2016 NECBL Preview: Newport Gulls

Newport is the winningest franchise in NECBL history, but a significant shakeup happened this offseason. Long-time manager Mike Coombs, who led the Gulls for 11 years, stepped down to give way to hitting coach Al Leyva. Leyva has big shoes to fill, but has a typically strong pitching staff and several intriguing hitters. Once again, you can expect Newport to challenge for the NECBL title. The last two even-year seasons, 2012 and 2014, Newport pulled it off.

Notable

Villanova's Hunter Schryver returns for his third summer in the NECBL

Senior southpaw Hunter Schryver (Villanova) returns for his third summer in Rhode Island, and second with the Gulls after a year in Ocean State. Schryver has a 3.00 ERA over 66 career innings in New England, but enters this summer as one of the top pitchers out of the Big East. Schryver was the Wildcats ace, making 14 starts and posting a 2.63 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP...Senior Nate Mondou (Wake Forest) was an All-ACC First Team selection, and is coming off of a summer spent with the Chatham Anglers on the Cape. Mondou slashed .303/.385/.410 this spring, hitting 14 doubles and scoring 50 runs...Sophomore Chris Chatfield (South Fla.) struggled in his first year in D-I, but was a 2015 Perfect Game All-American and a 23-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres. He’s a top prospect and talented outfielder, making it interesting to see how he’ll rebound from this spring in the NECBL...Sophomore Kevin Strohschein (Tennessee Tech) had an incredible freshman campaign. He was seven points shy of hitting .400 for the Golden Eagles, and ranked near the top of D-I in several categories - .393 average (17th), .707 slugging percentage (6th), 90 hits (15th), 73 RBIs (fourth), 21 doubles (30th), 15 home runs (31st), and 162 total bases (fourth). He earned a Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American honor and was both the OVC Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year.

Pitchers
Garrett Barker - SO - UCLA - Recorded one out this spring for the Bruins
Derik Beauprez - JR - Miami - Third year in the NECBL, had 2.96 ERA with 9.22 K/9, 25th rd draft pick
Denny Brady - SO - East Carolina - Coughed up 11 earned runs over 10 relief appearances
Kris Bubic - SO - Stanford - Third on team with 21 appearances, 3.26 ERA over 47 innings
Blake Cairnes - SO - Georgia - 5:1 K/BB ratio over 30 innings with two saves
Jake Cousins - SR - Penn - Struck out a batter an inning over seven starts, walk-on with Cape last summer
Andrew Gist- SO - Georgia - Split time between bullpen and rotation, 2.6 K/BB ratio but 5.18 ERA
Jackson Goddard - SO - Kansas - Started 14 games and struggled with command, 41 walks in 55 innings
Travis Howard - SO - Santa Clara - 39th round draft pick, made 20 appearances and struck out 27
Matt McGarry - SO - Vanderbilt - Struck out 12 in 11 innings of work, described as having “electric arm”
Zach Prendergast - SR - Seton Hall - In North Adams in 2014, made 14 starts this spring (3.97 ERA)
Remey Reed - SR - Oklahoma St - Reliable reliever with 11.3 K/9 and 2.8 K/BB ratio over 23 outings
Hunter Schryver - SR - Villanova - Philadelphia Big 5 Co-Pitcher of the Year, third year in the NECBL
Brendan Spagnuolo - JR - Vanderbilt - Returning Gull whose described as having “tremendous potential”
Andrew Summerville - JR - Stanford - Split time between the rotation and bullpen, 2.90 ERA over 59 IP
Bradley Wilpon - JR - Penn - Returning Gull whose thrown just six innings his first two years
Adam Wolf - SO - Louisville - Dominated out of the pen, with 14 strikeouts and a 1.38 ERA over 13 innings

Catchers
Ben Breazeale - SR - Wake Forest - Walked two more times than he struck out (41 total), hit .246
Charlie Carpenter - JR - USC Upstate - Hit .306 with 13 doubles, six home runs, and 24 RBIs

Infielders
Jake Brodt - JR - Santa Clara - First basemen who hit just .231 over 43 games
Connor Kaiser - SO - Vanderbilt - Starting shortstop who hit .261 with five stolen bases
Devin Mann - SO - Louisville - Sparkplug second basemen who hit .303 with nine doubles
Shane Matheny - JR - Washington St - Struggled offensively, hitting .226. Played with Keene last summer
Nate Mondou - SR - Wake Forest - Played in the Cape last summer, hit .302 this spring
Mark Powell - SR - Bucknell - Hit .240 with a 4 K/BB ratio and just three extra base hits
Gabe Snyder - JR - Wright St - Power hitter, with nine doubles and 10 home runs for a .259 average

Outfielders
Chris Chatfield - SO - South Fla. - Hit seven home runs, but dipped below the Mendoza line at .184
Stephen Scott - SO - Vanderbilt - Managed just two hits in 22 at bats for the Commodores
Kevin Strohschein - SO - Tennessee Tech - Ridiculous spring, slashing .393/.447/.707
Travis Young - SO - Wichita St - Hit .317 after redshirting, swiped six bases and drove in 17 runs