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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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    Eleven from CCBL are PG All-Americans

    Marc Brakeman earned Summer All-America honors from Perfect Game.
    Marc Brakeman earned Summer All-America honors from Perfect Game.

     

    Perfect Game’s wrap-up of summer collegiate baseball continued Tuesday with the release of its Summer All-Americans. The Cape League led the way among all summer leagues with 11 players on the three-team, 48-member squad. The Northwoods League checked in second with nine.

    The Cape League honorees:

    First Team
    Conner Hale
    Kevin Newman
    Ian Happ
    Kolton Mahoney
    Marc Brakeman
    Phil Bickford

    Second Team
    Chris Shaw
    Alex Young

    Third Team
    Richard Martin, Jr.
    Andrew Stevenson
    Justin Jacome

    Perfect Game also gave an honorable mention nod to Cotuit reliever Adam Whitt.

    The list is fun to check out, not just for current Cape connections, but for potential future connections. Current rising sophomores will dominate the Cape League next summer, and PG’s All-Americans include 14 rising sophomores. I would expect to see many on the Cape.

    The list: Pete Alonso, Jon DuPlantier, Troy Dixon, Sheldon Neuse, Vince Fernandez, Michael Echaria, Adam McGarity, Tyler Stubblefield, Jayson Yano, Granger Studdard, Jon Escobar, Matt Diorio, Gunnar McNeill, Ronnie Dawson.

    The top standout from that class is Pete Alonso of Florida. After earning Freshman All-America honors this spring, Alonso tore up the Northwoods League, slashing .354/.419/.624 with 18 home runs on his way to league MVP honors. The home run total is tied for fourth in league history.

    Texas A&M pitcher Tyler Stubblefield is another name to watch. He earned Pitcher of the Year honors in Alaska with a miniscule 1.05 ERA.

     

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    The K-Man

    Kolton Mahoney's 13 strikeouts were the most in a CCBL playoff game since 2006.
    Kolton Mahoney’s 13 strikeouts were the most in a CCBL playoff game since 2006.

     

    Three pitchers tied for the league lead in strikeouts this season, and all three took the ball for their teams in game one of the playoffs Wednesday night.

    The strikeout king emerged.

    Kolton Mahoney (BYU) struck out 13 in seven scoreless innings as Orleans blanked Y-D 3-0 to take a 1-0 lead in its East semifinal series. The 13 K’s are the most in a Cape League playoff game since 2006, when Riley Boening fanned 14 for Wareham. There have been double-digit performances since, but never more than a dozen. (The list of double-digit guys includes Chris Sale, J.J .Hoover, Mark Appel and Kyle Freeland. Good company.)

    Mahoney, who was presented with the league’s Outstanding Pitcher Award before the game, was tagged for four unearned runs in his final regular-season start, but he wasn’t tagged for much of anything on Wednesday. He allowed four hits – all singles – and struck out the side twice.

    In the regular season, the Red Sox finished with the second fewest strikeouts in the league, but they had faced Mahoney twice and struck out 19 times total, including his previous season-high of 11.

    When Mahoney gave way to the bullpen, the onslaught continued. Bobby Poyner (Florida) struck out the side in the eighth and Reilly Hovis (North Carolina) punched out two in the ninth. That’s 18 strikeouts, of 27 outs recorded.

    For much of the game, Mahoney was locked in a pitcher’s duel with Y-D ace Justin Jacome (UC Santa Barbara). The game was scoreless until the seventh, when Jerry McClanahan (UC Irvine) cracked a two-run single to give Orleans the lead. An error in the eighth allowed the third run to score.

    The win was Orleans’ first playoff victory over Y-D since 2002. They haven’t matched up a ton since then, but Y-D had swept the last two series with the Firebirds.

     

    Falmouth 3, Hyannis 0

    The other two strikeout leaders squared off, and Falmouth’s pitching was a little better in a shutout of Hyannis. Matt Hall (Missouri State) went six scoreless innings, scattering five hits while striking out one. Ryan Moseley (Texas Tech) and Matt Eckelman (St. Louis) finished off the shutout. Marc Brakeman (Stanford), who hadn’t allowed a run in his last two starts, was touched up for just an unearned run in six innings, as Falmouth took a 1-0 lead on an error in the second. Falmouth added a run on a Conner Hale (LSU) home run and a Jake Madsen (Ohio) RBI single in the eighth. Madsen finished with three hits, while Steven Duggar (Clemson) and Cameron O’Brien (West Virginia) had two each.

