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Daily Fog: Fire It Up

The last time the Orleans Firebirds took the field for a game at Eldredge Park, they faced future first-round pick Mark Appel in a playoff game, managed five hits, struck out 10 times and got shut out in a 4-0 loss.

This was a little better.

Orleans hosted Brewster last night in the season opener and won in dramatic fashion after Mike Montville (Maryland) blasted a solo home run to break a tie game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Trevor Gott (Kentucky), the league’s reigning relief pitcher of the year, took the one-run lead and ran with it, picking up the save to secure a 4-3 victory.

The Firebirds were shut out for the first three innings by Falmouth starter Mike Theofanopoulos (Cal) but there would be no repeat of last year’s playoff game. Orleans scored two in the fourth and one in the fifth after Brewster tied it. The Whitecaps tied it again in the eighth on a sac fly by Dan Olinger (Minnesota), but Orleans wasn’t done.

Montville didn’t have the greatest season in College Park, hitting .234. But he couldn’t have dreamed up a better start to his summer. With one out in the eighth, Montville fell behind 0-2 when he fouled off five straight pitches. He hit the next one a long way and trotted home with the go-ahead run.

Manager Kelly Nicholson had an easy decision about what to do next. Gott saved 13 games for Orleans last year and he wasted no time getting career save number 14. Gott walked one batter and hit another but struck out two to finish off the one-run victory for the Firebirds.

Philip Pfeifer (Vanderbilt) got the win in relief for Orleans with .2 innings of work. Trevor Williams (Arizona State), who’s also a Team USA invite, got the start for the Firebirds and pitched five strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three.

Gregor and Max Rossiter (Arizona State) had two hits each to lead the Firebirds. Brewster got two hits from Trevor Mitsui (Washington).

Elsewhere

  • Y-D got two impressive pitching performances on its way to a 3-1 victory over Falmouth. Starter Aaron Blair (Marshall), struck out eight and allowed two hits in five scoreless innings. Reliever Brian Gilbert (Seton Hall) also struck out eight in four innings pitched. Offensively, Indiana’s Sam Travis, the Big 10 Freshman of the Year, got his summer off to a big start with a 3-for-4 night. Jake Schrader (Tampa) and Robert Pehl (Washington) each had an RBI. Falmouth got two hits from Jared King (Kansas State).

  • Cotuit and Hyannis squared off in an early rivalry match-up, and the Kettleers came out ahead with a 3-2 victory. Patrick Biondi (Michigan) singled in the eighth and broke a 2-2 tie when he scored on a double by Jacob May (Coastal Carolina). The win was particularly impressive since Hyannis got one of the best starts of opening night, as Sean Manaea (Indiana State) allowed two hits and struck out eight in five innings. For Cotuit, reliever Dan Slania (Notre Dame) picked up the win with 1.2 hitless innings.

  • Defending champion Harwich got off to a quick start against Bourne and never looked back on its way to an 8-5 victory over the Braves. Phil Ervin, who’s coming off a big season at Stamford, went 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. Matt Reida (Kentucky) added two hits for the Mariners. David Whitehead (Elon) got the win with 5.2 solid innings. He struck out two and allowed just one earned run on three hits. Bourne scored three in the ninth thanks to a three-run home run by Mike Ahmed (Holy Cross), but it wasn’t enough.

  • Chatham made the long trek to Wareham and came home happy after a 7-5 victory. Facing Wareham starter Jared Ruxer (Louisville), the Big East Rookie of the Year, the Anglers broke through for four runs in the second to take control. Andrew Knapp (California) went 2-for-5 with two RBI to lead the Anglers, while Aaron Brown (Pepperdine) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Chatham starter Scott Frazier (Pepperdine) struck out five in five strong innings for the win. Jake Joyce (Virginia Tech) picked up the save.

    • What to Watch

    Harwich will visit Falmouth at 6:30 p.m. in a championship rematch. Gonzaga two-way star Marco Gonzales is listed as the probable starter for the Commodores. Dimitri Kourtis (Mercer) is slated to go for Harwich.

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    2012 Early Look: Orleans Firebirds

    firebird1.jpgOrleans Firebirds
    Manager: Kelly Nicholson
    2011 Record: 24-17-3

    Orleans had some great hot streaks last year and rode one of them to a first-place finish in the East when the regular season ended. There was no streak in the playoffs, though, as the Firebirds were swept by Y-D in surprising fashion.

    Despite that ending, it was another great summer in Orleans, where manager Kelly Nicholson always seems to push the right buttons. By my count, the franchise hasn’t had a losing season since 2001.

    While most of the mainstays from last year’s first-place team are gone, there’s another solid crop of players coming in. The pitching staff should shape up well and the offense has its stars ready to go.

    There’s no reason to think the Firebirds will break that streak this year.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 9
    Sophomores: 18
    Freshmen: 2

    Notable

  • On paper, without accounting for roster shuffling by other teams, Orleans has the fewest freshmen of any team in the league, with just two. That doesn’t make the Firebirds the oldest team in the league, but they’re certainly not the youngest.

  • With another good summer, Trevor Gott could become the first player since the award was instituted to win two Relief Pitcher of the Year awards. Gott won that honor last year and was a closer for Kentucky this spring.

  • As long as Gott is around there may not be many saves to go around, but you can bet Pat Christensen will be there if a few chances pop up. He’s been a closer for three years with La Salle, something you don’t see very often in college baseball.

  • A handful of first-round draft picks have gone to college in recent years. Gerrit Cole probably had the most success in that group with three dominating seasons at UCLA on his way to being the top overall pick after his junior year. San Diego’s Dylan Covey went in the first round in 2010 and didn’t sign. He has not had as much success, but he’s still been good. He’s definitely a guy to watch this summer.

  • Dominic Ficociello played for Team USA last year but it looks like he’s bound for the Cape this year. One of the most highly-though of sophomore hitters in the country, Ficociello could be an anchor in the Orleans lineup.

  • Conrad Gregor is a likely candidate to join Ficociello in the middle of the order. He had a strong sophomore year, putting up the kind of numbers that signal a huge junior year ahead.

  • A few weeks ago, if Orleans was making a list of players likely to be late because of the College World Series, Stony Brook’s Brandon McNitt probably wouldn’t have been on it. But that’s the case as the upstart Seawolves are crashing the party. McNitt has had a big hand in the success — he pitched very well in the Super Regional against LSU.

  • Orleans got a great summer from Hawai’i’s Kolten Wong a few years back. Two more Hawaiians are headed to Orleans this year, and while they may not end up as MVP candidates like Wong, they’re both coming off good years.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Dylan Covey
    2. Dominic Ficociello
    3. Trevor Gott
    4. Austin Kubitza
    5. Conrad Gregor

    Pitchers

    Jarrett Arakawa – LHP – 6’0 180 – Hawai’i – Sophomore
    Pat Christensen – RHP – 6’4 200 – La Salle – Junior
    Dylan Clark – LHP – 6’5 200 – Elon – Junior
    Dylan Covey – RHP – 6’2 200 – San Diego – Sophomore
    Kyle Crockett – LHP – 6’2 170 – Virginia – Sophomore
    James Farris – RHP – 6’2 213 – Arizona – Sophomore
    *Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180 – Dartmouth – Junior
    Chase Johnson – RHP – 6’3 190 – Cal Poly – Sophomore
    Josh King – RHP – 6’0 171 – Marshall – Sophomore
    Austin Kubitza – RHP – 6’5 202 – Rice – Sophomore
    Brandon McNitt – RHP – 5’10 170 – Stony Brook – Sophomore
    Philip Pfeifer – LHP – 6’0 195 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
    Jimmy Reed – LHP – 6’0 163 – Maryland – Junior
    Matt Troupe – RHP – 6’2 180 – Arizona – Freshman
    Trevor Williams – RHP – 6’3 228 – Arizona State – Sophomore

    Jarrett Arakawa – LHP – 6’0 180
    Hawai’i
    Sophomore

    A native of Honolulu, Arakawa had decent luck as a freshman before emerging as a standout starting pitcher this year. Arakawa finished the year with a 7-6 record and a 2.88 ERA. He struck out 70 and walked only 18 in 97 innings pitched.

    Pat Christensen – RHP – 6’4 200
    La Salle
    Junior

    Christensen has been a closer since day one at La Salle, and has excelled every step of the way. This year, he saved nine games had a 2.43 ERA an struck out 54 while walking just eight in 44 innings pitched.

    Dylan Clark – LHP – 6’5 205
    Elon
    Junior

    After posting a 9.00 ERA as a freshman, Clark became a standout in the rotation for Elon last year and continued the trend this year. He went 9-4 with a 3.76 ERA. He struck out 64 and walked 18 in 88.2 innings pitched.

    Dylan Covey – RHP – 6’2 200
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Based purely on past draft history, Covey will be the most highly-touted player on the Cape this summer. Out of high school in 2010, Covey was selected by the Brewers in the first round, 14th overall. He didn’t sign, though, and headed to San Diego, where he’s been good but not quite as dominant as you might expect. This year, Covey went 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA. He struck out 50 but walked 43.

    Kyle Crockett – LHP – 6’2 170
    Virginia
    Sophomore

    Crockett was an outstanding reliever as a freshman last year, putting up a 1.97 ERA in 27 appearances. He just kept right on going this year, finishing the season with a 2.25 ERA in 32 appearances. He struck out 57 and walked only 12 in 60 innings of work.

    James Farris – RHP – 6’2 213
    Arizona
    Sophomore

    Farris made only two appearances out of the bullpen in 2011, but despite his lack of experience, he has emerged this year as a reliable third starter for the Omaha-bound Wildcats. Farris is 7-3 with a 4.18 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 99 innings.

    Trevor Gott – RHP – 6’0 190
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Gott was one of the top relievers on the Cape last summer, earning all-star honors with 12 saves and a 1.29 ERA. He also won the league’s reliever of the year award. This spring, Kentucky wisely kept him in the closer’s role, where he excelled again. Gott finished with nine saves, a 2.16 ERA and 38 strikeouts in just 25 innings pitched.

