The 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League season was full of great storylines, from Wareham’s run to the title, to Harwich’s power display, to Sean Manaea’s dominance on the mound for Hyannis.

It was easy to lose track of some other stories, like the 2012 Cotuit Kettleers. Wareham won the title, Harwich had the pop, Y-D had the highest team batting average we’re likely to see in years. But it was Cotuit that had the league’s best record.

The Kettleers caught fire midway through the season and finished 30-14, becoming the league’s first 30-win team since a legendary 2007 Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox club.

In the end, the Kettleers fell short of the title, but the season was a great one, and they’re poised for another in 2013. The Kettleers bring back some sophomores ready for breakouts like Jordan Ramsey and Aramis Garcia and the rest of the roster is as solid looking as any in the league. The majority of their position players are coming off good seasons, and some off great seasons – like Bradley Zimmer, Patrick Mazeika and Joey Pankake. Freshmen like Rhett Wiseman and Max Schrock bring top-prospect flair. A veteran pitching staff has six starters with proven track records, and guys like Ramsey and Daniel Mengden have star potential.

It adds up to a great-looking club on paper. The Cape League may not be able to match its 2012 storylines in 2013, but the Kettleers very well could.

 

THE SKINNY

Manager: Mike Roberts
Last Year: 30-14; Lost in Western Division Semifinals
Returning Players: 3
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 18
Freshmen: 6

 

NOTABLE

The Kettleers have a quite a few players from College World Series contenders, like Vanderbilt and South Carolina. It could be an uneven start to the summer if those squads make it to Omaha.

Kyle Zimmer used a solid summer with Cotuit in 2011 as a springboard into a tremendous junior season and a spot as the fifth overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft. His brother will be on the beginnings of the same path this year. Bradley Zimmer attends San Francisco like his brother did, and has been the team’s best hitter. He’s ticketed for Cotuit this summer.

Coastal Carolina’s Ryan Connolly was one of the Cape League’s best relievers last summer with Cotuit, and the Kettleers will be hoping for a similar showing from Connolly’s teammate Patrick Corbett. The sophomore righty has been a key part of the Coastal bullpen this spring.

Another Chanticleer, Ben Smith, is a likely starting pitcher and a potential ace for the Kettleers. He was a first-team All Big South pick this season and led the team in strikeouts and ERA among starters.

Vanderbilt’s starting rotation gets a lot of pub, and with good reason, but the bullpen has been dynamic too and a pair of future Kettleers have been a big reason why. Sophomore Brian Miller has 15 saves and a 1.59 ERA, while freshman Carson Fulmer has an ERA under three and has struck out better than a batter an inning.

Cotuit will also welcome Vanderbilt’s Rhett Wiseman. The Mansfield, Mass., native was a top prospect out of high school, and though he’s been in the background for a veteran Vandy team this year, there’s no denying his ability. A summer in Cotuit could be a prime breakout chance for him.

Danny Diekroeger doesn’t have a lot of Cape League experience, but he sure got some quality innings last year. Diekroeger was a late-season pickup by Y-D and he was a key part of the Red Sox’ run to the CCBL finals.

It’ll be interesting to see what Daniel Mengden focuses on this summer. The Texas A&M two-way player seems to be settling into the role of an ace on the mound. He was one of the top starters in the SEC this year.

Two South Carolina sophomores – Joey Pankake and Jordan Montgomery – could be big additions for the Kettleers. Neither showed up on any SEC all-conference lists, but it’s a safe bet they’ll get there next year. Pankake is hitting .335 with 10 home runs, while Montgomery has a 1.86 ERA as a weekend starter. Gamecock freshman Max Schrock should also be poised for a good summer.

Junior college star Elliott Caldwell is a future Gamecock, and they’re getting a good one. The top prospect in the Prospect League last summer, Caldwell is one to keep an eye on this summer.

Washington State doesn’t have the baseball pedigree of many of its Pac-12 compatriots, but the Cougars have sent some talented players to the Cape in recent years. Two more are bound for Cotuit this summer. Joe Pistorese was the ace of the staff and a workhorse, while Yale Rosen belted seven home runs.

UNC Wilmington’s Jordan Ramsey is slated to return to Cotuit, but he’ll be coming back on a different level. He had a 4.35 ERA last summer in 11 games. This year, he was one of the top pitchers in the Colonial and I’d expect the rise to continue.

In his second year with Cotuit, Aramis Garcia has star potential and could emerge as a top-notch catching prospect. He’s coming off a huge sophomore season.

Springfield native Patrick Mazeika will be playing closer to home this summer but his journey to Florida has been very good to him. The Stetson freshman was the Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year after hitting .382.