     

    Harwich 7, Brewster 2

    In a game that didn’t begin until 9 p.m. thanks to field work after a storm, Harwich busted out quickly with three runs in the first and never looked back. Skye Bolt (North Carolina) went 2-for-4 with a home run and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI to lead a 10-hit attack. Joe McCarthy (Virginia) added three hits. Zack Erwin (Clemson) struck out seven and gave up just two runs in six innings for the win. Seth McGarry (Florida Atlantic) was terrific in relief, striking out every batter he faced in two innings. Ronnie Glenn (Penn) struck out two more in a scoreless ninth. Brewster, which was again playing short-handed, got a home run from Luke Lowery (East Carolina) but not much else.

     

    Cotuit at Bourne, PPD

    The rain that threatened the other games completely washed out the match-up at Doran Park. The series is now set to get underway tonight at 6 p.m., back at Doran Park.

     

    Newman takes MVP honor

    In a bit of non-playoff news, Falmouth’s Kevin Newman was presented with his batting title trophy on Wednesday – and then with the MVP award. The only two-time batting champ in Cape League history also now becomes the first player to win the batting title and the MVP honor in the same season since Falmouth’s Conor Gillaspie in 2007. I was a little surprised that Newman won the MVP, since he wasn’t a big power guy (eight extra-base hits), but he was second in the league in OBP, near the top in OPS and top 15 in RBI. Plus, without a completely obvious choice behind him, I don’t have a problem with giving it to the guy who made history.

     

    What to Watch

    Orleans at Y-D, 4 p.m.
    Harwich at Brewster, 4 p.m.
    Falmouth at Hyannis, 6 p.m.
    Cotuit at Bourne, 6 p.m.

    Orleans will try for the sweep of Y-D but will have to go through a very good pitcher as Y-D is slated to give the ball to Walker Buehler. The Vanderbilt righty has had quite a summer, starting with a College World Series title. He then pitched two very good games for Y-D before a brief stint with Team USA. Back on the Cape now, he carries a 1.35 ERA into today’s game. Orleans will counter with Eric Hanhold (Florida). He has a 3.42 ERA and gave up five runs in his last start – against Y-D.

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    Still Alive

    Gio Brusa and Brewster are four points out of a playoff spot.
    Gio Brusa and Brewster are four points out of a playoff spot.

     

    With the All-Star Game in the books, the Cape League now very quickly hits its stretch run, with just six days of games before the playoffs begin next Tuesday. While much of the playoff picture is already secure, at least on who will be in it, the first day of the stretch run offered a sign that there may still be some drama for the final spots.

    Brewster beat Chatham 12-8 last night to get within four points of the Anglers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East. And in the West, Wareham inched closer to fourth-place Cotuit with a 3-2 victory over Harwich. The Gatemen are now six points back.

    Brewster has now won two straight going back to before the All-Star Game. It beat red-hot Y-D 13-3 and made it 25 runs in two games with the win over Chatham.

    Luke Lowery (East Carolina) hit his fifth home run of the summer and knocked in two runs, while John Sansone (Florida State) homered for the second time in the last 10 days. Andrew Lee (Tennessee) added three RBI while Braden Bishop (Washington) went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Scott Kingery (Arizona), one of the hottest hitters in the league, had his ninth multi-hit game in his last 14 games. On the mound, Cody Ponce (Cal Poly Pomona) followed up his eye-catching All-Star Game performance with five solid innings. He struck out six and allowed four runs.

    A.J. Murray (Georgia Tech) hit his sixth home run for Chatham, but Brewster had too much with 10 runs in the first five innings.

    Wareham hosted East-leading Harwich and got one of its best pitching performances of the summer in a 3-2 victory. Liam O’Sullivan (St. Leo), who was making just his second start after opening the season in the bullpen, went eight innings and allowed just the two runs. He struck out three and scattered five hits. Sean Adler (USC) pitched a scoreless ninth for the save.

    O’Sullivan was almost the hard-luck loser, as Harwich took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning on an Ian Happ (Cincinnati) two-run triple. But Wareham answered right back with two runs in the bottom half. Facing Harwich starter Zack Erwin (Clemson), who struck out eight in 5.2 innings, Nick Halamandaris (California), Kyri Washington (Longwood) and Danny Rosenbaum (Louisville) all singled. John Bormann (Texas-San Antonio) followed with a two-run single to give Wareham all the runs it would need.

     

    Hyannis 7, Falmouth 4

    Hyannis moved to the verge of clinching a playoff spot with a victory over Falmouth, and they can thank their new ace for setting them on the right path. Marc Brakeman (Stanford), who opened the season in the bullpen, has won two straight starts in dominant fashion. After striking out 11 in six scoreless in his last start, Brakeman struck out nine and went six shutout innings again. He scattered six hits and is now tied for the league lead in strikeouts with 47. He has also walked just seven batters all summer. After Falmouth made a late charge against the Hyannis bullpen, Ian Gibaut (Tulane) closed the door for his second save. Donnie Dewees (North Florida) had three hits to lead the Hyannis offense, while Sam Haggerty (New Mexico) drove in two runs. For Falmouth, Conner Hale (LSU) had three RBI and is tied for the league lead.