    Kyle Hunter – LHP – 5’11 180
    Dartmouth
    Junior

    Hunter had strong freshman and sophomore seasons at Dartmouth, pitching exactly 62 innings both years and posting an ERA around three to go with good strikeout numbers. His junior year was a bit of a struggle as Hunter finished with an ERA over five.

    Chase Johnson – RHP – 6’3 190
    Cal Poly
    Sophomore

    After starting his freshman season in the rotation, Johnson moved to the bullpen and has been a mainstay since. This year, he led the team with 25 appearances and had a 3.34 ERA. He struck out 31 in 35 innings.

    Josh King – RHP – 6’0 171
    Marshall
    Sophomore

    King is another guy who had an impressive season as a reliever. Making 23 appearances, he posted a team-best 2.30 ERA to go with 42 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched.

    Austin Kubitza – RHP – 6’5 202
    Rice
    Sophomore

    A seventh-round pick out of high school in 2010, Kubitza earned Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors last season when he had a 2.34 ERA and 102 strikeouts. Kubitza reprised his Friday starter role this season, finishing 6-5 with a 2.69 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.

    Brandon McNitt – RHP – 5’10 170
    Stony Brook
    Sophomore

    McNitt came to Stony Brook all the way from California, and of course is now heading to Omaha. He’s had a big hand in the team’s success. The America East Rookie of the Year in 2011, McNitt earned first-team all-conference honors this year. He is 8-2 with a 2.26 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 87.2 innings.

    Philip Pfeifer – LHP – 6’0 195
    Vanderbilt
    Freshman

    Pfeifer was a 44th-round pick out of high school but honored his commitment to Vanderbilt. He pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman, putting up a 3.24 ERA in 11 appearances.

    Jimmy Reed – LHP – 6’0 163
    Maryland
    Junior

    Reed was the closer for the Terps this season and finished with eight saves and a 2.70 ERA. He struck out 52 in 60 innings. A junior, Reed was drafted this year, going in the 21st round to the Yankees.

    Matt Troupe – RHP – 6’2 180
    Arizona
    Freshman

    A 16th-round pick of the Yankees out of high school last year, Troupe has become a valuable bullpen arm for the Wildcats this year. In 22 appearances, he has a 3.90 ERA and he has struck out 39 in 32.1 innings.

    Trevor Williams – RHP – 6’3 228
    Arizona State
    Sophomore

    Williams had a tremendous sophomore season with the Sun Devils. On his way to all-conference honors, he went 12-2 with a 2.05 ERA. Though he only struck out 59 in 109.2 innings, he also only walked 13. Williams has been invited to Team USA.

    Position Players

    Kevin Brown – OF – 6’0 193 – Bryant – Junior
    Dominic Ficociello – 1B – 6’4 185 – Arkansas – Sophomore
    Jay Gonzalez – OF – 5’9 168 – Auburn – Sophomore
    *Reed Gragnani – OF – 5’11 180 – Virginia – Junior
    Conrad Gregor – INF/OF – 6’3 220 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 195 – Southern California – Sophomore
    Pi’ikea Kitamura – INF – 6’1 195 – Hawai’i – Junior
    Cody Kulp – OF – 6’2 204 – Shippensburg – Junior
    A.J. La Bruna – SS – 5’10 165 – Duke – Sophomore
    Michael Montville – OF – 6’2 200 – Maryland – Sophomore
    J.T. Riddle – OF/SS – 6’3 185 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Max Rossiter – C – 5’11 184 – Arizona State – Junior
    Derek Toadvine – SS/CF – 5’11 165 – Kent State – Sophomore

    Kevin Brown – OF – 6’0 193
    Bryant
    Junior

    Brown has been a standout since day one at Bryant. He was the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2010 before turning in a solid sophomore season last year. This season, Brown hit .281 with a team-best nine home runs, 16 doubles and 35 RBI.

    Dominic Ficociello – 1B – 6’4 185
    Arkansas
    Sophomore

    A 23rd-round pick out of high school, Ficociello has been mentioned as one of the top prospects in his class since he arrived at Arkansas last year, and he hasn’t disappointed. After hitting .335 with 50 RBI last year, Ficociello batted .301 this year with six home runs and 40 RBI. He spent last summer with Team USA.

    Jay Gonzalez – OF – 5’9 168
    Auburn
    Sophomore

    Gonzalez hit under .200 in limited action last year but got more of a chance to play this year and made the most of it. Gonzalez batted .308 with 13 doubles and 19 RBI. He also stole a team-high 30 bases. Out of high school in 2010, he was a 27th-round pick of the Red Sox.

    Reed Gragnani – OF – 5’11 180
    Virginia
    Junior

    Like Gonzalez, Gragnani was also a 27th-round pick of the Red Sox, getting selected in the 2009 draft. Since then, he’s been a steady performer for the Cavaliers and he hit .311 in 24 games with Orleans last summer. This spring, Gragnani batted .362 in 20 games.

    Conrad Gregor – INF/OF – 6’3 220
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    Gregor wad drafted in the 40th round out of high school but headed for Nashville and promptly hit .353 as a freshman last year. There was no sophomore slump this year, as Gregor hit .328 with three home runs, 20 doubles and 35 RBI. He also had a team-best .439 on-base percentage.

    Jake Hernandez – C – 6’1 195
    Southern California
    Sophomore

    A 22nd round pick of the Tigers out of high school, Hernandez hit only .200 in limited action last year. He had more success this year, finishing with a .286 average.

    Pi’ikea Kitamura – INF – 6’1 195
    Hawai’i
    Junior

    Kitamura took over the shortstop position for Hawai’i this year and earned first-team all-WAC honors with a great season. He hit .311 with nine doubles and 29 RBI.

    Cody Kulp – OF – 6’2 204
    Shippensburg
    Junior

    Kulp has had a good career at Shippensburg, a D-II school in Pennsylvania and he’s hinted that he can compete at a higher level. Last summer, he was tabbed as the No. 2 prospect in the New York Collegiate Baseball League by Perfect Game. This spring, Kulp hit .304 with four home runs and 32 RBI.

    A.J. La Bruna – SS – 5’10 165
    Duke
    Sophomore

    La Bruna has been the starting shortstop for the Blue Devils since he arrived on campus. He hasn’t shined with the bat yet, hitting .241 last year and batting .207 this year.

    Michael Montville – OF – 6’2 200
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Montville hit .211 in spot duty as a freshman. He saw some more action this year and finished at .234 with four home runs and 16 RBI.

    J.T. Riddle – OF/SS – 6’3 185
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Riddle was a 35th-round pick out of high school. After an impressive freshman season, he earned all-star honors in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League and was named by Baseball America as the circuit’s third-best prospect. This spring, Riddle hit .279 with five homers and 38 RBI.

    Max Rossiter – C – 5’11 184
    Arizona State
    Junior

    A junior college transfer, Rossiter has an immediate impact in his first season with the Sun Devils. He hit .326 with two home runs, nine doubles and 18 RBI. Rossiter was a 46th-round draft pick after his sophomore year in the juco ranks.

    Derek Toadvine – SS/CF – 5’11 165
    Kent State
    Sophomore

    Toadvine has been a mainstay in the lineup for the Omaha-bound Golden Flashes. He’s hitting .255 with 15 RBI while holding down the second base job.

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    2012 Early Look: Chatham Anglers

    anglers_logo_11.jpgChatham Anglers
    Manager: John Schiffner
    2011 Record: 15-28-1

    The Chatham Anglers are the only team that hasn’t made the playoffs in the last two years, when the league expanded to include eight of 10 teams in the postseason.

    They don’t plan to miss out again, and if their roster is any indication, they’ve very clearly drafted a blueprint for making it happen. They aren’t going to their typical powerhouses, taking three or four players and crossing the fingers when the College World Series and Team USA have their say.

    The Anglers have their team and they’re ready.

    I read an article back in the fall where manager John Schiffner said this would happen. He watched what Hyannis did last year. The Harbor Hawks took a team of less-heralded players, had them for the whole season and posted the best record in the league. Now the Anglers look like they’re taking similar steps.

    They’ve still got a few top prospects and some guys from powerhouse schools, but they won’t be waiting on four players from North Carolina like they used to or banking on pitchers who threw a ton of innings on the way to the College World Series. A player like Tom Bourdon, who had a big season at a Boston College, is kind of the model. The Anglers have a lot of Bourdons. They also have veterans, with 10 juniors who will have a lot to play for this summer, and few freshmen.

    Will it work? I don’t know, but I do know that Chatham doesn’t have a single player on Team USA and has only one at the College World Series.

    From day one, the Anglers will be ready to go.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 2
    Juniors: 10
    Sophomores: 20
    Freshmen: 4

    Notable

  • Like Harwich, the Anglers have a big roster right now, so there will be some adjusting as we get into the season.

  • North Carolina used to send a lot of its top players to Chatham. That’s been changing in recent years, and this season, the Anglers just have one Tar Heel — reliever Tate Parrish.

  • Parrish is part of an interesting bullpen that Chatham is assembling. The Anglers don’t just have closer-types and guys who made a lot of appearances for their college teams. They also have Parrish and Joe Dye of Stetson, who were essentially situational relievers at school. They may get more of an opportunity with Chatham or they may just reprise those roles as the Anglers try to develop a Major-League style bullpen.

  • That bullpen should have a pretty good back end. San Diego’s Michael Wagner was one of the top closers in the nation, finishing in a tie for second nationally in saves.

  • I mentioned Bourdon above, and he’s coming off a great season with BC. He earned second-team all-ACC honors, which is no easy task for an Eagle in that conference.

  • In addition to some mid-major players, the Anglers will also be giving a shot to a few small-school guys. Brewster native Alex Powers had a tremendous season at D-II Southern New Hampshire, two players are coming from Franklin Pierce and Chatham even has Andrew Hillis coming from NAIA Lee University.

  • I don’t know if Chatham will have any top-of-the-league starting pitchers, but — fitting in with the aforementioned theme — there are a lot of guys who should be solid. Veterans like Ryan Thompson, Kurt Schluter and John Soldinger may lead the way.

