Talent Coming to Harwich Again

In recent years, the Harwich Mariners have won the preseason roster battle almost every year. Of course, that means little in any season, especially in a Cape Cod Baseball League season, and the results bear that out. The Mariners won the league championship in 2008 and finished in last place the next year. They won again in 2011, but have been up and down since.

But the fact remains. The Mariners are very good at bringing in talent. And when it comes together well, look out.

This year should be no different. Harwich brings back the league’s top returning prospect in Ian Happ, and has other sophomore stars joining him. The pitching staff features some young guys with upside and quite a few veterans who have had big college success.

It adds up to a club that’s in preseason contention again. We’ll see how it pans out.

THE SKINNY

Manager: Steve Englert
Last Year: 23-19-2; Lost in East Semis
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 10
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen: 4

NOTABLE

Michael Boyle comes to Harwich from Radford, the same path taken by Colorado Rockies prospect Eddie Butler, who vaulted from the Cape to the Majors in just three years. Boyle had a strong sophomore season.

Jake Drossner returns to Harwich after emerging as a solid weekend starter for Maryland this spring. He had a better ERA than teammate Jake Stinnett, a second-round pick of the Cubs.

Oklahoma pitcher Jacob Evans had a high ERA this spring but had a terrific strikeout-to-walk ratio of 54 to 7.

Harwich has quite a few guys who have been very consistent starters for mid-major programs, like Boyle, Jon Harris at Missouri State and Jason Inghram at William & Mary.

Jason Vosler was just drafted by the Cubs in the 16th round, so we’ll see if he makes it to Harwich.

The Citadel’s Skyler Hunter has 28 career saves, so I’d bet on him taking the closer’s job.

LSU freshman Jared Poche’ jumped right into the weekend rotation in Baton Rouge, which you don’t see all that often. That alone makes him a pitcher to watch.

Skye Bolt looked destined for stardom last spring and spent the summer with Team USA. Bolt had kind of a down year by comparison in 2014, but the bright side for Harwich is that Team USA probably won’t come calling again.

No returning hitter has a better Cape League track record than Ian Happ, who was one of the top prospects in the league last year.

Harwich has two sons of former Major Leaguers, and their dads were teammates. Tyler Servais is the son of Scott Servais and Cavan Biggio’s dad is Craig Biggio. Both played with the Astros.

Joe McCarthy has put up terrific all-around numbers for Virginia this spring. You could make the case that he’s been one of the two or three best players for the Omaha-bound Cavaliers.

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Ian Happ
2. Skye Bolt
3. C.J. Hinojosa
4. Jake Drossner
5. Jared Poche’

PITCHERS

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185 – Radford – Sophomore
Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180 – Alabama – Sophomore
*Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195 – Maryland – Sophomore
Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180 – Clemson – Freshman
Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220 – Pennsylvania – Junior
Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160 – Missouri State – Sophomore
Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185 – The Citadel – Sophomore
Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195 – William & Mary – Junior
Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210 – Florida International – Junior
Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
* – returning player

Michael Boyle – LHP – 6’2 185
Radford
Sophomore

Boyle had a solid freshman season in Radford’s weekend rotation last year and flashed ace potential in a return engagement this season. Boyle finished with a 4.09 ERA but led the team in strikeouts with 69 in 81.1 innings. He twirled a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts against Winthrop in his career-best outing. Boyle dominated the Cal Ripken League last year with a 0.77 ERA and he was named the circuit’s top prospect by Perfect Game.

Ray Castillo – RHP – 6’0 180
Alabama
Sophomore

Castillo set an Alabama freshman record with 12 saves on his way to Freshman All-American honors last year. The Crimson Tide went with a different closer this year, as Castillo finished with a 5.09 ERA and no saves.

Jake Drossner – LHP – 6’3 195
Maryland
Sophomore

Drossner had an ERA over six in his freshman campaign but had a good showing in Harwich, where he posted an ERA under one in 10 appearances. That was a sign of things to come, as Drossner emerged as a solid weekend starter this year. Drossner sported a team-best 2.45 ERA to go with 59 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.

Zack Erwin – LHP – 6’4 180
Clemson
Freshman

Erwin has shuffled in and out of the starting rotation for the Tigers the last two years, but has delivered decent results in both roles. He had a 3.45 ERA as a freshman. This year it was at 4.21. He picked up two saves this year while ranking third on the team in strikeouts with 62.

Jacob Evans – LHP – 6’2 205
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Evans saved nine games as a freshman in Norman but met some struggles in a swing role this year. He finished with an ERA over five, while starting nine games and making 12 relief appearances. On the bright side, he struck out 54 in 58.2 innings and walked just seven all season.

