2013 Summer Collegiate Top Prospect coverage | Perfect Game Summer Collegiate page
Dramatic
Change in Power Production
A
Major Storyline Again in 2013
Just
as a radical change in home-run output in a number of leagues was the
overriding storyline of the 2012 summer college season, a similar
script has been written again this summer.
A
year ago, it was an unprecedented spike in home runs when numerous
league, team and individual records fell as the volume of long balls
increased exponentially from 2011; this year, it’s been a
significant reversal, to levels below what was considered the norm
prior to 2012 in many cases.
In
the Cape Cod League, the granddaddy of all summer circuits, 165 long
balls were hit this summer in 220 games. That compares to the
aberration of 2012, when hitters went deep 384 times in the same
number of games, and was more in line with 2011, when 159 home runs
were struck.
The
Harwich Mariners alone hit 64 homers a year ago, establishing a
league record for a season that even topped anything from the Cape’s
offensive-oriented, aluminum-bat era that ranged roughly from the
mid-70s to mid-80s. This summer, the Mariners combined to hit just 11
homers. But that decrease doesn’t compare to the power outage
experienced by the Wareham Gatemen, who homered 51 times (plus 15
more in seven playoff games) on their way to a 2012 Cape League
championship, and slugged just six this summer for an encore—the
same total the team achieved in 2011—while finishing with the
league’s worst record.
Appropriately,
the individual Cape League leader in homers this season, Falmouth
first baseman Casey Gillaspie (Wichita State), went deep just eight
times—half the total amassed a year ago by Wareham’s Tyler Horan,
whose 16 homers were a record in the league’s wood-bat era.
A
sampling of other established summer leagues saw a similar pattern.
A
total of 215 home runs were hit in the New England Collegiate League
this summer, compared to 451 in 2012 (when there were three less
teams), and 291 in 2011. Two players shared the individual lead, with
seven, which was a drop in the bucket compared to the record 19
slugged a year ago by Laconia’s Danny Collins (Troy).
The
Florida Collegiate League went on a roller-coaster ride from 57
homers overall in 2011 to 158 in 2012, and back down to 56 this
summer. The New York Collegiate League followed the same trend,
moving from 117 homers in 2011, to 315 a year ago, and down to 153
this year.
Oddly,
Sanford shortstop Tyler Palmer (Seminole State, Fla., JC) had a
league-best nine homers this summer in the Florida League, which
topped the total of the leader a year ago, while Wellsville first
baseman Scott DeJong (Felician, N.J.) established a new NYCBL
standard with 14—five more than the league-leading total in 2012.
No
leagues may have seen a decrease in homers from a year ago quite as
dramatic, though, as the Great Lakes and Valley Leagues.
In
the Ohio-based Great Lakes circuit, 276 homers were hit in 2012, and
just 58 this summer. The latter total even pales when compared to
2011, when 99 homers were struck. The Valley saw a dip in homers this
summer from 469 to 148, with the Winchester Royals alone dropping
from a league-record 84 in 2012 to just eight this season. In 2011,
Valley League teams combined for 287 homers, with Winchester also
setting the pace then with 38 long balls.
Typically,
league-wide batting averages have not seen the same precipitous
one-year decline, with the Cape Cod League hitting .255 overall this
summer vs. .260 a year ago. But the overall decline in offense, as
measured by batting average, was quite pronounced in the Great Lakes
League, which went from a league-wide batting average of .277 in 2012
to just .242 this summer. The Valley League fell from .278 in 2012 to
.250 this summer, while the collective league ERA of that league
nosedived from 5.08 a year ago to 3.59.
A
common theme with all these leagues is their use of the Diamond
Baseball, which had a well-documented quality-control issue in 2012.
Just as balls of that brand had a harder core than normal that led to
balls flying out of parks at a record pace a year ago, a
more-regulated Diamond ball in use this summer brought the level of
offense back in line to more-accustomed levels.
All
of the summer leagues in question are affiliated with the National
Alliance of Summer College Baseball, an organization that is
contractually committed to the use of Diamond Baseballs.
Most
other leagues that use different makes of baseballs saw little of the
same fluctuation in offense from 2012 to 2013. The Coastal Plain
League and Northwoods Leagues, for instance, use a Rawlings baseball,
and both saw a modest decrease in home-run production this summer.
The CPL went from 263 homers in 2012 to 244, while the Northwoods
dipped from 737 to 689.
Saluting
the Top Summer-League Performers
As
has been our custom at the conclusion of each summer-league season,
Perfect Game will undertake an up-close look at the top prospects in
some 25 leagues around the country in the coming days and weeks.
