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2011 Early Look: Falmouth Commodores

falmouthlogo.gifFalmouth Commodores
Manager: Jeff Trundy
2010 Record: 21-22-1

I don’t often start these previews with a focus on one particular area. So much can change that it’s usually fruitless to make predictions about pitching or hitting success. But I’m feeling dangerous today, and Falmouth’s pitching staff makes the risk look a lot smaller.

It wasn’t too long ago that Falmouth had the most dominant pitching staff in the league, with future first-round picks Aaron Crow, Kyle Gibson and Christian Friedrich leading the way. I don’t know if this staff can come close to that one, but among all the teams I’ve looked at so far for 2011, the Commodores have the best-looking staff.

It even starts with another lefty named Christian — Christian Jones from Oregon, who was a Cape League All-Star last year and is one of my very early favorites for Cape League Pitcher of the Year in 2011. Fellow sophomores Ty Blach, Tyler Duffey, Sean Hagan and Andrew Heaney had solid springs, while a freshmen Kent Emanuel, Marco Gonzales and John Simms look like future stars.

That’s a pretty good starting point for Falmouth. Plenty of Cape League teams are looking for college relievers to become solid Cape League starters. At the very least, Falmouth has a leg up on that.

The offense looks pretty good, as well, with Jeremy Baltz, Barrett Barnes and Ross Heffley leading the way. Heffley, in particular, will be an interesting player to watch. He’s a junior and he’s a bit undersized, but he also hit .419 and was a first-team All-American this season.

How will the summer develop? It’s hard to say, as always. Who would have thought Falmouth would finish a game under .500 last year and still finish in second place in the West? You can insert whatever cliche you want here. They all apply. At this point, though, I think you can count on Falmouth doing some pitching.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 3
Seniors: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 10

Notable

  • I mentioned Christian Jones as a potential pitcher of the year, and he’s got a couple of things going for him. One, he’s very good. Two, he’s been to the Cape before. And three, his Oregon team didn’t make the NCAA tournament, meaning Jones should be ready to go from day one.

  • Andrew Aizenstadt is the rare senior on a Cape League roster. He’s had a nice career at Babson, and I’m guessing he’ll be trying to catch someone’s eye this summer.

  • In addition to its production, one of the big things that stands out about the Falmouth pitching staff is the number of left-handers. The Commodores have six of them, and they’ve all been very good this spring.

  • North Carolina has had some great pitchers over the years, and Kent Emanuel seems to fit the mold. A big freshman lefty, he’s been very impressive this spring for a very good team.

  • It’ll be interesting to see what Falmouth does with Georgia Tech freshman DeAndre Smelter. He’s a two-way talent whose future may be dictated by his 95-mph fastball. But I imagine he’d be pretty valuable at the plate and on the field too.

  • Gonzaga’s Marco Gonzalez is another two-way star, and he’s had more success thus far than Smelter. Gonzales was the Co-Freshman and Co-Player of the Year in the West Coast Conference, sharing both honors with San Diego’s Kris Bryant.

  • You’ll definitely want to keep an eye on Rice freshman pitcher John Simms. He’s been used in a swing role by the Owls but could be poised to be a top Cape League starter this summer.

  • Jeremy Baltz and Barrett Barnes were two of the top freshmen in the nation last year. Neither quite duplicated the numbers this year, but I would still expect big things.

  • I mentioned Heffley above. Coming off a huge junior season, he’s definitely a player to watch. Two years ago, a junior with Cape League experience — Kyle Roller — was the league MVP. The way Heffley hit this season, I wouldn’t put a similar leap past him.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Christian Jones
    2. Ross Heffley
    3. Kent Emanuel
    4. Marco Gonzales
    5. John Simms

