The Hamptons is a breeding ground for big leaguers, as 19 Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League alumni were taken in the 2014 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, held June 5 to 7.
Taken highest was Mac James, formerly of the 2013 Shelter Island Bucks, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 6th Round.
Also taken by the Rays was Water Mill’s Chris Pike, a 2010 Southampton High School graduate and former player for HCBL’s Southampton Breakers. The pitcher was taken in the 9th round.
Additional HCBL alumni taken this year are:
Kody Kerski, North Fork ’11, Seattle Mariners in the 8th round
JB Cole, Southampton ’12, Milwaukee Brewers in the 8th round
Ben Brewster, Sag Harbor ’11, Chicago White Sox in the 15th round
Steve Ascher, North Fork ’12, Tampa Bay Rays in the 17th round
James Lomangino, Weshampton ’10, Colorado Rockies in the 18th round
Alec Sole, Riverhead ’12, Tampa Bay Rays in the 18th round
Jordan Parris, Riverhead ’12, Colorado Rockies in the 20th round
Jim Duff, Sag Harbor ’12, New York Mets in the 20th round
Patrick Peterson, Southampton ’12, Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round
Tyler Badamo, Center Moriches ’12, New York Mets in the 24th round
Brandon Thomas, Center Moriches ’12, Kansas City Royals in the 24th round
Taylor Black, Westhampton ’11, Colorado Rockies in the 26th round
David Speer, Southampton ’11, Cleveland Indians in the 27th round
Brant Whiting, Southampton ’11 and ’12, Los Angeles Dodgers in the 30th round
Justin Hepner, North Fork ’12, Miami Marlins in the 36th round
Eric Peterson, Southampton ’12, Houston Astros in the 37th round
JJ Franco, Sag Harbor ’11, ’12 and ’13, Atlanta Braves in the 38th round
MLB’s newly minted rookies need only to look to Sag Harbor native son Kyle McGowin for inspiration on moving up in the farm system. McGowin was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last year, and he was recently promoted to the team’s Double-A affiliate in Arkansas. The pitcher was named the Angels’ most valuable farm player during the month of April.
The Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League kicked off the 2014 season last week.