We’ll roll out our first leagues on Wednesday.
The
players we’ll highlight will be evaluated on the basis of their
upside potential, or their projected worth as professional-level
prospects. Our focus will be on those position players with the best
combination of raw tools and pitchers with the best raw stuff.
With
the level of offense in summer baseball—especially home
runs—fluctuating wildly in a number of leagues over the last three
seasons, talent evaluators have been challenged accordingly in
gauging the true degree and depth of talent, but we’ll do our best,
through our own personal observation, along with contact with scouts
and league managers, to highlight the top prospects in each league.
But
before we start highlighting players based on their potential, we’ll
first focus on many of the same players based primarily on how they
actually performed this summer. It’s Perfect Game’s version of a
Summer League All-America Team.
We’ve
highlighted those players that simply played the best this summer in
summer competition, with only passing consideration given to their
projected future worth. In other words, our focus here is mainly on
those players who compiled the best stats, although we’ve given
priority to those players who assembled them in the most-competitive
summer leagues.
We’ve
selected a three-tier All-America team, and appropriately the Cape
Cod League has the most selections (9), though is followed closely by
the Northwoods (6), Coastal Plain (5) and California Collegiate (5)
Leagues.
Led
by our summer player of the year Max Pentecost (Bourne/Cape Cod), here’s our take on
the top performers of the 2013 summer season (player’s college,
draft year noted in parentheses):
CATCHERS
1.
MAX PENTECOST, Bourne/Cape Cod (Kennesaw State/2014)
Former
seventh-round draft pick (Rangers, 2011) had breakout summer on Cape;
hit .346-6-29, was solid all-around talent
2.
MITCHELL NAU, Acadiana/Texas Collegiate (Texas A&M/2014)
TCL
2012 all-star was even better in encore; hit .350-6-39, led league in
batting, doubles (18), named league player of year
3.
JACKSON SLAID, Wisconsin Rapids/Northwoods (Montevallo, Ala./2013)
Ex-Louisiana
State receiver resurrected fading career with one of best offensive
seasons in NWL (.326-13-59, 17 2B)
FIRST
BASEMEN
1.
CASEY GILLASPIE, Falmouth/Cape Cod (Wichita State/2014)
Big
power from both sides in projectable 6-4/235 frame; hit .321, topped
Cape with 8 homers, has sound plate discipline
2.
MARC FLORES, Willmar/Northwoods (Hawaii/2013)
Had
modest spring (.280, 2 HRs) as junior at Hawaii, but monster summer
season (.352-13-64, league-high 26 doubles)
3.
CONNOR SPENCER, Wenatchee/West Coast (UC Irvine/2014)
Quality
lefthanded bat; narrowly missed winning WCL batting title (.375),
emerged as one of league’s top power threats
SECOND
BASEMEN
1.
JOHN LaPRISE, Madison/Northwoods (Virginia/2015)
Played
sparingly as a college freshman, but won NWL batting title
(.407-0-29), went 12-for-24 in playoffs for league champs
2.
ROSS KIVETT, Orleans/Cape Cod (Kansas State/2013)
White
Sox 10th-rounder in June; was summer AA in 2012
(.401-3-29, 37 SB), hit .336-3-17 in encore; sparkplug in all phases
3.
JOSH GARDINER, Amsterdam/Perfect Game (Radford/2014)
Played
key role for Mohawks as team came on strong to win second straight
PGCBL title; hit .327-4-33 with 15 2B, 15 SB
THIRD
BASEMEN
1.
ALEX CALBICK, Bellingham/West Coast (Maine/2013)
Rebounded
from disappointing college season (.280, 2 HR) to win WCL batting
title (.384), earn player-of-year honors
2.
TYLER MAUTNER, Top Speed Baseball/Far West (Buffalo/2014)
Triple-crown
winner (.389-8-33) and player of year in Far West League; hit
.390-13-57 overall, also smacked 26 doubles
3.
JORDAN NEGRINI, Peninsula/Coastal Plain (Old Domimnion/2013)
Overlooked
in 2013 draft, but found comfort zone at plate with wood on summer;
hit .345-3-40 overall, led team to CPL title
SHORTSTOPS
1.
TYLER PALMER, Sanford/Florida Collegiate (Seminole State, Fla.,
CC/2013)
Still
on mend from serious 2011 hand injury, but led Florida loop in HRs
(9), RBIs (32), steals (24), second in batting (.350)
2.
A.J. SIMCOX, Mat-Su/Alaska (Tennessee/2015)
League
bat champ (.356-1-20); has all tools to be 2015 first-rounder, just
needs power to develop, become consistent in field
3.
