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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 Texas Collegiate League, West Coast League, Cal Ripken League and Prospect League.
As we continue our national tour each week, our coverage will include an inside look at the Cape Cod League, Northwoods League, New England Collegiate League and Perfect Game Collegiate League next time out.
Texas Collegiate League
Spotlight player: RHP Alec Mills, Tennessee-Martin
Mills had an iffy 2011 college campaign with a 6.82 ERA in 66 innings, but he’s making a statement at the TCL this summer. He has made five starts (seven total appearances) for the Brazos Valley Bombers and has a 2.50 ERA in 36 innings. Most impressive is the fact Mills has struck out 36 batters and walked just two.
Top performers
P Matt Munson, USC: Munson only had a 5.19 ERA in 26 innings for the Trojans this past season, and is taking his game to another level this summer. He has started five games and appeared in seven and has a 1.23 ERA in 36 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 20 and walked five.
P Doug Ashby, Baylor: Ashby only appeared in one game for the Bears during the college season, but hopes to increase his role with a strong summer. The left-handed pitcher is having a very solid season for the Coppell Copperheads. He has started four games and made 11 total appearances and has a 2.56 ERA in 38 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 23 and walked 10.
OF Taylor Dugas, Alabama: Dugas may or may not return to the Crimson Tide in the fall after he was drafted relatively high in this summer’s MLB draft. But to no surprise he’s putting together a solid summer. Dugas is hitting .305 with four doubles and 11 RBIs. Most impressive is the fact he has walked 24 times and had struck out on just seven occasions.
INF Ty Marlow, Texas A&M: Marlow certainly wasn’t a contributor for the Aggies this past college season, but he’s hoping to greatly increase his role with a solid summer. Marlow has accomplished the goal of a solid summer thus far, hitting an impressive .321 with five doubles, a triple, three home runs and 13 RBIs. He also has struck out 23 and walked 14.
INF Hunter Dozier, Stephen F. Austin: The Lumberjacks put together a solid 2011 campaign and look for better things from Dozier next spring. Dozier is having a solid summer thus far, hitting an impressive .330 with four doubles, a triple and 16 RBIs. He also has struck out 27 times and walked on 16 occasions, while collecting eight stolen bases.
Cal Ripken League
Spotlight player: P Matt Bowman, Princeton
It’s hard to imagine Bowman had a 5.05 ERA in over 51 innings in the Ivy League this past season. After all, he’s having a phenomenal campaign at the Cal Ripken League. So far this summer, he has made six starts and appeared in eight games and has an 0.96 ERA in 47 innings. He also has struck out 41 and walked seven.
Top performers
P Kelly Secrest, UNC Wilmington: Speaking of pitchers having incredible summers, Secrest is in the same boat as Bowman. He had an unimpressive 5.68 ERA in 19 innings for the Seahawks this past spring, but is having a much better summer. He has started six games and has a fantastic 0.84 ERA in 32 innings. He also has struck out 23 and walked six.
P Chad Kuhl, Delaware: Here’s yet another pitcher who has taken a big step forward this summer. Kuhl had an ERA over six for the Blue Hens this past season, but is showing significant progress so far this summer. He has started seven games and has a 2.58 ERA in 45 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 36 and walked eight and allowed just 39 hits.
INF Adam Barry, Cal State Northridge: Barry put together a .288 batting average in 160 at bats for the Matadors this past college season, but is having a significantly more impressive. Barry is one of the league’s top sluggers, hitting .386 with 10 doubles, two triples, a home run and 31 RBIs. He also has walked 15 times and struck out on just 13 occasions.
OF Sean Godfrey, Ball State: Godfrey couldn’t be having a better summer, but he’s coming of a spring where he hit just .277 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 103 at bats. This summer, Godfrey has been extremely consistent. He’s hitting .404 in 99 at bats with five doubles, three triples, a home run and 17 RBIs. He also has struck out on 17 occasions and walked seven times.
INF Angel Ibanez, Texas-Pan American: Ibanez finished his college season with an impressive .348 batting average in 221 at bats, and is continuing his successful ways this summer. He’s hitting .395 with six doubles, a triple and 14 RBIs. He also has walked 11 times and struck out on just 10 occasions. Last summer at the CRL he hit .306 with 13 RBIs.
