A Look At Some Top Players In The Coastal Plain League in 2022
A Look At Some Top Players In The Coastal Plain League in 2022
Take a look at 10 of the top players from the 2022 Coastal Plain League season.
The 26th season of the revived Coastal Plain League is in the books.
The league has undergone various facelifts since its original formation in 1937. It was reestablished in 1997 as a summer league for top college players around the country and continues to showcase the talents of many players trying to capture the attention of professional baseball scouts.
Again this season, many players improved their stock value, as evidenced by the 38 current and former alumni who were selected in this year's Major League Baseball amateur draft.
While statistics don't tell the full story of a player's value to his team, they are a great indicator in determining their individual accomplishments each season.
Here's a look at 10 of the top players from the 2022 CPL season.
Hitters
Ben Watson: Morehead City Marlins
Watson, a redshirt freshman from Elizabethtown College is the CPL batting champion for 2022. He set a league record with a .427 batting average to go along with a .500 on-base percentage and .541 slugging percentage. His batting average broke the previous mark of .423 set by Jimmy Gallagher of the Peninsula Pilots in 2006.
Watson also had five homers, 30 RBIs, nine doubles, a triple and 31 runs scored. He was named CPL Hitter of the Week on both the first and final weeks of the season. He led the Marlins to the East Division title and the Divisional Series, where they were upset by the Wilson Tobs.
Brock Vradenburg: Lexington County Blowfish
This season's RBI crown goes to Vradenburg, who drove in 48 for the Blowfish. The Michigan State first baseman had a night to remember July 26, going 4-for-4 and driving in three runs in a 12-3 rout of the High Point-Thomasville HiToms.
He was named CPL Player of the Week in Week eight, batting .500, while smashing three homers, 19 RBIs, nine runs scored and 14 hits over seven games. His 48 RBI is a new Blowfish record.
Eli Weisner: High Point-Thomasville HiToms
The utility player from UNC-Charlotte finished second in the CPL in batting average (.348), fourth in homers (10), and fourth in RBIs (34).
In the second game of a June 21 doubleheader against Forest City, Weisner went 3-for-3 with an RBI, triple and three runs scored. He also had a homer and two RBI in an 8-6 victory over the Tri-City Chili Peppers July 15.
Armando Becerra: Savannah Bananas
The outfielder from Erskine College was a key contributor to the Bananas repeating as CPL Petitt Cup champions. Becerra batted .308 with 23 RBI, five doubles, two triples and 27 runs scored in 42 games.
But his play in the outfield was perhaps even more valuable. Becerra made several spectacular catches in centerfield during the regular season and playoffs, including these two gems from June 7.
AGAIN, SOMEONE GET HIM A GOLD GLOVE.
— Savannah Bananas (@TheSavBananas) June 8, 2022
Becerra with another incredible catch in center field!! pic.twitter.com/hXq719Rpr8
Becerra's bat heated up in the postseason. He had five RBI in the two-game Championship Series against the Tobs, helping Savannah score 19 combined to win the title.
Matt Schark: Wilson Tobs
The Tobs led the CPL as a team with 53 home runs, and Schark was one of the reasons. The first baseman hammered 12 during the regular season, but his biggest came in the postseason.
Schark belted a two-run dinger in game three of the Petitt Cup Divisional Series against Morehead City, clearing the way for a 6-1 victory and a berth in the Championship Series against the defending champion Savannah Bananas. He also finished fifth in the league with 33 RBI.
Pitchers
Jared Donalson: Savannah Bananas
The Georgia Southwestern All-American was the ace of a Bananas pitching staff that led the league in team ERA (2.82) and fewest walks allowed (151). He also picked up the victory for the West in the CPL All-Star Game, surrendering an unearned run in two innings of hitless ball with two strikeouts.
Donalson saved one of his best outings for the final game of the season. He pitched seven scoreless innings in the championship-clinching victory over Wilson, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out six. He was tied for the league lead in victories with six, second in ERA (2.46) and in the top 10 in strikeouts (46).
Matt Little: High Point-Thomasville HiToms
The junior lefthander from UNC Charlotte finished tied among a host of other pitchers with five wins, ranked in the top 10 in strikeouts (45) and ERA (.417).
Little earned CPL Pitcher of the Week honors in Week 6, tossing a 2-0 complete-game shutout July 8 against the Forest City Owls. He pitched six innings of no-hit baseball, walking one and striking out seven. He finished the week with a 0.17 WHIP and a K/9 of 10.500.
Carson Dorsey: Savannah Bananas
Before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB draft, the freshman from Gulf Coast State College posted a 4-0 record, 1.61 ERA, 32 strikeouts and 20 consecutive scoreless innings.
Dorsey, who rebounded after his first start in which he allowed four runs in 2.1 innings, was one of eight Bananas voted to represent the team in the CPL All-Star Game.
Dalton Pence: Forest City Owls
The Owls finished 22-25, good for fourth place in the West. But one of their bright spots was Pence, who joined the team trying to come back from an injury this past spring with the University of North Carolina.
The redshirt freshman didn't disappoint, finishing the season with five wins and was first in the league with a 0.88 ERA. He held opponents to a .171 batting average and posted a 3.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Leo Giannoni: Holly Springs Salamanders
In the next-to-last week of the season, the Columbus State hurler made two appearances for the Salamanders, struck out eight of the 10 batters he faced and didn't allow a walk, giving him Pitcher of the Week recognition. Giannoni finished the 2022 season with four wins and 50 strikeouts.
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