2016 NECBL Preview: Mystic Schooners

The reigning Southern Division champions came up just shy last season, and they’ll carry that status over as a team to beat. In 2015, the key was a stellar pitching staff that ranked first in ERA and strikeouts -- but the offense also ranked third in team average. Expect more of the same this year on the mound, but the lineup will be loaded. The Schooners are bringing in a talented group of hitters who led their respective teams this spring, including eight players who hit over .300.

Notable

Oklahoma State's J.R. Davis is a five-tool player who will slot in at the leadoff role. /NewOK

Senior J.R. Davis (Oklahoma State) had quite the spring campaign for the Cowboys, helping guide them to a super regional appearance. An All-Tournament selection at the Clemson regional, Davis hit .360/.441/.457 with 12 doubles, nine stolen bases, and a 1.3 BB/K ratio. Standing just 5-9, Davis is a sparkplug atop the Oklahoma State lineup, and is currently working on a 19-game on-base streak...Sophomore Tim Cate (UConn) was the AAC Conference Rookie of the Year, bursting onto the scene and establishing himself as a mainstay in the Huskies rotation. A southpaw, Cate held opponents to a .193 batting average against, piled up 101 strikeouts, and earned the nod to start the Huskies regional opener...Senior Zach Goldstein (SNHU) will be a force to be reckoned with, as he’s coming off a stellar spring. Goldstein slashed .345/.447/.528, slugged 17 doubles, five triples, and five home runs. He also was 26-of-27 on stolen base attempts, drew 30 walks, and scored 68 runs (15th in D-II)...A pair of returning infielders catch my eye. Richard Slenker (Yale) hit .325 in 29 games for the Schooners last year, then came back to New Haven and led the team with a .342 mark. Nick Mascelli (Wagner) was one of the hardest players to strike out in D-I, going 17.7 at bats in between each one. He finished with a team-high .374 average and drew threw more walks than strikeouts.

Pitchers
Matt Ardente - SO - Seton Hall - Dominant out of the bullpen, with 1.73 ERA and 23 K’s in 26 innings
Tyler Buffet - SR - Oklahoma St - 66 strikeouts in 67 innings over a team-high 34 appearances
Justin Cashman - SO - Hartford - Struggled out of the pen with an ERA just under five
Tim Cate - SO - UConn - Stellar starter, 5-1 record with 2.73 ERA over 13 starts
Ryan Connolly - SO - Nebraska - Didn’t pitch as a freshman in Lincoln
Kellen Croce - JR - New Haven - Struck out 44 over 45 innings and eight starts
Doug Domnarski - SR - UConn - Go-to matchup reliever with team-high 29 appearances
Kyle Dube - SR - Fairfield - Moved to the rotation and made 15 starts with a 4.09 ERA
Mason Kukowski - JR - Yale - Hybrid starter/reliever who posted a 5.89 ERA over 44 innings
Kevin Magee - JR - St. Johns - Went 1-5 in eight starts with a 4.72 ERA
Zach Ours - SO - Little Rock - Walked 13 batters in 11 innings with a 6.35 ERA
Willie Rios - JR - Miami - Transfer to FSW and had 64 strikeouts in 54 innings
Joe Rivera - JR - UConn - Posted a 1.93 ERA over nine relief appearances and 14 innings
Carson Teel - SO - Oklahoma St - Struck out 16 in 15 innings with a 2.93 ERA
Ryan Thomas - SR - Marist - Has 29 career saves for Marist, including 12 this spring (23rd in D1)

Catchers
Brett Bond - JR - Missouri - Hit seven home runs and five doubles, but had a subpar .219 average
Rob Sprafke - JR - UConn Avery Point - Hit .250 over 68 at bats
Zac Susi - SO - UConn - Jumped into a starting role as a freshman and hit .250 with eight doubles

Infielders
Scotty Bradley - SO - Indiana - Slashed .257/.313/.343 in 43 games as a freshman
J.R. Davis - SR - Oklahoma St - Offensive juggernaut atop the Cowboys lineup
Zach Goldstein - SR - SNHU - Dominated D-II, hitting .345 with 17 doubles and 26 stolen bases
Chase Lunceford - SR - La. Tech - Hit .311 with 11 home runs and 10 doubles
Nick Mascelli - SR - Wagner - Struck out just 11 times in 195 at bats, team-high .374 average
Richard Slenker - SR - Yale - Team-high .342 average with 18 doubles, 10 stolen bases

Outfielders
Casey Baker - SR - Stony Brook - Led team with a .314 average and drove in 31 runs
Martin Figueroa - SR - Rhode Island - Great season, hitting .327 with 43 RBI, 22 doubles
CJ Moore - SR - Grambling St - Hit .240 for Monroe College and will transfer to Grambling St
Pete Papcun - JR - Monmouth - Hit .309 but struck out almost a third of the time
Ryan Ramiz - JR - Seton Hall - Raised his average 18 points, swiped 13 bases
Taishi Terashima - SR - St. Bonaventure - Struck out just 12 times in 199 at bats, eight stolen bases