KEVIN NEWMAN, Falmouth/Cape Cod (Arizona/2015)
Surprise
Cape League batting champ; hit .375, only 3 extra-base hits, just
needs to grow into frame; makes all plays in field
OUTFIELDERS
First
Team
RHYS
HOSKINS, Falmouth/Cape Cod (Cal State Sacramento/2014)
Offensive
force in middle of power-packed Commodores lineup; flashed big raw
power, hit 7 HRs, topped Cape in RBIs (37)
CHRISTIN
STEWART, Mat-Su/Alaska (Tennessee/2015)
Offensive-oriented
player had breakout summer; led Alaska League in homers (5), RBIs
(31), was second in batting (.336)
LUKE
TENDLER, Asheboro/Coastal Plain (North Carolina A&T/2013)
CPL
player of year/batting champ was undrafted in June, but had breakout
summer (.351-8-40, 13 SB), flashed 5-tool ability
Second
Team
DYLAN
DAVIS, Falmouth/Cape Cod (Oregon State/2014)
More
a factor at plate/in field in spring, summer (.317-6-34), but upside
is on mound; was 95-97, plus curve in limited looks
BLAKE
DRAKE, Corvallis/West Coast (Concordia, Calif./2014)
Sparkplug
in CF, on bases (20 SB), at plate (.288-3-29, 14 2B, 40 R) for
Corvallis, winners of 34 of last 39 games, WCL title
MICHAEL
PRITCHARD, San Luis Obispo/California Collegiate (Nebraska/2014)
Well-rounder
player who can hit, run; led league in batting (.387-1-34), steals
(18), has good plate approach (28 BB/19 SO)
Third
Team
MICHAEL
SUCHY, Willmar/Northwoods (Florida Gulf Coast/2014)
Built
off strong 2012 season in NWL by hitting .329-11-33 with league-best
17 2B; has intriguing power/speed package
NICK
HEATH, North Fork/Hamptons (Northwestern State/2015)
Red-shirted
during spring, but had breakout summer with best tools in league; hit
.326-2-18 with 34 steals, was tops in runs
BEN
ROBERTS, Newport/New England (Washington State/2014)
Former
7th-rounder (D’backs, 2011) finally began tapping into
his 5-tool potential; hit .312-5-35, topped NECBL with 18 2B
DESIGNATED
HITTER
1.
KEVIN CRON, Falmouth/Cape Cod (Texas Christian/2014)
Ex-third-rounder
has huge power in 6-5/260 frame; with better pitch selection,
rebounded from poor spring to hit .350-4-32
2.
ROB FONSECA, Los Angeles Brewers/California Collegiate
(Northeastern/2014)
Finished
second in Cal League in all triple-crown categories (.383-8-35); led
Brewers to surprise league title
3.
IAN RICE, Baltimore Redbirds/Cal Ripken (Chipola, Fla., JC/2013)
Still
growing into his role as a catcher, but has explosive power at plate,
hit .317, led Ripken League in HRs (7), RBIs (34)
UTILITY
1.
LOUIE LECHICH, Santa Barbara/California Collegiate (San Diego/2013)
Undrafted
as JR; debate if upside at plate (.317-4-35) or on mound (2-0, 2.06);
excellent CF, big arm, flashes raw power
2.
NICK MILLER, Edenton/Coastal Plain (Northern Colorado/2013)
Played
key 2-way starting role for 43-14 Steamers, leading team in ERA while
going 5-1, 1.02 on mound, .287-5-19 at 1B
3.