     

    Y-D 5, Orleans 3

    We’re back to a three-way tie atop the East standings after Harwich’s loss and another Y-D victory over Orleans. The Red Sox also beat Orleans last Friday. This time, Cody Poteet (UCLA) – making his final start of the summer – turned in one last gem with eight strong innings. He struck out eight, scattered seven hits and surrendered three runs. Phil Bickford (Cal State Fullerton) pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save and his fifth consecutive scoreless outing. The Y-D offense backed the strong pitching with two hits and two RBI each for Nico Giarratano (San Francisco) and Josh Lester (Missouri). A.J. Simcox (Tennessee) added three hits.

     

    Bourne 7, Cotuit 1

    Bourne snapped a three-game skid and increased its lead in the West to four points with a win over Cotuit. The game was scoreless until the fifth, when Bourne pushed a run across and never looked back. It scored two in the seventh and four in the eighth to pull away. Mark Laird (LSU) went 3-for-5 with an inside-the-park home run and four RBI. Richard Martin Jr. (Florida) added three hits, while Brett Sullivan (Pacific), Blake Davey (Connecticut) and Blake Allemand (Texas A&M) had two hits each. Andrew Sopko (Gonzaga) went five scoreless innings for the win. Lucas Laster (Mississippi State) and John Kuzia (St. John’s) closed it out. For Cotuit, Vincent Fiori (South Carolina) gave up three runs in six innings.

     

    What to Watch

    It seems like the third or fourth one in the last week, but we have yet another first-place showdown in the East as Harwich visits Orleans. It should be a good pitching match-up, too, with Jon Harris (Missouri State) going for Harwich against Orleans ace Kolton Mahoney (BYU).

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    The Other Arms

    Adam Whitt leads the league in appearances and wins.
    Adam Whitt leads the league in appearances and wins.

     

    In an era of pitch counts and closely-watched elbows, sometimes the most valuable player on a Cape League pitching staff isn’t a dominant ace or a flame-throwing closer. It’s the guy who can take the ball every other day, pitch one inning or four and be counted on to come through, whatever the situation.

    Two of those guys helped their teams pick up wins last night.

    Adam Whitt (Nevada), the captain of this crew, pitched three scoreless innings of relief as Cotuit beat first-place Bourne 9-5. Marcus Brakeman (Stanford), typically a reliever, stepped in for a start and went five solid innings to help Hyannis snap a seven-game losing streak in an 11-8 victory over Falmouth.

    Whitt has been tremendous this summer, an MVP if the award ever went to a middle reliever. After a spring in which he saved seven games for Nevada, Whitt has been a whatever-you-need arm for the Kettleers. He is tied for the league lead in appearances with 10 and – despite all of them coming in relief – he’s in the top 10 in innings pitched. It’s not just quantity either. Whitt leads the league in wins with four and ERA with a 0.77 mark. He has given up two earned runs all summer, in 23.1 innings pitched.

    On Tuesday, Whitt came on in the seventh, with his team trailing 5-2. He tossed a scoreless inning, and his team scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh on RBI singles by Rhett Wiseman (Vanderbilt), Jameson Fisher (SE Louisiana) and Brendan Hendriks (San Francisco). Cotuit added two more in the eighth on a home run by John Norwood (Vanderbilt). Whitt ran with the lead, striking out two in a scoreless eighth and finishing the job with a quiet ninth. The win was Cotuit’s second straight.

    In Hyannis, the Harbor Hawks needed even more from their jack-of-all trades. Make your first Cape League start and give us a chance to stop a seven-game losing streak while you’re at it? Brakeman was up to the task. The righty from Stanford had pitched as little as a third of an inning in one appearance and four innings in another. He came in with a 1.50 ERA.

    Brakeman got into immediate trouble when Falmouth loaded the bases in the first, but he escaped with minimal damage then settled in. He pitched two scoreless frames before Falmouth added two in the fourth. But Brakeman finished with a one-two-three fifth that included a pair of strikeouts.

    The offense stayed close while Brakeman was in there then broke out late to take control. Brakeman’s Stanford teammate Austin Slater had three hits and four RBI, while Dylan Bosheers (Tennessee Tech) had three hits and three RBI.

    Brakeman didn’t factor in the decision, as Joseph Shaw (Dallas Baptist) got the win and Matt Denny (Misssissippi) got the save.

    But for the unsung jack-of-all-trades, that’s all in day’s work.

