Columbus, Ohio – The 2023 Capital University baseball season is in the books…and the 2024 season is about to begin. The key to any season is preparation, and the Comets' preparation begins with summer baseball and the hard work it entails for its players and their development.
With NCAA III baseball allowing only 40 games to be scheduled during the regular season, and weather playing a significant role in that schedule, it is imperative players continue their development during the summer. In addition to the repetitions players will receive, the extraordinary level of play, their exposure to other collegiate players and coaches from throughout the country is paramount in their development.
Since head coach
Scott Manahan took over the program in 2021, summer baseball has been a cornerstone in the Comets 'rebuild and reboot' effort. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of summer baseball leagues, however, Manahan and his staff have gone to great lengths to assure their players are placed in the most competitive, controlled and complete collegiate summer leagues possible.
Manahan doesn't pull any punches, the second-year head coach said, "If you want to be the best, you have to play the best. We play in the OAC, arguably the toughest Division III conference in the nation. We've got some projectable players…guys with a great deal of talent, potential, however, until they mix it up with 'the big boys,' they will never know where they stand in the baseball food chain. They will learn very quickly what it takes to be the best, and hopefully upon return to campus this fall, they will work to that end."
Last year's summer in Major League Baseball (MLB) supported leagues, Comets players went toe-to-toe with players from the ACC, Big 12, PAC-12, SEC, etc…and they did well. This summer, things will be no different. It is hard work; however, opportunities and exposure of this nature are priceless in a player's development.
In the case of the MLB supported Cape Cod, New England, West Coast and Valley…one out of 4-6 players will be selected in the MLB draft each year. To-date, 17 current Comet players will be playing summer baseball, with 13 of them playing in MLB supported leagues*.
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Curtis Clark, Danbury (CT) Westerners (New England Collegiate Baseball League*)
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Ryne McKinney and
Garrett Montgomery, Yakima (WA) Pippins (West Coast League*)
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Trevor Woodyard, (VA) Cavaliers (Valley Baseball League*)
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Ty Clifton,
Casey Wilkins,
Noah Bromberg and
Arnulfo Gonzalez, Courtland (NY) Crush (New York Collegiate Baseball League*)
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Hunter Wilson,
Kielan LaMarr and
Tristan Burns, Licking County (OH) Settlers (Great Lakes Collegiate Baseball League*)
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Adam Frump and
Ben Hatfield will report to the Cincinnati (OH) Steam (Great Lakes Collegiate Baseball League*)
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Robby Harrison and
Ethan Pollack, Bismarck (ND) Larks (Northwood's League)
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Connor Feeney and
Ryan Brophy, Western Reserve Collegiate League (OH).
Most of the Comets will begin their summer seasons the first week of June with the season typically ending the last week of July or first week of August. For the most part, all games are streamed and with some leagues, broadcasted on ESPN+.
