The Louisville pipeline for the Whitecaps highlights this roster, with standout 2020 draft arm Reid Detmers and freshman phenom first baseman Alex Binelas. The pitching staff is deep with several potential day one arms in the 2020 draft, to go along with a deep and consistent group of everyday players. Brewster has an outside shot at ending the season as one of the top clubs in the Cape and their depth ensures they’re an excellent club to watch regardless of the starter on a given night. This is one of the teams I’m making a must-watch throughout the summer. Let’s take a look at the Whitecaps’ depth and the names to look out for.
Pitchers
Austin Becker, RHP Vanderbilt
Jeff Criswell, RHP Michigan
Reid Detmers, LHP Louisville
Stevie Emanuels, RHP Washington
Sean Fisher, LHP Maryland
Cody Greenhill, RHP Auburn
Daniel Harper, RHP Kentucky
Sean Hunley, RHP Tennessee
Chandler Jozwiak, LHP Texas A&M
Seth Lonsway, LHP Ohio State
Bobby Miller, RHP Louisville
Jimmy Ramsey, RHP Kentucky
Zach Thompson, RHP Maryland
Garrett Wade, LHP Auburn
Ryan Webb, LHP Georgia
Summary: A talented group led by Louisville ace and possible 2020 first rounder Reid Detmers, but the entire staff is littered with potential 2020 day one types. Some of the names in that group include Georgia’s Ryan Webb, Louisville’s Bobby Miller, Ohio State’s Seth Lonsway, Auburn pen ace Cody Greenhill, and Michigan’s Jeff Criswell. Detmers is Brewster’s Gladys Knight, but these Pips pack a punch.
Standout: Reid Detmers, Louisville - A lefty with a full bag of above-average offerings, his fastball doesn’t have much giddy-up, but it’s a high-spin offering and it’s incredibly effective. He mixes two above-average secondaries in his cutter and changeup, but the true standout is his downer curveball. It’s a legitimate out pitch that helps top off a devastating four-pitch mix.
Sleeper(s): Ryan Webb, Georgia - A lefty with three pitches who can run the fastball up to the mid-90s, Webb split time between the rotation and the bullpen in 2018 but worked entirely out of the pen for the Dawgs in 2019. He missed six weeks this season with arm soreness but returned in late April.
Jeff Criswell, Michigan - This is a favorite of our Big Ten expert Tom Mussa, who believes that Criswell has the ability to be an ace. Criswell pitched in games one and two of the Wolverines’ super regional win over the Top Ranked UCLA Bruins. Criswell sits 94-96 on his fastball, mixing an above-average slider and a changeup he’s shown feel for.
Catchers
Joe Donovan, Michigan
Justin Vought, Maryland
Tyler Gentry, Alabama
Christian Molfetta, Stanford
Summary: A strong group of hitting catchers, Brewster actually has five players on the roster with catching experience. The strongest statistical performer of the group was Alabama’s Tyler Gentry, followed by Maryland’s Justin Vought, who showed an increase in over the fence power in 2019, upping his home run total by seven. Overall, it’s a very strong group with a significant amount of depth.
Standout: Tyler Gentry, Alabama - Gentry joined the Tide in 2019 as a JuCo transfer from Tennessee junior college Walters State, he played mostly in the outfield but is listed as a catcher for our purposes. How much time he actually sees there remains to be seen. At the plate Gentry performed well slashing .310/.378/.552 with 13 home runs in 56 games.
Infielders
Alex Binelas, Louisville
Ryan Bliss, Auburn
Coby Boulware, Arkansas
Eric Foggo, Stetson
Gage Workman, Arizona State
Summary: A younger infield corps led by Louisville freshman standout Alex Binelas, and featuring two other freshmen in Arkansas’ Coby Boulware and Auburn’s Ryan Bliss. The veterans in this group include Arizona State’s Gage Workman and Stetson’s Eric Foggo.
Standout: Alex Binelas, Louisville - Rated as one of the top college hitters on 2021 draft boards alongside UCLA’s Matt McClain and Florida State’s Robby Martin. Binelas hit the ACC like a ton of bricks his freshman year, slashing .327/.417/.705 with 13 home runs, and a 1.5 K/BB in route to earning a spot in the conference’s All-Freshman squad. One of the most exciting underclassmen on the Cape circuit this summer.
Sleeper: Gage Workman, Arizona Sate - A switch-hitter with some power potential, Workman returns to the Cape after struggling with the Whitecaps in 2018. His .325/.412/.521 slash line with the Sun Devils showed significant improvement, particularly in the power and on-base departments, as he raised his OPS by 130 points year over year. On the outside of the 2020 day one conversation, but that could change with a strong summer.
Outfield
Noah Dickerson, Stetson
Dillon Dingler, Ohio State
Jesse Franklin, Michigan
Ryan Ward, Bryant
Summary: The shallowest group on the roster, the outfield crew is led by Michigan standout Jesse Franklin and underrated Bryant slugger Ryan Ward. A pair of unproven players in Stetson’s Noah Dickerson and Ohio State’s Dillon Dingler look to improve on pedestrian freshman seasons at their respective schools. The aforementioned Tyler Gentry of Alabama should see a majority of his time in the grass and not behind the plate. I cheated based on his roster listing to boost the catcher corps. Sue me.
Standout: Jesse Franklin, Michigan - The Wolverines starting centerfielder has hit near the top of the Michigan lineup throughout the tournament and has put up solid production in 2019 slashing .259/.390/.478 showcasing elite on-base ability with an impressive 17 BB% over the course of the season, while dropping his already strong strikeout rate from his freshman season to an even better 16 K%. He managed to maintain his power connecting for 11 home runs with a .250 isolated slugging.
Sleeper: Ryan Ward, Bryant - A local kid looking to build his stock coming out of Rhode Island’s Bryant University, the Millbury, Mass native slashed .387/.454/.609 with 11 home runs for the Bulldogs. He’s a little off the beaten path in terms of prospects status as a redshirt junior from a small school