2014 New Bedford Bay Sox Preview

Conor Gleason. /Franklin Pierce

Last season was a disappointing one for the Bay Sox as weak pitching doomed a strong offensive team as they finished 20-24, the leagues third worst record. New Bedford had some positives, including two All-NECBL first-teamers but a five-game losing streak and a trio of three-game losing streaks was too much to overcome.

This year, the Bay Sox have assembled a strong group of hitters to drive the offense, including returning first teamer Chris Travers. They've also created a strong 1-2 punch to start the rotation and alos have a strong bullpen anchored by a lockdown closer.

Projected Lineup
Chris Travers, C
Adam Routhier, 1B
Tim Hoehn, 2B
Joe Cronin, SS
Brad Johnson, 3B
Cullen O'Dwyer, OF
Lorenzo Papa, OF
Josh Smith, OF
David Mackinnon, DH

Travers was a beast for the Bay Sox in 2013 as he was viewed as the best catcher in the league. The All-NECBL first teamer led the league with a .462 on-base percentage and looks to return for more. Hartford designated hitter David Mackinnon is another player to watch as he hit .366 this year over 41 games with 11 doubles.

Projected Rotation
RHP Conor Gleason
LHP Reed Mason
LHP Tim Superko
RHP Joe Carvero

Gleason is the ace of the staff as he's been dominant for Franklin Pierce. The 6-1 righty leads the nation in hits allowed per nine innings (just 3.86) and second in strikeouts per nine (13.57). After Gleason, Reed Mason represents the second half of a formidable 1-2 punch. Mason has been solid for Northwestern this year over 14 starts and 82 innings.

Projected Bullpen
Closer- RHP Dan Hertz
Setup Men- RHP James Davitt, LHP Jeremy Perron
Middle Men- RHP Nicholas Brown, RHP Brandon Cook, LHP Scott Tully, LHP Michael Hearne
Long man- RHP Colin Manning

Dan Hertz will be the man in the ninth for the Bay Sox, and he's joined by a strong bullpen led by setup man James Davitt. Past those two, Nicholas Brown has been strong but the group is thin in experience.

Outlook
Are the Bay Sox on pace for another losing season? Or will they return to 2012 form when they made it to the division finals and fell to Newport. A strong rotation and a solid bullpen paired with a mixture of power and average hitters should have this New Bedford team on the verge of the playoffs if not in.

2014 Valley Blue Sox Preview

The formerly-Holyoke Blue Sox have changed their name to the Valley Blue Sox to embrace where they are and have almost started complete fresh, returning just three players from last season. Last year, the Blue Sox snuck into the playoffs after beating the now-defunct Saratoga Brigade, but they were eliminated in the first round by eventual champions Keene.

Anthony Elia /Seton Hall

Now, with few returning players, general manager Hunter Golden has assembled a potent offense and a strong pitching staff that could see Valley finally make it past the division finals- they're 0-2.

Probable Lineup 
Josh Graham, C
Charles Sikes, 1B
Joey Caracone, 2B
Angelo La Bruna, SS
Tyler Mautner, 3B
Storm Wilson, OF
Willie Abreu, OF
Mendez Elder, OF
Bobby Stahel, DH

The Blue Sox were a middle-of-the-pack offensive team in 2013, and that is going to change in 2014. Simply put, the offense was mediocre. Golden clearly made that a point of emphasis and brings in a talented crop of hitters, anchored by sluggers Charles Sikes and Tyler Mautner. Mautner hit .337 with 17 doubles and 52 RBIs for Buffalo, while Sikes hit .358 with 10 home runs for Savannah State.

Another strong hitter in this lineup is Miami's Willie Abreu. Abreu, a freshman, hit .287 with 28 RBIs and 28 runs scored.

Probable Rotation
LHP Anthony Elia
RHP Harrison Paige
LHP Brooks Fortenberry
LHP Mike McGee

Valley starters ranked second in team ERA last year behind one of the top pitchers in the league, Michael Burke. They had four solid pitchers and have that again this season, headlined by Seton Hall's Elia. Elia had a 2.75 ERA over 69 innings and 12 starts for Seton Hall. Paige is another solid starter as he has a 1.00 WHIP with six complete games for American International.

Probable Bullpen
Closer- RHP Zach Strecker
Setup men- LHP Garrison Banas, RHP Adam Rutz
Middle men- LHP Joe DiBenedetto, RHP Nick Lewis, RHP Kyle Rasmussen
Long men- RHP Chris Erwin, LHP John Pryor

Strecker didn't close any games for Kentucky but he has strong stuff and could easily come in late for the Blue Sox. After him, Banas and Rutz are capable setup men who can come shut down teams for an inning and pick up a save.

Outlook
If someone asked me to pick a under-.500 team in 2013 that had the highest chance of turning it around, Valley would be my choice. A strong bullpen and a talented rotation mixed with a potent lineup has the Blue Sox in contention for their first championship.

2014 Danbury Westerners Preview

Joey Swinarski at a PG Tourney /Perfect Game

NECBL.com has released the first of their team previews for the upcoming season, so I've decided to breakdown the lineups, rotation and bullpens of every teams to accompany their players to watch. Every team will be previewed by the season opener on June 5th.

Danbury missed the playoffs for the first time since 2009 last year, going 17-26. The oldest current franchise in the league celebrates their 20th season and look to win their first championship.

Assistant general manager Dylan Elber said in an interview with the New England Baseball Journal that this team has upside. "We have a very young and talented team," Elber said. "Although some of these players redshirted or didn't get too much playing time at their school's this year, they will have the opportunity to break out this summer.

Rotation

Like Elber said, many players redshirted or sat out- so stats aren't readily available. I'll do my best to draft a sample rotation. LIU Post senior Joey Arena headlines the list as he's posted a 1.75 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP over 10 starts and 61.2 innings. After Arena, Mississippi State's Glenn Irby didn't pitch this spring but was the #3 left-handed high school pitcher in Indiana (Perfect Game). Tulane's Corey Merrill (1.27 WHIP over 51 innings), Hartford's Brian Murphy (4.35 ERA over nine starts) and Mississippi State freshman Levi Mintz (2013 Alabama Class 1A Pitcher of the Year) round out the rotation.

Bullpen:
The Westerners brought in several strong relievers, including a lights out closer and a strong supporting cast. St Johns Joseph Kuzia didn't allow an earned run in his first 25 appearances and now has a 0.97 ERA over 37 innings- along with 13 saves, 17th in the country. Kuzia's supporting cast includes Seton Hall's Sam Burum (4.15 ERA, 17 appearances), Nebraska's Max Knutson (5.06 ERA, 5.1 innings) and Columbia's Ryan Marks (0.82 ERA, 1.00 WHIP over 11 appearances).

