The Cape Cod League is back! After a year off due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, rising sophomores, juniors and even a few seniors are playing not just to impress scouts and decision makers from all 30 MLB clubs, but to win ball games. Here are some of the notable performers for Week 1 of the 2021 CCBL season.
Caden Grice, 1B/DH, Chatham Anglers via Clemson:
After lighting up the ACC in an electric freshman year, Caden Grice has continued to hit tanks on the Cape. He has hit in the 3 hole for the Anglers so far, and has split time between first base and the DH spot. There’s been some swing and miss issues, but this is double plus raw power--from a teenager--that is playing in games at a high level of amateur competition. A lot can happen in two years, but Grice is looking like a surefire first rounder in the 2023 draft.
Andrew Taylor, RHP, Bourne Braves via Central Michigan:
Taylor is coming off a big redshirt freshman year for the Chippewas, where he had a 33.9 K% and 1.81 ERA in 94.1 innings pitched. On Wednesday he carved up the Falmouth lineup, relying on his low 90s fastball and mid 70s curve to put Commodore batters away. There’s still projection left on his 6’5” frame, and he’ll be looking to further impress scouts on the Cape before he defends his MAC Pitcher of the Year award in 2022.
Seth Halvorsen, RHP, Hyannis Harbor Hawks via Missouri:
Halvorsen, who is 2021 draft eligible, recently participated in the MLB Draft Combine, and topped out at 98 with the fastball and threw breakers in the 2600 RPM range. In his start on opening day for Hyannis, the fastball was 91-94 and touched 95, complemented by that high 70s breaker and some intermittent changeups with intermittent feel. Halvorsen started in each of his 14 games this year, but the persistent command issues he’s experienced at Mizzou (7.0 BB/9 in 72 innings this season) probably spell a team buying into him as a relief option. UPDATE: Halvorsen got knocked around for 6 ER in 2 IP against Falmouth last night. I blame the Combine.
Dylan Beavers, OF, Cotuit Kettleers via Cal Berkeley:
Oh, a toolsy outfielder with a big lean frame and he hits from the left side? Be still, my beating heart! Beavers posted double digit steals and home runs in his redshirt freshman sophomore season for the Golden Bears, and rode a 1.011 OPS to a 2021 All-Pac 12 First Team selection. While Beavers hasn’t hit for a lot of power so far, he is batting over .300 and has just two strikeouts in 23 plate appearances, which is always an encouraging thing to see from long levered prospects.
Brock Wilken, 3B, Harwich Mariners via Wake Forest
Tyler Jennings calls Wilken’s home runs “Brockets”, which is pretty fun. The Deacs’ freshman phenom had a .983 OPS this season, and when you see his bat speed you get a very strong idea of how he was able to accomplish that. Harwich’s lineup is mostly filled with older bats, so expect to see a lot of scouting attention paid towards Wilken in the Mariners’ games this season.
Bryce Hubbart, LHP, Brewster Whitecaps via Florida State
Bryce Hubbart got hit around a bit in his debut start against Bourne, but if he held the Cape’s best offense scoreless he’d be an outlier. Coming off a good second year at Florida State, Hubbart features a low 90s four seamer with good carry and downer curve as his primary offerings, but can alter the tilt on the breaking ball to slurve it away from lefties. He was able to mostly overpower the Bourne bats and racked up seven strikeouts, but left a fastball belt high on the outer half for Braylen Wimmer that was deposited over the left field wall for all three of the runs he would surrender over four innings. Hubbart went five scoreless in his next outing, which dropped his ERA to 3.00 in two CCBL starts. Definitely an interesting arm to follow on the Whitecaps this year.
Brooks Lee, SS, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox via Cal Poly
In his first few games on the Cape, Brooks Lee was able to show off his hit tool by going 7 for 19--but all seven hits were singles. On Saturday against Orleans, Lee showed his power by hitting a piss missile over the right center wall for his first Cape home run. The Cal Poly standout is looking to keep the hits coming with his short, sweet stroke--and we wouldn’t object to more tank shots.
Chase Delauter, OF, Orleans Firebirds via James Madison
If it weren’t for the game saving heroics of Dukes’ softball pitcher Oddici Alexander, Chase Delauter would have an undisputed claim to being the best athlete on a diamond wearing a JMU uniform. Delauter is the 6’4”, 235 lb. starting center fielder for James Madison that had a comical 1.231 OPS in 121 plate appearances, though his right field assignment in Orleans looks to be his future home. He’s off to an uneven start with the Firebirds--which is understandable given the jump in competition from the CAA to the Cape--but does have a home run to his name during the first week of play.
Jace Jung, 2B, Orleans Firebirds via Texas Tech
Jung, brother of Rangers prospect Josh, had gotten off to a rough start with Orleans, but he has been hitting the ball hard all week and started to see some of those scorchers drop for hits over the weekend. All he has done since getting on campus is hit, and while there are some unorthodox components to his swing, Jung is quick to the ball and makes loud contact with little lower half noise. Continued performance on the Cape could vault him into first round consideration in the 2022 draft if he’s not already there.