Prospect League
Spotlight player: P Clayton Schulz, North Florida
Schulz is coming off a solid spring where he compiled a 3.34 ERA in 35 innings. He’s also having a phenomenal campaign at the Prospect League. The talented left-handed pitcher has started six games and made seven appearances and has a 0.86 ERA in 41 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 37 and walked nine. Additionally, he has allowed just 25 hits.
Top performers
INF Trenton Moses, Southeaster Missouri: What a year Moses is having at the plate. He hit .395 with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs this past spring and has continued where he left off this summer. Moses is hitting .392 with 11 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 21 RBIs. He also has struck out 15 times and walked on 13 occasions.
OF Nolan Early, South Alabama: New head coach Mark Calvi should have a good one in Early entering the 2012 campaign. Early hit .330 for the Jaguars this past spring and also is putting together a solid summer at the Prospect League. He’s hitting .354 with 45 hits, eight doubles, two triples, five home runs and 24 RBIs. He has walked 14 times and struck out on 22 occasions.
SS Zach Tanner, Wright State: It’s no surprise Tanner is having a solid summer after he hit .374 for the Raiders this past spring. He is making another statement this summer. He’s hitting .343 with 35 hits, 10 doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 30 RBIs. He also has walked nine times and struck out on 17 occasions.
1B Blake Roberts, Central Arkansas: Roberts hit just .252 for the Bears this past spring, but he’s making up for it so far this summer. He’s hitting an impressive .359 with 42 hits, 12 doubles, three triples, a home run and 22 RBIs. He also has walked 20 times and struck out on 19 occasions.
P Casey Webber, Western Michigan: Webber tallied a solid 2.86 ERA in 88 innings for the Broncos this past spring, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised the left-hander is having a solid summer. He has made six starts and eight appearances this summer and has a 2.48 ERA in 36 1/3 innings. He also has struck out 41 and walked 11.
West Coast League
Spotlight player: OF Payden Cawley Lamb
Cawley Lamb was a non-factor for the Bulldogs this past season, but that probably won’t be the case in 2012. He’s having an amazing summer at the West Coast League. He’s hitting an impressive .412 with 40 hits, eight doubles, a triple and 18 RBIs. He also has walked seven times and struck out on 12 occasions. Additionally, Cawley Lamb has scored 21 runs and recorded six stolen bases.
Top performers
1B Adam Nelubowich, Washington State: Nelubowich only hit .234 in 77 at bats for the Cougars in 2011, but chances are good he increases his role next spring. That, of course, is assuming his summer is a precursor for bigger and better things. Nelubowich is hitting .331 with 22 runs, 39 hits, six doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He also has walked 14 times and struck out on 19 occasions.
OF Kyle Garlick, Oregon: Garlick only hit .250 in 104 at bats for the Ducks this past season, but hopes to increase his role next season. He’s having a solid summer, hitting .333 with 19 runs, 36 hits, six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 17 RBIs. He also has walked seven times and struck on just 11 occasions in 108 at bats.
OF Breland Almadova, Hawaii: Almadova hit .298 for the Rainbows this past season and likely will have an even more important role in 2012. He is having a tremendous summer at the WCL, where he’s hitting .345 with 18 runs, 39 hits, eight doubles, three triples and 17 RBIs. He also has walked on eight occasions and struck out 15 times in 113 at bats.
P Alex Phillips, Kentucky: The talented left-handed pitcher could become a household name next spring. He put together a respectable 2011 campaign for the Wildcats and is having a solid summer thus far. He has started six games and appeared in eight and has a fantastic 1.88 ERA in 43 innings. He also has struck out 50 and walked just five.
P Owen Jones, Portland: Jones had a 4.60 ERA in 90 innings of work for the Pilots this past spring and is having a very impressive summer. He has started seven games and appeared in eight and has a solid 2.17 ERA in 49 2/3 innings. He also has struck out 51 and walked 16. Additionally, Jones carries a perfect 5-0 record into the weekend.
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