Orleans Firebirds
Manager: Kelly Nicholson
2010 Record: 23-19-2
It took me a lot longer to do this Orleans early look than all the others, mostly because the Firebirds have 35 players listed on their roster. Now, it’s taking me longer still, because I don’t how how to sum it all up. It could go a lot of different ways.
I can only imagine how the Firebirds feel.
They aren’t in a vastly different boat than all the other teams in the league, but there does seem to be more uncertainty here than with a lot of rosters. For one thing, the Firebirds have 13 juniors, which might be as many as all the other teams combined. They also have six players who were drafted this week.
Throw in a few players in super regionals and some Team USA questions, and it’s a wonder anyone knows who’s coming and going.
But that’s not to say that the Firebirds can’t put something together this season. Plenty of teams juggle then deliver big summers. This team has the talent to do that.
In Kurt Heyer and Michael Wacha, Orleans has two potentially dominant pitchers. The offense looks even better, with veterans like Steve Selsky and Jayce Boyd leading a group that’s had a lot of success this year.
Beyond that, I really have no idea how it will all shake out for the Firebirds. But it could certainly be good.
Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 13
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen: 3
Notable
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Kurt Heyer
2. Michael Wacha
3. Steve Nyisztor
4. Jake Stewart
5. Nick Mutz
Pitchers
Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215 – Oregon State – Sophomore
*John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200 – Elon – Junior
Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225 – UConn – Sophomore
Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215 – College of Southern Nevada – Sophomore
Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235 – Rutgers – Sophomore
Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190 – Kentucky – Freshman
Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205 – Arizona – Sophomore
Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180 – Dartmouth – Sophomore
Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195 – Stony Brook – Junior
*Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155 – Illinois State – Junior
Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200 – Western Oklahoma – Freshman
Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255 – Loyola Marymount – Junior
Matt Boyd – LHP/1B – 6’3 215
Oregon State
Sophomore
Boyd was a two-way standout last year, earning several Freshman All-America nods. He focused almost exclusively on pitching this year with great results. Working out of the pen, Boyd made 29 appearances, recorded a team-best 1.45 ERA and struck out 35 in 43.1 innings. He also saved four games.
John Brebbia – RHP – 6’2 200
Elon
Junior
Brebbia struggled in his first two years at Elon but had a pretty good campaign for Orleans last summer. Building off that, Brebbia turned everything around back at school. He made 27 appearances out of the pen and put up a team-best 1.76 ERA. He struck out 35 and walked just eight in 41 innings. Brebbia was picked in the 30th round earlier this week.
Pat Butler – RHP – 6’5 225
UConn
Sophomore
Butler wasn’t at the top of his game last year, with an ERA almost touching six as a freshman. This year, he’s been a little better, but his ERA is still 5.33 and he has walked twice as many hitters as he has struck out.
Matt Dunbar – LHP – 6’2 215
College of Southern Nevada
Sophomore
Playing for the school Bryce Harper made famous, Dunbar went 5-3 this year with a 3.62 ERA, and he struck out 66 in 49.2 innings.
Tyler Gebler – RHP – 6’5 235
Rutgers
Sophomore
Gebler burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, setting a new school record with 12 saves. This year, Rutgers moved Gebler into the starting rotation, and he went 5-5 with a 3.22 ERA. He struck out 53.
Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190
Kentucky
Freshman
The Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, Gott headed to Lexington and turned in a strong first season. Pitching in relief, Gott had a 3.62 ERA to go with 34 strikeouts in 27.1 innings.
Kurt Heyer – RHP – 6’3 205
Arizona
Sophomore
After shining as a freshman in the weekend rotation, Heyer became perhaps the top sophomore pitcher in the nation this year. In 20 starts, he went 8-5 with a 2.41 ERA and struck out 134 in 138.1 innings pitched, with just 26 walks. He was an all-conference pick and ranked fourth in the nation in strikeouts, up in the rarefied air of Trevor Bauer and Danny Hultzen.
Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180
Dartmouth
Sophomore
Hunter has had two solid seasons for Dartmouth. Last year, he led the team in ERA. This year, he went 5-3 with a 3.77 ERA and struck out 43.
Tyler Johson – RHP – 6’1 195
Stony Brook
Junior
Johnson was an all-conference pick last year as a sophomore and turned in a strong junior campaign this year. As a member of the weekend rotation, he went 9-3 with a 2.30 ERA. In 78.1 innings, he struck out 62 and walked just 17.
Kenny Long – LHP – 6’1 155
Illinois State
Junior
After struggling as a freshman, Long has been a dynamic closer for the Illinois State the last two seasons. He saved nine games last year then saved six this year, while also posting an ERA of 0.92 and striking out 45 in 39.1 innings. Last summer for Orleans, Long led the team in appearances, had a 1.71 ERA and struck out 36 in 32 innings.
Nick Mutz – RHP – 6’1 200
Western Oklahoma
Freshman
Mutz is a really interesting story. He pitched for NAIA Dakota State last year, then left and didn’t pitch anywhere this spring. But he went for a pre-draft workout with the Angels and they liked him so much, they drafted him in the ninth round. The plan for the Angels is to follow him on the Cape this summer. With a mid-90’s fastball, he should be a good player to watch.
Michael Wacha – RHP – 6’6 200
Texas A&M
Sophomore
Wacha was a Freshman All-American last year and has continued to shine this year, going 8-3 with a 2.24 ERA and 106 strikeouts. But I’m not sure we’ll see him in Orleans. His team is still alive in the NCAA tournament, and he’s on the Team USA roster.
Jason Wheeler – LHP – 6’6 255
Loyola Marymount
Junior
Wheeler is listed at 6’8 by Orleans, but the Loyola web site has him at 6’6. Either way, though, he’s a big man who’s had some big success. Last summer, he was the Northwoods League Pitcher of the Year. This spring, he went 6-4 with a 3.84 ERA. The brother of former Brewster Whitecap Ryan Wheeler, Jason was drafted earlier this week in the eighth round by the Twins.
Position Players
Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190 – Arizona State – Sophomore
*Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190 – Florida State – Sophomore
Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175 – Miami – Sophomore
Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215 – Florida International – Sophomore
Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180 – Virginia – Sophomore
Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200 – USC – Freshman
Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205 – Long Beach State – Junior
Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185 – Palm Beach Atlantic – Junior
Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175 – La Salle – Junior
Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200 – Rutgers – Sophomore
*Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205 – Duke – Junior
Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205 – Arizona – Junior
Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210 – NC State – Sophomore
*Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Junior
Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200 – USC – Junior
Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210 – Stanford – Sophomore
*Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245 – Jacksonville State – Junior
Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195 – Georgia State – Junior
Andrew Aplin – OF – 6’0 190
Arizona State
Sophomore
Aplin hit .337 as a part-timer last year. This season, he’s gotten more of a chance and has hit .285 with a homer and 19 RBI. Aplin was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school.
Jayce Boyd – INF/OF – 6’3 190
Florida State
Sophomore
A 19th-rounder out of high school, Boyd was one of the top freshman hitters in the country a year ago, batting .326 with eight homers. He then came to Orleans, where he hit .236 with two home runs and 16 RBI. This spring, Boyd kept it up, hitting .335 with six homers and 56 RBI.
Zeke DeVoss – OF/MIF – 5’10 175
Miami
Sophomore
DeVoss hit .338 this spring and stole 32 bases. A draft-eligible sophomore, his speed caught a lot of eyes, and DeVoss was picked by the Cubs in the third round earlier this week. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.
Matt Duffy – INF – 6’2 170
Long Beach State
Sophomore
Duffy hit .244 as a freshman after he grabbed a starting job on the infield. This year, he hit .265.
Rudy Flores – 1B – 6’3 215
Florida International
Sophomore
Flores had a huge freshman season last year, batting .357 with five homers and 23 RBI. He saw a bit of a downturn in average this year, finishing at .291, but still produced. He hit eight homers and 21 doubles and drove in 52 RBI.