Offense:
Danbury stole AJ Ryan from the Mountaineers and three former MLB draftees make up their lineup, including Mississippi State's Joey Swinarski. Swinarski graduated from high school a year early but was projected as a 2014 Top-10 round pick and was given a 9.5 grade by Perfect Game USA.

Lineup
C         Brennan Morgan (R)
Kennesaw St junior hit .252 with 28 RBIs and 32 runs
1B       AJ Ryan (L)
2013 Mountaineer hit .343 this spring at Dayton, 33 RBIs
2B       Emmanuel Cruz (R)
SNHU sophomore hit .295 with 42 runs and 21 stolen bases
SS       Vimael Machin (L)
VCU senior was drafted by San Diego in the 29th rd in 2011
3B       Joe Poduslenko (R)
Seton Hall sophomore hit .353 in limited action, five stolen bases
OF       Chris DelDebbio (R)
Hartford junior hit .263 with 31 runs and 22 RBIs, six stolen bases
OF        Jake Ring (L)
Missouri sophomore hit .210 with 15 runs and 10 RBIs, 14 walks
OF        Joey Swinarski (R)
Projected as a top-10 round pick before graduating HS early to attend MSU
DH        Alex Tuccio (R)
Returning Westerner, hit .254 last summer with nine runs and 14 RBIs

Rotation
LH         Joey Arena
LIU Post senior had a 1.75 ERA over 10 starts, 0.83 WHIP
LH         Glenn Irby
Mississippi St, #3 LHP out of high school in Indiana
RH         Corey Merill
Tulane sophomore had a 1.27 WHIP over nine starts

RH         Brian Murphy
Hartford junior has 4.35 ERA over 39 innings
RH         Levi Mintz
Mintz was named Alabama HS Class 1A Pitcher of the Year in 2013

Player to Watch:
Joey Swinarski. The Mississippi State freshman was projected as a Top-10 round draft pick before graduating high school early. Baseball America's Clint Longencker scouted the 6-3 outfielder in September last year. "Swinarski could develop into an impact hitter at the college level with some developmental strides. He has good bat speed and some leverage in his swing that could enable him to grow into average or better power as his frame fills. Swinarski, who is very intelligent, has some looseness to his hands and natural hitting ability."

Mountaineers in the Tournament

The road to Omaha began today as the NCAA released the 2014 D-I baseball bracket field- 64 teams divided into 16 regionals, which match up with their super regional partners. The Mountaineers have nine 2014 players on three different teams in the tournament- all regional hosts. Here's a breakdown of each team, the players and when/who they'll be playing.

INDIANA (#4 Overall)
Mountaineers: RHP Evan Bell, 2B Casey Rodrique, C/OF Brad Hartong, RHP Christian Morris
Regional/Seeding: Bloomington (#1)
Teams in it: #2 Indiana State, #3 Stanford, #4 Youngstown State
First game: Friday, vs. No. 4 Youngstown State, 7 p.m. ESPN3
Notes: One of 16 regional hosts...The Hoosiers grabbed the Big Ten's first-ever national seed...Beat Nebraska 8-4 to win the Big Ten title...Began the season 9-8 and were 15-10 at the end of March...Went 33-5 to finish the season and win the regular season title...If they advance they host the winner of Nashvilles's regional, which contains Vanderbilt, Oregon, Clemson and Xavier.

LOUISVILLE
Mountaineers: SS Nick Solak, INF Blake Tiberi, RF Colin Lyman, LHP Robert Strader
Regional/Seeding: Louisville (#1)
Teams in it: #2 Kentucky, #3 Kansas, #4 Kent State
First game: Friday, vs. No. 4 Kent State, 6 p.m ESPN3
Notes:  One of 16 regional hosts...Cardinals won the American Athletic Conference regular season title...Lost the AAC tournament championship, 10-4 to Houston...Went 29-7 at home in 2014...Seventh postseason berth in the last eight seasons...If they advance they play the winner of the Tallahassee regional, which contains Florida State (5), Alabama, Kennesaw State and Georgia Southern.

VANDERBILT
Mountaineers: Nolan Rogers (CF)
Regional/Seeding: Nashville (#1)
Teams in it: #2 Oregon, #3 Clemson, #4 Xavier
First games: Friday, vs. No. 4 Xavier, 8 p.m. ESPN3
Notes: One of 16 regional hosts...Eliminated from the SEC tournament with losses to No. 14 LSU and No. 10 Ole Miss...Finished 41-18...26-9 at home...If they advance they play the winner of the Bloomington regional, which includes Indiana (4), Indiana State, Samford and Youngstown State.

2014 Laconia Muskrats Preview

Braxton Martinez /St. Louis

NECBL.com has released the first of their team previews for the upcoming season, so I've decided to breakdown the lineups, rotation and bullpens of every teams to accompany their players to watch. Every team will be previewed by the season opener on June 5th.

Last season was a disappointing one for the Muskrats, as Laconia failed to make the playoffs for the first time in their four-year history. They finished three games under .500 at 21-24 and just a game back from Sanford for the fourth and final playoff spot.

This season, general manager Noah Crane has high hopes for the upcoming season. In an interview with the New England Baseball Journal, Crane says to look for a balanced attack. "(Jordan) Sheffield and (Jared) Brasher will light up radar guns this summer. We have a great deal of team speed and should steal a lot of bases."

Of course, the biggest storyline going in is the Muskrats acquisition of Mariano Rivera Jr., the son of New York Yankees great Mariano Rivera. Crane mentioned this, "When Mariano Rivera Jr. pitches, there's a good chance his famous father will be in the stands."

Rotation

Last year, Laconia had a 1-2 punch in the rotation that was a fearsome combination. Josh Prevost and Will Blalock combined for a 1.41 ERA over 55 innings, and the rest of the rotation was solid as well. That trend continues this year, led by 13th round draft pick Jordan Sheffield. Sheffield, a Vanderbilt freshman, has a cannon of an arm. He ended up in Vanderbilt after getting Tommy John and not signing a contract out of high school. Perfect Game reported a range of 94-97 MPH fastball with an 81 MPH curveball and a 83 MPH slider, making him a guy to watch. After Sheffield, Molloy junior Shea Spitzbarth has the potential to be a solid No. 2. Spitzbarth has a 3.42 ERA over 10 starts, along with a 1.13 WHIP. After Spitzbarth, Florida Gulf Coast's Jack English looks like a strong No. 3 starter. English is 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA over 13 starts. After English, Mariano Rivera, Jr. and Jared Brasher could round out the rotation.