Ronnie Glenn – LHP – 6’3 220
Pennsylvania
Junior

Glenn tied a school record with eight saves last year but left the late-inning duty behind as he converted to starting full-time this season. It was a smooth transition as Glenn put up a 3.46 ERA and earned an Honorable Mention All-Ivy nod.

Jon Harris – RHP – 6’4 160
Missouri State
Sophomore

Injuries thrust Harris into the weekend rotation as a freshman last year and he responded by becoming the first pitcher in school history to win his first eight starts. The streak eventually ended, but Harris continues to pitch well. He had a 3.16 ERA this year with 66 strikeouts in 79.2 innings.

Skylar Hunter – RHP – 6’1 185
The Citadel
Sophomore

Hunter burst onto the scene last year, saving 13 games with an 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings mark. He reprised his closer’s role again this year and was even more dominant, saving 15 games while posting a 1.67 ERA. He struck out 44 in 43 innings and allowed opponents to hit just .143 against him.

Jason Inghram – LHP – 6’3 195
William & Mary
Junior

After two good seasons for the Tribe, Inghram blossomed into a bona fide ace this season. He went 10-2 with a 2.71 ERA and struck out 91 in 109.2 innings. He earned second-team All-CAA honors. He led the conference in innings pitched.

Robby Kalaf – RHP – 6’0 210
Florida International
Junior

Kalaf dominated in the JUCO ranks for the State College of Florida and made a pretty good transition to D-I baseball this season. Kalaf had an ERA of 3.74 while making 10 starts and four relief appearances.

Seth McGarry – RHP – 6’0 180
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

McGarry has made only 13 appearances in two seasons but has done well in the limited action. He had a 1.52 ERA in 11.2 innings this year.

James Mulry – LHP – 6’3 215
Northeastern
Sophomore

Mulry earned Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie honors last year and followed it up with a pretty good sophomore season. He lowered his ERA to 4.06 and struck out 30 in 37.2 innings.

Gavin Pittore – RHP – 6’3 230
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A late addition to the roster, Pittore is coming off a big season for Wesleyan. He went 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.

Jared Poche’ – LHP – 6’1 195
LSU
Freshman

Poche’ took a rare leap when he joined the Tigers weekend rotation in his first season in Baton Rouge, but it was a smooth ride. Poche went 9-3 with a 2.45 ERA, striking out 52 in 91.2 innings. He took home several Freshman All-America honors.

Robert Youngdahl – LHP – 6’2 190
Notre Dame
Sophomore

A 37th-round pick in 2011, Youngdahl bounced from Kansas State to Iowa Western Junior College to Notre Dame and seems to have found a home in South Bend. He delivered a 1.93 ERA out of the bullpen this spring despite walking more batters than he struck out. He also was a regular in the Irish lineup, hitting .225 and leading the team in extra-base hits with 15.

POSITION PLAYERS

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170 – Jacksonville – Junior
Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180 – Kentucky – Sophomore
Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185 – Wesleyan – Sophomore
Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
*Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192 – Cincinnati – Sophomore
Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200 – Oklahoma – Sophomore
*C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180 – Texas – Sophomore
Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215 – Virginia – Sophomore
Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165 – Virginia Tech – Junior
Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155 – Florida Atlantic – Sophomore
Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215 – Princeton – Junior
Jordan Tarsovich – OF – 5’10 175 – VMI – Junior
Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185 – Virginia – Junior
Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190 – Northeastern – Junior
Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210 – VMI – Junior
Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185 – LSU – Freshman
* – returning player

Craig Aikin – OF – 5’10 170
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Aikin has started all but one game in his two seasons at Oklahoma and has been a steady contributor. After hitting .286 as a freshman, he bumped to .326 this year, good for second on the team. He led the team in OBP at .411 and stole five bases.

Angelo Amendolare – INF – 5’10 170
Jacksonville
Junior

A junior-college transfer, Amendolare hit .278 and stole 16 bases in his first season with the Dolphins.

Kyle Barrett – OF – 5’11 – 180
Kentucky
Sophomore

After leading the Wildcats in hitting as a freshman, Barrett was named the third-best prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate League last summer. His averaged dipped to .253 this spring.

Cavan Biggio – INF – 6’2 180
Notre Dame
Freshman

The son of former Big Leaguer Craig Biggio, Cavan came to Notre Dame with high expectations after getting selected in the 29th round out of high school by the Phillies. Joining big brother Conor on campus, Cavan hit .246 in his debut season but showed some pop with 14 extra-base hits.

