-4 to raise his league-best average to .413. Hunter Cole (Georgia) and Vincent Jackson (Tennessee) had two RBI apiece.

What to Watch

Today will bring the first of two games in the annual Fourth of July holiday rivalry series. Orleans and Chatham will be interesting as always, especially with the Firebirds riding their win streak. In Brewster, we’ll see what Wade Wass can do for an encore against Harwich’s Michael Boyle (Radford), who hasn’t allowed an earned run all summer.

June 30, 2014June 30, 2014

The Last Blast

A.J. Murray hit a walk-off home run as Chatham beat Hyannis.

Sunday night was a big one for home runs in the Cape Cod Baseball League, with seven of 10 teams hitting at least one and those squads combining for 10 total.

They saved the biggest one for last.

In the bottom of the 12th at Veterans Field, Chatham’s A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) hit a walk-off solo home run to give the Anglers a 5-4 victory over Hyannis.

Chatham was coming off a one-run loss to Brewster in which it was the victim of a late Whitecaps home run. This time, after tying the game in the eighth, the Anglers held Hyannis down and finally broke through in the 12th.

Murray led off the inning against Hyannis closer Ian Gibaut (Tulane), who had given up two runs – and no homers – in five appearances this summer. Murray jumped off the first pitch Gibaut threw – and made it the only pitch Gibaut would throw.

The homer was the third of the year for Murray, which puts him in a tie for the league lead.

It made a winner out of the other hero, Kyle Davis (USC), who continued to look like perhaps the most valuable pitcher in the league. He leads the league in appearances with eight, ranks second in the league in strikeouts with 20 and has a 1.35 ERA. He was at his bullpen-saving best on Sunday, coming on in the ninth and pitching four scoreless innings to keep the game tied. He allowed just one hit and struck out four. In the top of the 12th, he struck out the last two batters on four pitches each to give Chatham a little surge of momentum ahead of Murray’s blast.

Murray finished the night 3-for-4 with two RBI. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) added two hits. Nick Collins (Georgetown), in as a pinch-hitter, knocked in the tying run in the eighth with a single.

Hyannis got a home run from Carl Wise (College of Charleston) and four hits from Donnie Dewees Jr. (North Florida). Ryan Perez (Judson) struck out five in three scoreless innings of relief and is now tied with Davis for second in the league in K’s.

Chatham improved to 8-8-1 while Hyannis fell to 10-7.

Orleans 15, Harwich 8

No one’s been very close to first-place Harwich since the first week of the season, but the Firebirds drew within two games thanks to their fourth straight win, a blowout of the Mariners. The Firebirds (9-8) scored five runs in each of the first two innings. After Harwich (11-6) chipped away to make it 10-7 going into the eighth, Orleans delivered another five-run inning to put the game away. Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) and R.J. Ybarra (Arizona State) hit back-to-back home runs to account for the five runs in the eighth. Dalbec finished with four RBI. Geoff DeGroot (Rutgers), Edwin Rios (Florida International) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) all had three hits. For Harwich, Angelo Amendolare (Jacksonville) had three hits and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) had three RBI.

Wareham 7, Cotuit 6

Cotuit (8-9) joined in the home run party with two, but the Gatemen (6-11) had a little more offense in the end in a 7-6 victory. Jake Little (Memphis) homered for the Gatemen, his third of the year, while Willie Calhoun (Arizona) went 2-for-4 with his 12th double. Charlie Warren (Rice) added two hits while Corey Ray (Louisville) had two RBI. Wareham finished with 10 hits and now leads the league in team batting average. The Gatemen bullpen also delivered, with four pitching combining on 6.1 innings of one-run ball. Nick Fuller (UMass-Dartmouth) was credited with the win and Ryan Olson (San Diego) picked up the save. For Cotuit, Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) and Austin Byler (Nevada) each hit their third home run of the summer.

