ORLEANS CARDINALS
Manager: Kelly Nicholson
Last Season: 23-20-1
When the Orleans Cardinals won the 2005 Cape League championship, they had the best ERA in the league and the second-best batting average. Last season, as the Cardinals missed the playoffs for the second straight year, they again has the best ERA in the league. But the offense was a little shaky – Orleans finished with a .221 team batting average, second-worst in the league.
If the Cardinals were trying to remedy that, mission accomplished.
Orleans will welcome a squad that looks, on paper, like the best offensive team in the league. Nine players hit over .320 this spring and four of them finished with double-digit home runs. Returnee Nate Freiman, the winner of last year’s Tenth Player award, leads the way, but a corps of talented newcomers isn’t far behind. Angelo Songco and Rich Poythress, both of whom bring an average-power combo to the table, should be at the head of the pack. Factor in ’07 Cape all-star Cole Figueroa, and you’ve got something special.
The question for this Orleans team will revolve around the pitching and whether it can be as good as it was last year. Without anybody who looks like a dominant No. 1 starter, it’ll have to be a team effort. But like last year, when the Cardinals’ bullpen was dominant, that might not be a bad thing. Rob Catapano, who allowed two runs all last summer, will be back to lead the charge.
In what’s shaping up to be a very difficult Eastern division, the Cardinals will be in for a battle. Offensively, though, they’ve got just about as much firepower as anybody.
As it did in 2005, that could go a long way.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 5
Juniors: 8
Sophomores: 15
Freshmen: 5
Notable
• Let’s start with Quinn Haselhorst. He gets a special mention because he attends the University of Dayton. I graduated from that fine institution not too long ago. In all my time there, I don’t ever remember a Flyer making it to the Cape League. So, kudos to you, Mr. Haselhorst. The reputation of a baseball program rests entirely on your shoulders.
• So Nate Freiman is a catcher now? Apparently, he’s giving it a shot. He played there a few times this spring and is listed on the roster as a 1B/C. I’m hoping he plays there a bit this summer, if only to see an umpire trying to look over a catcher who’s 6’8.
• In all seriousness, though, Freiman should be one of the best players on the Cape this summer.
• With Freiman, Rich Poythress, Angelo Songco and Mike Murphy, the middle of the order should be fearsome. That quartet combined for 51 home runs this spring.
• Songco looks like a guy who could really burst onto the scene. He was the WCC Freshman of the Year in 2007 then turned in a spectacular sophomore season.
• There are five catchers back for a second summer on the Cape, and Orleans has two of them in Travis Tartamella and Hampton Tignor. That veteran presence should be a big help.
• The pitching staff will probably need several guys to take on bigger roles than they had this spring. Only a handful of Orleans’ pitchers were weekend starters.
• This will be the second summer in New England for Adam Wilk, and he enjoyed his stay last time. He led the NECBL in ERA last year.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Nate Freiman
2. Angelo Songco
3. Cole Figueroa
4. Rich Poythress
5. Eric Erickson
Pitchers
*Rob Catapano – LHP – 5’10 170 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Justin Earls – LHP – 6’3 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
Eric Erickson – LHP – 6’0 196 – Miami – Sophomore
Brad Gemberling – RHP – 6’2 205 – Princeton – Junior
Elliot Glynn – LHP – 6’1 165 – Connecticut – Freshman
Quinn Haselhorst – LHP – 6’3 205 – Dayton – Junior
*Kyle Kamppi – RHP – 5’9 182 – Georgia Southern – Junior
Isaac Morales – LHP – 6’0 188 – Cal State L.A. – Junior
Rob Rasmussen – LHP – 5’11 160 – UCLA – Freshman
Kyle Smith – RHP – 6’6 195 – Kent State – Sophomore
Brad Stillings – RHP – 6’4 205 – Kent State – Sophomore
Matt Thomson – RHP – 6’4 200 – San Diego – Sophomore
Martin Viramontes – RHP – 6’5 200 – Loyola Marymount – Freshman
Adam Wilk – LHP – 6’2 175 – Long Beach State – Sophomore
* returning player
Rob Catapano – LHP – 5’10 170
North Carolina
Sophomore
Numbers-wise, Catapano was the best non-closing reliever on the Cape last summer. For quite awhile, he didn’t allow a single run. He ended up allowing only two in 14 appearances. He also struck out 17 and walked only three. Catapano has carried his big summer into the spring. Through the regional, he had a 3.11 ERA in 18 appearances, with seven starts among them.
Justin Earls – LHP – 6’3 190
Georgia
Sophomore
Earls split time as a starter and a reliever last season, finishing with a 5.37 ERA. He has been used exclusively as a reliever this season, with a 6.14 ERA in 25 appearances.
Eric Erickson – LHP – 6’0 196
Miami
Sophomore
Erickson had a fantastic freshman season for the Hurricanes last year, finishing with a 10-4 record and a 2.50 ERA. He earned Freshman All-American honors from several publications and was put on the Brooks Wallace Award watch list this year. He’s been overshadowed a bit by freshman teammate Chris Hernandez, but he’s still been very good. His 61 strikeouts and 13 walks really stand out.
Brad Gemberling – RHP – 6’2 205
Princeton
Junior
Gemberling pitched briefly for Orleans last summer, making three appearances. After a strong spring at Princeton, he’s poised to make a much bigger impact this summer. Gemberlind put up a 3.60 ERA while being used as a starter and a reliever. He struck out 45 in 45 innings, with only 14 walks.
Elliot Glynn – LHP – 6’1 165
Connecticut
Freshman
Glynn played for the No. 1 high school team in the country last year in Long Beach, Calif. Oddly enough, he went cross-country to UConn, where he started from day one. He finished with a 6.00 ERA but played both ways and shined at the plate, where he hit .324.
Quinn Haselhorst – LHP – 6’3 205
Dayton
Junior
Haselhorst has had a solid career at Dayton but he made his biggest splash with Columbus of the Great Lakes League last summer. He went 6-2 with a 1.62 ERA, but the most impressive numbers were these: 28 strikeouts and one walk. He flashed good control for the Flyers this spring but had a 4.37 ERA.
Kyle Kamppi – RHP – 5’9 182
Georgia Southern
Junior
Kamppi was part of Orleans’ dynamite bullpen last year, finishing with a 1.50 ERA in 12 appearances. This spring, Kamppi split time between starting and relieving and ended up with a 6.18 ERA in 20 appearances. He struck out 58 in 67 innings.
Isaac Morales – LHP – 6’0 188
Cal State L.A.
Junior
Morales is a small school guy who will be looking to prove himself. Playing at D-II Cal State Los Angeles, Morales put up great numbers this spring. He went 9-1 with a 2.47 ERA.
Rob Rasmussen – LHP – 5’11 160
UCLA
Freshman
Rasmussen is a little short in stature, but he’s not short in many other areas. After a dominant high school career, Rasmussen was drafted in the 27th round last year. He opted to attend UCLA, where he spent the season mostly in the bullpen. He struggled with his control – walking more than he struck out – and finished with a 5.60 ERA.
Kyle Smith – RHP – 6’6 195
Kent State
Sophomore
Smith had a very good freshman season a year ago, putting up a 3.84 ERA while throwing the second-most innings on the team. As a weekend starter this year, Smith put up good strikeout numbers but finished with a 5.76 ERA. He did manage a 9-1 record, so that’s got to count for something.
Brad Stillings – RHP – 6’4 205
Kent State
Sophomore
Stillings was also in the weekend rotation for the Golden Flashes and put up similar numbers to those of Smith. Stillings, also a tall righty, had a 5.35 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 79 innings.
Matt Thomson – RHP – 6’4 200
San Diego
Sophomore
Thomson went the junior college route immediately after high school and was drafted last year in the 22nd round. He opted to head to San Diego, where he put up solid numbers out of the bullpen. He ended up with a 3.86 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 32.2 innings.
Martin Viramontes – RHP – 6’5 200
Loyola Marymount
Freshman
Part of a trio of LMU players on the Orleans roster, Viramontes will be looking for a big summer after some ups and downs in his first collegiate season. He was a regular starter for the Lions, but went 3-6 with a 6.26 ERA. His strikeout numbers were good, though – 55 in 54.2 innings.
Adam Wilk – LHP – 6’2 175
Long Beach State
Sophomore
Wilk pitched pretty well as a freshman but made a huge splash over the summer when he pitched for the Newport Gulls of the NECBL. He led the league in ERA with a 1.12 mark. This spring, working exclusively out of the bullpen, Wilk put up a 1.26 ERA with 15 strikeouts and just two walks in 14.1 innings.
Position Players
*Travis Tartamella – C – 6’0 195 – Pepperdine – Sophomore
*Hampton Tignor – C – 6’0 200 – Florida – Sophomore
Matt Bowman – INF – 5’7 175 – Nevada – Junior
Gary Brown – 2B/OF – 6’0 175 – Cal State Fullerton – Freshman
Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180 – Cal State Fullerton – Freshman
Cole Figueroa – SS – 5’10 180 – Florida – Sophomore
*Nate Freiman – 1B /C – 6’8 240 – Duke – Junior
Shaun Kort – 1B – 5’9 160 – Nevada – Sophomore
Mike Murphy – 3B – 6’0 195 – Maryland – Junior
Rich Poythress – 3B/1B – 6’4 235 – Georgia – Sophomore
Kyle Spraker – SS – 5’10 180 – Loyola Marymount – Junior
Alex Hassan – OF – 6’3 195 – Duke – Sophomore
Angelo Songco – OF – 6’0 190 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
Tim Wheeler – OF – 6’4 205 – Sacramento State – Sophomore
* returning player
Travis Tartamella – C – 6’0 195
Pepperdine
Sophomore
Both of Orleans’ catchers are back for a second season with the Cardinals, and both will be looking to improve on last summer. Tartamella hit .200 last year without a home run. This spring for Pepperdine, Tartamella hit .207.
Hampton Tignor – C – 6’0 200
Florida
Sophomore
Tignor had a tougher summer than Tartamella, finishing with a .139 batting average. But this spring, Tignor hit .304 while splitting time behind the plate. Tignor is also a standout defensive catcher.
Matt Bowman – INF – 5’7 175
Nevada
Junior
Bowman might be the shortest player on the Cape, but he can really hit. After posting a .376 batting average in his sophomore year, he missed all but five games of his junior season to injury and was redshirted. But he didn’t miss a beat in returning this year, putting up a .355 average and a .454 on-base percentage.
Gary Brown – 2B/OF – 6’0 175
Cal State Fullerton
Freshman
Brown was a 12th-round pick out of high school last year but stuck with Fullerton and turned in an impressive freshman campaign. After switching to the outfield from his normal second base spot, Brown hit .292 with five home runs and 27 RBI.
Christian Colon – SS – 6’0 180
Cal State Fullerton
Freshman
Like his frosh teammate Brown, Colon also came into Fullerton with big credentials after getting drafted in the 10th round out of high school. Colon didn’t disappoint, either, finishing the season with a .329 average and four home runs. He has been invited to Team USA.
Cole Figueroa – SS – 5’10 180
Florida
Sophomore
Figueroa was an all-star for Harwich last summer and left a pretty good impression on scouts, who liked his all-around game. Draft-eligible because of his age, Figueroa went in the sixth round last week. He still may play in Orleans, though, and he would be a big addition. This spring for Florida, he hit .350 with nine home runs.
Nate Freiman – 1B /C – 6’8 240
Duke
Junior
Freiman flew under the radar a little bit summer, hard to do for someone who’s 6’8. But in a year where offensive standouts stole the show, Freiman’s .282 average and 28 RBI left him just off stage. That should change this year. Freiman, who’s from Wellesley, Mass., was a late-round pick last week, but I’d expect him to be back on the Cape. And with the season, he just had, look out. Freiman hit .381 this spring with 11 home runs.
Shaun Kort – 1B – 5’9 160
Nevada
Sophomore
Kort will join his teammate Bowman in Orleans after a strong season for the Wolfpack. He hit .324 with six home runs and 60 RBI. Solid numbers, but they actually pale in comparison to his freshman season, when he won the WAC batting title with a .392 average.
Mike Murphy – 3B – 6’0 195
Maryland
Junior
Murphy has been nothing but solid since he arrived at Maryland, and he continued the trend this season, hitting .289 with a team-best 13 home runs and 42 RBI. Murphy was eligible for the draft but didn’t get picked so he’ll certainly be trying to prove himself this summer.
Rich Poythress – 3B/1B – 6’4 235
Georgia
Sophomore
Poythress is big and powerful, and this season, he’s hit for average as well as power. In 61 games, he’s hit .366 with 15 home runs and 65 RBI, numbers that leave him just behind teammate Gordon Beckham for the team lead. He should be one of the premier power hitters in the league.
Kyle Spraker – SS – 5’10 180
Loyola Marymount
Junior
Spraker spent two seasons at Cal before transferring to LMU this season. He stepped right into the starting shortstop role and hit .260 with a .348 on-base percentage.
Alex Hassan – OF – 6’3 195
Duke
Sophomore
Hassan is listed as just an outfielder on the Orleans roster, but he’s played both ways in his two years at Duke. Wherever he’s been, he’s been good. At the plate this season, he hit .353 with four home runs. On the mound, he went 5-0 in 17 relief appearances with a 1.30 ERA.
