2012 Early Look: Hyannis Harbor Hawks

Hyannis Harbor Hawks
Manager: Chad Gassman
2011 Record: 29-15

The summer of 2011 is one people around the Hyannis organization will remember for a long time. From the moment the season began, their Harbor Hawks looked like the team to beat and they lived up to the potential throughout the regular season, winning the West division title, posting the best record in the league and clinching a playoff berth for the first time in six years.

Ultimately the season ended earlier than Hyannis hoped with a first-round playoff loss to Falmouth, but the season was still a special one.

And the Harbor Hawks also created a blueprint. They built their team differently than a lot of other squads, shying away from traditional powerhouse players and focusing on veterans who would be around for a whole summer. Chatham manager John Schiffner was quoted after the season as saying he’d like the Anglers to follow the same path.

The 2012 Harbor Hawks may be on that path too. While there are two talented players on the Team USA roster, only one other player is on a team that’s still alive in the NCAA Tournament. And, much like last year, a lot of the players will be arriving from schools that aren’t exactly hotbeds — Indiana State, Young Harris, Troy, Presbyterian.

It all adds up to a solid looking club. We’ll see if the blueprint leads to another special season in Hyannis.

Roster Rundown
Returning Players: 0
Juniors: 2
Sophomores: 18
Freshmen: 6

Notable

Every year, the Cape League has about half a dozen sons of former Major League Baseball players. I don’t remember any sons of NBA players, but that’s what UConn freshman pitcher Carson Cross is. His dad, Jeff, played one season with the Clippers. Not surprisingly, Carson stands 6-foot-5.

I can’t imaging Indiana State has had many Cape Leaguers over the years, but Sean Manaea will represent the Sycamores well. The 6’5 lefty struck out 115 this year after shining in the Prospect League last summer. He’s definitely a player to watch as he tries to prove himself against tough competition this summer.

Manaea is one of several guys from smaller schools who will be looking to make a big splash this summer. Adam Moore was star for D-II Young Harris while Brad Zebedis has had a great career at Presbyterian.

Team USA has had a big impact on the Harbor Hawks, with top hitters D.J. Peterson and Austin Cousino on the roster. Not sure of their status for the summer. Peterson was perhaps the top sophomore hitter in the country.

Apart from Manaea, none of the pitchers on the roster put up overwhelming numbers, but a lot of them had very solid seasons. That’s a pretty good formula, because it’s not hard for pitchers to take a leap on the Cape.

The Harbor Hawks don’t have any returning players, but Auburn’s Zach Alvord was on the Cape last summer in Bourne.

Is there a rule that Hyannis has to have a player who goes by his first and middle name, with one of those names being Brett? Last year, it was Adam Brett Walker. This year, Brett Michael Doran. Parents, include Brett in your child’s name, and he’ll play for Hyannis someday.

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. D.J. Peterson
2. Austin Cousino
3. Sean Manaea
4. Adam Moore
5. Brad Zebedis

Pitchers

Tyler Barnette – RHP – 6-3 200 – UNC Charlotte – Sophomore
Sahil Bloom – RHP – 6-2 210 – Stanford – Junior
Carson Cross – RHP – 6-5 210 – UConn – RS Freshman
David Garner – RHP – 6-0 180 – Michigan State – Sophomore
Jimmy Hodgskin – LHP – 6-3 210 – Troy – Sophomore
Jeff Hoffman – RHP – 6-4 175 – East Carolina – Freshman
Sasha Kuebel – LHP – 6-0 196 – Iowa – Freshman
Sean Manaea – LHP – 6-5 215 – Indiana State – Sophomore
Matt Maurer – LHP – 6-3 220 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
Peter Miller – RHP – 6-1 190 – Florida State – Sophomore
Adam Moore – RHP/UTIL – 6-3 180 – Young Harris – Sophomore
David Paiz – RHP/UTIL – 6’3 195 – Texas Tech – Sophomore

Tyler Barnette – RHP – 6-3 200
UNC Charlotte
Sophomore

Barnette was a ninth-round pick out of high school and justified the hype with a tremendous freshman season in 2011. He had a 2.29 ERA and earned several Freshman All-America nods. This year wasn’t quite as good. Barnette finished 3-3 with a 4.20 ERA. He struck out 33 but walked 29.

