The pings are more dull than in the past, but the unmistakable sound of metal bats is back.
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The College World Series is back in full swing after a slate of games this weekend. Virginia, Florida, and TCU all won their first round matchups while Cal State Fullerton and Vanderbilt had their game suspended due to rain.
The CWS is a great opportunity to view the future of MLB. Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft from Vanderbilt, was playing last night. No. 2 overall pick Alex Bregman played during the afternoon, and No. 7 overall pick Andrew Benintendi played Saturday, to name a few.
Still not convinced? Well, in 2014, the postseason rosters for MLB’s 10 playoff teams featured 42 former CWS players. Some of the names to have played in the CWS include Cy Young candidates Gerrit Cole (2010, UCLA) and Sonny Gray (2011, Vanderbilt), Cole’s Bruin teammate Trevor Bauer, Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha (2011, Texas A&M), White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon (2013, North Carolina State) and Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis (2012, Florida State).
I normally give you High-A recaps on Mondays, so here is a CWS edition of that recap, plus a rundown of where some of the top CWS alumni are now.
High-A littered with CWS players
In all, 29 players in High-A played in the CWS, and that’s only when counting the past 2013 and 2014 CWS (That includes Adam Plutko, who was pitching in Lynchburg until his recent promotion to Double-A). The number is surely higher when previous seasons are considered (Many pre-2012 participants are now in upper levels of the minors). Among the 29, six play in the Carolina League, 11 play in the California League and 12 play in the Florida State League.
Virginia has produced the most minor leaguers by far out of any of the teams the past two seasons: 16 players were drafted from last season’s CWS-runner-up team and seven were picked from the current team. Houston Astros prospect, Lancaster outfielder Derek Fisher is hitting .308 with 11 home runs and a .537 slugging percentage, while Myrtle Beach outfielder Mark Zagunis is slashing .303/.430/.438, and Modesto pitcher Harrison Musgrave is 7-1 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 3.81 K/BB ratio. The closer and best hitter of the 2014 team are experiencing some growing pains; outfielder Mike Papi is stumbling to a .207/.348/.282 line, while pitcher Nick Howard has a 6.46 ERA, .277 average against and 2.09 WHIP.
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While Virginia has produced the most minor leaguers of late, 2014 champion Vanderbilt has produced the best prospects. The Commodores just had three players selected in the first round of this year’s draft, including Swanson. From last year’s team, Tyler Beede, is now in Double-A but posted a 2.24 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in nine starts at San Jose, while 2013 fifth-round pick is hitting a combined .355/.454/.412 this season in the Astros system.
Other notable names in High-A are Visalia’s Kevin Cron (TCU, 2014), Lake Elsinore’s Auston Bousfeld (Ole Miss, 2014) and Fort Myers’ Ryan Eades ( LSU, 2013). Cron, a first baseman, has 13 home runs and 49 RBIs this season, both third in the California League. Bousfeld, a centerfielder, is hitting .320/.412/.400 with 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts and has scored 33 runs. Eades is 4-1 with a 2.97 ERA and struck out seven in his last start on Thursday.
Top prospects who played in the CWS:
Michael Conforto (2013, Oregon State): hitting a combined .299/.383/.498 with nine home runs. One of the Mets’ best prospects.
Hunter Renfroe (2013 Mississippi State): Hitting .226/.290/.337. Struggling, but the power potential is there to hit 20-plus homers, in spite of only hitting three so far this season.
Kyle Schwarber (2013, Indiana): blazing Double-A pitching for a .318/.439/.578 line with 13 homers, second in the Southern League.
Trea Turner (2013, NC State): Finally traded to the Nationals, Turner is hitting .322/.385/.471 with five homers and 11 stolen bases. He’s also scored 31 runs and played solid defense.
All stats from MiLB.com