2022 Cape Cod League Top Prospects 34-50

34. Sean Sullivan, Harwich Mariners, LHP 
Wake Forest, 2024 Eligible 

A standout freshman at Northwestern, Sullivan entered the transfer portal and committed to Wake Forest. While Sullivan lacks power on his pitch mix he generates a ton of horizontal break on his fastball, slider and changeup due to his low lefthanded slot. Sullivan made seven appearances for Harwich this summer, striking out 29 batters to eight walks with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP over 28 innings. He deployed a three-pitch mix with limited power but an easy, low-effort operation. 

With an upright tall-and-fall operation and low sidearm slot, Sullivan has an operation reminiscent of Chris Sale, but lacks the fellow lefthander’s power. His three-pitch mix is led by a four-seam fastball sitting 87-90 mph with 2,300-2,400 rpm spin and above-average ride for such a low slot. Due to the low release height created by his slot Sullivan is able to create a flatter vertical approach angle, making it a difficult pitch for hitters to get on plane against. Sullivan leaned into a fastball-heavy approach this summer using his fastball nearly 60% of the time across his 28 Cape innings. He mixed in a sweepy slider at 74-77 mph with about nine to 11 inches of horizontal break and a low-80s changeup with upwards of 16 inches of run. The slider worked primarily as a groundball driver, generating groundball contact at a 73% rate this summer, but showing below-average bat-missing abilities. His changeup was his best secondary, a heavy running offspeed with slight, late tumble. His changeup was his best bat-missing pitch as he generated whiffs and chases against the pitch at a better than 40% rate. 

Sullivan needs to add power in the coming years but with a few seasons ahead of him with an innovative data-driven program like Wake Forest he could see improvements in this area. 

35. Kevin Sim, Orleans Firebirds, 3B
San Diego, 2023 Eligible 

Over the early part of the season Sim was one of the top power hitters on the Cape. An injury cut his summer short, but he made an impression while he was here. Early on in the Cape season Sim was among the leaders in home runs and accounted for a few of the hardest hit balls of the summer. His power is his carrying tool, but he put together good at-bats, displaying a discerning eye at the plate and a tendency to avoid chasing balls out of the zone. Defensively, he spent a majority of his time at first base but did play some third base—where he’s expected to start for the Toreros next spring. 

Sim’s power is an easy plus tool, as his max exit velocity this spring was 115 mph. While he didn’t reach those heights this summer he put numerous balls into play at 100 mph or better. He was a strong fastball hitter who showed little trouble catching up to velocity due to his plus bat speed. He hit .281/.414/.474 against fastballs this summer with a 75% contact rate and a .330 batting average on balls in play against fastballs. Against spin Sim struggled, hitting just .188/.250/.375 with a 45% whiff rate against sliders, curveballs and changeups. There’s likely to be swing and miss in Sim’s profile long term, but if he can make improvements in the coming years against offspeed and spin, he has a chance to marry his plus power with a fringe-average hit tool.

36. Peyton Stovall, Falmouth Commodores, 2B
Arkansas, 2024 Eligible 

A highly-touted prep player in the 2021 draft, Stovall ended up on campus with Arkansas and produced a solid season for the Razorbacks while seeing a majority of his defensive time at first base. Part of a star-studded Falmouth lineup, Stovall showed arguably some of the best bat-to-ball skills on the Cape.

Everything in Stovall’s profile revolves around his standout bat-to-ball skills. His smooth lefthanded swing stays in the zone for a long period of time and he manages to display strong plate coverage despite below-average size. He rarely swung and missed and there were no particular pitch types that gave Stovall trouble as he had an 80% or better contact rate against all pitch types. His swinging strike rate of just 6% was notable as it was one of the better rates on the circuit this summer. While his bat-to-ball skills are impressive Stovall didn’t show much impact this summer, hitting lots of groundball contact and rarely driving a ball hard in the air to his pull side. Defensively, Stovall saw a majority of his time at second base, showing solid infield actions but limited range. Despite being one of the younger players in the league Stovall held his own, but there were clear areas of needed improvement. 

37. Ty Langenberg, Hyannis Harbor Hawks, RHP
Iowa, 2023 Eligible

Langenberg was the Harbor Hawks’ go-to reliever down the stretch as the righthander showcased bat-missing ability and command of his arsenal. He deploys a solid three-pitch mix led by a low-90s fastball, low-80s slider and a changeup he shows good feel for. 

