early look: wareham

(This is the first installment in a series of early looks at 2008 Cape League rosters. I'm starting with Wareham and moving from West to East, hopefully posting one every week or so, depending on when remaining unreleased rosters get released. Keep in mind, this is an "early look," so much will change before June 13. If you think any other information should be included, feel free to leave a comment and let me know. Also, these things are going to be extremely long, so consider yourself forewarned.)

WAREHAM GATEMEN
Manager: Cooper Farris
Last Season: 15-29
Roster

Typically thought of as one of the top franchises on the Cape, Wareham had an uncharacteristically bad year in 2007. A slow start set the Gatemen back, and they never really recovered. With several returning players struggling – especially at the plate – Wareham scored the fewest runs in the league. The pitching staff ended up putting up decent numbers when all was said and done, but it was too much of an uphill battle.

The good news for the Gatemen is that several bright spots from an otherwise tough summer are expected back on the Cape in 2008. That list is headed by LSU outfielder Blake Dean and Oklahoma State pitcher Andy Oliver. Both were among the top freshmen in the league. Dean hit .250 with four home runs and 15 RBI, while Oliver went 1-1 on the mound with a 1.41 ERA. He was also among the league leaders in strikeouts with 54.

The lineup should also be bolstered by three returning players who will be looking for more consistency in their second Cape League summers. Both Dustin Dickerson (Baylor) and Russ Moldenhauer (Texas) were highly-touted freshmen who had decent but not great seasons last year. Both will be back, as will catcher Josh Phegley (Indiana), who was putting together an all-star season before punching a dugout wall and breaking his hand.

As for the pitching staff, with Oliver, Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas) and Kendal Volz (Baylor) all back for a second summer, the starting rotation is solid at the top. If Vanderbilt lefty Mikie Minor makes it to the Cape this year after going with Team USA last summer, Wareham’s rotation will be positively fearsome.

We should also keep an eye on what happens with three non-roster invitees – Ike Davis (Arizona St.), Diallo Fon (Arizona) and Riley Boening (Texas). All three have played for the Gatemen in past summers and are major prospects. They’ll likely be high-draft picks in June, but if they don’t go as high as they’d like, they may end up in Wareham looking to raise their stock.

I’m going to shy away from really trying to define teams at this point because so much can and will change, but I will say this. After putting this thing together, I think the Gatemen are flat-out stacked, especially in the freshman class.

Notable

• The Gatemen have seven left-handed pitchers, which kind of seems like a lot
• Also, 13 freshmen seems like a lot
• Wareham has three players from Vanderbilt and three from Texas – two pretty good pipelines
• Oklahoma State’s Andy Oliver was one of the top strikeout pitchers in the league last year but also walked a lot of people
• Andy Oliver was still rated the league’s No. 10 prospect by Baseball America
• Vanderbilt pitcher Mikie Minor was one of the top freshmen in the nation last year, and may develop into one of the top prospects for the 2009 draft
• If both Oliver and Minor make it to Wareham, I can’t imagine there’d be a better pitching duo in the league than that one
• The Gatemen have some freshmen with a lot of hype – both Brandon Workman and Derek Dietrich were third-round picks in the 2007 draft but opted to attend school; Brett Eibner was a fourth-round pick
• Rice freshman Rick Hague and Tulane freshman Robby Broach aren’t far behind those two in terms of being highly-touted
• Mike Seander may end up being a starter for Duke this year, but he was a closer last year and in the summer, so he could potentially do the same for the Gatemen
• Four of nine spots in Wareham’s lineup could potentially be filled by returnees – Josh Phegley at catcher, Dustin Dickerson at first and Blake Dean and Russ Moldenhauer in the outfield


Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Mikie Minor
2. Andy Oliver
3. Brandon Workman
4. Derek Dietrich
5. Blake Dean

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 7
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen : 13