Angelo Songco – OF – 6’0 190
Loyola Marymount
Sophomore
Songco started from day one for the Lions and finished his freshman season with a .321 batting average, second on the team and good enough to earn him WCC Freshman of the Year honors. This season, he put up incredible numbers, finishing with a .356 average, 15 home runs and 48 RBI, all team-bests. He was a unanimous all-conference pick.
Tim Wheeler – OF – 6’4 205
Sacramento State
Sophomore
A tall and lanky centerfielder, Wheeler hit .310 as a freshman then put up even better numbers this year. He closed out the season with a .330 batting average and three home runs. He also stole 10 bases.
Showing posts with label early look. Show all posts
Showing posts with label early look. Show all posts
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
early look: chatham
CHATHAM A’S
Manager: John Schiffner
Last Season: 25-16-3
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox won last year’s Cape League championship with an incredible offense. The Chatham A’s have their eyes on the title in 2008, and if they win it, they’ll do it with incredible pitching.
It was clear from the moment Chatham’s roster was released that the pitching staff had a chance to be special. As I read through the alphabetical roster, I was more and more amazed. Start with Brad Boxberger and Charles Brewer, two returning players who had big success last year. Continue to Gavin Brooks, a top prospect, and Kevin Couture, another talented returnee. In the middle is Matt Harvey, one of the highest unsigned picks in last year’s draft. Louisville’s Justin Marks, one of the top pitchers in the Big East is there, too. Then there’s Tom Milone, last year’s Cape League pitcher of the year. And don’t forget Alex White down near the bottom. He’s a surefire first-round pick next year.
So yes, the A’s have some pitching.
Their offense can’t come close to matching it, but with the addition of USC’s Grant Green, it’s no slouch either. Combined, I think that makes the A’s the most complete team in the league, at least on paper. With an unheard of nine players back from last year’s team – and three more from other teams – the A’s should know what it takes to turn potential into success.
Last year, they turned it on late in the season to finish with the second-best record in the league. They were really no match for Y-D in the Eastern finals, but nobody would have been. It was still a historic year for the A’s, who saw longtime manager John Schiffner become the Cape League’s career wins leader.
For all the wins, though, it’s been awhile since the A’s won a championship – 1998, to be exact. It looks like they’ve got the team to do it this year.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 9
Juniors: 4
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen : 5
Notable
• Chatham has 28 players on the roster right now. It needs to be at 25, so they’re definitely expecting to make some changes in the coming weeks.
• For the pitching staff to live up to its potential, Brad Boxberger, Charles Brewer and Gavin Brooks have to bounce back. All three had shaky springs, but all three have all-star potential.
• As good as the pitching might be, the offense will have to be good, too. Every team in the Cape has good pitching, so you have to score runs to win.
• Since the A’s are a little pitching heavy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see David Hale – who is listed only as a pitcher despite playing a lot in the field this spring – see some time at the plate, too.
• If Matt Harvey doesn’t end up as the top freshman pitcher on the Cape, don’t be surprised if Sammy Solis does. He just has to crack the starting rotation first.
• Catcher is one spot where the A’s might struggle. Gregg Glime hit .209 this spring and Joe Mercurio hit .222. With this team, though, the most important thing may be for them to simply be solid defensively.
• If we’re penciling in Kyle Bellows at third, Grant Green at short and Casey Haerther at first, the A’s would have a very strong infield. It would be significantly stronger if Kyle Seager doesn’t go to Team USA. Seager is currently the only Chatham player to be invited.
• Chatham’s North Carolina pipeline is certainly a great thing for the franchise, but the Tar Heels have turned into such a powerhouse, that the A’s can’t bank on getting a full season out of anybody from Chapel Hill. UNC is poised to make another trip to Omaha this year.
• As far as Seager goes, the A’s might want to be rooting for UNC to make a deep CWS run. That would cut way into the Team USA trials process, meaning Seager would be much more likely to be one of the invitees who doesn’t make the team. So he’d arrive late to Chatham, but at least he’d be there.
• I’d look for Baylor’s Aaron Miller to have a big summer. He was a major prospect out of high school who had his freshman year cut off by an injury. He was very good this season and is poised to make a name for himself again.
• The fact that the A’s have 12 players on this year’s roster who played on the Cape last year is extremely unusual. It could be a huge advantage for them.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Grant Green
2. Alex White
3. Matt Harvey
4. Gavin Brooks
5. Justin Marks
Pitchers
Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195 – USC – Sophomore
*Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185 – USC – Sophomore
Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210 – Central Florida – Sophomore
David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195 – Princeton – Sophomore
Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
*Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180 – Louisville – Sophomore
*Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205 – USC – Junior
Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190 – Vermont – Junior
Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215 – San Diego – Freshman
Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205 – North Carolina – Junior
*Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200 – Clemson – Sophomore
* returning player
Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195
USC
Sophomore
Boxberger was on his way to a huge summer for Orleans when an injury sent him home a little early. He still made seven appearances and finished with a 1.24 ERA. He made a pretty big impression, too. Baseball America tabbed him as the 24th best prospect in the league, which made him the fourth-best freshman pitcher. Boxberger’s spring wasn’t spectacular, though. He finished with decent peripheral numbers – 52 strikeouts in 50 innings – but his ERA was 6.12.
Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195
UCLA
Sophomore
Brewer was one of two UCLA frosh pitching for the A’s last year, and he had a better showing than Gavin Brooks, who will also be back in Chatham. He finished the summer with a 1.94 ERA, the best mark on the team among starters. Like Boxberger, his spring was a little uneven. He went 8-4 but had a 5.09 ERA.
Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210
UCLA
Sophomore
In terms of potential, Brooks probably is a little bit ahead of his teammate Brewer. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a chance to show it last summer. He was impressive in two early starts but then left for the remainder of the season. He’ll be trying to leave a more lasting impression this summer after posting a 4.91 ERA this spring.
Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185
USC
Sophomore
Couture was one of the most dominant relievers on the Cape last year, finishing with a .90 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 30 innings. He spent the spring in USC’s rotation, going 6-2 with a 4.27 ERA. Whatever role he plays for Chatham, he’s got the potential to be a major contributor.
Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210
Central Florida
Sophomore
Giardina was a 28th-round pick out of high school in 2006 and had a decent freshman season for the Knights. But he saw his ERA balloon to 8.92 this season. He still struck out 45 in 38.1 innings.
David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195
Princeton
Sophomore
Hale was a starter all season for the Tigers and was somewhat of a workhorse, finishing with three complete games. He had a 5.04 ERA but struck out 47 in 44.2 innings of work. Hale also played a lot in the field, finishing with a .339 batting average and five home runs.
Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Harvey was a first-round talent last year who dropped to the third round. He still ended up as one of the highest unsigned picks in the draft, and he has lived up to the hype with the Tar Heels. Through the regional, which UNC won, Harvey had a 7-2 record and a 2.52 ERA. He has struck out 74 in 60.2 innings. Based on hype and those numbers, Harvey could be the top freshman pitcher in the league.
Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185
Virginia
Sophomore
Lorick is kind of the forgotten man when you list who’s coming back from last year’s team, but he should be a valuable player. He had his ups and downs in relief for the A’s last summer, finishing with an ERA above 6, but he still has the potential to be a good left-handed specialist out of the bullpen. With as many starters as the A’s have, they’ll need Lorick to be a big part of the pen.
Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180
Louisville
Sophomore
Marks had a great freshman season with the Cardinals, and after struggling through the early part of this season, he really turned it on. He finished with a 9-1 record, a 2.21 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. Marks looks like a guy who’s just coming into his own, so he could make a big splash this summer.
Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205
USC
Junior
Milone was last year’s Cape League Pitcher of the Year, but for whatever reason, scouts don’t love him. That’s probably why he’s on the A’s roster again, despite being eligible for the draft this year. He was taken in the 10th round, so we’ll see what happens with him. If he comes, he gives the A’s something no other team has – a veteran lefty who has already had major success on the Cape.
Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190
Vermont
Junior
I actually saw Serafin in the NECBL last year, and though he doesn’t have the prototypical pitcher look, he’s very good. The typical crafty lefthander, Serafin went 6-5 this spring with a 2.51 ERA and earned America East Pitcher of the Year honors. Without the size or the hype or the big school, Serafin is a guy who will be easy to root for this summer.
Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215
San Diego
Freshman
Solis was an 18th-round pick in last year’s draft and showed why in his freshman year with the Toreros. He made 17 appearances – seven starts – and went 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA. He struck out 42 and walked 12, an outstanding ratio, especially for a freshman.
Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200
Long Beach State
Freshman
Like Robert Stock at USC a year ago, Thompson enrolled at Long Beach after skipping his senior year of high school. He’s not quite as young as Stock was when he did it, but this is still an interesting case. Thompson went 2-5 this spring with a 4.95 ERA.
Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205
North Carolina
Junior
Of the three UNC pitchers on the Chatham roster, Warren comes with the least amount of hype. But he’s been a very consistent starter for the Tar Heels, posting an 8-1 record with a 4.42 ERA. His 71.1 innings pitched rank second on the team. Last summer, Warren played for Brewster, finishing the season with a 7.71 ERA.
Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191
North Carolina
Sophomore
White was a 14th-round pick out of high school and lived up to the hype last year, both for the Tar Heels and the A’s. After finishing sixth in the ACC in strikeouts in the spring, he came to Chatham and was impressive despite a late arrival, finishing with a 2.10 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. He’s been great this spring, with a 9-3 record, a 2.66 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 81.1 innings.
Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200
Clemson
Sophomore
Zoltak has been used almost exclusively as a reliever in his two years at Clemson. He finished this season with a 6.30 ERA after posting a 5.66 ERA as a freshman.
Position Players
*Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210 – Baylor – Sophomore
Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185 – Maine – Sophomore
Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205 – San Jose State – Sophomore
Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180 – USC – Sophomore
Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180 – San Diego – Freshman
*Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160 – UNC Greensboro – Sophomore
*Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192 – NC State – Junior
* returning player
Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210
Baylor
Sophomore
Glime saw part-time action his freshman year at Baylor then played for Chatham last summer. He struggled with the A’s, finishing with a .150 average, and he hit only .209 this spring for Baylor.
Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185
Maine
Sophomore
Chatham has had a Maine connection in the past and they’ve used it again to bring in Mercurio. The lanky sophomore played his freshman year at Illinois before transferring to Maine. He played in 36 games for the Black Bears, finishing with a .222 batting average.
Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205
San Jose State
Sophomore
Bellows earned Freshman All-America nods from several publications after hitting .343 last season. He continued his strong year by hitting .343 in the NECBL, which helped him earn the No. 2 spot on BA’s list of the league’s top prospects. His numbers weren’t quite as good this spring – .276 with four home runs.
Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180
USC
Sophomore
Based on what he did last year for Y-D and what he did this spring for USC, Green will enter the summer as the top returning player, in my book. He hit .291 with four home runs for the Red Sox last summer. This season for the Trojans, he hit .390 with nine home runs. He was rated 18th on BA’s list of top Cape League prospects last year, and he’s got a good shot to move way up this year.
Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210
UCLA
Sophomore
Haerther was the top all-around hitter for the Bruins this spring, finishing the year with a .324 average and team-highs of 12 home runs and 52 RBI. Out of high school, Haerther was a 34th-round pick.
Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185
Long Beach State
Freshman
Lohman was a late addition to the Chatham roster, likely an insurance policy if Seager goes to Team USA, and a very good backup if he doesn’t. He should be a good player regardless of how big a role he plays. He was drafted in the 42nd round out of high school and played fairly well for Long Beach this spring.
Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180
San Diego
Freshman
Sanchez was another piece in San Diego’s big recruiting class and he made a pretty big impact. Holding down the starting job at third, Sanchez didn’t hit that well in the average department (.268) but he made up for it with 12 home runs, best on the team.
Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194
North Carolina
Sophomore
Seager was a valuable contributor for the Tar Heels as a freshman then had a strong showing for Chatham, hitting .274 after arriving late from the College World Series. He’s been a star for the Tar Heels this year, hitting .365 with eight home runs and 67 RBI. He has been invited to Team USA.
Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201
Oklahoma State
Sophomore
Brown has been very solid in his sophomore year for the Cowboys, hitting .294 with four home runs. This will be his first summer on the Cape, but he has a big connection to Chatham. His brother Corey, also from Oklahoma State, played for Chatham in 2006 and is now in the Oakland A’s organization.
Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220
Baylor
Sophomore
Miller was a big-time player out of high school. His senior year, he was rated No. 23 nationally by Baseball America. Once he arrived at Baylor, he started from day one, before a broken arm ended his season and kept him out all of last summer. He was very good this year though, finishing with a .295 average and 12 home runs.
Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160
UNC Greensboro
Sophomore
Overholtzer is another player coming from a smaller school who could have a big impact. He hit .350 this spring with five home runs.
Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192
NC State
Junior
Synan came to Chatham for the second half of the season last summer and gave the A’s a pretty big boost. He ended up hitting .388 in 18 games. For NC State this spring, he’s hit .306. Synan is another junior who may be trying to raise his stock.