Falmouth 8, Bourne 3

The Commodores touched up Bourne standout Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) for three runs then really broke out against the bullpen and pulled away for an 8-3 victory. Sopko had struck out 13 and given up one run in 10 innings thus far, but Falmouth got a leadoff home run from Sam Gillikin (Auburn) in the first inning and tacked on single runs in the second and fourth innings. Sopko departed in the sixth, and Austin Afenir (Oral Roberts) – who went 4-for-4 – broke a 3-3 tie with an RBI single. Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) delivered an RBI double in the seventh. In the eighth, Afenir doubled home a run and Nicholas Ramos (Indiana) knocked in two with a base hit. The late surge made a winner out of reliever Kyle Zimmerman (Wayne State), who went two scoreless innings. Bourne still leads the West with an 11-6 record. Falmouth improved to 8-8-1.

Y-D 9, Brewster 7

Y-D held off a late charge by Mikey White (Alabama) and Brewster to snap a two-game skid. The Red Sox (6-11) led 9-4 going into the ninth before the Whitecaps (7-10) made it interesting. After a sacrifice fly by Wade Wass (Alabama), White hit his second home run of the game – a two-run shot – to get his team within two runs. But with a runner on first, Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) came out of the Y-D bullpen and struck out Andrew Lee (Tennessee) to end the game. The win went to starter Bryan Bonnell (UNLV), who allowed three runs in six innings. The Y-D offense was led by Andrew Stevenson (LSU) and Josh Lester (Missouri), who had two hits each. Jason Goldstein (Illinois) had one hit and four RBI, while Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) drove in two.

What to Watch

The league leaders in ERA among qualified starting pitchers will square off as Falmouth visits Hyannis. Matt Hall (Missouri State), who has a 0.56 ERA, will go for the Commodores against Hyannis and Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana), who has a 1.56 ERA.

June 26, 2014June 26, 2014

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 25, 2014June 25, 2014

A Red Wilson Night

Patrick Mazeika's three-run homer gave Chatham a lead in Tuesday's slugfest. — Patrick Mazeika’s three-run homer gave Chatham a lead in Tuesday’s slugfest.

Yarmouth’s Red Wilson Field has the shortest fences in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Home runs are more common there, and in turn, big run totals flow a little more easily.

And every once in a while, the floodgates really open.

Last night at Red Wilson, Chatham and Y-D combined for six home runs, 31 hits and 30 runs in a 16-14 Chatham victory. The 30 combined runs is the most in a Cape League game since 2010, when Y-D beat Orleans 23-10 in a playoff game . . . at Red Wilson Field. Two teams also hit 30 in the 2010 regular season, when Harwich beat Y-D 16-14 . . . at Red Wilson Field. (Two totals near 30 – a 17-12 game last year and a 16-10 game in 2012 – also happened in Yarmouth).

Red Wilson’s latest show belonged to the Anglers, who scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning and stopped the slugfest in the bottom half. With the sun setting on the three-hour, 20-minute game, it was called after eight.

Chatham hit two home runs and Y-D hit three. Chris Shaw (Boston College) had one of the blasts for Chatham as part of a big night. He went 4-for-6 with three runs scored and an RBI. Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) hit the other home run for the Anglers on his way to a 1-for-2, four-run, three-RBI game.

The Anglers trailed 13-11 going into the eighth, but exploded immediately. Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) led off with a double and A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) traded places with him on an RBI double. After a base hit by Shaw, Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) doubled in the tying run. Y-D went to its bullpen, but Mazeika greeted reliever Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) with a three-run homer, the biggest and the final blow in the night’s power surge.

Kyle Davis (USC), who’s been one of the best relievers in the league this summer, came on to try and close the door for Chatham. Though even he couldn’t escape without giving up a run – his second of the year – Davis stranded two runners when he ended the game with a strikeout. Davis got the save for Zack Burdi (Louisville), who had gotten out of a jam in the seventh.

