Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Article By: Kaileigh Grieb

It’s that time again this Cape Cod Baseball season. That time being the commencement of the 2023 All-Star Game this upcoming Saturday. Coaches from across the League met to discuss which players should be selected to represent the East and West Divisions at Whitehouse Field in Harwich.

The East Division has a very formidable lineup set to face the All-Stars from the West.
Starting off in mid-Cape, the Yarmouth-Dennis have a strong set of arms ready to represent the Red Sox in this year's All- Star Game.

First and foremost, a name that's been whispered about throughout the summer season is Hunter “Homer” Hines. The first baseman and designated hitter from Mississippi State has a .269 batting average and has accumulated a league-leading nine home runs so far this season for the Red Sox, also making him a strong contender for the Home Run Hitting Contest. It’s no secret that Hines was going to be a selection for the East Division’s roster.

Another starter that will be seen on Whitehouse Field this coming Saturday is Vanderbilt’s RJ Austin. Austin will be seen locking down left field, as he is batting .340 on the season. Between the pair of Red Sox in the starting lineup, there is a total of 41 RBI (7 for Austin and 34 for Hines). Aside from Hines and Austin, the YD Red Sox have a few other powerful contenders ready to do some damage during the All-Stars. Infielder Brady Day (Kansas State), outfielder Enzo Apodaca (Gonzaga), as well as pitchers Leighton Finley (Georgia) and Landon Beidelschies (Ohio State) will help represent the East and help keep the West on their toes.

In just the next town over, the Brewster Whitecaps have quite a few players in this starting lineup.

James Tibbs will provide power to the East Division this coming All-Star Game. Tibbs will be starting in right field. Carrying a .297 average through 111 at bats, alongside six home runs and 22 RBI’s, he will be seen as a powerhouse at the plate. Tibbs will also be appearing in the Home Run Hitting Contest. Playing alongside his Vanderbilt counterpart, shortstop Davis Diaz has accumulated a batting average of .274 and 9 RBI’s and has been a strong hitter this season for the Whitecaps. This Vandy duo is expected to do quite a bit of damage on the diamond this upcoming Saturday. Alongside Diaz in the starting lineup will be center fielder Will Turner (Southern Alabama). Turner, who has had 82 at bats this season with a batting average of .256. Both Diaz and Turner have seen shining defensively all season leading many to expect nothing but the best from this defensive duo. Ike Irish is also a force to be reckoned with this summer season for the Brewster Whitecaps. The catcher out of Auburn carries an average of .290 through 69 at bats, leading him to be the starting designated hitter for the East.

Also representing Brewster and starting on the mound for the East will be Joey DeChiaro. The left handed pitcher out of Old Dominion has a 3.52 ERA and has 18 strikeouts under his belt this CCBL season. A force to be reckoned with on the mound, the reliever is projected to set the bar high for the East. In the reserves for Brewster will be catcher Brock Tibbits (Indiana) and right handed pitcher Patrick Forbes (Louisville). Forbes is a two-way player who has dominated the mound this year while showing flashes of pop at the plate. Tibbits is seen as a contact first player who excels putting balls in play and can also play catcher and first base.

Meanwhile, Harwich not only has a home field advantage working in their favor, but they also have quite the All-Star starting behind home plate with catcher Bryan Arendt. The catcher from UNC-Wilmington has made 65 at-bats this summer, forming a .246 batting average. Having performed well under the pressure of the game, Arendt is the best possible option for this starting lineup. In the reserves is a lineup of guys who know exactly how to bring the pressure to the game. Harwich welcomed in infielder Mason Guerra (Oregon State) and utility players Ali Camarillo (Texas A&M) and Devin Obee (Duke). Harwich will also have a decent set of arms on the mound, them being Tom Chmielewski (Princeton) and Aiden Moza (Alabama).

Continuing down the Cape, the Orleans Firebirds have two starters whose names have seemingly been on repeat all summer long. Second baseman Jo Oyama (California Irvine) and third baseman Jack Penney (Notre Dame) will be starting this weekend for the Firebirds.

Oyama has a whopping .351 ERA batting average and has 9 RBI.. Seen as a sort of spitfire on the bases, this infielder will be seen giving the West a run for their money. Penney has equally impressive stats with an average of .280 through 96 at bats recorded this summer with the Firebirds. The pair have dominated the field and will be a hard duo to slide past in the All-Star Game. On reserve for Orleans will be utility player Matt Halbach (UC-San Diego) followed by not one but three pitchers. Those pitchers were Sean Matson (Harvard), Derek Clark (Northwood), and Jonathan Gonzalez (Stetson).

To wrap up the division preview, the Chatham Anglers have a small but powerful roster stepping up to the plate. Although no starters were submitted this season, the Chatham trio is still a force to be reckoned with, with that trio being infielder Kaeden Kent (Texas A&M), outfielder Nolan Schubart (Oklahoma State), and pitcher Aiden Jimenez (Oregon State).

Both the All-Star starters and those in the reserves in both divisions carry much talent with them as well as pressure to perform well and help represent the best of the best this upcoming Saturday.

Purchase your tickets for the 2023 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star here and be at Whitehouse Field tomorrow!

Tickets cost $10 and will be also available for purchase at the gate with cash.