early look: falmouth (finally)

FALMOUTH COMMODORES
Manager: Jeff Trundy
Last Season: 22-22
Roster

At times last season, the Falmouth Commodores were great. Other times, they weren’t.

I guess a 22-22 record kind of tells that story.

The bottom line was that the Commodores turned out pretty good, blowing past Bourne in the West finals before falling to Y-D in the league championship series. In any other year, Falmouth might have won the league, but this time around, Y-D was just too strong.

Still, it was a season to remember for Falmouth, and not just because of the playoff run. The Commodores also boasted an incredible collection of top-shelf talent, headed by the duo from Missouri, Aaron Crow and Kyle Gibson.

Crow was dazzling all summer and could have won the pitcher of the year award as well as the top prop prospect award, which he did take home. In all, Crow was one of the best stories of the summer, and he could end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the June draft.

Gibson could pull off the same feat in 2009. The tall righty emerged as the top freshman pitcher on the Cape last summer and with his projectable frame, he’s being labeled as one of the top prospects for the ’09 draft.

Falmouth’s pitching staff also included likely ’08 first or second-rounders Christian Friedrich, Luke Burnett and Shooter Hunt. As if that wasn’t enough, Falmouth also had the league’s top hitter in third baseman Conor Gillaspie, who turned in a historic offensive season and earned league MVP honors. Not to mention David Adams, the best second baseman in the league.

As Falmouth gets set for the summer of ’08, they can only hope to have a similar collection of talent, but they will be starting in a good spot. Gibson, who’s been great this spring for Missouri, will be back in the fold, as will Oregon State shortstop Joey Wong, who helped anchor Falmouth’s infield last year. Two players who played for different Cape teams last summer – Diego Seastrunk and Andrew Clark – will be in Falmouth this year with a chance to make a big impact.

After that, it’s all unknowns. The Commodores have some hyped freshman like Hunter Morris and Tommy Toledo, as well as some dynamic sophomores in Tem Fedroff and A.J. Pollock.

They may be unknown, but this time last year, Aaron Crow wasn’t exactly a household name either.

Roster Rundown

Returning players: 3 (and two from other teams)
Sophomores: 16
Freshmen : 12

Notable

• The Commodores have a large number of highly-touted players who are struggling this spring. No time like the summer to turn it around.
• Falmouth’s Oregon State connection – four Beavers on the roster – is certainly a good one to have, but with the Beavers and a lot of their top players struggling this year, it looks a little different than the past few years
• Kyle Gibson arguably will be the top returning player on the Cape this summer
• Falmouth has eight freshman pitchers, and as of now, Nate Striz and Tommy Toledo stand out the most, based on college numbers
• Striz looks like a potential closer candidate
• Jorge Reyes was the MVP of the College World Series last year but has hit the skids this season. A definite bounce-back candidate this summer.
• Auburn’s Hunter Morris may enter the Cape League summer as the most-hyped freshman in the league, and if college is any indication, he’ll live up to it
• Fearless prediction: Notre Dame’s A.J. Pollock finishes the summer as one of the top five hitters in the league
• Diego Seastrunk may not be far behind
• You could also put Tim Fedroff in that group, meaning the Commodores have a pretty good stable of offensive players

Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Kyle Gibson
2. Hunter Morris
3. Tim Fedroff
4. Nate Striz
5. Diego Seastrunk

Pitchers
Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 174 – Texas Tech – Freshman
Rex Brothers – LHP – 6’0 185 – Lipscomb – Sophomore
*Preston Claiborne – RHP – 6’3 225 – Tulane – Sophomore
Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230 – Notre Dame – Freshman
*Kyle Gibson – RHP – 6’5 180 – Missouri – Sophomore
Nate Karns – RHP – 6’3 210 – Texas Tech – Sophomore
Dan Klein – RHP – 6’3 190 – UCLA – Freshman
Travis Lawler – RHP – 6’2 170 – Florida – Freshman
Aaron Loup – LHP – 6’0 185 – Tulane – Sophomore
Jorge Reyes – RHP – 6’5 175 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200 – Oregon State – Freshman
Nate Striz – RHP – 6’2 237 – North Carolina – Freshman
Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219 – Missouri – Freshman
Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 185 – Florida – Freshman
Ben Tootle – RHP – 6’0 170 – Jacksonville St. – Sophomore
* returning player

(Note: The player's name is linked to his school bio.)

Chad Bettis – RHP – 6’0 174
Texas Tech
Freshman
Bettis was an eighth-round pick out of high school in Lubbock last year, but opted to stay home and pitch for his hometown Red Raiders. So far in his freshman season, he has made eight starts and is 3-3 with a 5.21 ERA. The stellar control he flashed in high school – 109 strikeouts against 11 walks his senior year – hasn’t yet carried over. He has 28 strikeouts and 22 walks this season.