Bullpen

The 2013 Muskrats had a mix of several shutdown relievers and several guys who never found their strides. Laconia posted a 4.23 ERA, second-worst in the league and that was due to several pitchers getting hammered every time they went out there, mostly from the bullpen. This season, the Muskrats have a trio of strong relievers. Troy's Marc Skinner (1.80 ERA over 50 innings), Rutgers Max Hermmann (2.57 ERA over 22 appearances) and Samford's Parker Curry (3.68 ERA over 44 innings) have all had strong springs. Skinner could be the closer, as he's picked up five saves but it really is up in the air.

Offense

This year's Muskrat lineup is loaded from hitters 1-9. Corey Baptist is one of the most dangerous power hitters coming into the NECBL, and the combination of DJ Ruhlman, Braxton Martinez and Vinny Zarillo should be feared. Another thing to focus on is that several of these players are very fast on the basepaths, making this team dangerous in getting that extra base.

Lineup

C         Karl Ellison (R)

Vanderbilt sophomore hit .250 with seven doubles in 22 games

1B       Corey Baptist (R)

St Petersburg sophomore hit .379/.450/.675 with 41 RBIs and 44 runs

2B       Cornelius Copeland (R)

St Petersburg sophomore as well, hit .314 with nine stolen bases in 28 games

SS        DJ Ruhlman (R)

Seton Hall senior hit .384 with 14 stolen bases, 40 runs and 26 RBIs

3B        Braxton Martinez (R)

Highly anticipated St Louis junior, hit .299 with 28 runs and 28 RBIs

RF        Vinny Zarillo (L)

Rutgers senior hit .294 with 12 stolen bases and 11 doubles, 32 RBIs

CF        Jack Sunberg (L)

Speedy UCONN junior swiped 25 bases and hit .269 with 27 walks

LF        Christopher Beall (L)

Arizona St junior hit .306 with 14 runs and nine RBIs

DH       Benjamin Miller (L)

Nebraska sophomore hits .362 with 18 runs and 12 RBIs

Rotation

RH       Jordan Sheffield
13th round draft pick, can throw 98 MPH and has 80+ curve and slider
RH      Shea Spitzbarth

Molloy junior has a 1.13 WHIP and a 2.42 ERA in 67 innings

RH      Jack English

FGCU senior has a 3.00 ERA over 75 innings and 13 starts

RH      Mariano Rivera, Jr.

Son of Yankee great has a 5.62 ERA over 11 starts

RH      Jared Brasher

Samford sophomore has a 5.50 ERA over 10 starts, 1.84 WHIP

Bullpen

RH      Marc Skinner

Troy sophomore has a 1.80 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP, 50 IP

LH       Max Herrmann

Rutgers sophomore has a 2.57 ERA over 22 appearances (1.33 WHIP)

RH       Parker Curry

Samford junior has a 3.68 ERA and 9.2 K/9 over 23 appearances

Player to watch:

St Petersburg sophomore Corey Baptist. Baptist is hitting .397 with an impressive 1.125 OPS. He's also slugged nine home runs in 48 games and 23 doubles to go along with 41 RBIs and 44 runs. Baptist could contend with former Muskrat Danny Collins NECBL record's in total bases, home runs, extra base hits and slugging percentage.

2014 Mystic Schooners Preview

NECBL.com has released the first of their team previews for the upcoming season, so I've decided to breakdown the lineups, rotation and bullpens of every teams to accompany their players to watch. Every team will be previewed by the season opener on June 5th.

Last season, Mystic surprised everyone with a first-round upset of second-seeded Ocean State before falling to Newport in the championship. The Schooners finished .500, at 22-22, with weak hitting (.237) and mediocre pitching (3.53 ERA). They did finish near the top in defensive stats, but they weren't a team that overwhelmed anyone.

This season, the Schooners bring in a trio of strikeout starting pitchers and return one of the best hitters in the NECBL last year, Tyler Boyd. The addition of Steve Laurino (right) and other strong hitters will help the Schooners attempt to get over .500.

Rotation:
Last season, Mystic had a decent rotation but no clear "ace". Kurt Sowa had a solid year, as did Jeffery Stoddard- but they didn't have the clear No. 1 that teams like Keene and Newport had. That could change this year, as the Schooners have assembled a trio of starters that have all had solid collegiate campaigns. The list is headlined by 2013 returnee Patrick Egan, a 6-4 lefty from Southern Connecticut. Egan had a 1.14 WHIP and 12 K/9 over 64 innings. After Egan, Heartland's Jacob Hendren (5-0, 3.73 ERA, 11.7 K/9) and another returnee, ASA's Michael Eckerle (6-1, 1.99 ERA, 10.4 K/9) are both potent strikeout pitchers. They're also bringing in Southern Connecticut's Cole Bryant, who was sidelined this year. As a sophomore he had a 3.48 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP over 62 innings. Southern Connecticut's AJ Turnier and Monroe's Alex Vargas could also see starts.

Bullpen:
In 2013, the Schooners had one of the best relievers in the league in Alex Gouin, and Joel Rosencrance was lights out as well. This year, Mystic brings in another elite arm- Hartford's Jeremy Charles. Charles has a 1.08 ERA over nine appearances for the Hawks and a 0.99 WHIP. He's joined in the bullpen by Wheaton's Miles Veth (2-0, 1.60 WHIP in 5 appearances) and Monmouth's Frank Trimarco (3.90 ERA in 14 appearances). None of the pitchers on the roster are closers for there college teams, but Charles could easily become one for Mystic.

Offense:
Led by the dangerous combination of Tyler Boyd and Jared Hendren, the Schooners have assembled a solid lineup with plenty of speed- six guys swiped more then seven stolen bases this spring. Hendren and Boyd are both candidates for the All-NECBL first team.