The low-90s fastball was Langenberg’s primary pitch and by far the center of his arsenal’s solar system. The pitch generated whiffs at a 43% rate despite accounting for nearly half of Langenberg’s usage. It’s easily his best bat-misser and weak contact driver as batters experienced far more success against his changeup. While Langenberg generates an average amount of raw spin and ride on his fastball he’s able to generate whiffs due to the deception created by his long arm action and three-quarters arm slot. It’s an unusual look that allows the pitch to play above its raw elements. He mixes a higher-spin slider with a changeup he uses frequently. Each misses a fringy amount of bats and didn’t have the same effectiveness as his fastball this summer. He displayed excellent command of his fastball and above-average feel for his changeup, but his ability to land his slider was inconsistent, at times making him one dimensional. 

38. C.J. Kayfus, Cotuit Kettleers, 1B
Miami, 2023 Eligible 

After a standout spring in which Kayfus hit .366/.460/.525 with eight home runs for Miami, he made his way to the Cape, appearing in 29 games for the Kettleers while hitting .302 and striking out in just 16% of his plate appearances. He displayed the ability to control the strike zone and above-average bat-to-ball skills. Kayfus didn’t hit for much impact but he did show the ability to hit the ball in the air to his pull side in flashes. He spent a majority of his time in the field at first base but filled in a few times in left field. 

The second team All-ACC first baseman is a hit tool-driven player who hardly expands the zone and stays within himself at the plate. He ran a 77% contact rate over the summer with a 22% chase rate. His combination of plate approach and bat-to-ball skills drives Kayfus’ profile. He has little trouble catching up to velocity and handled fastballs with ease over the summer. He saw a lot of changeups, but they gave him little trouble as he hit .375 against the pitch with Cotuit. He did struggle against spin, hitting just .176 against sliders and curveballs with a 45% whiff rate. He showed some issues with his ability to adjust the bat, as he consistently whiffed when swinging at breaking pitches. A heavy groundball hitter, Kayfus doesn’t fit the mold of your prototypical first baseman, but perhaps he can make the proper adjustments to generate average or better game power long term. There are few questions around Kayfus’ ability to hit but whether he’ll ever hit for much impact is up in the air. 

39. Ethan O’Donnell, Harwich Mariners, OF
Virginia, 2023 Eligible 

A late season addition for the Mariners, O’Donnell showed the ability to hit consistently over his 14 games, proving to be among their most reliable bats down the stretch. After spending two seasons with Northwestern, O’Donnell will head to Virginia this fall, on the heels of a sophomore campaign that saw him hit .320/.410/.619 for the Wildcats. He was selected to the All-Big Ten second team this spring, and heads to Virginia as one of the top transfers in the class. 

At the plate O’Donnell has a simple hands-driven lefthanded swing with a quick trigger and average bat speed. He does a good job of keeping his hands in and staying short to the ball. His hands begin low in his setup before he quickly shoots them at the ball. It’s a line drive-focused swing at present, as he looks to shoot the ball up the middle of the field, but the makings of pull-side power are present. Added strength gains could see some of O’Donnell’s drives to the gap begin to translate to more over-the-fence power in the coming years. He struggled against fastballs in his time on the Cape, doing most of his damage against spin—O’Donnell hit an eye-popping .545/.643/.545 against sliders and curveballs. While his production against fastballs is somewhat of a concern, his ability to sit back on spin is innate. 

40. Cooper Ingle, Chatham Anglers, C
Clemson, 2023 Eligible 

Part of a tandem of Clemson hitters on the Anglers roster along with Caden Grice, Ingle displayed arguably the best plate discipline on the Cape this summer. His on-base ability was notable as it was rare to see Ingle expand the zone against a bad pitch. While he was relegated to designated hitter duties this summer he has caught, played the corner outfield and some second base as a collegiate. It’s a bat-driven profile that’s heavily rooted in his elite on-base skills. 

When it comes to controlling the strike zone no one on the Cape did it quite as well as Ingle and his chase rate overall was just 13%. Working deep into at-bats and making pitchers work was the core of Ingle’s game. He displayed plus bat-to-ball skills as well with just a 16% whiff rate over the course of the summer. While his batted ball data was groundball heavy, he showed the ability to drive balls to the gaps and a knack for finding the barrel. At times he was the victim of the spacious outfields of the Eastern Division, as a few of his shots likely would have left friendlier digs like Falmouth or Hyannis. The question regarding his defensive home is the biggest knock on Ingle’s profile, as he had one of the best all-around hit tools on the Cape with plus bat-to-ball skills and elite plate discipline. 

