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2012 Early Look: Cotuit Kettleers

cotlogo.jpgCotuit Kettleers
Manager: Mike Roberts
2012 Record: 16-25-3

Last year wasn’t just the first losing season for Cotuit in three years, it was also the first time in three years that the Kettleers didn’t make the Cape Cod Baseball League championship series.

That’s not an indictment of last year’s team. It’s more of a testament to just how remarkable it was for Cotuit to have so much success for three years in a row. In any summer league, that’s hard to do.

And that’s why it’s easy to envision more success for the Kettleers this summer. They may only end up with one returning player, but they’ve got plenty of talent coming in and a proven winner at the helm in Mike Roberts.

They may just start a new streak.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 2
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 17
Freshmen: 5

Notable

  • I’ve made note of him before, but Raph Rhymes is quite a story. He flirted with a .500 batting average this year for LSU — after he had to leave the school two years ago because there wasn’t room on the roster. Rhymes is a junior and is likely to get drafted, so his Cape status may be up in the air. I’ve heard him mentioned as a fifth to sixth round kind of guy, so it’s still possible that he’ll make his way to Cotuit.

  • If Dylan Covey pitches in Orleans as expected, Tyler Beede won’t be the highest draft pick playing on the Cape. But he’ll be close. Covey was the 14th overall pick in 2010, while Beede was drafted 21st overall in 2011. Beede has had some ups and downs with Vanderbilt this spring, but I would expect a break out this summer.

  • Kevin Ziomek and Bobby Wahl are the only returning players on the roster, but Wahl has been invited to Team USA, so Ziomek may be the only one. Wahl had a tremendous summer last year and has followed it up with an awesome spring. Ziomek had somewhat high ERA’s with Cotuit last year and Vandy this spring, but he has posted great strikeout numbers. He’s another guy who could have a coming-out party this summer.

  • Wahl was Cotuit’s closer last year. He moved into the rotation this spring, and that coupled with the Team USA invite, means he may not be the closer again for the Kettleers. It looks like they’ve got a ready-made replacement though. Notre Dame’s Dan Slania was one of the top closers in the nation this spring.

  • It’s not secret that Cotuit manager Mike Roberts likes his teams to run, and he’s got a good stable of horses coming in again. Tony Kemp and Jacob May look like the top speedsters.

  • Cotuit has two freshmen catchers on the roster who will probably garner a lot of attention. Hunter Lockwood was a 17th-round pick out of high school last year, while Aramis Garcia was drafted in the 20th round.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Tyler Beede
    2. Raph Rhymes
    3. Bobby Wahl
    4. Dan Slania
    5. Tony Kemp

    Pitchers

    Tyler Beede – RHP – 6’4 205 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    Joe Broussard – RHP – 6’0 200 – LSU – Sophomore
    Kyle Finnegan – RHP – 6’2 175 – Texas State – Sophomore
    Mike Ford – RHP/1B – 6’0 210 – Princeton – Sophomore
    Cameron Griffin – LHP – 6’1 205 – Stetson – Sophomore
    Dusty Isaacs – RHP – 6’1 190 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 195 – UNC Wilmington – Freshman
    Dan Slania – RHP – 6’5 265 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
    Jordan Smith – RHP – 6’1 210 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
    *Bobby Wahl – RHP – 6’3 200 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
    *Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 200 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore

    Tyler Beede – RHP – 6’4 205
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    A native of Auburn, Mass., Beede is the latest in a line of top-flight pitchers who went to college despite getting drafted in the first round. He was picked 21st by the Blue Jays but didn’t sign and headed to Vanderbilt. His first season hasn’t been everything the hype machine expected, but he’s still shown flashes while going 1-4 with a 4.29 ERA.

    Joe Broussard – RHP – 6’0 200
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Broussard had an ERA over five as a freshman reliever last year, but has made himself into a reliable arm this spring. Broussard has made 11 appearances out of the bullpen and six starts. He’s 4-1 with a 3.43 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 39.1 innings of work.

    Kyle Finnegan – RHP – 6’2 175
    Texas State
    Sophomore

    Finnegan pitched only briefly as a freshman with Texas State but he emerged as a reliable starter with solid numbers this year. Finnegan finished with a 5-6 record, a 3.28 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 93.1 innings.

    Mike Ford – RHP/1B – 6’0 210
    Princeton
    Sophomore

    Ford was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2011 after shining as both a pitcher and a first baseman. It was more of the same this year, as Ford hit .272 with 31 RBI and went 4-4 with a 3.60 ERA on the mound.

    Cameron Griffin – LHP – 6’1 205
    Stetson
    Sophomore

    Griffin has been busy in his two years at Stetson, making 30 appearances last year and 35 this year. He posted a 4.88 ERA this season while striking out better than a batter an inning.

