CBD Column: 2011 Cape Cod All-Star Game Players to Watch

The Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star game takes place this evening at Fenway Park. The Cape League All-Star game routinely features the best prospects for the upcoming year’s draft. This year’s All-Star game is no different then usual as many players will go in the first three rounds of the draft next season. You can check out CBD Senior Writer Kat Cornetta and CBD Editor Brian Foley’s Live Blog from the game by clicking here. Here are five pitchers and hitters to watch in the game on Friday night.

Pitchers to Watch

1. Bobby Wahl (Ole Miss)– He has been solid throughout the season while sporting the best fastball in the summer league. He is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 15 appearances totaling 21 innings. He has been a strikeout machine with 36 but has been wild with 10 walks.
2. Ryan Eades (LSU)– He will be the starting pitcher for the Western Division after going 3-0 in his first seven appearances (six starts). He has been able to limit opponents to an ERA of 0.84 while striking out 23 batters in 32.1 innings.
3. John Simms (Rice)– He has served as the closer for the Falmouth Commodores this summer where he has made 13 appearances totaling 18 innings. He hasn’t recorded a decision but has picked up eight saves while striking out 29 batters and walking only six.
4. Taylor Rogers (Kentucky)– He will be making the start for the Eastern Division. His win/loss record is less than impressive at 2-3 but he has not been getting the run support as he has an ERA of 1.76 in 30.2 inning. He has shown excellent control walking four batters while striking out 25.
5. Matthew Koch (Louisville)– He has a 1-0 record with five saves on the summer while having a 1.25 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched. He has struck out 22 batters while walking only three on the year.

Hitters to Watch

1. Victor Roache (Georgia Southern)– He has dominated the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer as he has a .328 batting average while hitting six homers and driving in 28 runs. Roache is coming off an outstanding sophomore year with Georgia Southern which saw him hit .326 with 30 homers and 84 RBI. These numbers were off the charts as the new bat rules went into effect this season to help deaden the bats but Roache’s was far from it.
2. James Ramsey (Florida State)– He has improved his standing this summer after being selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 22nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He has hit .327 with six homers and 17 RBI in 29 games. Ramsey has always played the game with a hard edge as seen by his massive collision with NC State catcher Chris Schaeffer in the 2010 ACC Championships which you can see by clicking here. It will be interesting to see if Ramsey comes back to Florida State as he could be a key part of the lineup next year.
3. Colin Moran (UNC)– He has played in 22 games this summer hitting at .321 with a homer and nine RBI. Moran picked up the 2011 ACC Freshman of the Year after hitting .335 with nine homers and 71 RBI as he appeared in all 67 games with the Tar Heels.
4. Jeremy Baltz (St. John’s)– He headed into the 2011 College Baseball season as one of the sophomores to watch. Jeremy got off to a slow start before settling in where he finished with a .311 average with six homers and 60 RBI. He has continued his hot hitting in the Cape this summer as he is hitting .310 with two homers and 21 RBI.
5. Jason Monda (Washington State)– Every time I open up a Cape Cod Baseball League box score, I see Jason Monda’s name right next to a two hit performance or better. He is hitting .327 with a homer and 27 RBI while going 13-15 on stolen bases this summer.