Official league website: westcoastleague.com
2016 Summer Collegiate Top Propsect Index
West Coast League Top Prospect List (30)
The WCL once again provided a preview of the very best incoming freshman headed to West Coast college programs. Twelve of the top 30 prospects this summer were rising freshman and UCLA’s Michael Toglia was named league MVP for his outstanding season in Wenatchee.
Victoria’s Graig Merritt and Jim Swanson were named Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, respectively, and those honors were well deserved. The HarbourCats set three league records this summer: 40 regular season wins, a 19-game winning streak and total attendance of 60,446.
In the end, it was the Corvallis Knights who won the West Coast League title, besting Bellingham in game three of the championship series. The Knights overcame a 4-2 deficit in the deciding game three by scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. This was the fourth WCL championship for the Corvallis franchise.
Year established: 2005
States represented: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia (Canada)
No. of teams: 11
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Victoria HarbourCats (40-13)
Postseason Champion: Corvallis Knights
No. 1 prospect, 2015: Cadyn Grenier, ss/2b, Bend (Oregon State)
First 2015 player selected, 2016 MLB Draft: Curtis Taylor, rhp, Kelowna (University of British Columbia/Diamondbacks, 4th round)
Player of the Year: Michael Toglia, 1b/3b, Wenatchee (UCLA)
Pitcher of the Year: Zach Draper, lhp, Yakima Valley (College of Idaho)
BATTING LEADERS
Batting average: Shane Hanon, of, Walla Walla (Edmonds CC) (.378)
Slugging percentage: Michael Toglia, 1b/3b, Wenatchee (UCLA) (.547)
On-base percentage: Ryan Smith, of, Gresham (Southern Illinois) (.448)
Home runs: Michael Toglia, 1b/3b, Wenatchee (UCLA) (7)
RBI: Michael Toglia, 1b/3b, Wenatchee (UCLA) (40)
Stolen bases: Andru Cardenas, of, Bellingham (Chico State); Michael Forgione, ss, Cowlitz (Portland) (23)
PITCHING LEADERS
Wins: Zach Draper, lhp, Yakima Valley (College of Idaho) (8)
ERA: Zach Draper, lhp, Yakima Valley (College of Idaho) (0.73)
Saves: Sam Hellinger, rhp, Bellingham (Gonzaga) (15)
Strikeouts: Chris Murphy, lhp, Walla Walla (San Diego) (71)
BEST TOOLS
Best athlete: Michael Toglia, 1b/3b, Wenatchee (UCLA)
Best hitter: Willie MacIver, c, Walla Walla (Washington)
Best power: Jake Veith, 1b, Bellingham (Gonzaga)
Best speed: Jaren Duran, 2b, Walla Walla (Long Beach State)
Best defender: Kyle Nobach, of, Corvallis (Oregon State)
Best velocity: Jared Horn, rhp, Bellingham (California)
Best breaking stuff: Will McAffer, rhp, Victoria (Central Arizona College)
Best command: Josh Mitchell, lhp, Victoria (Pittsburgh)
TOP 20 PROSPECTS
1. Cameron Bishop, lhp, Corvallis (UC Irvine/JR in 2017)
Twenty-three scouts attended the WCL All-Star Game and that group named Bishop the event's top prospect. The lefthanded Bishop has size (6-foot-4, 225-pounds) and arm strength (89-93 mph fastball) but it was the command that jumped forward this summer. A strikeout-to-walk ratio of 43-to-13 over just 31 innings led to a 1.45 ERA. Bishop's slider was unhittable for lefties, sitting in the 80-83 mph range and he surrendered just 18 hits all summer. Bishop projects to be UCI's Friday night arm and there is a world of upside here.
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