Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Kayla Gregoire

The CCBL throughout the years has produced many high-profile MLB Draft picks and that is no different this year. Many Cape League alumni have been slated to go high in the draft.
Here’s a look at some players that played on the Cape that are projected to go in the first round of the draft tonight.

Brooks Lee (Cal Poly/Yarmouth-Dennis ’21)

A shortstop for the YD Red Sox in 2021, Brooks Lee has a lot of eyes on him heading into the draft. Known to be one of the best hitters in the draft, Lee will not be on the board for very long. Lee left the Cape League with a .405 batting average, along with his six home runs. Included in those hits was a day where he went 5-for-5 at the plate against Harwich. To top it all off, Lee slashed a .357/.462/.664 to end his college season. With all he has accomplished, it is no surprise that Lee walked away from college with multiple honors, including Baseball America Preseason All-American.

Cam Collier (Chipola JC/Cotuit ’22)

The 17-year-old third baseman has accomplished a lot at such a young age. Collier’s age does not define him, standing at 6 '2”, 210-pounds. Collier played a single season with Chipola and became one of their top hitters. He slashed a .333/.419/.537, with a .956 OPS. Collier played a total of nine games on the Cape and totaled a .217 batting average. Likely a top five draft pick, Collier will be an entertaining player to watch at the next level.

Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech/Chatham ’21)

Known as one of college baseball’s most productive hitters, Parada was a Golden Spikes Award finalist. In his season, the catcher impressed many with a .360/.453/.715 slash line. Parada could have taken an early trip to professional baseball by being chosen in the 2020 MLB Draft, but chose to improve at Georgia Tech. In nine games Parada had a .665 OPS with Chatham in 2021. He is the number one catching prospect in the draft, with offense being his main focus.

Gavin Cross (Virginia Tech/Brewster ’21)

Cross has continued to impress MLB scouts with his three solid seasons at Virginia Tech. As a freshman, he was named a Freshman All-American despite having a shortened season due to COVID-19. In 2022, the outfielder slashed .345/.415/.621 with 11 home runs and a 1.035 OPS. Cross has improved in his three college seasons, having better discipline at the plate and being fast around the bases.

Jace Jung (Texas Tech/Orleans ’21)

A most likely top-15 pick, the second baseman has a lot of potential heading into the draft. Jung shows a lot of discipline at the plate, on top of the hard contact he makes. He slashed .339/.474/.684 in his collegiate career. Jung can hit the ball anywhere in the ballpark while not swinging and missing at a pitch. Jung already has a professional baseball connection as his brother, Josh Jung, was selected eighth overall by the Texas Rangers in 2019.

Zach Neto (Campbell/Brewster ’21)

Eligible in the 2019 draft, the shortstop went unselected due to his size, but now has a shot at getting chosen high in 2022. With Brewster in 16 games, Neto slashed an impressive .305/.439/.587. Known for making solid contact and power, the shortstop has a lot of offensive upside to him. In his sophomore season at Campbell, Neto walked twice as many times as he struck out, showing the discipline has at the plate.

Dylan Beavers (California/Cotuit ’21)

The outfielder has had some comparisons to Christian Yelich when he is performing at his best. An MLB mock draft has him slated to go in the top-20. During his 2022 season, Beavers slashed .291/.426/.634 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI. Throughout his college career, he has taken home many honors, including two All Pac-12 First Team Honors and being named to the Baseball America’s 2022 College Preseason All-American Second Team.

Chase DeLauter (James Madison/Orleans ’21)

Likely to go late in the first round, the outfielder has a lot of upside to his. Standing at 6’4” and 230 pounds, DeLauter has a lot of power. He also has an impressive slash line for collegiate career at .402/.502/.715. With his time on the Cape, DeLauter hit for a .298 batting average with a .986 OPS, proving he is able to hit with a wooden bat. He’s also known to have strong plate discipline and is smart on the bases.

Jordan Beck (Tennessee/Harwich ’21)

The power hitting outfielder has impressed with his college season. With a slash line of .296/.382/.583 with 17 home runs and 58 RBI in 2022, Beck will be able to contribute to any lineup. Defensively, Beck has also been very solid in right field for Tennessee. Despite his size, Beck is still known to be fast along the bases and in the outfield.