With the Vanderbilt baseball season over, many of the players will turn their focus to summer ball.
Playing in summer leagues can be a good way for players to get more at-bats or innings, work on specific things and get seen by scouts. For hitters, it provides the opportunity to play with wooden bats and live a lifestyle similar to pro ball. While the majority of players who play summer ball are underclassmen, since the MLB Draft moved to July in 2021, it has increased the number of upperclassmen who play in summer leagues in hopes of improving their stock.
The Tennessean compiled a list of current and incoming Vanderbilt players playing in summer leagues. While the players listed have signed with specific teams, some may not report due to injuries, academics or hitting pitch limits.
USA Baseball Collegiate National Team
Left-handers Carter Holton and Devin Futrell were both among the 56 players invited to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team training camp. All invited players have an opportunity to compete for spots on a 26-player team that will play exhibition games against teams from Japan and Chinese Taipei.
Holton participated in Team USA in 2022 but his status for 2023 is unclear due to injury.
Cape Cod Baseball League
Just three pitchers have signed on to play in the Cape this summer. Bryce Cunningham is set to pitch for the Bourne Braves for the second straight year after pitching 25⅔ innings for the CCBL champions in 2022. Patrick Reilly, who pitched for the Orleans Firebirds in 2021 and 2022, has signed on with Bourne and is also eligible for July’s draft. Andrew Dutkanych is also on Bourne’s roster, but his status for the summer is up in the air after missing the final three months of the 2023 season with a hamstring injury.
Five position players − who comprise the Commodores’ top five underclassmen in plate appearances in 2023 − have signed on to play with five different teams.
Bourne Braves: junior RHP Bryce Cunningham, sophomore RHP Andrew Dutkanych, senior RHP Patrick Reilly, junior infielder Jonathan Vastine
Brewster Whitecaps: junior infielder Davis Diaz
Chatham Anglers: sophomore infielder Chris Maldonado
Cotuit Kettleers: junior outfielder Matthew Polk
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox: sophomore infielder RJ Austin
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New England Collegiate Baseball League
The NECBL is generally considered to be the highest-quality league outside the Cape and is a frequent destination for Vanderbilt underclassmen. Five Commodores have signed on to play there.
Newport (RI) Gulls: sophomore RHP David Horn, sophomore LHP JD Thompson
Ocean State (RI) Waves: redshirt senior outfielder TJ McKenzie
Sanford (Maine) Mainers: redshirt freshman catcher Logan Poteet, redshirt sophomore outfielder JD Rogers
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Northwoods League
Kenosha Kingfish: Redshirt freshman infielder Matt Wolfe
Ohio Valley League
Full Count Rhythm (Hendersonville, Tenn.): redshirt freshman outfielder Cooper Holbrook
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
Nashua (NH) Silver Knights: Freshman infielder Camden Kozeal
Cal Ripken League
Alexandria (Va.) Aces: freshman infielder RJ Hamilton
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is playing in Cape Cod, summer leagues for Vanderbilt baseball