Simmons and Landon Cray (Seattle) had three hits each for Chatham, while Murray and Mazeika drove in three runs apiece. Chatham has now scored the second-most runs in the league after ranking in the middle of the pack before last night.

Y-D got two home runs from Hunter Cole (Georgia), plus one each from Rob Fonseca (Northeastern) and Ryan Hissey (William & Mary).

Hyannis 14, Cotuit 2

The Harbor Hawks weren’t at Red Wilson Field but may as well have been in the late innings of a 14-2 victory over Cotuit at Lowell Park. Leading 3-0 into the seventh, Hyannis scored 11 runs over the final three innings. The Harbor Hawks (9-4) have now scored the most runs in the league and are 3-0 against rival Cotuit (6-7). Bobby Melley (Connecticut), who was hitting .250 coming in after a huge spring for the Huskies, broke out with a 4-for-4, four RBI night. Kyle Survance (Houston) homered and drove in two, Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) went 2-for-2 with two RBI and Jarret DeHart (LSU) had two RBI. Tate Scioneaux (SE Louisiana), pitching without a big lead, went six scoreless innings with three strikeouts for his third win in as many starts.

Bourne 5, Orleans 2

Making his ninth career Cape League start, Ryan Kellogg (Arizona State) turned in perhaps his best performance as the West-leading Braves (10-3) topped Orleans (5-8). Kellogg went six scoreless innings, striking out four and scattering six hits. Thomas Hatch (Oklahoma State) and Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) finished off the win. Kellogg’s battery mate and ASU teammate Brian Serven homered for the Braves. Gavin Collins (Mississippi State) and Blake Allemand (Texas A&M) added two hits each.

Harwich 4, Wareham 1

The Mariners remained even with Bourne for the best record in the league thanks to a victory over Wareham. Michael Boyle (Radford) allowed just an unearned run in 5.1 innings for the win. Jacob Evans (Oklahoma) struck out four in 2.2 innings of relief and Seth McGarry (Florida Atlantic) pitched a perfect ninth for his first save. Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) homered to lead the offense, while Kyle Barrett (Kentucky) had three hits from the top of the lineup. Barrett owns a six-game hitting streak and is batting .400 on the year.

Falmouth 8, Brewster 3

The Commodores (5-7-1) snapped a five-game winless streak with a victory over Brewster (5-8). Steven Duggar (Clemson) went 3-for-4 with two RBI to lead the offense, which hadn’t scored more than five runs since June 15. Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) added three RBI, while Trever Morrison (Oregon State) and Conner Hale (LSU) had two hits each. Matt Eureste (San Jacinto North) went 1-for-4 and continues to lead the league in hitting with a .414 average. On the mound for Falmouth, Matt Hall (Missouri State) turned in one of the team’s best starts of the summer, striking out five in seven scoreless innings. Hall is now tied for the league lead in strikeouts.

What to Watch

A good pitching match-up is lined up in Orleans, where the Firebirds send Brett Lilek (Arizona State) to the mound against Harwich’s James Mulry (Northeastern). Lilek, a standout this spring, struck out six in four scoreless innings in his first Cape League start. Mulry has a 1.39 ERA in two starts.

June 23, 2014June 23, 2014

Let’s Play Two

Brendan Hendriks had four hits and drove in five runs in Cotuit's doubleheader sweep. — Brendan Hendriks had four hits and drove in five runs in Cotuit’s doubleheader sweep.

Mike Roberts seems like the kind of guy who would have been right with Ernie Banks when the Cub legend famously said, “Let’s play two.” Roberts and his Cotuit Kettleers are making Ernie proud so far this summer.

The Kettleers have swept each of their Sunday doubleheaders this season. They beat Chatham on the first go-round then held off Brewster 7-4 and 4-3 yesterday. They’re only team that has swept both of its twin bills, and the doubleheader victories account for four of their six wins of the season.

