2018 College summer ball - UConn players

[businesslawyer]

When my son was in high school, one of his friends was recruited to play baseball at Southern Cal. But that meant he had to try out in the fall to make the 35 man roster, which failed to happen.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

Chris Winkel is off to a much faster start at Mystic than last summer, when he spent virtually the entire season in a bad slump. This year he seems to be alternating between the 1B and outfield.

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

From the link in the above posting:

2018 Summer Ball Assignments (Updated 6/18/18)

Team USA

Mason Feole – Team USA/Wareham Gatemen

Cape Cod League

Anthony Prato – Bourne Braves
Thad Phillips – Bourne Braves
Jacob Wallace – Bourne Braves

NECBL

Colby Dunlop – Keene Swamp Bats
Mike Woodworth – Keene Swamp Bats
Karl Johnson – Mystic Schooners
Conor Moriarty – Mystic Schooners
Chris Winkel – Mystic Schooners
CJ Dandeneau – New Bedford Bay Sox
Paul Gozzo – Danbury Westerners

Futures
Andy Hague- Bristol Blues
Matt Bonvicini – Bristol Blues
Patrick Winkel – Bristol Blues
Vinnie Pallisco – Brockton Rox
Caleb Wurster – Brockton Rox
Tyler Briggs – Pittsfield Suns

West Coast League

Avery Santos – Port Angeles Lefties

Perfect Game League

Anthony Nucerino – Elmira Pioneers
Nate Panzer – Elmira Pioneers
Angus Mayock – Elmira Pioneers
Kenny Bergmann – Watertown Rapids
Ben Maycock – Watertown Rapids

California Collegiate League

Chase Gardner – Healdsburg Prune Packers
Jeff Kersten – Healdsburg Prune Packers

 

[dbmill]

Great Lakes Collegiate Baseball League

Jarrod Melle – Muskegon Clippers

Jarrod Melle and AJ Denny were not included in the Summer Ball Assignments List that was released today by UConn. There was a similar circumstance with players last summer as well. Based on this, it would seem that neither player is on UConn's summer roster. This does not preclude either player from trying out for the team during fall ball, assuming both are still attending UConn at that time.

Also, last summer some of the JUCO transfers were included with UConn's summer ball list. This time, Cole Brodnansky who is playing for the Healdsburg Prune Packers, is not. Not sure if it means anything, but it is possible that he is walking onto the UConn baseball team and is not guaranteed a roster spot. We'll see if he pops up on any revised editions of the Summer Ball Assignments List in the coming weeks.

 

[Pudge]

Coach Penders told me in Stamford that "we have one kid with punch coming in from California this year." So ... that is Brodnansky or another. He is the glint in the JP eye ... and another in the stream of fish coming east for the middle of our order.

 

[dbmill]

Coach Penders told me in Stamford that "we have one kid with punch coming in from California this year." So ... that is Brodnansky or another. He is the glint in the JP eye ... and another in the stream of fish coming east for the middle of our order.

This power hitting California JUCO was reported yesterday in the UConn Baseball Recruiting thread:

Langer is an IF from Chabot College in CA. In 42 games, he hit .407/.515/.630 with 7 HR and 50 RBI. It appears that he spent his freshman year (2016) with UC Davis and didn't too too much there. He played mostly 3B at Davis, but got a fair amount of time at SS with Chabot.

 

[dbmill]

How does the process of figuring out where you're going to play in the summer usually work? Are you recruited? Do you try out for teams? Does Penders or past coaches have connections?

Just wondering

I ran across a story from last summer on Troy Stefanski when he was playing summer ball in the Futures League. In this article he talks about how he ended up playing for the Martha's Vineyard Sharks:

Troy Stefanski feels like he’s cashed in on a free vacation prize

>>According to Stefanski, all UConn returning players are assigned to a summer league by coach Jim Penders.<<

>>“I’m one of the lucky ones,” Stefanski said. “I walked into coach Penders’ office last spring and he said, ‘How does playing in Martha’s Vineyard sound?’ I could have been assigned to any league, like the middle of nowhere in upstate New York.”<<

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

The Day doesn't cover too many Schooner games, but this one had more than enough UConn flavor from General Manager Dennis Long (a former Husky from my days at UConn) on down.

Schooners back for another summer with a new look

>>Ideally, the Schooners are looking for an athletic pitcher with a good arm and low mileage from his college season.

Karl Johnson, who earned the win in his first start as a Schooner on Wednesday, is a perfect example.