Manager: John Schiffner
Last Season: 25-16-3
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox won last year’s Cape League championship with an incredible offense. The Chatham A’s have their eyes on the title in 2008, and if they win it, they’ll do it with incredible pitching.
It was clear from the moment Chatham’s roster was released that the pitching staff had a chance to be special. As I read through the alphabetical roster, I was more and more amazed. Start with Brad Boxberger and Charles Brewer, two returning players who had big success last year. Continue to Gavin Brooks, a top prospect, and Kevin Couture, another talented returnee. In the middle is Matt Harvey, one of the highest unsigned picks in last year’s draft. Louisville’s Justin Marks, one of the top pitchers in the Big East is there, too. Then there’s Tom Milone, last year’s Cape League pitcher of the year. And don’t forget Alex White down near the bottom. He’s a surefire first-round pick next year.
So yes, the A’s have some pitching.
Their offense can’t come close to matching it, but with the addition of USC’s Grant Green, it’s no slouch either. Combined, I think that makes the A’s the most complete team in the league, at least on paper. With an unheard of nine players back from last year’s team – and three more from other teams – the A’s should know what it takes to turn potential into success.
Last year, they turned it on late in the season to finish with the second-best record in the league. They were really no match for Y-D in the Eastern finals, but nobody would have been. It was still a historic year for the A’s, who saw longtime manager John Schiffner become the Cape League’s career wins leader.
For all the wins, though, it’s been awhile since the A’s won a championship – 1998, to be exact. It looks like they’ve got the team to do it this year.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 9
Juniors: 4
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen : 5
Notable
• Chatham has 28 players on the roster right now. It needs to be at 25, so they’re definitely expecting to make some changes in the coming weeks.
• For the pitching staff to live up to its potential, Brad Boxberger, Charles Brewer and Gavin Brooks have to bounce back. All three had shaky springs, but all three have all-star potential.
• As good as the pitching might be, the offense will have to be good, too. Every team in the Cape has good pitching, so you have to score runs to win.
• Since the A’s are a little pitching heavy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see David Hale – who is listed only as a pitcher despite playing a lot in the field this spring – see some time at the plate, too.
• If Matt Harvey doesn’t end up as the top freshman pitcher on the Cape, don’t be surprised if Sammy Solis does. He just has to crack the starting rotation first.
• Catcher is one spot where the A’s might struggle. Gregg Glime hit .209 this spring and Joe Mercurio hit .222. With this team, though, the most important thing may be for them to simply be solid defensively.
• If we’re penciling in Kyle Bellows at third, Grant Green at short and Casey Haerther at first, the A’s would have a very strong infield. It would be significantly stronger if Kyle Seager doesn’t go to Team USA. Seager is currently the only Chatham player to be invited.
• Chatham’s North Carolina pipeline is certainly a great thing for the franchise, but the Tar Heels have turned into such a powerhouse, that the A’s can’t bank on getting a full season out of anybody from Chapel Hill. UNC is poised to make another trip to Omaha this year.
• As far as Seager goes, the A’s might want to be rooting for UNC to make a deep CWS run. That would cut way into the Team USA trials process, meaning Seager would be much more likely to be one of the invitees who doesn’t make the team. So he’d arrive late to Chatham, but at least he’d be there.
• I’d look for Baylor’s Aaron Miller to have a big summer. He was a major prospect out of high school who had his freshman year cut off by an injury. He was very good this season and is poised to make a name for himself again.
• The fact that the A’s have 12 players on this year’s roster who played on the Cape last year is extremely unusual. It could be a huge advantage for them.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Grant Green
2. Alex White
3. Matt Harvey
4. Gavin Brooks
5. Justin Marks
Pitchers
Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195 – USC – Sophomore
*Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
*Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185 – USC – Sophomore
Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210 – Central Florida – Sophomore
David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195 – Princeton – Sophomore
Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
*Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185 – Virginia – Sophomore
Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180 – Louisville – Sophomore
*Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205 – USC – Junior
Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190 – Vermont – Junior
Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215 – San Diego – Freshman
Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205 – North Carolina – Junior
*Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200 – Clemson – Sophomore
* returning player
Brad Boxberger – RHP – 6’2 195
USC
Sophomore
Boxberger was on his way to a huge summer for Orleans when an injury sent him home a little early. He still made seven appearances and finished with a 1.24 ERA. He made a pretty big impression, too. Baseball America tabbed him as the 24th best prospect in the league, which made him the fourth-best freshman pitcher. Boxberger’s spring wasn’t spectacular, though. He finished with decent peripheral numbers – 52 strikeouts in 50 innings – but his ERA was 6.12.
Charles Brewer – RHP – 6’5 195
UCLA
Sophomore
Brewer was one of two UCLA frosh pitching for the A’s last year, and he had a better showing than Gavin Brooks, who will also be back in Chatham. He finished the summer with a 1.94 ERA, the best mark on the team among starters. Like Boxberger, his spring was a little uneven. He went 8-4 but had a 5.09 ERA.
Gavin Brooks – LHP – 6’3 210
UCLA
Sophomore
In terms of potential, Brooks probably is a little bit ahead of his teammate Brewer. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much of a chance to show it last summer. He was impressive in two early starts but then left for the remainder of the season. He’ll be trying to leave a more lasting impression this summer after posting a 4.91 ERA this spring.
Kevin Couture – RHP – 6’0 185
USC
Sophomore
Couture was one of the most dominant relievers on the Cape last year, finishing with a .90 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 30 innings. He spent the spring in USC’s rotation, going 6-2 with a 4.27 ERA. Whatever role he plays for Chatham, he’s got the potential to be a major contributor.
Carmine Giardina – LHP – 6’3 210
Central Florida
Sophomore
Giardina was a 28th-round pick out of high school in 2006 and had a decent freshman season for the Knights. But he saw his ERA balloon to 8.92 this season. He still struck out 45 in 38.1 innings.
David Hale – RHP – 6’2 195
Princeton
Sophomore
Hale was a starter all season for the Tigers and was somewhat of a workhorse, finishing with three complete games. He had a 5.04 ERA but struck out 47 in 44.2 innings of work. Hale also played a lot in the field, finishing with a .339 batting average and five home runs.
Matt Harvey – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Harvey was a first-round talent last year who dropped to the third round. He still ended up as one of the highest unsigned picks in the draft, and he has lived up to the hype with the Tar Heels. Through the regional, which UNC won, Harvey had a 7-2 record and a 2.52 ERA. He has struck out 74 in 60.2 innings. Based on hype and those numbers, Harvey could be the top freshman pitcher in the league.
Jeff Lorick – LHP – 6’1 185
Virginia
Sophomore
Lorick is kind of the forgotten man when you list who’s coming back from last year’s team, but he should be a valuable player. He had his ups and downs in relief for the A’s last summer, finishing with an ERA above 6, but he still has the potential to be a good left-handed specialist out of the bullpen. With as many starters as the A’s have, they’ll need Lorick to be a big part of the pen.
Justin Marks – LHP – 6’2 180
Louisville
Sophomore
Marks had a great freshman season with the Cardinals, and after struggling through the early part of this season, he really turned it on. He finished with a 9-1 record, a 2.21 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. Marks looks like a guy who’s just coming into his own, so he could make a big splash this summer.
Tom Milone – LHP – 6’0 205
USC
Junior
Milone was last year’s Cape League Pitcher of the Year, but for whatever reason, scouts don’t love him. That’s probably why he’s on the A’s roster again, despite being eligible for the draft this year. He was taken in the 10th round, so we’ll see what happens with him. If he comes, he gives the A’s something no other team has – a veteran lefty who has already had major success on the Cape.
Joe Serafin – LHP – 5’11 190
Vermont
Junior
I actually saw Serafin in the NECBL last year, and though he doesn’t have the prototypical pitcher look, he’s very good. The typical crafty lefthander, Serafin went 6-5 this spring with a 2.51 ERA and earned America East Pitcher of the Year honors. Without the size or the hype or the big school, Serafin is a guy who will be easy to root for this summer.
Sammy Solis – LHP – 6’4 215
San Diego
Freshman
Solis was an 18th-round pick in last year’s draft and showed why in his freshman year with the Toreros. He made 17 appearances – seven starts – and went 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA. He struck out 42 and walked 12, an outstanding ratio, especially for a freshman.
Jake Thompson – RHP – 6’3 200
Long Beach State
Freshman
Like Robert Stock at USC a year ago, Thompson enrolled at Long Beach after skipping his senior year of high school. He’s not quite as young as Stock was when he did it, but this is still an interesting case. Thompson went 2-5 this spring with a 4.95 ERA.
Adam Warren – RHP – 6’2 205
North Carolina
Junior
Of the three UNC pitchers on the Chatham roster, Warren comes with the least amount of hype. But he’s been a very consistent starter for the Tar Heels, posting an 8-1 record with a 4.42 ERA. His 71.1 innings pitched rank second on the team. Last summer, Warren played for Brewster, finishing the season with a 7.71 ERA.
Alex White – RHP – 6’3 191
North Carolina
Sophomore
White was a 14th-round pick out of high school and lived up to the hype last year, both for the Tar Heels and the A’s. After finishing sixth in the ACC in strikeouts in the spring, he came to Chatham and was impressive despite a late arrival, finishing with a 2.10 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings. He’s been great this spring, with a 9-3 record, a 2.66 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 81.1 innings.
Matt Zoltak – LHP – 5’11 200
Clemson
Sophomore
Zoltak has been used almost exclusively as a reliever in his two years at Clemson. He finished this season with a 6.30 ERA after posting a 5.66 ERA as a freshman.
Position Players
*Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210 – Baylor – Sophomore
Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185 – Maine – Sophomore
Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205 – San Jose State – Sophomore
Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180 – USC – Sophomore
Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210 – UCLA – Sophomore
Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185 – Long Beach State – Freshman
Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180 – San Diego – Freshman
*Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201 – Oklahoma State – Sophomore
Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160 – UNC Greensboro – Sophomore
*Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192 – NC State – Junior
* returning player
Gregg Glime – C – 5’11 210
Baylor
Sophomore
Glime saw part-time action his freshman year at Baylor then played for Chatham last summer. He struggled with the A’s, finishing with a .150 average, and he hit only .209 this spring for Baylor.
Joe Mercurio – C – 6’2 185
Maine
Sophomore
Chatham has had a Maine connection in the past and they’ve used it again to bring in Mercurio. The lanky sophomore played his freshman year at Illinois before transferring to Maine. He played in 36 games for the Black Bears, finishing with a .222 batting average.
Kyle Bellows – 3B – 6’3 205
San Jose State
Sophomore
Bellows earned Freshman All-America nods from several publications after hitting .343 last season. He continued his strong year by hitting .343 in the NECBL, which helped him earn the No. 2 spot on BA’s list of the league’s top prospects. His numbers weren’t quite as good this spring – .276 with four home runs.
Grant Green – SS – 6’0 180
USC
Sophomore
Based on what he did last year for Y-D and what he did this spring for USC, Green will enter the summer as the top returning player, in my book. He hit .291 with four home runs for the Red Sox last summer. This season for the Trojans, he hit .390 with nine home runs. He was rated 18th on BA’s list of top Cape League prospects last year, and he’s got a good shot to move way up this year.
Casey Haerther – 1B – 6’2 210
UCLA
Sophomore
Haerther was the top all-around hitter for the Bruins this spring, finishing the year with a .324 average and team-highs of 12 home runs and 52 RBI. Out of high school, Haerther was a 34th-round pick.
Devin Lohman – INF – 6’1 185
Long Beach State
Freshman
Lohman was a late addition to the Chatham roster, likely an insurance policy if Seager goes to Team USA, and a very good backup if he doesn’t. He should be a good player regardless of how big a role he plays. He was drafted in the 42nd round out of high school and played fairly well for Long Beach this spring.
Victor Sanchez – INF – 6’2 180
San Diego
Freshman
Sanchez was another piece in San Diego’s big recruiting class and he made a pretty big impact. Holding down the starting job at third, Sanchez didn’t hit that well in the average department (.268) but he made up for it with 12 home runs, best on the team.
Kyle Seager – 2B – 6’1 194
North Carolina
Sophomore
Seager was a valuable contributor for the Tar Heels as a freshman then had a strong showing for Chatham, hitting .274 after arriving late from the College World Series. He’s been a star for the Tar Heels this year, hitting .365 with eight home runs and 67 RBI. He has been invited to Team USA.
Dylan Brown – OF – 6’2 201
Oklahoma State
Sophomore
Brown has been very solid in his sophomore year for the Cowboys, hitting .294 with four home runs. This will be his first summer on the Cape, but he has a big connection to Chatham. His brother Corey, also from Oklahoma State, played for Chatham in 2006 and is now in the Oakland A’s organization.
Aaron Miller – OF – 6’3 220
Baylor
Sophomore
Miller was a big-time player out of high school. His senior year, he was rated No. 23 nationally by Baseball America. Once he arrived at Baylor, he started from day one, before a broken arm ended his season and kept him out all of last summer. He was very good this year though, finishing with a .295 average and 12 home runs.
Corey Overholtzer – OF – 5’11 160
UNC Greensboro
Sophomore
Overholtzer is another player coming from a smaller school who could have a big impact. He hit .350 this spring with five home runs.