 

FIVE TO WATCH

1. Aramis Garcia
2. Bradley Zimmer
3. Jordan Ramsey
4. Daniel Mengden
5. Elliott Caldwell

 

PITCHERS

Christian Cecilio – LHP – 6’1 190 – San Francisco – Sophomore
Patrick Corbett – RHP/INF – 6’5 185 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
Chris Ellis – RHP – 6’5 195 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
John Hochstatter – LHP – 6’4 215 – Stanford – Sophomore
*Adam McCreery – LHP – 6’8 219 – Arizona State – Sophomore
Daniel Mengden – RHP/C – 6’1 210 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
Brian Miller – RHP – 6’4 200 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
Jordan Montgomery – LHP – 6’3 215 – South Carolina – Sophomore
Joe Pistorese – LHP – 6’2 174 – Washington State – Sophomore
*Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 198 – UNC Wilmington – Sophomore
David Schmidt – RHP – 6’0 175 – Stanford – Sophomore
Ben Smith – LHP – 6’2 175 – Coastal Carolina – Sophomore
Wyatt Strahan – RHP – 6’3 195 – USC – Sophomore
* – returning player

 
Christian Cecilio – LHP – 6’1 190
San Francisco
Sophomore

Cecilio has had two solid seasons in the Dons’ weekend rotation. For a regional-bound club this year, Cecilio is 3-3 with a 4.11 ERA. He has 46 strikeouts in 70 innings.

Patrick Corbett – RHP/INF – 6’5 185
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore

Corbett has been a very good reliever in two years with the Chanticleers. After posting a 3.54 ERA in 17 games last year, he has been one of the team’s busiest bullpen arms this year. In 23 appearances, he has a 2.47 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched.

Chris Ellis – RHP – 6’5 195
Ole Miss
Sophomore

Ellis had a solid freshman season as a reliever in 2012. He has seen limited action this year while dealing with an injury and has an ERA over six.

Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190
Vanderbilt
Freshman

A 15th-round pick of the Red Sox last year, Fulmer has had a very strong debut in the Vanderbilt bullpen. The righty earned SEC All-Freshman honors with a 2.98 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. He’s second on the team in appearances.

John Hochstatter – LHP – 6’4 215
Stanford
Sophomore

A late-round pick in 2011, Hochstatter had his struggles as a freshman but took some strides as a member of the weekend rotation this year. Hochstatter posted a 3.88 ERA and struck out 29.

Adam McCreery – LHP – 6’8 219
Arizona State
Sophomore

A 14th-round pick out of high school, McCreery is long on potential but he hasn’t yet put it all together. He had an ERA over five for Cotuit last summer. This spring, he had a 5.94 ERA while pitching as both a starter and a reliever.

Daniel Mengden – RHP/C – 6’1 210
Texas A&M
Sophomore

Mengden has done it all in two years with the Aggies, saving games as a freshman and emerging as a bona fide ace this season. He’s 8-3 with a 1.84 ERA and a team-best 91 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. He’s also a valuable hitter, carrying a .283 average and three home runs.

Brian Miller – RHP – 6’4 200
Vanderbilt
Sophomore

After saving five games as a freshman, Miller moved into the closer’s role full-time this year and has emerged as one of the best in the country. Miller has 15 saves and an ERA and a team-best 1.59 ERA for the No. 2 national seed Commodores.

Jordan Montgomery – LHP – 6’3 215
South Carolina
Sophomore

A Freshman All-American as a weekend starter last year, Montgomery has been even better this year as the Gamecocks’ Saturday starter. He’s 4-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 53 innings.

Joe Pistorese – LHP – 6’2 174
Washington State
Sophomore

Pistorese led the Cougars in ERA as a freshman and it wasn’t a flash in the pan. He logged 100.1 innings this year as the Friday starter and went 5-5 with a 2.78 ERA. He didn’t have huge strikeout numbers compared to the high-innings total, but he still led the team with 61.

Jordan Ramsey – RHP – 6’4 198
UNC Wilmington
Sophomore

Ramsey was a 28th-rounder out of high school and a Colonial All-Rookie pick last year. He then made his way to Cotuit and had a 4.35 ERA in 11 appearances. This spring, he has made the kind of jump you’d expect from a player with his pedigree. Emerging as an ace, Ramsey has a 2.36 ERA with 82 strikeouts in 99.1 innings for regional-bound Wilmington. He earned second-team All-Colonial honors.

David Schmidt – RHP – 6’0 175
Stanford
Sophomore

Schmidt has had two solid seasons as a reliever in Palo Alto. He had a 3.98 ERA last year and dropped it to 3.68 this season. He struck out 19 in 29.1 innings.