Anthony Gomez – INF – 6’0 190
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
Gomez didn’t waste any time making an impression as a freshman last year. He hit .379 to lead the Commodores. This year, he’s stayed hot and is hitting .342 with 43 RBI.
Reed Gragnani – INF – 5’11 180
Virginia
Sophomore
Gragnani started only 12 games last year but made the most of his time and hit .365. In a bigger role this season, Gragnani has hit .278 with 31 RBI. He was a 27th-round pick of the Red Sox out of high school.
Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 200
USC
Freshman
A 22nd-round pick out of high school, Hernandez had some struggles in his first season with the Trojans. He started only 12 games and hit .200.
Matt Lowenstein – OF – 6’4 225
Loyola Marymount
Sophomore
Lowenstein was the WCC Freshman of the Year a season ago after hitting .344 in his debut. This year, he led Loyola with a .349 average and a .437 OBP.
Mike Marjama – C/3B – 6’2 205
Long Beach State
Junior
A transfer from Sacramento City College, Marjama had a solid first season in Long Beach, hitting .290 with a homer and 27 RBI. He was drafted this year in the 23rd round.
Nick Natale – OF – 6’2 185
Palm Beach Atlantic
RS Junior
Natale started his career at Rice and then moved on to St. Petersburg College. In his first year at Palm Beach Atlantic, he fought through injuries to hit .281.
Tony Negrin – OF – 5’7 175
La Salle
Junior
Negrin has been a steady performer throughout his career at La Salle, and he hit .276 this season.
Steve Nyisztor – INF – 6’4 200
Rutgers
Sophomore
Nyisztor came into the 2011 season with a lot of hype after hitting .410 as a freshman and earning top prospect honors in the Northwoods League last summer. His sophomore season didn’t go like he hoped — Nyisztor played in only 12 games. I can’t find anything certain, but I’m assuming it was due to injury.
Will Piwnica-Worms – OF – 6’3 205
Duke
Junior
As a sophomore Piwnica-Worms hit .313 with six homers and 44 RBI then came to Orleans and hit .200. This spring, he hit .264 with two homers and 31 RBI.
Steve Selsky – OF – 6’1 205
Arizona
Junior
Selsky had one of the best seasons in the Pac-10 a year ago when he hit .370. After a solid summer in Orleans — he hit .273 with four home runs — Selsky missed much of this season and is a late addition to the Arizona roster. He was drafted 33rd round this year.
Tarran Senay – OF – 6’2 210
NC State
Sophomore
A 38th-round pick out of high school, Senay has been solid for NC State. He hit .264 this year with two home runs.
Ronnie Shaeffer – C – 6’2 205
UC Irvine
Junior
Shaeffer has put together a good career at UC Irvine. He hit .388 as a freshman, .318 last year and .271 this year. He played in Orleans last summer and hit .190.
Alex Sherrod – OF – 6’2 200
USC
Junior
After hitting .315 as a sophomore, Sherrod blossomed this year into one of USC’s best hitters. He finished at .318 with six home runs and 35 RBI.
Jake Stewart – OF – 6’3 210
Stanford
Sophomore
A 14th-round pick out of high school, Stewart struggled with the bat as a freshman but then earned top prospect honors in the Alaska League. This year, he hit .292 with 15 doubles and 19 RBI.
Maxx Tissenbaum – INF – 6’0 200
Stony Brook
Sophomore
Tissenbaum was third on the team last season with a .344 batting average. He continued to emerge as a top-flight player this year, hitting .343 with five home runs, 20 doubles and 43 RBI.
Ben Waldrip – 1B – 6’6 245
Jacksonville State
Junior
Waldrip hails from Medford, Mass., and started his career St. Anselm. He then went to Cypress College before transferring to Jacksonville State for this season. He made a splash for the Gamecocks, hitting .344 with 10 home runs. He was a 40th-round pick this year.
Brandon Williams – 1B/3B – 6’1 195
Georgia State
Junior
Williams had a strong junior season, putting himself into the Georgia State career record books in several categories. He finished at .342 with 36 RBI.