Month: June 2008

I was not able to attend the game in Wareham tonight so I’ll leave the description of the ceremonies to everybody else. I trust everything went well, though from listening to manager Cooper Farris on the postgame radio show, the Gatemen would have really liked to get John Wylde a victory.

But Falmouth had a little too much in a 9-2 victory. Kevin Nolan (Winthrop) was on base five times and Chad Bettis (Texas Tech) turned in a strong relief performance to power the Commodores.

Still, this night was about a little bit more than baseball, and that’s the way it should be. I can’t imagine a better way to kick off the 2008 season than a night for John Wylde, a man who’s responsible for much of what the Cape League is today. And it was a perfect night for baseball, at that.

So we begin. The season really gets going on Saturday with a near-full slate of games. I’ve got a wedding to go to, so I won’t be able to keep up with anything as it happens. But I will catch up with things on Sunday.

Until then, enjoy the baseball. Summer starts now.

As I mentioned below, things seem wide open when it comes to the players. That contributes to the idea that the race for the Cape League title may be wide open, too. With 63 players at Team USA trials or the College World Series — more than one-fifth of the league — every team is dealing with significant roster shuffling. The team that can weather that storm the best may give itself a huge head start.

Who’s best equipped to handle it? Interestingly enough, I think it’s the Chatham A’s, the team that probably has the most balanced collection of talent. That balance is built on depth, and the A’s have plenty of it. They’ll be waiting on four North Carolina players, including three pitchers, and they’ll be waiting to see what happens with Justin Marks, who’s been invited to Team USA. But the A’s will still have four pitchers who’ve had Cape League success in Charles Brewer, Brad Boxberger, Gavin Brooks and Kevin Couture. At the plate, they’ll still have Grant Green and Aaron Miller, arguably their best hitters.

For now, I’d give Chatham the edge in navigating the early part of the season. But you know what? Once we hit July and things get sorted out, just about anything can happen.

In putting the early looks together, I was struck by just how talented every team is. Everybody has All-Americans, everybody has all-conference players, everybody has guys who have been drafted and guys who will be at the top of draft boards next year.

When you factor in all the roster changes and the fact that great players are facing other great players every night, you get a serious dose of parity. Sure, teams occasionally run away with division titles, but for the most part, there isn’t much difference between teams at the top of the heap and teams at the bottom. Consider this: Yarmouth-Dennis, the best team this league has seen in a long time, played fourth-place Wareham four times last year. Y-D won three of those meetings but the combined score of the four games was Y-D 14, Wareham 12.

So anything can happen, and that’s why it’s so difficult to predict. The players, themselves, make it even tougher. This time last year, Jason Castro was coming off a spring where he hit .167, Buster Posey had hit only three home runs and Gordon Beckham was still flying under the radar. Who could have predicted that they would team up for Y-D to form one of the best trios in Cape League history.

For teams to have success, they need a lot of things like that. Essentially, they need a lot to go right. Since I’ve already gone into great detail in the early looks, rather than sum things up with generic team capsules, I’ll take a little different approach and talk about those needs. Obviously, a lot of these are in a similar vein, but I’m trying to make them very specific to each team. At the end of all this, I do have a fearless prediction.

Bourne Braves
What has to go right: The big hitters have to hit. With only two players in the College World Series and two trying out for Team USA, the Braves should have a relatively stable roster. The starting pitching should be decent, and the bullpen should be great with Eric Pettis at the back end. To turn stability into success, they’ll need their key offensive players to deliever. Players like Jordan Henry, Richard Jones, Jamie Johnson, Kyle Roller and Ross Wilson will have to hold down that lineup because there isn’t a ton of depth around them.

Cotuit Kettleers
What has to go right: Quite simply, Robert Stock needs a big summer. He’s a guy with all the tools and he was solid last year, but this spring wasn’t great for him. With his talent, he can carry this offense, and as one of the few guys on the roster who looks like a star, he may have to.

Falmouth Commodores
What has to go right: Falmouth needs a dominant starter. With Kyle Gibson at Team USA trials, there’s a gaping hole in the rotation. That stands in stark contrast to last year, when the Commodores had three first-round draft picks and Gibson at the top. Oregon State’s Jorge Reyes, who will be trying to rediscover his freshman year form, is as good a cnadidate as any to emerge.

Hyannis Mets
What has to go right: The junior circuit has to make things happen. Hyannis is the oldest team in the league, a product of their front office changes and the resulting delay in signing players. It could pay off in a big way if juniors like Ryan Lavarnway and Andrew Carraway can deliver. They’re older, wiser, and if they turn that into success, the Mets will be in very good shape.

Wareham Gatemen
What has to go right: Some unknowns will have to make a splash. Wareham got hit harder by Team USA than any other team. Six players — perhaps their six best players — have been invited, which means some temporary players and some guys without all the hype need to step up. It can be done, though. Last year, Bourne won the West with a roster that looked nothing like it did when it was first released.

Brewster Whitecaps
What has to go right: Without a doubt, Brewster needs to find some starting pitchers. Only a few players on that team were weekend starters this spring, and while a guy like Caleb Coltham should do good things, the Whitecaps will need more than that.

Chatham A’s
What has to go right: Just enough offense. I don’t think the pitching has much in the way of question marks. They’re going to hold teams down. That means a Chatham offense that doesn’t look truly explosive just needs to do enough each time out.

Harwich Mariners
What has to go right: More than any other team, the Mariners have to weather the roster shuffling storm. Five players are in the College World series, while two more have been invited to Team USA.

Orleans Cardinals
What has to go right: Kind of the oppostie of Chatham: Orleans needs jut enough pitching. Angelo Songco, Nate Freiman and a host of others are going to make that offense pretty tough to stop. They’re going to score runs. A pitching staff that looks untested will simply have to keep Orleans in front.

Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
What has to go right: The players will hear about last year’s team. They need to not listen. This group is talented, but not close to last year’s team. As long as they don’t feel any added pressure from what they hear about the dynasty, they’ve got a real chance to compete.

So that’s that. I hope it sums things up a little bit. As for the prediction, I was very close to picking Orleans because I’m a believer in the idea that you need more offense than pitching. But in the end, I think I’ll stick with Chatham. They should have no trouble holding their own in the first few weeks, and once Matt Harvey, Adam Warren and Alex White arrive from Omaha, they’ll be primed and ready to take off.