Lineup
C          Tyler Boyd (L)
Boyd returning is great news for the Schooners- all-NECBL second teamer (7 HRs)
1B        Steve Laurino (R)
Marist first basemen hit .301 with 20 walks and 10 doubles, 24 RBIs
2B        Dan Hoy (R)
Princeton second basemen hit .285/.361/.417 with seven stolen bases
SS        Chris Chiaradio (L)
Seton Hall junior had 17 walks and 10 stolen bases along with 24 runs
3B        Jared Hendren (R)
All around baseball player- .408/.493/.586, 37 stolen bases, 42 RBIs
LF        Zachary Weigel (L)
Another Seton Hall junior, hit .289 with 44 runs, 27:23 K/BB ratio
CF        Nick Ruppert (R)
Dartmouth junior hit .250 with 24 runs, five doubles and 10 walks
RF        Toby Handley (R)
Stony Brook sophomore hit .250 with 11 stolen bases and 12 walks
DH        Aaron Hill (R)
Connecticut sophomore (middle infielder), hit .214 with 16 runs and six stolen bases

Rotation
LH       Patrick Egan 
Egan can start and serve as a reliever- 3.38 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 64 innings
LH       Jacob Hendren
5-0 over 10 starts, 11.7 K/9 and 7:1 K/BB ratio
LH       Michael Eckerle
Impressive 1.99 ERA over eight starts, 45.1 innings, 10.4 K/9
RH       Cole Bryant
Missed this season but had a 3.48 ERA over nine starts and 62 innings, 1.29 WHIP
RH       A.J Turnier
Returning to Mystic, had a 2.81 ERA in 11 appearances out of the bullpen last season

Bullpen
RH        Jermey Charles
Hartford junior had a 1.08 ERA over 16 innings of work, 0.99 WHIP
LH         Miles Veth
Wheaton senior struggled in 13 innings of work, 8.10 ERA
LH          Frank Trimarco
Monmouth junior had a 3.90 ERA over 14 appearances and 32 innings
RH         Josh Pape 
Georgia Col&St senior had a 6.26 ERA over 27 innings
RH         Nolan Long
Wagner sophomore, drafted in 38th round by SF in 2012

Player to Watch:
The Hendren brothers. Both from Heartland Community College, they're good at what they do. Jacob Hendren is a solid pitcher with impressive control, as is evidence by his 11.7 K/9 and his 7:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Jared Hendren, on the other hand, is a very talented hitter and dangerous on the basepaths. He hit .408 with 42 RBIs, 56 runs and 37 stolen bases.

How and why the NECBL's Big Three dominate

Newport after winning in 2009. /BSU18

Stop me if you've heard this before: the Newport Gulls, Keene Swamp Bats and Vermont Mountaineers are all bringing in talented, deep rosters and are my favorites to win once again. Since 2000, 11 of the 14 NECBL champions have been one of the trio. It doesn't matter who you throw against these teams, they come out on top.

Last season, Newport coasted into the championship while Keene and Vermont battled for Western conference supremancy- the Swamp Bats came out on top in a dramatic-elimination game three. Keene downed Newport in the finals for their second title in three years.

There seems to be a pattern developing here- these three teams have a leg up on the rest of the league. The last six "Top Pro Prospects," an award given out at the end of the year? All members on one of these teams. All three teams have had strong managers over the years- including Vermont's John Russo, Newport's Mike Coombs and Keene's record four Manager of the Year winners.

However, we can't just assume that they'll all be great for another year. This is a summer collegiate baseball league with normally no roster turnover and any team can be the champion the next year...Right? Let's take a deeper look at how Keene, Vermont and Newport have evolved and got here and see if they're anywhere close to letting somebody else have a chance.

The Talent
Obviously, all of these teams bring in a lot of talent every single year. However, the blueprint that these teams follow is a combination of elite pitching and strong hitting. It seems simple but with over 50 summer leagues across the country competing, it can be hard to assemble a solid roster from top to bottom.

Let's look at last season, when the three teams finished 1-2-3 in the final standings. They combined for six of the ten postseason awards and had six guys on the All-NECBL first team. The basic structure of each team was the same.

They built around an ace- Newport's Brett Graves, Vermont's John Miles and Keene's Nathan Kirby- then added another strong pitcher who could be a No. 1 on a different team- James Mulry for the Gulls, Brian Hunter for Keene and David Hickey or the Mountaineers.

Then, the depth really swayed towards these teams. Each team added several strong arms and filled a rotation and some. The Mountaineers had seven pitchers start five or more games, and all but one of them had an ERA under 3.28. The same could be seen in the Gulls and Swamp Bats- deep rotations that gave way to elite bullpens.

Then there's the bullpens. This has to be these teams strongest unit as these teams held leads- 69-9 when leading after six innings. Each team had a lockdown reliever and a guy who could close games- Keene's duo of Matt Clancy and Paul Covelle was unmatched. Newport had Kyle McGrath and Kyle Wilcox while Vermont had Robert Strader and a closer-by-committee approach.

Keene's Sportman. /NEBJ

In terms of hitters, nobody was better then this trio. Keene's small confines of Alumni Field and a lineup tailor made for it resulted in 36 home runs, the league lead. Vermont played small ball and Newport hit a ridiculous amount of doubles.

Each teams also featured an outfielder that nobody in the league wanted to face- Keene's league MVP JP Sportman, Vermont's Chandler Brock and Newport's Ben Roberts. Sportman hit .340, Roberts added a NECBL record 18 doubles and Brock led the Mountaineers down the stretch with a .452 average in the last 20 games.

Last season, both teams featured deep rosters with plenty of great players and impressive depth. That's what the NECBL community has grown to expect from this trio of teams. If you're a fan of a different team, these next sections aren't going to cheer you up looking into the future.

The Brains

These teams are doing a lot right, so its not a surprise that each team has a had a steady front office guiding them to success. The trio of general mangers- Newport's Chuck Pavia, Vermont's Brian Gallagher and Keene's Kevin Watterson (who retired this year) have assembled talented rosters year after year and have brought in excellent managers who get the job done.

Combined, this trio of GMs have hired six mangers of the year to form an impressive resume. Pavia has five rings, Watterson has four and Gallagher has two.

Watterson helped assemble this years team before passing the reins over to former Manager of the Year winner Marty Testo. Testo, a longtime baseball guru, should bring an excellent approach to the job and continue Keene's winning history.

The Managers

Mike Coombs. John Russo. Marty Testo. Paul Swingle. Mike Sweeney. Kevin Winterrrowd. This is the list of Mountaineers, Gulls and Swamp Bats managers who've been named the NECBL manager of the year. Coombs even won twice!

The impressive track record of these managers has been a tip of the hat to these teams front offices. Year after year, this trio has had one of the best guys in the dugout managing the game.

Coombs returns for Newport- he's managed the Gulls since 2005 and holds an impressive career record of 256-121, winning two championships along the way.  Mountaineers longtime great John Russo handed his job off to SUNY-Cortland manager Joe Brown, and he posted a 24-20 record in his first season. It was a noticeable improvement on the 18-23 2012 mark.

Finally, Keene has cycled through several managers, settling on Kevin Winterrowd last season. In his first and only year at Keene, he posted a 29-13 record, won a trophy and was named manager of the year. Dan Moylan, a five-time assistant to new GM Marty Testo, will take over this season.