    Pitchers

    Andrew Aizenstadt – RHP – 6’5 185 – Babson – Senior
    Ty Blach – LHP – 6’1 200 – Creighton – Sophomore
    Tyler Duffey – RHP – 6’3 210 – Rice – Sophomore
    Adam Duke – RHP – 6’1 185 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Josh Easley – RHP – 6’3 172 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Kent Emanuel – LHP – 6’4 205 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Marco Gonzales – LHP/OF/1B – Gonzaga – Freshman
    Sean Hagan – LHP – 6’6 225 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 174 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
    *Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 205 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Taylor Sandefur – RHP – 6’2 245 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
    John Simms – RHP – 6’3 210 – Rice – Freshman
    DeAndre Smelter – RHP/OF – 6’3 225 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Andrew Smith – RHP – 6’2 185 – North Carolina – Freshman
    Nathan Thornhill – RHP – 6’1 178 – Texas – Freshman

    Andrew Aizenstadt – RHP – 6’5 185
    Babson
    Senior

    Aizenstadt comes to Falmouth from Division III Babson, where he’s been very good. This season, Aizenstadt went 4-2 with a 2.56 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 56.1 innings.

    Ty Blach – LHP – 6’1 200
    Creighton
    Sophomore

    Blach led Creighton in ERA as a freshman, and he’s taken things to an even higher level as a sophomore. Blach is 10-2 with a 2.72 ERA. In 96 innings, he has struck out 93 and walked only 28.

    Tyler Duffey – RHP – 6’3 210
    Rice
    Sophomore

    Duffey has been a workhorse in his first two years with the Owls, and he’s had a lot of success along the way. After pitching in 26 games as a freshman, Duffey has made 29 appearances this year. He’s got an 8-1 record, a 2.50 ERA and an eye-popping 72 strikeouts in only 57.1 innings pitched.

    Adam Duke – RHP – 6’1 185
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    The top player in Utah, Duke was a 16th-round pick in last year’s draft. He’s missed much of his freshman season in Corvallis with injury and has made just four appearances.

    Josh Easley – RHP – 6’3 172
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Easley went 10-2 as a freshman at Weatherford College before transferring to NC State. He’s posted an ERA over six in his first season with the Wolfpack, but he has also struck out 53 in 44.1 innings.

    Kent Emanuel – LHP – 6’4 205
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Emanuel was a 19th-round pick out of high school and has looked like a future star in his first season with the Tar Heels. As a regular in the weekend rotation, he’s gone 7-1 with a 2.62 ERA. In 89.1 innings, he has struck out 79. All in all, those are some of the best numbers by any freshman pitchers in the country. A few days ago, he shut out Maine in an NCAA Regional game.

    Marco Gonzales – LHP/OF/1B – 6’1 185
    Gonzaga
    Freshman

    Gonzales was a 29th-round pick out of high school and has become an immediate star at Gonzaga. After shining both at the plate and on the mound in his freshman year, Gonzales was named WCC Co-Freshman of the Year and Co-Player of the Year. He was at his best on the mound, where he went 11-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 90 strikeouts. At the dish, he hit .291 with 14 RBI.

    Sean Hagan – LHP – 6’6 225
    St. John’s
    Sophomore

    Hagan has been a starter and a reliever for the Red Storm this spring, and he’s been pretty good in both roles. Hagan is 7-2 with a 4.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 66 innings of work. Hagan had similar numbers as a freshman, with 53 strikeouts and a 4.85 ERA.

    Andrew Heaney – LHP – 6’2 174
    Oklahoma State
    Sophomore

    Heaney was a 24th-round pick out of high school then led Oklahoma State in wins as a freshman last year. This season, he went 7-4 with a 4.03 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. Heaney was on Falmouth’s roster last year but didn’t make it to the Cape.

    Christian Jones – LHP – 6’2 205
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    After a solid freshman campaign for the Ducks, Jones came to Falmouth last summer and had a very good season, posting a 2.36 ERA and earning a spot in the All-Star Game. He’ll be back this summer as one of the top returning pitchers in the league. This spring, Jones went 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA. In 77.2 innings, he struck out 73.

    Taylor Sandefur – RHP – 6’2 245
    Western Carolina
    Sophomore

    Sandefur has had some struggles at Western Carolina — he finished with an ERA above eight this year — but he is firmly on scouts’ radar thanks to his performance last summer. Pitching in the Valley League, Sandefur went 7-0 with a 2.26 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 60 innings, numbers that earned him the league’s Pitcher of the Year award. He was also named the Valley’s second-best prospect by Baseball America.