I said last week that Furman’s Jay Jackson did not get drafted. He did get drafted, but because his full name is Randy, I missed it. Sorry about that. He was a ninth-rounder, and he is no longer on the Hyannis roster.

Bourne’s Dusty Coleman (Wichita State) just magically appeared on the Team USA invite list. He wasn’t part of any of the invite announcements, but he’s on there now. Too bad, because I thought he might be one of the top players in the league, perhaps following in the footsteps of teammate Connor Gillaspie and winning the MVP award. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Between the early looks and all the college stats stuff, I’ve written a lot about the 2008 season. In fact, I’ve almost written too much. I have very little to add. But since all of that stuff is so detailed and so freaking long, I’m going to try to pull out some of the main things and put them in this post and the next post. This one looks at the players, the next one will look at the teams. And then . . . baseball, finally.

THE PLAYERS

It seemed that the 2008 draft class had its sure things in place for a long time. I think that was due mostly to Pedro Alvarez and Justin Smoak, who seemed to be in college — and be on draft boards — for eight years each.

Still, the Cape League had a huge impact on the first round. Aaron Crow, Gordon Beckham, Buster Posey, Yonder Alonso — all those guys became bright spots on the radar with big Cape summers. When all of them put up great numbers this spring, they solidified their spots.

As the summer begins again, and as the 2009 draft class starts to take shape, there appear to be more Beckhams and Crows than Alvarezes and Smoaks. Which is to say, nobody’s a sure thing. Maybe, like last year, stars at the plate will emerge and give the league another burst of offense. Maybe the pitching will re-assert itself and turn the Cape into a pitchers’ paradise once again. At this point, I’m tempted to side with the offense, but who can really tell?

Either way, the fact that things look wide open should should make this Cape League summer a very interesting one. And considering the large number of Team USA invitees and CWS participants, the opportunity is there for someone to make a splash. A lot of names we don’t know right now will soon become names we won’t forget.

In an effort to put some names out there, I’m taking a page out of the college sports awards’ playbook. Watch lists, anyone?

I’ll do two 25-player lists, one for hitters, one for pitchers. So, that’s essentially the MVP Watch List and the Outstanding Pitcher Watch List. Since it’s 25 each, this will kind of count as the first Right Field Fog Top 50 of the year. Also, consider it the list of the 50 players I’m excited to see.

As a side note, these lists are coming from an all-things-being-equal kind of perspective. So, Team USA invitees and CWS participants are still included, but I do have stars by the Team USA guys. This is organized by team.

MVP Watch List
*Dusty Coleman – SS – Wichita State – Bourne
*Matt den Dekker – OF – Florida – Brewster
Jim Klocke – C – SE Missouri – Brewster
James Meador – INF/OF – San Diego – Brewster
Connor Powers – INF – Mississippi State – Brewster
Grant Green – SS – USC – Chatham
Aaron Miller – OF – Baylor – Chatham
*Kyle Seager – 2B – North Carolina – Chatham
Jason Kipnis – OF – Arizona State – Cotuit
Robert Stock – C – USC – Cotuit
Tim Fedroff – OF – North Carolina – Falmouth
*Hunter Morris – 1B – Auburn – Falmouth
A.J. Pollock – INF/OF – Notre Dame – Falmouth
Diego Seastrunk – 3B – Rice – Falmouth
*Dustin Ackley – 1B – North Carolina – Harwich
Ryan Lavarnway – C – Yale – Hyannis
*Ryan Jackson – SS – Miami – Hyannis
Cole Figueroa – SS – Florida – Orleans
Nate Freiman – 1B – Duke – Orleans
Rich Poythress – 1B – Georgia – Orleans
Angelo Songco – OF – Loyola Marymount – Orleans
*Josh Phegley – C – Indiana – Wareham
*Derek Dietrich – SS – Georgia Tech – Wareham
Blake Dean – OF – LSU – Wareham
Andy Wilkins – INF/OF – Arkansas – Y-D

Fearless Prediction: Nate Freiman wins it. He’s a junior who’s already had success on the Cape, and he can flat-out hit. I also like Ryan Lavarnway, Grant Green and Angelo Songco. And Josh Phegley if he doesn’t go to Team USA.

Outstanding Pitcher Watch List
Nathan Baker – Ole Miss – Bourne
*Ryan Berry – Rice – Bourne
*Drew Pomeranz – Rice – Bourne
Bob Revesz – Louisville – Bourne
Caleb Coltham – Vanderbilt – Brewster
Brad Boxberger – USC – Chatham
Charles Brewer – UCLA – Chatham
Gavin Brooks – UCLA – Chatham
Kevin Couture – USC – Chatham
*Justin Marks – Louisville – Chatham
Alex White – North Carolina – Chatham
Matt Fairel – Florida State – Cotuit
Dan Jennings – Nebraska – Cotuit
*Kyle Gibson – Missouri – Falmouth
Sean Black – Seton Hall – Harwich
Chris Manno – Duke – Harwich
Andrew Carraway – Virginia – Hyannis
Matt Ridings – Western Kentucky – Hyannis
Eric Erickson – Miami – Orleans
Matt Bashore – Indiana – Wareham
*Mike Minor – Vanderbilt – Wareham
*Andy Oliver – Vanderbilt – Wareham
*Kendal Volz – Baylor – Wareham
*Stephen Strasburg – San Diego State – Y-D
Jerry Sullivan – Oral Roberts – Y-D

Fearless Prediction: I know I said all things were equal and if they really were, Team USA invitee Stephen Strasburg is a no-brainer here. But for the purposes of the prediction, all things are not equal. I’m going with Jerry Sullivan. I’ll put Andrew Carraway, Chris Manno and Alex White just behind him.

Team USA made its final invites on Monday, tabbing eight more players for the trials. Six of the eight are on Cape League rosters, which brings the total number of Cape Leaguers on the invite list to 25. There are 34 players in total, and 22 of them will make the team. The trials will end June 24.