  • Andrew Knapp may end up as the top catching prospect on the Cape. He hasn’t had fantastic numbers at Cal but he caught a lot of attention when he won the Northwoods League batting title last summer.

  • Louisville has turned into a Big East powerhouse in recent years, and the Cape League has benefited. I’m from Louisville and when I used to come to the Cape as a kid, it was a rare treat to see a player from Louisville. Now, they’re regulars. Chatham has four Cardinals coming in this year.

  • There’s something to be said for bringing in a lot of juniors. They’re not going to be the top-shelf prospects because if they were, they probably wouldn’t be on the Cape. But these are older guys who know this might be their best opportunity to showcase themselves before their final season in college. We’ll see how it plays out, but I think it could be good for Chatham.

  • Fairfield pitcher Mark Bordonaro is still on the Chatham roster but it was announced yesterday that he had signed a contract with the Seattle Mariners, who had drafted him in the 25th round.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Tom Bourdon
    2. Michael Wagner
    3. Andrew Knapp
    4. Dace Kime
    5. Alex Powers

    Pitchers

    Ryan Atwood – LHP – 6’1 180 – Navarro College – Sophomore
    Nick Burdi – RHP – 6’3 220 – Louisville – Freshman
    Joe Dye – RHP – 6’3 210 – Stetson – Junior
    Michael Fagan – LHP – 6’0 175 – Princeton – Sophomore
    Scott Frazier – RHP – 6’7 220 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
    Andrew Hillis – RHP – 6’8 215 – Lee University – Sophomore
    Jake Joyce – RHP – 6’0 185 – Virginia Tech – Junior
    *Dace Kime – RHP – 6’5 215 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Thomas Lawrence – RHP – 6’0 195 – Maine – Junior
    Jimmy Litchfield – LHP – 6’1 185 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
    Brian McIlhenny – LHP – 6’6 195 – Pepperdine – Junior
    Tate Parrish – LHP – 6’1 184 – North Carolina – Sophomore
    Alex Powers – RHP – 6’4 170 – Southern New Hampshire – Sophomore
    Austin Robichaux – RHP – 6’5 160 – Louisiana-Lafayette – Freshman
    Kurt Schluter – RHP – 6’3 185 – Stetson – Junior
    John Soldinger – RHP – 6’3 230 – Manhattan – Junior
    Eric Stevens – RHP – 6’5 208 – Boston College – Sophomore
    Ryan Thompson – RHP – 6’3 190 – Franklin Pierce – Junior
    Michael Wagner – RHP – 6’4 185 – San Diego – Sophomore

    Ryan Atwood – LHP – 6’1 180
    Navarro College
    Sophomore

    Junior college baseball stats can be spotty so I know very little about Mr. Atwood, other than the fact that he pitched well in Navarro’s regional championship game against powerhouse San Jacinto. I’m guessing he’s pretty good, though, if he’s coming to the Cape from a junior college.

    Nick Burdi – RHP – 6’3 220
    Louisville
    Freshman

    Burdi was a 24th-round pick out of high school but stuck with his commitment to Louisville. He had some ups and downs in his freshman year with the Cards, finishing with a 5.56 ERA in 13 appearances.

    Joe Dye – RHP – 6’3 210
    Stetson
    Junior

    Dye had been a good situational reliever for Stetson each of the last two years. This spring, he made 24 appearances, pitched 13.1 innings and had a 4.05 ERA.

    Michael Fagan – LHP – 6’0 175
    Princeton
    Sophomore

    Fagan was a 45th-round pick out of high school. He’s had some struggles at Princeton, where he finished this year with a 7.57 ERA. While he walked more than he struck out, he also struck out 27 in 27.1 innings pitched.

    Scott Frazier – RHP – 6’7 220
    Pepperdine
    Sophomore

    Frazier was on the Chatham roster last year but didn’t end up making it to the Cape. If he does this time, he’ll be coming in off a strong sophomore season. Frazier went 7-5 with a 3.93 ERA while pitching a workhorse load of 103 innings.

    Andrew Hillis – RHP – 6’8 215
    Lee University
    Sophomore

    Hillis hails from NAIA Lee University, where he was a standout closer this spring. He finished with seven saves and a 2.73 ERA. He struck out 24 in 29.2 innings.

    Jake Joyce – RHP – 6’0 185
    Virginia Tech
    Junior

    Joyce had high ERA’s in his first two years as a reliever with the Hokies but always posted good strikeout numbers. This year he put it all together, putting up a 3.63 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched.

    Dace Kime – RHP – 6’5 215
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    An eighth round pick out of high school, Kime had a good freshman season in 2011 before pitching with Chatham last summer. While he had mixed results with the Anglers, he flashed plenty of potential. This spring, he had an ERA of 4.87 but struck out better than a batter an inning.

    Thomas Lawrence – RHP – 6’0 195
    Maine
    Junior

    Lawrence sat out the 2012 season after transferring from Winthrop. At Winthrop last year, he had a 4.03 ERA in 21 appearances.

    Jimmy Litchfield – LHP – 6’1 185
    UC Irvine
    Sophomore

    Litchfield was very busy as a freshman in 2011, making 34 appearances while posting a 2.89 ERA with a great strikeout-to-walk ratio. Litchfeidl got a lot of calls again in 2012, pitching in 26 games and posting a 3.60 ERA. He struck out 30 and walked 13 in 45 innings.

    Brian McIlhenny – LHP – 6’6 195
    Pepperdine
    Junior

    Another tall pitcher from Pepperdine, McIlhenny was an all-star in the Alaska League last summer. He didn’t have as much success back at Pepperdine this spring, finishing with a 6.48 ERA in 19 appearances.

    Tate Parrish – LHP – 6’1 184
    North Carolina
    Sophomore

    Parrish has been used as a situational lefty throughout his career with the Tar Heels and has done well in that role. This year, he pitched in 21 games and was often used to just get one out as he finished with only eight innings pitched. He had a 3.38 ERA and struck out 10 of the 33 batters he faced.

    Alex Powers – RHP – 6’4 170
    Southern New Hampshire
    Sophomore

    Powers is a native of Brewster and comes to Chatham off a great season with D-II Southern New Hampshire. Pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, Powers turned in a 1.52 ERA and struck out 48 in just 29.2 innings pitched. Opponents hit .181 against him.

    Austin Robichaux – RHP – 6’5 160
    Louisiana-Lafayette
    Freshman

    Robichaux is the son of Louisiana-Lafayette pitching coach Tony Robichaux and he joined his father with the Ragin’ Cajuns this year after getting selected in the 50th round of last year’s draft. He had a good debut, finishing with a 2.91 ERA and striking out 21 in 43.1 innings.

    Kurt Schluter – RHP – 6’3 185
    Stetson
    Junior

    Schluter was a 39th-round pick of the Red Sox this year so Boston will have a chance to keep an eye on him for a few weeks if he ends up in Chatham. Schluter was the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year in 2011. His numbers weren’t as good this year, as he finished with a 5.45 ERA.

    John Soldinger – RHP – 6’3 230
    Manhattan
    Junior

    Soldinger was the MAAC Pitcher of the Year last season after leading the league with 10 victories and putting up a 3.57 ERA. Soldinger was good again this year, going 6-5 with a 3.43 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 94.1 innings.

    Eric Stevens – RHP – 6’5 208
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    A tall righty, Stevens led the Eagles in appearances as a freshman. He moved into the rotation this year with mixed results. He went 5-3 with a 5.64 ERA. Control seems like it was the biggest issue. Stevens struck out 40 but walked 37.

    Ryan Thompson – RHP – 6’3 190
    Franklin Pierce
    Junior

    Thompson is a native of Calgary and started his career at UConn before transferring to Franklin Pierce. Last season was his first with the Ravens and he made a huge splash, ranking fifth in the nation in ERA and eighth in strikeouts. This year, Thompson went 5-2 with a 3.47 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched. Thompson is also an academic All-American.

    Michael Wagner – RHP – 6’4 185
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Wagner had solid numbers as a reliever in 2011 but vaulted into the national consciousness with a great season in the closer’s role this year. Wagner ended up as one of the top closers in the nation, tying for second nationally in saves with 19. He also had a 2.58 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched.

    Position Players

    Tom Bourdon – OF – 5’11 181 – Boston College – Sophomore
    Aaron Brown – OF/LHP – 6’1 200 – Pepperdine – Freshman
    *Alex Calbick – INF/OF – 6’0 190 – Maine – Sophomore
    Dale Carey – OF – 6’2 184 – Miami – Sophomore
    Alex Chittenden – SS – 6’0 186 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Adam Engel – OF – 6’2 213 – Louisville – Sophomore
    Dante Flores – INF – 5’10 160 – USC – Freshman
    Mike Fransoso – INF – 6’0 180 – Maine – Junior
    Andrew Knapp – C – 6’1 191 – California – Sophomore
    Nick LaCroix – OF – 6’0 200 – Franklin Pierce – Junior
    Louie Lechich – OF/LHP – 6’4 205 – San Diego – Sophomore
    John Martinez – C/OF – 5’10 185 – Michigan State – Junior
    Chad Morgan – C – 5’10 190 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Chad Pinder – INF – 6’2 192 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    Pat Valaika – INF – 5’11 195 – UCLA – Sophomore

    Tom Bourdon – OF – 5’11 181
    Boston College
    Sophomore

    Bourdon was a 38th-round pick of the Red Sox after high school and headed to Boston — just not to the Red Sox. At Boston College, Bourdon had a solid freshman campaign before breaking out in a big way this year. He led the Eagles in almost every offensive category, hitting .324 with 10 home runs, 18 doubles and 37 RBI. He earned second-team all-ACC honors.

    Aaron Brown – OF/LHP – 6’1 200
    Pepperdine
    Freshman

    Chatham has had a couple of highly-touted freshmen from Pepperdine over the years, and Brown is the latest. A 17th-round pick out of high school, Brown hit .265 in his first year with the Waves. He also made 16 appearances on the mound, finishing with a 4.64 ERA.

    Alex Calbick – INF/OF – 6’0 190
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Calbick was an America East all-rookie pick last year then played 35 games with Chatham, where he hit .205. He followed that up with a strong sophomore season this year. He hit .287 with five homers, 18 doubles and 43 RBI.