Pitchers
*Matt Bashore – LHP – 6’3 200 – Indiana – Sophomore
Ben Blanton –LHP – 6’1 195 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Zach Brewster – LHP – 6’0 175 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Robby Broach – RHP/3B – 6’1 195 – Tulane – Freshman
*Dallas Keuchel – LHP – 6’3 200 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Dean Kiekhefer – LHP – 6’0 160 – Louisville – Freshman
Mikie Minor – LHP – 6’4 195 – Vanderbilt – Sophomore
*Andy Oliver – LHP – 6’4 210 – Oklahoma St. – Sophomore
Max Perlman – RHP – 6’6 215 – Harvard – Sophomore
Mike Seander – RHP – 6’3 215 – Duke – Sophomore
Josh Slaats – RHP – 6’5 210 – Hawaii – Freshman
*Kendal Volz – RHP – 6’4 225 – Baylor – Sophomore
Brandt Walker – RHP – 6’2 180 – Stanford - Sophomore
Brandon Workman – RHP – 6’5 225 – Texas – Freshman
* returning player

(Note: The player's name is linked to his school bio. If there's no link, that means I couldn't find a bio)

Matt Bashore – LHP – 6’3 200
Indiana
Sophomore
Bashore had a solid freshman season for the Hoosiers, posting a 4.33 ERA and a 4-7 record. He led all starters with 50 strikeouts. Bashore pitched one inning for the Gatemen last year.

Ben Blanton – LHP – 6’1 195
Vanderbilt
Freshman
A late signee with the Commodores, Blanton was one of the top players in Georgia his senior year in Alpharetta. He set the school single-season record in ERA and saves.

Zach Brewster – LHP – 6’0 175
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Brewster was one of the top 50 high school players in the country last year according to Perfect Game Crosschecker. He was also ranked as the No. 74 draft prospect. He had a 1.55 ERA and a school record 127 strikeouts his senior year.

Robby Broach – RHP/3B – 6’1 195
Tulane
Freshman
Broach comes to Tulane as a highly-touted two-way player. At Archbishop Rummel high school in Louisiana, Broach earned All-America honors and was ranked by Baseball America as the No. 23 prospect in the nation. Tulane assistant Mark Kingston spoke glowingly: "His stuff is way beyond his years. He has a fastball that consistently reaches into the mid-90s and a hard breaking curveball. Look for Robby to make an immediate impact on our pitching staff."

Dallas Keuchel – LHP – 6’3 200
Arkansas
Sophomore
After posting a 5.88 ERA for the Razorbacks in his freshman year, Keuchel turned in a solid summer on the Cape. He went 2-4, but had a 3.20 ERA and 46 strikeouts to 14 walks in 59 innings. Keuchel is expected to be a key piece in a rebuilt Arkansas rotation this season.

Dean Kiekhefer – LHP – 6’0 160
Louisville
Freshman
A dominant lefty at Oldham County high school outside Louisville, Kiekhefer is bringing big credentials into his freshman year at Louisville. In his junior season, he went 9-0 with a .24 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 58 innings. He was ranked as the top pitcher in Kentucky his senior season and was drafted in the 37th round by the Cleveland Indians.

Mikie Minor – LHP – 6’4 195
Vanderbilt
Sophomore
A highly-touted recruit two years ago, Minor delivered in a big way last year for the Commodores, going 9-1 with a 3.09 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. He was the SEC Freshman of the Year and was tabbed as a Freshman All-American by just about everybody. He pitched for Team USA in the summer and went 5-2 with a 1.64 ERA. He struck out 33 and walked just four. A preseason All-American for 2008, Minor was called Vandy’s next great lefthander by coach Tim Corbin. That means a lot considering the Commodores have had David Price and Jeremy Sowers in recent years.

Andy Oliver – LHP – 6’4 210
Oklahoma St.
Sophomore
Oliver didn’t have a spectacular first season for the Cowboys, but he followed with a pretty spectacular first summer on the Cape. Rated as the 10th-best prospect in the league by Baseball America, Oliver was Wareham’s top pitcher. He struck out 54 in 44 innings. Depending on what happens with a few other players, Oliver could end up being the Cape’s top returning pitcher.

