Last week at NCAA.com, we dove into the home run and batting average numbers in finding the hottest bats in the Cape Cod Baseball League. This week, we turn our attention to the pitchers.
The Cape Cod Baseball League has become a haven for breakout stars heading into each new college baseball season. Here are a few pitchers who will certainly make things interesting for the coming 2020 season.
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Mason Black, Lehigh (Brewster Whitecaps)
Black earned the starting All-Star nod for the East Division. The right-hander had a nice freshman campaign for Lehigh, working his way into the back-end of the rotation for five starts. His numbers this summer have been solid, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.70 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 26.1 innings pitched. He’s let up a few runs of late — five earned over his last 16.2 innings — but has been solid overall for Brewster.
Ian Bedell, Mizzou (Wareham Gatemen)
Bedell will be on the bump opposite of Black in the July 21 CCBL All-Star Game. The sophomore righty emerged as a reliable bullpen arm in 2019, posting a 1.56 ERA with five saves and 36 strikeouts in 40.1 innings. He has been simply amazing as a starter on the Cape, allowing two earned runs this season — both in the same July 5 start — over five CCBL starts. He has been in command as well, striking out 28 and walking just three in 25.2 innings pitched.
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Ian Seymour, Virginia Tech (Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox)
Well, when it comes to pitching, we all love strikeouts. Seymour makes the list for leading the CCBL in Ks heading into Sunday’s All-Star Game. The rising junior lefty led the Hokies in strikeouts in 2019 with 81 in 70.1 innings pitched, so it’s not totally surprising he leads the CCBL. Where he has been impressive is limiting the walks. On the season, he is 2-2 with a 2.8 ERA and a 39-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 25.1 innings pitched. He’s pitched consecutive shutout appearances, striking out 16, walking just three and allowing a mere four hits over those 11 innings.
Jacob Palisch, Stanford (Harwich Mariners)
Check out the Coca-Cola Player & Pitcher of Week 4 here: https://t.co/VoP0Kl5tMZ pic.twitter.com/c6aiQj6DJv
— Cape League (@Official_CCBL) July 9, 2019
The Cardinal could have a very solid pitching staff come 2020, and if Palisch continues to improve this summer, he will only make it stronger. Palisch, who is also a CCBL All-Star, has tossed the Cape’s only complete game shutout of the season (of the seven-inning variety). And he did so in dominating fashion, striking out 10 and walking none. On the season, he’s 3-1 with a 1.22 ERA and 26 strikeouts to just three walks across four starts.
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Kolby Kubichek, Texas (Chatham Anglers)
The right-hander had an up-and-down freshman campaign, primarily coming out of the bullpen for the Longhorns in 2019. He’s making a case to move into the rotation with five solid starts for Chatham this summer. Kubichek has allowed just two earned runs in his last three starts — striking out 20 and walking just three over that same span — and has a 1.08 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched so far.
Kolby Kubichek (@TexasBaseball) is an All-Star. The right-hander replaces Parker Scott on the East Division squad.
— Chatham Anglers (@ChathamAnglers) July 14, 2019
Kubichek has a 1.08 ERA in 25 IP with 29 strikeouts this summer. pic.twitter.com/S0IioHgD82
Mac Lardner, Gonzaga (Bourne Braves)
After a much-improved sophomore year in 2018, Lardner put up a career-high ERA while proving to be a bit hittable, allowing a .279 batting average against in his 2019 junior follow-up season. He’s certainly righted the ship, as the junior lefty has allowed less than a hit per inning while walking two batters the entire summer (28 total innings). He’s gone at least six innings in each of his last three starts, allowing just three earned runs over that span.
Harrison Rutkowski, Rutgers (Bourne Braves)
Harry, as he's listed on Rutgers roster, is another Brave and another CCBL All-Star rounding out our list. The big sophomore lefty, listed at 6’3 and 230 pounds, led Rutgers in innings pitched and strikeouts, his 83 fifth-best in program single-season history. Thus far on the Cape, he's made six starts and hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of them. Though you won't find a ton of strikeouts in his arsenal (17 in 29 innings), he also doesn't walk too many, with just five on the summer season.
Others we’re watching: Carmen Mlodzinski, South Carolina, Falmouth Commodores; Connor McCullough, Kansas State, Harwich Mariners; Jared Shuster, Wake Forest, Orleans Firebirds; Reid Johnston, NC State, Cotuit Kettleers.
All stats through games played July 15 per the official CCBL website.
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