The latest round:
Matt den Dekker – OF – Florida – Sophomore – Brewster
Brian Fletcher – INF/OF – Auburn – Freshman – Falmouth
Rick Hague – SS – Rice – Freshman – Wareham
Shaver Hansen – 3B – Baylor – Sophomore – Harwich
Justin Marks – P – Louisville – Sophomore – Chatham
Blake Smith – P/OF – California – Sophomore – Brewster

(Update: I forgot LSU’s Jared Mitchell, who’s on Y-D’s roster. That brings the total to 37)

The College Word Series field is set, and like always, it will have an impact on the Cape League. A total of 36 players in the CWS are on Cape League rosters. That means all those players will arrive late. Last year, the most games played by a CWS participant was 31 by Kyle Seager. Cape League teams play 44 games, so on average, a player arriving from Omaha will miss about a third of the season, give or take.

The number of CWS players is up from last year, when it was 25. North Carolina had the most then and has the most again, with 12 players scheduled to come to the Cape. Georgia is next with seven. Cinderella Fresno State isn’t sending any.

Here’s a rundown of who will be missing from each Cape League team:

Bourne – 2
Ryan Berry – P – Rice
Justin Grimm – P – Georgia

Brewster – 4
Garrett Gore – INF – North Carolina
Yasmani Grandal – C – Miami
Iden Nazario – P – Miami
Ryan Woolley – P – Georgia

Chatham – 4
Kyle Seager – INF – North Carolina
Matt Harvey – P – North Carolina
Adam Warren – P – North Carolina
Alex White – P – North Carolina

Cotuit – 3
Tyler Holt – OF – Florida State
Joey Lewis – C – Georgia
Matt Fairel – P – Florida State

Falmouth – 3
Tim Fedroff – OF – North Carolina
Diego Seastrunk – 3B – Rice
Nate Striz – P – North Carolina

Harwich – 5
Dustin Ackley – 1B – North Carolina
D.J. LaMahieu – SS – LSU
Jason Stidham – INF – Florida State
Garrett Davis – P – North Carolina
Pat Johnson – P – North Carolina

Hyannis – 3
Ryan Jackson – SS – Miami
Colin Bates – P – North Carolina
Alex McRee – P – Georgia

Orleans – 4
Rich Poythress – 1B/3B – Georgia
Justin Earls – P – Georgia
Eric Erickson – P – Miami
Rob Catapano – P – North Carolina

Wareham – 3
Blake Dean – OF – LSU
Rick Hague – SS – Rice
Brandt Walker – P – Stanford

Y-D – 6
Joey August – OF – Stanford
Sean Ochinko – C/1B – LSU
Jared Mitchell -OF – LSU
Jeff Inman – P – Stanford
Anthony Ranaudo – P – LSU
Dean Weaver – P – Georgia

I’d say Harwich is the hardest hit. Those three offensive players looked to be three of the team’s best. Chatham will suffer a little bit without the pitching trio from UNC. Hyannis escaped relatively unscathed: Jackson is a Team USA invitee anyway, and both of those pitchers are relievers.

The last early look is finally finished and posted below this. There is also a section on the sidebar with links to all of them. I’m pretty pleased with the whole project, mostly because I don’t have to do any more of them. I enjoy learning about all the players and I will do it every year, but . . . I’m so lost in a sea of heights, weights, batting averages and draft results, that I’m pretty sure I got drafted at some point. And I hit eight home runs last year.

But anyway. Now that those are done, I’m going to be posting some more general preview stuff this week, leading up to John Wylde Night on Friday. Then, finally, we will have some baseball.

For now, a few random notes:

• In doing the draft roundup stuff, I was surprised at how many 2008 Cape Leaguers got picked. Twenty seems like a lot to me. It should be interesting to see how the ones who come to the Cape end up doing. Sometimes, the added pressure can be a little too much.

• There were a couple of draft-eligible guys who I was surprised didn’t get called. Virginia’s Andrew Carraway was one of the best pitchers in the ACC this year and Furman’s Jay Jackson was a tremendous two-way player. Both are on the Hyannis roster, so at least them not getting drafted was good news for the Mets.

• Speaking of Hyannis and the draft, Garrett Sherrill, who was on the Hyannis roster, is no longer on the roster. I’ll take that to mean he’s signing.

• I watched the second game of the UC-Irvine-LSU Super Regional today, which featured several soon-to-be Cape Leaguers. D.J. LeMahieu looks like a real player, but the best story of the day was Sean Ochinko. The sophomore tore up the league last year for Y-D but struggled mightily this spring and lost the starting catcher’s job. He came on late in this one and drove in the go-ahead run as the Tigers rallied from a 7-2 deficit to even the series.

• The College World Series is filling up fast. Once everything is sorted out, I’ll try to put something together figuring out which Cape Leaguers will be missing as a result. I can tell you this: I believe North Carolina has the most players on the Cape of any college team. Naturally, the Tar Heels are headed to Omaha.

• The games against the military all-stars were this weekend, but I haven’t seen anything on them. Wareham played a preseason game tonight, and they probably will have some info up since their web site is awesome.

ORLEANS CARDINALS
Manager: Kelly Nicholson
Last Season: 23-20-1

When the Orleans Cardinals won the 2005 Cape League championship, they had the best ERA in the league and the second-best batting average. Last season, as the Cardinals missed the playoffs for the second straight year, they again has the best ERA in the league. But the offense was a little shaky – Orleans finished with a .221 team batting average, second-worst in the league.

If the Cardinals were trying to remedy that, mission accomplished.

Orleans will welcome a squad that looks, on paper, like the best offensive team in the league. Nine players hit over .320 this spring and four of them finished with double-digit home runs. Returnee Nate Freiman, the winner of last year’s Tenth Player award, leads the way, but a corps of talented newcomers isn’t far behind. Angelo Songco and Rich Poythress, both of whom bring an average-power combo to the table, should be at the head of the pack. Factor in ’07 Cape all-star Cole Figueroa, and you’ve got something special.

The question for this Orleans team will revolve around the pitching and whether it can be as good as it was last year. Without anybody who looks like a dominant No. 1 starter, it’ll have to be a team effort. But like last year, when the Cardinals’ bullpen was dominant, that might not be a bad thing. Rob Catapano, who allowed two runs all last summer, will be back to lead the charge.

