Bonus Cape Cod Prospects: Nos. 11–20

By Jim Callis

I ranked the Cape Cod League’s Top 10 Prospects, but that didn’t even cover the number of first-round picks (14) that the oldest and best college summer circuit had in the 2016 Draft. So here are prospects 11–20 for your consideration, all of whom are eligible for the 2017 Draft with the exception of the two sophomores:

11. Garrett Cave, rhp, Hyannis (Tampa, Jr. in 2017): After an unsuccessful spring as a starter at Florida International, he led the Cape with 10 saves and rivaled Martin as the best pure arm in the league. Cave pairs a 94–96 mph fastball that can reach 98 with a power curveball, though he’ll have to find the strike zone more consistently to realize his upside as a closer. He’s transferring to NCAA Division II Tampa for his junior year.

12. Konnor Pilkington, lhp, Brewster (Mississippi State, So.): A rare 18-year-old in the Cape League, he pitched in Mississippi State’s weekend rotation as a freshman in the spring and fashioned a 1.37 ERA in the summer. Pilkington is a strong-bodied lefty whose sound delivery allows him to throw strikes with a low-90s fastball, a curveball and changeup that all can become above-average offerings.

13. Quinn Brodey, of, Cotuit (Stanford, Jr.): He overcame a slow start to bat .391 in the final four weeks of the season while showing the potential for solid tools across the board, with the exception of his arm. He barrels balls consistently and manages the strike zone well, giving him the chance to hit for power and average and profile as a regular left fielder.

14. Ford Proctor, ss/2b, Hyannis (Rice, So.): In a prospect-laden Harbor Hawks infield, his upside stood out the most. He has a better chance to stay at shortstop than Zach Rutherford (see below), and Proctor’s compact lefty swing, plate discipline and developing power should make him an offensive second baseman at worst.

15. Zach Pop, rhp, Wareham (Kentucky, Jr.): Few Cape starters could match his combination of size (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and fastball (up to 96 mph with good sink at times). Pop’s hard slider can climb into the upper 80s as well, but he needs to develop better angle to plate because his pitches flatten out too often.

16. Zac Lowther, lhp, Brewster (Xavier, Jr.): He raised his profile by outdueling Vanderbilt supplemental first-rounder Jordan Sheffield in the NCAA regionals, then did so some more by topping the Cape in strikeouts (54), whiffs per nine innings (13.6) and K/BB ratio (13.5). Lowther misses bats thanks to the run and command on his 89–93 mph fastball, and he also flashes an average curveball and changeup.

17. Brian Miller, of, Orleans (North Carolina, Jr.): A former walk-on at North Carolina, he has plus speed and was one of the Cape’s better center-field defenders. At the plate, Miller has a quick lefty bat and can be a tablesetter if he tightens his strike zone.

18. Zach Rutherford, ss/2b, Hyannis (Old Dominion, Jr.): The Western Division’s All-Star Game MVP, he lacks a carrying tool but can hit for some average and power and offers some speed as well. Though Rutherford alternated at shortstop and second base with Proctor, his arm clearly fits at the latter position.

19. Dylan Busby, 3b, Hyannis (Florida State, Jr.): While he played first base at Florida State in the spring to fill a team need, he’s an athletic third baseman with the hands, arm and quickness needed for the position. Busby tries to do too much at the plate at times, but is effective when he uses the entire field and led both the Seminoles (14) and Harbor Hawks (four) in homers.

20. Jake Bird, rhp, Falmouth (UCLA, Jr.): After posting an ugly ERA (6.36) and strikeout rate (4.2) as a UCLA sophomore, he improved those numbers to 2.77 and 7.3 while facing wood bats. Bird is a sinker-slider guy with a low-90s two-seamer and a high three-quarters delivery, and he earns kudos for his work ethic.