This Week in Baseball

CAPE COD -- Freshmen rarely make a huge impact in the Cape Cod League. In most cases, they’re facing tougher competition than ever and they’re fatigued after their first college season.

Baseball America began rating the best Cape Cod League prospects in 1990, and future No. 1 overall draft picks Darin Erstad, Kris Benson and Pat Burrell weren’t able to claim the top spot after their freshman years. In 1999, Mark Teixeira became the first to do so.

Fresh off his first team Freshman All-America selection as a two-way player, UCLA first baseman Wes Whisler followed in Teixeira’s footsteps this summer. In a league that doesn’t showcase power, Whisler’s pop at the plate easily stood out. He batted .309-6-16 and led the Cape with a .512 slugging percentage. He also won the league’s official top prospect award, voted on by pro scouts.

"Whisler centers the ball well, uses the whole field and has so much power and upside," a National League crosschecker said. "He did himself a favor by performing the way he did."

It was a good summer for talent on the Cape. There wasn’t much in the way of catchers or middle infielders, but the overall crop ran deeper than usual. Here’s our Top 30, based on discussions with league managers and scouts:

Whisler had easily the most raw power in the league, with Cotuit third baseman Lee Mitchell (Georgia) his closest rival. Most everyone loved Whisler’s lefthanded swing and the strength packed in his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame. He doesn’t try to overpower the ball and is a decent athlete for his size. Whisler didn’t get a chance to showcase his pitching skills because he felt a twinge in his elbow the one time he took the mound.

After earning first-team All-America honors and carrying Richmond to a school record for victories during the spring, Stauffer led the Cape with 67 strikeouts in 63 innings. He threw three-plus pitches for strikes: a fastball that reaches 94 mph and runs down and in on righthanders, a curveball and a changeup. He relentlessly pitched inside, and the only thing scouts were skeptical about was his height (listed at 6-foot-2).

Murton also ranked third on this list in 2001, when he won an MVP award, RBIs title and championship on the Cape. He wouldn’t have returned to the Gatemen for another championship had he not broken his right middle finger while trying out for Team USA. Showing a broad base of offensive skills, Murton hit .400 in 16 games as a Wareham DH and won the all-star game home run derby. His average arm will consign him to left field.

After a year at Penn State, Aardsma transferred to Rice and did solid bullpen work for a College World Series club. But no one was prepared for his coming-out party on the Cape, where he lived at 94-95 mph and touched 97 with his fastball. Mixing in an unhittable slider, he posted a 0.68 ERA and 45 strikeouts while permitting just 12 baserunners in 27 innings.

Brown ranked 16th on our 2001 Top 30 as a setup man, and moved up as a starter this summer. He repeated a 90-93 mph fastball and a hard curveball consistently, and his clean arm action will allow him to improve. Brown threw more over the top this year, costing him some movement, but he also trimmed up his 6-foot-5, 235-pound body.

At 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds, Harrison had the best pro body among the Cape’s position players. Only a below-average arm keeps him from five-tool status. "The tools are there," the crosschecker said. "He’s fun to watch."

Ray won or saved 12 of the Braves’ 16 victories and earned a lot of comparisons to Aardsma. Using a high leg kick, Ray threw a fastball as quick as Aardsma’s and also showed an 82-83 mph slider and a plus splitter. He exerts a little more effort than Aardsma does, and his breaking ball isn’t quite as good.

Snyder’s 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame doesn’t fit the pro blueprint for third basemen, but he opened eyes with his all-around play. Snyder used the entire field and hit .294-4-21 with 15 steals. The all-star game MVP, he’s also more agile than expected at the hot corner.

Stonard didn’t secure a Cape roster spot until the late spring, then rewarded the Kettleers with a batting title (.348) and MVP performance. He’s a line-drive, on-base machine who runs well. He lacks some arm strength, and opinion was divided on whether he’s better suited for center field or second base as a pro.

The Cincinnati Reds’ 2001 first-round pick, Sowers joins Whisler as the only freshmen on the Top 10. Observers thought the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder looked somewhat worn down, but he still led the Cape with 65 innings. He repeats his delivery exceptionally well, allowing him to throw his 88-90 mph fastball, plus curveball and developing changeup wherever he wants. He also had the best pickoff move in the league.

CCBL Top 30 Prospects
#	Name	Pos	Team	School
1	Wes Whisler	1B	Y-D	UCLA
2	Tim Stauffer	RHP	Chatham	Richmond
3	Matt Murton	OF	Wareham	Georgia Tech
4	David Aardsma	RHP	Falmouth	Rice
5	Matt Brown	RHP	Bourne	California
6	Ben Harrison	OF	Hyannis	Florida
7	Chris Ray	RHP	Bourne	William & Mary
8	Brian Snyder	3B	Cotuit	Stetson
9	Pete Stonard	OF/2B	Cotuit	Alabama
10	Jeremy Sowers	LHP	Wareham	Vanderbilt
11	Lee Mitchell	3B	Cotuit	Georgia
12	Anthony Gwynn	OF	Brewster	San Diego St
13	Rodney Allen	OF	Orleans	Arizona St
14	Jeremy Slayden	OF	Falmouth	Georgia Tech
15	Scott Baker	RHP	Orleans	Oklahoma St
16	Frasier Dizard	LHP	Chatham	Southern Cal
17	Nick Touchstone	LHP	Wareham	Okaloosa CC
18	Robbie Van	LHP	Orleans	Nevada-LV
19	Gary Bakker	RHP	Cotuit	North Carolina
20	Daniel Moore	LHP	Chatham	North Carolina
21	Jim Brauer	RHP	Y-D	Michigan
22	David Murphy	OF	Wareham	Baylor
23	Trey Webb	SS	Bourne	Baylor
24	Brian Rogers	RHP	Orleans	Georgia So
25	Trey Taylor	LHP	Wareham	Baylor
26	Chris Snavely	2B/OF	Harwich	Ohio State
27	Jamie D'Antona	3B	Chatham	Wake Forest
28	Myron Leslie	3B	Orleans	South Florida
29	John Axford	RHP	Hyannis	Notre Dame
30	David Sanders	LHP	Wareham	Wichita State