Jeremy Synan – OF – 5’11 192
NC State
Junior
Synan came to Chatham for the second half of the season last summer and gave the A’s a pretty big boost. He ended up hitting .388 in 18 games. For NC State this spring, he’s hit .306. Synan is another junior who may be trying to raise his stock.
Friday, June 6, 2008
early look: harwich
HARWICH MARINERS
Manager: Steve Englert
Last Season: 14-28-2
The Harwich Mariners franchise has had its fair share of great players the last few years, from Shaun Marcum and Joe Saunders to Jeff Niemann and Tim Lincecum. But team success hasn’t been there. The Mariners haven’t had a wining season since they went 23-21 in 1998. Their best finish in that span was in 2005, when they took third in the East.
With a trio of perennial powerhouses in the same division, it’s tough for the Mariners to reverse the trend. If things go as planned this year, though, I think Harwich has a legitimate chance to compete.
The offense could be very solid, even if it takes a hit from Team USA. Players like D.J. LeMahieu, Shaver Hansen and Jason Stidham give the Mariners some of the best high-ceiling guys they’ve had in recent years. As for the pitching staff, it looks like there are several potential standouts in Sean Black, Joseph Gautier, Chris Manno and Matt Zielinski.
In all, I think this Harwich team has a lot more potential than last year’s. That squad didn’t have much in the way of pitching depth and it hurt them. They finished with a 14-28-2 record, the worst in the league and the franchise’s worst in the last 10 years.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen : 5
Notable
• Harwich’s web site hadn’t been updated for awhile, but of course, right as I was about to post this, I noticed some roster changes. So this is current as of June 5.
• Two of the biggest changes were the losses of Virginia’s Phil Gosselin and Florida State’s John Gast, two pretty highly-touted freshmen. But two big pitchers in Joseph Gautier and Chris Manno were added.
• Only two Harwich players have been invited to Team USA, but they would be two pretty huge losses. Tommy Medica is currently the only catcher listed on the roster (which can’t be right), but even with other catchers in the fold, Medica is a big loss. The other player is Dustin Ackley, who would have a pretty good shot at being the best hitter on the Cape.
• The Mariners should still have a pretty nice little offense, even if Ackley and Medica go with Team USA. D.J. LeMahieu, Brandon Belt, Shaver Hansen, Joe Sanders and Brian Kemp all look like legitimate hitters.
• LeMahieu has the potential to become the top freshman hitter in the league.
• I think Sean Black could have a big summer. He was the highest unsigned pick in the 2006 draft and just finished a very good spring at Seton Hall. He’ll be looking to raise his stock.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Dustin Ackley
2. D.J. LeMahieu
3. Sean Black
4. Chris Manno
5. Brandon Belt
Pitchers
Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220 – Florida – Sophomore
*Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195 – Seton Hall – Sophomore
Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207 – Memphis – Freshman
Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175 – Bethune Cookman – Junior
Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170 – North Carolina – Freshman
Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200 – Baylor – Sophomore
Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160 – Duke – Sophomore
Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200 – Richmond – Sophomore
* returning player
Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220
Florida
Sophomore
Bullock saw action mostly as a starter in his freshman season and continued in a similar role this season. After posting a 6.31 ERA last year, Bullock went 4-5 this year with a 5.01 ERA. He struck out 63 in 82.2 innings. Bullock was a 20th round pick in the 2006 draft.
Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195
Seton Hall
Sophomore
Talk about hype. Black was a second-round pick in 2006, and when he opted to stick with Seton Hall, he became the highest unsigned player in the draft. His freshman year wasn’t spectacular, though, as he finished with a 5.66 ERA. He then made three appearances early in the summer for Harwich before heading home. This season, though, Black has shown why he was so highly-though of out of high school. He finished with a 3.44 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 65.1 innings.
Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207
Walters State
Freshman
Bell is listed as being from Memphis on Harwich’s roster, and I guess that’s where he was for a while. But he spent this spring at juco powerhouse Walters State Community College in Tennessee. He emerged there as one of the team’s best pitchers, posting a 3.50 ERA with 100 strikeouts and only 33 walks in 100.1 innings. Bell was a 25th-round pick out of high school.
Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Davis was a highly thought-of high school player in North Carolina, but has seen very limited action for the Tar Heels this season because of injury. He didn’t allow an earned run in his two appearances, but he’s not on the Tar Heels’ postseason roster, so he’s clearly done for the season. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.
Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200
Notre Dame
Freshman
Notre Dame has a lot of players whose draft stock slipped because of their college commitment, and Dupra is another one. He was ranked among the top 150 draft prospects last year, but fell to the 37th round and naturally stuck with Notre Dame. His ERA this season was 5.44 but his peripheral numbers were good. He struck out 30 and walked 10 in 46.1 innings.
Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175
Bethune Cookman
Junior
Gautier just got added to the Harwich roster. He was dominant this season for the Wildcats, posting a 6-3 record with a 2.48 ERA. He struck out 74 and walked only 13 in 72.2 innings. He is draft-eligible this year, so in the next day, we’ll have a better idea of whether or not he’ll be in Harwich. If he is, he looks like a major addition to the Mariners’ staff.
Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170
North Carolina
Freshman
Rated ahead of his UNC teammate Davis out of high school, Johnson has been pretty solid in a swing role for the Tar Heels. In 14 appearances – half of them starts – he’s posted a 4.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 22 walks in 41.1 innings.
Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Kalush was both a starter and a reliever for the Broncos this spring and finished the year with a 5-3 record and a 5.80 ERA. He struck out 61 in 54 innings, though, which is a pretty nice ratio. Kalush was a West Coast Conference all-freshman pick last year.
Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200
Baylor
Sophomore
After a very good freshman season, Kempf pitched well in the Northwoods League last summer and became one of the Bears’ most reliable pitchers this year. He made 16 appearances – 10 starts – and went 6-2 with a 3.69 ERA. He struck out 48 in 68.1 innings.
Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160
Duke
Sophomore
Manno is another late addition and another big addition. He went 6-2 this year with a 3.38 ERA, and he struck out 80 in just 58.2 innings. He also only walked 19. Looks like some serious potential here.
Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195
Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore
Morrison was one of the Titans’ most versatile pitchers last year, excelling in starts and relief appearances. He has focused mostly on relief this year with pretty solid results. He’s posted a 4.33 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched.
Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215
Northeastern
Sophomore
Quigley pitched mostly as a starter this spring and struggled to a 2-4 record and an 8.06 ERA. He did, however, strike out 62 in 51.1 innings. Quigley was a closer last season and excelled in that role.
Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200
Richmond
Sophomore
Zielinski was the best pitcher on a staff that had its struggles this year. The sophomore went 5-2 with a 4.71 ERA and flashed great control, striking out 45 and walking only 14. Zielinski had a 3.30 ERA as a freshman and was named the A-10’s Freshman of the Year.
Position Players
Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205 – Texas – Sophomore
Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196 – LSU – Freshman
Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195 – Auburn – Sophomore
Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173 – Florida State – Sophomore
Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182 – North Carolina – Sophomore
D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180 – Nebraska – Sophomore
Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180 – St. John’s – Sophomore
Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192 – Auburn – Sophomore
Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200
North Carolina
Sophomore
The heir apparent to Tim Federowicz, Fleury hasn’t exactly been buried on the depth chart. He’s played in 57 games, some as the DH and some at catcher, with a lot of pinch-hitting mixed in. He has hit .286 with three home runs. Fleury played in the NECBL last summer.
Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Medica was a standout freshman last year and played for Team USA last summer. He’s again a Team USA invite this year, so we’ll see what happens there. This season for Santa Clara, Medica hit .342 with six home runs and 44 RBI.
Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205
Texas
Sophomore
A power-hitting first baseman who occasionally pitches, Belt made a pretty big impact after transferring to Texas from San Jacinto junior college. He hit .319, good for fourth on the team, and hit six home runs. He led the team with 65 RBI. In 16 appearances on the mound, he had a 4.08 ERA with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 17.2 innings.
Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205
UC Irvine
Sophomore
Cusick hasn’t hit for much power this season, but his average and on-base percentage make up for it. He’s hit a team-best .347 with a .446 on-base percentage. His UC-Irvine team is still alive in the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament.
Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185
Baylor
Sophomore
Hansen was named Baylor’s co-MVP this year, sharing the award with former Wareham player Beamer Weems. Hansen led the team with a .326 average and hit six home runs with 47 RBI. He played mostly at third base.
D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196
LSU
Freshman
LeMahieu was a two-time winner of Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year award and headed south as a highly-touted shortstop. He hasn’t disappointed in his freshman season with the Tigers. He has started 61 games and has put up a .336 average to go with five home runs and 38 RBI.
Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195
Auburn
Sophomore
Sanders hit .333 as a freshman and stayed ahead of that pace as a sophomore, finishing with a .348 average, good for second on the team. He also hit six home runs and drove in a team-best 52 runs. Sanders played second base for the Tigers.
Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207
Arkansas
Sophomore
Smalling hit .288 in his freshman year after grabbing the starting shortstop gig. His average dipped this year to .250 but he still hit nine home runs. Smalling can also play second base and third base.
Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173
Florida State
Sophomore
Stidham was a first-team all-conference pick as a freshman when he hit .366. As the Seminoles’ starting second baseman this season, his average has dipped to .308, but he had hit 10 home runs, the third-highest total on the team. Stidham was a 43rd-round pick out of high school.
Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182
North Carolina
Sophomore
Ackley was the top freshman hitter in the country last year and was slated to play for Chatham last summer. He never made it, and as a Team USA invitee, he might not make it to Harwich this year. If he does, you can be sure he’ll hit. After batting .402 last year, he has hit .407 this year with seven home runs.
D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180
Nebraska
Sophomore
Belfonte was one of Nebraska’s offensive leaders as a freshman, hitting .307 and leading the team in several categories. But he hit the dreaded sophomore slump this year, batting just .241. He still brought speed to the table, stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts.
Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180
St. John’s
Sophomore
Kemp emerged this season as one of the best hitters for average in the Big East. He finished the year with a .359 batting average and also notched a .449 on-base percentage.
Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192
Auburn
Sophomore
Smith had a very good freshman season after coming in as a highly-touted recruit, but from what I can gather, he redshirted this season due to injury. He isn’t actually on the Auburn roster right now, so I’m not sure what that means. You can get to his bio from a Google search.
Manager: Steve Englert
Last Season: 14-28-2
The Harwich Mariners franchise has had its fair share of great players the last few years, from Shaun Marcum and Joe Saunders to Jeff Niemann and Tim Lincecum. But team success hasn’t been there. The Mariners haven’t had a wining season since they went 23-21 in 1998. Their best finish in that span was in 2005, when they took third in the East.
With a trio of perennial powerhouses in the same division, it’s tough for the Mariners to reverse the trend. If things go as planned this year, though, I think Harwich has a legitimate chance to compete.
The offense could be very solid, even if it takes a hit from Team USA. Players like D.J. LeMahieu, Shaver Hansen and Jason Stidham give the Mariners some of the best high-ceiling guys they’ve had in recent years. As for the pitching staff, it looks like there are several potential standouts in Sean Black, Joseph Gautier, Chris Manno and Matt Zielinski.
In all, I think this Harwich team has a lot more potential than last year’s. That squad didn’t have much in the way of pitching depth and it hurt them. They finished with a 14-28-2 record, the worst in the league and the franchise’s worst in the last 10 years.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 1
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 20
Freshmen : 5
Notable
• Harwich’s web site hadn’t been updated for awhile, but of course, right as I was about to post this, I noticed some roster changes. So this is current as of June 5.
• Two of the biggest changes were the losses of Virginia’s Phil Gosselin and Florida State’s John Gast, two pretty highly-touted freshmen. But two big pitchers in Joseph Gautier and Chris Manno were added.
• Only two Harwich players have been invited to Team USA, but they would be two pretty huge losses. Tommy Medica is currently the only catcher listed on the roster (which can’t be right), but even with other catchers in the fold, Medica is a big loss. The other player is Dustin Ackley, who would have a pretty good shot at being the best hitter on the Cape.
• The Mariners should still have a pretty nice little offense, even if Ackley and Medica go with Team USA. D.J. LeMahieu, Brandon Belt, Shaver Hansen, Joe Sanders and Brian Kemp all look like legitimate hitters.
• LeMahieu has the potential to become the top freshman hitter in the league.
• I think Sean Black could have a big summer. He was the highest unsigned pick in the 2006 draft and just finished a very good spring at Seton Hall. He’ll be looking to raise his stock.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Dustin Ackley
2. D.J. LeMahieu
3. Sean Black
4. Chris Manno
5. Brandon Belt
Pitchers
Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220 – Florida – Sophomore
*Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195 – Seton Hall – Sophomore
Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207 – Memphis – Freshman
Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200 – North Carolina – Freshman
Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200 – Notre Dame – Freshman
Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175 – Bethune Cookman – Junior
Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170 – North Carolina – Freshman
Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200 – Baylor – Sophomore
Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160 – Duke – Sophomore
Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215 – Northeastern – Sophomore
Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200 – Richmond – Sophomore
* returning player
Billy Bullock – RHP – 6’6 220
Florida
Sophomore
Bullock saw action mostly as a starter in his freshman season and continued in a similar role this season. After posting a 6.31 ERA last year, Bullock went 4-5 this year with a 5.01 ERA. He struck out 63 in 82.2 innings. Bullock was a 20th round pick in the 2006 draft.