They had lost four in a row heading into yesterday’s set, including a 9-1 thrashing at the hands of Y-D on Saturday. But against the Whitecaps, they got solid performances from their usual parade of pitchers and made the most of their offensive chances. They scored seven runs on only seven hits in the first game. In the second, they trailed 3-2 entering the seventh – the final inning because of the doubleheader – but scored two runs to win it.

Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco) was the offensive hero, going 4-for-8 with five RBI in the two games. He delivered a walk-off RBI double to win game two.

Hendriks, a college teammate of former Kettleer star and first-round pick Bradley Zimmer, has been doing his best impression of late. He ranks second in the league in hitting with a .394 batting average and is six for his last 12.

Jake Fincher (NC State) had two hits in the second game, including a single that started the seventh-inning rally. Ashton Perritt (Liberty) had a pinch-hit RBI single to tie the game.

The comeback made a winner out of Trey Wingenter (Auburn), who went two scoreless innings as the fifth Cotuit pitcher of the game.

In the first game, Hendriks knocked in three runs and Austin Byler (Nevada) homered to lead the offense. Adam Whitt (Nevada) picked up his league-best third win of the year with 3.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Harwich 3, Falmouth 1; Harwich 6, Falmouth 0

Like Cotuit, Harwich was sliding but snapped a two-game skid with a sweep of Falmouth. The Mariners 9-3, tied with Bourne for the best record in the league. In game one, Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) knocked in all the runs Jared Poche (LSU) would need. He struck out six and gave up one run in five innings. Ronnie Glenn (Penn) pitched two innings for the save. In game two, the Mariners got even better pitching. Jon Harris (Missouri State) went six shutout innings, striking out six and scattering five hits. Robby Kalaf (Florida International) pitched the last inning to finish off the shutout. Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) homered to lead the offense.

Bourne 3, Y-D 1; Bourne 3, Y-D 1

The Braves posted a pair of 3-1 victories over the Red Sox and have now won four straight overall. In the first game, Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) struck out seven in four innings of one-run ball before three relievers tossed a scoreless inning each. Joey Strain (Winthrop) pitched the final inning for a save. Harrison Bader (Florida) led the offense with two hits and two RBI. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) had three hits for Y-D. In game two, the Red Sox led 1-0 into the fifth but the Braves scored three there and never looked back. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) went 2-for-3 and Blake Davey (Connecticut) knocked in two runs. Dylan Nelson (Radford) allowed one run in five innings for the win and John Gorman (Boston College) notched his league-best fourth save.

Hyannis 5, Orleans 4; Hyannis 1, Orleans 0

The Harbor Hawks scored a late run in each game to grab a sweep of Orleans. The first game went to extra innings after Orleans had scored three runs in its final at-bat on back-to-back homers by Timmy Robinson (USC) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) to tie the game. But in the eighth, Hyannis pushed the winning run across on an Austin Slater (Stanford) RBI. In game two, the teams were scoreless until the sixth, when Slater struck again on an RBI single. His Stanford teammate Marcus Brakeman, who was dominant, finished it off from there. Brakeman struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. Sarkis Ohanian (Duke) started the game and went four scoreless for the Harbor Hawks.

Chatham 4, Wareham 2; Wareham 7, Chatham 3

The only doubleheader split happened at Spillane Field, where Chatham took the first game before Wareham responded for a win in game two. The Anglers fell behind 2-0 in the first inning of game one but scored one in the third and three in the fifth. Jake Fraley (LSU), Landon Lassiter (North Carolina) and Patrick Mazeika (Stetson) knocked in a run each, while Kal Simmons (Kennesaw State) and Ty Moore (UCLA) had two hits each. Charlie Dant (Dayton) allowed just two unearned runs in four innings and Lou Distasio (Rhode Island) went one scoreless frame before giving way to standout reliever Kyle Davis (USC). Davis, who leads the league in appearances and strikeouts, went two scoreless for his second save. In the nightcap, Wareham got five good innings from recent Omaha arrival Drew Harrington (Louisville). Chatham managed three in the seventh but nothing more. The Gatemen offense got three hits from Willie Calhoun (Arizona) plus a home run from Blair Beck (Kansas).