    John Simms – RHP – 6’3 210
    Rice
    Freshman

    Simms was one of the top high-school prospects in Texas a year ago but was considered a tough sign and went in the 39th round. He came in to Rice with plenty of hype and he has made good on it. Pitching as both a starter and reliever, Simms has gone 3-2 with a 3.32 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 62.1 innings of work.

    DeAndre Smelter – RHP/OF – 6’3 225
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Smelter was a standout in multiple sports in high school, and he was considered one of the most athletic draft prospects in the nation a year ago. He ended up going in the 14th round but stuck with his commitment to Georgia Tech. A two-way player, Smelter has hit only .222 this season but he’s been outstanding as a reliever. In 15 innings pitched, he hasn’t allowed an earned run.

    Andrew Smith – RHP – 6’2 185
    North Carolina
    Freshman

    Smith hasn’t been in the rotation like his freshman teammate Emanuel but he’s made a big impact out of the bullpen. In 22 appearances, he’s posted a 2.92 ERA and has struck out better than a batter an inning. Smith was a 40th-rounder out of high school.

    Nathan Thornhill – RHP – 6’1 178
    Texas
    Freshman

    Thornhill has made a big impact as a freshman reliever for the Longhorns this year. In 19 appearances, he’s posted a 1.69 ERA. HE has struck out 30 and walked only 5 in 32 innings of work. Opponents have hit .197 against him.

    Position Players

    Jeremy Baltz – OF – 6’3 205 – St. John’s – Sophomore
    *Barrett Barnes – OF – 6’1 195 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
    Chase Butler – 3B – 5’10 202 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    Eric Garcia – SS/RHP – 5’11 175 – Missouri – Sophomore
    Ross Heffley – INF – 5’8 175 – Western Carolina – Junior
    Spencer Kieboom – C – 6’0 210 – Clemson – Sophomore
    Jack Marder – UTIL – 6’0 185 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Jake Rodriguez – C/INF – 5’8 190 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Shane Rowland – C – 5’10 180 – Miami – Freshman
    *Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 175 – Texas Christian – Sophomore
    Max White – OF/INF – 6’1 203 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
    Jantzen Witte – 3B/SS – 6’1 195 – Texas Christian – RS Sophomore

    Jeremy Baltz – OF – 6’3 205
    St. John’s
    Freshman

    Baltz was perhaps the top freshman in the nation a year ago when he hit .396 with 24 home runs. Like a lot of college hitters, he slowed down a bit this year, but has still turned in a productive campaign. He’s hitting .311 with six homers and a team-best 58 RBI. He also has a .443 on-base percentage.

    Barrett Barnes – OF – 6’1 195
    Texas Tech
    Sophomore

    Barnes was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season when he hit .341 with 14 homers. He then played for Falmouth and finished with a .223 batting average. This spring, Barnes saw his average fall to .290 but he still hit 10 home runs and 15 doubles.

    Chase Butler – 3B – 5’10 202
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    Butler was a three-sport star in high school. He hasn’t had the chance to play a lot in his freshman season with the Yellow Jackets, and has hit .207 in 30 games.

    Eric Garcia – SS/RHP – 5’11 175
    Missouri
    Sophomore

    Garcia had a solid freshman campaign for the Tigers last season, and it was more of the same this year. Garcia hit .264 with two homers and 25 RBI.

    Ross Heffley – INF – 5’8 175
    Western Carolina
    Junior

    Heffley might be a familiar name to Cape League fans — he played in 34 games for Orleans in 2009. This year, he’ll be returning to the Cape as one of the top hitters in the country. Heffley was recently named a first-team All-American after hitting .419 with 11 home runs, 18 doubles and 65 RBI for the Catamounts. He ranked seventh in the nation in batting average.