Max Perlman – RHP – 6’6 215
Harvard
Sophomore
Perlman was Harvard’s top pitcher in 2007, going 5-1 with a 2.91 ERA. He played for the Vermont Mountaineers of the New England Collegiate Baseball League last summer and was their top pitcher as well. He finished the summer with a 4-3 record and a 1.73 ERA. He struck out 44 and walked just eight in 52 innings. Oddly, he’s not listed on the roster at Harvard as I’m writing this.

Mike Seander – RHP – 6’3 215
Duke
Sophomore
Seander was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Rhode Island two years ago and headed south to pitch for the Blue Devils. He became the team’s closer early on and excelled in that role. He also served as the closer for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL last summer and was an all-star.

Josh Slaats – RHP – 6’5 210
Hawaii
Freshman
A top prospect out of California high school in San Ramon, Calif., Slaats heads to Honolulu with high expectations. The Rainbows have a strong group of returning pitchers, but Slaats may push for a spot in the rotation.

Kendal Volz – RHP – 6’4 225
Baylor
Sophomore
One of the headliners of a highly-ranked recruiting class two years ago, Volz didn’t have a great spring for the Bears and battled some inconsistency for Wareham in the summer as well, finishing with a 4.83 ERA. The fact that he struck out 50 in 50.1 innings speaks to the potential that Volz will be trying to tap this spring and summer.

Brandt Walker – RHP – 6’2 180
Stanford
Sophomore
Walker was a 21st-round pick out of high school in 2006, but had a rough first season for the Cardinal. He ended up not pitching much, and didn’t come to the Cape, even though he was on Wareham’s early roster. I’m not sure if there was an injury there or what, but the Gatemen clearly think highly enough of him to try again.

Brandon Workman – RHP – 6’5 225
Texas
Freshman
Workman was one of the highest unsigned draft choices from the 2007 draft. Texas and Wareham should benefit greatly. Workman was a third-round pick after a high school season in which he struck out 171 and walked only 12 in 76 innings. Named one of the top 10 freshman to watch by Rivals.com, he could end up being one of the nation’s top freshmen pitchers.


Position Players
Cole Leonida – C – 6’2 220 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Buddy Monroe – C – 5’10 185 – Miami – Sophomore
*Josh Phegley – C – 5’10 200 – Indiana - Sophomore
Raynor Campbell – 3B/SS – 5’11 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
*Dustin Dickerson – 1B/OF – 6’4 210 – Baylor – Sophomore
Derek Dietrich – SS/RHP – 6’1 195 – Georgia Tech – Freshman
Rick Hague – SS/2B – 6’2 185 – Rice – Freshman
Jake Lemmerman – SS/2B – 6’2 180 – Duke – Freshman
*Blake Dean – OF – 6’2 195 – LSU – Sophomore
Brett Eibner – OF /RHP – 6’3 195 – Arkansas – Freshman
*Russ Moldenhauer – OF – 5’11 205 – Texas – Sophomore
Connor Rowe – OF – 5’11 180 – Texas – Freshman
Kipp Schutz – OF – 6’4 200 – Indiana - Freshman
Steve Liddle – OF – 6’1 200 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
* returning player

Cole Leonida – C – 6’2 220
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Leonida was an All-American at Grandview high school in Aurora, Colo., where he was also tabbed as the top player in the state. Leonida could compete for the starting job behind the plate this spring for the Yellow Jackets.

Buddy Munroe – C – 5’10 185
Florida
Sophomore
Munroe spent his freshman year at Clemson before transferring to Florida. In high school in Miami, Munroe was an all-state performer and was ranked as the state’s 20th-best prospect by Perfect Game.

