Easiest thing to do is Google something like "Collegiate summer baseball leagues"...you'll get a whole list that way.
Kentucky Baseball 2022
- Thread starter Comebakatz3
- Start date
So quick scan through the Cape Cod league and UK only had 2 players on any roster.
Cam Hill and Ryan Ritter.
Hill, now going to Stetson played in 5 games and hit .375
Ritter has played in 13 and is hitting .242.
No one else that I saw was in the Cape.
I know in some years UKAthletics publishes a list. So, I looked at years past and found these:
2018 had 25 players and JUCO/transfer signees playing summer baseball.
Wildcats in 2018 Summer Leagues
A look at where all of the Cats are playing summer ball
ukathletics.com
2020 had 15 total playing in the summer, and that despite Cape Cod league not even playing at all:
Wildcats Shine on Summer Baseball Stage
Fifteen players were able to play across the country despite pandemic
ukathletics.com
2019 had at least 10, but it seems to focus more on who did well and not everyone:
Kentucky Baseball Shines on Summer League Circuit
Four Wildcats earn all-league honors, six named all-stars with strong performances
ukathletics.com
Like you said, there is a whole lost of reasons that players might sit out during the summer. It is hard on bodies to play all year, so it is understandable that some are sitting out. UK is also losing a lot of players, so that factors in.
I have seen UKBaseball twitter mention:
Estep (Kenosha Kingfish)
McCarthy (Kalamazoo Growlers)
Ritter (Cotuit Ketleers)
Rubalcaba (Waynesboro Generals)
Liebert (Kenosha Kingfish)
Burkes (Kalamazoo Growlers)
Plastiak (Frederick Keys)
Hudepohl (Waynesboro Generals)
I think the only kind of strange part of this to me is how few UK pitchers are participating in summer leagues. It is there where we return the most depth, so I kind of thought I'd see more, but I also understand the reasons we might not.
I think one team can have up to 4. I think. I could be wrong on that. Originally, my understanding was that Anu, Hill, Ritter and Rhodes were going to be on one team and had contracts to play their summer in the Cape.
I think the coaches at one point wanted to try to get Plastiak on there, but it didn't work out for some reason. I know that Anu and Hill were told very late... like after the season, that they would have to be enrolled in graduate school to play in the Cape. Neither knew this and neither were enrolled. Hill has since gotten enrolled in graduate school at Stetson, which is why he's now there. Hill also played some in another league before joining the Cape. He took Rhodes' spot on the roster. Not sure what is up with Anu. Maybe he just didn't want to enroll in grad school or decided to rest for the summer, or work or something. Not sure.
So, what started out in November as 4 UK players looking to play in the Cape ended up being just Ritter (and Rhodes prior to him leaving to get drafted). Ritter has been played a lot of 2nd in the Cape.
Not usually. Sometimes they'll take a flyer really late like Will Taylor the HS kid from SC who was like the #20 prospect. Take him in the 19th round and hope something crazy happens with Clemson and he doesn't go somehow. 19th round that could be worth it to waste a pick. But 14th round they are calling guys well ahead of time making offers to see if they'll sign when the pick gets to them. If they say "No" they aren't gonna waste the pick. They'll move on to someone who said yes instead.
I dont think Darren Williams and Tyler Bosma transferred in to pitch out of the pen. #1 guy and #2 guy behind the #9 overall pick. Pretty sure they didn't come to step back. So, seems like a pretty crowded weekend. Cotto barely saw the field last year at SC. He may have transferred in just for the strong possibility of slotting in somewhere as a high leverage reliever as just a sophomore. I think Stupp and Lee could potentially be in for a surprise role change this year. They were ok last year, but realistically probably were forced into duty a year or 2 early. I think the weekend could be some combination of Hagenow, Williams, and Bosma. Either way... seems like all of a sudden there could be a pretty nice healthy competition for weekend innings!
First thing I want to point out this morning is that the UK baseball stats on the UK website now have numbers for those who have left the program rather than their names. Not sure if that is something they will change later, but for now... just their numbers. Looks really tacky.
I agree that we will have a log jam of pitchers, especially those that have starting backgrounds or project to be starters, next year.
Not sure that we can necessarily pencil in anyone as I am not sure any of them have proven that they can be fully relied on to pitch on SEC weekends.
Just noticed that it's only for this past season (2020-2021) and not prior. What was wrong with it before?
Can you say mad?
Maybe the timing on when you looked at the roster? I pulled it up and the 21-22 roster shows the 22 returnees with their upcoming classification. And then has a 2021 roster that still shows all the names.
Last year’s roster had 44 guys. Right at 50% coming back, and that’s barring any other departures. Granted, likely will be a little smaller roster with the extra year guys counting towards the 11.7 unlike last season (think with known transfers and recruits there’s a projected 42). Isn’t the actual season roster set at 35 then usually a few more listed that are in the program?
Last year’s roster had 44 guys. Right at 50% coming back, and that’s barring any other departures. Granted, likely will be a little smaller roster with the extra year guys counting towards the 11.7 unlike last season (think with known transfers and recruits there’s a projected 42). Isn’t the actual season roster set at 35 then usually a few more listed that are in the program?
I imagine it is temporary in some way as they may be updating who will be here for 2022 as opposed to who left. Still, it isn't a great look at the moment that all the players that left (whether graduated or transferred or anything) are only represented by a number and not a name.