    Spencer Kieboom – C – 6’0 210
    Clemson
    Sophomore

    Kieboom hit .263 in limited duty last year but has pushed himself into a regular role this season. Kieboom is hitting .287 with 28 RBI.

    Jack Marder – UTIL – 6’0 185
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    A 30th-round pick out of high school, Marder hit .249 as a freshman last year. This season, he struggled a bit more, finishing with a .209 average, though he remained a mainstay in the lineup.

    Jake Rodriguez – C/INF – 5’8 190
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    Rodriguez was an 11th-round pick out of high school. He was injured for part of his freshman season, but has come back to hit .270 with a home run.

    Shane Rowland – C – 5’10 180
    Miami
    Freshman

    Rowland was a top catching prospect coming out of high school and got picked in the 36th round. He’s been a regular for the Hurricanes this year but has struggled with the bat, hitting .179 in 47 games.

    Kyle Von Tungeln – OF – 6’0 175
    Texas Christian
    Sophomore

    Von Tungeln hit .236 as a freshman then was a solid contributor for the Commodores last summer. This spring, he’s hit .274.

    Max White – OF/INF – 6’1 203
    Oklahoma
    Sophomore

    White was a Freshman All-American last year when he cranked 15 home runs and hit .293. He was pretty steady this year, too, finishing with a .292 average and three home runs while getting limited to only 36 starts.

    Jantzen Witte – 3B/SS – 6’1 195
    RS Sophomore
    Texas Christian

    After hitting .374 last year, Witte has continued to emerge this season as one of TCU’s top players. He’s hitting .325 with four homers, 44 RBI and a team-high 20 doubles.

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    2011 Early Look: Harwich Mariners

    TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpgHarwich Mariners
    Manager: Steve Englert
    2010 Record: 22-21-1

    On the heels of a championship season in 2008, the Harwich Mariners never quite put it all together last season, finishing just above .500 and barely squeaking into the playoffs. The stats pretty much told the story — the Mariners had some solid hitters who struggled, and the team hit just .224, ninth in the league. The pitching numbers were in the middle of the pack.

    With four returning players and a deep group of sophomores, the Mariners are once again strong on paper — they’ll just be looking for a little more production.

    It’ll be interesting to see if they get it. The Mariners don’t seem to have quite as many guys coming off seasons, primed to emerge as top prospects. But they have some big arms in Kevin Gausman and Lex Rutledge, plus a lot of pitchers and hitters who were solid this season. A big summer, and any number of those guys could emerge. Throw in some draft-eligible guys who might make it, and the Mariners have the makings of a team that can compete.

    They also have a very good freshman class. It’s only four-deep, but Gausman, JaCoby Jones, Brian Ragira and Austin Wilson are about as good a quartet as you could find.

    All in all, the Mariners look a lot like everybody else right now. And that’s not a bad spot to be in.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 4
    Juniors: 3
    Sophomores: 22
    Freshmen: 4

    Notable

  • As noted above, the Mariners have a couple of guys with destinations unknown. Carter Capps and Brian Goodwin are the most notable. Both could be pretty early picks, but we’ve seen in recent years that that doesn’t guarantee a player will miss out on the Cape.

  • Capps has been incredibly dominant this year for D-II Mt. Olive. If a team isn’t sure how he stacks up against tougher competition, maybe they could keep an eye on him on the Cape? Let’s hope, because I think he’d be a fun pitcher to have in the league.

  • On a similar note, I still included South Carolina’s Christian Walker on the list. He has been named to Team USA. This is the first year USA Baseball has just picked a team without trials, so I don’t know if that’s up in the air at all, or if he’s definitely going with USA. We shall see.

  • Lex Rutledge was one of the top freshman arms on the Cape last season, and I think he’ll be one of the top sophomores this year. It’ll be interesting to see how he’s used — he’s been both a starter and a reliever at Stamford.

  • Kevin Gausman will be a definite pitcher to watch. He’s one of the top freshmen in the nation, and since he’s eligible for the draft in 2012, this could be a big summer for him.

  • Andrew Rash hit 18 home runs this year for Virginia Tech and became just the second Tech player to earn first-team All-ACC honors. The other? Former Y-D star Austin Wates.