What to Watch

With the doubleheaders in the books, it’s a league-wide day off on Monday.

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.

May 24, 2014May 24, 2014

Anglers Sticking With What Works

After a few rough years, the Chatham Anglers built the team they’d been looking for in 2013. It didn’t yield a championship – as Orleans ousted the Anglers on its way to the championship series – but I think if you asked anyone in the Chatham organization what they’re hoping for in 2014, they’d gladly take another season just like last year’s.

The Anglers have certainly set the stage.

The blueprint of mixing in stars with solid college players who might not be on the hype train worked well last year and is in play again this year. The Anglers don’t have a lot of guys who are on College World Series contenders, they aren’t likely to lose many players to Team USA, they don’t have all their eggs in a few college teams’ baskets and they have a lot of veterans.

They have another team that should be mostly together from day one, and like last year, there’s been steady production from the future Anglers in the spring, with some stars doing big things, as well.

Mix in five players who were part of last summer’s ride, and you’ve got a team that should contend again.

THE SKINNY

Manager: John Schiffner
Last Year: 26-17-1; Lost in East Division Finals
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 5
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen: 7

NOTABLE

Landon Lassiter is probably Chatham’s top returning player. An on-base percentage master, Lassiter has been a key part of North Carolina’s lineup for two years now and fits in very well with the way the Anglers want to play.

Blake Butera is not Chatham’s top returning player, after hitting .196 last summer, but he too fits in well. When you hit below .200 but you start 34 of 44 games, you’re doing something right. As a junior with Cape League experience, he’ll be an anchor this year.

Louisville freshman Zack Burdi will follow his brother Nick’s footsteps to Chatham, where Nick lit up radar guns in 2012. Zack hasn’t gotten a ton of opportunities this year, but his brother took that path, too, posting an ERA over five in his first year in Louisville. He then had a breakout summer with Chatham, and Zack will be looking for the same.

San Diego sophomore P.J. Conlon grew up in California but was born in Northern Ireland. First player from Northern Ireland in the Cape? Entirely possible.

LSU freshman Jake Fraley has burst onto the scene in Baton Rouge, leading the team in hitting after starting the year on the bench. His meteoric rise prompted LSU head coach coach Paul Mainieri to say, ““I honestly believe we’re watching the evolution of maybe the next great LSU baseball player.” High praise.

Louisville’s Kyle Funkhouser – a returning Angler – will be perhaps the top incoming pitcher in the league, but he has also been invited to Team USA.

USC’s Kyle Davis would seem to have the inside track at the closer position. He’s saved nine games this spring.

Kennesaw State’s Jordan Hillyer has had a solid spring on the mound and has a Cape League idol to look up to. His battery mate with the Owls is most often Max Pentecost, the 2013 Cape League MVP.

Chris Shaw hit .196 for Boston College last year but became the Eagles best hitter in his sophomore season and should be poised for big things this summer.

Garrett Williams was a top 100 draft prospect last year but told teams not to draft him, because he planned on going to Oklahoma State. He hasn’t had a great debut with the Cowboys, but his track record certainly makes him a player to watch.

I thought Pat Mazeika might be one of the top hitters on the Cape last summer, but he played only briefly for Cotuit. He’s bound for Chatham this year with the same potential.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Kyle Funkhouser
2. Jake Fraley
3. Pat Mazeika
4. Garrett Williams
5. Chris Shaw

PITCHERS

Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195 – Louisville – Freshman
Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220 – Boston College – Sophomore
*Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181 – Boston College – Junior
P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175 – San Diego – Sophomore
Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190 – Southern California – Sophomore
*Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213 – Louisville – Sophomore
Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200 – Maine – Freshman
Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195 – Siena – Sophomore
Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185 – San Diego – Junior
Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210 – Wake Forest – RS Freshman
Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165 – Fairfield – Sophomore
Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
* – returning player

Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195
Louisville
Freshman

The brother of former Angler flamethrower Nick Burdi, Zack is following in his brother’s footsteps at Louisville and will do the same in Chatham this summer. In his freshman year, he has seen action in 11 games and sports a 4.66 ERA.

Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220
Boston College
Sophomore

Burke was among the busiest pitchers on the Eagles club last year, making 24 appearances with an ERA over five. He has moved into the weekend rotation this year and has yet to put up great numbers. Burke has a 5.04 ERA.

Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181
Boston College
Junior

A fifth-round pick out of high school who redshirted after Tommy John surgery, Chin recaptured some of his form in an up-and-down summer with the Anglers last year. He’s been steadier this spring, going 5-2 with a 3.10 ERA, no easy task as a weekend starter in the ACC.

P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175
San Diego
Sophomore

Conlon won nine games and led the Toreros in ERA while pitching in a swing role last season. He slid into the weekend rotation this season and has had a decent campaign, going 7-2 with a 4.35 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts with 60.

Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195
Franklin Pierce
Sophomore

After a strong freshman season in the Franklin Pierce bullpen, Covelle spent most of 2014 as a starter with solid results. He had a 3.62 ERA and struck out 56 in 59.2 innings.

Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190
Southern California
Sophomore

Davis had an ERA over five as a reliever last spring but has left any struggles he had in the dust this season. Pitching as the Trojans’ closer, Davis has saved nine games and leads the team with a 1.33 ERA. He has struck out 43 in 47.1 innings.

Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213
Louisville
Sophomore

Funkhouser struck out 21 in 13 innings of relief for the Anglers last summer and was picked by Perfect Game as the Cape League’s 14th-best prospect. It was a sign of things to come. Pitching in the Cards’ weekend rotation this year, Funkhouser has emerged as an ace. He’s 12-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. Funkhouser has been invited to Team USA.

Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200
Maine
Freshman

Joining the Maine-to-Chatham pipeline, Gelinas heads south off a solid freshman campaign. He posted a 3.86 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 51.1 innings while pitching as both a starter and a reliever.

Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195
Siena
Sophomore

Goossens headed to Siena after a strong Massachusetts high school career. He had a pretty good debut season and moved to the weekend rotation this year, but has hit some struggles. He has a 5.90 ERA.

Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205
Kennesaw State
Sophomore

A 20th-round pick out of high school, Hillyer pitched well in 10 appearances last spring. He grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation this year and has continued to pitch well, going 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts. Hillyer pitched last summer in the NECBL, where Perfect Game tabbed him as the league’s 22nd-best prospect.

Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185
San Diego
Junior

After transferring from Arizona, Long spent last season at a junior college then pitched in two games for Orleans last summer. In a San Diego uniform this spring, Long leads the team in strikeouts with 62 in 71 innings and has a 2.43 ERA. He has started eight games and come out of the bullpen in 12 others.

Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210
Wake Forest
RS Freshman

A native of Boston, Tishman took a redshirt in his first year at Wake Forest. This season, he has made 26 appearances, second on the team, and has a 5.47 ERA.

Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165
Fairfield
Sophomore

A New Jersey native, Wallace has had two very steady seasons as a starter for the Stags. He had a 3.39 ERA last year and has kept it in the same range this year at 3.32. He leads Fairfield in strikeouts with 54.

Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195
Oklahoma State
Freshman

Baseball America rated Williams the 15th-best high school prospect in the country for last year’s draft, but he told MLB clubs he was headed to Oklahoma State. In Stillwater, he has started seven games and made nine relief appearances, posting a 5.12 ERA but striking out 47 in 38.2 innings. At the plate, he has hit .222 in 16 appearances.