    Dusty Isaacs – RHP – 6’1 190
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Isaacs was a standout reliever last year, posting a 2.72 ERA and striking out more than a batter an inning in 25 appearances. This year has been more of a struggle. Isaacs has an ERA over seven.

    Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 195
    UNC Wilmington
    Freshman

    Ramsey was a 28th-round pick out of high school and has been a solid starter in his debut season with the Colonial Athletic Association champion Seahawks. Ramsey is 4-3 with a 4.36 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 66 innings.

    Dan Slania – RHP – 6’5 265
    Notre Dame
    Sophomore

    Slania had a strong debut as Notre Dame’s top setup man last year. This year, he became the team’s primary closer and was outstanding. He finished with 13 saves, a 2.03 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 31 innings of action. Slania was named second-team all-Big East.

    Jordan Smith – RHP – 6’1 210
    Western Carolina
    Sophomore

    Smith has been a starter every step of the way for the Catamounts. After struggling a bit last year, he became the team’s top start this year, going 4-5 with a 3.48 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 95.2 innings pitcher.

    Bobby Wahl – RHP – 6’3 200
    Ole Miss
    Sophomore

    Wahl is on Team USA’s roster so he may not make it back to the Cape, but if he does, he’ll be among the league’s top returning pitchers. After excelling as a closer for Cotuit last year, Wahl moved into the Rebels’ starting rotation and has gone 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 87.2 innings.

    Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 200
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Another Massachusetts native who’s at Vanderbilt, Ziomek will return to Cotuit for a second season. He had a 4.36 ERA for the Kettleers in six games last summer. This spring, Ziomek has gone 5-6 with a 4.97 ERA while striking out 75 in 76 innings.

    Position Players

    Cael Brockmeyer – C – 6’5 230 – CSU Bakersfield – Sophomore
    Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200 – Florida International – Freshman
    Tony Kemp – OF – 5’6 165 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Tim Kiene – INF – 6’4 240 – Maryland – Sophomore
    Hunter Lockwood – C – 5’11 195 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    Jacob May – OF – 5’10 180 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
    Adam Nelubowich – OF – 6’2 190 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Raph Rhymes – OF – 5’11 176 – LSU – Junior
    James Roberts – INF – 6’2 205 – USC – Sophomore
    Jacob Valdez – INF – 5’9 185 – San Jose State – Sophomore

    Cael Brockmeyer – C – 6’5 230
    CSU Bakersfield
    Sophomore

    Brockmeyer didn’t have a great freshman season at Bakersfield but went to Alaska for the summer and earned all-star honors. This spring, he hit .285 with a team-best six home runs and 31 RBI.

    Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200
    Florida International
    Freshman

    An athletic catcher, Garcia was a 20th-round pick in last year’s draft, but opted to head to FIU, where he had a strong freshman season. Garcia hit .271 while popping six home runs and driving in 29.

    Tony Kemp – OF – 5’6 165
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Kemp was the SEC Freshman of the Year after hitting .329 and stealing 17 bases last season. He then hit .292 in the Northwoods League to cap off his debut season. This spring, Kemp has hit .271 with 19 extra-base hits, 30 RBI and 17 steals.

    Tim Kiene – INF – 6’4 240
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Kiene hit .279 as a freshman for the Terps. That dipped to .241 this year, but Kiene flashed some pop with six home runs and seven doubles. Kiene, a Connecticut native, was a 30th round pick out of high school.

    Hunter Lockwood – C – 5’11 195
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Lockwood was drafted in the 17th round out of high school in Texas but stuck with his plans to attend Oklahoma and has had a strong freshman season with the Sooners. While he’s hitting only .250, his 11 home runs lead the team. He’s also second on the squad with 39 RBI.

    Jacob May – OF – 5’10 180\
    Coastal Carolina
    Sophomore

    May had a solid freshman season then did well in the Northwoods, hitting .296 and making Baseball America’s top league prospects list at No. 26. This spring, he’s been a dynamic player for the Chants, hitting .289 with 25 stolen bases.

    Adam Nelubowich – OF – 6’2 190
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    A native of Alberta, Canada, Nelubowich was drafted in the 14th round out of high school back in 2009. Now a redshirt sophomore, Nelubowich hit .254 this spring with four homers and 36 RBI.

    Raph Rhymes – OF – 5’11 176
    LSU
    Junior

    Rhymes has had an incredible year for LSU, one of the best years by a college hitter in many a moon. Rhymes finished the year with a .469 batting average and flirted with .500 for a lot of the year. He was recently named the SEC Player of the Year.

    James Roberts – INF – 6’2 205
    USC
    Sophomore

    Roberts was a late-round draft pick in 2010 and has had two pretty good seasons in L.A. After hitting .279 last year, he batted .289 with 24 RBI this season.

    Jacob Valdez – INF – 5’9 185
    San Jose State
    Sophomore

    Valdez had a strong freshman season for the Spartans in 2011, hitting .307 with 10 doubles. This year, he hit .246 with a homer and 12 RBI.

