This past offseason, after missing the playoffs for the first time this decade, the Brewster Whitecaps had more time than usual on their hands to build a championship-level team for 2025.

Last year’s formula simply didn’t work. There wasn’t enough energy or skill to keep the Whitecaps consistently in the win column, and their league-worst 13 victories proved it. If Brewster wanted to avoid slipping into a multi-year playoff drought, things needed to change from top to bottom. The one thing that didn’t? Bringing in players from schools in the Sunshine State.

By the end of last season, the ‘Caps’ roster possessed seven players hailing from Florida-based colleges, and they were everywhere. Infield, outfield, behind the plate, on the mound, you name it. Wherever on the field there was a crack in Brewster’s lineup during a game, there was always at least one Floridian available to come in and plug it.

“I don’t know necessarily,” Shevchik said when asked if players from Florida stick out to him most when building his roster. “I mean, they come from really good programs and winning programs, for sure. We want to get guys who know how to win.”

This season, most of Brewster’s talent from the state has come in the form of its position players. From clutch tag outs at home plate to game-winning homers, here are the six who have led the charge for the Whitecaps in 2025:

OF Blake Cyr — Florida

A true Floridian in every sense of the word, Cyr burst onto the scene in Brewster following three collegiate seasons split between Miami and Florida, just hours away from his hometown of Windermere.

Amid Brewster’s unprecedented 6-0 start to the season, Cyr’s fingerprints were all over it. In just his first game with the team back in early June at Falmouth, his late two-run homer proved to be the difference — lifting the ‘Caps from a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 edge. From there, Cyr continued to be mainstay within Brewster’s offense, logging at least a knock in all but three of the 11 games he played.

When Cyr wasn’t putting the ball in play, he served as a reliable left-field presence who could use his rocket of an arm to gun down even the fastest baserunners. Since his departure back on June 29th, the Whitecaps have still yet to find a true replacement in the outfield.

Cyr’s best game was at Hyannis on June 25th. Despite a dominant all-around offensive performance from Brewster that day that saw it rack up 13 combined hits, Cyr still set the pace for his teammates. His three hits, three runs and two RBIs led all players that day en route to a 6-1 road win.

Cyr finished his stint with the ‘Caps holding a scintillating .308 batting average, logging 12 hits, 5 RBIs, and a home run.

INF Brendan Lawson — Florida

There was plenty of hype around Brendan Lawson among the Brewster faithful when he first joined the lineup on July 1st. Coming off a stellar freshman campaign that saw him post a .317 average and finish with the second-most RBIs on the team (61), Shevchik knew who he was getting. Fast forward to today, and Lawson has more than lived up to expectations.

Similar to his Gators teammate Cyr, it took only a few innings for Lawson to adapt to the pitcher-dominated style of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In his first outing at Orleans, Lawson helped guide the ‘Caps to a one-sided 8-2 victory that saw him slide across home plate for three runs and record three hits in his debut — including a solo moonshot. But that was only the beginning.

Over the next couple weeks, Lawson carved himself a spot in the CCBL All-Star Game. His trio of homers, .357 average and 1.272 OPS through eight games at the time — statistics most Cape players only dream of posting — all but locked him into a spot on the East Division’s lineup.

Still boasting a plus-.300 average, Lawson is now up to four home runs and his 16 hits are currently the most among Brewster players with 19 games or less under their belt.

While Lawson isn’t the most outspoken player in the Whitecaps’ dugout, he lets his bat do the talking. His presence has not only brought another dynamite hitter for Brewster to lean on when it needs a spark, but also a dynamic addition to an already stacked infield. As Brewster’s roster continues to undergo changes down the stretch, Lawson has shown he has what it takes to energize his team with a swing of the bat.

C/DH Alex Sosa — Miami

When the Whitecaps added a third catcher in Alex Sosa to their roster back in mid-June, it raised some questions. Why have three? In any league, especially the CCBL, having three catchers often makes it difficult to give each one a healthy amount of reps. And in summer ball, on-field experience is paramount. That’s why from the moment he arrived in the Whitecaps’ dugout, Sosa was forced to compete with fellow catchers Carson Tinney (Texas) and Drew Rogers (Georgia Tech).