POSITION PLAYERS

*Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175 – Boston College – Junior
Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240 – Georgetown – Sophomore
Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195 – Stetson – Sophomore
Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195 – Cal. State Fullerton – Sophomore
Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180 – UNLV – Freshman
*Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Sophomore
Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
*A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215 – Georgia Tech – Junior
*Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190 – Texas Tech – Junior
Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250 – Boston College – Sophomore
Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
* – returning player

Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175
Boston College
Junior

Butera hit only .196 last summer for the Anglers, but he was a key piece to the puzzle nonetheless, playing in 34 games. He’s had a solid season in Chestnut Hill, hitting .269.

Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240
Georgetown
Sophomore

Collins led the Hoyas in batting average as a freshman and was even better this season. On his way to All-Big East honors, Collins hit .351 with a .421 OBP, two homers and 38 RBI, while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. He was Perfect Game’s 14th-best prospect in the Cal Ripken League last summer.

Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195
Stetson
Sophomore

Fagan earned Atlantic Sun All-Freshman honors last year and followed that up with a solid sophomore season. He hit .279 with a .372 OBP. He also made seven appearances on the mound and had a 2.51 ERA.

Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195
LSU
Freshman

The rare top-level baseball star from Delaware, Fraley headed south to LSU and has had a big impact in his freshman season. After seeing spot duty early on, Fraley has forced his way into the lineup by hitting a team-best .382 with three homers and 29 RBI.

Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175
Long Beach State
Freshman

A Nevada high school standout, Hampson has had a strong debut with the Dirtbags. He leads the team in hitting at .316 and ranks third in OBP with a .354 mark. He’s also stolen eight bases.

Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195
Cal. State Fullerton
Sophomore

The son of former Major Leaguer Gregg Jefferies, Jake was a 34th-round pick out of high school. He had a good freshman season with the Titans then starred in the Northwoods League last summer, hitting .358 and ranking 17th on Baseball America’s prospect list. Jefferies has hit a big sophomore slump this season, though, as he’ hitting just .147.

Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180
UNLV
Freshman

A product of national baseball powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Jones has been a steady contributor for two seasons for the hometown Runnin’ Rebels. After hitting .287 last year, he’s at .281 this year with three home runs.

Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188
North Carolina
Sophomore

Lassiter was a 16th-round pick out of high school and he hit .358 last year on his way to Freshman All-America honors. He hit .250 in 22 games for the Anglers last summer. His average is down to .300 this year but his OBP is still impressive at .417.

Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210
Stetson
Sophomore

Mazeika led the Atlantic Sun in hitting last year on his way to Freshman of the Year honors and a host of Freshman All-America accolades. After playing briefly for Cotuit last summer, he’ll head to Chatham off another strong campaign. Mazeika hit .354 with two homers and 18 doubles.

Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190
UCLA
Sophomore

Moore hit .219 for the CWS champion Bruins as a freshman then hit .203 in the NECBL last summer. This year, he’s taken a step forward, ranking second on the team with a .293 batting average and leading in extra-base hits.

A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215
Georgia Tech
Junior

Murray burst onto the scene for Tech last season when he hit .271 after playing in just 12 games as a freshman. After a short stint with the Anglers last summer, Murray has continued to play well for the Yellow Jackets. He’s hitting .280 with four homers.

Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190
Texas Tech
Junior

Redman spent the 2013 season in the junior college ranks then made some noise in 12 games with the Anglers last summer. In his first season in Lubbock, Redman has hit .269.

Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250
Boston College
Sophomore

Shaw flashed some pop last spring with six home runs, but they were six of only 27 hits, as he batted .165 in his freshman year. This season, everything has caught up to the power. Shaw leads the Eagles with a .329 average, six home runs and 45 RBI. The big sophomore year comes after a breakout campaign in the NECBL, where Shaw hit five homers and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game.

Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190
Kennesaw State
Sophomore

Simmons had a great freshman year, hitting .290 and playing a solid shortstop en route to first-team all-conference honors. He’s hitting .277 this year.