    Dale Carey – OF – 6’2 184
    Miami
    Sophomore

    Carey was a 21st-round pick out of high school, and some doubts about his bat kept him from going higher. He is in the process of erasing some of those doubts at Miami. He hit .271 this spring with two homers, 11 doubles and 20 RBI. He stole nine bases.

    Alex Chittenden – SS – 6’0 186
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    After hitting .233 as a freshman last year, Chittenden was an all-star in the New England Collegiate Baseball League last year. He’ll be trying to replicate that New England success this summer, and he’s got a good season to build on. Chittenden hit .303 for the Cards this year while playing an outstanding defensive shortstop.

    Adam Engel – OF – 6’2 213
    Louisville
    Sophomore

    Engel was an all-star in the Coastal Plain League and he, too, has a good spring to build on as he looks for another big summer. Engel hit .308 and was one of the top speedsters in the nation, finishing with 37 stolen bases. That was good for fifth nationally.

    Dante Flores – INF – 5’10 160
    USC
    Freshman

    Flores was a 41st round pick out of high school who stuck with his commitment to USC. He had a solid freshman season with the Trojans, batting .310 with two homers and 19 RBI.

    Mike Fransoso – INF – 6’0 180
    Maine
    Junior

    Another Maine standout, Fransoso is coming off a tremendous sophomore season. He hit .327 with five home runs, 18 doubles, four triples and 26 RBI. He also stole 19 bases and had a .419 on-base percentage.

    Andrew Knapp – C – 6’1 191
    California
    Sophomore

    Knapp is no stranger to summer league success. After hitting .212 as a freshman with the Bears, Knapp headed to the Northwoods League and won the batting title with a .400 average in 43 games. Baseball America named him the league’s second-best prospect. This spring, Knapp hit .265 with five home runs and 26 RBI.

    Nick LaCroix – OF – 6’0 200
    Franklin Pierce
    Junior

    After hitting well as a sophomore, LaCroix had an even better junior campaign with Franklin Pierce. He batted .355 with four home runs and 44 RBI. He’s native of Grafton, Mass.

    Louie Lechich – OF/LHP – 6’4 205
    San Diego
    Sophomore

    Lechich transferred from Cal to San Diego and made an immediate impact for the Toreros this year. He hit .311 with a homer and 33 RBI. He also made three appearances on the mound, posting a 7.88 ERA.

    John Martinez – C/OF – 5’10 185
    Michigan State
    Junior

    Martinez didn’t see a ton of action in his first two years in East Lansing, but he made the most of an opportunity this year. Martinez hit .306 with three home runs, eight doubles and 32 RBI while starting 48 games.

    Chad Morgan – C – 5’10 190
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    After redshirting in 20120, Morgan hit .245 in his debut last season. He slipped a bit this year, finishing with a .184 average.

    Chad Pinder – INF – 6’2 192
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Pinder wasn’t an everyday starter as a freshman but hit well when he had the chance. This year, he took a starting spot and ran with it, hitting .325 with seven homers, 22 doubles and 37 RBI.

    Pat Valaika – INF – 5’11 195
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Valaika batted .238 as a freshman last year and put up similar numbers in the West Coast League. He broke out this year and is hitting .271 with 11 doubles as the Bruins head to Omaha.

    Posted on

    2012 Early Look: Harwich Mariners

    TeamLogo_Harwich2003.jpgHarwich Mariners
    Manager: Steve Englert
    2011 Record: 24-19-1

    Harwich has won two of the last four Cape Cod Baseball League championships, including the 2012 crown. At the start of the playoffs, I’m not sure I would have picked them in either year they won (they were 24-20-1 in 2008 and 24-19-1 last year). But twice now, they’ve seemed to shine when the stage was at its biggest.

    That’s something that you can’t predict, and it’s something that is probably more related to the identity of an individual team than the identity of an organization. But at the same time, Harwich is clearly doing things right. The Mariners are bringing in a lot of talent year after year and they seem to have the right guy to mold it in Englert.

    This year is no different. There are 35 players on the roster at this point so there will certainly be shuffling. But when it’s all sorted out in August, I wouldn’t be surprised if Harwich was the most talented team on the Cape.

    And if they hit their playoff stride again, watch out.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 3
    Juniors: 8
    Sophomores: 17
    Freshmen: 10

    Notable

  • Harwich has a huge roster at this point, with 35 players listed, so not all of these guys will end up on the Cape. But if this is a case of throwing a lot to the wall and seeing what sticks, it looks like a pretty good plan. Lots of talent here. I could have gone 10 deep on the players I’m excited to see without having to stretch it.

  • The Mariners had an outstanding bullpen last season and it was one of the biggest reasons they won the championship. Whether the 2012 crew can replicate that success remains to be seen, but there’s certainly potential with guys like C.K. Irby, Evan Mitchell and Brandon Woodruff looking like candidates to lead the way.

  • Aaron Nola has followed in his brother Austin’s footsteps at LSU, and now he’s following Austin’s path to Harwich. Aaron is coming in off a great freshman season.

  • The Mariners have done well with Missouri State pitchers over the years, and they’ve got two more coming this year in returnee Grant Gordon and newcomer Tyler Burgess. But the Mariners were also supposed to have Missouri State’s Nick Petree, the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year. He is no longer on the roster.

  • Another mid-major program that’s had some success in Harwich is Samford, who sent flamethrower Lex Rutledge a few years ago. Two more will come from Samford this year and they bring big credentials with them. C.K. Irby was an outstanding two way player and Phil Ervin had a huge season with the bat.

  • Kentucky had two star freshmen this year in A.J. Reed and Austin Cousino. While Cousino has been invited to Team USA and probably won’t make it to Hyannis, Reed is still on the Harwich roster. He’s got the potential a star at the plate and on the mound.

  • I love when hometown players get a chance to play in the Cape League, and Harwich is giving that opportunity to native son Andrew Sadoski. He may be able to hold his own too, after an outstanding spring on the mound at Bridgewater State.

  • The Jared King on the Harwich roster is one of two Jared Kings expected to be on the Cape this summer. The other is from Kansas State and is on the Falmouth roster. I’m definitely going to confuse the two of them at some point.

  • I will also confuse Notre Dame players Eric Jagielo and Trey Mancini, who had nearly identical numbers this spring. I already had to check their names like three times for this note.

  • If you didn’t see him last year, you should make a point to go to a Harwich game and watch Austin Wilson. At 6’5, 245 and with plenty of athleticism, he is not the type of player you typically see making it to college or making it to the Cape. With a good summer, Wilson could secure his spot as the major prospect he’s always been touted as.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Austin Wilson
    2. Brian Ragira
    3. Aaron Nola
    4. Brett Austin
    5. Eric Skoglund

    Pitchers

    Tyler Burgess – LHP – 6’0 185 – Missouri State – Freshman
    Eddie Campbell – LHP – 6’0 195 – Virginia Tech – Sophomore
    *Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 180 – Missouri State – Junior
    Justin Hageman – RHP – 6’2 205 – Western Kentucky – Sophomore
    Ryan Harvey – RHP – 6’2 220 – Seton Hall – Junior
    C.K. Irby – RHP/INF – 6’2 195 – Samford – Sophomore
    Dimitri Kourtis – RHP – 6’3 190 – Mercer – Freshman
    Clark Labitan – RHP – 5’9 170 – Virginia Tech – Junior
    Corey Littrell – LHP – 6’3 195 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    Dylan Maki – RHP – 6’1 205 – Northeastern – Junior
    Evan Mitchell – RHP – 6’2 176 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
    Aaron Nola – RHP – 6’2 180 – LSU – Freshman
    Garrett Nuss – RHP – 6’2 190 – Central Florida – Freshman
    Cole Pitts – RHP – 6’5 225 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
    A.J. Reed – LHP/INF – 6’4 230 – Kentucky – Freshman
    Andrew Sadoski – RHP – 6’4 200 – Bridgewater State – Sophomore
    Eric Skoglund – LHP – 6’7 180 – Central Florida – Freshman
    Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 215 – Mississippi State – Freshman

    Tyler Burgess – LHP – 6’0 185
    Missouri State
    Freshman

    Burgess was a dominant high-school pitcher in Missouri and didn’t have much of a struggle with the transition to college ball. He lead the Bears in appearances this season with 26 and was very effective, posting a 2.08 ERA to go with 31 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched.

    Eddie Campbell – LHP – 6’0 195
    Virginia Tech
    Sophomore

    Campbell hails from Bridgewater, Mass., so he’ll be playing relatively close to home this summer. Campbell had an ERA over six this spring but flashed his potential with 40 strikeouts in 35.1 innings pitched.

    Grant Gordon – RHP – 6’0 180
    Missouri State
    Junior

    Gordon has shuffled around between the bullpen and the rotation at Missouri State but has had success in every role. He pitched with Harwich last summer and had a 3.06 ERA as a valuable member of the bullpen. This spring, he remained in the bullpen for the Bears and had a 3.28 ERA in 19 appearances.

    Justin Hageman – RHP – 6’2 205
    Western Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Hageman burst onto the scene for the Hilltoppers last year, posting a 3.22 ERA on his way to Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. He hit a bit of a sophomore slump this year, going 4-6 with a 5.28 ERA.

    Ryan Harvey – RHP – 6’2 220
    Seton Hall
    Junior

    After two strong seasons in a row at Seton Hall, Harvey was selected by the Rangers in the 18th round of this year’s draft, so we’ll wait and see if he ends up playing at all for the Mariners. He was a standout starting pitcher for Seton Hall this spring, going 6-4 with a 3.04 ERA and 90 strikeouts in only 77 innings pitched.

    C.K. Irby – RHP/INF – 6’2 195
    Samford
    Sophomore

    Irby had a solid freshman season for Samford and emerged as one of the top two-way players in the country this season. Pitching in the closer’s role, he finished with 10 saves, a 2.06 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched. At the plate, Irby hit .340 with five home runs and 48 RBI.