     

    Harwich 13, Chatham 8

    Harwich pounded 20 hits and was on its way to a 13-0 win before Chatham scored eight runs in the top of the ninth. But that was as close as the Anglers got, as Harwich held onto first place with the victory. Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) and Ian Happ (Cincinnati) both homered for the Mariners, while Joe McCarthy (Virginia) had four hits in his second Cape League game. Danny Zardon (LSU) added three hits and two RBI. McCarthy and Zardon each had two doubles. Making his first start after opening the year in the bullpen, Robby Kalaf (Florida International) struck out five and allowed just one hit in five scoreless innings. Ronnie Glenn (Penn) pitched three scoreless innings of relief. Ty Moore (UCLA) and Nick Collins (Georgetown) led Chatham’s late charge.

     

    Orleans 3, Y-D 2

    The Firebirds won their fourth in a row, scoring the go-ahead run in the eighth and finishing off Y-D in the ninth. Orleans scratched the key run across with two outs in the eighth, on two singles and an error. That made a winner out of reliever Bobby Dalbec (Arizona), and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) pitched a scoreless ninth for his league-best fifth save. David Fletcher (Loyoloa Marymount) and Mitchell Tolman (Oregon) each had two hits for the Firebirds. Hunter Cole (Georgia) had two hits for Y-D.

     

    Brewster 2, Wareham 0

    Three pitchers combined on a shutout and the Brewster offense scored a run in the fifth and another in the seventh to win a pitcher’s duel with Wareham. Cody Ponce (Cal Poly Pomona) allowed four hits in six scoreless innings, the second time this summer that he’s gone six scoreless in a start. Joe McCarthy (Southern New Hampshire) pitched 1.2 innings before Pat Ruotolo (Connecticut) grabbed the save, striking out three of the five batters he faced. Drew Harrington (Louisville) allowed one run in five innings. Braden Bishop (Washington) and Luke Lowery (East Carolina) knocked in the decisive runs.

     

    What to Watch

    Players from national champion Vanderbilt have been trickling in and a good one will make his debut tonight as Walker Buehler starts for Y-D against Brewster.

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    Big Arms

    Nick Halamandaris makes a play at first earlier this season.
    Nick Halamandaris makes a play at first earlier this season.

     

    Pitchers have certainly held their own in the Cape League this season, but there haven’t been a ton of dominant performances. Before Saturday’s games, the league’s strikeout leader was a relief pitcher.

    But on opposite ends of the Cape Saturday, two pitchers added a little dominance to the equation.

    In Falmouth, Wareham’s Kyle Cody (Kentucky) struck out six in seven shutout innings as the Gatemen beat Falmouth 4-0. In Orleans, Kolton Mahoney (BYU) struck out 11 in six innings as the Firebirds beat Y-D 6-3.

    Scouts and people who have seen Cody in the past have been waiting for a performance like this. Despite the fact that he pitched only nine innings for Wareham last summer, Perfect Game still picked him as the Cape League’s 30th-best prospect.

    The 6-foot-7 righty had pitched 4.1 innings this summer, but broke out with the big performance on Saturday. He allowed three singles, walked one and threw 67 of 91 pitches for strikes.

    Scott Effross (Indiana) followed him to the hill and followed suit, striking out four in two scoreless innings to finish off the shutout. The Wareham offense got RBI from Jake Little (Memphis) and Nick Halamandaris (California).

    In Orleans, Mahoney has been strong all summer, having gone six scoreless innings in his last start. The 23rd-round pick this year also tossed a no-hitter for BYU this spring.

    Last night, he allowed one hit through five scoreless innings before Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) smacked a game-tying, three-run home run in the sixth. But after the home run, Mahoney struck out the final two batters he faced and his offense rallied immediately with a run in the bottom of the sixth to put him in line for the win. The 11 strikeouts put Mahoney in the league lead with 24 on the year.

    Kyle Twomey (USC) and Jacob Cronenworth (Michigan) relieved Mahoney and finished off the victory. Edwin Rios (Florida International) and Bobby Dalbec (Arizona) both homered to lead the Firebirds offense.

     

    Cotuit 3, Harwich 1

    Cotuit also got a pretty good pitching performance as Logan James (Stanford) allowed one run in five innings with six strikeouts. Adam Whitt (Nevada), who’s been one of the best relievers in the league, struck out seven batters in just 2.2 innings. Jeff Kinley (Michigan State) picked up a save with 1.1 scoreless innings. The Kettleers got an RBI each from Jake Fincher (NC State) and Jeremy Taylor (East Tennessee State). The Kettleers have won two in a row and are now at .500 with an 8-8 mark.

     

    Hyannis 6, Bourne 2

    The Harbor Hawks got solid pitching, steady offense and five stolen bases in a victory over West-leading Bourne. The Harbor Hawks are now 10-6, just one game back of the Braves. Blake Hickman (Iowa) allowed two runs and struck out four in five innings. He left with the lead, and reliever Marcus Brakeman (Stanford) kept it thanks to four scoreless frames. David Houser (Tennessee) led the offense with two hits and three RBI. Austin Slater (Stanford) also had two hits. For Bourne, Harrison Bader (Florida) homered.