In his first appearance behind the plate on June 17th, Sosa already started to solidify his roster spot. Amid Brewster’s 4-3 win over Bourne, his two hits, game-high two RBIs and timely pick off throw in the third inning gave Brewster just enough of a lift to sneak past the Braves and keep their undefeated streak alive to open the campaign.

The performance was all Shevchik needed to keep Sosa in the lineup moving forward, whether that be behind the dish or on it as a designated hitter. His 20 hits and 15 RBIs each led Brewster’s catching corps by his final game, and his success even resulted in Rogers being forced to take his talents to the Wareham Gatemen in search of more playing time. On July 22nd, Sosa finished his 25-game tenure with the Whitecaps in the best way possible, launching his second homer over the fences at Eldridge Park to quiet the home crowd.

Although he spent the first half of his time in Brewster as member of the NC State Wolfpack before transferring, Sosa left the Cape as someone Miami fans should be excited to watch next season.

INF Daniel Cuvet — Miami

Last season with Brewster, Daniel Cuvet was a focal point of its offense. A key contributor since Day One, Cuvet always seemed to find a way to give the Whitecaps a momentum-shifting play whenever they needed it most. Through 28 appearances, his 20 RBIs ranked second on the team that year, and he finished as just one of three Whitecaps to crush six or more homers.

Following last season’s playoff miss, Brewster took note of how well Cuvet thrived amid the chaos and made it one of their offseason goals to bring him back for another tour. Although he knew going in his stint would be much shorter this time around, Cuvet happily accepted.

Retaining his spot in the infield, Cuvet’s role in 2025 was mostly felt through clutch hits that set the table for runs later on. Through just 10 games in 2025, Cuvet logged 11 knocks — four of them doubles — and trotted home for seven runs.

While his second summer with the Whitecaps wasn’t nearly as impactful as his first, Cuvet still left his mark during his limited time on the Cape this season. Currently slotted in the ‘Caps' protected list, there may be a chance Brewster fans haven’t seen the last of the Miami star.

INF Cal Fisher — Florida State

There’s consistency, and then there’s Cal Fisher.

At times overshadowed by louder bats like Lawson and Sosa, Fisher has quietly been one of Brewster’s most reliable hitters since he arrived in the Whitecaps’ dugout in late June.

In the wake of Brewster’s ugly 19-3 defeat on the road to Cotuit, Fisher’s steadiness in the batter’s box helped the Whitecaps regain stability. Over the next five games following the blowout, the Whitecaps won each of them thanks to Fisher’s compiled five hits and five RBIs during the span. Fisher is also one of two Whitecaps players this season with multiple three-RBI games. Currently 19 contests into his stint as a Whitecap, Fisher’s logged a hit in all but four of them. His 15 knocks, 14 RBIs and two home runs each rank top five on the team.

When the Whitecaps released skilled shortstop Manny Marin (Tennessee) early in July, one of the biggest questions they faced moving forward was ‘Do we have a true shortstop?’ Thus far, Fisher has emphatically put that question to rest.

“He came in ready to play, and I think between him and Carson Kerce, we don’t need to go find a shortstop,” Shevchik said after Brewster’s victory over Orleans on July 1st. “I think we’re going to settle with the two guys we have (because) those guys can handle that position at a high level.”

OF Brody DeLamielleure — Florida State

Although he’s played just 18 innings so far for the Whitecaps, Brody DeLamielleure has already made quite a splash.

In his first game on Tuesday against Orleans, DeLamielleure started off slow but eventually broke through for his first Cape League home run. Less than 48 hours later, he again gave the ‘Caps a jolt by logging their first hit of the day via a double into deep right field in a 9-3 loss to the Red Sox. He's even made some slick one-handed catches along the warning track to help his squad escape otherwise forgettable innings.

“I’ve just tried not to do too much,” DeLamielleure said when asked what’s been the key to his strong start. “It’s just baseball. Don’t make it any bigger than it is and enjoy it out here.”

For the past month, Cyr’s absence has left a noticeable hole in left field that Brewster’s coaching staff has yet to fill. While it remains to be seen whether DeLamielleure has what it takes to replicate Cyr’s excellence, he’s off to a pretty good start.

Title photos credit: Casey Bayne & Kayla McCullough