    Dimitri Kourtis – RHP – 6’3 190
    Mercer
    Freshman

    Kourtis was a valuable arm for Mercer in his debut season. He made 25 appearances, with eight starts, and ended up with a 3.90 ERA. HE struck out 38 in 64.2 innings pitched.

    Clark Labitan – RHP – 5’9 170
    Virginia Tech
    Junior

    Labitan has been at Virginia Tech for four years as a result of a redshirt year in 2010. This season, he finally found his groove and became one of the team’s top relievers. In 28 appearances, he had a 3.18 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 45.1 innings pitched.

    Corey Littrell – LHP – 6’3 195
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    Littrell was a 35th round pick out of high school. As a freshman in 2011, he didn’t have great overall numbers but showed flashes of brilliance. This year, he sustained those flashes as he became the ace of the UK staff. Littrell went 9-2 with a 2.74 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 98.2 innings pitched.

    Dylan Maki – RHP – 6’1 205
    Northeastern
    Junior

    A native of Gloucester, Mass., Maki had a strong 2011 as a reliever for the Huskies, posting a 3.26 ERA and striking out better than a batter an inning. He had some struggles this year, finishing with a 7.52 ERA in 16 appearances.

    Evan Mitchell – RHP – 6’2 176
    Mississippi State
    Sophomore

    Mitchell has had two strong seasons with the Bulldogs, finishing both seasons with more strikeouts than innings pitched. This year, he had a 3.52 ERA in 13 appearances and struck out 43 in 38.1 innings pitched.

    Aaron Nola – RHP – 6’2 180
    LSU
    Freshman

    The brother of former Harwich standout Austin Nola, Aaron will make his way north after a great freshman season in Baton Rouge. Pitching in the weekend rotation, Nola went 7-4 with a 3.61 ERA. He struck out 89 and walked just seven in 89.2 innings, good for the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the nation. Nola was a 22nd round pick out of high school.

    Garrett Nuss – RHP – 6’2 190
    Central Florida
    Freshman

    Central Florida had a great pitching staff this year and two of its best are coming to Harwich in Nuss and Eric Skoglund. Nuss pitched mostly out of the bullpen and finished with a 3.89 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. Nuss was a 32nd-round pick of the Yankees last year.

    Cole Pitts – RHP – 6’5 225
    Georgia Tech
    Freshman

    A 32nd-round pick out of high school last year, Pitts jumped immediately into the Tech rotation this season and had a strong campaign. He went 6-4 with a 4.50 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched.

    A.J. Reed – LHP/INF – 6’4 230
    Kentucky
    Freshman

    Reed is raking in the Freshman All-America honors after a season in which he starred as a two-way player for the Wildcats. On the mound, Reed went 5-3 with a 2.52 ERA and 51 strikeouts against just nine walks in 53.2 innings pitched. At the dish, he hit .300 with four home runs and 43 RBI. Reed was a 25th-round draft pick out of high school last year.

    Andrew Sadoski – RHP – 6’4 200
    Bridgewater State
    Sophomore

    Sadoski is a Harwich native and he’s getting a chance to return home this summer while he’s in the midst of a great career at Bridgewater State. Sadoski was 8-1 this year with a 1.72 ERA.

    Eric Skoglund – LHP – 6’7 180
    Central Florida
    Freshman

    Another standout freshman from UCF, Skoglund earned C-USA all-freshman honors after a great debut season. He went 5-3 with a 3.21 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 47.2 innings of work. Skoglund was a 16th-round pick out of high school last year

    Brandon Woodruff – RHP – 6’3 215
    Mississippi State
    Freshman

    Woodruff was a two-way star in high school. At Mississippi State this year, he focused mostly on pitching and met good results. In 12 appearances, with six starts, Woodruff had a 2.38 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched.

    Position Players

    Brett Austin – C – 6’1 190 – NC State – Freshman
    Michael Connolly – C – 6’0175 – Maine – Sophomore
    Sam Dove – OF – 6’2 188 – Georgia Tech – Junior
    Tanner English – OF – 5’9 170 – South Carolina – Freshman
    Phil Ervin – OF – 5’10 195 – Samford – Sophomore
    Zane Evans – C/RHP – 6’2 210 – Georgia Tech – Sophomore
    Colin Gay – OF – 6’1 180 – Maine – Sophomore
    Eric Jagielo – INF – 6’2 215 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
    *JaCoby Jones – OF – 6’3 207 – LSU – Sophomore
    Jared King – INF – 6’1 205 – Virginia – Junior
    Justin Leeson – OF – 6’3 205 – Georgetown – Junior
    Trey Mancini – INF – 6’4 215 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
    Brian Ragira – OF – 6’2 200 – Stanford – Sophomore
    Matt Reida – INF – 5’11 175 – Kentucky – Sophomore
    John Sheridan – OF – 6’2 195 – Brown – Junior
    Austen Smith – INF – 6’4 240 – Alabama – Sophomore
    *Austin Wilson – OF – 6’4 235 – Stanford – Sophomore

    Brett Austin – C – 6’1 190
    NC State
    Freshman

    A supplemental first round pick last year, Austin came to NC State with considerable hype. While he didn’t have as good a season as some of his freshmen teammates in Raleigh, he was still solid. He hit .284 with 17 doubles and 37 RBI.

    Michael Connolly – C – 6’0 – 175Maine
    Sophomore

    A native of Middleborough, Mass., Connolly hit .248 as a freshman for the Black Bears. This year, he saw in action in only 17 games and hit .147.

    Sam Dove – OF – 6’2 188
    Georgia Tech
    Junior

    A junior, Dove did not get drafted this year, but it wasn’t for a lack of success on the diamond. Dove was second on the team with a .340 batting average. He also had three home runs and 30 RBI to go with 12 stolen bases.

    Tanner English – OF – 5’9 170
    South Carolina
    Freshman

    English has been a key to success for the Gamecocks, who are chasing their third consecutive national championship. A 13th-round pick out of high school, English is hitting .306, good for second on the team, and has stolen nine bases.

    Phil Ervin – OF – 5’10 195
    Samford
    Sophomore

    Ervin had a huge freshman campaign for Samford last year, hitting a team-best .371 on his way to first-team all-conference honors. For an encore, Ervin had another big year in 2012. He hit .327, with 10 home runs, 18 doubles and 52 RBI.

    Zane Evans – C/RHP – 6’2 210
    Georgia Tech
    Sophomore

    Evans grabbed the starting catcher’s job immediately last year and earned Freshman All-America honors with a solid season. This year, he was a little bit better, hitting .295 with four home runs, 17 doubles and 51 RBI. Evans also made 19 appearances as a relief pitcher, posting a 3.68 ERA and striking out 34 in 36.2 innings.

    Colin Gay – OF – 6’1 180
    Maine
    Sophomore

    Another Southeastern Massachusetts product, Gay made the trek from Franklin up to Maine, where he’s having a solid career. This spring, he hit .299 with a homer and 28 RBI. He also stole 14 bases.

    Eric Jagielo – INF – 6’2 215
    Notre Dame
    Sophomore

    Jagielo was picked in the last round of the 2010 draft, but if his sophomore season is any indication, he’ll go a lot higher when he’s eligible again next year. Jagielo hit .310 this spring with 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 43 RBI.

    JaCoby Jones – OF – 6’3 207
    LSU
    Sophomore

    Like his LSU teammate Nola, Jones — a 19th round pick out of high school in 2010 — is likely to get a lot of attention from scouts this summer. He played briefly for Harwich last year, hitting .234 in 14 games. This spring, he hit .253 with four home runs and 29 RBI. He also stole 11 bases.

    Jared King – INF – 6’1 205
    Virginia
    RS Junior

    King redshirted the 2010 season after a shoulder injury. He returned last year and had a solid campaign, hitting .321. His average dipped to .253 this year, but he did have four home runs, 12 doubles, five triples and 44 RBI.

    Justin Leeson – OF – 6’3 205
    Georgetown
    Junior

    Leeson was eligible for the draft this year and went in the 39th round to Kansas City. That comes after a great junior season, in which Leeson hit .325 with two home runs and 25 RBI. He also stole 18 bases.

    Trey Mancini – INF – 6’4 215
    Notre Dame
    Sophomore

    Mancini had a strikingly similar campaign to his teammate Jagielo. He hit .317 with 12 home runs, 10 doubles and 45 RBI. Mancini also hit nine home runs last year as a freshman.

    Brian Ragira – OF – 6’2 200
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Ragira was slated to join his teammate Austin Wilson in Harwich last summer but didn’t end up coming after serving as an alternate for Team USA. The Mariners would love to get both this year, because they’re probably isn’t a pair of more highly-touted teammates in the league. Ragira hit .329 this year with five home runs and 50 RBI.

    Matt Reida – INF – 5’11 175
    Kentucky
    Sophomore

    One of three Wildcats on the Harwich roster, Reida had some struggles with the bat this year but still started every game. He finished with a .239 average, two home runs and 22 RBI.

    John Sheridan – OF – 6’2 195
    Brown
    Junior

    Sheridan hails from Palo Alto, Calif., but has spent the last three years in Providence, where he’s had a solid career at Brown. He hit .315 this year with a home run, 13 RBI and 12 stolen bases.

    Austen Smith – INF – 6’4 240
    Alabama
    Sophomore

    Smith started every game as a freshman last year and hit .297 with 44 RBI. He slumped a bit in his sophomore year, finishing at .240 with three homers and 23 RBI.

    Austin Wilson – OF – 6’4 235
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Wilson already has the body of a Major Leaguer and he draws plenty of attention wherever he goes. Perfect Game picked him as the Cape Leagues third-best prospect last year despite the fact that he struggled for much of the summer. Wilson still hasn’t put it all together but he continued to show flashes this spring, hitting .285 with 10 home runs and 54 RBI.

    Posted on

    Happy Opening Day

    The first official day of summer is still six days away, but for you and me, summer really begins today. The 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League season opens tonight with a full slate of games.

    Your schedule:

    Hyannis at Cotuit, 5 p.m.
    Falmouth at Y-D, 5 p.m.
    Bourne at Harwich, 7 p.m.
    Brewster at Orleans, 7 p.m.
    Chatham at Wareham, 7 p.m.

