Early Look: Cotuit

Cotuit Kettleers
Manager: Mike Roberts
2009 Record: 20-18-6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pitchers

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

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

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

Mike Frongello – RHP – 6’2 190
Davidson
Junior

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

Sonny Gray – RHP – 5’11 180
Vanderbilt
Sophomore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Austin Dicharry – RHP – 6’4 195
Texas
Sophomore

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

Position Players

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

James McCann – C – 6’3 215
Arkansas
Sophomore

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

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

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

Caleb Bushyhead – INF – 5’10 170
Oklahoma
Sophomore

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

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

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

Joey Hainsfurther – INF – 5’11 185
Baylor
Sophomore

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

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

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

Levi Hyams – INF – 6’2 201
Georgia
Sophomore

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

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

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

Brad Miller – INF – 6’0 200
Clemson
Sophomore

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

Johnathan Taylor – OF – 5’8 180
Georgia
Sophomore

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

Chad Wright – OF – 5’10 180
Kentucky
Sophomore

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

Michael Yastrzemski – OF – 5’10 168
Vanderbilt
Freshman

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

Zach Cone – OF – 6’2 205
Georgia
Sophomore

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