In what’s shaping up to be a very difficult Eastern division, the Cardinals will be in for a battle. Offensively, though, they’ve got just about as much firepower as anybody.

As it did in 2005, that could go a long way.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 5
Juniors: 8
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 5

Notable

• Let’s start with Quinn Haselhorst. He gets a special mention because he attends the University of Dayton. I graduated from that fine institution not too long ago. In all my time there, I don’t ever remember a Flyer making it to the Cape League. So, kudos to you, Mr. Haselhorst. The reputation of a baseball program rests entirely on your shoulders.
• So Nate Freiman is a catcher now? Apparently, he’s giving it a shot. He played there a few times this spring and is listed on the roster as a 1B/C. I’m hoping he plays there a bit this summer, if only to see an umpire trying to look over a catcher who’s 6’8.
• In all seriousness, though, Freiman should be one of the best players on the Cape this summer.
• With Freiman, Rich Poythress, Angelo Songco and Mike Murphy, the middle of the order should be fearsome. That quartet combined for 51 home runs this spring.
• Songco looks like a guy who could really burst onto the scene. He was the WCC Freshman of the Year in 2007 then turned in a spectacular sophomore season.
• There are five catchers back for a second summer on the Cape, and Orleans has two of them in Travis Tartamella and Hampton Tignor. That veteran presence should be a big help.
• The pitching staff will probably need several guys to take on bigger roles than they had this spring. Only a handful of Orleans’ pitchers were weekend starters.
• This will be the second summer in New England for Adam Wilk, and he enjoyed his stay last time. He led the NECBL in ERA last year.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Nate Freiman
2. Angelo Songco
3. Cole Figueroa
4. Rich Poythress
5. Eric Erickson

Pitchers
*Rob Catapano – LHP – 5’10 170 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Justin Earls – LHP – 6’3 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
Eric Erickson – LHP – 6’0 196 – Miami – Sophomore
Brad Gemberling – RHP – 6’2 205 – Princeton – Junior
Elliot Glynn – LHP – 6’1 165 – Connecticut – Freshman
Quinn Haselhorst – LHP – 6’3 205 – Dayton – Junior
*Kyle Kamppi – RHP – 5’9 182 – Georgia Southern – Junior
Isaac Morales – LHP – 6’0 188 – Cal State L.A. – Junior
Rob Rasmussen – LHP – 5’11 160 – UCLA – Freshman
Kyle Smith – RHP – 6’6 195 – Kent State – Sophomore
Brad Stillings – RHP – 6’4 205 – Kent State – Sophomore
Matt Thomson – RHP – 6’4 200 – San Diego – Sophomore
Martin Viramontes – RHP – 6’5 200 – Loyola Marymount – Freshman
Adam Wilk – LHP – 6’2 175 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
* returning player

Rob Catapano – LHP – 5’10 170
North Carolina
Sophomore
Numbers-wise, Catapano was the best non-closing reliever on the Cape last summer. For quite awhile, he didn’t allow a single run. He ended up allowing only two in 14 appearances. He also struck out 17 and walked only three. Catapano has carried his big summer into the spring. Through the regional, he had a 3.11 ERA in 18 appearances, with seven starts among them.

Justin Earls – LHP – 6’3 190
Georgia
Sophomore
Earls split time as a starter and a reliever last season, finishing with a 5.37 ERA. He has been used exclusively as a reliever this season, with a 6.14 ERA in 25 appearances.

Eric Erickson – LHP – 6’0 196
Miami
Sophomore
Erickson had a fantastic freshman season for the Hurricanes last year, finishing with a 10-4 record and a 2.50 ERA. He earned Freshman All-American honors from several publications and was put on the Brooks Wallace Award watch list this year. He’s been overshadowed a bit by freshman teammate Chris Hernandez, but he’s still been very good. His 61 strikeouts and 13 walks really stand out.

Brad Gemberling – RHP – 6’2 205
Princeton
Junior
Gemberling pitched briefly for Orleans last summer, making three appearances. After a strong spring at Princeton, he’s poised to make a much bigger impact this summer. Gemberlind put up a 3.60 ERA while being used as a starter and a reliever. He struck out 45 in 45 innings, with only 14 walks.

Elliot Glynn – LHP – 6’1 165
Connecticut
Freshman
Glynn played for the No. 1 high school team in the country last year in Long Beach, Calif. Oddly enough, he went cross-country to UConn, where he started from day one. He finished with a 6.00 ERA but played both ways and shined at the plate, where he hit .324.

Quinn Haselhorst – LHP – 6’3 205
Dayton
Junior
Haselhorst has had a solid career at Dayton but he made his biggest splash with Columbus of the Great Lakes League last summer. He went 6-2 with a 1.62 ERA, but the most impressive numbers were these: 28 strikeouts and one walk. He flashed good control for the Flyers this spring but had a 4.37 ERA.

Kyle Kamppi – RHP – 5’9 182
Georgia Southern
Junior
Kamppi was part of Orleans’ dynamite bullpen last year, finishing with a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances. This spring, Kamppi split time between starting and relieving and ended up with a 6.18 ERA in 20 appearances. He struck out 58 in 67 innings.

Isaac Morales – LHP – 6’0 188
Cal State L.A.
Junior
Morales is a small school guy who will be looking to prove himself. Playing at D-II Cal State Los Angeles, Morales put up great numbers this spring. He went 9-1 with a 2.47 ERA.

Rob Rasmussen – LHP – 5’11 160
UCLA
Freshman
Rasmussen is a little short in stature, but he’s not short in many other areas. After a dominant high school career, Rasmussen was drafted in the 27th round last year. He opted to attend UCLA, where he spent the season mostly in the bullpen. He struggled with his control – walking more than he struck out – and finished with a 5.60 ERA.

Kyle Smith – RHP – 6’6 195
Kent State
Sophomore
Smith had a very good freshman season a year ago, putting up a 3.84 ERA while throwing the second-most innings on the team. As a weekend starter this year, Smith put up good strikeout numbers but finished with a 5.76 ERA. He did manage a 9-1 record, so that’s got to count for something.

