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| Hesslink with Rice. /GLEN RUSSELL, BFP |
(Even though I'm sure we won't necessarily see all of them play in Vermont next summer)
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RHP Witt Campbell, Middle Georgia College
LHP Ricky Constant, UMass Lowell
LHP William Hesslink, Boston College
RHP Ross Mintzer, Lock Haven U
RHP Keegan Romig, Washington (U of)
C Will McInerny, UCLA
C Austin Young, UMass Lowell
2B Noah Hsue, Washington (U of)
DH JD Mundy, Virginia Tech
OF Zach Diewert, Missouri Columbia (U of)
OF Matthew Mulkey, Winthrop
OF Austin White, Rhode Island (U of)
If one of these names looks familiar, it's probably Hesslink. Hesslink is a lefthander from Shelburne, Vermont, who played a pivotal role for Rice in their run to multiple state championships.
A quick breakdown on each player:
Campbell – 6-0, 180 lbs — In his first collegiate season Campbell took the SSAC by storm, earning second-team All-Conference honors as well as the freshmen of year award. Last year, he appeared in just two games as a sophomore after an injury.
Constant — 6-5, 190 lbs – Constant posted a 2-0 record with a 10.20 ERA in 10 appearances and three starts, fanning 10 in 15 innings. He spent the '16 summer in Nashua and piled up 45 strikeouts in just 31 innings, earning a No. 3 Futures League prospect ranking by Baseball America.
Hesslink – 6-2, 225 lbs – After four sucessful years at Rice, Hesslink completed a postgraduate year at Avon Old Farms. Perfect Game ranked him as the top overall player in Vermont, and a scouting report describes him as a "big time two-way prospect who swings the bat very well and throws even better."
Mintzer — 6-0, 175 lbs – A JUCO transfer to Lock Haven from Rowan Glouchester, Mintzer had a strong sophomore season. He made 13 appearances, six starts, and struck out 53 in 48 innings of work, walking just 12. He's expected to have an immediate impact at LHU.
Romig – 6-2, 191 lbs – Entering his freshman year at Washington, Romig joins a program that finished 28-26 a year ago, finishing seventh in the Pac-12. He was the 28th ranked recruit in the state, per Baseball Northwest.
McInerny – 6-0, 177 lbs – Playing in 15 games as a freshman, McInerny hit 2-for-18 (.111). There's a backup at the Bruins catcher position, but he should get more playing time this season.
Young – 5-10, 190 lbs – Breaking out in his redshirt freshmen year, Young hit .295 in 40 games, scoring 18 runs and driving in 16. He's made appearances in the Futures League and had success as well, so he's no stranger to the summer.
Hsue – 5-8, 125 lbs – Also entering his freshman year alongside Romig, Hsue is a left-handed middle infielder with plenty of speed, described by Huskies coach Lindsay Meggs as "very explosive, from his feel for the short game and his ability to run the bases, to his sneaky power and his knack for getting big hits."
Mundy – 6-0, 210 lbs – As a freshman, Mundy had a big role for the Hokies, appearing in 40 games while starting 21. A patient hitter, Mundy drew 22 walks in 117 plate appearances, slugging five home runs and posted an .820 OPS. He played in the Northwoods league this past summer.
Diwert – 5-11, 235 lbs – Transferring from JUCO Polk State, Diewert has a potent mix of power and speed. In 54 games, the outfielder hit seven home runs and piled up 27 extra base hits while also going 32-of-36 on stolen base attempts.
Mulkey – 6-2, 180 lbs – Enters his junior year after playing in 55 games as a sophomore, totaling nine multiple-RBI games and hitting .247/.366/.309. He posted high strikeout numbers, but had 11 doubles and drove in 27 runs, both fourth on his team.
White – 5-11, 164 lbs – White enters his freshman season at URI, a recruit out of Portland, Conn. White hit over .430 in every year he played in high school, easily one of the top players in the state, and has a strong combination of speed and power.
