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The summer league action around the country is rolling along and we continue our summer league coverage with an inside look at the Cape Cod League, Northwoods League, New England Collegiate League and Perfect Game Collegiate League.
As we continue our national tour each week, our coverage will include an inside look at the California League, Valley League, Alaska League and Coastal Plains League.
Cape Cod League
Spotlight player: OF Victor Roache, Georgia Southern
There might not be a hitter elevating his status more than Roache this summer. The Eagles outfielder is having a phenomenal summer at the Cape Cod League, hitting .383 with five home runs and 25 RBIs. He leads the league in batting average and RBIs, and also has slapped nine doubles while striking out 22 times and walking on 19 occasions.
Top performers
P Ryan Eades, LSU: The Tigers appear to be in excellent shape when it comes to weekend starters next season with the talented right-hander pitching so well this summer. The righty has started five games at the CCBL and has a league-leading 0.68 ERA in 26 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 18 and walked six and has allowed just 13 hits.
P Justin Amlung, Louisville: It’s safe to say the Cardinals should be solid on the mound once gain next season. Amlung, a talented right-hander, is having a sensational summer at the Cape. He has started six games, a 2-1 record and a 1.54 ERA in 35 innings. He also has struck out 23 and walked 10, while allowing just 19 hits.
OF Jason Monda, Washington State: Monda only hit .291 for the Cougars as a freshman last season, but he’s a prime candidate to have a breakout sophomore campaign. Monda is having a fantastic summer at the CCBL, hitting an impressive .360 with 27 hits, three doubles, four triples, a home run and 12 RBIs. He also has struck out 16 times and walked on five occasions.
P Keith Bilodeau, Maine: After having a solid 2011 campaign for the Black Bears, the talented right-handed pitcher is continuing his successful ways this summer. For the Chatham Anglers, he has started five games and has a 1.48 ERA in 30 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 34 and walked just 11, while allowing just 25 hits. Bilodeau’s stock definitely is rising.
P Chris Beck, Georgia Southern: The Eagles are looking pretty good for the 2012 campaign. While Roache certainly is the headlined Eagle this summer, Beck, the talented right-handed pitcher, also is increasing his stock. Beck has started six games and has a 1.82 ERA in 39 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 34 and walked nine, while allowing just 37 hits. It’s impressive what the GSU duo is accomplishing this summer.
Northwoods League
Spotlight player: OF Shaun Cooper, Utah
After hitting .332 for the Utes last season, the talented outfielder is taking his game to another level this summer. He’s hitting an outstanding .338 with 49 hits, seven doubles, four triples, 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. He also has struck out 33 times and walked on 14 occasions. Still, what a sensational summer he’s putting together. Cooper also has scored 37 runs.
Top performers
OF Daniel Rockett, UTSA: Rockett finished last season with an average just over .300 for the Roadrunners. He’s taking his game to another level this summer. Rockett is one of the Northwoods’ offensive leaders so far this summer. He’s hitting .336 with 29 runs scored, 48 hits, 11 doubles, four home runs and 31 RBIs. He also has struck out 24 times and walked on 10 occasions.
UTI Billy Moon, Gonzaga: When it comes to the total package, it’s tough to get much better than Moon. On the mound, he has appeared in nine games and has a 3.38 ERA in 13 1/3 innings. As a hitter, Moon is batting .339 with 20 runs scored, 42 hits, seven doubles, two home runs and 25 RBIs. He also has walked 15 times and struck out on just 14 occasions.
P Jason Forjet, Florida Gulf Coast: Forjet’s transformation into an elite pitcher this summer has been interesting to follow. The right-hander had an ERA over four for the Eagles last season, but he’s having much more success this summer. He has started seven games and has a fabulous 1.50 ERA in 48 innings. He also has struck out 56 and walked just 11, while allowing just 35 hits.
P Rusty Shellhorn, Texas Tech: Pitching was a weakness for the Red Raiders in 2011, but the addition of the left-handed pitcher should help their cause in 2012. Shellhorn is having a fantastic summer at the Northwoods League. He has a 4-1 record in eight starts and nine appearances with a 1.87 ERA in 43 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 50 and walked 25 and allowed 33 hits.
P Joey Novak, Harvard: There are few summer success stories better than that of Novak. The right-handed pitcher had an ERA of 7.43 for the Crimson in 2011, but has taken his game to an amazing and unexpected level this summer. He has a league-leading 1.22 ERA in 44 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 31 and walked nine and allowed 33 hits.