     

    Brewster 5, Chatham 4

    Wade Wass (Alabama) hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning to give Brewster its first lead of the game, and the Whitecaps held on from there to win 5-4. The homer was part of a three-hit, four RBI night for Wass, who was batting just .179 coming into the game. Braden Bishop (Washington) and Kevin Martir (Maryland) added two hits each for the Whitecaps. Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) struck out five in in three innings of relief and Evan Hill (Michigan) pitched a scoreless ninth.

     

    What to Watch

    Orleans, winners of three straight, is now in second place in the East and will visit first-place Harwich tonight at 5:30 p.m. Bobby Poyner (Florida) starts for Orleans, with Jared Poche’ (LSU) going for Harwich.

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    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.

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    Out of the Gate

    Chris Chinea and Wareham have been one of the best offenses in the league.
    Chris Chinea and Wareham have been one of the best offenses in the league.

     

    Eight games into the 2014 Cape Cod Baseball League season, the Wareham Gatemen have only one more win than they had at this juncture last year and again find themselves in the basement of the West, where they spent most of last season.

    But if it was hard to imagine the Gatemen climbing out of the basement, it’s far from difficult this year.

    Wareham beat Cotuit 8-3 on Thursday. They’ve now scored the second-most runs in the league, they have the second-most hits, the most total bases, the second-best batting average and the best OPS. The Gatemen have scored 34 runs in eight games. Only once last year did they score 34 in any eight-game stretch.

    Those are all signs that this summer could be different for the 2012 champs, even if the record hasn’t followed suit quite yet.

    Thursday’s victory over Cotuit snapped a four-game losing streak. Like Wareham’s only previous victory – a 13-3 win over Chatham – the offense shouldered the load, pounding 15 hits against four Cotuit pitchers. Unlike the night before, when Wareham had 14 hits but scored only four runs, the production was there on Thursday.

    Blake Lacey (USC) went 2-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI from the nine hole. Kramer Robertson (LSU) and Andrew Knizner (NC State) had three hits each, while Charlie Warren (Rice), Anderson Miller (Western Kentucky) and John Bormann (Texas-San Antonio) had two apiece. Leadoff man Willie Calhoun (Arizona), who ranks fifth in the league in batting at .419 and leads in doubles, went 1-for-3 and scored a run. His one hit was a double, giving him six on the year. Nobody else in the league has more than three.

    Along with the offense, Wareham pitched fairly well. Pitching to his college battery mate Bormann, Brock Hartson (Texas-San Antonio) struck out seven and allowed three earned in six innings while picking up his first CCBL win. Anthony Kay (Connecticut) pitched three scoreless innings for the save. Kay hasn’t allowed a run in 7.2 innings this year.

    Wareham is two games out of a third-place tie between Cotuit and Falmouth, who are both 4-4. Cotuit hit two home runs in the loss to Wareham, getting one from Logan Taylor (Texas A&M) and one from recent arrival Austin Byler (Nevada). Byler was a key part of Cotuit’s championship run last year and was selected by the Washington Nationals in the ninth round of this year’s draft after leading the Mountain West in home runs.

     

    Harwich 6, Chatham 5 (10 innings)

    Harwich won in extra innings for the second night in a row and ran its league-best record to 7-1. The Mariners trailed 3-0 and 5-2 but rallied with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras. After Matt Gonzalez (Georgia Tech) started the rally with a two-out single, Skye Bolt (North Carolina) had an RBI single and Robert Youngdahl (Notre Dame) knocked in two with a base hit to tie the game. In the 10th, Harwich loaded the bases on two singles and a catcher’s interference call. With two outs, Alex Perez (Virginia Tech) worked a walk to force in the winning run. Bolt led the Harwich offense with three hits, while Gonzalez, Perez and Sal Annunziata (Seton Hall) had two each. Anthony Hermelyn (Oklahoma) hit Harwich’s first home run of the summer. Gavin Pittore (Wesleyan) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Blake Butera (Boston College) had two hits for Chatham, who dropped to 3-5.

     

    Hyannis 8, Bourne 3

    The Harbor Hawks moved into a tie for first place in the West with Bourne thanks to an 8-3 victory over the Braves. Both teams are now 5-3. Donnie Dewees Jr. (North Florida) had one of the best offensive nights the league has seen thus far, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI to lead the Harbor Hawks. Dewees had three hits on the season coming into the game. Daniel Kihle (Wichita State) also homered and drove in three for Hyannis. Starter Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) gave up three runs in the first inning but promptly delivered seven scoreless innings after that. He struck out five and scattered eight hits. Marcus Brakeman (Stanford) tossed a scoreless ninth to finish the win.