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    2011 Early Look: Cotuit Kettleers

    cotlogo.jpgCotuit Kettleers
    Manager: Mike Roberts
    2010 Record: 19-23-2

    Yes, you did read that right. The Cotuit Kettleers went 19-23-2 last season. I had kind of forgotten that.

    Because the Kettleers also won the Cape League championship. That’s the part you remember.

    It was a special run for the Kettleers, who didn’t look much like a title contender during the season. But they got hot at exactly the right moment, sweeping their way to the championship then beating Y-D — the team with the best record — in three games.

    It’s also a reminder of how crazy a Cape League summer can be — and how tough it is to predict anything this time of year. Last season, I waited until the last possible moment to write Cotuit’s early look, because their roster was so in flux. They had more changes and earlier changes than anybody. You could see the potential; what you couldn’t see was how Mike Roberts would actually fill out a lineup card. There was a lot of uncertainty.

    You’d think the uncertainty must have gone away, that that’s how they won. But it really never did. The Kettleers had 41 different players suit up for them last summer. The team that won the championship didn’t look much like the one that played Wareham on the first night of the season, but with eight teams now making the playoffs, it didn’t really matter. The Kettleers got their chance and seized it.

    In terms of 2011, this is all a very roundabout way of saying that I don’t know exactly how the Kettleers stack up. Their roster is pretty small at this point, so there will be additions. But they do have some of the best returning players in the league in Deven Marrero, Brady Rodgers and Mike Yastrzemski. That’s a pretty good starting point. Throw in some guys primed to make a big impression, like Victor Roache and Ryon Healy, and you’ve got a lot of nice pieces. The nucleus looks much like it did last year — short on depth but long on talent.

    Can the Kettleers win their second straight title? Definitely. I see a lot to like.

    And after last year, I certainly wouldn’t count them out.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 3
    Sophomores: 14
    Freshmen: 6

    Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Deven Marrero
    2. Victor Roache
    3. Brady Rodgers
    4. Cory Spangenberg
    5. Ryon Healy

    Notable

  • I’ve touched on this before, but one of the interesting things about this year is that top prospects aren’t quite as established, and there’s a lot of room for under-the-radar guys to break in. I don’t know how Victor Roache was under my radar, but I guess I wasn’t the only one. Roache is a relatively recent addition to the Cotuit roster, but he’s beyond deserving. The Georgia Southern sophomore leads the nation with 27 home runs. In a year where offense is down because of the new bat requirements, Roache is laughing in the face of an offensive dip. The 6’1, 225-pound outfielder should be fun to watch this summer. He already has more home runs than any 2010 Cape Leaguer hit last spring.

  • Cory Spangenberg is a definite player to watch — if we get to see him. On the heels of an MVP campaign in the Valley League last summer, the junior-college stand-out and Miami commitment may end up going in the first round of June’s draft. That doesn’t rule him out for the Cape, but it’ll probably be a fluid situation.

  • On paper, the Cotuit offense looks good. We talked about Roache, and Deven Marrero was perhaps the top freshman on the Cape last year. The Kettleers also have Mike Yastrzemski back in the fold, and guys like Patrick Biondi, Torsten Boss, Chris O’Dowd and just about everybody else look like really solid performers.

  • And of course, when we’re talking Mike Roberts team, there’s speed. Biondi leads a speedy group with 25 steals.

  • Two freshman from Oregon will make the long journey and should give Cotuit a big boost. Ryon Healy and Stefan Sabol are having solid first seasons in Eugene, and they’re no strangers to summer success. They earned top prospect honors in their respective summer leagues last year.

  • The Cape always has a lot of Major League Baseball bloodlines, but how about the NFL? Sabol is a cousin of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

  • At some point, Cotuit is going to find some more pitchers, because right now, they have seven. They actually had a similar number this time last year and that worked out okay. Their late additions included fourth-rounder Austin Wood and ninth-rounder Josh Spence.

  • I’m going to go ahead and start a campaign: “Brady Rodgers: No Walks 2011.” He walked five in 31.1 innings on the Cape last summer and has walked six in 68.2 innings this spring. Let’s shoot for zero this summer, Brady.

  • Rodgers looks like the leader of Cotuit’s small staff, but I think all these guys are poised for good summers. Keep an eye on Keenan Kish, Dillon Overton and Kevin Ziomek. All are highly-touted freshman who could use the summer to really break out.

    • Pitchers

    Chris Beck – RHP – 6’3 225 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    Michael Clevinger – RHP – 6’4 190 – Seminole State – Sophomore
    Nick Cunningham – RHP – 6’2 196 – Arizona – Sophomore
    Keenan Kish – RHP/OF – 6’3 193 – Florida – Freshman
    Dillon Overton – LHP – 6’2 170 – Oklahoma – Freshman
    *Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman

    Chris Beck – RHP – 6’3 225
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Beck was a 35th-round pick out of high school in 2009, but didn’t have a great first season for Georgia Southern, finishing with an 8.31 ERA. This year, though, it’s been a much different story. Beck is 7-3 with a 3.24 ERA, and in 77.2 innings, he has struck out 84. That ranks him second in the Southern Conference in strikeouts.