Is There Hope?
There you have it, NECBL fans. The Mountaineers, Swamp Bats and Gulls always have a deep roster and great coaching because of an impressive front office on every team. NECBL fans might as well get used to seeing these three teams in the conference finals, and if all continues according to plan, they'll alternate winning trophies for years to come.

But here's the catch. Things don't always go according to plan. Look at the last four second-place teams- just one was a member of the Big three. Summer collegiate baseball is all about assembling a roster and hoping everybody shows up.

Maybe a star pitcher, the ace of the staff, gets drafted and signs. Or an unlucky injury sidelines one of the teams best players. Or maybe another GM dives deep into recruiting and finds hidden gems who can upset the Big three's streak of consecutive championships.

Anything can happen. It's just harder to win against one of these teams.

Breaking down Martinez's first win

Martinez pitches. /AP Photo

Texas Ranger righthander Nick Martinez went up against the tough Detroit Tigers lineup (ranked 7th on FanGraphs) and shut them down over six innings of work, allowing just one earned run on eight hits while striking out two. The former Vermont Mountaineer has now completed back-to-back starts with five innings of one run ball and has really shone this year in the bigs.

Martinez has become a talented four-pitch starter, relying on his hard, 93 mph four-seam fastball and mixing in a variety of curveballs, sliders and changeups. He holds an impressive 2.16 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP over 33 innings.

In todays game, Martinez took the mound in throwback jerseys from the Fort Worth Texas Black Panthers, a former Negro league team. He threw his second highest amount of pitches in an inning, 18, and left runners at second and third by getting a popout.

He gave up his only run in the second on an Rajai Davis RBI double, but he picked off Davis to end the threat. Martinez's best inning was the third, as he used six pitches to set down Ian Kinsler, Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera on a variety of ground outs, line outs and flyouts.

The fourth was more of the same as he got the next three batters on the same combination of pitching to contact. He extended the streak to eight batters set down in a row into the fifth until he gave up back-to-back singles. Once again, Martinez worked out of the jam.

In his final inning of work, Martinez got an out before allowing three straight singles. A potentially disastrous situation was averted as he got Nick Castellanos to line into a double-play to escape yet another jam. Castellanos ended up being his last batter as he didn't come back in the seventh.

Martinez finished with 91 pitches, 55 of which were strikes. Quick numbers to look at:

• Martinez faced 25 batters, 13 of which he threw first-pitch strikes to.
• He threw his four-seam fastball 55% of the time with an average velocity of 93.1 MPH.
• His fastest pitch measured 95.2 MPH.
• He threw a slider 18% of the time and a changeup 13% of the time.
• The least amount of pitches he used in an inning was six, in the third.
• The most pitches he threw in an inning was 19, in the fifth.

Donley, Indiana down Michigan State 7-4

Scott Donley, 2013 Mountaineer. /NWITimes

The 4th day of the 2014 Big Ten baseball tournament kicked off today with Nebraska eliminating Michigan, but the real story was the second game of the day.

The game between No. 6 Michigan State and No. 1 Indiana- the matchup that featured 10 NECBL players from the past and set to play this summer.

Last year's league was flooded with talent by these teams- Scott Donley, Nick Ramos, Joel Fisher, Mick Van Vossen and Ryan Richardson.

That pattern continues this year with Brad Hartong, Blaise Salter, Van Vossen, Casey Rodrique, Anthony Misiewicz and Evan Bell all coming to diamonds across New England.

For that reason, today's matchup was intriguing so I tuned in on the Big Ten Network and followed along. Indiana went on to pull out a 7-4 win to end Michigan State's season and advance to the Big Ten finals. Donley came up clutch for the Hoosiers with a go ahead two-RBI double in the top of the ninth.

A very good game unfolded as 2014 NECBLers were given the nod to start. The Spartans sent out Misiewicz, a Gull, while Indiana countered with Bell, a Mountaineer. It seemed fitting that on a different level, Vermont and Newport were continuing a New England summer rivalry on a baseball field in Nebraska.

Both pitchers ran into trouble early as Bell gave up two runs in the bottom of the first. 2014 Gull Blaise Salter doubled and after an intentional walk, former Holyoke Blue Sox catcher Joel Fisher knocked in both runs with a double.

However, the game was evened quickly as Indiana came back against Misiewicz in the top of the second. Donley scored on a RBI groundout from Hartong and Dustin Demuth added a RBI single to tie it at two apiece.

Misiewicz. /MSU

After that, the pitchers settled down and pitched effectively. Bell retired eight straight at one point, and Misiewicz countered with an identical stretch. Bell left in the fifth after a solid first start, going 4.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs.

Misiewicz lasted just a little longer as he left after he allowed two quick hits to start the sixth. He struck out an impressive eight over five innings. The game really heated up after that, as one of the runners he left on came around to score to give the Hoosiers a 3-2 lead.

Michigan State came right back after Joel Pickens singled in Cam Gibson to tie it at three in the home half of the sixth. However, the back-and-forth style continued in the top of the 7th. Tim O'Connor knocked in Will Nolden with a RBI single to put Indiana up, 4-3.

Indiana held a lead until the bottom of the 8th when the Spartans tied it up. Michigan State got a runner on second with one out when Hoosiers manager Tracy Smith sent out Jake Kezler with a 0-2 count on Anthony Cheky.

Kezler got the strikeout, but a wild pitch advanced the Spartan runner, Gibson, to third. Salter came up and hit a ground ball to DeMuth at third, who bobbled it against his wrist and Gibson danced home with the tying run.

However, Indiana came right back in the top of the ninth. Spartan pitcher Walker Borkovich hit O'Connor to lead off the ninth and he was replaced by Friday starter Mick Van Vossen, a Newport Gull. Van Vossen hit Rodrique and gave up a single to Kyle Schwarber to load the bases. He got a fielders choice out before allowing a two-RBI double to Donley to put the Hoosiers up 6-4.

Van Vossen was replaced by Chase Rihtarchkik, who thew a wild pitch on his attempt to intentionally walk DeMuth. This sent Travis home for a 7-4 lead, more then enough insurance for Indiana into the home stretch.

Kelzer earned the win after closing out the Spartans in the ninth, while Borkovich was handed the loss. The Hoosiers advanced to the Big Ten final against Nebraska, which is scheduled for 2 p.m ET tomorrow.

Newport Gulls 2014 Preview

Louisville pitcher Kyle McGrath. /UofL photo

NECBL.com has released the first of their team previews for the upcoming season, so I've decided to breakdown the lineups, rotation and bullpens of every teams to accompany their players to watch. Every team will be previewed by the season opener on June 5th.