Coming off a redshirt year at UConn after transferring from Army, Johnson needs the work to shake off the rust. Johnson had an interesting outing, striking out seven in five innings but allowing eight hits and four runs — three earned — and walking two.

Two other Huskies contributed to the win. Chris Winkel had a single and scored a run while Conor Moriarty belted a solo home run and added a single.<<

 

[BigJim84]

I ran across a story from last summer on Troy Stefanski when he was playing summer ball in the Futures League. In this article he talks about how he ended up playing for the Martha's Vineyard Sharks:

Troy Stefanski feels like he’s cashed in on a free vacation prize

>>According to Stefanski, all UConn returning players are assigned to a summer league by coach Jim Penders.<<

>>“I’m one of the lucky ones,” Stefanski said. “I walked into coach Penders’ office last spring and he said, ‘How does playing in Martha’s Vineyard sound?’ I could have been assigned to any league, like the middle of nowhere in upstate New York.”<<

Toppa and Fedko are missing from the list, thought Fedko was going to play on the Cape, Toppa ?

 

[BaseballDog]

Toppa and Fedko are missing from the list, thought Fedko was going to play on the Cape, Toppa ?

I have to assume coming into the year Toppa had pro aspirations and did not have anything lined up. Still surprised not to see him pop up somewhere at this point in time.

 

[dbmill]

Toppa and Fedko are missing from the list, thought Fedko was going to play on the Cape, Toppa ?

And Joe Simeone was supposed to be in the Cape League. Sometimes things happen. It is always possible these players and others may pop up on a team later in the summer.

 

[huskymedic]

Mike Woodworth:

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

Kenny Bergmann is one of the players highlighted in UConn’s summer college baseball report above, currently hitting .341 with 3 doubles and a homer in 11 games. Granted, it is a very limited sample size, but Bergmann is finally having some success at the plate. Last summer, Bergmann did not hit well at all in the Valley Baseball League. The UConn coaching staff has said in past preseason interviews and such that they liked Bergmann’s bat, but it is hard to show off your hitting ability when you are rarely in the lineup. Bergmann is playing this summer for the Watertown Rapids of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, where he has been splitting playing time between catcher and designated hitter.

With Patrick Winkel, Paul Gozzo, Thad Phillips, Cole Brodnansky and Bergmann all on the UConn baseball roster, the catching position definitely looks overstocked. The coaching staff will need to cut several players before the start of the next spring season to get down to the 35 man roster limit, and it would seem that a cut or two could very well come from the catching spot (unless players can show they can play other positions). Before Bergmann’s bat emerging during summer ball, I would have thought he might be in danger of being a roster cut after fall ball. However, there is always a spot on a roster for someone who can hit and hit well. If Bergmann continues to hit like this during summer ball and into the fall, it could definitely complicate the decision making deciding on who will be on the roster next spring. Stay tuned for future developments

 

[dbmill]

Apparently Avery Santos was not the only player with UConn connections that played for the Port Angeles Lefties of the West Coast League this summer. I came across a newspaper article announcing several players coming to the team this summer, including the latest California JUCO transfer to UConn, David Langer.

MEET THE LEFTIES: Pair of duos coming from UC-Irvine, Tulane | Peninsula Daily News

>>IF David Langer, sophomore, UConn — 6-1, 205, from Berkeley, Calif. At Berkeley High School, Langer was a four-year letterman for the Berkeley Yellowjackets. He was a first team All-West Alameda County Conference selection and a second-team All-East Bay selection as a senior, hitting .441 with four home runs, eight doubles, three triples, and 29 RBI. He also slugged .823. He was first team all-league selection as a junior, hitting .375 with eight extra base hits and an all-league honorable mention selection as a sophomore. He was the first freshman to play varsity for the Yellowjackets in 10 years.<<

It appears that Langer played with Port Angeles through mid June. He is no longer listed on the Port Angeles roster.

 

[dbmill]

UConn's Winkel spending another summer in Mystic

 

[dbmill]

Patrick Winkel gets honored by the Futures League.

On Deck Sports Player and Pitcher of the Night 6/29

 

[BaseballDog]

Incoming freshman RHP Jake Sanderson was added to the Worcester Bravehearts (FCBL) roster

 

[huskymedic]

 

[dbmill]

The Worcester Bravehearts of the Futures League have added another incoming UConn freshman to their team. Will Lucas is listed as a RHP on the Bravehearts roster.

 

[BaseballDog]

The Worcester Bravehearts of the Futures League have added another incoming UConn freshman to their team. Will Lucas is listed as a RHP on the Bravehearts roster.

Looks like Paul Gozzo has been reassigned to the Worcester Bravehearts as well