Welcome to the sixth edition of live looks from Cape Cod this summer. For this review, I’ll look at INF Mitch Jebb, 1B/RF Nolan Schanuel, RHP TJ Brock, LHP Dalton Rogers, RHP Liam Simon, 2B Tommy Troy.
Mitch Jebb, INF, Michigan State, Hyannis Harbor Hawks
Game Lines (7/01 and 7/02): 2 hits in 8 ABs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Mitch Jebb, the lefty-hitting infielder, is an old-school hitter who constantly gets the bat on the ball. With his quick hands, Jebb gets to almost every pitch and lets it travel in the zone, mainly serving up hits to left field. With his opposite-field approach, some power to the gaps exists and when he muscles one deep into the gap, he typically has no trouble stretching it into extra bases. He has above-average speed which comes in handy with his many balls in play. This summer, he already has 10 stolen bases, and in the future, he will be a threat for double-digit steals each season.
In the field, Jebb has played short and third for Hyannis. In the field, he has looked strong, but due to his limited range in the field, he projects better at second or third in the future where his defense will be solid. Jebb profiles as a well-rounded overall player with a plus hit tool. In next year’s draft, he should come off the board in the early rounds.
Nolan Schanuel, 1B/RF, Florida Atlantic, Hyannis Harbor Hawks
Game Lines (7/01 and 7/02): 2 hits in 8 ABs, 2 doubles, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Though the results have lagged behind, Nolan Schanuel has consistently barreled up the ball this summer and has shown an impressive mix of power and bat control. The lefty with an unorthodox stance has no problem turning on pitches and sending them into right field. Though he has predominantly hit the ball to the pull side, Schanuel has shown the ability to spray the ball around the field. In the box, Schanuel rarely gets beat and shows good command of the strike zone with one more walk than strikeout thus far. For his 6-foot-4-inch frame, Schanuel runs better than expected, allowing him to leg out doubles on his sharp line drives to the outfield.
Schanuel, a righty thrower, has mostly played first but has gotten a few assignments in right field. At both positions, he has played well in the field, adding to his versatility. Regardless of if he ends up in first or a corner outfield position, his bat will be strong enough to produce value. Next year, he figures to go in the first couple of rounds in the draft because of his ability to hit for both average and power.
TJ Brock, RHP, Ohio State, Cotuit Kettleers
Game Line (7/2): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 2 K
TJ Brock is one of the most electrifying pure relievers in the Cape. The 6-foot-1-inch righty has a live arm sitting 96/97 with his fastball that he complements with a high 80s slider, which he actually throws more often.
Though Brock has previously been billed as a fastball dominant reliever, he has thrown the high-spin slider in all counts this summer. Consistently, hitters get off ugly swings against the pitch or have their knee buckle at the fast breaker with tight movement. However, hitters cannot sit slider against him because at any moment he can attack the zone with a firm fastball that gets on hitters quickly. So far this summer, his command has been much improved and hitters are not touching what is in the zone (15K vs. 2BB in 8 IP to date).
In the Cape, Brock has taken a step forward from his regular season and past performance. With what he has shown this summer, he looks like someone who could climb the lower levels of the minor leagues quickly. Whatever team gets Brock in July’s draft is getting a confident reliever who has already developed two plus pitches and has legitimate potential to be a backend arm.
Dalton Rogers, LHP, Southern Mississippi, Cotuit Kettleers
Game Line (7/6): 4 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 7 K
Dalton Rogers shined in his outing, looking untouchable in his four hitless innings. The 6-foot lefty primarily attacked hitters with a fastball (91/93) that he paired with a change-up (82/83) and curve (76/77). After his last outing where he only went 2.1 innings with 3 ER, Rogers bounced back nicely.
From his ¾ release, Rogers throws a fastball with a lot of carry, Brewster hitters swung through the pitch ten times. After the fastball, he mostly worked with the change that had downward tumble and got a lot of hitters off balance. However, his breaking ball serves as his better secondary offering. In Wednesday’s start, Rogers only threw the sweeping curve a handful of times, even though it had more swinging strikes than his change. For the most part, his command was strong today, working quickly, but in the third inning, he fell behind a few batters and walked one who later came around to score.
As a reliever, Rogers checks in as one of the better left-handed prospects in this draft, but this start showed his ability to work deeper into games — whatever team drafts him should try to stretch out the lefty with a three-pitch mix. Going forward, Rogers should mix in his breaking ball more often, which will get more swings and misses than his change and give hitters something else to worry about. He’s an intriguing left-hander with a deceptive fastball that should come off the board middle of Day 2.
Liam Simon, RHP, Notre Dame, Brewster White Caps
Game Line (7/6): 5 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 2 K
On the bump against Rogers, Liam Simon turned a strong outing of his own. The 6-foot-4-inch righty worked with a fastball approach and mixed in change-ups and sliders. In this outing, Simon’s command was sharped and he filled the zone with strikes.
Simon throws a live fastball that at times gets good arm side run and sink. Early in the game, his velocity sat 95/97, but in his last two innings, it played mostly at 93/95. At times, it seemed as if he was taking a little off of the offering and trying to pitch to contact which can explain his low strikeout number and improved command in this outing. The tight slider (83/84) flashed plus potential and got almost as many swings and misses as his fastball though he threw it much less. However, the pitch was somewhat inconsistent and hung in the zone a few times– Brooks Baldwin hit two doubles off the pitch. His change-up (86/87) is a decent offering that generated some weak contact.
Though he profiles as a reliever especially due to command concerns, the big righty deserves a look at a starter like Rogers. In this outing, he showed he can dial back his velocity and pitch to contact effectively deep into a game. In the fifth inning, he still hit 95 consistently, which plays well with the movement his fastball gets. If he does not stick as a starter, he will be an extremely good option out of the bullpen with a strong fastball and slider. Next month, Simon should go in the top 5 rounds of the draft.
Tommy Troy, 2B, Stanford, Cotuit Kettleers
Game Line (7/06 and 7/07): 4 hits in 8 ABs, 2 home runs, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
In his first game in the Cape, Tommy Troy set a high bar falling a single short of the cycle with a rocket walk-off home run. However, he has continued to impress and has been the best consistent hitter I have seen in the Cape. On Saturday, he put on another show when he went 3/5 with two homers and an RBI single. With his swing in which he drives his back leg to the other side of the batter's box, he generates remarkable power for a second basement who stands 5-foot-10-inches. Troy has incredibly fast hands and a knack for barreling up balls, having some of the highest consistent exit velocities. On top of that, he has incredible swing decisions with more extra-base hits (7) and walks (10) than strikeouts (5) right now. At the plate, Troy looks like one of the most developed hitters in the Cape and is not even eligible until next year’s draft.
In the field, Troy has played a flawless second base, showing range, soft hands, and good instincts. Also, he has a strong arm for the position, making him an above-average defender at second. Currently, Troy is ranked as Prospect Live’s number 21 prospect for the 2023 draft. With how his performance in the Cape, he has solidified his skill as a first-round talent and will most likely continue to impress evaluators as his time here lengthens.