The final part of my live looks from the Cape Cod League. This edition includes players that impressed me in the playoffs and a few others I liked throughout the season.
Tristan Smith, LHP, Clemson, Bourne Braves
Final regular season line: 1.57 ERA over 23 IP, 10 H, 10 BB, 4 ER, 33 K
Smith has been a highly-regarded arm going back to his prep days; his performance this summer only reinforced why this is the case. The southpaw possesses a strong, durable frame at 6’2”, 200 lbs. which should allow him to start at the next level. He attacks the hitter from a true 3/4 slot, where he comes across his body to make it difficult for the hitter to pick up. Lefties especially had trouble with him, hitting close to .100 throughout the entire summer off of him. His low-mid 90s fastball gets good horizontal movement when thrown well, but can get flat at times and is where he will likely run into danger down the road if it doesn’t develop a more consistent horizontal shape. His tight breaking ball grades out as a plus pitch, getting late bite that allows it to perform well both in and out of the strike zone. It typically breaks like a slider but can get curveball-like if his arm slot is off. He rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that plays well off of his fastball, mimicking its shape until it falls off the table in the last moment. The knock on Smith is his command. It improved from his school season where he walked over seven hitters per nine innings, but still struggled to command his breaking stuff as much as he’ll need to be successful at the professional level. This summer was pivotal for Smith’s stock coming off a shaky school season. We could see his stock skyrocket with improved command in Clemson’s rotation in 2024.
Trey Lipsey, OF, Ohio State, Hyannis Harbor Hawks
Final regular season line: .242/.416/.295, 3 XBH, 9-13 SB, 23 K, 13 BB, 16 HBP over 126 PA
Lipsey’s game grew on me the more I watched him play. While his numbers may not jump off the page, he was impressive in a number of ways that will translate to the next level. After a slow start to the season where he battled a knee injury, he hit .278 from July 5 through the end of the playoffs over a significant sample size. He has a disciplined approach that led him to a Z-contact rate of over 85% with the ability to spray the ball all over the field. He got hit by a staggering 16 pitches over the course of the regular season, likely due to how close he stands to the plate. Oddly enough, his biggest hole is pitches over the middle of the plate. He performed well on all pitches in the strike zone except pitches directly over the middle, which he frequently fouled off or just missed. He developed a tendency to drop his hands on pitches he thought he can crush, leading to him selling out and more popups than expected. This is a small change that should be figured out with a professional player development department. Trey is also a phenomenal athlete. He covers a ton of ground in center field from his plus speed, leaving no doubt that he will stick there long-term. His arm isn’t great, but it’s serviceable and shouldn’t be a liability. He is draft-eligible in 2024 and could go on Day 2 if he builds on his second-half summer success in the spring.
Zach Ehrhard, OF, Oklahoma State, Hyannis Harbor Hawks
Final regular season line: .297/.396/.364, 4 XBH, 11-14 SB, 22 K, 22 BB over 146 PA
Ehrhard had the biggest turnaround of any player I saw all summer. He didn’t get his first hit until June 30, going 0-24 in the process. From that day forward, he went 40-111 (.360), looking like a different player compared to prior. He possesses an advanced, contact-oriented approach at the plate, leading to a Z-contact rate well over 90% for the summer. However, he still has the ability to hit the ball out of the park on occasion as well as drive the ball to the gaps. He also has good pitch recognition, not often chasing pitches out of the zone. What sets Ehrhard apart are his bat-to-ball skills combined with his significantly above-average speed. An elite bunter, he went 7-8 on bunts he put in play. This forces defenders to account for this every time he comes up to the plate. He frequently takes advantage of corner infielders playing in by slashing a hard grounder through a hole. Like Lipsey, he is a good athlete who projects to stick in center for the foreseeable future. His 70-grade speed changes the game both in the outfield and on the basepaths. It’s also worth noting that he gets great reviews for his work ethic and leadership qualities. This summer was huge for his stock and will undoubtedly impact his draft status positively in 2024.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, 2B, Rutgers, Bourne Braves
Playoff stats: 16-36, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 K, 6 BB
I included Kuroda-Grauer’s playoff stats above as opposed to his regular season ones because of how large the discrepancy is. After a solid school season at Rutgers that resulted in an invite to Team USA training camp, he struggled to find his stride during the regular season on Cape. He looked like a different hitter in the playoffs, however, making much higher quality contact and better swing decisions as the season went on. He’s a dynamic player who impacts the game in a multitude of ways. He makes a ton of contact, running a minuscule 8.9% strikeout rate in the Big Ten in the spring and just over 12% on Cape against better pitching. Though his power hasn’t fully translated to games yet, he hits the ball hard enough that he should be able to hit 10-15 home runs annually at the highest level. Though he has a tendency to chase breaking stuff, he still works a significant amount of walks with his ability to foul balls off and work counts. Defensively, he plays a great second base and should have no issue sticking at the position long-term. His plus speed and athleticism profile well there. If JKG can translate his playoff success into his 2024 college season, his draft stock could skyrocket.
Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Vanderbilt, Bourne Braves
Final regular season line: 2.38 ERA over 22.2 IP, 24 H, 7 BB, 6 ER, 25 K
Cunningham probably would’ve gotten more of an opportunity to start on most other college teams, but he took advantage of his opportunity to do so over the summer with Bourne. An imposing presence on the mound at 6’5”, 240 lbs., he attacks the hitter from a repeatable, over-the-top delivery that projects him to start as a pro. He typically sits in the low-90s with his fastball, reaching 95 MPH a few times and held that velocity deep into games. He pounds the zone with the pitch, throwing over 70% strikes with it. He complements that with a tight, gyro slider in the low-80s that he likes to throw low in the zone to get chases and keep the ball on the ground. It mimics his fastball shape until suddenly dropping right before it crosses the plate, so it plays well off his fastball. The thing holding Cunningham back is his lack of a third pitch. He has a developing changeup, but he doesn’t have the same feel for it as he does his other two offerings and rarely threw it all summer. This is something he will need to add in order to be a successful starter professionally. This small change could be the difference between Cunningham developing as a back-end starter or middle reliever. Regardless, he looks to be in prime position for a Day 2 selection in 2024.
Greysen Carter, RHP, Vanderbilt, Orleans Firebirds
Final regular season line: 0.00 ERA over 14.1 IP, 5 H, 9 BB, 0 ER, 14 K
If you’re looking for an elite arm talent, look no further than Greysen Carter. The 6’5”, 250 lb. righty consistently sits 96-98 MPH with his fastball, topping out at 100 on multiple occasions when I saw him. It is simply an overpowering pitch that is difficult for a hitter to square up at any level. He was still hitting 100 late into his start, which showed off his durability and ability to throw many innings at a time. The fastball is undeniably electric, but the issue is that he doesn’t have a true second or third pitch. He threw fastballs almost 90% of the time on Cape, occasionally mixing in a changeup or curveball experimentally. The changeup is a great pitch when thrown right. It’s especially effective when thrown away to lefties or into righties, getting a ton of run away or into the hitter. The curveball has good 1-7 break when thrown well, but is inconsistent and he clearly slows his whole windup down to throw it. He also struggles to throw strikes, especially with his offspeed pitches. The ceiling is incredibly high for Carter, but there is plenty of development that needs to occur first in order to reach it. An organization with a history of developing stuff-first pitchers would be the best destination for him professionally.
R.J. Austin, UTL, Vanderbilt, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
Final regular season line: .327/.426./.376, 3 XBH, 19 K, 17 BB over 123 PA
Austin is the type of player that any manager wants on his team. The Vandy utilityman played a key role in Yarmouth-Dennis’ success during the regular season. He can play many different positions on the diamond thanks to his plus speed and athleticism, including middle infield and all three outfield spots. He’s long gotten rave reviews about his makeup and the energy he brings to the game. He makes a lot of contact, only striking out 17.1% in the SEC as a true freshman in the spring and 15.4% on the Cape. He sprays the ball hard to all fields and makes things happen on the bases, but goes up to the plate with intent to do damage. He’s a twitchy athlete with a strong arm that will play almost anywhere. He’s still only 19 years old with plenty of time to refine his approach which has already been successful against players much older than him. Austin isn’t draft-eligible until 2025, where he could develop into an elite talent given his tools and intangibles.
Jack Penney, INF, Notre Dame, Orleans Firebirds
Final regular season line: .275/.374/.405, 9 XBH (5 HR), 33 K, 24 BB over 182 PA
Penney benefitted from playing on the Cape as much as anyone else. After an underwhelming sophomore campaign at Notre Dame offensively, he showcased an advanced skillset throughout the summer that played a big part in Orleans making the championship. His approach stood out immediately; it’s a compact swing that doesn’t have a lot of extra movement, leading to fairly low whiff numbers. However, he also possesses plenty of over-the-fence power that he tapped into both at school (10 HR) and on Cape (5 HR). He’s a disciplined hitter, consistently posting good walk rates and making good swing decisions. He has no trouble with left-handers either, posting an OPS of nearly .900 off them on Cape. His combination of hit and power made him a force in the middle of the Firebirds’ lineup throughout the summer. He’s also an above-average athlete, making tough plays look routine at shortstop when I saw him. He may not be quick enough laterally to stick there long-term, but he profiles well at second and third base as well if that ends up being the case. Penney has all of the makings of a solid big leaguer and could see his stock soar if he carries his Cape success into his junior year at Notre Dame.