New England Collegiate League
Spotlight player: OF Andrew Garner, Tulane
Garner definitely is a guy to watch for the Green Wave in 2012. He pitched some this past season but only recorded six at bats. So far this summer, Garner is making a name for himself at the plate. He’s hitting an outstanding .389 with 15 runs scored, 28 hits, seven doubles, three home runs and 19 RBIs. He also has struck out 15 times and walked on three occasions.
Top performers
1B Trey Mancini, Notre Dame: Mancini finished his freshman campaign with the Fighting Irish with a .323 batting average and is continuing his successful ways this summer. He’s hitting a solid .324 with 19 runs scored, 35 hits, eight doubles, a triple, seven home runs (ranked second in the league) and 32 RBIs (leads the league). He also has struck out 31 times and walked on 11 occasions.
P Jeff Thompson, Louisville: Thompson put together an ERA of 2.75 for the Cardinals this past season and looks to be an even more important piece to the puzzle in 2012. He’s certainly making a strong case so far this summer. Thompson has started six games and has a 2.51 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. He also has struck out a league-high 41 batters and walked just 10. He has allowed 24 hits for the Keene Swamp Bats.
P Ben Mount, USC: Mount only had an ERA of 5.15 for the Trojans this past season, but he’s hoping to improve his role with the club with a strong summer at the NECBL. The right-hander is having a sensational summer with the Holyoke Blue Sox. He has a 1.41 ERA in five starts and six appearances and 32 innings pitched. He also has struck out 34 and walked just eight.
P Jacob Lee, Arkansas State: Lee was an elite pitcher in the Sun Belt last season and hopes to have an even bigger 2012 campaign. He is having a great summer, where he leads the league with a 0.65 ERA in five starts and 27 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 21 and walked six and allowed just 18 hits. The consistency put together by Lee must please ASU coach Tommy Raffo.
P Nick Williams, Tennessee: The Volunteers will need all the help they can get in Dave Serrano’s first campaign as head coach. That’s where guys like pitcher Nick Williams enter the equation. The right-handed hurler is having a solid summer at the NECBL, where he has a 2.86 ERA in five starts and six appearances in 28 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 36 and walked 18.
Perfect Game Collegiate League
Spotlight player: OF Erick Gaylord, Campbell
Gaylord only finished the 2011 campaign for the Camels with a .177 batting average in 62 at bats, but he has taken a huge step forward at the plate this summer. Gaylord is a big-time power producer at the PGCBL and is hitting an impressive .360 with 40 hits, and has a league-high nine home runs, four doubles, two triples and 36 RBIs. It’ll be interesting to see how Gaylord finishes the summer.
Top performers
INF Alex Maldonado, Holy Cross: Maldonado hit .299 for Holy Cross this past season and has taken his game to another level so far this summer. He’s hitting an impressive .387 with 21 runs scored, 43 hits, nine doubles, a triple and nine RBIs. He also has induced seven walks in 111 at bats.
OF Jude Vidrine, Lamar: Vidrine only finished the 2011 college season with a .222 average, but he could be primed for a breakout 2012 campaign. He’s having a solid summer thus far, hitting .346 with 23 runs scored, 37 hits, five doubles, three triples, five home runs and 16 RBIs. Vidrine also has induced 13 walks in 107 at bats.
P Derek Mazzio, Saint Louis: We profiled Mazzio a couple of weeks ago, and the talented pitcher continues to impress at the PGCBL this summer. The righty has appeared in seven games and has a 1.50 ERA in 36 innings. He also has struck out 43 and walked eight. Additionally, Mazzio has allowed just 14 total runs, eight of them earned.
P Steven Poche, Southeastern Louisiana: The Lions could have a good one in Poche moving forward. Though the left-handed pitcher finished last season with an ERA over five, he’s having an impressive summer thus far. He has appeared in six games and has a 3.06 ERA in 32 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 29 and walked eight and allowed just 11 earned runs (16 total).
INF Kyle Ruchim, Northwestern: Ruchim is another slugger taking a step forward this summer. He hit just .229 for the Wildcats this past spring, but is having a much better summer. He’s hitting an impressive .317 with 33 hits, 10 doubles, five home runs and 18 RBIs. He also has induced 10 walks and scored 22 runs in 104 at bats.
Kendall Rogers is the college baseball editor for Perfect Game USA and has covered the sport for over 10 seasons. He can be reached at kendall@perfectgame.org