  • Stanford is sending some top-notch prospects to the Cape this year, and Harwich has two of them in Brian Ragira and Austin Wilson. Both are in the midst of very good freshman seasons.

  • I imagine Austin Nola is a player Harwich would love to have back. He’s a junior so he’s eligible for the draft, but I think it’s possible he still comes to Harwich. A veteran at shortstop is a nice building block for a Cape League team.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Kevin Gausman
    2. Carter Capps
    3. Brian Goodwin
    4. Lex Rutledge
    5. Austin Wilson

    Pitchers

    Eddie Butler – RHP – 6’2 165 – Radford – Sophomore
    Carter Capps – RHP – 6’4 220 – Mount Olive College – RS Sophomore
    Kevin Gausman – RHP – 6’4 170 – LSU – Freshman
    Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 175 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Blake Hauser – RHP – 6’2 175 – Virginia Commonwealth – Sophomore
    *Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’3 180 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Branden Kline – RHP – 6’3 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Joe Mantiply – RHP – 6’4 204 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Chris Overman – RHP – 6’2 228 – North Carolina State – Sophomore
    Tanner Perkins – LHP – 6’3 190 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
    Taylor Rogers – LHP – 6’3 170 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’2 205 – Samford – Sophomore
    Chris Stratton – RHP – 6’3 186 – Mississippi State – Sophomore

    Eddie Butler – RHP – 6’2 165
    Radford
    Sophomore

    Butler was a 35th-round draft pick out of high school and was tabbed as one of the top newcomers in the Big South after his freshman season. This year, Butler went 9-2 with a 4.15 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.

    Carter Capps – RHP – 6’4 220
    Mount Olive College
    RS Sophomore

    After flashing a 96-mph fastball and earning top prospect honors in the Coastal Plain League last summer, Capps has delivered an absolutely dominant season for D-II Mt. Olive this year. Capps is 14-0 with a 1.37 ERA. In 111.1 innings, he has struck out 124 and walked just 16. Those numbers prompted the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association to pick Capps as its National Pitcher of the Year. The only bad news for Harwich is that Capps is eligible for the draft this year and is ranked as the nation’s 151st best prospect by Baseball America.

    Kevin Gausman – RHP – 6’4 170
    LSU
    Freshman

    Gausman was a sixth-round pick last year and when he opted for LSU, he immediately was labeled as one of the top freshmen in the country. Overall, he hasn’t disappointed. Though he went 5-6 in 14 appearances, he posted a solid 3.51 ERA and tallied a team-high 86 strikeouts in 89.2 innings pitched. Gausman really heated up late in the year and earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors twice in the month of May.

    Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 175
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Gordon made a big impression out of the bullpen as a freshman when he finished seventh in the nation with a K/9 ratio of 11.89. This year, Gordon moved into the rotation and saw his numbers go in the wrong direction. He struck out 50 in 69.2 innings and walked 41. Despite that, he still managed to post a 4.26 ERA.

    Blake Hauser – RHP – 6’2 175
    Virginia Commonwealth
    Sophomore

    A 25th-round pick out of high school, Hauser had a solid 2010 with the Rams then went to the Cal Ripken Collegiate League, where he was named the second-best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Hauser went 3-4 with a 4.65 ERA and struck out 47 in 50.1 innings.

    Pierce Johnson – RHP – 6’3 180
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Johnson was a 15th-round pick out of high school in 2009 and after a rough debut for Missouri State, he came to Harwich and was quietly very impressive. Johnson went 3-1 with a 2.11 ERA and struck out 41 in 42.2 innings. This spring, Johnson had a little better luck for the Bears, finishing 6-7 with a 4.76 ERA. He struck out almost a batter an inning.

    Branden Kline – RHP – 6’3 190
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    After an impressive season as a swing guy a year ago, Kline has emerged as one of the top closers in the nation for one of the best teams in the nation. In 27 appearances, Kline has been lights out. He has a 1.85 ERA, 46 strikeouts in 34 innings and 17 saves. That saves mark is tied for third in the country. Out of high school, Kline was a sixth-round pick of the Red Sox.

