Player Profile: Colin Moran

     The Bourne Braves will welcome back third baseman Colin Moran this year. Last year, Colin represented the West team in the Cape Cod League All-Star game. For the Braves, Moran hit .289 with 10 RBIs in 107 at-bats. In 2011 at the University of North Carolina, he led the team in on-base percentage (.442), average (.335), homers (9), and RBIs (71). His great performance in Chapel Hill earned him Baseball America First Team All-American honors, NCBWA Freshman All-American, Louisville Freshman All-American, First Team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, and Baseball America Freshman of the Year! Baseball runs in his family as his brother Brian is a pitcher with the Seattle Mariners’ AA affiliate Jackson Generals, and his Uncle B.J. Surhoff was a Major League Baseball All-Star in 1999. The 6’3” 210lb Moran, comes from Rye, New York, and was a preseason Baseball America 2nd team All-American for 2012. He was rated by  Baseball America as the top-rated Atlantic Coast Conference prospect for the 2013 amateur draft. Also, Baseball America rated him as the best pure hitter in the conference. This power-hitting corner infielder has been very impressive his entire career. However, his presence (or lack thereof) has never been noticed more than his 21-game absence from the Tarheels’ line-up. The team scored an average of 5.14 runs (down from 6.72 with Moran) and the team’s batting average was down almost 40 points. With that type of production, I am hoping he is available to the Braves for the entire season.
    I posted a video above of Colin hitting for the Braves during the 2011 season. He has a wide stance and starts his hands high. He prepares for the pitch by dropping his hands into the hitter’s slot and bringing his front leg back and places it into the same spot it began. As the pitch approaches, he shifts his weight back nicely and comes into a neutral hitting position before he starts his swing. His hips begin the swing, and his hands follow. He shows excellent mechanics for a power hitter. When he makes contact, in the video above, his hands do an excellent job of “staying inside” the baseball. I do not see where the ball lands, but by the motion and Colin’s head I believe it was to the opposite field. I hope that is something Colin does with great frequency. I am excited to see Colin this summer, and will monitor his ability to go the opposite way as I post hitting charts of every Braves hitter.

Player Profile: Tommy Coyle

 

Tommy Coyle is a University of North Carolina shortstop who is listed as an infielder on the Bourne Braves roster. He played second base during his Freshman and Sophomore campaign. This Tarheel was ranked as the 115th overall prospect for the 2012 draft by minorleaguerundown.com. His tarheelblue.com profile says he is one of the most consistent players on the team. Tommy was recruited out of Germantown Academy (Chalftown, PA). Coyle’s scouting report raves about how great his speed is. This left-handed batter has been clocked 6.69 in the 60 yard-dash. His Sophomore year, he led the team with 18 stolen bases in 24 attempts. I will definitely be putting the stopwatch on him around the bases. College Baseball Daily ranked him as the 82nd best player in the country in October 2011. He has turned 27 double plays this season, and has a .912 fielding percentage with 228 chances. Coyle is currently sitting 8th in the conference with 46 runs scored, and ranks 6th with 5 triples. With the Braves last year, he was second on the team with a .315 average and appeared in 29 games. Coyle’s 12 runs, 2 doubles, and 16 RBIs were all good enough to earn him an appearance in the Cape Cod League All-Star game.

He shows great patience at the plate, ranking 10th in the ACC with 35 walks. Matt Clements of Inside Carolina on Scout.com asked Tommy about his hitting approach, Coyle replied “I feel like I am a better hitter when I see a couple pitches. I am not scared to strike out and pretty confident with two strikes. My game plan is to see a couple pitches and wait to see if I can get a pitch to drive or get some damage with. If not I feel pretty comfortable with two strikes.” I posted a video above. In the video, you can see that Tommy lets his hands fall into the hitter’s slot very well. His stance is wide and he takes a small stride towards the pitcher. His hips and hands move very well together, and he does an excellent job of attacking the baseball out in front. I think Tommy Coyle is a very nice addition to the Braves’ roster, and I look forward to seeing him fly around the bases with great frequency.

Player Profile: Ryan Eades

 

Ryan Eades is a 6’3”, right-handed pitcher who the Braves are excited to welcome back this year. Ryan was named last year’s Cape Cod League Pitcher of the Year when he pitched 32.1 innings, recorded 23 strikeouts, and had a 0.84 ERA. In 2010, he was drafted in the 19th round by the Colorado Rockies. Ryan is currently a weekend starter for the LSU Tigers. Eades is rated as the #3 SEC prospect in the 2013 draft, right behind future Braves teammate Ryne Stanek. His catcher, Ty Ross, was quoted “The guy's a workhorse,” after Eades’ win against Alabama. Ross later went on to talk about the fire Ryan brings to his starts.