 

41. Carter Trice, Cotuit Kettleers, OF
North Carolina State, 2023 Eligible 

Trice hit .355/.426/.633 in 2021 as a freshman, winning Conference USA freshman of the year honors as well as a spot on the All-Conference USA first team. His sophomore season was strong but Trice was not quite able to match his production from his freshman campaign as he hit .289/.395/.606 with 17 home runs, earning All-Conference USA second team honors. He returned to Cotuit this summer after spending a few weeks with the team late in the 2021 season. He started 36 games for Cotuit in the regular season and all three of Cotuit’s playoff games. Trice was the best performing position player during the Kettleers’ three-game series against Hyannis, going 7-for-12 with two doubles and a home run. Trice entered the transfer portal after two seasons at Old Dominion and will join North Carolina State in the fall. 

If you factor in Trice’s playoff performance his overall summer line looks very strong, as he hit .270/.354/.476 with eight doubles and six home runs. He displays the ability to drive the ball in the air to his pull side as a majority of his contact came in the form of fly balls (40% rate) and line drives (18% rate). Employing an uppercut swing, Trice gets deep into his back hip as he drives the ball with his entire body working upward. Trice does have some swing and miss to his game—he struck out in over 26% of his plate appearances this summer—but he does a good job of hitting fastballs and catching up to velocity. He hit .373/.456/.716 with all six of his home runs against fastballs this summer. Trice, however, struggled against sliders, hitting .121/.194/.182 with a 51% whiff rate and a 38% chase rate. His issues with spin and offspeed are definitely a problem, but Trice did display solid chase rates overall, swinging at pitches outside the zone at a 25% rate. Defensively, Trice was an infielder prior to 2022 and in time could develop into a fringe-average outfielder. Overall, Trice displays some three true outcome offensive qualities with a minimal amount of defensive value. It’s a bat-driven profile with some swing-and-miss questions against spin. 

42. Caleb Lomavita, Cotuit Kettleers, C
California, 2024 Eligible 

One of the best all-around catchers in the Cape and also one of the youngest, Lomavita showed strong catch-and-throw skills and the ability to block and steal strikes. He was a constant behind the plate for the Kettleers throughout the summer. He plays the position with poise and a calming presence that worked well as he handled the Kettleers staff. He posted multiple sub-2-second pop times and consistently moved well behind the plate.

As a hitter, Lomavita has natural raw power he’s yet to fully tap into. Regardless he makes consistent hard contact, which showed up in an 89 mph average exit velocity this spring. Over the summer he was primarily a groundball hitter but on occasion would show pull-side power. His setup is simple but unusual, as he sets up nearly fully upright with a very narrow base toward the back of the righthanded batter’s box. He utilizes a smaller leg lift before trigger on a heavily hands-driven swing. His simple swing mechanics and adjustability in his hands allowed him to run high contact rates against all pitch types this summer. While you’d like to see Lomavita unlock more pull-side power he shows strong skills at the plate with projection for more impact as he refines his swing. Lomavita looks like a good bet to stay behind the plate long term.  

43. Luke Jewett, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, RHP
UCLA, 2023 Eligible 

One of the Cape’s best relievers this summer, Jewett was named a Cape Cod League all-star and produced a solid line of 2-0, 2.37 with a 1.36 WHIP and 24 strikeouts to eight walks over 19 innings of work out of the pen. He primarily worked off his fastball, slider and changeup, but did flash a handful of curveballs across his 10 appearances. Jewett was a good weapon for Yarmouth-Dennis against the lefthanded-heavy lineups of the Cape Cod League this summer, although he did struggle against righthanded hitters.

Jewett’s fastball sits 92-94 mph, touching 95 mph at peak from a shorter arm stroke with a fair bit of trunk tilt that creates a more vertical release point. That combination of traits allows Jewett to create an above-average amount of ride on his fastball, but his release lacked deception, making it easy for hitters to time him up. Jewett also struggled to command the fastball. It was less an issue of strikes and more a problem with avoiding dangerous parts of the strike zone. For that reason his fastball gave Cape hitters little trouble as they hit .340 against his four-seamer. 

He mixed in a slider in the-low-to-mid 80s and a mid-80s split-change. His slider accounted for a majority of Jewett’s secondary usage and had slurvy shape and some late drop. He commanded his slider the best of his three pitches, and it was more reliable at times stealing strikes than his fastball was. While he struggled to command his changeup this spring, he showed more consistency with the pitch over the summer and generated swings and misses against lefthanders at a high rate. Overall, Jewett was inconsistent but showed feel for his two secondary pitches, as well as some power and shape on his fastball. 