    Joe Mantiply – RHP – 6’4 204
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Mantiply didn’t put up great numbers as a freshman but returned as one of the Hokies’ more experienced pitchers for 2011. He ended up starting a team-high 14 games, and he went 5-8 with a 4.36 ERA. He struck out 66 in 84.2 innings.

    Chris Overman – RHP – 6’2 228
    North Carolina State
    Sophomore

    Overman saw limited action as a freshman in 2009, but it’s been a very different story this year. Overman has been busy and he leads the team with 27 appearances. He’s also made the most of them — the righty has a 2.54 ERA, six saves and 40 strikeouts in 46 innings.

    Tanner Perkins – LHP – 6’3 190
    Western Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Perkins went right into the Hilltopper rotation as a freshman last year and took his lumps, but the experience must have paid off. This year, he earned second-team all-conference honors thanks to an impressive campaign. Perkins went 7-4 with a 2.36 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched.

    Taylor Rogers – LHP – 6’3 170
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    A lefty with a lot of potential, Rogers hasn’t quite lived up to it thus far in Lexington. As a freshman, he was in the weekend rotation all year and had a solid start before finishing with an ERA above six. This year, Rogers went 3-7 with a 5.14 ERA and 49 strikeouts.

    Lex Rutledge – LHP – 6’2 205
    Samford
    Sophomore

    Rutledge was a 26th-round pick out of high school but has been climbing the charts in his draft class ever since he posted a 1.71 ERA and posted big velocity as a freshman in 2009. He then came to Harwich and left as the Cape League’s 10th-best prospect, according to Baseball America. This season, Rutledge got an opportunity to start and continued to shine, posting a 3.71 ERA in 79 strikeouts in 63 innings.

    Chris Stratton – RHP – 6’3 186
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Stratton has been a mainstay in the Mississippi State rotation since day one. Last year, he struck out almost a batter an inning and earned SEC All-Freshman honors. This year, his ERA is above five, but he has again posted big strikeout numbers. He has 74 in 74.1 innings.

    Position Players

    Stephen Bruno – INF – 5’7 165 – Virginia – Sophomore
    Billy Burns – OF – 5’9 170 – Mercer – Junior
    Mike Garza – INF – 6’1 200 – Georgetown – RS Sophomore
    *Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 195 – Miami-Dade CC – Sophomore
    Jabari Henry – OF – 6’1 195 – Florida International – Sophomore
    JaCoby Jones – INF – 6’3 200 – LSU – Freshman
    *Austin Nola – INF – 5’11 185 – LSU – Junior
    Brian Ragira – 6’2 205 – Stanford – Freshman
    Andrew Rash – OF – 5’11 193 – Virginia Tech – RS Sophomore
    Darnell Sweeney – INF – 6’1 170 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Alex Swim – C – 5’11 180 – Elon – Sophomore
    Luke Viot – C – 6’3 220 – Missouri State – Sophomore
    Christian Walker – INF – 6’0 220 – South Carolina – Sophomore
    Keith Werman – INF – 5’7 150 – Virginia – Junior
    Austin Wilson – 6’4 235 – Stanford – Freshman
    *John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197 – East Carolina – Sophomore

    Stephen Bruno – INF – 5’7 165
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Bruno didn’t see a ton of action as a freshman in Charlottesville but made the most of his time and hit .388. This year, Bruno has played in only seven games, and he holds a .240 average. Bruno was a 26th-round pick in the 2009 draft.

    Billy Burns – OF – 5’9 170
    Mercer
    Junior

    Burns was a 16th-round pick out of high school but opted to attend Mercer, where he’s had a great college career. After hitting .294 as a freshman, he batted .381 last season. This year, he finished at .357 with six homers, 33 RBI, a .473 on-base percentage and 29 stolen bases.

    Mike Garza – INF – 6’1 200
    Georgetown
    RS Sophomore

    Garza transferred from Stanford and sat out last season. This year, he hit .306 with four homers, 39 RBI and 14 steals.