    Michael Clevinger – RHP – 6’4 190
    Seminole State
    Sophomore

    Clevinger was previously at The Citadel, but has spent this season in the juco ranks with Seminole State. He’s been impressive out of the bullpen, with a 2.84 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 31.2 innings.

    Nick Cunningham – RHP – 6’2 196
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Cunningham had an impressive first year for the Wildcats, setting a freshman record for appearances while saving three games and striking out almost a batter an inning. His sophomore year hasn’t been quite as good — Cunningham has a 5.51 ERA in 14 appearances.

    Keenan Kish – RHP/OF – 6’3 193
    Florida
    Freshman

    Kish was an early-round talent coming out of Germantown, Pa., but his commitment to Florida sent him tumbling to the 34th round, and he headed south. The Gators are stacked with pitching talent so Kish hasn’t had a ton of opportunities but he has made the most of the ones he’s gotten. In eight innings of work, Kish has allowed just two hits and no runs, and opponents are hitting .083. He has struck out six.

    Dillon Overton – LHP – 6’2 170
    Oklahoma
    Freshman

    Overton was a 26th-round pick out of high school but stuck with his commitment to Oklahoma. He’s been used as a starter and a reliever, and he’s been very good regardless of when he’s pitching. Overton is 8-3 with a 1.97 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 64 innings.

    Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Rodgers was a 39th-round pick out of high school in 2009, and he quickly emerged as one of the top freshmen in the country once he arrived at ASU. He ended up setting a school record for lowest ERA by a freshman pitcher. He followed that with a very good summer for Cotuit, going 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA. He was named the Cape’s 21st-best prospect by Baseball America. This year, Rodgers hasn’t really missed a beat while moving into the rotation. He’s 7-3 with a 3.15 ERA and 55 strikeouts against just six walks.

    Kevin Ziomek – LHP – 6’3 190
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    Hailing from Amherst, Mass., Ziomek was considered the top high-school prospect in New England last year, and he was drafted in the 13th round by Arizona. He headed to Vanderbilt, though, and he’s having a very impressive first season. In 21 appearances — five starts — Ziomek has a 1.96 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 36.2 innings.

    Position Players

    Patrick Biondi – OF – 5’9 163 – Michigan – Sophomore
    Torsten Boss – 3B – 6’0 190 – Michigan State – Sophomore
    Ryon Healy – RHP/INF – 6’5 210 – Oregon – Freshman
    Micah Johnson – INF – 5’11 190 – Indiana – Sophomore
    Luke Maile – C – 6’3 210 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    *Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185 – Arizona State – Sophomore
    Chris O’Dowd – C – 5’11 185 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
    Victor Roache – OF – 6’1 225 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    Stefan Sabol – C – 6’1 203 – Oregon – Freshman
    Cory Spangenberg – INF – 6’1 180 – Indian River – Sophomore
    Logan Vick – OF – 5’11 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Kyle Wren – OF – 5’9 158 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    *Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 170 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore

    Patrick Biondi – OF – 5’9 163
    Michigan
    Sophomore

    Biondi was a 35th-round pick out of high school and he had a great first season first season in Ann Arbor, hitting .313 while setting a school freshman record with 29 stolen bases. He’s been solid again this season, with a .297 average, 20 RBI and 25 steals.

    Torsten Boss – 3B – 6’0 190
    Michigan State
    Sophomore

    Boss owns the Michigan high-school record for career triples, but he actually didn’t hit any in his freshman year with the Spartans. That was okay, though — he did just about everything else. Boss hit .341 with six homers and 41 RBI, before earning all-league honors in the Prospect League last summer. He has picked up where he left off this season and is hitting .366 with six homers and 54 RBI.

    Ryon Healy – INF/RHP – 6’5 210
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Healy made a splash on the college baseball landscape even before he got to Oregon. Following his senior year of high school, he played in the California Collegiate League and was named the top prospect by Baseball America. While he has a big arm, it was his bat that stood out, as Healy hit .360 with a league-high 17 doubles. At Oregon, Healy hasn’t disappointed. He has pitched well in three games but has made a bigger impact at the plate, where he’s hitting .337 with three home runs.

    Micah Johnson – INF – 5’11 190
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    Johnson made a splash last season, hitting .312 with 11 homers in his freshman campaign with the Hoosiers. His power is down a bit this year, but he’s still hitting .312 with two homers and 31 RBI. He has also stolen 18 bases.

    Luke Maile – C – 6’3 210
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Maile was a late-round pick out of high school and didn’t get a huge opportunity to shine in his first year with Kentucky. But last summer, he break out and hit .318 to lead his team to the New York Collegiate Baseball League championship. This spring, Maile is getting his opportunity and making the most of it. He’s batting .287 with a team-high nine home runs.

    Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    A 17th-round pick in 2009, Marrero has consistently been ranked as one of the top prospects in his class. In his first year with the Sun Devils, he hit .397 with six home runs, and he continued to shine in Cotuit, where he hit .306 and was arguably the top freshman in the league. Baseball America named him the league’s seventh-best prospect. This year, his average is down a bit to .320, and he has two home runs with 15 RBI. Before the college season, he was tabbed as the seventh-best prospect for the 2012 draft by Perfect Game.

    Chris O’Dowd – C – 5’11 185
    Dartmouth
    Sophomore

    O’Dowd was voted Dartmouth’s Offensive Player of the Year last season and was named the Ivy League Co-Rookie of the Year after he hit .384 with six home runs. This year, O’Dowd has been very good again. He’s hitting .326 with a team-high seven home runs. Out of high school, O’Dowd was a 40th-round pick.

    Victor Roache – OF – 6’1 225
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Roache hit .252 with eight home runs last season. Not bad for a freshman year, but compared with what Roache is doing this year, those numbers look pedestrian. Roache currently leads the nation in home runs with 27. He’s also hitting .338 with 75 RBI and a .427 on-base percentage. A 25th-round pick out of high school, Roache is now officially one of the best power hitters in the country.

    Stefan Sabol – C – 6’1 203
    Oregon
    Freshman

    A top-ranked player out of high school, Sabol slipped to the 17th round because of a strong commitment to Oregon. He then followed the same path as his teammate Healy last summer, just in a different league. Sabol was tabbed by Baseball America as the top prospect in the West Coast League. In Eugene, Sabol has hit .269 with a homer and 12 RBI.

    Cory Spangenberg – INF – 6’1 180
    Indian River
    Sophomore

    Spangenberg earned Big South Freshman of the Year honors last season then lit up the Valley League, hitting .399 and earning Most Valuable Player honors. He then transferred to Indian River State College, a juco program, and is still slugging to the tune of .477 with five home runs. Spangenberg is committed to Miami for next year, but as mentioned above, he’s been labeled as a first-round talent for this year’s draft by Baseball America.

    Logan Vick – OF – 5’11 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    Vick earned first-team Freshman All-America honors last season after hitting .329 with 10 home runs. This year has been more of a struggle. Vick is hitting .211 with two homers, so he’ll be looking for a bounce back in Cotuit.

    Kyle Wren – OF – 5’9 158
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Wren has had an outstanding first season for the Yellow Jackets and is a shoo-in for Freshman All-America honors. He leads the team with a .374 average, he has 18 extra-base hits and he’s stolen 13 bases. Wren is the son of Atlanta Braves general manager Frank Wren.

    Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 170
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Yastrzemski was a key piece to the puzzle for Cotuit last summer, hitting .235 and leading the team with 17 RBI. He’s been a mainstay for Vanderbilt throughout his sophomore season, hitting .299 with 32 RBI while starting each of the team’s 50 games. And in case you missed it last year, Yastrzemski is the grandson of Red Sox great Carl.

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    Cotuit Notes

    For two years in a row, the Cotuit Kettleers watched the other team celebrate. In 2010, it was finally their turn. Catching fire in the playoffs, they beat Y-D for the championship. The team that celebrated looked a lot different than the one that opened the season, but the Kettleers put things together when it counted.

    2010 Notes

  • Playoff MVP Jordan Leyland wasn’t a superstar for UC Irvine last year, but you can bet he’ll bring some confidence back to the Anteaters, who were tabbed as the second-best team in the Big West Conference preseason poll.

  • Paul Hoilman, who struggled a bit during the summer, was voted the Atlantic Sun preseason Player of the Year.

  • Baylor’s Brooks Pinckard, a key player down the stretch, opted not to sign with the Cubs after getting picked in the 18th round last June. Baseball America tabbed him as a preseason all-conference player for the Bears.

  • Playoff hero Nick Tropeano returns to Stony Brook as perhaps the top pitcher in the America East Conference. BA has Tropeano as the pitcher of the year, and the league’s second-best prospect for the 2011 draft.

  • Austin Wood, the fourth-round pick who flashed the best velocity on the Cape, didn’t sign either and he’s set to begin his career at Southern California after playing in junior college last year. BA ranks him as the 26th-best college prospect in the country.

  • Deven Marrero is set to begin his sophomore season at Arizona State and is back on Cotuit’s roster for 2011. He was the picked by BA as the seventh-best prospect in the league last summer, tops among Cotuit players.

    • 2011 Notes

  • Cotuit has only 18 players on its roster at this point. Marrero, Michael Faulkner, Mike Yastrzemski and Brady Rodgers are the returning players. Rodgers joined Marrero in BA’s list of the top Cape prospects, checking in at No. 21.