If any NECBL fan was asked to pick the best franchise in the league, odds are that they would choose the Newport Gulls. They didn't come away with the league championship last season, despite going 30-14, falling to Keene in the championship. With five Fay Vincent cups under their belt, Newport has accumulated 117 wins since 2010 and have posted a .692 winning percentage.

The key to their success? Last season, it was dominant pitching that led the league with a hard-to-believe 2.18 team ERA. There wasn't a clear star on the staff as the depth the Gulls had was amazing.

This season, the Gulls return with strong pitching and a group of very talented hitters that could combine into one of the most feared lineups in the NECBL this summer. Here's a complete breakdown of the Gulls roster:

Rotation:
Last season, the rotation was headed by Missouri's Brett Graves, a name that has been circulated around the top 250 draft prospects. He doesn't return, but several others do, including Michigan State's Mick Van Vossen. Van Vossen went 3-0 with a 2.46 ERA over six starts in Newport last summer, and he only improved this spring for the Spartans. He started 13 games, going 6-3 with a 3.07 ERA over 85 innings. After Van Vossen, Stanford's Brett Hanewich and Arkansas State's Chandler Hawkins are both viable rotation pieces. After them, a majority of the incoming Gulls haven't started for their college teams so it's hard to tell who will fill out the rotation. Texas Tech's Jonathon Tripp and Boston College's Mike King both could start some games.

Bullpen:
Definitely a strength for this years Gulls team, the bullpen is led by Louisville returnee Kyle McGrath. McGrath had a 1.45 ERA in 10 appearances for the Gulls last year after making a transition into the bullpen from being a starter in the Northwoods league. Michigan State's Anthony Misiewicz (3.61 ERA, 23 APP) and Vanderbilt's John Kilichowski (1.47 ERA, 10 APP) are both solid relievers. The teams closer appears to be Armand Rugel, a Stonehill senior who has 13 saves and a 0.97 WHIP in 24 appearances.

Offense:

Salter /Lansing State Journal

Somehow, Newport managed to bring back two of their better hitters last season and bring in a crop of talented hitters, led by Michigan State power hitter Blaise Salter and Kansas two-way DH Dakota Smith. Breakdown below.

Lineup
C         Will Smith (R)
Hit .239 for Louisville, 12 RBIs in 34 games
1B       Blaise Salter (R)
Stands 6-5, hit .339 with 20 doubles and 46 RBIs, .533 slugging
2B       Shea Donlin (L)
Returning Gull, hit .274 in 33 games with 15 walks
SS       Nick Zammarelli (L)
Hit .273 for Elon, 19 RBIs and 18 runs in 47 games
3B       Reed Gamache (R)
Binghamton junior hit .290 with 19 runs, 13 RBIs and 7 doubles
OF       Jose Vizcaino, Jr. (R)
Hit .317 for Santa Clara, 10 stolen bases, three triples and 30 runs
OF       Ben Roberts (L)
Returning All-NECBL first teamer, hit .308 this spring
OF       Dakota Smith (R)
Hit .335 for Kansas, 35 RBIs, can also pitch w/ 95 mph fastball
DH       Tommy Edman (S)
Stanford second basemen worked 22 walks in 40 games

Rotation
RH        Mick Van Vossen
Went 6-3, 3.07 ERA in 13 starts for Michigan State
RH        Brett Hanewich
2-4 over 12 starts for Stanford, 1.45 WHIP and 3.76 ERA
LH         Chandler Hawkins
Arkansas St lefty averages a strikeout an inning over 55.2
RH         Jonathon Tripp
Texas Tech reliever can start, 3.22 ERA over 22 innings
RH         Mike King
Boston Col sophomore has a 3.18 ERA over 40 innings

Bullpen
RH        Armand Rugel (Closer)
Had 13 saves for Stonehill, 1.16 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 38 innings
LH         Kyle McGrath
Dominant lefty from Louisville, 0.83 WHIP and 0.93 ERA over 29 innings
LH         Anthony Misiewicz
Michigan St, 3.61 ERA over 23 appearances and 52 innings
LH         John Kilichowski
Vanderbilt reliever has 1.47 ERA, 10 APP/18 innings
LH         Marc Huberman
Southern Cal product averages 13.4 strikeouts per nine

Player to watch:
Blaise Salter if you like offense or Kyle McGrath if you like pitching. Salter crushes doubles in the gaps and has serious power that could be exploited when he visits stadiums like Alumni Field in Keene. McGrath is a dominant pitcher who doesn't make mistakes, as is evidenced by the fact that both his WHIP and ERA are under one after almost 30 innings of work.

Martinez, Pollock and Carpenter excel in bigs

Nick Martinez /Zimbio

Take away the month of April, and former Vermont Mountaineer Nick Martinez holds a 1.54 ERA in May for the Texas Rangers in a mix of starting and relieving. In his last appearance, Martinez went five one-run innings against Toronto and looks to continue his solid month as he faces off against Rick Porcello and Detroit.

He's struck out 16 in eight games (three starts) and has remained in the rotation on a decimated Rangers team that just saw star first basemen Prince Fielder head to the DL for the rest of the year.  Martinez, a 2009/2010 Mountainer, soared up the minor league system and jumped from Double-A to the majors this year.

Rangers beat reporter T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com wrote that injuries to Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Colby Lewis has caused manager Ron Washington to juggle his rotation. Sullivan also added in a notebook update that Martinez has had a favorable impression on the Rangers as he pieced together a 11 1/3 scoreless inning streak, causing Washington to comment on his success.

"He did a good job," Washington said after Martinez mopped up a mess left by Harrison. "That could have gotten wild. You have to give him a lot of credit. He wasn't fazed. I hope he continues to have that mindset."

Another former Mountaineer has found success on the mound- Atlanta Braves reliever David Carpenter. A 2005 Mountaineer, Carpenter holds an impressive 2.66 ERA in 22 appearances out of the bullpen with 24 strikeouts over 20.1 innings. He also leads the Braves in bullpen appearances.

A.J. Pollock /Zimbio

The month of May has been good to Carpenter as well, as he has a 1.00 WHIP and a 11:2 strikeout to walk ratio and started with six straight appearances without allowing an earned run.

Finally, the third Mountaineer up in the majors is enjoying an impressive start to the season. 2008 Vermonter AJ Pollock (right) has been a bright spot in his sophomore campaign for the 18-31 Arizona Diamondbacks.

His production has increased drastically over the past few weeks and he's brought his line up to .303/.349/.514, numbers that are huge improvements over last year and draw comparisons to his dominance in Triple-A Reno in 2012.

Inside the 'Zona, a blog focusing on Diamondbacks baseball, wrote an article on Pollock this past week- some of the points focused on how he's punished right-handed hitters at a .313 clip and is hitting .377 in May. 