Skye Bolt – OF – 6’3 185
North Carolina
Sophomore

Bolt was one of the top freshmen in the country last year and spent the summer with Team USA. He didn’t have quite as much success this spring, hitting .257 with four home runs.

Guy Davidson – INF – 6’1 185
Wesleyan
Sophomore

A Harwich native, Davidson was a late addition to the roster and will get a shot to make an impression with his hometown club. This spring, he hit .273 with 21 extra-base hits for Wesleyan.

Matt Gonzalez – INF – 6’0 192
Georgia Tech
Sophomore

An 11th-round pick out of high school, Gonzalez had a good freshman season in Atlanta then played 26 games for Bourne in the Cape League last summer. Now ticketed for Harwich, Gonzalez is coming off a sophomore season in which he hit .314 with 23 extra-base hits.

Ian Happ – INF – 5’11 192
Cincinnati
Sophomore

Happ delivered one of the most eye-opening performances of the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League season and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game and its top freshman. For an encore, Happ was a model of consistency, finishing the spring with the same .322 average he finished with in 2013. He had five homers, a .443 OBP and 19 stolen bases.

Anthony Hermelyn – C – 6’1 200
Oklahoma
Sophomore

Like his teammate Aikin, Hermelyn has been an everyday player from the word go and has been solid throughout his career. He hit .289 this season with two homers.

C.J. Hinojosa – INF – 5’10 180
Texas
Sophomore

A 26th-round pick out of high school, Hinojosa was off to a strong start with Harwich last summer when he got the call to Team USA. This spring, he has helped lead the Longhorns to the College World Series this year, hitting .300 with a homer and 33 RBI.

Joe McCarthy – OF – 6’3 215
Virginia
Sophomore

McCarthy had a Freshman All-American season for the Cavs in 2013 and has been one of the best hitters for an Omaha-bound squad this season. He’s hitting .303 with six homers, a team-high 22 extra-base hits and 46 RBI. He was named the 37th-best prospect in the Northwoods League by Perfect Game last summer.

Alex Perez – INF – 5’10 165
Virginia Tech
Junior

Perez has started 170 consecutive games since arriving in Blacksburg three years ago. He hit .249 this year and made only four errors in the field.

Brendon Sanger – OF – 6’0 155
Florida Atlantic
Sophomore

Sanger led the Owls in hitting as a freshman and did the same this year, finishing at .332 to go with a .451 OBP and 15 extra-base hits.

Tyler Servais – C – 6’2 215
Princeton
Junior

The son of former Major League catcher Scott Servais, Tyler was a 36th-round pick out of high school. He hasn’t broken out with the bat in his time at Princeton, hitting .216 this year. Knowing his father, I’d venture a guess that he’s a strong defensive catcher.

Kenny Towns – INF – 6’0 185
Virginia
Junior

Towns has been a consistent contributor for Virginia in each of his three seasons in Charlottesville. He’s hitting .261 this year with two home runs.

Jason Vosler – INF – 6’1 190
Northeastern
Junior

Vosler has been a mainstay for the Huskies for three years and is coming off a junior season in which he hit .322 with a .419 OBP. As a junior, he was eligible for the draft this year and went in the 16th round to the Cubs, so he’ll have a decision to make.

Matt Winn – C – 6’0 210
VMI
Junior

Winn hit .333 as a sophomore and was on the Johnny Bench Award watch list. He struggled this year to a .204 average.

Danny Zardon – INF – 6’1 185
LSU
Freshman

Like his teammate Poche’, Zardon was a highly-touted recruit for LSU. He didn’t get as much of a chance to prove himself this year but did hit .268 in 28 games.

June 9, 2014June 10, 2014

Harbor Hawks Have the Pieces

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

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

The Harbor Hawks have the pieces for another good year.

THE SKINNY

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

NOTABLE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FIVE TO WATCH

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

PITCHERS

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

Marcus Brakeman – RHP – 6’1 185
Stanford
Sophomore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dylan Dwyer – LHP – 6’1 170
Kentucky
Sophomore

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

Peter Fairbanks – RHP – 6’6 205
Missouri
Sophomore

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

Ian Gibaut – RHP – 6’3 215
Tulane
Sophomore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cameron Tekker – RHP – 6’3 185
Virginia
Sophomore

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

Brandon Waddell – LHP – 6’3 180
Virginia
Sophomore

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

POSITION PLAYERS

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

Jarret DeHart – OF – 6’2 205
LSU
Freshman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kyle Survance – OF – 6’1 180
Houston
Sophomore

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

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

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

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

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