  • Lots of good newcomers, led by Oregon freshmen Ryon Healy and Stefan Sabol. Healy was the top prospect in the California Collegiate League last summer while Sabol was tops in the West Coast League. Sabol was a 17th-round pick out of high school and is a cousin of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.

  • Cory Spangenberg, of Indian River CC, also had a strong summer last year, ranking as the third-best prospect in the Valley League. Florida freshman Keenan Kish was rated the third-best prospect in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

  • Catcher Chris O’Dowd was Dartmouth’s top hitter last season, finishing at .384 with six home runs.

  • Michigan’s Patrick Biondi hit .313 last year and earned Freshman All-America honors.

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    Early Look: Cotuit

    cotlogo.jpgCotuit Kettleers
    Manager: Mike Roberts
    2009 Record: 20-18-6

    I was planning on writing about Cotuit a few weeks ago, but I shuffled the schedule around in the hopes that the roster might take shape a little more. From the time their roster was posted, the Kettleers have seen more changes than any Cape League team. Already, they’ve released the contracts of 11 players. Five more players have been invited to Team USA trials. Eight are playing on Super Regional teams.

    So the roster right now is an interesting one, and it hasn’t taken shape like I thought it would. At this point, only 20 players are listed. With just a few days until the start of the season, though, I wasn’t going to hold off on writing it any longer. I figured, hey, at least it won’t take very long.

    But here’s where it gets interesting: it took a lot longer than I expected.

    The players listed below may just be a nucleus, the beginnings of a team. But it’s one heck of a beginning.

    That’s why it took longer. I spent a lot of time writing the bios on these players, because almost all of them demanded a little extra attention. Nick Tropeano and Sonny Gray have had tremendous sophomore seasons on the mound. Brady Rodgers has been just as good as a freshman. At the plate, Paul Hoilman was one of the best players in the country this year and C.J. Cron was right there with him. Zach Cone has a shot to be the league’s top prospect, and Deven Marrero could be the league’s best freshmen.

    And it doesn’t stop there. This small nucleus is packed with stars. There isn’t a player on the roster whose numbers make you wonder; these numbers just leave you impressed. I thought that with 20 players, I might have trouble picking out potential stars. I ended up having the opposite problem.

    Of course, the uncertainty remains. With a 20-player roster and eight playing in Super Regionals, you’re looking at starting the season with 12 rostered players. I imagine the Kettleers will fill with temporary players, and they’ll probably have to make more adjustments as the summer goes on.

    But that nucleus just can’t be ignored. The Kettleers have been very good the last few years, and if they can build a solid team around this group, they should be very good again.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 3
    Sophomores: 14
    Freshmen: 3

    Notable

  • East Tennessee State’s Paul Hoilman could be this year’s Kyle Roller. The junior was named a first-team All-American this year after hitting .421 with 25 home runs. He also happens to be a great student with medical school aspirations, and he was said to be asking a lot as the draft approached. Projected as high as the fourth round, he lasted all the way until the 49th. He’s on the Cape already, gearing up for a summer that could make a lot of people regret not drafting him. Last year, Roller was a 47th-round pick. Two months later, he was the Cape League MVP.

  • Zach Cone is the lone returning Kettleer and he’s a good one to have back in the fold, though he has been invited to Team USA trials. Cone hit .243 last summer but showed off some of the best tools in the league. He’s coming off a big sophomore season at Georgia, and is likely to be a high pick next year.

  • The Kettleers stole a ton of bases last season, and with Cone and Georgia teammate Johnathan Taylor in the fold, they’ll probably do it again this year.

  • When you subtract the players in Super Regionals, the Cotuit pitching staff currently has four players. Expect some new names to take the mound right off the bat.

  • Stony Brook’s Nick Tropeano was the top prospect in the Atlantic League last year and he enters the summer with some of the best numbers around. He struck out 106 this season.

  • Vadnerbilt’s Sonny Gray is a name you’ll hear again and again in discussions about the deep 2011 college pitching crop. Gerrit Cole, Taylor Jungmann and Trevor Bauer are probably a step ahead, but none of those guys are slated for the Cape this year. Gray has been invited to Team USA and Vandy is in a Super Regional, but here’s hoping Gray finds his way to Cotuit.

  • C.J. Cron joins Hoilman as a conference player of the year. He hit .431 this year for Utah with 20 home runs. If he and Hoilman stay hot this summer, the Kettleers would have a really powerful middle of the order.

  • Mike Frongello has made 97 appearances in three years at Davidson. Is he tired yet?

  • I don’t remember many East Tennessee State players on the Cape in past years, but the Kettleers have two: Hoilman and Derek Trent. Wherever the connection came from, I imagine the Kettleers are pretty happy with it. You know about Hoilman and Trent was a first-team all-conference pick.