Rex Brothers – LHP – 6’0 185
Lipscomb
Sophomore
Brothers made a name for himself last year when he turned in a solid season and earned Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Year honors. He hasn’t had quite as much success this season, having gone 2-3 so far with a 5.66 ERA.

Preston Claiborne – RHP – 6’3 225
Tulane
Sophomore
Claiborne is one of three returning players returning for their second summer in Falmouth, and he should see an expanded role after putting up a 3.22 ERA in 11 relief appearances last summer. Claiborne has toyed with being a two-way player in the past but is focusing exclusively on pitching this spring for Tulane. In 13 appearances out of the bullpen, he has a 5.14 ERA.

Evan Danieli – RHP – 6’7 230
Notre Dame
Freshman
Danieli headed into his freshman season with the Irish as an intriguing prospect, but he hasn’t yet put up the numbers to match, with a 7.43 ERA in four appearances. Danieli was a 33rd-round pick out of high school but would have gone much higher if not for his strong commitment to Notre Dame.

Kyle Gibson – RHP – 6’5 180
Missouri
Sophomore
Gibson entered his first summer on the Cape as a relative unknown but became one of the league’s best pitchers and emerged as one of the top prospects for the 2009 draft. When he returns for his second summer, he’ll have scouts watching his every move. So far this spring, Gibson hasn’t disappointed and is 6-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

Nate Karns – RHP – 6’3 210
Texas Tech
Sophomore
A transfer from North Carolina State, Karns brought big credentials with him to Lubbock. He was a 10th-round pick out of high school and had a 2.67 ERA in eight starts for the Wolfpack last year. It’s been a different story this year though. In eight starts, Karns is 1-6 with a 10.12 ERA.

Dan Klein – RHP – 6’3 190
UCLA
Freshman
Klein was a 24th-round pick out of high school and came into the UCLA program as a highly-touted recruit. He’s posted some solid numbers so far (13 strikeouts, one walk) but his ERA is hovering around seven, thanks largely to the 25 hits he’s allowed in 15 innings.

Travis Lawler – RHP – 6’2 170
Florida
Freshman
One of the best pitchers in Texas high school ball last year, Lawler was picked in the 34th round of the draft. With Florida so far this season, Lawler has a 2-0 record with a 5.09 ERA in three starts and 10 total appearances

Aaron Loup – LHP – 6’0 185
Tulane
Sophomore
Loup pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman for the Green Wave and he’s moved into a starting role this year, with mixed results. He’s 2-3 in seven starts with a 5.09 ERA. Loup pitched last summer in the Clark Griffith Collegiate Baseball League, and was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America.

Jorge Reyes – RHP – 6’5 175
Oregon State
Sophomore
Reyes made headlines as a freshman last year when he emerged as the ace of the staff and lifted Oregon State to its second consecutive College World Series title. He was also the CWS Most Outstanding Player. But Reyes has hit a rough patch this spring, posting a 6.38 ERA in eight starts for the Beavers, who have likewise struggled to a 16-12 record.

Tanner Robles – LHP – 6’4 200
Oregon State
Freshman
A tall lefty with loads of potential, Robles was a 14th-round pick out of high school, but still opted to head to Corvallis. He’s lived up to the hype so far, with a 3.50 ERA and a .150 batting average against in five appearances.

Nate Striz – RHP – 6’2 237
North Carolina
Freshman
A fifth-round pick of the Twins, Striz came to North Carolina as one of the highest unsigned picks in the 2007 draft. Working exclusively out of the bullpen, he hasn’t disappointed. In 16 appearances, Striz has two saves, an ERA of 1.00 and 22 strikeouts in 18 innings.

Nick Tepesch – RHP – 6’5 219
Missouri
Freshman
Tepesch was Missouri’s Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior season and though he stood little chance of cracking the Tigers’ deep pitching rotation, he has pitched well out of the bullpen. In 12 appearances, he has a 4.20 ERA.

Tommy Toledo – RHP – 6’3 185
Florida
Freshman
Based strictly on draft position last year, Toledo is the best of Falmouth’s talented crop of freshman pitchers, and his numbers are there to match. A third-round pick out of high school, Toledo has a 4-3 record with a 3.38 ERA in eight starts, all that despite walking one more than he’s struck out.

Ben Tootle – RHP – 6’0 170
Jacksonville St.
Sophomore
Tootle was a member of the Ohio Valley Conference All-Freshman team last year. This season, he has a 5.18 ERA but 51 strikeouts in 48.2 innings of work.