LaMONTE WADE, JR., Baltimore Redbirds/Cal Ripken (Maryland/2015)
Versatile
player, hit leadoff/cleanup, saw duty at 1B/OF/LHP for CRCBL champs;
hit .289-5-25, went 1-1, 3.00 in 5 starts
STARTING
PITCHERS
First
Team
BUBBA
DERBY, Bethesda Big Train/Cal Ripken (San Diego State/2015)
5-10
RHP with quick/live arm, closer mentality in starter role; topped
Ripken league in wins (6), ERA (0.76), SO (56, 47 IP)
KYLE
FREELAND, Hyannis/Cape Cod (Evansville/2014)
Positioned
himself as possible first-rounder by going 4-0, 1.91 with 4 BB/58 SO
in 47 IP; dominated with 90-93 FB, plus SL
NATHAN
KIRBY, Keene/New England (Virginia/2015)
Went
4-0 with 83 K’s in 60 IP for league champs; fits first-round
profile with athletic frame, lively 91-92 FB/secondary stuff
LUKAS
SCHIRALDI, Chatham/Cape Cod (Texas/2013)
Texas
JC standout passed over in draft because of 4-year commitment; went
5-1, 1.00 with mid-90s FB, led Cape in ERA
Second
Team
EMILIO
OGANDO, Winter Park/Florida Collegiate (St. Thomas, Fla./2014)
Rising
junior lefty went 9-1, 0.49 (55 IP/25 H/11 BB/55 SO) on summer, led
league in wins, ERA, pitched D-Dawgs to title
PARKER
RAY, Brazos Valley/Texas Collegiate (Texas A&M/2013)
Solid
during regular season (4-0, 1.69 in 6 starts), spectacular in
playoffs (1-0, 0.00, 10 IP/17 SO) for nation’s No. 1 club
JOHN
TUTTLE, Asheboro/Coastal Plain (Catawba, N.C./2013)
Overcame
disappointment of not being drafted in June by going 9-0, 0.78; led
CPL in wins, ERA, earned top pitcher award
DREW
VAN ORDEN, Santa Barbara/California (Duke/2013)
Undrafted
after inconsistent JR season; excelled on summer (6-2, 1.12, 56 IP/72
SO) with better command of 91-94 mph FB
Third
Team
MICHAEL
BURKE, Holyoke/New England (Buffalo/2013)
Ex-3B
continued smooth transition to mound; went 4-1, 0.48 (74 IP/9 BB/65
SO), NECBL ERA leader, pitcher of year
TROY
CONYERS, Danville/Prospect (San Diego/2015)
Big,
physical (6-5/230) lefty was dominant in starting role for Prospect
League’s best club; went 5-1, 1.53 (41 IP/60 SO)
EANN
COX, Cooperstown/Perfect Game (Lewis, Ill./2013)
Stood
out on last-place team; went 6-0, 2.11, led PGCBL in wins, strikeouts
(64, 55 IP), opponent BA (.204), second in ERA
GARRETT
MUNDELL, Anchorage Bucs/Alaska (Fresno State/2014)
6-6/230
righthander has big, projectable frame, throws 3 pitches for strikes;
league pitcher of year, ERA leader (4-1, 0.63)
COLIN
POCHE, Willmar/Northwoods (Arkansas/2015)
Former
fifth-rounder has athleticism, projectable frame, command of four
pitches, went 6-2, 2.26 with 16 BB/59 SO in 52 IP
RELIEF
PITCHERS/Closers
First
Team
DRAKE
OWENBY, San Luis Obispo/California Collegiate (Tennessee/2015)
Dominant
in closer role for Blues with 90-95 mph FB, hammer curve; went 1-1,
1.01 with league-best 8 SV, 50 K’s in 26 IP
MATT
TROUPE, Orleans/Cape Cod (Arizona/2014)
Dominant
closer on Cape with 11 SV, 1.35 ERA, 32 SO/20 IP; not overpowering,
but 3 pitches for strikes, tough to square up
Second
Team
ADAM
DIAN, Waterloo/Northwoods (Temple/2014)
Major
force at back end of bullpen for winningest team in summer ball; went
2-0, 0.34 with 8 SV, had 9 BB/42 SO in 23 IP
ADAM
ZIPKO, New Market/Valley (Millersville, Pa./2013)
Perfect
on 2013 season with 0.00 ERA, 18 SV in 26 outings, 42 SO in 32 IP;
lights out with side-arm 84-86 FB, sweeping SL
Third
Team
JACOB
BODNER, Sag Harbor/Hamptons (Xavier/2014)
Two-way
player in spring, but dominant summer (0.00 ERA, league-record 14 SV,
20 IP/35 SO) suggests future is on mound
JORGE
PEREZ, rhp, Corvallis/West Coast (Grand Canyon, Ariz./2014)
Short
role during season for Knights (1-1, 1.30, 6 SV) after busy spring,
turned loose as starter in WCL playoffs (2-0, 1.17)
SUMMER
LEAGUE PLAYER OF YEAR
Max
Pentecost, c, Bourne/Cape Cod (Kennesaw State)
TOP
RISING FRESHMAN
David
Fletcher, ss, Alaska Goldpanners/Alaska (Loyola Marymount)
TOP
RISING SOPHOMORE
Nathan
Kirby, lhp, Keene/New England (Virginia)
TOP
RISING JUNIOR
Max
Pentecost, c, Bourne/Cape Cod (Kennesaw State)
TOP
RISING SENIOR
Luke
Tendler, of, Asheboro/Coastal Plain (North Carolina A&T)