  • Before the college season began, Baseball America rated Deven Marerro the 11th-best freshman in the country, and that looks about right. Even though there’s no spot for him on the field, Marrero has forced his way into the Arizona State lineup as a DH and is hitting .397. Once he gets more of an opportunity, look out.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Zach Cone
    2. Paul Hoilman
    3. Sonny Gray
    4. Nick Tropeano
    5. C.J. Cron

    Pitchers

    Matt Andriese – RHP – 6’2 195 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
    Mike Frongello – RHP – 6’2 190 – Davidson – Junior
    Sonny Gray – RHP – 5’11 180 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Matt Murray – RHP – 6’3 245 – Georgia Southern – Sophomore
    Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Nick Tropeano – RHP – 6’4 195 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Austin Dicharry – RHP – 6’4 195 – Texas – Sophomore

    Matt Andriese – RHP – 6’2 195
    UC Riverside
    Sophomore

    Andriese had a solid freshman season then took a big step forward last summer in the West Coast Collegiate League. He went 5-0 with a league-best 0.78 ERA. He was named the league’s Pitcher of the Year, and was tabbed by Baseball America as the second-best prospect. This spring, Andriese didn’t have fantastic numbers but he was an absolute workhorse, pitching 103.2 innings. He ended up going 5-5 with a 4.95 ERA.

    Mike Frongello – RHP – 6’2 190
    Davidson
    Junior

    Frongello has been on the mound for Davidson a lot the last three seasons. After appearing 32 times as a freshman, he set a single-season appearance record with 34 last year and made 31 appearances this year, all out of the bullpen. He finished with a 4.50 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 52 innings.

    Sonny Gray – RHP – 5’11 180
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Gray came to Vanderbilt with a ton of hype last year and steadily started living up to it as his freshman year went on. After continuing his progression with Team USA last summer, Gray has blossomed this season into one of the top pitchers in the country. He’s 9-5 with a 3.51 ERA as the Commodores head to a Super Regional. In 102.2 innings, he has struck out 110 and walked just 45.

    Matt Murray – RHP – 6’3 245
    Georgia Southern
    Sophomore

    Murray was a Southern Conference All-Freshman pick last year when he posted a 4.76 ERA in a lot of action. This year, he went 6-3 with a 6.00 ERA. He struck out 70 and walked 24 in 75 innings.

    Brady Rodgers – RHP – 6’2 175
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    Rodgers was not the most highly-touted member of Arizona State’s recruiting class; Jake Barrett probably gets that honor. But Rodgers has made as big an impact as anybody. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he leads the Sun Devils with a 1.96 ERA. In 69 innings, he has struck out 66 and walked just 11. Opponents are hitting .190 against him. Rodgers was a 39th-round pick out of high school.

    Nick Tropeano – RHP – 6’4 195
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    Tropeano wasn’t drafted out of high school, but he turned heads immediately at Stony Brook and was named to the America East All-Rookie Team last year. That was just the beginning. Tropeano dominated the Atlantic League last summer and was rated by Baseball America as the league’s top prospect. This year, he was a bona fide ace for the Seawolves. He went 8-4 with a 2.44 ERA. In 99.2 innings, he struck out 106 and walked only 29. He was named America East Co-Pitcher of the Year.

    Austin Dicharry – RHP – 6’4 195
    Texas
    Sophomore

    It’s tough to get innings on the Texas pitching staff, but Dicharry has made the most of his. Though he’s 0-3 in seven appearances, he has a 3.62 ERA. He has struck out 20 in 27.1 innings.

    Position Players

    James McCann – C – 6’3 215 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Derek Trent – C/OF – 6’1 210 – East Tennessee State – Junior
    Caleb Bushyhead – INF – 5’10 170 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    C.J. Cron – 1B – 6’4 230 – Utah – Sophomore
    Joey Hainsfurther – INF – 5’11 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
    Paul Hoilman – INF – 6’5 240 – East Tennessee State – Junior
    Levi Hyams – INF – 6’2 201 – Georgia – Sophomore
    Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185 – Arizona State – Freshman
    Brad Miller – INF – 6’0 200 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Johnathan Taylor – OF – 5’8 180 – Georgia – Sophomore
    Chad Wright – OF – 5’10 180 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 168 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    *Zach Cone – OF – 6’2 205 – Georgia – Sophomore

    James McCann – C – 6’3 215
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    A 31st-round pick out of high school, McCann was a key part of Arkansas’ run to Omaha last season. This year, he’s hitting fairly well again and showing some pop. McCann is checking in at .283 with nine home runs and six doubles.

    Derek Trent – C/OF – 6’1 210
    East Tennessee State
    Junior

    Trent is one of two East Tennessee State juniors on Cotuit’s roster, and both had fantastic seasons. Trent hit .348 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles and 66 RBI. It looks like he played mostly catcher, which makes the offensive numbers a little more impressive. He was named first-team all-conference in the Atlantic Sun.