Sean Black – RHP – 6’5 195
Seton Hall
Sophomore
Talk about hype. Black was a second-round pick in 2006, and when he opted to stick with Seton Hall, he became the highest unsigned player in the draft. His freshman year wasn’t spectacular, though, as he finished with a 5.66 ERA. He then made three appearances early in the summer for Harwich before heading home. This season, though, Black has shown why he was so highly-though of out of high school. He finished with a 3.44 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 65.1 innings.
Chad Bell – LHP – 6’4 207
Walters State
Freshman
Bell is listed as being from Memphis on Harwich’s roster, and I guess that’s where he was for a while. But he spent this spring at juco powerhouse Walters State Community College in Tennessee. He emerged there as one of the team’s best pitchers, posting a 3.50 ERA with 100 strikeouts and only 33 walks in 100.1 innings. Bell was a 25th-round pick out of high school.
Garret Davis – RHP – 6’4 200
North Carolina
Freshman
Davis was a highly thought-of high school player in North Carolina, but has seen very limited action for the Tar Heels this season because of injury. He didn’t allow an earned run in his two appearances, but he’s not on the Tar Heels’ postseason roster, so he’s clearly done for the season. We’ll see if he makes it to the Cape.
Brian Dupra – RHP – 6’3 200
Notre Dame
Freshman
Notre Dame has a lot of players whose draft stock slipped because of their college commitment, and Dupra is another one. He was ranked among the top 150 draft prospects last year, but fell to the 37th round and naturally stuck with Notre Dame. His ERA this season was 5.44 but his peripheral numbers were good. He struck out 30 and walked 10 in 46.1 innings.
Joseph Gautier – LHP – 5’10 175
Bethune Cookman
Junior
Gautier just got added to the Harwich roster. He was dominant this season for the Wildcats, posting a 6-3 record with a 2.48 ERA. He struck out 74 and walked only 13 in 72.2 innings. He is draft-eligible this year, so in the next day, we’ll have a better idea of whether or not he’ll be in Harwich. If he is, he looks like a major addition to the Mariners’ staff.
Pat Johnson – RHP – 5’10 170
North Carolina
Freshman
Rated ahead of his UNC teammate Davis out of high school, Johnson has been pretty solid in a swing role for the Tar Heels. In 14 appearances – half of them starts – he’s posted a 4.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts and 22 walks in 41.1 innings.
Stave Kalush – RHP – 6’0 180
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Kalush was both a starter and a reliever for the Broncos this spring and finished the year with a 5-3 record and a 5.80 ERA. He struck out 61 in 54 innings, though, which is a pretty nice ratio. Kalush was a West Coast Conference all-freshman pick last year.
Willie Kempf – RHP – 6’0 200
Baylor
Sophomore
After a very good freshman season, Kempf pitched well in the Northwoods League last summer and became one of the Bears’ most reliable pitchers this year. He made 16 appearances – 10 starts – and went 6-2 with a 3.69 ERA. He struck out 48 in 68.1 innings.
Chris Manno – LHP – 6’1 160
Duke
Sophomore
Manno is another late addition and another big addition. He went 6-2 this year with a 3.38 ERA, and he struck out 80 in just 58.2 innings. He also only walked 19. Looks like some serious potential here.
Mike Morrison – RHP – 6’1 195
Cal State Fullerton
Sophomore
Morrison was one of the Titans’ most versatile pitchers last year, excelling in starts and relief appearances. He has focused mostly on relief this year with pretty solid results. He’s posted a 4.33 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched.
Ryan Quigley – LHP – 6’4 215
Northeastern
Sophomore
Quigley pitched mostly as a starter this spring and struggled to a 2-4 record and an 8.06 ERA. He did, however, strike out 62 in 51.1 innings. Quigley was a closer last season and excelled in that role.
Matt Zielinski – LHP – 6’3 200
Richmond
Sophomore
Zielinski was the best pitcher on a staff that had its struggles this year. The sophomore went 5-2 with a 4.71 ERA and flashed great control, striking out 45 and walking only 14. Zielinski had a 3.30 ERA as a freshman and was named the A-10’s Freshman of the Year.
Position Players
Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200 – North Carolina – Sophomore
Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190 – Santa Clara – Sophomore
Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205 – Texas – Sophomore
Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205 – UC Irvine – Sophomore
Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185 – Baylor – Sophomore
D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196 – LSU – Freshman
Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195 – Auburn – Sophomore
Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207 – Arkansas – Sophomore
Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173 – Florida State – Sophomore
Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182 – North Carolina – Sophomore
D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180 – Nebraska – Sophomore
Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180 – St. John’s – Sophomore
Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192 – Auburn – Sophomore
Mark Fleury – C – 6’1 200
North Carolina
Sophomore
The heir apparent to Tim Federowicz, Fleury hasn’t exactly been buried on the depth chart. He’s played in 57 games, some as the DH and some at catcher, with a lot of pinch-hitting mixed in. He has hit .286 with three home runs. Fleury played in the NECBL last summer.
Tommy Medica – C – 6’1 190
Santa Clara
Sophomore
Medica was a standout freshman last year and played for Team USA last summer. He’s again a Team USA invite this year, so we’ll see what happens there. This season for Santa Clara, Medica hit .342 with six home runs and 44 RBI.
Brandon Belt – INF – 6’5 205
Texas
Sophomore
A power-hitting first baseman who occasionally pitches, Belt made a pretty big impact after transferring to Texas from San Jacinto junior college. He hit .319, good for fourth on the team, and hit six home runs. He led the team with 65 RBI. In 16 appearances on the mound, he had a 4.08 ERA with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 17.2 innings.
Jeff Cusick – INF – 6’2 205
UC Irvine
Sophomore
Cusick hasn’t hit for much power this season, but his average and on-base percentage make up for it. He’s hit a team-best .347 with a .446 on-base percentage. His UC-Irvine team is still alive in the Super Regional round of the NCAA tournament.
Shaver Hansen – INF – 6’0 185
Baylor
Sophomore
Hansen was named Baylor’s co-MVP this year, sharing the award with former Wareham player Beamer Weems. Hansen led the team with a .326 average and hit six home runs with 47 RBI. He played mostly at third base.
D.J. LeMahieu – INF – 6’4 196
LSU
Freshman
LeMahieu was a two-time winner of Michigan’s Gatorade Player of the Year award and headed south as a highly-touted shortstop. He hasn’t disappointed in his freshman season with the Tigers. He has started 61 games and has put up a .336 average to go with five home runs and 38 RBI.
Joe Sanders – INF – 6’1 195
Auburn
Sophomore
Sanders hit .333 as a freshman and stayed ahead of that pace as a sophomore, finishing with a .348 average, good for second on the team. He also hit six home runs and drove in a team-best 52 runs. Sanders played second base for the Tigers.
Tim Smalling – INF – 6’3 207
Arkansas
Sophomore
Smalling hit .288 in his freshman year after grabbing the starting shortstop gig. His average dipped this year to .250 but he still hit nine home runs. Smalling can also play second base and third base.
Jason Stidham – INF – 5’11 173
Florida State
Sophomore
Stidham was a first-team all-conference pick as a freshman when he hit .366. As the Seminoles’ starting second baseman this season, his average has dipped to .308, but he had hit 10 home runs, the third-highest total on the team. Stidham was a 43rd-round pick out of high school.
Dustin Ackley – OF – 6’1 182
North Carolina
Sophomore
Ackley was the top freshman hitter in the country last year and was slated to play for Chatham last summer. He never made it, and as a Team USA invitee, he might not make it to Harwich this year. If he does, you can be sure he’ll hit. After batting .402 last year, he has hit .407 this year with seven home runs.
D.J. Belfonte – OF – 5’10 180
Nebraska
Sophomore
Belfonte was one of Nebraska’s offensive leaders as a freshman, hitting .307 and leading the team in several categories. But he hit the dreaded sophomore slump this year, batting just .241. He still brought speed to the table, stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts.
Brian Kemp – OF – 5’10 180
St. John’s
Sophomore
Kemp emerged this season as one of the best hitters for average in the Big East. He finished the year with a .359 batting average and also notched a .449 on-base percentage.
Ross Smith – OF – 6’2 192
Auburn
Sophomore
Smith had a very good freshman season after coming in as a highly-touted recruit, but from what I can gather, he redshirted this season due to injury. He isn’t actually on the Auburn roster right now, so I’m not sure what that means. You can get to his bio from a Google search.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
early look: brewster
BREWSTER WHITECAPS
Manager: Bob Macaluso
Last Season: 22-19-3
Two hitters from last year’s Brewster team will likely be first-round picks in this year’s draft, but only one of them was an all-star. That’s Miami’s Yonder Alonso, who hit .338 with four home runs and 25 RBI. The other is Cal’s David Cooper, whose .284 average was solid but not spectacular.
But both have put up huge numbers this spring. The fact that only one of them did last summer was fitting, considering how things went for the Whitecaps. On paper, they had one of the best offenses in the league with Alonso, Cooper, Charlie Cutler, Blake Tekotte and Jacob Priday leading the way. But none of those players had great summers, which left the Whitecaps on the outside of the playoff picture. In a way, they were the anti-Y-D Red Sox. Y-D had a group of talented players all perform at or above expectations. Brewster had the talent, but not the success.
As the Whitecaps head into the summer of ’08, they’ll be hoping another talented offensive team can deliver. They don’t have anybody returning, but several players in their lineup had huge springs, including James Meador and Connor Powers. At this point, they’ve also only had one player – closer A.J. Griffin – invited to Team USA.
All of that points to the Whitecaps emerging as contenders, but in what’s shaping up to be an extremely difficult Eastern division, they’ll need a big summer to do it.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 0
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen : 4
Notable
• The Whitecaps don’t have as many juniors as Hyannis, probably the oldest team in the league, but they have a lot fewer freshmen. Of the four on the roster, two are redshirts, leaving Brewster with only two true freshmen. That’s probably not a bad thing, considering how few freshmen succeed on the Cape.
• On paper, the Whitecaps look like they might be a little short in the starting rotation. Most of their pitchers have come out of the bullpen this spring, with only two players – Vanderbilt’s Caleb Coltham and Missouri State’s Buddy Bauman – in weekend rotations. Several players will have to be stretched out for Brewster to have enough.
• California’s Blake Smith is one of the top two-way players in the country, and he’ll bring his game to Brewster this summer. A lot of times, two-way players focus on one thing when they’re on the Cape, but Smith has been so good at both, that he’ll probably get a chance to show what he can do.
• Brewster has three catchers and two are from powerhouse programs Arizona and Miami. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the third catcher, the one from the small school, makes the biggest impact. Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke was a legit Freshman All-American last year, and he hit .357 this year.
• The Whitecaps have the makings of a powerful lineup. Smith had nine home runs this year, Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke had six, Mississippi State’s Connor Powers had 11, Loyola Marymount’s Ryan Wheeler had six and Florida’s Matt den Dekker had nine.
• When you plug in projected starters, Brewster’s lineup looks about as good as anybody’s from top to bottom, with the above players joining San Diego’s James Meador and Clemson’s Mike Freeman as potential standouts.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Blake Smith
2. Caleb Coltham
3. Connor Powers
4. Jim Klocke
5. James Meador
Pitchers
Buddy Bauman – LHP – 5’10 175 – Missouri State – Sophomore
Wade Broyles – RHP – 6’2 200 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Garrett Claypool – RHP – 6’2 175 – UCLA – Sophomore
Caleb Coltham – RHP – 6’3 210 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Rob Gilliam – RHP – 6’1 195 – UNC Greensboro – Sophomore
A.J. Griffin – RHP – 6’5 215 – San Diego – Sophomore
Chris LaGrow – LHP – 6’3 185 – South Alabama – Sophomore
Mark Lamm – RHP – 6’4 215 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Rory McKean – RHP – 6’3 210 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Iden Nazario – LHP – 6’0 192 – Miami – Freshman
Matt Packer – LHP – 6’0 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
Blake Smith – RHP/OF – 6’2 220 – California – Sophomore
Ryan Woolley – RHP – 6’1 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
Buddy Bauman – LHP – 5’10 175
Missouri State
Sophomore
Bauman was solid as a freshman when he posted a 4.85 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 39 innings. After an all-star campaign in the Northwoods League, Bauman grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation this year and closed out the regular season with a 6-4 record and a 4.66 ERA. He struck out 71 in 75 innings.
Wade Broyles – RHP – 6’2 200
Ole Miss
Sophomore
Broyles red-shirted his first year at Ole Miss then saw limited action last season. He still hasn’t see much action this year, making just six appearances. He’s put up good numbers while he’s been in there, though, with a 2.70 ERA and nine strikeouts.
Garrett Claypool – RHP – 6’2 175
UCLA
Sophomore
Claypool pitched in a swing role as a freshman and finished with a 3.54 ERA, good enough to earn him Freshman All-American honors from several publications. He has been in a similar role this year, making a few starts and pitching out of the bullpen the rest of the time. He has posted a 4.13 ERA, though he has walked 30 batters and struck out only 24.