Sahil Bloom – RHP – 6-2 210
Stanford
Junior

Bloom is a native of Weston, Mass., and he’ll return to New England for summer ball after pitching well in the NECBL last year. This spring, Bloom has been a solid reliever for the Cardinal, posting a 3.04 ERA in 20 appearances.

Carson Cross – RHP – 6-5 210
UConn
RS Freshman

After redshirting in 2011, Cross became a standout bullpen arm for the Huskies this year. He finished with a 1.21 ERA in 18 appearances, and he struck out 28 in 37.1 innings.

David Garner – RHP – 6-0 180
Michigan State
Sophomore

Baseball America named Garner the second-best prospect in the Great Lakes Collegiate League last summer, and he was as good as advertised this year. Garner made 20 appearances with 11 starts and finished 6-3 with a 3.28 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 74 innings.

Jimmy Hodgskin – LHP – 6-3 210
Troy
Sophomore

A 43rd-round pick out of high school, but was projected to go a lot higher than that and ended up as one of the most touted recruits in Troy baseball history. He was a solid starter as a freshman but had his struggles this year. He finished with an ERA over seven.

Jeff Hoffman – RHP – 6-4 175
East Carolina
Freshman

Hoffman was a high-school star in upstate New York and made a solid impression in his first year with the Pirates. Pitching both as a starter and a reliever, Hoffman went 3-2 with a 3.67 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 73.2 innings.

Sasha Kuebel – LHP – 6-0 196
Iowa
Freshman

Kuebel was a 31st round pick of Oakland last year but headed to Iowa and immediately became a standout weekend starter. On his way to Big 10 All-Freshman honors, Kuebel didn’t strike out many but went 6-0 with a 2.67 ERA.

Sean Manaea – LHP – 6-5 215
Indiana State
Sophomore

Manaea led the Sycamores in strikeouts as a freshman and turned plenty of heads in the Prospect League last summer. Perfect Game tabbed him as the league’s top prospect and Baseball America has him second. This spring, there was no sophomore slump for Manaea. His 115 K’s ranked in the top 15 nationally, and he struck out better than a batter an inning while posting an ERA of 3.34.

Matt Maurer – LHP – 6-3 220
Pepperdine
Sophomore

Maurer led Pepperdine in strikeouts as a freshman. Those numbers were down this year and he walked almost as many as he struck out but still finished with solid overall numbers. He went 6-1 with a 3.56 ERA.

Peter Miller – RHP – 6-1 190
Florida State
Sophomore

Miller had good numbers in limited action as a freshman then was named the No. 7 prospect in the Florida Collegiate League by Baseball America last summer. This spring, he’s been a valuable arm for the Seminoles. In 13 appearances — 10 starts — he has a 3.98 ERA.

Adam Moore – RHP/UTIL – 6-3 180
Young Harris
Sophomore

Moore was a two-way star for D-II Young Harris, which is coached by former Hyannis manager Rick Robinson. On the mound, Moore went 5-2 with a 3.47 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 62.1 innings. At the plate, he had an even bigger impact, hitting .360 with nine home runs, 17 doubles and 32 RBI.

David Paiz – RHP/UTIL – 6’3 195
Texas Tech
Sophomore

Paiz was a Big 12 All-Freshman pick after putting up solid numbers at the plate and on the mound this year. Not sure if there was an injury, but it looks like he was limited this year. He made 11 appearances with a 3.18 ERA and hit .229 in 35 at-bats.

Position Players

Zach Alvord – SS – 6-0 185 – Auburn – Sophomore
Bobby Andrews – OF 6-0 195 – Auburn – Sophomore
Blake Austin – C – 6-0 230 – Auburn – Sophomore
Austin Cousino – OF – 5-10 175 – Kentucky – Freshman
Brett Michael Doran – SS/2B – 6-0 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
Ben Fultz – OF – 5-9 190 – East Carolina – Sophomore
Dominic Jose – OF – 6-3 195 – Stanford – Freshman
D.J. Peterson – 1B/3B – 6-1 195 – New Mexico – Sophomore
Jeff Schalk – 1B/OF – 6-3 215 – UAB – Freshman
Daniel Torres – C – 6-0 185 – Saint Leo – Sophomore
Brandon Trinkwon – IF – 6’1 160 – UC Santa Barbara – Sophomore
Steve Wilkerson – IF – 6’1 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
Brad Zebedis – 1B/C – 6-0 215 – Presbyterian – Sophomore
Zac Zellers – OF – 6’0 185 – Kentucky – Junior

