I’ve been doing these early look team preview stories since the early years of Right Field Fog. I enjoy doing them because it gives me a foundation of information about incoming players, but there’s always an understanding that things will change.
I don’t if there’s ever been a team that had more things change, with better results, than the 2013 Cotuit Kettleers.
More than half of the players in their early look were not in Cotuit uniforms as the Kettleers celebrated the Cape Cod League Championship. And still, they won it. It was a testament to their ability to put a team together, almost day-by-day.
As the 2014 season approaches, the Kettleers start with a group that has some returning players like Drew Jackson and Rhett Wiseman, plus the usual talented newcomers like Sam Tewes, Tres Barrera and Jameson Fisher.
How will it work out? You never know for any team in any year, but that seems especially true after what Cotuit did last year. But whether this core ends up carrying the team all summer or 15 other guys swoop in, it’s safe bet that the Kettleers will be contending come August.
THE SKINNY
Manager: Mike Roberts
Last Year: 25-18-1; Won CCBL Championship
Returning Players: 4
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 17
Freshmen: 5
NOTABLE
FIVE TO WATCH
1. Rhett Wiseman
2. Jameson Fisher
3. Sam Tewes
4. Max Schrock
5. Tres Barrera
PITCHERS
Travis Duke – LHP – 6’3 210 – Texas – Sophomore
Nick Eicholtz – RHP – 6’4 180 – Alabama – Freshman
Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
Spencer Henderson – LHP/1B – 6’3 215 – UC Davis – Sophomore
Logan James – LHP – 5’11 185 – Stanford – Sophomore
Luke Leftwich – RHP – 6’3 200 – Wofford – Sophomore
Jackson McClelland – RHP – 6’5 220 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
A.J. Minter – LHP – 6’0 200 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
Adam Parks – RHP – 6’2 220 – Liberty – RS Sophomore
Sam Tewes – RHP – 6’5 205 – Wichita State – Freshman
Matthew Vogel – RHP – 6’2 185 – South Carolina – Freshman
Trey Wingenter – RHP – 6’7 195 – Auburn – Sophomore
Travis Duke – LHP – 6’3 210
Texas
Sophomore
Duke emerged as a valuable bullpen arm in his first season in Austin last year, posting a 1.53 ERA. He’s out-done himself this year. In 21 appearances, Duke hasn’t allowed an earned run. He has struck out 16, walked four and given up only 12 hits in 18.1 innings.
Nick Eicholtz – RHP – 6’4 180
Alabama
Freshman
A 29th round pick out of high school last year, Eicholtz has had a solid debut season with the Crimson Tide. Pitching out of the bullpen and as a starter, Eicholtz has a 2.49 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 47 innings.
Carson Fulmer – RHP – 5’11 190
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
Fulmer had a great freshman season as a reliever and has been even better this year. With a 1.17 ERA, nine saves and 54 strikeouts in 46 innings, Fulmer has even out-done his teammate Brian Miller, a former Cotuit closer.
Spencer Henderson – LHP/1B – 6’3 215
UC Davis
Sophomore
A two-way player, Henderson had good luck with the bat and struggled some on the mound in limited action during his freshman campaign. He’s flipped things around this year, hitting just .171 but posting a 3.77 ERA out of the bullpen. Henderson was a Perfect Game Collegiate League all-star and the 35th-ranked prospect in the league last summer.
Logan James – LHP – 5’11 185
Stanford
Sophomore
A left-handed reliever, James has posted higher ERA’s than he and the Cardinal would like in his first two seasons in Palo Alto. He had a 4.56 mark last year. This season, walks have been a problem and have sent his ERA climbing further to 5.14.
Luke Leftwich – RHP – 6’3 200
Wofford
Sophomore
Leftwich has given up a lot of hits and has a career ERA north of five, but he’s done one thing very well in two years at Wofford – he has struck people out. Leftwich was second on the team with 69 K’s last year. He already has 69 in 70 innings this season, with some games left to play. Perfect Game tabbed Leftwich as the ninth-best prospect in the Valley League last summer.
Jackson McClelland – RHP – 6’5 220
Pepperdine
Sophomore
McClelland pitched mostly out of the bullpen last year and shined for the Waves. After a strong summer in the Southern California Collegiate League, he’s been a steady performer in Pepperdine’s rotation this spring. In 11 starts, he has a 3.79 ERA with 36 strikeouts. McClelland was a 35th-round pick out of high school in 2012.
A.J. Minter – LHP – 6’0 200
Texas A&M
Sophomore
A 39th-round pick out of high school, Minter had an ERA over four last year but has emerged this season as a reliable bullpen arm in College Station. In 18 appearances, often pitching as a lefty specialist, Minter has a 1.84 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 14.2 innings.
Adam Parks – RHP – 6’2 220
Liberty
RS Sophomore
After a medical redshirt year in 2012 for Tommy John surgery, Parks hasn’t yet hit his stride for the Flames. He had an ERA over six last season and has seen it balloon to 9.39 in brief action this year. But in between those two seasons, Parks was tremendous in the Valley League last summer. He ranked as the second-best prospect and threw a seven-inning perfect game early in the season that put him on the scouting map.