    If you’re catching a game tonight, enjoy it. Work calls so I probably won’t be, but in the meantime, I’ll be rolling through the last three early looks here on rightfieldfog.com. If you need your Cape League fix, keep checking back.

    Posted on

    2012 Early Look: Brewster Whitecaps

    TeamLogo_Brewster2003.jpgBrewster Whitecaps
    Manager: John Altobelli
    2011 Record: 20-20-4

    Brewster was one of the best teams in the league in 2010. Though the Whitecaps didn’t stand out quite as much in 2011, they were still solidly in third place in the East division.

    When I looked back on that, I was actually surprised. I remembered some solid players in Whitecap uniforms, but I didn’t remember a whole lot of team success. I probably shouldn’t have been surprised though. While Brewster hasn’t often been a top-of-the-division team the last few years, it hasn’t been a bottom-of-the-division team either. The Whitecaps always find a way to win, even though they don’t typically bring in quite as much upper-echelon talent as some of the league’s other teams.

    There’s a new manager at the helm this year — John Altobelli — but he’s been an assistant in Brewster, so the identity may not change too much. The Whitecaps have a team with several potential standouts and top prospects, along with several other players who will be looking to break out after spring struggles. I don’t doubt that they’ll find a way.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 1
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 16
    Freshmen: 6

    Notable

  • John Altobelli, the new manager, is the father of former Whitecap J.J. Altobelli, who hit .295 last summer. J.J. hit .261 for Oregon this spring and was selected in the 21st round of the MLB draft by the Twins. John Altobelli is the head coach at Orange Coast Community College.

  • The likely top prospect for the Whitecaps is a guy who’s already been drafted twice. Pitcher Adrian Sampson is a junior-college star who was drafted in the 16th round after his freshman year and in the fifth round after this his sophomore year. Sampson has committed to Oregon and has until July 13 to sign or stick with that commitment. We’ll see if the Cape is where he spends the time before that deadline.

  • Brewster has a serious west coast flavor, with 13 players from Washington, Oregon or California. That’s a lot of long journeys. In all, the team has just four players from schools east of the Mississippi River.

  • Austin Voth is the lone returnee to Brewster’s pitching staff and it’ll be interesting to see how he’s used. After some struggles as a starter in his freshman year at Washington, Voth became an all-star reliever on the Cape. This spring, he had 11 starts and 11 relief appearances.

  • The other returning Whitecap was also an all-star last summer — outfielder Jason Monda. He was one of the top freshmen in the league last year and could emerge as one of the Cape’s top prospects this year.

  • Ryon Healy is another player with Cape experience, having played for Cotuit last year. He makes the switch to Brewster this year after another strong season at Oregon.

  • Brewster has quite a few high-profile freshmen coming in, led by Florida State pitcher Brandon Leibrandt. The lefty has been the ace of the staff for a Seminole team that is headed to Omaha.

  • Aaron Judge of Fresno State stands 6-foot-7. There are a few pitchers who will be in the league this summer that can match that, but Judge is a position player. He’ll tower over a lot of others.

  • UCLA infielder Kevin Williams has spent the last two summers with the West Coast Collegiate League’s Walla Walla Sweets. One of the owners of that team is our friend at Codball, Greg Shaw.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Brandon Leibrandt
    2. Jason Monda
    3. Adrian Sampson
    4. Ryon Healy
    5. Austin Voth

    Pitchers

    Brady Kirkpatrick – RHP – 6’0 180 – Maryland – Sophomore
    James Leckenby – RHP – 6’4 208 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Brandon Leibrandt – LHP – 6’4 195 – Florida State – Freshman
    Jake McCasland – RHP – 6’2 220 – New Mexico – Sophomore
    Chase McDowell – RHP/OF – 6’2 190 – Rice – Junior
    Evan Rutter – RHP – 6’3 190 – Rice – Freshman
    Adrian Sampson – RHP – 6’2 205 – Bellevue College – Sophomore
    Erik Schoenrock – LHP – 6’2 200 – Memphis – Sophomore
    Michael Theofanopoulos – LHP – 5’10 191 – California – Sophomore
    *Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 200 – Washington – Sophomore
    Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 160 – Florida State – Freshman
    Tom Windle – LHP – 6’3 195 – Minnesota – Sophomore

    Brady Kirkpatrick – RHP – 6’0 180
    Maryland
    Sophomore

    Kirkpatrick had an ERA over five as a freshman with Maryland last year. He improved on those numbers as a sophomore, posting a 3.04 ERA despite the fact that he walked one more batter than he struck out.

    James Leckenby – RHP – 6’4 208
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    Leckenby had the best ERA among Washington State relievers last year. This season, he moved into the weekend rotation with decent results. He finished with a 4.50 ERA to go with 42 strikeouts in 80 innings pitched.

    Brandon Leibrandt – LHP – 6’4 195
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Leibrandt will be a late arrival because of Florida State’s run to the semifinals, but he could be worth the wait. A 48th round pick out of high school, he has emerged as the ace of the pitching staff on a veteran team. He’s currently 8-2 with a 2.58 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 94.1 innings pitched.

    Jake McCasland – RHP – 6’2 220
    New Mexico
    Sophomore

    McCasland was a 38th-round pick out of high school but has had mixed results in his first two years with the Lobos. As a freshman in 2011, he finished with an ERA over six as a weekend starter. He pitched more out of the bullpen this year, posting a 6.43 ERA in 21 innings pitched.

    Chase McDowell – RHP/OF – 6’2 190
    Rice
    Junior

    McDowell battled an injury last year but came back and delivered decent results this year. He finished with a 4.50 ERA in 10 appearances on his way to being picked in the 30th round of this year’s Major League Baseball draft. McDowell also hit .243 in limited action at the plate.

    Evan Rutter – RHP – 6’3 190
    Rice
    Freshman

    Rutter was a Texas All-Stater in high school last season. He didn’t see a lot action in his first year with the Owls, but pitched well when he was out there. In 7.1 innings of work, he didn’t allow a run.

    Adrian Sampson – RHP – 6’2 205
    Bellevue College
    Sophomore

    Sampson had a tremendous sophomore season in the junior college ranks at Bellevue. He went 11-0 with a 1.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts in just 79.1 innings pitched. He was eligible for the draft this year and went in the fifth round to the Pirates after going in the 16th round after his freshman year at Bellevue. Sampson likely would have been drafted out of high school if not for Tommy John surgery as a senior.

    Erik Schoenrock – LHP – 6’2 200
    Memphis
    Sophomore

    Schoenrock made 12 appearances as a freshman and finished with an ERA over six. He was busier as a sophomore, making 17 appearances mostly out of the bullpen. Though his ERA was over five, he struck out 26 in 27 innings pitched.

    Michael Theofanopoulos – LHP – 5’10 191
    California
    Sophomore

    Theofanopoulos jumped into Cal’s weekend rotation this year and didn’t have the smoothest ride. He finished 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 69.1 innings pitched.

    Austin Voth – RHP – 6’1 200
    Washington
    Sophomore

    After a so-so debut season as a starting pitcher with the Huskies last spring, Voth headed for Brewster, moved to the bullpen and became one of the Cape League’s top relievers. He earned all-star honors and finished with a 1.98 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27.1 innings. This spring, Voth divided his time between the bullpen and the rotation and had pretty good success wherever he was. He went 7-1 with a 4.14 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 67.1 innings.

    Luke Weaver – RHP – 6’2 160
    Florida State
    Freshman

    Weaver is another Florida State freshman hurler, and he came to Tallahassee with even more hype than Leibrandt. Weaver was a 19th-round pick out of high school last year. He’s made 16 appearances for the Seminoles, nine of them out of the bullpen. He has an ERA of 5.68 but 38 strikeouts in 38 innings.

    Tom Windle – LHP – 6’3 195
    Minnesota
    Sophomore

    Windle led the Gophers in ERA as a freshman reliever this year. The number wasn’t quite as low this year, but Windle still had an impressive campaign. In 18 appearances, he had a 3.27 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 41.1 innings pitched. Windle was a 28th-round pick out of high school.

    Position Players

    Derek Campbell – INF – 6’0 172 – California – Sophomore
    Dylan Davis – OF – 6’0 200 – Oregon State – Freshman
    Erik Forgione – SS – 6’1 166 – Washington – Freshman
    Ryon Healy – INF – 6’5 215 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Aaron Judge – OF – 6’7 230 – Fresno State – Sophomore
    Jeff McNeil – 2B – 6’1 160 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
    Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 222 – Washington – Freshman
    *Jason Monda – OF – 6’4 201 – Washington State – Sophomore
    Spencer Navin – C – 6’2 205 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
    Dan Olinger – 3B – 6’2 190 – Minnesota – RS Sophomore
    Kevin Williams – INF – 6’0 190 – UCLA – Sophomore

    Derek Campbell – INF – 6’0 172
    California
    Sophomore

    Campbell has been a consistent contributor in two years with the Golden Bears. After hitting .263 as a freshman in 2011, Campbell finished at .264 this year a homer and 13 RBI.

    Dylan Davis – OF/RHP – 6’0 200
    Oregon State
    Freshman

    Davis was the top high school prospect in Washington last year, standing out as a two-way talent. In his first season with Oregon State, he hit .247 with three home runs, 12 doubles and 30 RBI. He also pitched some, making 10 appearances and posting a 4.32 ERA.

    Erik Forgione – SS – 6’1 166
    Washington
    Freshman

    Forgione was a 33rd round pick out of high school and he got a chance to start right away for the Huskies. While he had his bright spots, offense in general was a struggle as Forgione finished the season with a .173 average.

    Ryon Healy – INF – 6’5 215
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Healy was undrafted out of high school because of high bonus demands but he made an immediate splash before he even got to college when he was named the top prospect in the California Collegiate League the summer after his senior year of high school. He had a good freshman season in Oregon before hitting .244 with Cotuit last summer. Previously a two-way player, Healy focused on hitting this spring and finished at .312 with four home runs, 13 doubles and 42 RBI.