     

    Brewster 4, Orleans 2

    After getting shut-out by Orleans 5-0 on Wednesday, Brewster matched up with the Firebirds and won 4-2 to move to 4-4 on the year. That’s good for second-place in the East. The Whitecaps delivered 10 hits and took a lead in the fourth that they never gave up. Mikey White (Alabama) and Justin Hazard (UCLA) had two hits each, while Scott Kingery (Arizona) and John Sansone (Florida State) knocked in one run apiece. On the mound, Andrew Naderer (Grand Canyon) allowed just an unearned run in five innings. Naderer has pitched in relief and now as a starter this summer, and his three appearances have coincided with Brewster wins. Pat Ruotolo (Connecticut) pitched the final four innings for a save. He struck out five.

     

    Y-D 6, Falmouth 3

    The Red Sox trailed 1-0 but scored five runs in the sixth and never looked back. Jason Goldstein (Illinois) cleared the bases with a double in the big sixth inning, while Michael Foster (Northeastern) and Hunter Cole (Georgia) brought in the other runs. Cole, making his Y-D debut, played for Cotuit last summer and was a 26th-round pick of the Giants this year. Jordan Tarsovich (VMI) went 2-for-4 and now leads the league in hitting with a .450 batting average. He has a hit in all six games he’s played. Nicholas Kozlowski (Hofstra) was credited with the win in relief and Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) got the save. For Falmouth, Conor Costello (Oklahoma State) had a home run and a double.

     

    What to Watch

    Can anybody slow down Harwich? Bourne, who’s tied for the West lead, gets its crack when it visits Harwich tonight at 7 p.m.

     

    Posted on

    Harbor Hawks Have the Pieces

    stock_hyannis13

     

    HyannisHawks_150.gifWhen Hyannis won the Western Division title in 2011, it ended a long drought. The next two years saw the Harbor Hawks at opposite ends of the spectrum, but they’ve been steadier than their record would indicate. For two straight years, they’ve had the league’s best pitching prospect – Sean Manaea in 2012 and Jeff Hoffman in 2013 (not to mention Kyle Freeland) – and they seem to bring in good crops of talent every year.

    I would expect more of the same this year. If there isn’t a top-notch pitching prospect, there are at least some very good weekend starters and some big bullpen arms. The position players group features some steady sophomores to go with talented freshmen, plus a host of guys who have been part of successful seasons this spring.

    The Harbor Hawks have the pieces for another good year.

     

    THE SKINNY

    Manager: Chad Gassman
    Last Year: 25-17-2; Lost in West semifinals
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 21
    Freshmen: 5

     

    NOTABLE

  • I don’t remember a whole lot of Florida State guys playing in Hyannis, but the Harbor Hawks have two this year and I think they’ll represent the Seminoles well. Freshman pitched Alec Byrd and freshman infielder/outfielder Ben DeLuzio were both highly-touted recruits. Byrd didn’t pitch a ton this year so could be poised for an emergence this summer, while DeLuzio – a third-round pick out of high school – was a mainstay in the Noles’ lineup as a freshman.

  • Hyannis has had good luck with Central Michigan players, and Nick Deeg is the latest to make the trip. As a freshman this year, Deeg ranked third on the team in strikeouts. The leader? Former Harbor Hawk Jordan Foley.

  • Ian Gibaut burst onto the scene at Tulane last year with 12 saves.

  • Iowa’s Blake Hickman will be an interesting player to watch this summer. A 20th-round pick out of high school, he reportedly chose college in part because he wanted to catch. But his future may be on the mound, where he gave scouts a brief look in the Northwoods League last summer and earned a spot on the league’s top prospects list.

  • Southeastern Louisiana pitcher Tate Scioneaux is about as experienced a sophomore as you’ll find in college baseball. A weekend starter since his freshman year, he’s racked up over 200 collegiate innings.

  • Two Virginia pitchers will head to Hyannis with very different resumes, but similar potential. Cameron Tekker has seen limited action for the Cavs but starred in the NECBL last summer. Brandon Waddell was the Friday starter as a freshman and has continued to be a huge part of the rotation this year.

  • Austin Listi has hit 19 homers in two seasons at Dallas Baptist, about as good a two-year stretch as anybody in the 2014 Cape League has had.

  • It looks like this team has the potential to be very fast on the bases. Five players stole at least 14 bases this spring.

  • Three Harbor Hawks will head to the Cape on the heels of history-making seasons with college teams that aren’t typical powerhouses. Kyle Survance led Houston to a Super Regional, Blake Trahan did the same for Louisiana-Lafayette (and the Ragin’ Cajuns are still alive as of Monday), and Carl Wise powered College of Charleston to just its second-ever Super Regional.

  • Last summer, UConn’s Bobby Melley – a Barnstable native – was the hometown kid getting a brief look in Hyannis. This year, he’s coming in off a huge season that established him as one of the best college players in New England.