Caleb Coltham – RHP – 6’3 210
Vanderbilt
Freshman
Coltham redshirted last year but he has made a major splash this season. Pitching in Vandy’s weekend rotation, Coltham has put up similar numbers to those of teammate Mike Minor, one of the more highly-touted hurlers in the country. Coltham has gone 7-5 with a 4.26 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
Rob Gilliam – RHP – 6’1 195
UNC Greensboro
Sophomore
Gilliam had a high ERA as a freshman but then went to the Valley League and led the league in ERA. This spring, his ERA is back up around six but he has struck out 54 in 56.1 innings.
A.J. Griffin – RHP – 6’5 215
San Diego
Sophomore
Griffin was one of the initial invitees to Team USA, so he may not wear a Brewster uniform this summer. If he does, the Whitecaps will have themselves one of the premier closers in college baseball. Griffin has 13 saves this year, a 2.04 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.
Chris LaGrow – LHP – 6’3 185
South Alabama
Sophomore
LaGrow put up great numbers as a freshman, stepping into the closer’s role and notching eight saves with a 3.03 ERA. He has moved out of the closer’s role this season, and out of his 10 appearances, seven have been starts. His ERA has jumped up to 5.62.
Mark Lamm – RHP – 6’4 215
Vanderbilt
Freshman
Like Coltham, Lamm redshirted in his first season with the Commodores but has made a good impression this year. In 14 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen, Lamm has put up a 3.30 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 30 innings.
Rory McKean – RHP – 6’3 210
Ole Miss
Sophomore
Another former redshirt, McKean has gotten his feet under him this year after seeing limited action last season. In 22 appearances, McKean has a 2.40 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 16 walks in 45 innings of work.
Iden Nazario – LHP – 6’0 192
Miami
Freshman
One of several impact freshman playing for Miami this year, Nazario was expected to play big roles on offense and on the mound. He has seen action both ways, but he has had his biggest success with the ball in his hands. In 10 appearances out of the bullpen, he’s posted a .84 ERA with 15 strikeouts.
Matt Packer – LHP – 6’0 190
Virginia
Sophomore
Packer has been an absolute workhorse this season for the Cavaliers. He has made 22 appearances and all but four have been out of the bullpen. Still, he’s fourth on the team in innings pitched and leads the team with a 1.19 ERA. He has struck out 53 and walked only 15 in 60.2 innings.
Blake Smith – RHP/OF – 6’2 220
California
Sophomore
Smith has been a valuable two-way player for the Bears this spring. He has started 50 games in the outfield and has posted a .290 batting average with nine home runs. On the mound, he has a 2.70 ERA in 14 relief appearances. He has struck out 29 in just 16.2 innings.
Ryan Woolley – RHP – 6’1 190
Georgia
Sophomore
Woolley was tremendous out of the bullpen as a freshman, posting a 3.14 ERA in 19 appearances. This season, Woolley has only made three appearances, but I can’t find anything that explains why that is.
Position Players
Dwight Childs – C – 6’3 178 – Arizona – Sophomore
Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210 – Miami – Freshman
Jim Klocke – C – 6’0 195 – Southeast Missouri – Sophomore
Mike Freeman – INF – 5’11 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
Garrett Gore – INF – 5’10 176 – North Carolina – Junior
James Meador – INF/OF – 6’1 205 – San Diego – Sophomore
Derek Poppert – INF – 6’2 185 – San Francisco – Sophomore
Connor Powers – INF – 6’2 230 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
Ryan Wheeler – INF – 6’4 220 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
Matt den Dekker – OF – 6’1 205 – Florida – Sophomore
Dwight Childs – C – 6’3 178
Arizona
Sophomore
Childs saw a lot of time last year for the Wildcats and finished with a .232 batting average. He has struggled a bit more this year, with a .214 average in 47 games.
Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210
Miami
Freshman
Grandal was a 27th-round pick out of high school and has made an immediate impact for the Hurricanes. Splitting time at catcher with sophomore Jason Hagerty, Grandal has hit .244 with five home runs and 19 RBI to go with a .358 on-base percentage.
Jim Klocke – C – 6’0 195
Southeast Missouri
Sophomore
Klocke hit .324 last year as a freshman and didn’t miss a beat this season. He closed out the year with a team-best .357 batting average, to go with six home runs and 40 RBI. He also had a .469 on-base percentage and struck out just 21 times in 185 at-bats.
Mike Freeman – INF – 5’11 185
Clemson
Sophomore
Freeman played for Georgia last year then transferred to Clemson. He’s been a big addition for the Tigers this year, leading the team with a .332 batting average. Freeman played last summer in the NECBL and was solid, finishing with a .297 average.
Garrett Gore – INF – 5’10 176
North Carolina
Junior
Gore emerged as the Tar Heels’ starter at second base last year and finished the year with a .324 average. He has moved to shortstop this season and has hit .278. Last summer in the Coastal Plain League, Gore hit .400.
James Meador – INF/OF – 6’1 205
San Diego
Sophomore
Meador played in roughly half of San Diego’s games last year as a freshman and never really got his feet under him. But this year, he has been the team’s best hitter, posting a .385 batting average with six home runs and 51 RBI.
Derek Poppert – INF – 6’2 185
San Francisco
Sophomore
Poppert played in 47 games and got 30 starts as a freshman, finishing his first campaign with a .297 batting average. He’s had a rough go of it this year, though, with a .226 average.
Connor Powers – INF – 6’2 230
Mississippi State
Sophomore
Powers started hitting from day one in Starkville and hasn’t stopped. After batting .306 with eight home runs as a freshman, Powers has been one of the SEC’s most fearsome hitters this year, despite missing a third of the season with injury. He leads the team with a .348 batting average and has also belted 11 home runs.
Ryan Wheeler – INF – 6’4 220
Loyola Marymount
Sophomore
A powerful left-handed hitter, Wheeler was one of the top players in the West Coast Conference this season. He hit .345 with six home runs, 45 RBI and 27 extra-base hits, good enough to earn an all-conference nod.
Matt den Dekker – OF – 6’1 205
Florida
Sophomore
After being named to the SEC’s all-freshman team last season, den Dekker has taken big steps forward this year. Starting nearly every day, den Dekker has hit .332 with eight home runs and 47 RBI.
Manager: Bob Macaluso
Last Season: 22-19-3
Two hitters from last year’s Brewster team will likely be first-round picks in this year’s draft, but only one of them was an all-star. That’s Miami’s Yonder Alonso, who hit .338 with four home runs and 25 RBI. The other is Cal’s David Cooper, whose .284 average was solid but not spectacular.
But both have put up huge numbers this spring. The fact that only one of them did last summer was fitting, considering how things went for the Whitecaps. On paper, they had one of the best offenses in the league with Alonso, Cooper, Charlie Cutler, Blake Tekotte and Jacob Priday leading the way. But none of those players had great summers, which left the Whitecaps on the outside of the playoff picture. In a way, they were the anti-Y-D Red Sox. Y-D had a group of talented players all perform at or above expectations. Brewster had the talent, but not the success.
As the Whitecaps head into the summer of ’08, they’ll be hoping another talented offensive team can deliver. They don’t have anybody returning, but several players in their lineup had huge springs, including James Meador and Connor Powers. At this point, they’ve also only had one player – closer A.J. Griffin – invited to Team USA.
All of that points to the Whitecaps emerging as contenders, but in what’s shaping up to be an extremely difficult Eastern division, they’ll need a big summer to do it.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 0
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 19
Freshmen : 4
Notable
• The Whitecaps don’t have as many juniors as Hyannis, probably the oldest team in the league, but they have a lot fewer freshmen. Of the four on the roster, two are redshirts, leaving Brewster with only two true freshmen. That’s probably not a bad thing, considering how few freshmen succeed on the Cape.
• On paper, the Whitecaps look like they might be a little short in the starting rotation. Most of their pitchers have come out of the bullpen this spring, with only two players – Vanderbilt’s Caleb Coltham and Missouri State’s Buddy Bauman – in weekend rotations. Several players will have to be stretched out for Brewster to have enough.
• California’s Blake Smith is one of the top two-way players in the country, and he’ll bring his game to Brewster this summer. A lot of times, two-way players focus on one thing when they’re on the Cape, but Smith has been so good at both, that he’ll probably get a chance to show what he can do.
• Brewster has three catchers and two are from powerhouse programs Arizona and Miami. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the third catcher, the one from the small school, makes the biggest impact. Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke was a legit Freshman All-American last year, and he hit .357 this year.
• The Whitecaps have the makings of a powerful lineup. Smith had nine home runs this year, Southeast Missouri’s Jim Klocke had six, Mississippi State’s Connor Powers had 11, Loyola Marymount’s Ryan Wheeler had six and Florida’s Matt den Dekker had nine.
• When you plug in projected starters, Brewster’s lineup looks about as good as anybody’s from top to bottom, with the above players joining San Diego’s James Meador and Clemson’s Mike Freeman as potential standouts.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Blake Smith
2. Caleb Coltham
3. Connor Powers
4. Jim Klocke
5. James Meador
Pitchers
Buddy Bauman – LHP – 5’10 175 – Missouri State – Sophomore
Wade Broyles – RHP – 6’2 200 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Garrett Claypool – RHP – 6’2 175 – UCLA – Sophomore
Caleb Coltham – RHP – 6’3 210 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Rob Gilliam – RHP – 6’1 195 – UNC Greensboro – Sophomore
A.J. Griffin – RHP – 6’5 215 – San Diego – Sophomore
Chris LaGrow – LHP – 6’3 185 – South Alabama – Sophomore
Mark Lamm – RHP – 6’4 215 – Vanderbilt – Freshman
Rory McKean – RHP – 6’3 210 – Ole Miss – Sophomore
Iden Nazario – LHP – 6’0 192 – Miami – Freshman
Matt Packer – LHP – 6’0 190 – Virginia – Sophomore
Blake Smith – RHP/OF – 6’2 220 – California – Sophomore
Ryan Woolley – RHP – 6’1 190 – Georgia – Sophomore
Buddy Bauman – LHP – 5’10 175
Missouri State
Sophomore
Bauman was solid as a freshman when he posted a 4.85 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 39 innings. After an all-star campaign in the Northwoods League, Bauman grabbed a spot in the weekend rotation this year and closed out the regular season with a 6-4 record and a 4.66 ERA. He struck out 71 in 75 innings.
Wade Broyles – RHP – 6’2 200
Ole Miss
Sophomore
Broyles red-shirted his first year at Ole Miss then saw limited action last season. He still hasn’t see much action this year, making just six appearances. He’s put up good numbers while he’s been in there, though, with a 2.70 ERA and nine strikeouts.
Garrett Claypool – RHP – 6’2 175
UCLA
Sophomore
Claypool pitched in a swing role as a freshman and finished with a 3.54 ERA, good enough to earn him Freshman All-American honors from several publications. He has been in a similar role this year, making a few starts and pitching out of the bullpen the rest of the time. He has posted a 4.13 ERA, though he has walked 30 batters and struck out only 24.
Caleb Coltham – RHP – 6’3 210
Vanderbilt
Freshman
Coltham redshirted last year but he has made a major splash this season. Pitching in Vandy’s weekend rotation, Coltham has put up similar numbers to those of teammate Mike Minor, one of the more highly-touted hurlers in the country. Coltham has gone 7-5 with a 4.26 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
Rob Gilliam – RHP – 6’1 195
UNC Greensboro
Sophomore
Gilliam had a high ERA as a freshman but then went to the Valley League and led the league in ERA. This spring, his ERA is back up around six but he has struck out 54 in 56.1 innings.
A.J. Griffin – RHP – 6’5 215
San Diego
Sophomore
Griffin was one of the initial invitees to Team USA, so he may not wear a Brewster uniform this summer. If he does, the Whitecaps will have themselves one of the premier closers in college baseball. Griffin has 13 saves this year, a 2.04 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.
Chris LaGrow – LHP – 6’3 185
South Alabama
Sophomore
LaGrow put up great numbers as a freshman, stepping into the closer’s role and notching eight saves with a 3.03 ERA. He has moved out of the closer’s role this season, and out of his 10 appearances, seven have been starts. His ERA has jumped up to 5.62.
Mark Lamm – RHP – 6’4 215
Vanderbilt
Freshman
Like Coltham, Lamm redshirted in his first season with the Commodores but has made a good impression this year. In 14 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen, Lamm has put up a 3.30 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 30 innings.
Rory McKean – RHP – 6’3 210
Ole Miss
Sophomore
Another former redshirt, McKean has gotten his feet under him this year after seeing limited action last season. In 22 appearances, McKean has a 2.40 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 16 walks in 45 innings of work.
Iden Nazario – LHP – 6’0 192
Miami
Freshman
One of several impact freshman playing for Miami this year, Nazario was expected to play big roles on offense and on the mound. He has seen action both ways, but he has had his biggest success with the ball in his hands. In 10 appearances out of the bullpen, he’s posted a .84 ERA with 15 strikeouts.