    Brian Goodwin – OF – 6’0 195
    Miami-Dade CC
    Sophomore

    Goodwin was one of the most watched players on the Cape last summer, when he hit .281 with 15 stolen bases for the Mariners. Originally labeled as one of the top prospects for the 2012 draft, Goodwin became eligible for the 2011 draft when he left North Carolina. He hit .382 with eight home runs for Miami Dade this spring and is ranked by Baseball America as the nation’s 44th-best prospect for the 2011 draft.

    Jabari Henry – OF – 6’1 195
    Florida International
    Sophomore

    Henry was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year a season ago after he hit .311 with 12 homers and 51 RBI. Henry’s batting average dipped to .241 this year but he still hit nine home runs with 33 RBI. Henry was a 39th-round pick out of high school in 2009.

    JaCoby Jones – INF – 6’3 200
    LSU
    Freshman

    The Mississippi player of the year out of high school and a 19th-round pick, Jones arrived on campus in Baton Rouge and didn’t disappoint. While starting every game, he hit .338 with four home runs and 32 RBI. He also added 12 stolen bases.

    Austin Nola – INF – 5’11 185
    LSU
    Junior

    Nola has been a mainstay in the LSU lineup since 2009, when he helped the Tigers win the College World Series. After hitting .221 for Harwich last summer, the slick-fielding shortstop hit .296 this year with two home runs and 42 RBI.

    Brian Ragira – 6’2 205
    Stanford
    Freshman

    A 30th-round draft pick in 2010, Ragira has had a big first season in Palo Alto and was recently named Pac 10 Freshman of the Year. Ragira is hitting .321 with four homers and a team-high 41 RBI.

    Andrew Rash – OF – 5’11 193
    Virginia Tech
    RS Sophomore

    After a redshirt year, Rash emerged as a solid performer last season when he hit .344 with six home runs. This season, he took things to another level, earning first-team all-conference honors after hitting .335 with 18 home runs, 17 doubles and 53 RBI. He was tied for eighth nationally in home runs.

    Darnell Sweeney – INF – 6’1 170
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    A late-round pick out of high school in 2009, Sweeney made the Conference USA All-Freshman team after hitting .358 this season. He’s been solid this year, with a .279 average and 43 RBI. He has also stolen 12 bases.

    Alex Swim – C – 5’11 180
    Elon
    Sophomore

    Swim hit .310 last year and earned Southern Conference All-Freshman honors. This year, he batted .280, and though he didn’t hit a home run, he smacked 15 extra-base hits and had 33 RBI.

    Luke Viot – C – 6’3 220
    Missouri State
    Sophomore

    Viot was drafted in the 32nd round out of high school in 2009 then had a solid first season for the Bears. This year, he hit .286 with six home runs and 35 RBI.

    Christian Walker – INF – 6’0 220
    South Carolina
    Sophomore

    Walker was a Freshman All-American last year when he helped lead the Gamecocks to the national championship. He’s trying to do the same thing this year and pulling even more weight. Walker is hitting .357 with nine home runs, 57 RBI and a .561 slugging percentage. He leads the team in average, doubles, home runs, RBI and slugging, and he was a second-team All-SEC pick.

    Keith Werman – INF – 5’7 150
    Virginia
    Junior

    As a sophomore, Werman earned All-ACC honors and led the Cavaliers with a .414 batting average, one of the highest marks in school history. This year, Werman has still been a fixture in the lineup for the Cavs, but his numbers have come back to earth. He’s hitting .214

    Austin Wilson – 6’4 235
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Another talented Stanford freshman, Wilson — a 12th-round pick last year — came in with a little more hype than his teammate Ragira. He didn’t quite match Ragira’s numbers but wasn’t far off. Wilson hit .313 with four homers and 21 RBI.

    John Wooten – INF – 6’4 197
    East Carolina
    Sophomore

    Wooten hit .311 last spring then played in Harwich, where he hit .211. This year, Wooten is at .284 with 27 RBI. He’s second on the team with 15 doubles.