    •  

    FIVE TO WATCH

    1. Bobby Melley
    2. Brandon Waddell
    3. Alec Byrd
    4. Blake Trahan
    5. Cam Gibson

     

    PITCHERS

    Marcus Brakeman – RHP – 6’1 185 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Alec Byrd – LHP – 6’3 180 – Florida State – Freshman
    Nick Deeg – LHP – 6’5 210 – Central Michigan – Freshman
    Matt Denny – LHP – 6’1 215 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    Dylan Dwyer – LHP – 6’1 170 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Peter Fairbanks – RHP – 6’6 205 – Missouri – Sophomore
    Ian Gibaut – RHP – 6’3 215 – Tulane – Sophomore
    Blake Hickman – RHP/C/1B – 6’5 210 – Iowa – Sophomore
    Matthew Margaritonda – RHP – 5’10 185 – Marshall – Junior
    Tate Scioneaux – RHP – 6’2 185 – Southeastern Louisiana – Sophomore
    Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
    Cameron Tekker – RHP – 6’3 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Brandon Waddell – LHP – 6’3 180 – Virginia – Sophomore

     

    Marcus Brakeman – RHP – 6’1 185
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    A Florida high-school star, Brakeman has been a key reliever for the Cardinal in each of the last two seasons. This year, he pitched in 15 games with a 3.86 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 32 innings.

    Alec Byrd – LHP – 6’3 180
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Byrd was a 37th-round pick out of high school and eased into the Seminoles pitching staff as a freshman. In nine appearances, he had a 3.68 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Byrd was the Miami Herald’s Pitcher of the Year as a high school senior, no easy task, so this is a guy who should break out as he gets more opportunities.

    Nick Deeg – LHP – 6’5 210
    Central Michigan
    Freshman

    A Michigan high-school star, Deeg jumped right into the Central Michigan weekend rotation and had a decent debut. In 14 starts, he went 5-4 with a 4.08 ERA. He struck out 64 in 81 innings

    Matt Denny – LHP – 6’1 215
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Denny had a good freshman season as a reliever, striking out better than a batter an inning and finishing with an ERA just a shade over two. He’s made 15 appearances for the Super Regional bound Rebels this season and has a 4.20 ERA.

    Dylan Dwyer – LHP – 6’1 170
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Dwyer acquitted himself well in 14 relief appearances as a freshman then helped his team win the championship in the Perfect Game Collegiate League. He pitched more as a starter in 2014 and finished with a 5.46 ERA. He struck out 47 in 56 innings.

    Peter Fairbanks – RHP – 6’6 205
    Missouri
    Sophomore

    A second-generation Missouri Tiger, Fairbanks had an ERA over five in limited duty as a freshman last year. He made eight starts and 19 total appearances this season and finished with a 4.33 ERA. He was at his best in the SEC play, where he dropped his ERA to 3.86.

    Ian Gibaut – RHP – 6’3 215
    Tulane
    Sophomore

    Gibaut earned a host of All-American accolades last year after he saved 12 games as a freshman, while striking out 38 in 40.2 innings and posting a 2.66 ERA. He was limited by injury this year but did well when he had a chance, putting up an ERA under two in 10 appearances.

    Blake Hickman – RHP/C/1B – 6’5 210
    Iowa
    Sophomore

    Hickman was a 20th round pick of his hometown Chicago Cubs out of high school but headed to Iowa, where he hit .220 as a freshman but didn’t pitch. Over the summer, he flashed his potential on the mound in the Northwoods League, where he was tabbed by Perfect Game as the circuit’s seventh-best prospect largely because of what he showed in six innings on the hill. This spring, he did two-way duty, hitting .217 and continuing to pitch well with a 3.94 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 34.1 innings.

    Tate Scioneaux – RHP – 6’2 185
    Southeastern Louisiana
    Sophomore

    Scioneaux became a weekend starter from day one last year and led the team in innings pitched. He was a workhorse again this season, pacing the squad with 110 innings and pitching well throughout. He had a 3.02 ERA with 77 strikeouts.

    Joseph Shaw – RHP – 6’4 240
    Dallas Baptist
    Sophomore

    A 40th round pick out of high school, Shaw led Dallas Baptist in ERA as a freshman reliever last year. He also totaled four saves. Shaw was even a little better this year, finishing with a 2.94 ERA in 26 appearances.

    Cameron Tekker – RHP – 6’3 185
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Tekker has seen very limited action in two years at Virginia, making four appearances as a freshman and only five so far this season. But Tekker shined in the NECBL last summer and was named the league’s 10th-best prospect by Perfect Game. He is eligible for this year’s draft.

    Brandon Waddell – LHP – 6’3 180
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Unlike his teammate Tekker, Waddell has been very busy in Charlottesville. He was the Cavs’ Friday starter as a freshman last year and has been part of a dynamic weekend rotation this year. Heading into Super Regionals, Waddell is 8-3 with a 2.73 ERA.

