Several players from BYU's baseball team are beginning to start in summer baseball leagues throughout the country now the Cougar season has concluded.
Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year Paul Jacinto will be playing in the New England Colligate Baseball League (NECBL) for the defending champs Newport Gulls in Rhode Island. Along with Paul playing for the Gulls in Newport Beach are senior pitcher Michel Bergeron, and sophomore outfielder Ryan Chambers. The NECBL begins play June 6 with an extensive 42-game schedule. The league has teams based in Connecticut Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The NECBL will be playing in its ninth season and is considered one of the best summer baseball leagues in the country.
Ken Gravley, who was a starting pitcher this past year for the Cougars as a freshman and who was second team All-MWC, will be playing in the California Coastal Collegiate League along with senior third-baseman Blair Lucas and graduated catcher Mike Weingarten.
Seniors Kevin Bills and Tim Law are playing in the Jayhawk Baseball League where they are both currently playing in the state of Missouri in the town of Nevada. Sophomore Clayton Carson will be playing in Honolulu for the Island Movers where he will be playing a 30-game schedule in Hawai`i and Japan. Sophomore pitcher Tyler Heid will also be playing summer baseball in the Arizona Collegiate Baseball League.
"Summer baseball is essential, especially for our program here at BYU if we want to continue to improve as a ball club. By getting more live at-bats and pitching in live situation helps our players come back better in the fall and ready to go," BYU Assistant Coach Ryan Roberts said.
Summer baseball gives the players not only the opportunity to get better but to be able to showcase their talents in front of major league scouts. Summer baseball gives pitchers more inning and hitters more at-bats using wood instead aluminum bats. Throwing a bullpen and hitting batting practice from a machine or off a tee is not enough.
Every baseball player wants to improve skills and summer baseball accomplishes that and increases chances of playing at the next level. Many of the summer baseball leagues are so competitive their rosters begin filling up in the fall. General managers of the summer teams recruit, and college coaches' recommendations are suggested to be able to play in the leagues.
Several Cougars like Ranger Wiens and Brock Jacobsen are considering their options following the baseball draft.
"It's a great opportunity for more experience, exposure and a chance to mature as a player," said Wiens, who is hoping to play in the Cape Cod League.
"This is a great way to spend a summer playing the game you love," said Jacobsen, who may sign as a free agent or return to the Cougars for his senior year.
Graduated seniors Doug Jackson and Tyler Dabo are looking for free-agent contracts and team tryouts.
Utah has a baseball league called the Utah Amateur Baseball Association (UABA), and is becoming very competitive and draws players from BYU, Utah, Dixie State College, Utah Valley State College, Salt Lake City College, and high school students who will be playing college baseball.
Last year's BYU players who have played in summer leagues and are now playing professional baseball are Matt Carson, Cameron Coughlan, Dave Jensen and Kainoa Obrey. Obrey was the only player drafted from BYU's team, being selected in the 13th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. He will play for the New Jersey Cardinals in the minor league system.