After a few rough years, the Chatham Anglers built the team they’d been looking for in 2013. It didn’t yield a championship – as Orleans ousted the Anglers on its way to the championship series – but I think if you asked anyone in the Chatham organization what they’re hoping for in 2014, they’d gladly take another season just like last year’s.
The Anglers have certainly set the stage.
The blueprint of mixing in stars with solid college players who might not be on the hype train worked well last year and is in play again this year. The Anglers don’t have a lot of guys who are on College World Series contenders, they aren’t likely to lose many players to Team USA, they don’t have all their eggs in a few college teams’ baskets and they have a lot of veterans.
They have another team that should be mostly together from day one, and like last year, there’s been steady production from the future Anglers in the spring, with some stars doing big things, as well.
Mix in five players who were part of last summer’s ride, and you’ve got a team that should contend again.
THE SKINNY
Manager: John Schiffner
Last Year: 26-17-1; Lost in East Division Finals
Returning Players: 5
Juniors: 5
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen: 7
NOTABLE
FIVE TO WATCH
1. Kyle Funkhouser
2. Jake Fraley
3. Pat Mazeika
4. Garrett Williams
5. Chris Shaw
PITCHERS
Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195 – Louisville – Freshman
Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220 – Boston College – Sophomore
*Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181 – Boston College – Junior
P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175 – San Diego – Sophomore
Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195 – Franklin Pierce – Sophomore
Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190 – Southern California – Sophomore
*Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213 – Louisville – Sophomore
Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200 – Maine – Freshman
Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195 – Siena – Sophomore
Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185 – San Diego – Junior
Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210 – Wake Forest – RS Freshman
Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165 – Fairfield – Sophomore
Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195 – Oklahoma State – Freshman
* – returning player
Zack Burdi – RHP – 6’3 195
Louisville
Freshman
The brother of former Angler flamethrower Nick Burdi, Zack is following in his brother’s footsteps at Louisville and will do the same in Chatham this summer. In his freshman year, he has seen action in 11 games and sports a 4.66 ERA.
Jeff Burke – RHP – 6’5 220
Boston College
Sophomore
Burke was among the busiest pitchers on the Eagles club last year, making 24 appearances with an ERA over five. He has moved into the weekend rotation this year and has yet to put up great numbers. Burke has a 5.04 ERA.
Andrew Chin – LHP – 6’1 181
Boston College
Junior
A fifth-round pick out of high school who redshirted after Tommy John surgery, Chin recaptured some of his form in an up-and-down summer with the Anglers last year. He’s been steadier this spring, going 5-2 with a 3.10 ERA, no easy task as a weekend starter in the ACC.
P.J. Conlon – LHP – 6’0 175
San Diego
Sophomore
Conlon won nine games and led the Toreros in ERA while pitching in a swing role last season. He slid into the weekend rotation this season and has had a decent campaign, going 7-2 with a 4.35 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts with 60.
Paul Covelle – RHP – 6’0 195
Franklin Pierce
Sophomore
After a strong freshman season in the Franklin Pierce bullpen, Covelle spent most of 2014 as a starter with solid results. He had a 3.62 ERA and struck out 56 in 59.2 innings.
Kyle Davis – RHP – 6’0 190
Southern California
Sophomore
Davis had an ERA over five as a reliever last spring but has left any struggles he had in the dust this season. Pitching as the Trojans’ closer, Davis has saved nine games and leads the team with a 1.33 ERA. He has struck out 43 in 47.1 innings.
Kyle Funkhouser – RHP – 6’3 213
Louisville
Sophomore
Funkhouser struck out 21 in 13 innings of relief for the Anglers last summer and was picked by Perfect Game as the Cape League’s 14th-best prospect. It was a sign of things to come. Pitching in the Cards’ weekend rotation this year, Funkhouser has emerged as an ace. He’s 12-2 with a 1.81 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. Funkhouser has been invited to Team USA.
Jeff Gelinas – RHP – 6’4 200
Maine
Freshman
Joining the Maine-to-Chatham pipeline, Gelinas heads south off a solid freshman campaign. He posted a 3.86 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 51.1 innings while pitching as both a starter and a reliever.
Bryan Goossens – RHP – 6’3 195
Siena
Sophomore
Goossens headed to Siena after a strong Massachusetts high school career. He had a pretty good debut season and moved to the weekend rotation this year, but has hit some struggles. He has a 5.90 ERA.
Jordan Hillyer – RHP – 6’1 205
Kennesaw State
Sophomore
A 20th-round pick out of high school, Hillyer pitched well in 10 appearances last spring. He grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation this year and has continued to pitch well, going 7-3 with a 3.49 ERA. He ranks second on the team in strikeouts. Hillyer pitched last summer in the NECBL, where Perfect Game tabbed him as the league’s 22nd-best prospect.
Lucas Long – RHP – 6’1 185
San Diego
Junior
After transferring from Arizona, Long spent last season at a junior college then pitched in two games for Orleans last summer. In a San Diego uniform this spring, Long leads the team in strikeouts with 62 in 71 innings and has a 2.43 ERA. He has started eight games and come out of the bullpen in 12 others.
Max Tishman – LHP – 6’1 210
Wake Forest
RS Freshman
A native of Boston, Tishman took a redshirt in his first year at Wake Forest. This season, he has made 26 appearances, second on the team, and has a 5.47 ERA.