Sam Tewes – RHP – 6’5 205
Wichita State
Freshman
Tewes was a 22nd-round pick out of high school but stuck with his commitment to the Shockers. Despite his thin frame, he’s had no trouble adjusting to the next level. As a weekend starter, Tewes has a 3.15 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 65.2 innings.
Matthew Vogel – RHP – 6’2 185
South Carolina
Freshman
Vogel was one of the top high school prospects in New York last spring and was drafted in the 36th round by the Diamondbacks. He headed to South Carolina and has yet to see a ton of action for the Gamecocks. In eight appearances, he has a 6.91 ERA, though he has struck out 15 in 14.1 innings.
Trey Wingenter – RHP – 6’7 195
Auburn
Sophomore
A late-round pick of the Mariners out of high school, Wingenter hasn’t made a huge impact with the Tigers but continues to flash potential. The towering righty had a 3.68 ERA in six appearances last year. This season, he’s at 2.84 in 10 games, with 22 strikeouts in 19 innings. Last summer, he was the second-rated prospect in the Perfect Game Collegiate League.
POSITION PLAYERS
Tres Barrera – C – 6’2 195 – Texas – Freshman
Jameson Fisher – C/INF – 6’2 180 – SE Louisiana – Sophomore
Will Haynie – C/INF – 6’5 225 – Alabama – Freshman
Kyle Holder – INF – 6’1 185 – San Diego – Sophomore
*Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195 – Stanford – Sophomore
Hunter Melton – INF – 6’2 225 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
*Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180 – South Carolina – Sophomore
*Garrett Stubbs – C – 5’10 160 – USC – Junior
Jeremy Taylor – OF – 6’2 178 – East Tennessee State – Sophomore
Logan Taylor – INF – 6’1 200 – Texas A&M – Sophomore
*Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
* – returning player
Tres Barrera – C – 6’2 195
Texas
Freshman
Barrera was an All-State shortstop and an All-State catcher at his Texas High School and has been a key cog for the Longhorns since day one. He’s batting .266 with a .335 OBP. He has two homers and is second on the team in extra-base hits.
Jameson Fisher – C/INF – 6’2 180
SE Louisiana
Sophomore
A 24th-round pick out of high school, Fisher had a tremendous debut season on his way to Freshman All-America honors last year, and the good times have rolled on this year. Fisher leads the Southland Conference in hitting with a .382 batting average. Though he doesn’t have a homer, he has 13 doubles and 30 RBI.
Will Haynie – C/INF – 6’5 225
Alabama
Freshman
One of Tennessee’s top high school prospects a year ago, Haynie has struggled in his first year in Tuscaloosa. Though he has three home runs, he’s hitting only .179.
Kyle Holder – INF – 6’1 185
San Diego
Sophomore
After a big season in the junior college ranks at Grossmont College, Holder transferred to San Diego and has made an immediate impact. As a full-time starter with the Toreros, he’s hitting .309 with three homers and 28 RBI.
Drew Jackson – INF – 6’2 195
Stanford
Sophomore
The brother of former Kettleer Brett Jackson, Drew was a valuable contributor in Cotuit’s championship run last year. Jackson hit .263 and was named the league’s 43rd-best prospect by Perfect Game. Back at Stanford, his sophomore season has not gone well. Jackson is hitting .151.
Hunter Melton – INF – 6’2 225
Texas A&M
Sophomore
Melton hit .280 and led the Aggies in home runs as a freshman. In his sophomore season, he hasn’t flashed the same pop. Melton is hitting .245 without a home run.
Max Schrock – INF – 5’9 180
South Carolina
Sophomore
A 28th-round pick out of high school, Schrock was one of the top freshmen in the SEC last season. In a brief stint in Cotuit, he continued to shine, hitting .381. This spring, Schrock is hitting .247 but his five home runs rank second on the team.
Garrett Stubbs – C – 5’10 160
USC
Junior
Stubbs was coming off a middling sophomore season when he hooked on with the Kettleers as part of one of their waves of reinforcements. After playing in just two regular season CCBL games, he was a huge part of the championship run, hitting .455 with three RBI in six playoff games. This spring, Stubbs is hitting .287 for the Trojans.
Jeremy Taylor – OF – 6’2 178
East Tennessee State
Sophomore
Taylor was an Atlantic Sun All-Freshman team pick in 2012, Taylor has continued to be a solid contributor for the Bucs this spring. He’s hitting .264 with two homers and 10 doubles, and he’s stolen 12 bases.
Logan Taylor – INF – 6’1 200
Texas A&M
Sophomore
Taylor struggled in limited action as a freshman but has been a solid everyday contributor this season. Taylor is hitting .272 with a team-best 14 doubles, to go with a homer and 21 RBI. Last summer, Taylor excelled in the Texas Collegiate League, ranking second with a .335 batting average. He was named the league’s second-best prospect by Perfect Game.
Rhett Wiseman – OF – 5’11 190
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
A 25th-round pick in the 2012 draft who was projected to go even higher, Wiseman came to Vanderbilt and to Cotuit last summer with considerable hype. He was solid with flashes of brilliance in both spots, hitting .297 with four homers on the Cape. This spring, he has hit a rough patch, with a .236 average and no homers.