Bourne Braves 2022 Cape Cod League Preview

Bourne was managed by Cape Cod League Hall of Famer Harvey Shapiro since 2003 before he and the club parted ways after almost two decades. Shapiro led Bourne to the playoffs in 15 of his 18 seasons in the Braves dugout, including a streak of 11 consecutive postseason appearances between 2007 and 2017. There’s a fresh face behind the Bourne bench for the 2022 season in long-time Brewster assistant Scott Landers. The first-year manager, fresh off a victory over his new club in last year’s title game, will bring a talent-laden squad to the field at Doren Park in his first year. 

Led by positional standouts in Pepperdine shortstop John Peck and UNC center fielder Vance Honeycutt, the Braves lineup features an explosive combination of raw tools and baseball skills. Dakota Harris of Polk State College and Louisiana-Lafayette outfielder Carson Roccaforte give Bourne players with an exciting combination of power and speed. 

The Braves are also bringing in former freshman All-American Josh Moylan of ECU. Moylan is coming off a down sophomore campaign and will look to recapture his freshman form on the Cape. The Braves also added Pennsylvania infielder Wyatt Henseler, who has turned heads early on during workouts for his ability to hit. It looks to be a potentially strong positional group with a healthy helping of upside. 

The pitching corps is led by Vanderbilt underclassman Carter Holton. It’s unknown how many starts Holton will make, but if and when he reports, it’s likely to be one of the must-see debuts this summer. Outside of Holton, Bourne’s pitching depth is strong, highlighted by Will Mabrey of Tennessee and a pair of Maryland righthanders in Jason Savacool and Nick Dean.

Field Manager: Scott Landers 

Home Park: Doran Park (Built: 2006): Just over the Bourne Bridge, Doran is one of the most easily accessible parks for fans of the Cape. There’s plenty of parking and the Braves might have the best merchandise store in the league. All areas in the park provide an unobstructed view of the field. Few parks match the energy of Doran on game night with routinely strong turnouts, particularly after July 4. The best view on the Cape might be the sunset over the canal and Bourne Bridge as you exit the Upper Cape Cod Tech parking lot after a game. 

Last Cape Cod League Championship: 2009

HItters To Know

Vance Honeycutt, OF UNC (2024 Eligible): Few underclassmen made the type of noise Honeycutt did in his freshman campaign this spring. The Tar Heels center fielder hit .292/.400/.663 with 24 home runs and 29 stolen bases, helping to lead UNC to a super regionals berth. Due to this reason he’s likely to report later this month, but a full July on the Cape from Honeycutt could be must-see baseball this summer. His combination of power and speed is unquestioned, but swing and miss has been an issue for the precocious freshman. 

John Peck, SS Pepperdine (2023 Eligible): A potential preseason pick for the Cape breakout on the positional side, Peck has shown the ability to hit for power in games with a knack for making hard contact at optimal launch angles. He was a standout for Pepperdine this spring and should man shortstop most days for the Braves this summer. A potential 2023 draft riser coming out of the spring, Peck will now be put to the test against the best pitching the Cape has to offer. 

Carson Roccaforte, OF Louisiana-Lafayette (2023 Eligible): A versatile player with power and speed, Roccaforte spent time at all three outfield positions and first base this spring for the Ragin’ Cajuns. His approach is aggressive but he’s shown the ability to make a high rate of hard contact on pitches in and out of the strike zone. Roccaforte is coming off a breakout season at the plate that saw him hit .374/.435/.671 with 16 home runs and 25 stolen bases. 

Pitchers To Know

Carter Holton, LHP Vanderbilt (2024 Eligible): After throwing 80.1 innings this spring for the Commodores there’s likely a cap on just how many innings Holton sees this summer. Despite this, Holton has the ability to provide Bourne with a shutdown lefthanded starter when he is available. He has good stuff, a high level of pitchability and is a fierce competitor. 

Will Mabrey, LHP Tennessee (2022 Eligible): When you’re on a pitching staff as talented and deep as Tennessee’s it’s easy to be under-appreciated in the public space. Mabrey fits this description as he’s been excellent out of the Volunteers bullpen this year. Mabrey owns a 1.89 career ERA over 45 appearances, with 64 strikeouts to eight walks over 52.1 innings. His fastball sits 90-93 mph with heavy bore, and he pairs it with a cutter-like slider in the mid 80s and a changeup. It’s a good pitch mix and Mabrey could be a bullpen weapon for the Braves. 

Jason Savacool, RHP Maryland (2023 Eligible): After an up-and-down freshman campaign Savacool took a sizable step forward in 2022, making 16 starts for the Terrapins and compiling an 8-3 record with a 2.93 ERA and 122 strikeouts to 27 walks over 107.1 innings. Savacool sits 89-91 mph but he mixes in a trio of secondaries including a high-70s hammer curveball with heavy two-plane break, a tighter slider in the 82-83 mph range and a changeup with fade. After seeing 100-plus innings this season Savacool likely has some restrictions but provides the Braves with a reliable option. 

Sleeper: Wyatt Henseler, 3B Pennsylvania (2022 Eligible): A draft-eligible sophomore, Henseler had a loud year for the Quakers this spring, hitting .383/.487/.697 with 14 home runs. There are questions around his future at third base long term, but so far the bat fits the profile. He had the best statistical regular season of any player on the Bourne roster this summer and has shown a knack for controlling the zone and making hard contact on strikes. Henseler is a name to pencil in as a potential Cape all-star from outside a Power Five conference.