20 CCBL grads selected in first two rounds of MLB draft
Published on June 6, 2014 under Cape Cod League (Cape Cod) News Release
Twenty former Cape Cod Baseball League players were among the 74 chosen during the first day of Major League Baseball's annual First-Year Player Draft. The nationally televised event took place at MLB Network's studios in Secaucus, N.J., where representatives from the 30 major league teams selected players they hope will be the future of their franchises.
The draft continues today and Saturday with Rounds 3-40, all streamed live onDraft Central | 2014 First-Year Player Draft.
Twelve Cape League alumni were picked in the first round, two were drafted among the seven competitive balance A elections that followed, and the second round yielded six additional CCBL grads.
First to be chosen, at No. 4 by the Chicago Cubs, was Indiana University catcher Kyle Schwarber (Wareham, 2012-13), MVP of the 2012 Cape League playoffs and a major factor in the Gatemen's league championship run that year.
The Philadelphia Phillies used their No. 7 pick to take LSU pitcher Aaron Nola(Harwich, 2012). Nola pitched in just two games for the Mariners before joining the U.S. National Collegiate Team. He was very impressive in 11 innings of work, notching two wins while allowing just one run and striking out 15, leaving behind a 0.82 ERA and a 0.640 WHIP when he departed.
The eighth and ninth picks went to two former Hyannis Harbor Hawks. The Colorado Rockies chose left-handed pitcher Kyle Freeman (Hyannis, 2013) of Evansville and the Toronto Blue Jays, using the first of their two picks in the first round, selected southpaw hurler Jeff Hoffman (Hyannis, 2012-13) of East Carolina.
Next to go was Kennesaw State (Ga.) catcher Max Pentecost (Bourne, 2013), the '13 winner of the Pat Sorenti Award as Cape League MVP. Pentecost was the Blue Jays' second first-round pick at No. 11.
Other ex-Cape Leaguers drafted in the first round were Hartford left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb (Wareham, 2012-13), No. 15 by the Los Angeles Angels; TCU southpaw Brandon Finnegan (Falmouth, 2013), No. 17 by the Kansas City Royals; UNLV righty Erick Fedde (Y-D, 2013), No. 18 by the Washington Nationals, and Virginia right-hander Nick Howard (Harwich, 2013), No. 19 by the Cincinnati Reds.
Wichita State first baseman Casey Gillaspie (Falmouth, 2013) was chosen by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 20th pick. Gillaspie outdid older brother Conor Gillaspie, now the Chicago White Sox's third baseman, who also starred for the Shockers and at Falmouth. Conor was the Cape League's MVP and batting champion in 2007 and was chosen by the San Francisco Giants as a compensation first-round pick at No. 37 in the 2008 draft.
San Francisco Dons outfielder Brad Zimmer (Cotuit, 2013) was selected at No. 21 by the Cleveland Indians, and Stanford shortstop Alex Blandino (Y-D, 2012-13) went to Cincinnati with the 29th pick.
Competitive balance A, considered an extension of the first round, saw Virginia outfielder Derek Fisher (Harwich, 2013) go to Cleveland and San Diego outfielderConnor Joe (Chatham, 2013) chosen by Miami.
The first player picked as the second round got under way was Kentucky first baseman A.J. Reed (Harwich, 2012-13). Reed went to the Houston Astros with the draft's 42nd pick.
Other Cape Leaguers taken in the second round were Maryland righty Jake Stinnett (Brewster, 2013), No. 45 by the Cubs; Louisville righty Nick Burdi(Chatham, 2012), No. 46 by the Minnesota Twins; Florida International catcherAramis Garcia (Cotuit, 2012-13), No. 52 by the Giants; Alabama righty Spencer Turnbull (Wareham, 2013), No. 63 by the Detroit Tigers, and Indiana first baseman Sam Travis (Y-D, 2012), No. 20 by the Boston Red Sox.
There were no Cape Leaguers among the six competitive balance B choices that followed the second round.
Day 2 will include Rounds 3-10, streamed live today beginning with a preview show at 12:30 p.m. Rounds 11-40 will begin at 1 p.m.
It will be interesting to see whether the Cape League can come close to its record number of players taken in a single draft - 258 in 2011. That would be a tall order, considering that until that year there were 50 rounds of selections. Last year, the second in which the draft ended after 40 rounds, 208 former CCBL players were chosen.
Cape Cod League Stories from June 6, 2014
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