Matt Packer – LHP – 6’0 190
Virginia
Sophomore
Packer has been an absolute workhorse this season for the Cavaliers. He has made 22 appearances and all but four have been out of the bullpen. Still, he’s fourth on the team in innings pitched and leads the team with a 1.19 ERA. He has struck out 53 and walked only 15 in 60.2 innings.
Blake Smith – RHP/OF – 6’2 220
California
Sophomore
Smith has been a valuable two-way player for the Bears this spring. He has started 50 games in the outfield and has posted a .290 batting average with nine home runs. On the mound, he has a 2.70 ERA in 14 relief appearances. He has struck out 29 in just 16.2 innings.
Ryan Woolley – RHP – 6’1 190
Georgia
Sophomore
Woolley was tremendous out of the bullpen as a freshman, posting a 3.14 ERA in 19 appearances. This season, Woolley has only made three appearances, but I can’t find anything that explains why that is.
Position Players
Dwight Childs – C – 6’3 178 – Arizona – Sophomore
Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210 – Miami – Freshman
Jim Klocke – C – 6’0 195 – Southeast Missouri – Sophomore
Mike Freeman – INF – 5’11 185 – Clemson – Sophomore
Garrett Gore – INF – 5’10 176 – North Carolina – Junior
James Meador – INF/OF – 6’1 205 – San Diego – Sophomore
Derek Poppert – INF – 6’2 185 – San Francisco – Sophomore
Connor Powers – INF – 6’2 230 – Mississippi State – Sophomore
Ryan Wheeler – INF – 6’4 220 – Loyola Marymount – Sophomore
Matt den Dekker – OF – 6’1 205 – Florida – Sophomore
Dwight Childs – C – 6’3 178
Arizona
Sophomore
Childs saw a lot of time last year for the Wildcats and finished with a .232 batting average. He has struggled a bit more this year, with a .214 average in 47 games.
Yasmani Grandal – C – 6’2 210
Miami
Freshman
Grandal was a 27th-round pick out of high school and has made an immediate impact for the Hurricanes. Splitting time at catcher with sophomore Jason Hagerty, Grandal has hit .244 with five home runs and 19 RBI to go with a .358 on-base percentage.
Jim Klocke – C – 6’0 195
Southeast Missouri
Sophomore
Klocke hit .324 last year as a freshman and didn’t miss a beat this season. He closed out the year with a team-best .357 batting average, to go with six home runs and 40 RBI. He also had a .469 on-base percentage and struck out just 21 times in 185 at-bats.
Mike Freeman – INF – 5’11 185
Clemson
Sophomore
Freeman played for Georgia last year then transferred to Clemson. He’s been a big addition for the Tigers this year, leading the team with a .332 batting average. Freeman played last summer in the NECBL and was solid, finishing with a .297 average.
Garrett Gore – INF – 5’10 176
North Carolina
Junior
Gore emerged as the Tar Heels’ starter at second base last year and finished the year with a .324 average. He has moved to shortstop this season and has hit .278. Last summer in the Coastal Plain League, Gore hit .400.
James Meador – INF/OF – 6’1 205
San Diego
Sophomore
Meador played in roughly half of San Diego’s games last year as a freshman and never really got his feet under him. But this year, he has been the team’s best hitter, posting a .385 batting average with six home runs and 51 RBI.
Derek Poppert – INF – 6’2 185
San Francisco
Sophomore
Poppert played in 47 games and got 30 starts as a freshman, finishing his first campaign with a .297 batting average. He’s had a rough go of it this year, though, with a .226 average.
Connor Powers – INF – 6’2 230
Mississippi State
Sophomore
Powers started hitting from day one in Starkville and hasn’t stopped. After batting .306 with eight home runs as a freshman, Powers has been one of the SEC’s most fearsome hitters this year, despite missing a third of the season with injury. He leads the team with a .348 batting average and has also belted 11 home runs.
Ryan Wheeler – INF – 6’4 220
Loyola Marymount
Sophomore
A powerful left-handed hitter, Wheeler was one of the top players in the West Coast Conference this season. He hit .345 with six home runs, 45 RBI and 27 extra-base hits, good enough to earn an all-conference nod.
Matt den Dekker – OF – 6’1 205
Florida
Sophomore
After being named to the SEC’s all-freshman team last season, den Dekker has taken big steps forward this year. Starting nearly every day, den Dekker has hit .332 with eight home runs and 47 RBI.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
early look: yarmouth-dennis
YARMOUTH-DENNIS RED SOX
Manager: Scott Pickler
Last Season: 31-12-1
Will the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox be able to turn in a repeat performance?
Probably not.
It’s not that the Red Sox don’t look solid. They could very well make a run to their third consecutive Cape League championship. It’s just that, if they do, they probably won’t do it in the same fashion as they did last year.
It was a once-in-a-decade kind of season. They won 31 games in the regular season, two shy of the Cape League record. They hit a ridiculous .278 with an equally-ridiculous 41 home runs. They steamrolled to their second consecutive championship, and it was really never in doubt. With that kind of offense – Buster Posey and Gordon Beckham may end up being top 10 picks – no one was going to stop them.
As for this year, they look a little easier to stop, at least on paper. They return only two players – two who might have returned, Grant Green and Diego Seastrunk, are on other Cape League teams – and they’ll be relying heavily on freshmen, both in the rotation and in the lineup.
But by the look of things, there is some serious potential. Jerry Sullivan may turn into one of the top pitchers on the Cape, and the rest of the staff is peppered by players who have been highly-touted prospects in the past. It’s a similar story in the field, where returnee Sean Ochinko heads a talented group that includes three dynamic freshmen and two catchers who should be among the best in the league at their position.
And that potential will mean a lot in Y-D. The Red Sox have figured something out the last two years and have gotten talented players to buy into the importance of team success. In a league that showcases individuals, that’s an impressive feat, and if it works again, the Red Sox will once again be a team to be reckoned with.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 2
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 12
Freshmen: 10
Notable
• Jerry Sullivan flew under the radar a little bit last summer, partly because he only pitched in four games. But Sullivan was a major prospect out of high school and would have been a very high pick if not for an arm injury that led to Tommy John surgery. He has worked his way back, though, and has been great for Oral Roberts. I’d expect him to be great this summer, too.
• As for the rest of Y-D’s pitching staff, manager Scott Pickler better be well-versed in their injury history: six of Y-D’s 14 pitchers have had arm trouble in recent years. You can bet the Red Sox have explicit instructions to be careful with certain arms.
• One of the players in that group is Erik Goeddel, who was considered one of the top five high school pitchers in the nation last year. But an arm injury hurt his draft stock, and he has since missed the entire season at UCLA. If he does end up pitching for Y-D, he will most likely be taking it slow.
• In Western Carolina’s Chris Masters, Oregon State’s Kevin Rhoderick, Baylor’s Craig Fritsch and Georgia’s Dean Weaver, the Red Sox have four pitchers who have been lights-out in relief roles this spring.
• With UC-Riverside closer Joe Kelly mixed in, the Red Sox could have a dynamic bullpen. Kelly has struggled this year while battling injury, but last summer, he pitched for Team USA.
• At the moment, Y-D only has nine hitters on the roster, but with only 23 players total, they will certainly be adding some people.
• Oregon State’s Ryan Ortiz and Boston College’s Tony Sanchez will be battling it out for the starting catcher’s job, but whoever doesn’t get it will probably still see a lot of time. Both have hit for average and power this year.
• Sean Ochinko was probably the top freshman hitter on the Cape last year, but he has had a rough go of it this spring. Based on the numbers he put up last year, he’s too good a hitter to keep struggling.
• Arkansas’ Andy Wilkins has the profile of a freshman who could really stand out. He has big credentials and he’s put up the production to match this year, with eight home runs and a .331 batting average.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Jerry Sullivan
2. Sean Ochinko
3. Anthony Ranaudo
4. Erik Goeddel
5. Ryan Ortiz
Pitchers
Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220 – Stetson – Sophomore
Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185 – Baylor – Freshman
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180 – UCLA – Freshman
Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230 – Kennesaw State – Freshman
Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190 – Oregon State – Freshman
Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225 – LSU – Freshman
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192 – Oregon State – Freshman
*Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175 – Pacific – Freshman
Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205 – Georgia – Sophomore
* returning player
Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220
Stetson
Sophomore
Donovan was a 35th-round pick out of high school and posted a 3.93 ERA as a freshman at Stetson. This year, his ERA ballooned to 6.12, though he did lead the team in strikeouts with 56 in 64.2 innings.
Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185
Baylor
Freshman
Fritsch redshirted last season but still made a splash in the Northwoods League last summer, putting up a 2.21 ERA. That earned him the No. 4 spot on Baseball America’s list of top Northwoods League prospects. Fritsch has pitched mostly out of the bullpen this year for Baylor and has a 3.75 ERA in 18 appearances.
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180
UCLA
Freshman
Goeddel was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 high school player in the class of 2007, but an elbow injury forced him to miss time his senior year and sent his draft stock way down. As a result, he enrolled at UCLA, but hasn’t pitched at all this year, again because of injury. It’ll be interesting to see what the plan is for Goeddel this summer and whether he’s healthy enough to make it to Y-D.
Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230
Kennesaw State
Freshman
Heckathorn was an Atlantic Sun all-freshman team honoree last year and has been solid this season. He finished the regular season with a 4-2 record and a 4.98 ERA. He struck out 64 in 59.2 innings.
Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190
Stanford
Sophomore
Inman was named Stanford’s most outstanding freshman last year after becoming the first rookie to spend most of the season in Stanford’s rotation since the mid-90s. Back in the rotation this year, Inman has gone 7-2 with a 4.53 ERA. In 2006, Inman was a 19th-round pick out of high school.
Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170
UC Riverside
Sophomore
After emerging as Riverside’s closer and earning Freshman All-American honors from several publications, Kelly pitched last summer for Team USA and finished with a 4.50 ERA in 10 relief appearances. Back at Riverside, Kelly missed the early part of this season with injury. He returned to pick up six saves, but saw his ERA climb to 7.47.
Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225
Western Carolina
Sophomore
Masters made an immediate impact as a freshman last year and became Western Carolina’s top reliever. After playing in the Valley League last summer, Masters has been lights out this season. In 27 appearances – all but one out of the pen – Masters has a 3.92 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 33 walks in 62 innings.
Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190
Oregon State
Freshman
Peavey was rated as one of the top high school pitchers in the country last year and was projected to go as high as the first round in the draft. Ultimately, he slipped to the 24th round. He opted to stick with Oregon State and has seen mixed results so far. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he has a 2-3 record and a 5.56 ERA.
Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225
LSU
Freshman
Ranaudo was an 11th-round pick out of high school in New Jersey, and with his size factored in, he came to LSU about as highly-touted as it gets. But elbow tendonitis forced him to miss most of the season. He has returned in the last month and has pitched seven innings in four appearances. He has yet to allow an earned run.
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192
Oregon State
Freshman
Another highly-touted freshman, Rhoderick was an 18th-round pick out of high school but opted to head to Corvallis. He has pitched very well in the closer’s role for the Beavers, posting 11 saves with a 2.59 ERA.
Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210
Oral Roberts
Sophomore
Sullivan was one of the top pitchers in the country after his junior year in high school but had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss his senior year. As a result, he wasn’t drafted. But he worked his way back to earn Freshman All-America honors at Oral Roberts then pitched part of the summer for Y-D, going 3-0 with a .56 ERA in four appearances. He has been solid again this spring, going 8-2 with a 3.97 ERA and 92 strikeouts against 22 walks in 90.2 innings. Sullivan appears poised to be one of the Cape’s top pitchers this summer.
Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220
Baylor
Freshman
Like Fritsch, Tolleson redshirted his freshman year, but he was forced to do so because of Tommy John Surgery. After a long rehabilitation process, Tolleson has moved back into Baylor’s rotation and has gone 6-4 with a 5.06 ERA this year. Tolleson was a major prospect out of high school, so he’s a prime candidate to turn things around over the summer.
Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175
Pacific
Freshman
Waldron was a 38th-round pick out of high school in Sacramento and he has stepped immediately into the rotation at Pacific. In 14 starts, he’s gone 3-6 with a 5.42 ERA, but he does have three complete games to his credit.
Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205
Georgia
Sophomore
After struggling a bit as a freshman, Weaver has been very solid out of the bullpen for Georgia this year. He is second on the team with 24 appearances, and he has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.22 ERA. In 36.1 innings, he has struck out 41 with just 13 walks.
Position Players
Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225 – Boston College – Sophomore
*Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205 – LSU – Sophomore
Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180 – Kentucky – Junior
Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175 – South Carolina – Freshman
Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180 – Kansas – Sophomore
Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220 – Arkansas – Freshman
Lyle Allen – OF – 6’4 210 – Georgia – Freshman
Khris Davis – OF – 5’11 – 193 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
* returning player
Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200
Oregon State
Sophomore
With Mitch Canham behind the plate last year, Ortiz wasn’t going to get much of a chance as a freshman – he had four at-bats. But he has made the most of his chance this year. Stepping into the starting spot, Ortiz leads the Beavers in hitting with a .354 average. He is tied for the lead in home runs with five and leads the team with 52 RBI. Definitely a catching prospect to keep an eye on.
Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225
Boston College
Sophomore
After hitting .318 as a freshman, Sanchez was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List before this season, and he hasn’t disappointed. He has notched a .313 batting average, nine home runs and 45 RBI, all team-bests.
Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205
LSU
Sophomore
Ochinko was the top freshman hitter on the Cape last summer, posting a .315 average, eight home runs and 23 RBI. Those are great numbers for anybody, let alone a freshman, so big things were expected. But Ochinko hasn’t been himself for the Tigers this spring. He’s hit .262 with only three home runs. I wouldn’t be shocked if Ochinko has a big resurgence when he gets back to Y-D.
Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180
Kentucky
Junior
McClendon was one of the top junior-college recruits in the nation a year ago, and though he’s missed some time to injury this year, he’s been a big boost for the Wildcats. In 43 games, he’s hit .354 with three home runs and 30 RBI while manning third base.
Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175
South Carolina
Freshman
Merrifield was a pretty big recruit out of North Carolina and he has not disappointed in his freshman season. Batting in the two-hole in South Carolina’s powerful lineup, he has hit .323 with three home runs and 22 RBI. He is also 9-for-9 in stolen bases.
Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180
Kansas
Sophomore
Price was an honorable-mention all-conference pick after hitting .286 as a freshman. This season, he has hit .296 while playing mostly at second base. Price is a Northwoods League veteran, having played there before and after his freshman season.
Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220
Arkansas
Freshman
A power-hitting corner infielder, Wilkins has turned in a terrific freshman season for the Razorbacks. Despite missing several weeks with an injury, he has hit eight home runs, to go with a .331 batting average. Wilkins was a 25th-round pick out
Manager: Scott Pickler
Last Season: 31-12-1
Will the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox be able to turn in a repeat performance?
Probably not.
It’s not that the Red Sox don’t look solid. They could very well make a run to their third consecutive Cape League championship. It’s just that, if they do, they probably won’t do it in the same fashion as they did last year.
It was a once-in-a-decade kind of season. They won 31 games in the regular season, two shy of the Cape League record. They hit a ridiculous .278 with an equally-ridiculous 41 home runs. They steamrolled to their second consecutive championship, and it was really never in doubt. With that kind of offense – Buster Posey and Gordon Beckham may end up being top 10 picks – no one was going to stop them.
As for this year, they look a little easier to stop, at least on paper. They return only two players – two who might have returned, Grant Green and Diego Seastrunk, are on other Cape League teams – and they’ll be relying heavily on freshmen, both in the rotation and in the lineup.
But by the look of things, there is some serious potential. Jerry Sullivan may turn into one of the top pitchers on the Cape, and the rest of the staff is peppered by players who have been highly-touted prospects in the past. It’s a similar story in the field, where returnee Sean Ochinko heads a talented group that includes three dynamic freshmen and two catchers who should be among the best in the league at their position.
And that potential will mean a lot in Y-D. The Red Sox have figured something out the last two years and have gotten talented players to buy into the importance of team success. In a league that showcases individuals, that’s an impressive feat, and if it works again, the Red Sox will once again be a team to be reckoned with.
Roster Rundown
Returning players: 2
Juniors: 1
Sophomores: 12
Freshmen: 10
Notable
• Jerry Sullivan flew under the radar a little bit last summer, partly because he only pitched in four games. But Sullivan was a major prospect out of high school and would have been a very high pick if not for an arm injury that led to Tommy John surgery. He has worked his way back, though, and has been great for Oral Roberts. I’d expect him to be great this summer, too.
• As for the rest of Y-D’s pitching staff, manager Scott Pickler better be well-versed in their injury history: six of Y-D’s 14 pitchers have had arm trouble in recent years. You can bet the Red Sox have explicit instructions to be careful with certain arms.
• One of the players in that group is Erik Goeddel, who was considered one of the top five high school pitchers in the nation last year. But an arm injury hurt his draft stock, and he has since missed the entire season at UCLA. If he does end up pitching for Y-D, he will most likely be taking it slow.
• In Western Carolina’s Chris Masters, Oregon State’s Kevin Rhoderick, Baylor’s Craig Fritsch and Georgia’s Dean Weaver, the Red Sox have four pitchers who have been lights-out in relief roles this spring.
• With UC-Riverside closer Joe Kelly mixed in, the Red Sox could have a dynamic bullpen. Kelly has struggled this year while battling injury, but last summer, he pitched for Team USA.
• At the moment, Y-D only has nine hitters on the roster, but with only 23 players total, they will certainly be adding some people.
• Oregon State’s Ryan Ortiz and Boston College’s Tony Sanchez will be battling it out for the starting catcher’s job, but whoever doesn’t get it will probably still see a lot of time. Both have hit for average and power this year.
• Sean Ochinko was probably the top freshman hitter on the Cape last year, but he has had a rough go of it this spring. Based on the numbers he put up last year, he’s too good a hitter to keep struggling.
• Arkansas’ Andy Wilkins has the profile of a freshman who could really stand out. He has big credentials and he’s put up the production to match this year, with eight home runs and a .331 batting average.
Five Players I’m Excited to See
1. Jerry Sullivan
2. Sean Ochinko
3. Anthony Ranaudo
4. Erik Goeddel
5. Ryan Ortiz
Pitchers
Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220 – Stetson – Sophomore
Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185 – Baylor – Freshman
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180 – UCLA – Freshman
Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230 – Kennesaw State – Freshman
Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190 – Stanford – Sophomore
Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170 – UC Riverside – Sophomore
Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225 – Western Carolina – Sophomore
Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190 – Oregon State – Freshman
Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225 – LSU – Freshman
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192 – Oregon State – Freshman
*Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210 – Oral Roberts – Sophomore
Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220 – Baylor – Sophomore
Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175 – Pacific – Freshman
Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205 – Georgia – Sophomore
* returning player
Robby Donovan – RHP – 6’5 220
Stetson
Sophomore
Donovan was a 35th-round pick out of high school and posted a 3.93 ERA as a freshman at Stetson. This year, his ERA ballooned to 6.12, though he did lead the team in strikeouts with 56 in 64.2 innings.
Craig Fritsch – RHP – 6’4 185
Baylor
Freshman
Fritsch redshirted last season but still made a splash in the Northwoods League last summer, putting up a 2.21 ERA. That earned him the No. 4 spot on Baseball America’s list of top Northwoods League prospects. Fritsch has pitched mostly out of the bullpen this year for Baylor and has a 3.75 ERA in 18 appearances.
Erik Goeddel – RHP – 6’3 180
UCLA
Freshman
Goeddel was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 high school player in the class of 2007, but an elbow injury forced him to miss time his senior year and sent his draft stock way down. As a result, he enrolled at UCLA, but hasn’t pitched at all this year, again because of injury. It’ll be interesting to see what the plan is for Goeddel this summer and whether he’s healthy enough to make it to Y-D.
Kyle Heckathorn – RHP – 6’6 230
Kennesaw State
Freshman
Heckathorn was an Atlantic Sun all-freshman team honoree last year and has been solid this season. He finished the regular season with a 4-2 record and a 4.98 ERA. He struck out 64 in 59.2 innings.
Jeff Inman – RHP – 6’3 190
Stanford
Sophomore
Inman was named Stanford’s most outstanding freshman last year after becoming the first rookie to spend most of the season in Stanford’s rotation since the mid-90s. Back in the rotation this year, Inman has gone 7-2 with a 4.53 ERA. In 2006, Inman was a 19th-round pick out of high school.
Joe Kelly – RHP – 6’1 170
UC Riverside
Sophomore
After emerging as Riverside’s closer and earning Freshman All-American honors from several publications, Kelly pitched last summer for Team USA and finished with a 4.50 ERA in 10 relief appearances. Back at Riverside, Kelly missed the early part of this season with injury. He returned to pick up six saves, but saw his ERA climb to 7.47.
Chris Masters – LHP – 6’0 225
Western Carolina
Sophomore
Masters made an immediate impact as a freshman last year and became Western Carolina’s top reliever. After playing in the Valley League last summer, Masters has been lights out this season. In 27 appearances – all but one out of the pen – Masters has a 3.92 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 33 walks in 62 innings.
Greg Peavey – RHP – 6’2 190
Oregon State
Freshman
Peavey was rated as one of the top high school pitchers in the country last year and was projected to go as high as the first round in the draft. Ultimately, he slipped to the 24th round. He opted to stick with Oregon State and has seen mixed results so far. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he has a 2-3 record and a 5.56 ERA.
Anthony Ranuado – RHP – 6’8 225
LSU
Freshman
Ranaudo was an 11th-round pick out of high school in New Jersey, and with his size factored in, he came to LSU about as highly-touted as it gets. But elbow tendonitis forced him to miss most of the season. He has returned in the last month and has pitched seven innings in four appearances. He has yet to allow an earned run.
Kevin Rhoderick – RHP – 6’0 192
Oregon State
Freshman
Another highly-touted freshman, Rhoderick was an 18th-round pick out of high school but opted to head to Corvallis. He has pitched very well in the closer’s role for the Beavers, posting 11 saves with a 2.59 ERA.
Jerry Sullivan – RHP – 6’4 210
Oral Roberts
Sophomore
Sullivan was one of the top pitchers in the country after his junior year in high school but had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss his senior year. As a result, he wasn’t drafted. But he worked his way back to earn Freshman All-America honors at Oral Roberts then pitched part of the summer for Y-D, going 3-0 with a .56 ERA in four appearances. He has been solid again this spring, going 8-2 with a 3.97 ERA and 92 strikeouts against 22 walks in 90.2 innings. Sullivan appears poised to be one of the Cape’s top pitchers this summer.
Shawn Tolleson – RHP – 6’2 220
Baylor
Freshman
Like Fritsch, Tolleson redshirted his freshman year, but he was forced to do so because of Tommy John Surgery. After a long rehabilitation process, Tolleson has moved back into Baylor’s rotation and has gone 6-4 with a 5.06 ERA this year. Tolleson was a major prospect out of high school, so he’s a prime candidate to turn things around over the summer.
Tyler Waldron – RHP – 6’2 175
Pacific
Freshman
Waldron was a 38th-round pick out of high school in Sacramento and he has stepped immediately into the rotation at Pacific. In 14 starts, he’s gone 3-6 with a 5.42 ERA, but he does have three complete games to his credit.
Dean Weaver – RHP – 6’4 205
Georgia
Sophomore
After struggling a bit as a freshman, Weaver has been very solid out of the bullpen for Georgia this year. He is second on the team with 24 appearances, and he has posted a 4-1 record with a 3.22 ERA. In 36.1 innings, he has struck out 41 with just 13 walks.
Position Players
Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200 – Oregon State – Sophomore
Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225 – Boston College – Sophomore
*Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205 – LSU – Sophomore
Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180 – Kentucky – Junior
Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175 – South Carolina – Freshman
Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180 – Kansas – Sophomore
Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220 – Arkansas – Freshman
Lyle Allen – OF – 6’4 210 – Georgia – Freshman
Khris Davis – OF – 5’11 – 193 – Cal State Fullerton – Sophomore
* returning player
Ryan Ortiz – C – 6’3 200
Oregon State
Sophomore
With Mitch Canham behind the plate last year, Ortiz wasn’t going to get much of a chance as a freshman – he had four at-bats. But he has made the most of his chance this year. Stepping into the starting spot, Ortiz leads the Beavers in hitting with a .354 average. He is tied for the lead in home runs with five and leads the team with 52 RBI. Definitely a catching prospect to keep an eye on.
Tony Sanchez – C – 6’0 225
Boston College
Sophomore
After hitting .318 as a freshman, Sanchez was named to the Brooks Wallace Award Watch List before this season, and he hasn’t disappointed. He has notched a .313 batting average, nine home runs and 45 RBI, all team-bests.
Sean Ochinko – 1B/C – 5’10 205
LSU
Sophomore
Ochinko was the top freshman hitter on the Cape last summer, posting a .315 average, eight home runs and 23 RBI. Those are great numbers for anybody, let alone a freshman, so big things were expected. But Ochinko hasn’t been himself for the Tigers this spring. He’s hit .262 with only three home runs. I wouldn’t be shocked if Ochinko has a big resurgence when he gets back to Y-D.
Chris McClendon – IF – 5’10 180
Kentucky
Junior
McClendon was one of the top junior-college recruits in the nation a year ago, and though he’s missed some time to injury this year, he’s been a big boost for the Wildcats. In 43 games, he’s hit .354 with three home runs and 30 RBI while manning third base.
Whit Merrifield – IF/OF – 6’0 175
South Carolina
Freshman
Merrifield was a pretty big recruit out of North Carolina and he has not disappointed in his freshman season. Batting in the two-hole in South Carolina’s powerful lineup, he has hit .323 with three home runs and 22 RBI. He is also 9-for-9 in stolen bases.
Robby Price – IF – 5’11 180
Kansas
Sophomore
Price was an honorable-mention all-conference pick after hitting .286 as a freshman. This season, he has hit .296 while playing mostly at second base. Price is a Northwoods League veteran, having played there before and after his freshman season.
Andy Wilkins – IF/OF – 6’1 220
Arkansas
Freshman
A power-hitting corner infielder, Wilkins has turned in a terrific freshman season for the Razorbacks. Despite missing several weeks with an injury, he has hit eight home runs, to go with a .331 batting average. Wilkins was a 25th-round pick out