    Caleb Bushyhead – INF – 5’10 170
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    Bushyhead didn’t play a lot as a freshman but had a solid summer in the Alaska League last year. With an increased role this year, he’s put up impressive all-around numbers for the Sooners. He’s played in more games than any of his teammates and is hitting .329 with five home runs, 16 doubles and 35 RBI. He has also stolen 12 bases in 19 attempts.

    C.J. Cron – 1B – 6’4 230
    Utah
    Sophomore

    Cron is a recent addition to the Cotuit roster, and he’s well-deserving of a spot. After earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors last year, he vaulted into the national consciousness with an enormous sophomore season. He ranked 14th in the nation with a .431 batting average, and he added 20 home runs, 16 doubles and 81 RBI. He was named Mountain West Player of the Year. Cron was a 44th-round pick out of high school. Though he’s listed as a first baseman on the Cotuit roster, he spent a fair amount of time playing catcher this spring, too.

    Joey Hainsfurther – INF – 5’11 185
    Baylor
    Sophomore

    After a solid freshman season, Hainsfurther emerged this season as one of the top hitters on the Baylor squad. He finished with a .339 average, two homers, 12 doubles and 48 RBI. Hainsfurther was a 46th-round pick out of high school.

    Paul Hoilman – INF – 6’5 240
    East Tennessee State
    Junior

    Hoilman had as good an offensive season as any player on a 2010 Cape League roster. On his way to Atlantic Sun Player of the Year honors, Hoilman hit .421 with 25 home runs, 24 doubles and 84 RBI. He tied for fifth in the nation in home runs, ranked eighth in RBI and checked in at 24th in batting average. It’s the second straight outstanding season for Hoilman, who hit .380 last year with 17 home runs. He was named a first-team All-American this season.

    Levi Hyams – INF – 6’2 201
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Hyams hit .263 as a freshman last year but broke out this season for a big sophomore campaign. He hit .333 with four home runs, 13 doubles and 32 RBI.

    Deven Marrero – INF – 6’1 185
    Arizona State
    Freshman

    Marrero hasn’t had a full slate of opportunities to shine this season, but he’s done it anyway — and he’s getting more opportunities. Considered one of the top freshmen in the country, Marrero has seen action in 38 games and has been a regular in the post-season lineup, and with good reason. A 17th-round pick out of high school, Marrero is hitting .397 with six homers, 11 doubles, three triples and 37 RBI. More than a third of his hits have gone for extra-bases and he’s also stolen 10 bases.

    Brad Miller – INF – 6’0 200
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Miller started every game of his freshman season and was as steady as his playing time indicated. He finished with a .273 batting average. After playing with Team USA last summer, Miller has emerged this season as one of the top players in the ACC. He leads the Super Regional host Tigers in hitting with a .365 average. He’s added seven home runs and 18 doubles, and he’s driven in 41 runs.

    Johnathan Taylor – OF – 5’8 180
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    Taylor got his freshman season off to a huge start last year. He eventually cooled down and finished with a .309 average and 23 stolen bases. He was on Cotuit’s roster last year but didn’t make it. If he arrives this year, he’ll be coming off a pretty solid sophomore season. He hit .335 with six doubles, three triples and 12 stolen bases.

    Chad Wright – OF – 5’10 180
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Wright was a revelation last year. He wasn’t the most highly-touted member of Kentucky’s standout freshman class, but he delivered perhaps the best season, hitting .343. This year, Wright hit .316 with two homers, 12 doubles and 12 stolen bases.

    Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 168
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    Yastrzemski is the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, and he’s following in the footsteps of his late father, Mike, who also played on the Cape. Yastrzemski was a 36th-round pick out of high school last year. At Vanderbilt, he has seen action in 55 games and is hitting .233 with six doubles.

    Zach Cone – OF – 6’2 205
    Georgia
    Sophomore

    A third-round pick out of high school, Cone came to the Cape after a solid freshman season and wowed scouts with his potential. Baseball America rated him the league’s 12th-best prospect. This spring, Cone turned the potential into production for Georgia, hitting .363 with 10 home runs, 12 doubles, seven triples and 53 RBI. He was also a perfect 13-for-13 on stolen base attempts. He has been invited to Team USA trials.

    Posted on

    Cotuit Changes

    In the last month or so, seven players on the initial Cotuit roster have had their contracts released for various reasons. Three other players have received Team USA invites. Suffice it to say, the Kettleers needed to make some additions.

    They’re off to a good start.

    Looking at stats the past few weeks, I was surprised that Oklahoma’s Caleb Busyhead wasn’t on a roster, but he’s one of the Cotuit additions. Busyhead is hitting .333 with four homers and 29 RBI.

    Also from the Big 12, Joey Hainsfurther is one of the leading hitters for Baylor, checking in at .368 with a team-best 43 RBI. Levi Hyams leads Georgia with a .367 average. Pitcher Austin Dicharry has a 3.62 ERA for Texas.