44. Owen Diodati, Wareham Gatemen, OF
Oregon, 2023 Eligible 

Diodati was draft eligible in 2022 but went undrafted. He entered the transfer portal following his third season with Alabama and committed to Oregon for the 2023 campaign. Diodati offers a three true outcomes skill set, with on-base ability, plus raw power and lots of swing and miss. He was impressive this summer in his return to the Gatemen as he hit .344/.500/.557 with three home runs over 22 games. 

Diodati’s on-base ability was notable as his 17.5% walk rate was the second highest behind only Chatham’s Cooper Ingle of players included among the Cape’s top 50 prospects. He rarely chases with a 21% chase rate overall and a notable ability to avoid bad swings on breaking balls thrown outside the zone. The issue with Diodati is his ability to track and barrel spin inside the zone. He hit .000/.143/.000 against sliders and curveballs this summer with just four balls in play against 77 total pitches. He didn’t have the same issues against changeups, however, showing an ability to track offspeeds.

Over the course of the summer Diodati did his damage against fastballs, hitting .421/.560/.684 against four-seamers and sinkers. With bat speed, strength and raw power Diodati likely will have little trouble with velocity but his issues against spin are notable. This is of particular concern when you look at his overall profile as a bat-first corner outfielder whose skill set is driven by his power and on-base ability. Even incremental improvements against spin could pay dividends long term for Diodati. 

45. Max Anderson, Wareham Gatemen, 3B
Nebraska, 2023 Eligible 

After a strong 2021 summer campaign with Bourne, Anderson followed former Braves manager Harvey Shapiro across the Cape to Wareham this summer. He was one of the more consistent bats in the Gatemen lineup, hitting .312 with a .383 on-base percentage and a pair of home runs. Anderson was named to the Western Division All-Star Team this summer. 

Anderson flashed more in-game power last summer with Bourne but showed improvements to his hit tool this summer, hitting for contact with little issue against all pitch types. Like a majority of Cape hitters Anderson did his primary damage against fastballs, hitting .412/.488/.529 against four-seamers and sinkers this summer. While he stayed in his approach against spin, sliders did give Anderson particular trouble as he hit just .154/.175/.179 against sliders with Wareham. He did a good job of not chasing spin outside the zone with a 19% chase rate against sliders and curveballs. Anderson’s biggest question is his ability to hit for enough power to fit as a fringy corner infield defender. With a near-50% groundball rate Anderson will need to show the ability to elevate the ball to make his profile work as a professional. Overall, he showed a strong approach and above-average bat-to-ball skills with the ability to handle velocity. 

 

 

46. Colby Halter, Falmouth Commodores, 3B 
Florida, 2023 Eligible 

A 2022 draft-eligible sophomore, Halter went undrafted but is still considered a potential day two pick in 2023. He performed well over the course of the summer, hitting .307/.407/.507 with seven doubles and seven home runs over 39 games with Falmouth. He split time defensively between second and third base, but saw a majority of his time at the hot corner. Halter was a well-known player as a prep player and has been one of the bigger names for Florida over the last few seasons. He should return to campus this spring as one of the primary offensive stars in the Gators lineup.  

One of the best performing hitters on the Cape, Halter showcased a patient approach at the plate, fringe-average bat-to-ball skills and above-average power. He struck out at a 26% rate but his contact and whiff numbers were solidly average, as he didn’t show the same struggles against sliders as other Cape hitters. While his slash line against sliders of .222/.267/.370 doesn’t stand out, he didn’t swing and miss or chase and showed the ability to elevate on spin with a better than 50% flyball rate against breaking pitches. In the field, Halter can play fringy defense at multiple spots in the infield but his profile is heavily bat-driven. Halter showed a nice combination of on-base ability, power and enough bat-to-ball skills to make the profile work. 

47. Mike Boeve, Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, 3B
Omaha-Nebraska, 2023 Eligible

A smaller school talent, Boeve got early rave reviews for his hit tool on the Cape but his star faded some over the course of the summer. He does have a good balance of offensive skills, showcasing excellent bat-to-ball skills and approach and average power projection. He was elected to the Eastern Division All-Star Team as he hit .288 with a .415 on-base percentage over 40 games for the Red Sox. Defensively, he played primarily on the infield corners but did get one look in right field. He’s a hit tool-driven lefthanded hitter who will need to add over-the-fence power to his game to make his profile work. 