Brad Stillings – RHP – 6’4 205
Kent State
Sophomore
Stillings was also in the weekend rotation for the Golden Flashes and put up similar numbers to those of Smith. Stillings, also a tall righty, had a 5.35 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 79 innings.

Matt Thomson – RHP – 6’4 200
San Diego
Sophomore
Thomson went the junior college route immediately after high school and was drafted last year in the 22nd round. He opted to head to San Diego, where he put up solid numbers out of the bullpen. He ended up with a 3.86 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.

Martin Viramontes – RHP – 6’5 200
Loyola Marymount
Freshman
Part of a trio of LMU players on the Orleans roster, Viramontes will be looking for a big summer after some ups and downs in his first collegiate season. He was a regular starter for the Lions, but went 3-6 with a 6.26 ERA. His strikeout numbers were good, though – 55 in 54.2 innings.

Adam Wilk – LHP – 6’2 175
Long Beach State
Sophomore
Wilk pitched pretty well as a freshman but made a huge splash over the summer when he pitched for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL. He led the league in ERA with a 1.12 mark. This spring, working exclusively out of the bullpen, Wilk put up a 1.26 ERA with 15 strikeouts and just two walks in 14.1 innings.

Position Players
*Travis Tartamella – C – 6’0 195 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
*Hampton Tignor – C – 6’0 200 – Florida – Sophomore
Matt Bowman – INF – 5’7 175 – Nevada – Junior
Gary Brown – 2B/OF – 6’0 175 – Cal State Fullerton – Freshman
Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Freshman
Cole Figueroa – SS – 5’10 180 – Florida – Sophomore
*Nate Freiman – 1B /C – 6’8 240 – Duke – Junior
Shaun Kort – 1B – 5’9 160 – Nevada – Sophomore
Mike Murphy – 3B – 6’0 195 – Maryland – Junior
Rich Poythress – 3B/1B – 6’4 235 – Georgia – Sophomore
Kyle Spraker – SS – 5’10 180 – Loyola Marymount – Junior
Alex Hassan – OF – 6’3 195 – Duke – Sophomore
Angelo Songco – OF – 6’0 190 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
Tim Wheeler – OF – 6’4 205 – Sacramento State – Sophomore
* returning player

Travis Tartamella – C – 6’0 195
Pepperdine
Sophomore
Both of Orleans’ catchers are back for a second season with the Cardinals, and both will be looking to improve on last summer. Tartamella hit .200 last year without a home run. This spring for Pepperdine, Tartamella hit .207.

Hampton Tignor – C – 6’0 200
Florida
Sophomore
Tignor had a tougher summer than Tartamella, finishing with a .139 batting average. But this spring, Tignor hit .304 while splitting time behind the plate. Tignor is also a standout defensive catcher.

Matt Bowman – INF – 5’7 175
Nevada
Junior
Bowman might be the shortest player on the Cape, but he can really hit. After posting a .376 batting average in his sophomore year, he missed all but five games of his junior season to injury and was redshirted. But he didn’t miss a beat in returning this year, putting up a .355 average and a .454 on-base percentage.

Gary Brown – 2B/OF – 6’0 175
Cal State Fullerton
Freshman
Brown was a 12th-round pick out of high school last year but stuck with Fullerton and turned in an impressive freshman campaign. After switching to the outfield from his normal second base spot, Brown hit .292 with five home runs and 27 RBI.

Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180
Cal State Fullerton
Freshman
Like his frosh teammate Brown, Colon also came into Fullerton with big credentials after getting drafted in the 10th round out of high school. Colon didn’t disappoint, either, finishing the season with a .329 average and four home runs. He has been invited to Team USA.

Cole Figueroa – SS – 5’10 180
Florida
Sophomore
Figueroa was an all-star for Harwich last summer and left a pretty good impression on scouts, who liked his all-around game. Draft-eligible because of his age, Figueroa went in the sixth round last week. He still may play in Orleans, though, and he would be a big addition. This spring for Florida, he hit .350 with nine home runs.

Nate Freiman – 1B /C – 6’8 240
Duke
Junior
Freiman flew under the radar a little bit summer, hard to do for someone who’s 6’8. But in a year where offensive standouts stole the show, Freiman’s .282 average and 28 RBI left him just off stage. That should change this year. Freiman, who’s from Wellesley, Mass., was a late-round pick last week, but I’d expect him to be back on the Cape. And with the season, he just had, look out. Freiman hit .381 this spring with 11 home runs.

Shaun Kort – 1B – 5’9 160
Nevada
Sophomore
Kort will join his teammate Bowman in Orleans after a strong season for the Wolfpack. He hit .324 with six home runs and 60 RBI. Solid numbers, but they actually pale in comparison to his freshman season, when he won the WAC batting title with a .392 average.

Mike Murphy – 3B – 6’0 195
Maryland
Junior
Murphy has been nothing but solid since he arrived at Maryland, and he continued the trend this season, hitting .289 with a team-best 13 home runs and 42 RBI. Murphy was eligible for the draft but didn’t get picked so he’ll certainly be trying to prove himself this summer.

Rich Poythress – 3B/1B – 6’4 235
Georgia
Sophomore
Poythress is big and powerful, and this season, he’s hit for average as well as power. In 61 games, he’s hit .366 with 15 home runs and 65 RBI, numbers that leave him just behind teammate Gordon Beckham for the team lead. He should be one of the premier power hitters in the league.

Kyle Spraker – SS – 5’10 180
Loyola Marymount
Junior
Spraker spent two seasons at Cal before transferring to LMU this season. He stepped right into the starting shortstop role and hit .260 with a .348 on-base percentage.

Alex Hassan – OF – 6’3 195
Duke
Sophomore
Hassan is listed as just an outfielder on the Orleans roster, but he’s played both ways in his two years at Duke. Wherever he’s been, he’s been good. At the plate this season, he hit .353 with four home runs. On the mound, he went 5-0 in 17 relief appearances with a 1.30 ERA.

Angelo Songco – OF – 6’0 190
Loyola Marymount
Sophomore
Songco started from day one for the Lions and finished his freshman season with a .321 batting average, second on the team and good enough to earn him WCC Freshman of the Year honors. This season, he put up incredible numbers, finishing with a .356 average, 15 home runs and 48 RBI, all team-bests. He was a unanimous all-conference pick.