    Aaron Judge – OF – 6’7 230
    Fresno State
    Sophomore

    A 30th-round pick out of high school, Judge had a huge debut with Fresno State last year, hitting .358 on his way to WAC Freshman of the Year honors. It was more of the same this year, as Judge hit .308 with four home runs, 14 doubles and 27 RBI.

    Jeff McNeil – 2B – 6’1 160
    Long Beach State
    Sophomore

    McNeil saw plenty of time last year in his freshman season with Long Beach State, and he hit .271. This spring, the average dipped slightly to .258, but McNeil was still a key player for the 49ers.

    Trevor Mitsui – 1B – 6’5 222
    Washington
    Freshman

    Mitsui was the state of Washington’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2011, and he was drafted by the Rays in the 12th round. He still stuck with the plan to play for his home-state school and delivered a strong freshman campaign. Mitsui hit .308 with a home run and 14 RBI.

    Jason Monda – OF – 6’4 201
    Washington State
    Sophomore

    After a decent freshman season with the Cougars, Monda burst onto the scene in Brewster last summer. For quite a while, he was the league’s hottest hitter and he ended up with a .333 average and an all-star nod. He was also named the league’s 14th best prospect by Baseball America. This spring, Monda hit .275 with a homer, 10 doubles and 18 RBI.

    Spencer Navin – C – 6’1 205
    Vanderbilt
    Sophomore

    After seeing action in just eight games as a freshman, Navin became a regular for the Commodores this year and made the most of his opportunity. He finished with a .298 average, which was good for third on the team. He also had three home runs and 27 RBI.

    Dan Olinger – 3B – 6’2 190
    Minnesota
    RS Sophomore

    After redshirting in 2010, Olinger had a solid freshman season in 2011. This year, he took a leap forward and emerged as one of the team’s top offensive threats. Olinger hit .318 with 13 doubles and a team-best 34 RBI.

    Kevin Williams – INF – 6’0 190
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Williams was a 41st-round pick out of high school who didn’t have a ton of success in his first season with the Bruins last year. It’s been a different story this year, though. As a regular starter for the Omaha-bound Bruins, Williams is hitting .305 with two home runs and 19 RBI.

    Posted on

    2012 Early Look: Y-D Red Sox

    logo1.pngY-D Red Sox
    Manager: Scott Pickler
    2011 Record: 19-21-4

    Last summer marked the first time since 2008 that the Y-D Red Sox didn’t have a winning record. Of course, that still couldn’t really hold the Red Sox down. They won a playoff series over favored Orleans before getting swept by eventual champion Harwich.

    Despite that strong finish, the season as a whole felt like one big missed opportunity. The Red Sox had tremendous talent on their roster — perhaps more than any team in the league — but between injuries, the College World Series and Team USA, that talent never completely came together. Y-D ended up having four players drafted in the first round, prompting manager Scott Pickler to jokingly tell the Cape Cod Times that he should be fired for not winning the championship. But with all the changes and the upheaval, you couldn’t blame the Red Sox for scuffling.

    That’s in the past now, and the Red Sox don’t look like they’ll have to do quite as much shuffling this year. They have four players in the College World Series and two on the Team USA roster, but everybody else should be set.

    And that’s a good thing, because there is once again a lot of talent.

    The Red Sox just hope it comes together.

    Roster Rundown
    Returning Players: 5
    Juniors: 1
    Sophomores: 12
    Freshmen: 11

    Notable

  • The more successful college players a team has on its roster, the easier it is to write all this stuff up. Sometimes, the early looks can be a grind, but this one flew by, which should tell you something. Of the six teams I’ve done so far, I don’t think anybody has more players coming off good seasons than Y-D.

  • Many of those players coming off good seasons are pitchers. In fact, there isn’t a single pitcher on the Y-D roster who had any significant struggles. Most had great years, particularly starters Jonathan Crawford, Joey DeNato, Alex Gonzalez, Rick Knapp, Ben Lively, Jake Reed and Andrew Thurman. The Red Sox look like they may have some serious pitching depth. It’ll be experienced depth too, with five pitchers returning to the Cape for a second summer.

  • Y-D is going quite a bit younger than a lot of teams this year, with 11 freshmen coming into the fold. A lot of them look like future stars, so if they make a return trip in 2013, we could be talking about another very talented team.

  • Every freshmen on the NC State baseball team — and every freshmen in the nation — was overshadowed by freshman pitcher Carlos Rodon, who was among the national leaders in strikeouts and earned ACC Pitcher of the Year honors. But even in the shadows, it was hard to miss Rodon’s teammate Trea Turner. A freshman infielder, Turner led the nation in stolen bases while batting .336 and five home runs. Unfortunately for Y-D, Team USA notice, and Turner was just added to the roster there.

  • The other biggest freshman standout for the Red Sox looks like Indiana’s Sam Travis, who drove in 50 runs on his way to Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors. Stanford’s Alex Blandino — with eight home runs — isn’t far behind.

  • One concern relating to the big freshman crop is how many of them are hitters — it’s nine of the 10. Y-D could could conceivably have six or seven freshmen in the everyday lineup, and freshmen hitters don’t often shine on the Cape.

  • In addition to Turner, Oregon pitcher Jimmie Sherfy has also been invited to Team USA. He had 19 saves this year to go with ridiculous strikeout numbers.

    • Five Players I’m Excited to See
    1. Trea Turner
    2. Jonathan Crawford
    3. Jimmie Sherfy
    4. Alex Blandino
    5. Sam Travis

    Pitchers

    Jonathan Crawford – RHP – 6’2 205 – Florida – Sophomore
    *Joey DeNato – LHP – 5’10 185 – Indiana – Sophomore
    *Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
    Rick Knapp – RHP – 6’1 200 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore
    Spenser Linney – LHP – 6’5 195 – Stanford – Freshman
    Ben Lively – RHP – 6’4 205 – Central Florida – Sophomore
    Jake Reed – RHP – 6’2 180 – Oregon – Freshman
    Jimmie Sherfy – RHP – 6’0 170 – Oregon – Sophomore
    Scott Squier – LHP – 6’6 185 – Hawaii – Freshman
    Cole Swanson – LHP – 6’5 200 – San Diego State – Sophomore
    *Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
    *A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205 – Stanford – Sophomore
    *Zack Weiss – RHP – 6’2 210 – UCLA – Sophomore

    Jonathan Crawford – RHP – 6’2 205
    Florida
    Sophomore

    With standouts Brian Johnson, Hudson Randall and Karsten Whitson leading the way, there didn’t seem to be much room in the Florida rotation for anybody else. Crawford forced himself in. The sophomore is 6-2 with a 3.13 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 74.2 innings pitched. He made national headlines when he tossed a no-hitter in Florida’s regional. Crawford was a 42nd-round pick out of high school.

    Joey DeNato – LHP – 5’10 185
    Indiana
    Sophomore

    After a good freshman season, DeNato made his way to Cape Cod and became one of the most valuable members of Y-D’s pitching staff. He made five starts and seven relief appearances, finishing the summer with a 2.38 ERA. This year, DeNato became an ace for the Hoosiers, going 7-3 with a 3.22 ERA and 76 strikeouts. He led the team in innings pitched with 92.1.

    Alex Gonzalez – RHP – 6’2 200
    Oral Roberts
    Sophomore

    Gonzalez is set to return to Y-D for his second summer, and he’s poised to emerge as a top-flight starting pitcher. After an impressive freshman season that included 100 strikeouts, Gonzalez had a decent showing on the Cape, finishing with a 3.08 ERA in seven starts. This spring, he kept it up, going 6-3 with a 2.30 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 86 innings pitched. Gonzalez was an 11th-round pick out of high school.

    Rick Knapp – RHP – 6’1 200
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    An Atlantic Sun All-Freshman pick in 2011, Knapp earned all-star honors in the Northwoods League last summer. This spring, he built on that success with a big campaign. He went 9-4 with a 2.34 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched. He was named the Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Year.

    Spenser Linney – LHP – 6’5 195
    Stanford
    Freshman

    A 44th-round pick out of high school, Linney didn’t see much action for the Cardinal this year. In 10 appearances, he logged 6.1 innings of work. He allowed four earned runs while striking out five.

    Ben Lively – RHP – 6’4 205
    Central Florida
    Sophomore

    Lively was a 26th-round pick out of high school in 2010, and though he had an ERA over five last year, he still made enough of an impression to earn Conference USA All-Freshman honors. This year, Lively made good on his potential with an impressive sophomore campaign. Emerging as the team’s ace, he went 9-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.

    Jake Reed – RHP – 6’2 180
    Oregon
    Freshman

    Reed was a 40th-round pick out of high school but was mentioned as a third-to-fifth rounder heading into the draft. He stuck with his commitment and became a standout immediately in Eugene. Reed went 8-4 with a 2.92 ERA in his debut season. He struck out 67 and walked 42 in 114 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .230 against him.

    Jimmie Sherfy – RHP – 6’0 170
    Oregon
    Sophomore

    Sherfy has been invited to Team USA so he may not make it to the Cape, but if he does, he’ll be bringing one of the most electric arms in the nation with him. Sherfy ranked second in the nation in saves with 19, but his strikeout numbers were even more eye-popping. He K’d 93 in 61.1 innings, good for a K/9 ratio of 13.7.

    Scott Squier – LHP – 6’6 185
    Hawaii
    Freshman

    A native of Phoenix, Ariz., Squier made the trek to Hawaii and didn’t disappoint upon arrival. He vaulted right into the weekend rotation and went 3-4 with a 3.50 ERA and 55 strikeouts in 64.1 innings pitched. Squier was a 21st round pick out of high school, and he reportedly hit 94 on the gun as a high-school senior.

    Cole Swanson – LHP – 6’5 200
    San Diego State
    Sophomore

    After a great freshman season, Swanson was poised for big things this year as he stepped into the Friday starter role for the Aztecs. Instead, he had to have an appendectomy early in the season, leaving him with just six appearances in what supposed to be a breakout season.

    Andrew Thurman – RHP – 6’3 200
    UC Irvine
    Sophomore

    Thurman pitched well in a swing role last year for the Anteaters then had a good showing in 33 innings of work with Y-D over the summer. This year, Thurman became the ace of the Irvine staff and finished 8-3 with a 2.66 ERA. He struck out 69 in 98 innings of work.