     

    POSITION PLAYERS

    Jarret DeHart – OF – 6’2 205 – LSU – Freshman
    Ben DeLuzio – SS/OF – 6’1 185 – Florida State – Freshman
    Donnie Dewees – OF – 6’3 180 – North Florida – Sophomore
    Cam Gibson – OF – 6’3 185 – Michigan State – Sophomore
    Sam Haggerty – INF – 5’11 175 – New Mexico – Sophomore
    David Houser – C – 6’1 220 – Tennessee – Sophomore
    John La Prise – INF – 6’3 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Austin Listi – IF/OF – 6’0 200 – Dallas Baptist – Sophomore
    *Bobby Melley – 1B/C – 6’3 210 – Connecticut – Sophomore
    Arden Pabst – C/IF – 6’4 200 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Joe Purritano – 1B/OF – 6’1 200 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
    Kyle Survance – OF – 6’1 180 – Houston – Sophomore
    Blake Trahan – SS – 5’9 175 – Louisiana Lafayette – Sophomore
    Carl Wise – INF – 6’2 210 – College of Charleston – Sophomore
    * – returning player

     

    Jarret DeHart – OF – 6’2 205
    LSU
    Freshman

    DeHart was a highly-touted high school player in New Jersey. After going undrafted, he headed to LSU but played in only 10 games. It was reported in May that he’ll be transferring.

    Ben DeLuzio – SS/OF – 6’1 185
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Deluzio was a third-round pick of the Phillies last year, the 80th overall selection, but opted to head to Tallahassee. He had a steady debut with the Seminoles, hitting .281 with a .371 OBP and stealing 16 bases.

    Donnie Dewees – OF – 6’3 180
    North Florida
    Sophomore

    Dewees had a big freshman year for North Florida, earning all-conference honors after hitting .347. He was limited to 12 games this spring.

    Cam Gibson – OF – 6’3 185
    Michigan State
    Sophomore

    The son of former Major Leaguer and current Diamondbacks manager Kurt Gibson, Cam followed his father’s footsteps to Michigan State and has had two solid years. He hit .315 this year, with two homers, 14 extra base hits and 16 stolen bases. Gibson played in the Northwoods League last summer, where he was rated the second-best prospect by Perfect Game.

    Sam Haggerty – INF – 5’11 175
    New Mexico
    Sophomore

    Haggerty was the Mountain West’s Co-Freshman of the Year last season and he followed up the big debut with an even better sophomore season. Haggerty hit .340 with a .420 on-base percentage and he delivered 13 extra-base hits. He also stole 14 bases.

    John La Prise – INF – 6’3 180
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    La Prise played in only 19 games as a freshman. He has worked his way into more playing time this year, starting 37 of the team’s 60 games and he leads the team in hitting with a .383 average.

    Austin Listi – IF/OF – 6’0 200
    Dallas Baptist
    Sophomore

    Listi hit nine home runs as a freshman last year and continued to flash some of the best pop in the Missouri Valley Conference again this year. He hit .285 this year, had an on-base percentage of .380 and slugged .477. He led the team with 10 homers and had 24 extra-base hits. He tied for third in the conference in home runs.

    Bobby Melley – 1B/C – 6’3 210
    Connecticut
    Sophomore

    A native of Barnstable, Melley got a cup of coffee with the hometown Harbor Hawks last year, but will likely make a much bigger impression this summer. Emerging as one of the top players in the American Athletic Conference, Melley hit .359 with a .475 OBP and a .502 slugging percentage, while cracking four home runs.

    Arden Pabst – C/IF – 6’4 200
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Pabst was a high school star in California and headed East for Tech. He started 38 games in his freshman year and hit .217.

    Joe Purritano – 1B/OF – 6’1 200
    Dartmouth
    Sophomore

    Purritano hit .343 last year en route to Ivy League Freshman of the Year honors. This season, he hit .265 with three home runs.

    Kyle Survance – OF – 6’1 180
    Houston
    Sophomore

    A freshman All-American last year, Survance was a big reason why Houston had one of its best-ever seasons this year. Survance hit .308 with a .411 OBP and stole 31 bases, which put him among the top 10 nationally. When Houston knocked off LSU to win the Baton Rouge Regional a few weeks ago, Survance was named Regional MVP.

    Blake Trahan – SS – 5’9 175
    Louisiana Lafayette
    Sophomore

    Trahan has had a huge season in helping lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to the brink of the College World Series. The shortstop is hitting .359 with a .459 OBP. He’s also stolen 14 bases.

    Carl Wise – INF – 6’2 210
    College of Charleston
    Sophomore

    Wise also led a big year for his college club as Charleston made a Super Regional. Wise hit .295, slugged .419 and led the team in RBI by a wide margin with 54.