re: Bama Baseball | (32-26)

With the summer coming to a close and summer leagues finishing up, I think we should be pleased with how our guys performed and the growth shown overall. I preface that with saying I didn't see any of these guys' games, so this analysis is simply an engaged fan looking at stats, watching highlights when available, and tracking the twitter stream. Long read, but here are my thoughts on the guys I've been following:

William Hamiter probably had the best summer of anyone on the team. He had one of the best AVGs and OBPs in the whole Northwoods League at .355 and .466. If he can parlay that into next year I think his bat could be lethal and be one of the best 2 hole hitters in the whole SEC if we decide to keep him there.

Jim Jarvis showed outstanding promise for the Gatemen in the Cape Cod league. He started and batted 2nd on a team littered with top college players, had 4 hrs, batted .289 with a .389 OBP, and was 2nd on the team behind Dio with 21 RBIs. If he can continue building on that surprising power he showed and get on base like he did, we may be looking at our leadoff guy next year. Really encouraging summer for him.

On the other side of the middle infield, albeit in a lesser league, Bryce Eblin started at short and 4th in the order and showed that he's ready to take over the opening that Peyton Wilson leaves and not leave much of a drop-off in production. He's great defensively and seems to be another potential leadoff or #2 hitter.

Owen Diodati definitely cooled off from his ridiculous start for the Gatemen in the Cape Cod, but he still led the team in RBIs and HRs and was in the top 10 for the whole Cape Cod league for both. If he can keep his AVG over .250 next year and cut down on some of his SOs as well as just be more consistent at the plate and not so streaky, he'll be a great middle of the order power hitter along with Zane Denton, hopefully incoming FR Camden Hayslip, and Jarvis (kidding, but maybe not who knows).

Speaking of Denton, he didn't have a great summer league with the Savannah Bananas stats wise, but we all know what he can do on the field defensively and with the bat. He'll probably be our best hitter this year if last year was any indicator of future performance and be a big bat in the heart of the order.

Andrew Pinckney had a great summer in the Northwoods league as well and will be hard to keep off the field. I think it'll be stiff competition between him, Caden Rose, and transfer Tommy Seidl to lock down the CF spot. Seidl had very similar stats to Pinckney in the New England League, often seen as the 2nd best summer league behind the Cape Cod, so he's definitely in this competition. If Hamiter stays in the outfield, I think he and Camden Haylslip will man the corner spots and leave the CF spot open for them to battle it out. We know what Rose brings defensively from his highlight reel plays last year, but I think it'll be his production at the plate that will determine who mans that spot most of the time next year. Either way, looks like we could have some solid depth in the OF at all 3 spots.

I think Drew Williamson needs to get back to his 2019 and 2020 production or there is a possibility they move Hamiter or Haylsip to 1B to make room for all those guys in the OF. I doubt it, but they did move Hamiter there when Drew went down so it is a possibility. I have a feeling Big Country will make his final year his best one yet. It'll be a great boon for the team if it is.

I don't know much about the two catchers we have coming in in Graham Crawford and Dominic Tamez, except that neither hit very well over the summer so lets hope that their JUCO stats at the plate are more indicative of their chops at the plate or that spot looks like it's going to be a liability offensively, especially compared to what Sam Praytor brought to the plate. Bummed that Grant Knipp decided to transfer. We could have used all the competition there that we could have gotten.

-----------------------------

As for pitchers, both Antoine Jean and Grayson Hitt had very promising stats, so here's to hoping that they both can solidify two of our weekend starter spots and have all our other young arms battle it out for the other spots.

I'm excited to see what Luke Holman, Brandon Clarke, Ben Hess, Kade Woods, and Dylan Ray (had Tommy John that kept him out all FR year) can bring to the table along with Hunter Furtado (transfer from Wake Forest after FR year). If at least a couple of them can be reliable arms, even starters, for next year that would do wonders for our pitching staff. I think our pitching depth could be really awesome in the years to come if some of those guys can step up.