    A.J. Vanegas – RHP – 6’3 205
    Stanford
    Sophomore

    Vanegas was a seventh round pick in the 2010 draft. When he stuck with his commitment to Stanford, he became one of the highest unsigned picks in his class. After putting up solid numbers in his freshman campaign, he pitched well in a short stint with Y-D last summer. This spring, he was a key pitcher for the Cardinal, posting a 2.62 ERA while pitching mostly out of the bullpen. He struck out 53 in 65.1 innings.

    Zack Weiss – RHP – 6’2 210
    UCLA
    Sophomore

    Weiss was a 10th-round pick out of high school and delivered a strong first season with the Bruins last year. He had his ups and downs on the Cape last summer, but has come back with a strong season for the Omaha-bound Bruins this spring. He’s currently 3-2 with a 4.04 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched.

    Position Players

    Alex Blandino – SS – 6’0 175 – Stanford – Freshman
    Jaycob Brugman – OF – 6’0 185 – BYU – Sophomore
    Matt McGovern – OF – 5’10 169 – Boston College – Junior
    Robert Pehl – 2B – 6’1 200 – Washington – Freshman
    Justin Shafer – INF/OF – 6’3 205 – Florida – Freshman
    Chris Sujka – OF – 5’11 190 – Indiana – Freshman
    Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 200 – Stanford – Freshman
    Josh Tobias – INF – 5’9 208 – Florida – Freshman
    Sam Travis – 3B – 6’0 205 – Indiana – Freshman
    Trea Turner – SS – 6’1 170 – NC State – Freshman
    Sean Dwyer – OF – 6’1 200 – Florida Gulf Coast – Sophomore

    Alex Blandino – SS – 6’0 175
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Blandino was considered a tough sign out of high school so he slipped to the 38th round of last year’s draft. He made an immediate splash in Palo Alto this spring. He hit .294 and clubbed eight home runs, the second-highest total on the team, despite the fact that he started only 29 of 49 games. He also drove in 40 runs.

    Jaycob Brugman – OF – 6’0 185
    BYU
    Sophomore

    Brugman was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year last season after hitting .317 with nine home runs. He shipped out to Alaska last summer and hit .262 with the Matsu Miners. This spring, Brugman didn’t light it up quite like he did last year, but he still hit .279 with two home runs, four doubles, five triples and a team-best 30 RBI.

    Matt McGovern – OF – 5’10 169
    Boston College
    Junior

    As a sophomore last year, McGovern came back from an injury and emerged in the latter half of the season as one of the team’s top hitters. He finished at .371 with a homer and 18 RBI. This spring was more of a struggle as McGovern hit .239.

    Robert Pehl – 2B – 6’1 200
    Washington
    Freshman

    Pehl was a mainstay from day one in Washington this year and finished out a solid debut season with a .293 average, 13 extra-base hits and 23 RBI. He started 50 of the team’s 55 games.

    Justin Shafer – INF/OF – 6’3 205
    Florida
    Freshman

    Shafer has gotten a chance in Florida’s veteran lineup and has delivered a solid season. While playing in 48 games, with 42 starts, Shafer is hitting .275 with five doubles and 26 RBI.

    Chris Sujka – OF – 5’11 190
    Indiana
    Freshman

    Sujka had a great high school career in Illinois and didn’t struggle much with the adjustment to the next level. While starting 50 games this year, Sujka hit .269 with five home runs, eight doubles and 38 RBI.

    Wayne Taylor – C – 6’1 200
    Stanford
    Freshman

    Taylor was the Texas prep baseball player of the year and was selected in the 14th round of last year’s Major League draft by the Angels. He honored his commitment to Stanford but didn’t see much action in his first year with the Cardinal. He got eight starts and hit .152.

    Josh Tobias – INF – 5’9 208
    Florida
    Freshman

    Like his Florida teammate Shafer, Tobias has gotten an opportunity for the Gators and has done pretty well with it. He’s hitting .248 with seven extra-base hits. Tobias was a 31st-round pick out of high school.

    Sam Travis – 3B – 6’0 205
    Indiana
    Freshman

    Another Indiana freshman, Travis made an even bigger splash than his teammate Sujka. A 40th-round pick out of high school, Travis burst onto the scene with a .319 average, nine home runs, 17 doubles and a team-best 50 RBI, which was also good for second in the Big 10. Those numbers earned Travis Big 10 Freshman of the Year honors.

    Trea Turner – SS – 6’1 170
    NC State
    Freshman

    Turner was a 20th-round pick out of high school, but his debut season at NC State made that seem way too low. Turner started every game, typically batted leadoff and emerged as a tremendous threat. He hit .336 with five home runs, 13 doubles and 43 RBI. He also had an on-base percentage of .432 and he led the nation with 57 stolen bases. He earned second-team all-ACC honors.

    Sean Dwyer – OF – 6’1 200
    Florida Gulf Coast
    Sophomore

    One of two FGCU players on the roster, Dwyer is also coming in off a strong spring. He hit .297 with three home runs, 16 doubles and a team best 39 RBI. A 15th-round pick out of high school, Dwyer was rated as the 14th-best prospect in the Northwoods League last year.

    Posted on

    2012 Early Look: Hyannis Harbor Hawks

    HyannisHawks_150.gifHyannis 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.

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    Wrapping Up The Draft

    mlb-logo.jpgThe 2012 Major League Baseball Draft is in the books and, as always, plenty of names from Cape League summers had their names called. The league will have the official number for all 40 rounds at some point (I’ll let them count), but we know at this point that the first round was full of Cape Leaguers. Twelve of 31 picks — and 12 of 14 collegiate players — selected in the first round spent some amount of time on the Cape. Some just made cameos, like Mark Appel, Mike Zunino and Kevin Gausman, but there were also some Cape League veterans like Andrew Heaney, Kyle Zimmer and Victor Roache.

    The 12 players in the first round was up significantly from the last two years. Eight went last year and only six the year before. Twelve was the most in the first round since the banner year of 2008, when 14 CCBL’ers were picked, including future Major Leaguers Buster Posey, Gordon Beckham and Justin Smoak.

    Zunino, who played briefly with Y-D last summer, was drafted third overall, the highest for a Cape Leaguer since 2009, when Dustin Ackley went second. Mark Appel, who also played for Y-D, was in the running for the top overall pick but dropped to eighth. He would have been the first Cape Leaguer to go 1-1 since Luke Hochevar in 2006.

    Here’s the first-round list:

    3 – Mike Zunino – Y-D ’11 – Seattle
    4 – Kevin Gausman – Harwich ’11 – Baltimore
    5 – Kyle Zimmer – Cotuit ’11 – Kansas City
    8 – Mark Appel – Y-D ’11 – Pittsburgh
    9 – Andrew Heaney – Falmouth ’11 – Miami
    20 – Chris Stratton – Harwich ’11 – San Francisco
    22 – Marcus Stroman – Orleans ’10 & ’11 – Toronto
    23 – James Ramsey – Y-D ’11 – St. Louis
    24 – Deven Marrero – Cotuit ’10 & ’11 – Boston
    25 – Richie Shaffer – Chatham ’11 – Tampa Bay
    28 – Victor Roache – Cotuit ’11 – Milwaukee
    31 – Brian Johnson – Y-D ’11 – Boston

    Eight other former Cape Leaguers were selected in the supplemental first round, bringing the total to 20 of 60 picks. Reigning MVP Travis Jankowski went in the supplemental round, 44th overall to San Diego.

    A few other notes on the draft:

  • Y-D had four first-round picks, just as they did in 2008, when they were coming off the 2007 CCBL championship. The difference this time was that only one of the four was a real mainstay. — James Ramsey. Brian Johnson, Mark Appel and Mike Zunino only made brief stops.

  • It was interesting to see trends develop in this the first draft since the new draft rules were introduced. The one that stood out the most was that several teams opted to take college seniors and easy signs in the fourth-to-10th round range in an effort to save money and be sure they could sign those picks. Baseball America has a good rundown of the situation.

  • The new signing deadline is July 13, so we won’t know for sure how the new rules affect how much talent gets to college fields, but people are speculating that the new rules will end up being good for college baseball. Teams just aren’t going to be able to sign players away from college with out-of-slot deals like they used to.

  • In recent years, quite a few college juniors came to the Cape to improve their draft stock. That may not be as common now because of the earlier signing deadline, but those guys are typically late additions to rosters anyway, so we’ll have to see how it plays out.

  • One big-name junior who is already on a roster is NCAA batting champ Raph Rhymes of LSU, who’s slated for Cotuit. I thought Rhymes would go relatively early but he didn’t get picked until the 30th round by the Yankees. Rhymes has said that he plans to return to school, which probably means he plans to play on the Cape as well. Junior teammate Mason Katz, who played for Y-D last summer, wasn’t drafted at all, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him pop up on a Cape roster soon.

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    Stony Brook Spring?

    stony brook.gifNo college team had more Cape League success in 2012 than Stony Brook. Powerhouses like North Carolina or Vanderbilt? Some good players, but nobody matched Stony Brook.

    Obviously, then, the Seawolves have some guys who can play with the big boys.

    And now they’re really doing it.

    Stony Brook upset regional host Miami on Friday night. After a loss to Central Florida on Saturday, the Seawolves rallied from a 7-3 deficit to beat Missouri State on Sunday and then beat UCF to force a winner-take-all regional title game on Monday. Whatever happens, they’ve already made history. They’re the first America East team to make a regional final.

    If you’re a Cape League fan and you need a team to root for in the NCAA Tournament, look no further than Stony Brook. The first four hitters in their batting order played on the Cape last summer, including league MVP Travis Jankowski and all-star Pat Cantwell. Jankowski and Maxx Tissenbaum, who played for Orleans, are both hitting over .400, while William Carmona, who played for Wareham, led the team with 65 RBI.

    The pitching staff is headed by Tyler Johnson, who also played for Orleans.

    Monday’s game with UCF is scheduled for 7 p.m. I believe it will be available online at ESPN3.com.