Pretty interesting that they already put up the 22 roster. That is probably why the numbers only on the 21 stats. So, I don't think it was malicious or anything, but I think it is tacky looking.
Anyway... notable things about the roster:
Braxton Cottongame - Had heard he left the team. He is not on the roster for 22 so that must be true.
Tripp Lockhart - Heard he would enter the portal. Don't think that happened, but he is not on this roster.
Anyway... notable things about the roster:
Braxton Cottongame - Had heard he left the team. He is not on the roster for 22 so that must be true.
Tripp Lockhart - Heard he would enter the portal. Don't think that happened, but he is not on this roster.
It's not on the roster page, it's on the stats page for the 20-21 season
I have to guess that the two pages talk to one another in a way and that is why the stats are different... because the roster update.
I noticed South Carolina did the same thing when I was trying to look up the guy who is transferring in.
It is a bit different. USC purged Cotto from their 2021 roster, but he is still listed in their stats.
One could certainly argue that USC's is actually worse.
Looks like Mason Hazelwood is coming back - if it hasn’t already been reported. Had TJ surgery in March so hoping he can be back for the ‘22 season.
Another good article from Derek
Is it just me or has the news around the baseball program improved a bit in the last few weeks?
Pitching looks to be in at least as good of shape as this year with Stupp, hazelwood, harney, harper and others all coming back.
Not sure where the hits come from...but maybe next year won't be a total shit show?
Pitching looks to be in at least as good of shape as this year with Stupp, hazelwood, harney, harper and others all coming back.
Not sure where the hits come from...but maybe next year won't be a total shit show?
I'd guess Cotto, Thrasher, Jump and I'm guessing Bosma.
Unfortunately, I’m not a subscriber and can’t read it either. I saw it and thought, even without knowing who the four are and where they rank in the top 50, it was worth sharing. Thought of it a present, waiting to be unwrapped. Didn’t think about it as being a present that couldn’t be unwrapped. Unless someone else can help us out, I guess all we can do is enjoy the wrapping and dream about the contents of the package.
13. Hunter Jump, OF, Arizona State to Kentucky
2021: .289/.372/.412, 204 AB, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 0 SB
After three seasons at Arizona State, plus a one-year stopover at the junior college level between his first and second seasons in Tempe, Jump will finish his collegiate career at Kentucky, where he will step into a Wildcats outfield that has some holes to fill. Jump hit .316/.386/.450 in his three seasons with ASU, but the 2021 campaign was his first as a regular. He responded by becoming a key piece of a very good Sun Devils lineup and finishing second on the team in doubles with 17.
26. John Thrasher, OF, Hartford to Kentucky
2021: .369/.470/.680, 122 AB, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 37 SB
You never know how well a player from a small conference will adjust to playing in a major conference, much less the best conference of all in the SEC, but Thrasher has the numbers and the varied skill set to suggest that he’ll be able to carve out a regular role at Kentucky next season. The America East player of the year last season, Thrasher set career highs across the board, including a .369 batting average when he hadn’t hit better than .274 in any of his other three seasons at Hartford. With 37 stolen bases in 36 games last season, Thrasher’s best asset is likely his base stealing ability, but he does a lot of things well and that should give him a shot at earning playing time at Kentucky.
36. Tyler Bosma, LHP, Miami (OH) to Kentucky
2021: 2-4, 3.95 ERA, 57 IP, 37 BB, 72 K, .259 AVG
After putting up 5.54 and 6.59 ERAs at Miami in his first two seasons, Bosma really turned a corner in 2021 with a 3.95 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 57 innings across 15 appearances, 14 of which were starts. A lefthander with good stuff, Bosma’s fastball averaged just a tick under 90 mph last season and touched as high as 96. His most effective secondary pitch in 2021 was a changeup that induced a 42% whiff rate. This summer in the MLB Draft League, Bosma also recorded curveballs with a nearly 3,000 rpm spin rate. Although he’s shown the ability to start, with that kind of stuff, at minimum, Bosma is an interesting option in a relief role.
42. Darren Williams, RHP, Eastern Kentucky to Kentucky
2021: 3-8, 4.10 ERA, 83.1 IP, 30 BB, 92 K, .238 AVG
A big body at 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, Williams has been a versatile pitcher for EKU the last four years. He had his best season as a reliever in 2019, when he put up a 3.40 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 39.2 innings. His transition to the rotation went well in 2021, as he proved to be the Colonels’ most effective starter. His fastball averaged 89 mph last season, but it sits in the low 90s early in starts, and that was a step up from where his velocity was in 2019, when his fastball would just touch 90. At a bare minimum, Williams will make for an experienced option who can hold a number of roles for Kentucky in 2022.
Watched the Cotuit game today and Ritter is still there but they said Hill had left. Also Harmon is at the Cape on Orleans.
How are these transfers getting to the cape but UK isn’t getting their guys up there?
Last edited:
Seems like pitching is looking pretty solid for sure... but might not be as solid if there aren't people who can play behind them. Where does the money come from? The transfers in aren't coming for free and the guys coming back were on some kind of money for sure. I dont know if there is anything left to go after any hitters??
Thanks for the Baseball America information.
Yea, heard it was less than the $20k for free agency.
I’m planning on going to some games this fall. I hope you guys can join me.
Similar threads