Zach Alvord – SS – 6-0 185
Auburn
Sophomore

An 18th round pick out of high school, Alvord struggled with the bat as a freshman in 2011 but had some decent success in a 22-game stint with Bourne last summer. Alvord proceeded to have a solid spring with the Tigers, hitting .258 with six home runs. He ranked second on the team with 35 RBI.

Bobby Andrews – OF – 6-0 195
Auburn
Sophomore

Andrews didn’t see a ton of action as a freshman but shined when he had the chances, finishing with a .396 batting average. He became more of a regular this year and hit .252.

Blake Austin – C – 6-0 230
Auburn
Sophomore

Another Auburn sophomore, Austin also saw limited action as a freshman, but he had a good spring as a sophomore. He finished with a .296 batting average, three home runs and 21 RBI.

Austin Cousino – OF – 5-10 175
Kentucky
Freshman

Cousino is on the Team USA roster so he may not make it to Hyannis, but if he does, he’ll be coming in as one of the top freshmen in the nation. After a decorated high school career, Cousino lived up to the expectations this spring in Lexington. He hit a team-best .319 with nine home runs, 20 doubles and 41 RBI. He added 15 steals.

Brett Michael Doran – SS/2B – 6-0 200
Stanford
Sophomore

Doran showed some good flashes as a freshman then joined his Stanford teammate and future Hyannis teammate Sahil Bloom in the NECBL, where he hit .315. This year, he’s hitting .246 with nine RBI.

Ben Fultz – OF – 5-9 190
East Carolina
Sophomore

Fultz was a Conference USA All-Freshman pick after hitting .303 last year with four home runs and 26 RBI. He hit a sophomore slump this year, finishing with a .193 average and one home run.

Dominic Jose – OF – 6-3 195
Stanford
Freshman

Jose hasn’t seen a ton of action for Stanford this spring, but he’s done nothing but hit when he’s gotten the chance. He actually leads the team with a .385 average in 19 games. Jose was a 15th-round draft pick out of high school.

D.J. Peterson – 1B/3B – 6-1 195
New Mexico
Sophomore

Like Cousino, Peterson is on the Team USA roster so he may not make it to the Cape, but he too is someone the Harbor Hawks would love to have. He was one of the top players in the nation this season, hitting .419 with 17 home runs, 28 doubles and 78 RBI. He ranked fifth nationally in batting average, was tied for 10th in home runs and ranked second in RBI.

Jeff Schalk – 1B/OF – 6-3 215
UAB
Freshman

A 46th-round pick out of high school, Schalk headed to UAB and had a solid freshman season. He hit .279 with three home runs and 24 RBI.

Daniel Torres – C – 6-0 185Saint Leo
Sophomore

Torres didn’t have a great freshman season with the bat but broke through this year with a strong sophomore season. He hit .284 with two home runs and 28 RBI.

Brandon Trinkwon – IF – 6’1 160
UC Santa Barbara
Sophomore

Trinkwon didn’t put up any standout numbers as a freshman but he delivered a breakout sophomore season this year. He finished with a .347 batting average to go with two home runs, 17 doubles and 32 RBI.

Steve Wilkerson – IF – 6’1 185
Clemson
Sophomore

Another guy who didn’t have a great freshman season, Wilkerson emerged this year as one of Clemson’s top offensive threats. He ended up with a ..295 average, one home run, 13 doubles and 31 RBI. He also stole 10 bases.

Brad Zebedis – 1B/C – 6-0 215
Presbyterian
Sophomore

Zebedis was a freshman star last year, leading the Big South in batting average with a .425 mark. He also led the league in hits, home runs, total bases and slugging percentage. This season, Zebedis battled an injury early on but still hit .270 with six home runs.

Zac Zellers – OF – 6’0 185
Kentucky
Junior

Zellers was a junior-college All-American in 2011. At Kentucky this year, he picked up where he left off, hitting .311 with five home runs and 19 RBI.