An interesting side note, for all those fantasy baseball players out there- Pollock went from being owned in 11.1% of the leagues on ESPN.com to 60.8%, a +49.7 increase. 

Prospect of the Day: Alex Caruso, OF, St. Johns

Caruso. /St. Johns

Chandler Brock returns in the outfield for the Mountaineers and his name is very well-known in Vermont as he tore up the NECBL last summer and the GSC this year. However, overshadowed in all of this is incoming Mountaineer outfielder Alex Caruso, my topic for prospect of the day.

Caruso hit just .205 as a freshman in 2013 but turned it around quickly in 2014, hitting .328 in 51 games for St. Johns. He swiped seven bases and scored 35 runs with a .328/.379/.450 line, an improvement from his .205/.241/.283 line. 

He was named to the All-Big East team after ranking third in the league in OBP and tied for the league lead in walks with 34. Caruso also ranks 10th in average overall, and is second in the Big East in conference average with an impressive .420 average.

When Caruso puts the ball in play, he's hitting .382- an impressive mark as he finds holes and gets on base. He is also talented on defense and will be a key component of the Mountaineers lineup. 

He'll be joined by St. Johns teammates Anthony Rosati and Robbie Knightes in Vermont. Currently, the Red Storm are competing in the Big East baseball tournament.

Keene Swamp Bats 2014 Preview

NECBL.com has released the first of their team previews for the upcoming season, so I've decided to breakdown the lineups, rotation and bullpens of every teams to accompany their players to watch. Every team will be previewed by the season opener on June 5th.

Last season, the Keene Swamp Bats started the season absolutely terrible. Keene came out of the gate with a 4.50 team ERA and a measly .236 average before completely turning it around- hitting .302 in May with a dominant 2.15 ERA. 

Returning reliever Matt Clancy leads a strong bullpen. /Sports NH

3-11 in June. 23-5 in July- it really was the tale of two halves for the champions, who used stellar pitching and clutch hits to fight past a scrappy Mountaineers team in the Western Division finals and to overcome the Newport Gulls in the league finals.

This season, the Swamp Bats have assembled what team president Kevin Watterson is calling "the best team we've ever had on paper."

Rotation

Last years rotation featured one of the best collegiate pitchers in D-I, Virginia's Nathan Kirby. The league's top pro prospect and rookie of the year fanned 60 in 43 innings while posting a 1.67 ERA and led the Bats to a 2.78 ERA, third in the league. He's gone, but several of his talented teammates return. Keene only had two starters with seven starts last year but they've assembled a group of strong starters. Cochise College righty  Darick Hall (6-4, 2.60 ERA), Kent St lefty Eric Lauer (7-3, 3.04 ERA) and Central Connecticut St righty Matt Blandino (3-3, 3.28 ERA) are all strong candidates. Other pitchers who've seen starts this spring and have chances at being a part of the rotation are St Leo's Michael Dunnigan and Winthrop's Zach Cook.

Bullpen

This is a really big strength for the Swamp Bats coming into the 2014 season. Last summer, nobody was arguably better out of the bullpen then St. Johns lefty Matt Clancy. Clancy went 5-0 last season with a 1.95 ERA in 15 appearances and 41 strikeouts over 32 innings. After Clancy, Kent State's John Birkbeck returns after going 2-2 with over 26 innings and 11 appearances. Finally, the Swamp Bats brought in another talented closer to replace James Connell, who led the league in saves last season. Southern New Hampshire's Benjamin Criscuolo will most likely get the ninth inning job after picking up 14 saves and holding a 1.01 ERA in 24 innings and an impressive 0.77 WHIP.

Offense:

Eric Gutierrez leads a strong lineup. /Texas Tech

Last year, Keene had the best offense in the league with a .273 mark and 36 home runs. Numbers like that seem hard to replicate but the Swamp Bats could do it with a talented lineup, led by Texas Tech star Eric Gutierrez. Breakdown below.

Lineup

C       Robbie Coman (R)
Played 35 games for D-I powerhouse Virginia, hit .250 with three doubles
1B     Eric Gutierrez (R)
Rare right-handed power who should thrive in the confines of Alumni Field (23 XBH)
2B     Taylor Perez (R)
Fast infielder, swiped seven bases, 25 walks to 25 strikeouts, .316 average
SS     Jared Mederos (R)
Very talented middle infielder, .363 with 34 RBIs and 24 runs on St. Johns
3B     Zach Lauricella (R)
Played third a little for St. Johns, good bat, hit .288 with 13 doubles
LF      Ro Coleman (R)
Played in left for elite Vanderbilt, hit .170 with 14 runs scored and 14 walks
CF     Stephen Smith (R)
Gutierrez teammate on Texas Tech hit .318 with 46 RBIs and 30 runs
RF     Alex Liquori (L)
Hit .361 for Kennesaw St, 13 doubles, 5 triples, 41 RBIs
DH     Darick Hall (R)
On the roster as a pitcher but hit .318 with 13 doubles for Cochise

Rotation
LH     Chris Sadberry 
Sadberry went 4-2 with a 3.34 ERA for Texas Tech over 12 starts
RH     Darick Hall
Hall, a solid hitter as well, went 6-4 with a 2.60 ERA over 79.2 innings
RH     David Drouin
Made six starts for Hartford, 3.25 ERA over 36 innings
LH      Ryan Lawlor
Went 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA for Georgia, 6.5 K/9
RH     Michael Dunnigan
7-3 over 10 starts and 16 appearances, 5.03 ERA for St Leo

Bullpen
RH      Benjamin Criscuolo (Closer)
Picked up 14 saves for Southern New Hampshire, impressive 1.01 ERA and .77 WHIP
LH      Matthew Clancy
Dominant last season in Keene, player to watch on the Swamp Bats
RH     John Birkbeck
Solid last season for the Swamp Bats, 3.12 ERA over 11 appearances
RH     Sam Triece
Triece was great last year for Keene and was solid this past season for Washington St
RH     Connor Jones
A strong pitcher for Virginia, 2.77 ERA over 48.2 IP (21 appearances)

Player to Watch
This is a tough one on this loaded Swamp Bats team, but Matt Clancy is the bullpen creature that every opposing team should fear. He had a 1.95 ERA last season in Keene with 1.3 strikeouts per inning and should control the middle innings once again.

