JUCO Talent Graduates to Edenton
April 29, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Edenton Steamers News Release
EDENTON, N.C - The Edenton Steamers of the Coastal Plain League announce today the addition of three junior college players to the 2014 roster. Zach Albin, Dakota Wix and Aaron Mason are the newest members of the Steamers.
Albin, a sophomore right-handed pitcher from NJCAA Division II University of Connecticut-Avery Point, is a conference starter for the Huskies this spring. The 6-2, 205-pound Bethel, CT native spent last summer pitching for the Mystic Schooners in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. He logged 31.1 innings for Mystic, making five appearances overall (all as a starter). He wrapped up the 2013 summer with a 1.72 ERA, .95 WHIP, .237 opponent slugging average, held opposing hitters to a .214 batting average against and struck out 32 batters to issuing only six walks. At summer's end he was ranked as the 31st top prospect in the NECBL by Perfect Game CrossChecker.
Albin has signed with Division II Barry University in Miami of the Sunshine State Conference, where previously announced fellow 2014 Steamer pitcher Joeanthony Rivera is already a member. He continues to draw professional interest with an already developed strong frame, fastball velocity in the upper 80s to low 90s, a legitimate out-pitch breaking ball and improving change-up to round out his repertoire. Albin has settled into a nice groove of late and overall this spring has 46.2 innings pitched in eight starts, including three complete games and two shutouts. His WHIP is 1.11 and he has struck out 51 batters to only 18 walks. He is expected to be a key cog in the Clams' rotation this summer.
Wix is the everyday leadoff hitter and center fielder for the Fullerton College (CA) Hornets in the CCCBA Orange Empire Conference. The red-shirt sophomore is 5-8, 150 pounds and bats and throws from the right side. The Fullerton, CA native played close to home last summer for the Blue Sox in the Orange County Collegiate League. Wix was a force in a brief 12-game run in the OCCL last summer, slashing .441/.591/.676/1.267, adding five extra-base hits, five walks, a perfect five for five in stolen base attempts and only struck out three times.
Wix is another flyer in Edenton's offensive arsenal this summer and is a natural center fielder but has the arm strength and athleticism to play all three outfield spots after prepping as a middle infielder. The reigning Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year in 2013, he has yet to decide on a four-year school but is currently weighing several different NCAA options out in California. As Fullerton's regular season draws to a close, Wix is hitting .341 with a .376 on-base average and .427 slugging mark for an .803 OPS. He also has nine doubles, eight walks to only nine strikeouts and is 15 of 19 in stolen base attempts.
From Broken Arrow, OK, Mason is a sophomore at Fort Scott Community College (KS) in the NJCAA Division I Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. At 5-10 and 215 pounds, he has served as the game-one weekend starter this spring for the Greyhounds. The left-handed pitcher played for the Madisonville Pirates in the Ohio Valley Summer Collegiate Baseball League in 2013 and made nine appearances for a total of 51 innings on the mound. He led the league with a 1.06 ERA, fashioned a .90 WHIP, .191 batting average against and punched out 29 batters to allowing only 11 walks.
Mason is a finesse southpaw that is fearless on the mound and knows his craft very well. He pitches with superb control that allows his two-seam fastball and change-up attack to force hitters to put his pitch in play. He is strongly built and can pitch effectively deep into games due to great pitch-economy when he is on. He has completed four of his 10 starts so far this spring with a 1.36 WHIP and 44 strikeouts to a measly seven bases on balls. Mason will continue his career this fall at Abilene Christian University in Texas out of the Southland Conference with former Steamers pitching coach (2007) and head man (2010), Josh Scott. The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league.
Celebrating its 18th season in 2014, the CPL features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. The CPL has had over 1,100 alumni drafted and 65 of those - including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - make their Major League debut; while another notable alum - Russell Wilson - won Super Bowl XLVIII. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at CoastalPlain.com, and be sure to friend us on Facebook (at www.facebook.com/coastalplainleague) and follow us via Twitter (as CPLBaseball).
Coastal Plain League Stories from April 29, 2014
- JUCO Talent Graduates to Edenton - Edenton Steamers
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