Tim Wheeler – OF – 6’4 205
Sacramento State
Sophomore
A tall and lanky centerfielder, Wheeler hit .310 as a freshman then put up even better numbers this year. He closed out the season with a .330 batting average and three home runs. He also stole 10 bases.

I’ll leave it to the league to figure out exactly how many players from the Cape got drafted. For now, I want to focus on drafted players who are on 2008 rosters. By my count, there are 20 of them, and it looks like a good chunk will still play on the Cape this summer. Here’s a rundown of the players who were taken on the second day and what their plans look like (the rundown for the first day is here).

• First, the big news. USC’s Tom Milone has signed with the Nationals, who picked him in the 10th round. Milone played for Chatham last year and was the league’s pitcher of the year. He was on the A’s roster again this year, with his presence hinging on how the draft went. It would have been nice to see him again, but this is probably the best option for him. Congratulations to Tom and best of luck.

• Nothing new on Tim Fedroff, UNC’s draft-eligible sophomore. He was a seventh-round pick of the Indians. Judging from this piece, and this one, I’d be surprised if he signed. Fedroff is scheduled to play for Falmouth this summer.

• According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska junior pitcher Dan Jennings plans to play on the Cape, for Cotuit.
  

  “I’m headed to summer ball and see what happens,” Jennings said from his parents’ West Des Moines, Iowa, home Friday afternoon.

• Cal-Poly’s Kevin Castner also expects to be in Cotuit, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Castner was a 10th round pick of the Rangers.
  

  “I will play out the summer in the cape,” Castner said. “It’s probably the best place I can go after the draft. It’s the best college players around the country, and the stage is set for me to prove what I’ve got and hopefully get a deal.”

• Nothing definitive for Appalachian State’s Garrett Sherrill, who is on the Hyannis roster for the second year in a row. But the Salisbury Post talked to Sherrill, who sounds like he’s ready for pro ball after being drafted in the 12th round by the Brewers.
  

  Sherrill says his arm feels the best it has in a long while, and he’s looking forward to his next assignment. Assuming he signs quickly, he’ll probably be assigned to Helena, Montana, in the Pioneer League, but there’s also an outside chance he could start out in the low Class A South Atlantic League with the West Virginia Power.

• Mississippi State’s Brandon Turner, who missed the season with the injury, was picked in the 12th round by the Marlins. The Cleveland (Tenn.) Daily Banner reports that Turner is waiting to hear before he heads to the Cape, where he’s on the Bourne roster.
  

  “He got drafted better than we expected, especially after he missed most of the season,” Turner’s dad, Mike, expressed. “A lot of the scouts knew him from last year. He was able to go some workouts recently to let them see he’s healthy. He was supposed to leave today (Saturday) for Massachusetts to play in the Cape Cod Wooden Bat League this summer, but he’s negotiating with the Marlins to see what they are offering.”

• According to the Ann Arbor News, things are also up in the air for Michigan’s Adam Abraham, who was taken in the 13th round by Cleveland. The Indians also took UM teammate Zach Putnam. Abraham is on the Hyannis roster.
  

  Abraham, who has another year of eligibility left, will be weighing the same choice. He’ll either go off soon to the Cape Cod League to prepare for another season of college ball or sign and be sent to one of Cleveland’s minor-league affiliates. Abraham, who was selected 411th overall, went into the draft content with returning for his senior year, though the enticement of being able to play pro ball in the same organization with several good friends could lure him into signing. “That makes it very interesting,” Abraham said. “The comfort level would be a lot higher with those guys going with you.”

• It’s the same story for Bethune Cookman’s Joseph Gautier, who’s on the Harwich roster. From the News-Journal in Florida:
  

  Gautier and Pruitt, who both have a year of eligibility left, both said they were not yet sure if they’d return to school for their senior years. “I’m a big believer that when the boat comes you have to take it, and this might be my boat,” Gautier said. “But I thought I’d be taken in the first 10 rounds, and it didn’t happen, so we’ll have to see.

• One of the more interesting guys on this list is Wichita State’s Dusty Coleman. He was ranked in the top 200 prospects, but slipped to the 28th round because he’s considered such a tough sign. From the Argus-Leader in South Dakota:
  

  It’s possible some big league clubs figured that the 21-year-old Coleman would be difficult to sign, considering he has committed to play in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League this summer and has two seasons of college eligibility remaining. “He can come back next year if he doesn’t get the signing bonus he wants to get,” Brad Coleman said over the phone from Tallahassee. “We’ll wait and see how that all comes about.”

• Duke’s Nate Freiman, who played for Orleans last summer and is on the roster again, was projected pretty high but wasn’t taken until the 28th round. No immediate reaction that I can find, but Freiman had this to say in an April interview with GoDuke.com:
  

  “I’m not thinking about the draft. I love school and I expect to be back next year. I‘ve always thought of this as a four-year deal.”

• North Carolina’s Adam Warren, who just tossed a gem to lead the Tar Heels to the College World Series, is on the Chatham roster. He got drafted in the 36th round, but it sounds like he expects to play on the Cape. From the New Bern Sun Journal:
  

  “I was a little disappointed, as far as what round I got drafted in. But they said they were going to follow me this summer and kind of take it from there.”

• Chad Bell, a junior-college player at Walters State, plans to play in Harwich this summer, according to the Knoxville News:
  

  “I was hoping to go a little sooner,” the left-handed pitcher said about being selected in the 37th round. “I guess I was probably asking a little much. I’m happy with it. They can watch me play this summer (in the Cape Cod league) and we’ll see what happens. It will take a lot of money for me to go. They know that. So we’ll just see what they think after watching me throw a couple times this summer.”

• I’ve got nothing on Notre Dame’s David Phelps or NC State’s Jeremy Synan. Phelps, who is on the Hyannis roster, was a 14th-round pick. Synan, on Chatham’s roster for the second year in a row, was taken in the 42nd round.

That was exceedinly long. To sum up, Tom Milone is not coming to the Cape. A lot of other players probably are. These are guys you definitely want to watch this summer.