His LSUsports.net profile says he has shown a mid-90s fastball and can counter that with a change-up he can “throw in any count.” In the video I posted above, it is apparent that Ryan uses his upper body very well to generate power to the plate. The motion begins by bringing his am very low around his throwing-side hip, and he makes sure to use the full range of motion. He comes over the top, with a very quick motion. In the video, it looks like his ball has a good downward  plane. I think it is safe to assume that this motion allows Eades to keep the ball down in the zone, and with a confident change-up he is sure to be fun to watch at Upper Cape Tech High School this upcoming summer.

Player Profile: Ryne Stanek

Ryne Stanek is a Sophomore at the University of Arkansas. This 6”4 righty was drafted in the Third Round (99th Overall) in 2010 by the Seattle Mariners. It is apparent he has made the most of his time as a Razorback because MLB Draft Countdown has Stanek projected as the second overall pick in the 2013 Draft. He is projected by Perfect Game as the 9th ranked SEC prospect. Stanek pitched for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team last year, and will be asked to do the same this summer. He will be missed by the Braves from July 5-9 as he pitches in a five game series against Cuba. He will be called on by Team USA in the Netherlands from July 14-22, as well. According to the Arkansas News, Ryne missed his last start against Auburn on May 12 because of a back injury. His performance this summer doesn’t look like it will be effected.

Currently, Ryne is enjoying a great season. He ranks 12th in the SEC with a 2.99 ERA. He has allowed the 12th least runs in the SEC with 27, while pitching 69.1 innings. The accolades have been arriving throughout the year. On March 4, Ryne made the 2012 Houston College Classic Tournament Team going 1-0 with a  1.29ERA in 7.0IP, and allowing only 1 earned run and striking out 7. On April 4th, he was named to Baseball America’s Midseason All-American team. Later that month, on April 25th, he was named to the 2012 National Pitcher of the Year Watch List.  Most recently, Stanek was named to the 2012 Golden Spikes Award Watch List. I am very excited to see Ryne pitch this summer. I posted a video above where his mechanics appear very smooth. He uses his big, leg kick to generate a lot of momentum to the plate. He does an outstanding job of maintaining that momentum when he keeps his front leg closed. I noticed that from the stretch his leg kick is not as pronounced, so he should be in control of the running game. He will be another fun Brave to put on the gun as his fastball will be in the low-90s.

Player Profile: Josh Dezse

     The Ohio State Buckeyes, currently sitting 6th in the Big Ten, are led by the extremely impressive Josh Dezse (Powell, Ohio). This Bourne Brave was first team all-district and honorable mention all-state by the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association as a senior at Olentangy Liberty H.S (current enrollment of 1603 students). As a sophomore, he has been named to the 2012 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Watch List. The, 6’5” righty received great praise from second-year Head Coach Greg Beals: "[Josh is] coming off a fantastic freshman campaign. Josh is once again slated to be our first baseman and closer. Josh is extremely talented and is learning how to be a great baseball player."
    I am sure Josh is going to be an exciting player to watch this summer at Doran Park. He was chosen in the 28th round of the 2010 draft, and was rated in Baseball America as the #1 Big Ten prospect for the 2012-2013 Draft. Last year, Dezse was a Freshman All-American in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper. This year he has been putting up impressive numbers offensively, defensively, and while pitching.
    At the plate, he is currently batting .331. It doesn’t seem he is afraid to do the dirty work as he is 2nd in Big Ten Conference in Hit-By-Pitches. He has managed to crank out 5 home runs, while being 9th in the conference with 27 walks. His plate discipline appears even more evident when you look at the fact he is 6th in the conference with a .452 on-base percentage.
    Dezse was  slick with the glove posting a .982 fielding percentage while 4th in the conference with 371 chances. On the mound he has posted a 3.57 ERA in 18 appearances. Dezse is 7th in the Big Ten in saves with 5, and he has struck out 17 batters in 22.2IP. He will be fun to clock on the gun, because he has hit 95.

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First Post

My name is E Tyler Bullock. I am a senior at Bridgewater State University. I have chosen to follow the Cape Cod League's Bourne Braves for the summer or 2012. This blog will post various thoughts and ramblings throughout the season. I will be posting my thoughts and observations after every game. I plan on diving deep into the scouting aspect of the Braves' players including: catcher's times to second base, pitcher's times to the plate with runners on base, radar gun readings, and player's times running to first base. I will provide previews of upcoming match-ups with professional prospects and post-game comments.