Six Braves named to Cape League All-Star Game roster

WEST YARMOUTH, Mass. — Six members from the Bourne Braves were selected for the 2024 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game, presented by Milton CAT.

Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest), Marek Houston (Wake Forest), Braden Holcomb (Vanderbilt), Chris Stanfield (LSU), Joe Ariola (Wake Forest) and Justin West (Louisville) will represent the Braves during the midsummer festivities on Saturday, July 27, at Guv Fuller Field — the home of the Falmouth Commodores.

“[I’m] very proud,” field manager Scott Landers said. “They’ve done a good job up to this point. Hopefully, it continues but I’m very proud of what they’ve accomplished throughout the summer up to this point.”

The trio of Conrad (OF), Houston (SS) and Holcomb (DH) were named as starters for the 28-man West team.

In 18 games, Conrad has slashed .371/.423/.486 while adding two homers, two doubles, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. The Marist product currently sits second in the league in average and stolen bases while ranking ninth in OBP and OPS (.909) among qualified players.

Though Houston missed time while playing for Team USA, he’s made the most of his 16 games in a Braves uniform. He’s hitting .358 and getting on base at a .507 clip. The infielder has also walked (16) more than he’s struck out (15). In eight contests during his second stint this summer with the Braves, Houston has been his old self, going 10-for-28 (.357) with five walks and two RBI.

Holcomb has been a bit of a Swiss Army knife for field manager Scott Landers this summer, playing five different positions in 26 games. At the plate, he’s been a model of consistency, hitting .319 — the second-highest on the team among qualified hitters — while driving in 12 and scoring 11 runs.

Stanfield earned Cape League Player of the Week honors for July 6-11, rebounding from a slow start to the season. He’s belted two home runs, drove in 13, scored 16 runs and swiped 14 bases while patrolling center field for the Braves. He is tied for fourth on the Cape in stolen bases.

Working both as a starter and out of the bullpen, Ariola has appeared in six games (two starts), striking out 18 in 14 innings pitched and earning a save. The left-hander has a 2-0 record with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP.

He saved his best outing of the summer for his second start of the season on July 12 against Hyannis. In 5.0 scoreless innings, Ariola was only responsible for three baserunners and fanned seven Harbor Hawks.

West (0-1) also has appeared in six games, all out of the bullpen. He has a 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11 2/3 innings to go with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. His 20 strikeouts are the most for a current Brave this season.