Josh Phegley – C – 5’10 200
Indiana
Sophomore
Phegley became a starter immediately for the Hoosiers last year and didn’t have a great season, finishing the year with a .232 average. But he got off to a hot start on the Cape for the Gatemen and was named an all-star. Unfortunately, he injured his hand when he punched a dugout wall in frustration, thus ending his season. He’s all healed up now and poised for a big sophomore season.

Raynor Campbell – 3B/SS – 5’11 185
Baylor
Sophomore
Campbell was one of the Bears’ top hitters as a freshman last season, finishing the year with a .321 average and five home runs. That earned him Freshman All-American honors. He spent the summer playing for Rochester in the Northwoods League.

Dustin Dickerson – 1B/OF – 6’4 210
Baylor
Sophomore
After being a 15th-round pick out of high school and hitting .292 as a freshman for Baylor, Dickerson didn’t have the greatest summer for the Gatemen, finishing with a .215 average, one home run and eight RBI. There’s a pretty good chance he’ll improve on those numbers this summer.

Derek Dietrich – SS/RHP – 6’1 195
Georgia Tech
Freshman
Dietrich was a third-round pick of the Astros in the 2007 draft but opted to enroll at Georgia Tech. His senior year at St. Ignatius high school in Cleveland, Dietrich racked up the honors – All-American, Ohio Player of the Year and the top draft prospect in Ohio. He also played in the prestigious Aflac All-American game in 2006. Dietrich’s career batting average was .425, and he also finished high school with a 4.2 GPA. He’s expected to start immediately for the Yellow Jackets, a program that has produced its fair share of great shortstops.

Rick Hague – SS/2B – 6’2 185
Rice
Freshman
On any other Cape League team, Hague would be the most highly-touted freshman shortstop. On this team, he’s behind Dietrich, but not too far behind. Hague was a 37th-round pick out of high school and will step in immediately for All-American Brian Friday in the Rice infield.

Jake Lemmerman – SS/2B – 6’2 180
Duke
Freshman
Wareham has the monopoly on freshman middle infielders. Lemmerman is slated to be the opening day starter at shortstop for the Blue Devils. He hails from Newport Beach, Calif., where he starred at Corona Del Mar high school.

Blake Dean – OF – 6’2 195
LSU
Sophomore
A late slump meant Dean didn’t finish quite as well as he started, but he still had a solid season for the Gatemen last summer, finishing with a .250 average and four home runs. That came after a great season for LSU, where he hit .316 en route to Freshman All-America honors. He’ll be one of the top returning hitters to the Cape this summer.

Brett Eibner – OF /RHP – 6’3 195
Arkansas
Freshman
Eibner was a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft, so he joins his future Wareham teammates Dietrich and Workman in the group of top unsigned picks. He was a star at The Woodlands high school in Texas, one of the top programs in the state. In the draft, he was labeled as a pitcher, so that may be where his biggest upside is.

Russ Moldenhauer – OF – 5’11 205
Texas
Sophomore
Moldenhauer was one of the top unsigned picks from the 2006 draft and he turned in a solid freshman season with the Longhorns, earning a starting job and batting .278 with six home runs. Like Dickerson, Moldenhauer had what was undoubtedly a humbling experience on the Cape last summer. He hit .218 without a home run.

Connor Rowe – OF – 5’11 180
Texas
Freshman
Rowe was a top performer at Georgetown high school in Georgetown, Texas, then signed on as part of a strong-as-usual Texas recruiting class.

Kipp Schutz – OF – 6’4 200
Indiana
Freshman (Redshirt)
Schutz was a 26th-round pick out of high school and was making an immediate impact with the Hoosiers last year before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He was granted a medical redshirt and will be back this year.

Steve Liddle – OF – 6’1 200
Vanderbilt
Freshman (Redshirt)
Liddle was a star at Franklin high school in Brentwood, Tenn., but red-shirted last year for the Commodores. But the time off didn’t hurt him. He went to the Coastal Plains League and hit .272 with three home runs. He’s expected to make a push for playing time this season.