Having watched and announced over 30 Ripken League games this summer, I have compiled this list of the 60 most impressive players in the league. The criteria combines both performance and raw ability.
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| Bubba Derby was the best pitcher in the league start to finish. |
2. C Ian Rice (Baltimore Redbirds - Chipola)
3. 1B / LHP Sean Keselica (Baltimore Redbirds - Virginia Tech)
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| Sean Keselica proved to be a top-notch 2-way player for the Redbirds. The Virginia Tech Hokie batted .314 with 29 extra-base hits and posted a 1.94 ERA on the mound, where many believe his pro future lies. |
4. SS Will Kengor (Rockville Express - Slippery Rock)
5. 3B KJ Hockaday (Youse's Orioles - Maryland)
6. LHP Ronnie Glenn (Alexandria Aces - UPenn)
7. OF Collin Shaw (Gaithersburg Giants - Texas)
8. LHP Brandon Hinkle (Baltimore Redbirds - Delaware)
9. RHP Tyler Badamo (So. Maryland Nationals - Dowling)
10. 2B / RHP Josh Ingham (Gaithersburg Giants - Central Connecticut State)
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| Josh Ingham led the Gaithersburg Giants into the postseason in the team's first season in the league. Ingham batted .405 in the second half and posted 15 shutout innings as the team's closer. |
12. LHP Tayler Stiles (Silver Spring/Takoma Park T-Bolts - Maryland)
13. 1B Brandon Grove (Gaithersburg Giants - CCBC Catonsville)
14. RHP Tyler Fries (Alexandria Aces - Wilmington)
15. LHP Nate Abel (Vienna River Dogs - Virginia)
16. LHP Michael Taylor (Youse's Orioles - Marshall)
17. RHP John Austin-Shepard (So. Maryland Nationals - Tusculum)
18. 3B Jake Taylor (Silver Spring/Takoma Park T-Bolts - Montgomery College)
19. OF Cody Acker (Silver Spring/Takoma Park T-Bolts - VCU)
20. SS Rhyne Willard (Bethesda Big Train - Tallahassee CC)
21. LHP Zach Morris (Bethesda Big Train - Maryland)
22. RHP Jerrod Leinhauser (Herndon Braves - Florida Tech)
23. RHP Michael Austin (Presttman Cardinals - Bethune-Cookman)
24. CF Chris Kashangaki (Gaithersburg Giants - Coppin State)
25. RHP Kyle Colgain (Gaithersburg Giants - Denison)
26. RHP Justin Hepner (Bethesda Big Train - San Diego State)
27. OF/1B Shaun Wood (Vienna River Dogs - West Virginia)
28. RHP Danny Mooney (Bethesda Big Train - Davidson)
29. RHP Tanner Love (Herndon Braves - George Mason)
30. LHP Kit Scheetz (Bethesda Big Train - Virginia Tech)
31. OF Greg Olenski (DC Grays - Delaware)
32. SS Kevin Baron (Gaithersburg Giants - LaSalle)
33. 3B Tom Woodruff (Herndon Braves - Virginia)
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| Terps utility man LaMonte Wade finished top-5 in the CRCBL in OPS as one of the youngest players in the league. |
34. 1B/OF LaMonte Wade (Baltimore Redbirds - Maryland)
35. LHP Michael Boyle (Bethesda Big Train - Radford)
36. RHP Connor Hibbs (Gaithersburg Giants - Delaware)37. RHP Nick Stephens (Herndon Braves - Lehigh)
38. LHP Joseph Vanderplas (Vienna River Dogs - UMBC)
39. RHP Brock Larson (Bethesda Big Train - San Francisco)
40. INF Ryan Mincher (Alexandria Aces - UPenn)
41. OF Jordon Glover (Presstman Cardinals - Harford CC)
42. 1B Ryan Ripken (Youse's Orioles - Indian River State)
43. 3B Ty France (Bethesda Big Train - San Diego State)
44. RHP Ryan Meisinger (So. Maryland Nationals - Radford)
45. LHP Joshua Baker (Rockville Express - Jacksonville)
46. SS Sergio Leon (Youse's Orioles - Marshall)
47. INF Ryan Metzler (So. Maryland Nationals - SC Aiken)
48. RHP Jack Fischer (Baltimore Redbirds - Wake Forest)
49. SS Will Young (Herndon Braves - Georgia Tech)
50. LHP Henry Sisson (DC Grays - North Carolina)
51. RHP Brandon Casas (Baltimore Redbirds - Maryland)
52. LHP Michael Byrne (Rockville Express - Cornell)
53. RHP Brian O'Neill (Alexandria Aces - Washington & Jefferson)
54. RHP Joe Patton (Gaithersburg Giants - Towson)
55. LHP Colin Milon (Alexandria Aces - George Washington)
56. LHP Ryan Deckert (Vienna River Dogs - Tallahassee CC)
57. CF David Del Grande (Bethesda Big Train - Sacramento State)
58. RHP Bryan McHale (So. Maryland Nationals - Immaculatta)
59. LHP Matt Denny (Baltimore Redbirds - Ole Miss)
60. OF Jay Knight (Gaithersburg Giants - Mount St. Mary's)
The Big Train and Redbirds again put out the most widespread talent, while the Giants and Aces rolled out surprisingly loaded rosters in 2013 as well.