Ben Smith – LHP – 6’2 175
Coastal Carolina
Sophomore

Smith pitched in a swing role for the Chanticleers last year before becoming an ace in the weekend rotation this year. Smith is 5-3 with a 2.19 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 86.1 innings pitched. Smith earned first-team All Big South honors.

Wyatt Strahan – RHP – 6’3 195
USC
Sophomore

Strahan was drafted in the 27th round out of high school and delivered a strong debut for the Trojans last year, posting a 1.37 ERA as a reliever. He moved into the weekend rotation this year and led the Trojans with a 2.45 ERA, despite walking nearly as many as he struck out.

 

POSITION PLAYERS

Kevin Bradley – SS/3B – 6’2 185 – Clemson – Freshman
Elliott Caldwell – OF – 6’2 190 – Spartanburg Methodist – Sophomore
Hunter Cole – OF – 6’1 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
Danny Diekroeger – INF – 6’1 190 – Stanford – Junior
*Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200 – Florida International – Sophomore
Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195 – Stanford – Freshman
Patrick Mazeika – 1B – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Freshman
Joey Pankake – INF – 6’0 195 – South Carolina – Sophomore
Yale Rosen – INF/OF – 6’2 208 – Washington State – Sophomore
Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180 – South Carolina – Freshman
Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Bradley Zimmer – OF – 6’5 195 – San Francisco – Sophomore
* – returning player

 
Kevin Bradley – SS/3B – 6’2 185
Clemson
Freshman

A late-round draft pick out of high school, Bradley hasn’t had a big impact yet with Clemson. He has seen action in 34 games this year, with only four starts, and is hitting under .200.

Elliott Caldwell – OF – 6’2 190
Spartanburg Methodist
Sophomore

After limited action at Winthrop as a freshman, Caldwell has been a star for Spartanburg Methodist, one of the top junior college teams in the country. Caldwell is hitting .357 with three homers, 42 RBI and 18 stolen bases for a JUCO World Series club. Caldwell was named the top prospect in the Prospect League last summer by Baseball America and has committed to South Carolina for next year.

Hunter Cole – OF – 6’1 190
Georgia
Sophomore

Cole led the Bulldogs in home runs as a freshman last year and followed it up with a very good sophomore season. Cole hit .303 with four homers and 33 RBI.

Danny Diekroeger – INF – 6’1 190
Stanford
Junior

A late addition to the Y-D Red Sox roster last summer, Diekroeger hit .306 in the Cape League playoffs. He returns to the Cape bound for Cotuit, and he comes in off a solid junior season. Diekroeger batted .299 with two homers and 28 RBI for the Cardinal. Brother Kenny was a fourth-round pick of the Royals last year.

Aramis Garcia – C – 6’2 200
Florida International
Sophomore

Garcia was steady as a freshman and pretty good last summer with the Kettleers. This spring, he took a step toward becoming one of the top catching prospects in the country when he hit .321 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI.

Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195
Stanford
Freshman

A 37th-round pick out of high school, Jackson struggled in his first collegiate season. He hit .207 in 41 games, with 24 starts.

Patrick Mazeika – 1B – 6’3 210
Stetson
Freshman

A native of Springfield, Mass., Mazeika headed south for college and made himself right at home, earning Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year honors. He hit a league-best .382 with three home runs, 33 RBI and a .488 OBP.

Joey Pankake – INF – 6’0 195
South Carolina
Sophomore

A late-round pick in 2011, Pankake was an SEC All-Freshman pick in 2012. This year, he has emerged as one of the top players for the Gamecocks, hitting .315 with 10 home runs and 38 RBI.

Yale Rosen – INF/OF – 6’2 208
Washington State
Sophomore

Rosen didn’t do much as a freshman, but he took a leap as a sophomore and emerged as one of the team’s best players. He hit .314 with seven homers and 35 RBI. The home run total tied him for a team-high with former Cape League all star Jason Monda.

Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180
South Carolina
Freshman

Schrock was drafted in the 28th round out of high school. He opted to stick with his pledge to the Gamecocks and is in the midst of a solid first season. Schrock is hitting .286, and his five home runs and 37 RBI rank him third on the team.

Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190
Vanderbilt
Freshman

One of the top high school players in the country a season ago and a 25th-round pick of the Cubs, the Mansfield, Mass., native headed to Vanderbilt and has made the most of his time there. He’s appeared in 49 games and while he’s only started nine of them, Wiseman has three home runs and a .296 average.

Bradley Zimmer – OF – 6’5 195
San Francisco
Sophomore

The brother of former Kettleer pitcher and first-round pick Kyle Zimmer, Bradley plies his trade at the plate and does it very well. On his way to West Coast Conference all-league honors, Zimmer is hitting .335 with seven homers, 36 RBI and a team-best .456 on-base percentage. He has helped lead the Dons to an NCAA Regional.