There’s little debate around Boeve’s ability to hit. He rarely swung and missed this summer with an 83% contact rate. Beyond his bat-to-ball skills he puts himself into good hitter’s counts consistently and spits on pitches outside the zone. Boeve rarely chases, as his overall chase rate for the summer was just 18%, with no single pitch type drawing out-of-zone swings at a rate higher than 23%. He handles offspeed and spin with little issues. The major question is how much impact is in Boeve’s bat, as he didn’t fully take advantage of the friendly confines of Yarmouth-Dennis’ Red Wilson Field. Boeve rarely hits the ball to his pull side in the air, as he had just a 16% flyball rate overall. He’ll need to learn how to elevate on contact if his potentially plus hit tool is to play at the professional level.   

48. Ty Cummings, Bourne Braves, RHP 
Campbell, 2023 Eligible 

Many evaluators viewed Cummings as among the best relievers on the Cape this summer, as the 2023 draft-eligible righthander allowed just one earned run over 17 innings of work. Cummings has spent two seasons with Cambell working exclusively out of the bullpen for the Camels. His numbers took a jump on the Cape, though his game is still more centered around driving weak contact than missing bats, as Cummings struck out just 8.5 batters per nine innings this summer. He works primarily off his sinker and slider, mixing in a curveball, changeup and four-seam fastball intermittently. Cummings looks like a potential late day two arm in 2023 with some upside to add more power in pro ball. The righthander was also named to the Western Division All-Star Team.

Cummings’ pitch mix is centered around his sinker and slider combination as it accounted for 89% of his pitch usage this summer. His fastball sits 91-94 mph with heavy sink and hard arm-side run, getting upwards of 20 inches of horizontal break on the pitch. It’s a heavy groundball driver, generating contact on the ground 50% of the time this summer with average whiff rates for a sinker. His slider is a low-80s offering with moderate sweep that does a good job of generating whiffs (37% rate) and ground balls (47% rate), as he used the two-pitch mix to generate outs in pressure spots for the Braves throughout the summer. He showed a changeup and a curveball but very sparingly. 

49. Dominic Pitelli, Hyannis Harbor Hawks, SS
Miami, 2023 Eligible 

While Marcus Brown was tremendous this summer defensively for Chatham there’s a case to be made that Pitelli is Brown’s defensive equal, as he consistently flashed smooth infield actions, a quick first step, excellent reads off of the bat and a cannon for a throwing arm. Pitelli, while a flawed player offensively, was one of the sneakier bats in the Harbor Hawks lineup as he flashed power, connecting for three home runs and six doubles over the course of the summer. Overall, Pitelli hit .241/.325/.350 with a 11.3% walk rate. While Pitelli’s offensive profile is limited, his defensive abilities stand out. Elected to the Western Division All-Star Team, Pitelli filled in at center field during the All-Star Game and uncorked a jaw-dropping throw from the center field wall to third base late in the game. His ability to potentially be a plus defender at multiple positions drives Pitelli’s profile. 

At the plate Pitelli shows fringe bat-to-ball skills with a 30% whiff rate. He is a below-average contact hitter who struggles against soft stuff. Pitelli hit just .089/.160/.089 against non-fastballs this summer, with just 25 balls in play against 214 pitches. He did, however, show the ability to catch up to velocity, showcasing above-average bat speed and twitch at the plate. He hit .333/.422/.506 with all three of his home runs coming against fastballs this summer. Despite the struggles with contact on spin and offspeeds, Pitelli did flash some projectable skills at the plate as a dead-read fastball hitter with some bat speed. Improvements against spin will pay dividends as Pitelli already has a standout defensive profile.  

50. Rikuu Nishida, Hyannis Harbor Hawks, 2B
Oregon, 2023 Eligible 

Committed to Oregon for the 2023 season, Nishida combines elite bat-to-ball skills, plate discipline and speed. Nishida is consistently praised for his gamesmanship, with many scouts stating it’s among the best they’ve seen at the collegiate level. Nishida lacks the raw arm strength for shortstop, but is spectacular and at times brilliant at second base. He’s tailor-made for the West Coast college game with plus-plus footspeed and basestealing ability. He’s an excellent contact hitter who looks to go the other way and is a master of the lost art of bunting. He’s able to move runners along but can also bunt for hits due to his speed from the lefthanded batter’s box and control of the barrel. 

Overall, Nishida does a lot of things well. He’s a heady player who does everything at full speed, is a plus baserunner and contact hitter who works deep into counts. Beyond his ability, Nishida plays with personality and flare, winning over Cape crowds throughout the summer. His lack of impact in the bat is noticeable and with an undersized frame he likely only projects as a 20-grade power hitter even at peak. Despite that, Nishida is a player every Cape manager wished they had this summer.