Former Mountaineer makes splash in MLB

Pollock scores on a Paul Goldschmidt sacrifice fly. /AP Photo

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Cliff Lee has established a reputation as strike-thrower who rarely loses control —he owns a 40:4 strikeout to walk ratio through 40 innings in this young season. Stoic and confident, Lee is frequently a batter’s nightmare. He got the start for the Phillies on April 26, looking to beat the struggling then-8-18 Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lee toed the rubber at 5:10 p.m. Pacific Time and reared back for his first pitch, unleashing an 89 mph four-seam fastball that would’ve painted the bottom of the strike zone, but AJ Pollock was ready and slapped a line drive through the first base side and into left field.

He was nearly picked off attempting to steal second but managed to get a good enough jump, and a costly error at second base saw him sneak under a bad tag attempt by Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins. He moved to third on a groundout and scored with a slide on a sacrifice fly by 2013 NL MVP runner-up Paul Goldschmidt.

This combination of good hitting, speed and heads-up baserunning should be very familiar to Vermonters, as should the 6-foot-1 Pollock, who graced Montpelier Recreation Field seven years ago in the green and white of the New England Collegiate Baseball League’s Mountaineers.

Pollock now has a new home in the massive, $354 million, Chase Field.

Chase Field is an expansive ballpark complete with perfectly manicured grass and level upon level of seats. It is a completely different world from the friendly confines of Recreation Field, a park Pollock affectionately rememberedthree hours before he laced a game opening hit.

“You felt like you were in your own little world right there,” Pollock said. “I remember the occasional fog delay too, rolling off the mountain.”

Pollock sat framed by Gatorade bottles and towels in the dugout, all perfectly laid out and ready for the game. The floor was spotless, with no seeds or discarded cups. Pollock had a red Diamondbacks warmup on and was relaxed, a welcome sight after an irritating neck injury had kept him previously sidelined. He’d been taken out in the sixth inning of a game against the Dodgers after he felt a jolt in his neck, and he struggled to pick up his head at points. He was healthy again on the afternoon before the Phillies game, having gone 2-for-4 with a go-ahead home run the day before.

Looking back to 2007 when the Mountaineers were in their fourth season, Pollock was 19 years old and fresh off a rookie season at Notre Dame where he hit .372 with 28 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. 

Pollock’s incredible seasons as a member of the Fightin’ Irish almost didn’t come to be, however. He looked at schools like the University of Vermont and the University of Connecticut. In fact, he was on a trip to visit the Connecticut campus when Notre Dame had called. If he’d ended up a Catamount, the baseball program was cut two years after he would’ve arrived.

He carried over his success from Notre Dame and lit up the NECBL, hitting .348 (good enough for fourth in the league) and adding 29 runs and a league-high 15 doubles. The icing on his already incredible summer season was the Mountaineers secondstraight championship over the Newport Gulls. Pollock had a double and scored in the series clincher, a 3-0 win at home.

“Winning the championship sticks out of course,” Pollock said. “But playing with Coach (John) Russo was awesome. It was also my first experience with wood bats, which was definitely a challenge that I would say helped me as a player.”

Pollock also enjoyed his teammates, playing with a bunch of “really cool guys” who he has run into throughout his ascent through the minor league system to The Show. Nobody from the 2007 team has joined Pollock in the majors, but they’re scattered across the minor league levels.

Curt Smith was a part of the ‘07 squad and finds himself in Double-A Springfield while fellow teammate Michael Brady sits in Triple-A Salt Lake. Pollock still keeps up with his old Mountaineers teammates who are still playing, as well as some from different years.

Rockies left-hander Christian Friedrich is one of them. 

“He was on the Mountaineers the year before me,” Pollock said. “He’s with the Rockies, so I run into him a bunch.”

However, baseball’s a tough business to stay in touch with people, Pollock said. 

“You play games until 10 p.m. and then go to bed,” he said.“You get two hours of free time in the morning and thats really it. It’s hard to stay in touch, but they were a great group of guys.”

After returning to Notre Dame for a stellar sophomore season, teams began to take notice, the Diamondbacks in particular. Arizona held the 17th pick and they used it on Pollock, 16 picks after former NECBLer Stephen Strasburg was taken by the Washington Nationals first overall.

“I thought the NECBL was an excellent league,” Pollock said. “For me, it was awesome. It was great to just go play in New England — I’m from Connecticut — it was just a lot of fun and good baseball.

“A lot of good players come out of there. I know Strasburg was there the year I was and a lot of guys I’ve run into in pro ball I’ve seen in the NECBL and the Cape.”

Pollock’s success continued the summer following his stint in Vermont. He was the 2008 Pat Sorenti Cape Cod Baseball League MVP, a very prestigious award as he hit .377 with 61 hits and 15 doubles for Falmouth. The Commodores invited Pollock into the heavily-scouted league after his impressive Mountaineers season.

He quickly moved his way up the Diamondbacks farm system as a heavily touted prospect, advancing a level in consecutive years (he did sit out with an injury in 2010, however). Each level Pollock went up, he got seemingly better as he raised his batting average from a .271 mark in Single-A South Bend to .318 in Triple-A Reno. 

Pollock’s hot hitting earned him a Major League Baseball callup in 2012, which lasted 31 games.He still had rookie eligibility in 2013 and he was the center fielder on Baseball America’s All-Rookie list. He replaced prospect Adam Eaton and did such a good job as an outstanding defensive center fielder who contributed at the plate that the Diamondbacks traded Eaton away and gave Pollock the spot.

His start to the 2014 season was rough.He went 0-for-13, but he’s slowly but surely dug his batting average out of a slump, especially over the last few games, including April 26.

After scoring in the first, Pollock knocked a 73 mph curveball from Lee deep into right field and it rolled up against the wall. He kicked it into high gear and sped around the bases, sliding into third ahead of the tag for a triple. He later came around to score for his second run of the game.

Later in the game, Jeff Manship replaced Lee and Pollock had no problem facing him. Manship gave him a looping 84 mph curve and Pollock continued his hot streak and lined a double into left field, leaving him a home run short of a cycle. 

He came up in the bottom of the eighth and launched a high fly ball that had a majority of the 35,462 in attendance on their feet, but it dropped into the waiting hands of Marlon Byrd. 

He added a 1-for-3 performance at the plate in the third game of the Diamondbacks series against the Phillies for a 6-for-12 mark in the three-game stretch after returning. His average has continued to climb. It’s up to .275 now and that rough 0-for-13 start to the season is long in the rear view mirror.

Pollock was sidelined this past week with a groin injury and hasn’t made it back into the lineup despite wanting to. His manager, Kirk Gibson, wants him to rest to get to full strength moving forward. The Diamondbacks might be having a tough year, but if Pollock continues his hot hitting at the plate and fights off the nagging injuries, there’s no where to go but up for the former Mountaineer.