HYANNIS, Mass. — Less than a week after wrapping up his collegiate season in Corvallis, Oregon, Florida State first baseman Myles Bailey made his Cape Cod Baseball League debut on Opening Day for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks. This past spring, the Tallahassee native made a name for himself as one of college baseball’s most prolific power hitters during his freshman campaign at FSU.

Coming off a season where Bailey posted an impressive .327/.441/.663/1.104 slash line, he knew there was no better way to close out 2025 than with a summer on Cape Cod.

“I heard from a lot of the guys at Florida State that it’s really cool, that a bunch of different guys come together from all over the country to play,” Bailey said. “I knew this would be a really cool experience.”

One of the biggest appeals for Bailey was the chance to test himself against some of the nation’s top talent. He explained how he's facing elite college pitchers every night, and making the trip north to meet and hit against them was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

Bailey noted that the interest between him and the Harbor Hawks was mutual from the beginning.

“I’d heard from the guys before me that [Hyannis] was thinking, ‘Oh, we’re going to try and get him,’” he said. “They put in a good word for me.”

On his end, Hyannis was always the ideal landing spot. When asked if anyone pushed him toward the Harbor Hawks, Bailey was quick to respond, “That’s exactly what they said.” From that moment, he was a Harbor Hawk.

His FSU teammate, Jaxson West, who played for Hyannis last summer, played a key role in sending Bailey to the Cape this year. West told him, “Alright, Hyannis is the best spot—and it’s got the best food.”

As Bailey mentioned, the Cape League offers a golden opportunity to face top-tier pitching—facilitating a major developmental step in his career.

“I definitely got more comfortable, and then figured out some other technical things along the way,” Bailey said. “I wanted to maximize my opportunities and figure out what I needed to do to perform at the top of my game—both in the Cape League and back at FSU.”

One surprising, but important, difference between college baseball and the Cape League? Preparation. Bailey explained, “We have to get there two to three hours before the game and do it on our own.” He’s referring to field maintenance, something players must handle themselves before hitting in the cages or taking BP on the Cape.

Clips of Bailey crushing home runs—most notably a 468-foot, 118-mph rocket during the ACC tournament—had gone viral on social media in May. On Tuesday, June 17, Bailey launched his first Cape League homer into the Chatham fog.

He hit it so hard, he admitted he didn’t even see where it landed.

“Honestly, no. I have no idea,” Bailey laughed when asked if he knew how far it went.

Hyannis manager Mitch Karraker called Bailey a “special talent.” He added, “His freshman campaign was pretty unbelievable. To get a kid like that is really exciting as a coach.”

Karraker says half the battle is simply letting Bailey be himself and do what made him successful at FSU. “He’s still young. He’s still growing and maturing while wanting to get better.”

Though Bailey showcases massive power at the plate, his manager and teammates describe him as quiet and reserved off the field.

“He’s been phenomenal since the day he got here,” Karraker said. “He’s a little quiet, but really fun to work with.”

While Bailey’s swing is already impressive, the coaching staff’s goal is always to help players return to school better than when they arrived. “I don’t want to just be here, write the lineup, and then go home. I want to develop a relationship with these guys,” Karraker said. Part of that relationship is understanding each player’s developmental needs.

“Every single day, he gets better at understanding the strike zone, knowing which pitches to swing at, and improving his timing. Myself and the other coaches have just been a resource if he needs us, but he’s done a great job working himself into a good place.”

For now, Bailey continues living his dream, chasing the goal of reaching the Major Leagues. “That’s what you dream of as a kid, to go play at that level,” he said. “I don’t just want to play there—I want to be someone people say, ‘Oh, you’re my favorite player.’ I want to be someone they watch and look up to.”

As many legends have said, the Cape League is the best stop to find yourself while on the road to professional baseball. Entering his sophomore season, Bailey is on a superstar trajectory—and may just be the latest future great to call the Cape home.

(Featured image by Molly Sheehan)