Mike Wallace – RHP – 6’5 165
Fairfield
Sophomore
A New Jersey native, Wallace has had two very steady seasons as a starter for the Stags. He had a 3.39 ERA last year and has kept it in the same range this year at 3.32. He leads Fairfield in strikeouts with 54.
Garrett Williams – LHP/OF – 6-2 195
Oklahoma State
Freshman
Baseball America rated Williams the 15th-best high school prospect in the country for last year’s draft, but he told MLB clubs he was headed to Oklahoma State. In Stillwater, he has started seven games and made nine relief appearances, posting a 5.12 ERA but striking out 47 in 38.2 innings. At the plate, he has hit .222 in 16 appearances.
POSITION PLAYERS
*Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175 – Boston College – Junior
Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240 – Georgetown – Sophomore
Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195 – Stetson – Sophomore
Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195 – LSU – Freshman
Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195 – Cal. State Fullerton – Sophomore
Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180 – UNLV – Freshman
*Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Sophomore
Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore
*A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215 – Georgia Tech – Junior
*Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190 – Texas Tech – Junior
Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250 – Boston College – Sophomore
Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190 – Kennesaw State – Sophomore
* – returning player
Blake Butera – UTIL – 5’9 175
Boston College
Junior
Butera hit only .196 last summer for the Anglers, but he was a key piece to the puzzle nonetheless, playing in 34 games. He’s had a solid season in Chestnut Hill, hitting .269.
Nick Collins – C – 6’2 240
Georgetown
Sophomore
Collins led the Hoyas in batting average as a freshman and was even better this season. On his way to All-Big East honors, Collins hit .351 with a .421 OBP, two homers and 38 RBI, while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter. He was Perfect Game’s 14th-best prospect in the Cal Ripken League last summer.
Kevin Fagan – OF – 6’0 195
Stetson
Sophomore
Fagan earned Atlantic Sun All-Freshman honors last year and followed that up with a solid sophomore season. He hit .279 with a .372 OBP. He also made seven appearances on the mound and had a 2.51 ERA.
Jake Fraley – OF – 6’1 195
LSU
Freshman
The rare top-level baseball star from Delaware, Fraley headed south to LSU and has had a big impact in his freshman season. After seeing spot duty early on, Fraley has forced his way into the lineup by hitting a team-best .382 with three homers and 29 RBI.
Garrett Hampson – INF – 6’1 175
Long Beach State
Freshman
A Nevada high school standout, Hampson has had a strong debut with the Dirtbags. He leads the team in hitting at .316 and ranks third in OBP with a .354 mark. He’s also stolen eight bases.
Jake Jefferies – INF – 6’1 195
Cal. State Fullerton
Sophomore
The son of former Major Leaguer Gregg Jefferies, Jake was a 34th-round pick out of high school. He had a good freshman season with the Titans then starred in the Northwoods League last summer, hitting .358 and ranking 17th on Baseball America’s prospect list. Jefferies has hit a big sophomore slump this season, though, as he’ hitting just .147.
Justin Jones – INF – 5’11 180
UNLV
Freshman
A product of national baseball powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Jones has been a steady contributor for two seasons for the hometown Runnin’ Rebels. After hitting .287 last year, he’s at .281 this year with three home runs.
Landon Lassiter – INF – 6’1 188
North Carolina
Sophomore
Lassiter was a 16th-round pick out of high school and he hit .358 last year on his way to Freshman All-America honors. He hit .250 in 22 games for the Anglers last summer. His average is down to .300 this year but his OBP is still impressive at .417.
Pat Mazeika – C/OF/1B – 6’3 210
Stetson
Sophomore
Mazeika led the Atlantic Sun in hitting last year on his way to Freshman of the Year honors and a host of Freshman All-America accolades. After playing briefly for Cotuit last summer, he’ll head to Chatham off another strong campaign. Mazeika hit .354 with two homers and 18 doubles.
Ty Moore – OF – 6’0 190
UCLA
Sophomore
Moore hit .219 for the CWS champion Bruins as a freshman then hit .203 in the NECBL last summer. This year, he’s taken a step forward, ranking second on the team with a .293 batting average and leading in extra-base hits.
A.J. Murray – 1B/OF – 6’1 215
Georgia Tech
Junior
Murray burst onto the scene for Tech last season when he hit .271 after playing in just 12 games as a freshman. After a short stint with the Anglers last summer, Murray has continued to play well for the Yellow Jackets. He’s hitting .280 with four homers.
Hunter Redman – C – 6’0 190
Texas Tech
Junior
Redman spent the 2013 season in the junior college ranks then made some noise in 12 games with the Anglers last summer. In his first season in Lubbock, Redman has hit .269.
Chris Shaw – 1B/OF – 6’3 250
Boston College
Sophomore
Shaw flashed some pop last spring with six home runs, but they were six of only 27 hits, as he batted .165 in his freshman year. This season, everything has caught up to the power. Shaw leads the Eagles with a .329 average, six home runs and 45 RBI. The big sophomore year comes after a breakout campaign in the NECBL, where Shaw hit five homers and was named the league’s ninth-best prospect by Perfect Game.
Kal Simmons – IF – 6’1 190
Kennesaw State
Sophomore
Simmons had a great freshman year, hitting .290 and playing a solid shortstop en route to first-team all-conference honors. He’s hitting .277 this year.