CHATHAM A’S
Manager: John Schiffner
Last Season: 25-16-3

The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox won last year’s Cape League championship with an incredible offense. The Chatham A’s have their eyes on the title in 2008, and if they win it, they’ll do it with incredible pitching.

It was clear from the moment Chatham’s roster was released that the pitching staff had a chance to be special. As I read through the alphabetical roster, I was more and more amazed. Start with Brad Boxberger and Charles Brewer, two returning players who had big success last year. Continue to Gavin Brooks, a top prospect, and Kevin Couture, another talented returnee. In the middle is Matt Harvey, one of the highest unsigned picks in last year’s draft. Louisville’s Justin Marks, one of the top pitchers in the Big East is there, too. Then there’s Tom Milone, last year’s Cape League pitcher of the year. And don’t forget Alex White down near the bottom. He’s a surefire first-round pick next year.

So yes, the A’s have some pitching.

Their offense can’t come close to matching it, but with the addition of USC’s Grant Green, it’s no slouch either. Combined, I think that makes the A’s the most complete team in the league, at least on paper. With an unheard of nine players back from last year’s team – and three more from other teams – the A’s should know what it takes to turn potential into success.

Last year, they turned it on late in the season to finish with the second-best record in the league. They were really no match for Y-D in the Eastern finals, but nobody would have been. It was still a historic year for the A’s, who saw longtime manager John Schiffner become the Cape League’s career wins leader.

For all the wins, though, it’s been awhile since the A’s won a championship – 1998, to be exact. It looks like they’ve got the team to do it this year.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 9
Juniors: 4
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen : 5

Notable

• Chatham has 28 players on the roster right now. It needs to be at 25, so they’re definitely expecting to make some changes in the coming weeks.
• For the pitching staff to live up to its potential, Brad Boxberger, Charles Brewer and Gavin Brooks have to bounce back. All three had shaky springs, but all three have all-star potential.
• As good as the pitching might be, the offense will have to be good, too. Every team in the Cape has good pitching, so you have to score runs to win.
• Since the A’s are a little pitching heavy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see David Hale – who is listed only as a pitcher despite playing a lot in the field this spring – see some time at the plate, too.
• If Matt Harvey doesn’t end up as the top freshman pitcher on the Cape, don’t be surprised if Sammy Solis does. He just has to crack the starting rotation first.
• Catcher is one spot where the A’s might struggle. Gregg Glime hit .209 this spring and Joe Mercurio hit .222. With this team, though, the most important thing may be for them to simply be solid defensively.
• If we’re penciling in Kyle Bellows at third, Grant Green at short and Casey Haerther at first, the A’s would have a very strong infield. It would be significantly stronger if Kyle Seager doesn’t go to Team USA. Seager is currently the only Chatham player to be invited.
• Chatham’s North Carolina pipeline is certainly a great thing for the franchise, but the Tar Heels have turned into such a powerhouse, that the A’s can’t bank on getting a full season out of anybody from Chapel Hill. UNC is poised to make another trip to Omaha this year.
• As far as Seager goes, the A’s might want to be rooting for UNC to make a deep CWS run. That would cut way into the Team USA trials process, meaning Seager would be much more likely to be one of the invitees who doesn’t make the team. So he’d arrive late to Chatham, but at least he’d be there.
• I’d look for Baylor’s Aaron Miller to have a big summer. He was a major prospect out of high school who had his freshman year cut off by an injury. He was very good this season and is poised to make a name for himself again.
• The fact that the A’s have 12 players on this year’s roster who played on the Cape last year is extremely unusual. It could be a huge advantage for them.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Grant Green
2. Alex White
3. Matt Harvey
4. Gavin Brooks
5. Justin Marks

Pitchers
Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195 – USC – Sophomore
*Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185 – USC – Sophomore
Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210 – Central Florida – Sophomore
David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195 – Princeton – Sophomore
Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
*Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180 – Louisville – Sophomore
*Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205 – USC – Junior
Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190 – Vermont – Junior
Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215 – San Diego – Freshman
Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205 – North Carolina – Junior
*Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200 – Clemson – Sophomore
* returning player

Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195
USC
Sophomore
Boxberger was on his way to a huge summer for Orleans when an injury sent him home a little early. He still made seven appearances and finished with a 1.24 ERA. He made a pretty big impression, too. Baseball America tabbed him as the 24th best prospect in the league, which made him the fourth-best freshman pitcher. Boxberger’s spring wasn’t spectacular, though. He finished with decent peripheral numbers – 52 strikeouts in 50 innings – but his ERA was 6.12.

Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195
UCLA
Sophomore
Brewer was one of two UCLA frosh pitching for the A’s last year, and he had a better showing than Gavin Brooks, who will also be back in Chatham. He finished the summer with a 1.94 ERA, the best mark on the team among starters. Like Boxberger, his spring was a little uneven. He went 8-4 but had a 5.09 ERA.

Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210
UCLA
Sophomore
In terms of potential, Brooks probably is a little bit ahead of his teammate Brewer. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a chance to show it last summer. He was impressive in two early starts but then left for the remainder of the season. He’ll be trying to leave a more lasting impression this summer after posting a 4.91 ERA this spring.

Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185
USC
Sophomore
Couture was one of the most dominant relievers on the Cape last year, finishing with a .90 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 30 innings. He spent the spring in USC’s rotation, going 6-2 with a 4.27 ERA. Whatever role he plays for Chatham, he’s got the potential to be a major contributor.

Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210
Central Florida
Sophomore
Giardina was a 28th-round pick out of high school in 2006 and had a decent freshman season for the Knights. But he saw his ERA balloon to 8.92 this season. He still struck out 45 in 38.1 innings.

David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195
Princeton
Sophomore
Hale was a starter all season for the Tigers and was somewhat of a workhorse, finishing with three complete games. He had a 5.04 ERA but struck out 47 in 44.2 innings of work. Hale also played a lot in the field, finishing with a .339 batting average and five home runs.

Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Harvey was a first-round talent last year who dropped to the third round. He still ended up as one of the highest unsigned picks in the draft, and he has lived up to the hype with the Tar Heels. Through the regional, which UNC won, Harvey had a 7-2 record and a 2.52 ERA. He has struck out 74 in 60.2 innings. Based on hype and those numbers, Harvey could be the top freshman pitcher in the league.

Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185
Virginia
Sophomore
Lorick is kind of the forgotten man when you list who’s coming back from last year’s team, but he should be a valuable player. He had his ups and downs in relief for the A’s last summer, finishing with an ERA above 6, but he still has the potential to be a good left-handed specialist out of the bullpen. With as many starters as the A’s have, they’ll need Lorick to be a big part of the pen.

Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180
Louisville
Sophomore
Marks had a great freshman season with the Cardinals, and after struggling through the early part of this season, he really turned it on. He finished with a 9-1 record, a 2.21 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. Marks looks like a guy who’s just coming into his own, so he could make a big splash this summer.

Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205
USC
Junior
Milone was last year’s Cape League Pitcher of the Year, but for whatever reason, scouts don’t love him. That’s probably why he’s on the A’s roster again, despite being eligible for the draft this year. He was taken in the 10th round, so we’ll see what happens with him. If he comes, he gives the A’s something no other team has – a veteran lefty who has already had major success on the Cape.

Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190
Vermont
Junior
I actually saw Serafin in the NECBL last year, and though he doesn’t have the prototypical pitcher look, he’s very good. The typical crafty lefthander, Serafin went 6-5 this spring with a 2.51 ERA and earned America East Pitcher of the Year honors. Without the size or the hype or the big school, Serafin is a guy who will be easy to root for this summer.

Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215
San Diego
Freshman
Solis was an 18th-round pick in last year’s draft and showed why in his freshman year with the Toreros. He made 17 appearances – seven starts – and went 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA. He struck out 42 and walked 12, an outstanding ratio, especially for a freshman.

Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200
Long Beach State
Freshman
Like Robert Stock at USC a year ago, Thompson enrolled at Long Beach after skipping his senior year of high school. He’s not quite as young as Stock was when he did it, but this is still an interesting case. Thompson went 2-5 this spring with a 4.95 ERA.

Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205
North Carolina
Junior
Of the three UNC pitchers on the Chatham roster, Warren comes with the least amount of hype. But he’s been a very consistent starter for the Tar Heels, posting an 8-1 record with a 4.42 ERA. His 71.1 innings pitched rank second on the team. Last summer, Warren played for Brewster, finishing the season with a 7.71 ERA.

Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191
North Carolina
Sophomore
White was a 14th-round pick out of high school and lived up to the hype last year, both for the Tar Heels and the A’s. After finishing sixth in the ACC in strikeouts in the spring, he came to Chatham and was impressive despite a late arrival, finishing with a 2.10 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. He’s been great this spring, with a 9-3 record, a 2.66 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 81.1 innings.

Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200
Clemson
Sophomore
Zoltak has been used almost exclusively as a reliever in his two years at Clemson. He finished this season with a 6.30 ERA after posting a 5.66 ERA as a freshman.

Position Players
*Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210 – Baylor – Sophomore
Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185 – Maine – Sophomore
Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205 – San Jose State – Sophomore
Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180 – USC – Sophomore
Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180 – San Diego – Freshman
*Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160 – UNC Greensboro – Sophomore
*Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192 – NC State – Junior
* returning player

Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210
Baylor
Sophomore
Glime saw part-time action his freshman year at Baylor then played for Chatham last summer. He struggled with the A’s, finishing with a .150 average, and he hit only .209 this spring for Baylor.

Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185
Maine
Sophomore
Chatham has had a Maine connection in the past and they’ve used it again to bring in Mercurio. The lanky sophomore played his freshman year at Illinois before transferring to Maine. He played in 36 games for the Black Bears, finishing with a .222 batting average.

Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205
San Jose State
Sophomore
Bellows earned Freshman All-America nods from several publications after hitting .343 last season. He continued his strong year by hitting .343 in the NECBL, which helped him earn the No. 2 spot on BA’s list of the league’s top prospects. His numbers weren’t quite as good this spring – .276 with four home runs.

Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180
USC
Sophomore
Based on what he did last year for Y-D and what he did this spring for USC, Green will enter the summer as the top returning player, in my book. He hit .291 with four home runs for the Red Sox last summer. This season for the Trojans, he hit .390 with nine home runs. He was rated 18th on BA’s list of top Cape League prospects last year, and he’s got a good shot to move way up this year.

Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210
UCLA
Sophomore
Haerther was the top all-around hitter for the Bruins this spring, finishing the year with a .324 average and team-highs of 12 home runs and 52 RBI. Out of high school, Haerther was a 34th-round pick.

Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185
Long Beach State
Freshman
Lohman was a late addition to the Chatham roster, likely an insurance policy if Seager goes to Team USA, and a very good backup if he doesn’t. He should be a good player regardless of how big a role he plays. He was drafted in the 42nd round out of high school and played fairly well for Long Beach this spring.

Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180
San Diego
Freshman
Sanchez was another piece in San Diego’s big recruiting class and he made a pretty big impact. Holding down the starting job at third, Sanchez didn’t hit that well in the average department (.268) but he made up for it with 12 home runs, best on the team.

Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194
North Carolina
Sophomore
Seager was a valuable contributor for the Tar Heels as a freshman then had a strong showing for Chatham, hitting .274 after arriving late from the College World Series. He’s been a star for the Tar Heels this year, hitting .365 with eight home runs and 67 RBI. He has been invited to Team USA.

Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201
Oklahoma State
Sophomore
Brown has been very solid in his sophomore year for the Cowboys, hitting .294 with four home runs. This will be his first summer on the Cape, but he has a big connection to Chatham. His brother Corey, also from Oklahoma State, played for Chatham in 2006 and is now in the Oakland A’s organization.

Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220
Baylor
Sophomore
Miller was a big-time player out of high school. His senior year, he was rated No. 23 nationally by Baseball America. Once he arrived at Baylor, he started from day one, before a broken arm ended his season and kept him out all of last summer. He was very good this year though, finishing with a .295 average and 12 home runs.

Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160
UNC Greensboro
Sophomore
Overholtzer is another player coming from a smaller school who could have a big impact. He hit .350 this spring with five home runs.

Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192
NC State
Junior
Synan came to Chatham for the second half of the season last summer and gave the A’s a pretty big boost. He ended up hitting .388 in 18 games. For NC State this spring, he’s hit .306. Synan is another junior who may be trying to raise his stock.