While the Ripken League is a second tier summer league at best, I'd bet on at least 15 of these players getting signed or drafted within the next 2-3 years.
We'll round things off with some superlatives:
MVP: C Ian Rice (Baltimore Redbirds - Chipola)
Nominees: Jack Fischer, LaMonte Wade, RJ Dennard
Cy Young: RHP Bubba Derby (Bethesda Big Train - San Diego State)
Nominees: Michael Taylor, Robin Mowatt, Danny Mooney
Best Average Hitter: 3B KJ Hockaday (Youse's Orioles - Maryland)
Nominees: Will Kengor, Ryan Metzler, Ryan Mincher, Josh Ingham
Best Power Hitter: C Ian Rice (Baltimore Redbirds - Chipola)
Nominees: Nick Collins, Brandon Grove, Jordan Taylor, Greg Olenski
Best "Pitcher": RHP Robin Mowatt (Gaithersburg Giants - Catholic)
Nominees: Colin Milon, Jesse Frawley, Michael Boyle, Nick Stephens
Best Fastball: RHP Bubba Derby (Bethesda Big Train - San Diego State)
Nominees: Brandon Hinkle, Danny Mooney, Josh Baker
Best Changeup: Tyler Badamo (So. Maryland Nationals - Dowling)
Nominees: Michael Taylor, Michael Boyle, Nick Stephens
Best Curveball: LHP Ronnie Glenn (Alexandria Aces - UPenn)
Nominees: Brandon Hinkle, Kyle Colgain, Bryan McHale
Best Slider: RHP Nick Riley (Gaithersburg Giants - Mount St. Mary's)
Best Power Slider: RHP Denis Mikush (Vienna River Dogs - UMBC)
Nominees: Michael Austin, Sean Keselica
Most Undervalued Hitter: C RJ Dennard (Baltimore Redbirds - Armstrong Atlantic State)
Nominees: Aaron Scoville, Ryan Mincher, Nick Collins
Most Undervalued Pitcher: RHP Tyler Badamo (So. Maryland Nationals - Dowling)
Nominees: Denis Mikush, John Austin-Shepard, Nate Abel, Connor Hibbs
Most Speed: CF Chris Kashangaki (Gaithersburg Giants - Coppin State)
Nominees: Collin Shaw, Brandon Angus, Jay Knight, Mike Alexander
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| Chris Kashangaki's speed made him the league leader in stolen bases and possibly the CRCBL's best defensive outfielder. |
Gold Gloves:
C: Cody Walker (DC Grays - Mississippi State)
1B: Judson Sherrill (DC Grays - Alabama Huntsville)
2B: Pat Fitzgerald (Baltimore Redbirds - Towson)
SS: Kevin Baron (Gaithersburg Giants - LaSalle)
3B: Bobby Rice (Vienna River Dogs - Tallahassee CC)
OF: Collin Shaw (Gaithersburg Giants - Texas)
OF: Chris Kashangaki (Gaithersburg Giants - Coppin State)
OF: Cody Acker (Silver Spring/Takoma Park T-Bolts - VCU)
Honorable Mention: INF Kevin LaChance (Rockville Express - UMBC), OF Alex Pastorius (Baltimore Redbirds - Coll. of Charleston), C Ian Rice (Baltimore Redbirds - Chipola)
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