Position Players
Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 210 – Missouri – Sophomore
Michael Thomas – C – 6’4 220 – Southern – Freshman
Andrew Clark – 1B – 6’2 215 – Louisville – Sophomore
Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185 – Auburn – Freshman
Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205 – Auburn – Freshman
Garret Nash – 2B – 5’10 170 – Oregon State – Freshman
Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196 – Winthrop – Sophomore
A.J. Pollock – 3B/OF – 6’1 200 – Notre Dame – Sophomore
Diego Seastrunk – INF – 5’10 180 – Rice – Sophomore
*Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 160 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Gabe Cohen – OF – 6’2 205 – UCLA – Sophomore
Tim Fedroff – OF – 5’11 191 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Ryan Jones – OF – 6’0 185 – Wichita State – Sophomore
* returning player

Trevor Coleman – C – 6’1 210
Missouri
Sophomore
Coleman posted an impressive freshman season last year, so impressive that he was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year after hitting .282 with nine home runs. This season, his average has remained about the same but he has yet to hit a home run through 35 games.

Michael Thomas – C – 6’4 220
Southern
Sophomore
Thomas plays catcher for Southern, and I know absolutely nothing else because Southern’s web site is terrible.

Andrew Clark – 1B – 6’2 215
Louisville
Sophomore
Clark played last year at Ole Miss before transferring to Louisville. Despite not finishing the year at Ole Miss, Clark did come to the Cape, but only played 10 games for Bourne. Still, Clark is a solid left-handed bat with a lot of upside, and this year for the Cardinals, he’s hitting .342 with three home runs.

Brian Fletcher – INF – 6’1 185
Auburn
Freshman
One of two Auburn freshmen on the Falmouth roster, Fletchers has stepped into a starting role for the Tigers and has done well. In 39 games, he’s hitting .299 with three home runs. He has played mostly in the outfield.

Hunter Morris – INF – 6’4 205
Auburn
Freshman
The left-handed hitting first baseman was a second-round pick (84th overall) last year, making him the highest unsigned high schooler in the draft. He hasn’t disappointed in his freshman season. He’s leading the Tigers with a .362 batting average, 10 home runs and 40 RBI. Morris may be one of the leading candidates for SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

Garret Nash – 2B – 5’10 170
Oregon State
Freshman
Nash wasn’t too far behind Morris in last year’s draft, where he ended up being a fourth-round pick. He stuck with Oregon State, and so far this season, he’s hitting .296 with one home run.


Kevin Nolan – INF – 6’2 196
Winthrop
Sophomore
Nolan, a New Hampshire native, will return to New England for the summer in the midst of a solid career at Winthrop. After starting all season as a freshman, mostly at shortstop, Nolan has become the team’s top hitter this year. His average stands at .337 and he has 13 doubles.

A.J. Pollock – 3B/OF – 6’1 200
Notre Dame
Sophomore
Pollock was an all-Big East pick as a freshman and excelled in the NECBL last summer, where he was fourth in the league with a .348 batting average. This season, he leads the Irish with a .397 batting average and 33 RBI. He’s played mostly in the outfield after starting at third last year.

Diego Seastrunk – INF – 5’10 180
Rice
Sophomore
After a good freshman season for the Owls, Seastrunk never quite got his feet under him on the Cape last summer, hitting .243 in limited time for Y-D. That was partially due to a late arrival from the College World Series, but even if he’s late again this summer, don’t expect a repeat performance. He’s leading the Owls in hitting this year with a .363 average.

Joey Wong – INF – 5’10 160
Oregon State
Sophomore
Wong made a big impact on the national champion Beavers as a freshman, and made his presence felt on the Cape as well. His arrival stabilized Falmouth’s lineup last summer, and he ended up hitting .252 while playing an outstanding defensive shortstop. This season, Wong is hitting .263 for Oregon State.

Gabe Cohen – OF – 6’2 205
UCLA
Sophomore
Cohen was named a Freshman All-American by Baseball America last year after hitting .345. He also was Co-Newcomer of the Year in the Pac 10. This season hasn’t been quite so good, with Cohen hitting just .220 through 32 games. He does have seven home runs.

Tim Fedroff – OF – 5’11 191
North Carolina
Sophomore
Fedroff started from day one last year and finished second on the team in batting average. He’s picked up right where he left off this season and has put up All-American type numbers. Through 42 games, he has a .398 average and nine home runs.

Ryan Jones – OF – 6’0 185
Wichita State
Sophomore
His freshman stats weren’t very good, but Jones has turned things around completely in his sophomore season. With a regular starting gig, he’s hit .340 with two home runs.