When
University of Tennessee junior infielder Nick Senzel signed on to
play for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League, he
knew he would be playing with the best collegiate baseball talent in
the nation. Senzel didn’t need that for motivation, however, he
already had the motor to achieve at the highest levels.
He
was just excited for the opportunity to show it on amateur baseball’s
biggest stage—and show it he did.
By
the end of the summer campaign, Senzel had made his mark in the
CCBL’s leading batter categories, finishing second with a .364
average and a league-leading 33 RBI. In 40 games the Volunteer
smacked 56 hits, 16 for doubles, and scored 34 runs, all three
numbers that were good for tops in the Cape. He also hit 4 home runs
and stole 14 bases.
As
a result of his success on the Cape he was named the league's MVP and
Most Oustanding Pro Prospect as voted by the scouts that cover the
league. That consistent high-level performance has led Senzel to
being named the Perfect Game 2015 Summer Collegiate Player of the
Year.
It
is the second time the Knoxville, Tenn. product has been recognized
by Perfect Game, having earned Freshman All-American honors after his
2014 season at the University of Tennessee. Senzel was also ranked by
PG as the No. 11 prospect in the state of Tennessee and the No. 17
second baseman in the nation as a high school senior.
He
was named to All-Tournament teams twice during his travel ball
career participating in PG tournament events, hit .315 during his freshman year at the University of
Tennessee, good for second on the team, and led the Vols in hitting
this past spring with a .325 mark.
“It’s
exciting to be recognized by Perfect Game again,” Senzel said.
“I’ve been playing in Perfect Game tournaments since I was 13.
I’m really honored by this.”
Senzel
played in the Alaska League following his freshman year and enjoyed
the experience, but when the opportunity came to play in the Cape Cod
League, he jumped at the chance.
“Me
and a couple teammates, we kind of got the news early in our
sophomore year about Brewster, and we were pretty excited,” Senzel
added. “So right after our season played out, we headed out there.
It really was a blessing to be able to play in the Cape.”
As
the summer league season got underway, no one was as excited to have
Senzel on his team than Brewster manager, Jamie Shevchik. The head
baseball coach at Keystone College in Northeastern Pennsylvania, was
leading his first team in the Cape Cod league after spending the
previous seven summers in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
“I’m
not surprised that Nick got this award,” stated the Brewster
skipper. “He is the ideal kid that every coach dreams of having. He
came to play everyday. He played hard. He played hurt. Just a smart
kid who knows how to play the game.”
Shevchik
said his Whitecaps roster was still coming together just before the
summer league began play and that Senzel’s versatility and
willingness to do what was necessary to help the team was a huge
asset from the beginning.
“We
were unsettled early on in a few positions,” Shevchik explained.
“Nick, who we knew was primarily a second baseman, showed that he
could play other spots too, so we used him where we had a need. He
even platooned at first base for a little while before he eventually
settled into third. And he loved it. He would tell me again and
again, ‘I really want to learn to play this position better’. And
he did. He wanted to get better.”
The
skipper marveled at Senzel’s abilities on the field.
“I
was in awe of him. He would regularly turn routine hits into
doubles,” Shevchik stated. “I wouldn’t say he is a speed-guy,
as in a fast 60-yard dash type of runner, but he played fast. Great
anticipation. He always had the green light with me.”
There
isn’t much time off when playing in such a competitive league as
the CCBL, and Senzel had a few small injuries along the way. He went
to the Cape to play ball, however, so missing time was not an option
for him.
“I
couldn’t keep him out of the lineup,” explained his manager. “He
had a groin injury that bothered him and a few other little things,
but he never wanted to sit. A lot of guys—well they come here and
get their numbers for a few weeks and want to shut it down, but not
Nick. And the thing is, he kept playing well. He wasn’t just out
there. He was out there to play hard and played to win.”
Shevchik
added, “Nick played himself into being one of the best kids in the
country. He was our unquestioned team MVP. I’m privileged and
honored to have had him.”
Senzel’s
excellent play on the field was recognized by the league, just after
its halfway point, when he was named to represent Brewster in the
Cape’s All-Star Game. In addition, the league’s top third baseman
was chosen to participate in the Home Run Derby.
“It
was just a lot of fun going up against the best of the best,”
Senzel said of the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. “That whole
day, especially, getting the chance to meet a lot of the other guys
and getting to play with them, it was really unbelievable.”
After
a second place finish in the East Division with a 24-19-1 record, the
eventual Cape Cod League champion Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox knocked the
Whitecaps out of the playoffs.
Senzel,
who is MLB draft eligible next June, said he would love to play in
the Cape again, but is focused now on his junior season at the
University of Tennessee.
“The
important thing for me now is to just help the Vols win,” he said.
“Putting together a solid year and doing whatever I need to do to
help get us back on the map.”
Volunteer
head baseball coach Dave Serrano is excited for what the future holds
for his top infielder.
“I
think Nick is just beginning to scratch the surface,” Serrano
stated. “This is a strong kid. He hasn’t even really begun to
show his power yet. He hits for average and has tremendous speed on
the bases. He is such a hard-nosed player and a terrific athlete.”
“Nick
has really grown up,” Serrano added. “I’ve known him since he
was in high school. I wanted him here (Tennessee) before he committed
elsewhere and things kind of got mixed up for him. But we were able
to get him here and he came in as a non-scholarship player and has
earned it all. That just shows his intelligence for the game and his
work ethic.”
Serrano
added that he isn’t surprised by Senzel’s success this summer in
the Cape.
“I’m
so proud of him for that. I know what he’s capable of and for him
to go out there and show it makes us all very proud.
Previous
PG Summer Collegiate National Players of the Year:
2011:
Shaun Cooper
2012:
Sean Manaea
2013:
Max Pentecost
2014:
Phil Bickford