Brewster Whitecaps
After narrowly missing out on the 2024 playoffs, the Brewster Whitecaps aim to return to their winning ways this summer. Jamie Shevchik returns for his 10th season as manager, in search of a third Cape League championship. The Whitecaps won titles under his leadership in 2017 and 2021 but fell to the Bourne Braves in the 2022 championship series. With a strong roster lined up, Brewster is positioned for a promising 2025 season.
A few familiar faces return to Stony Brook Field this year. Arkansas catcher and 2024 Cape League MVP candidate Ryder Helfrick is back after leading the league in home runs (11) and RBIs (37) last season. Miami’s power-hitting third baseman Daniel Cuvet returns as well, and could be the top power bat on the Cape. Vanderbilt right-handed pitcher Luke Guth rejoins the staff, while Wake Forest lefty Haiden Leffew swaps a Harwich Mariners uniform for a Whitecaps one.
Keep an eye on shortstop Brendan Lawson this summer. He’s coming off a standout freshman campaign at Florida, showing real promise at the plate for the Gators. Lawson will make his Cape League debut with the Whitecaps. Another addition from Wake Forest, pitcher Duncan Marsten, also joins the squad after emerging from California as the third-highest ranked high school pitcher in the state.
In January, it was announced that Whitecaps alum Billy Wagner had been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame—becoming the seventh Cape League alum and the first pitcher from the league to reach Cooperstown.
Fans can also look forward to the unveiling of a new team mascot this season: “Cappy” will be joining the squad on its quest for another championship. The foundation is set for another exciting season of Whitecaps baseball.
Chatham Anglers
The mystique of Veterans Field, home of the Chatham Anglers, will be accompanied by a new manager in 2025. Former Anglers pitching coach Dennis Cook steps in as manager and will look to build on a second-place finish in the East Division in 2024. The Anglers return an All-Star and welcome new talent from some familiar programs.
Ashton Larson, a 2024 Cape League All-Star, returns to Chatham and will continue to create havoc on the basepaths and drive in runs. The LSU outfielder will be joined by fellow returnee Will Gasparino from Texas. Gasparino brings a powerful bat and is expected to contribute in the heart of the order. UNC shortstop Gavin Gallaher also returns to the Cape, suiting up for Chatham after spending 2024 with Yarmouth-Dennis.
Chase Fralick, a catcher from Auburn, is set to join the Anglers this summer. He follows in the footsteps of Ike Irish, another Auburn catcher who played for Chatham last season and was moved to the outfield to make room for Fralick following a standout freshman campaign. Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese, expected to have one of the top hit tools in the East Division, will make his Cape League debut in 2025. Another Tiger, outfielder Cade Belyeu, will take the field at Veterans this summer. Belyeu made national headlines earlier this NCAA season as an inspiration for his success at the plate, honoring his mother after her passing.
A Massachusetts Coast Guard flyover is scheduled for Saturday, July 12, at Veterans Field, when the Anglers take on the Orleans Firebirds at 7:00 p.m. The week prior, the team will host a fireworks show after an away game against Brewster on July 2. With the season in sight, Chatham is ready to continue its storied history under the lights of Veterans Field.
Harwich Mariners
The reigning Cape League champions return to defend their title this summer, following an unprecedented run to the championship after finishing third in the East Division with a 16–24 record. The Mariners defeated the Bourne Braves in three games to claim the title—their third under longtime manager Steve Englert. Englert is back at Whitehouse Field in 2025 for his 22nd season at the helm.
Several members of Harwich’s championship squad will return to Whitehouse Field this summer. Three right-handed pitchers—Blake Morningstar (Wake Forest), Olin Johnson (UNC Chapel Hill), and Danny Macchiarola (Holy Cross)—are back in Harwich. Duke catcher Macon Winslow also returns, along with Seton Hall outfielder Aiden Robbins. Outfielder Bristol Carter, now at Auburn after transferring from ECU, is back as well. Shortstop Jake Ogden, who transferred from UNC Greensboro to Miami, also rejoins the Mariners.
Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell, the highest-selected MLB draft pick to not sign last year, joins Harwich in pursuit of back-to-back Cape League championships. Two Virginia Cavaliers—shortstop Eric Becker and catcher Aidan Teel—add to the roster. Becker was one of Virginia’s top hitters and led in RBIs, while Teel’s older brother, Kyle, played for Harwich in 2022 and is now a top prospect in the Chicago White Sox organization. Left-handed pitcher Jake McCoy from South Carolina adds a high-velocity arm with strikeout potential.
The Mariners will open their season at home with a championship rematch against the Bourne Braves at 5:30 p.m. on June 14, and will honor their 2024 title before the game. Later in the season, they’ll host First Responders Night on July 11 and Bark in the Park on July 27.
As the defending champions, the Mariners will have a target on their backs this summer, but are ready for the challenge with a roster featuring returning and new, exciting talent.
Orleans Firebirds
On the final day of the 2024 regular season, the Orleans Firebirds clinched the last playoff spot in the East Division. They went on to lose 1–0 in a tightly contested game against Y-D, but are optimistic about the 2025 season. Manager Kelly Nicholson will be back for his 20th season as manager, Orleans’ longest tenured manager in the modern era. Eldredge Park, the site of Orleans baseball for more than 100 years, will be packed on a nightly basis once again.
Orleans gets one of the top collegiate power bats in Roch Cholowsky back for a second season, following a stellar year at UCLA. Southpaw Miles Gosztola also returns to Eldredge Park; he’ll look to replicate his dominant performance from the previous summer, when he posted a 1.59 ERA in 22.2 innings pitched. The Firebirds will also welcome back two right-handed pitchers from Vanderbilt—Brennen Seiber and Alex Kranzler.
One new Firebird to keep an eye on is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Alejandro Garza. Garza, nicknamed “The Peanut,” primarily plays third base and is an on-base machine at the plate. He consistently records OBPs over .400 and has one of the lowest strikeout rates in the NCAA.
Also worth noting, Orleans will feature two Lukes this summer, both sons of former MLB players. Luke Nixon, son of Trot, and Luke Pettitte, son of Andy, will suit up for the Firebirds.
The annual tradition of the Orleans and Chatham July 3-4 series continues this year, with the Firebirds hosting the Anglers at 6:30 p.m on July 4. With a strong returning core and exciting new faces, Orleans is poised to make noise in the Cape League once again.
Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox
The Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox finished with a Cape League-best 24-14-2 record in 2024, despite falling to the Harwich Mariners two games to one in the East Division Championship Series. Scott Pickler, the longest-tenured and winningest manager in league history, returns for his 27th season—having become the first manager to achieve 600 career wins last summer. Pickler and the Red Sox will look to capture their first Cape League championship since 2016.
Two UCLA Bruins are back at Red Wilson Field in 2025: shortstop Phoenix Call and right-handed pitcher Justin Lee will suit up for Y-D once again. Lee had four outings with at least five strikeouts out of the bullpen in 2024, while Call led the league in games played, appearing in all 40 regular-season matchups. LSU outfielder Jake Brown also returns after posting an impressive .833 OPS last summer.
Highly touted Vanderbilt freshman Brodie Johnston heads to Red Wilson Field this summer. Johnston, the former No. 1 overall high school prospect in Tennessee, plays both left-side infield positions and brings a productive bat to the Red Sox lineup. Chris Hacopian, a Maryland shortstop, is another name to watch—he has established himself over the last two seasons as one of the top hitters in the Big Ten. USC outfielder Brayden Dowd, who offers plus tools at the plate and on the basepaths, will also join Y-D this summer.
William Keefe, a member of the 1960 Cape League champion Y-D team, will throw out the first pitch for the Red Sox home opener against the Orleans Firebirds on Sunday, June 15 at 5:00 p.m.
Adding to an exciting summer in Yarmouth, Red Wilson Field will host the 2025 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game. The showcase of the league’s top talent will be on Saturday, July 19 and includes the annual Home Run Contest before the start of the game. The All-Star Game is always one of the crown jewels of the Cape League season, and with the Red Sox hosting at Red Wilson Field, it promises to be one to remember.
Featured image by Aidan Conrad
