VIDEO: It’s Official: 14 Cape Leaguers Taken in MLB 1st Round

CAPE COD – It’s almost become par for the course.

The prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League shined forth once again yesterday as Major League Baseball completed its first round in the 2015 First Year Player Draft and no less than 14 current or former Cape Leaguers were selected as the best among the very best.

UCLA's James Kaprielian, who pitched for the Y-D Red Sox, was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the MLB Draft.  Don Liebig Photo/UCLA Athletics

UCLA’s James Kaprielian, who pitched for the Y-D Red Sox, was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the MLB Draft. Don Liebig Photo/UCLA Athletics

The Cape League has sent well over 1,000 players to Major League Baseball over the past 130 years.

As far as collegiate players go, the simple fact when the dust settled was that the Cape League’s representatives in the first round are the best. In addition to the 14 Cape Leaguers picked for the big money signing bonuses, no less than 17 high school players were drafted in addition to a handful from Team USA.

Here’s a look at the Cape Leaguers selected in the first round in order of selection:

Major League Baseball – 1st Round

6. Tyler Jay (LHP), University of Illinois – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, 2014. Selected by the Minnesota Twins as the Cape Leaguer to go highest in the draft.

7. Andrew Benitendi (OF), Arkansas – Falmouth Commodores, 2015. Selected by the Boston Red Sox and is heading to Omaha, Nebraska to play with the Razorbacks in the College World Series after belting 18 home runs this season with 54 RBI.

9. Ian Happ (OF), Cincinnati – Harwich Mariners, 2013 and 2014. Selected by the Chicago Cubs and was a two-time Cape League All-Star and named to last year’s All-Cape League postseason team, amongst other accolades.

16. James Kaprelian (RHP), UCLA – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, 2013. Selected by the New York Yankees and was selected to pitch in the 2013 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game. Named a top prospect by the league and Baseball America and throws between 92-94 MPH.

18. Phil Bickford (RHP), Southern Nevada – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, 2014. Selected by the San Francisco Giants and was named the Cape League’s top prospect last season and the 2014 Perfect Game Summer Player of the Year, routinely hitting the radar guns behind the backstop between 93-97 MPH. Drafted last year with the 10th pick by the Toronto Blue Jays, Bickford spurned roughly a $2.9 million signing bonus and instead went back to school at Cal State-Fullerton. After becoming the Y-D Red Sox closer last summer, Bickford announced he was transferring to Southern Nevada and leaving Fullerton’s prestigious baseball Titans.

19. Kevin Newman (SS), Arizona – Falmouth Commodores, 2013-2014. Selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates, Newman was the first player in Cape Cod Baseball League history (that’s really saying something, by the way) to take back-to-back Batting titles with an impressive .390 clip last summer. His accolades are endless.

20. Richie Martin (SS), Florida – Bourne Braves, 2014. Selected by the Oakland A’s, Martin hit a whopping .364 last summer for the West Division champion Braves and was a Cape League All-Star.

24. Walker Buehler (RHP), Vanderbilt – Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox , 2014. The Co-Most Valuable Player of the Cape League playoffs, Buehler was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Boston College's Chris Shaw led the Cape League in home runs last summer and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants yesterday. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

Boston College’s Chris Shaw led the Cape League in home runs last summer and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants yesterday.
Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

26. Taylor Ward (C), Fresno State – Orleans Firebirds, 2014. Selected by the Los Angeles Angels. Also played for Team USA.

29. Jon Harris (RHP), Missouri State – Harwich Mariners, 2014. Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays.

30. Kyle Holder (SS), University of San Deigo – Cotuit Kettleers, 2014. Selected by the New York Yankees.

31. Chris Shaw (1B), Boston College – Chatham Anglers, 2014. Selected by the San Francisco Giants and led the Cape League in home runs last summer. He was also the first BC Eagle named to the All-ACC team last year.

34. Christin Stewart (Infielder), Tennessee – Orleans Firebirds, 2014. Selected by the Detroit Tigers.

35. Kyle Funkhouser (RHP), Louisville – Chatham Anglers, 2013. Selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm. Youtube.com Video of Phil Bickford/Y-D Red Sox by Rob Zeida.

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