Rocky Mount, N.C. - Some of the top players from around the southeast converged on NC Wesleyan’s Bauer Field on Sunday to begin their quest for another national championship. The Canes have some of the top-ranked teams across age groups throughout the entire country, a trio of South Carolina commitments, and a title to defend.
Four teams, two from the U16 age ground and two from the U17s, gathered for their first practice to get ready for a challenging summer schedule against some of the top teams in the southeast. The U16 team, which was led in part by current USC commitment Kyle Martin, brought home the national championship working its way through 191 other teams for the title.
This season, the Canes are getting respect on the national level. The U17 age group, which won the title last season, is second-ranked team in the country according to Perfect Game. The U16s, led by class of 2012 commitment Max Schrock, are fourth in the country.
With such lofty rankings, the Canes, led by general manager and head coach of the U17 South team Jeff Petty, will have the proverbial target on their back.
“With us being regional, not necessarily one state, I’m sure that helped us with rankings to see guys from multiple states,” Petty said. “I don’ think our guys are really talking about it. We don’t talk about it but it’s nice to be ranked high because those kids deserve it. People are going to be coming after you but it means we’ll get other teams best arms and we’ll get some good games.”
There are several regional tournaments in the month of June. The teams will spend their weekends in either Virginia or the Carolinas before converging on Marietta, Ga. like the rest of the top teams in the country.
The U16 team will play in the World Wood Bat Association tournament, the most highly thought of summer tournament, from July 13-19. The U17s will be in Marietta at the Cobb Complex and surrounding high schools from July 6-12.
“You’re going to draw good teams in your pool always,” Petty said. “You’re playing the best guys in the country. It’s the one time you walk into an area as a college coach or a pro scout and the best players in the country are there. It takes a lot to get through it. You get to the playoffs and there’s not an easy game. With the schedule leading up to it, the tournaments leading up to it, the tournaments were going to play in will get us ready for it.”
Class of 2011 commitment Cameron Capell will play in the outfield and perhaps catch a bit for the U17 team. He finished the high school season hitting over .500 with 15 homeruns batting leadoff for his Kerr-Vance Academy team.
“He swung the bat with a lot of power for us last year,” Petty said. “Early on, a lot of people were like, ‘Who is this kid?’ and it carried into Georgia. He can really swing the bat and that’s his best attribute.”
Martin had a tournament to remember last year in the Wood Bats. The left-handed pitcher and power-hitting first baseman was uncommitted at the time and saw his stock skyrocket in the summer. He later committed to the Gamecocks in the fall.
“When we won the World Wood Bat last summer, he carried us at times,” Petty said. “When we needed a big hit and he was up with runners in scoring position, you think back and you wonder if the guy ever got out ever when we needed him to get a hit.”
Capell and Martin are both rising high school seniors but will be joined on the U17 team by class of 2012 targets Curt Britt and Landon Lassiter. Britt said in a recent interview with TheBigSpur.com that he has a top two of South Carolina and North Carolina. Lassiter has claimed the Gamecocks as his leader as far back as early February .
The duo will likely spend two straight weeks in Georgia playing both for the U17 and the U16 teams. When they play with their age group, the duo will join up with Schrock, who was unable to attend Sunday’s practice due to a legion conflict. He was productive in his legion doubleheader going 3-4 with a pair of singles, a walk, and a homerun. He also scored on a straight steal of home.
“He is one of the best left-handed hitters in his class around,” Petty said of USC’s only current 2012 commit. “Not just in the state of North Carolina but anywhere. He can really swing the bat.”
USC fans will have to wait awhile before the likes of Capell, Martin, or Schrock will pull on a Carolina uniform but the time for class of 2010 signee Erik Payne to arrive to campus is almost here. The corner infielder and corner outfield prospect had orientation in Columbia on Monday and is set to enroll this fall.
“I can’t say enough about him,” Petty said. “He just hits. He’s a utility guy. I don’t know how it will all shake out when he gets to campus but I think in the fall he’ll compete. He’ll swing the bat; he can run, throw, play second base, play third, or play the corner outfield positions.”
Payne’s versatility could prove to help him find his way on the field sooner rather than later. He has worked with a speed coach to also improve his chances of early playing time.
“He’s really worked at his speed,” Petty said. “A lot of guys don’t put time on their speed like he has. He wanted to get a couple steps faster so when he gets to school, he could do more than just a couple of things.”
Columbia native and AC Flora High School catcher David Houser is playing his first year with the Canes this summer. The class of 2012 standout is the No. 50 prospect in the country for his class.
