Wareham has two position-player selections and two pitchers in next Saturday’s East vs. West All-Star Game. The Gatemen’s individual star performers get an opportunity to show out among the rest of the Cape League’s best.
The All-Star Game offers selected players a premium opportunity to be scouted by MLB scouts with all 10 franchises’ top players in Harwich. Wareham has 11 players eligible for this weekend’s 2026 MLB Draft, but players sometimes decide to return to college for another spring and try their luck the following draft season.
Not only does Wareham receive exposure with a plethora of star names headed to Whitehouse Field, its key players stay warm before the final stretch of the CCBL season. The Gatemen play just 12 games after the break in a stretch that often determines playoff seeding.
“Happy for our guys. It's an honor to be out here, and an honor on top of it to be selected in the All-Star game,” Gatemen manager Ryan Smyth said. “Just means they did really well while they were out here and were competing at a high level.”
OF RJ Hamilton, Duke:
The West Division receives their on-base machine with Hamilton, Wareham’s leader in steals (7) who also has a .328 on-base percentage. He causes chaos by forcing repeated pick-off attempts that can throw off a pitcher’s rhythm and eventually advances into scoring position. Hamilton also leads the Gatemen with 11 runs scored and is a likely wave from third base with any ball that hits the outfield.
Hamilton’s speed and strong bat-to-ball skills has consistently given him spots in the leadoff position and at the top-half of the Gatemen’s lineup card. After a team-high 63-hit spring, he has sprayed the ball to all fields around Cape Cod.
“Hamilton's a spark plug for us. He gets on base, steals bases, puts himself in scoring position. (He) makes the guys behind him their job a little bit easier of just put the ball in play, and ultimately should have a run,” Smyth said. “He's got to continue to find his way on base to be productive in what he does, and if he can sprinkle in a long ball like he has recently that's even an added bonus.”
1B Levi Clark, Tennessee:
Clark is showing his Cape League veteran status: he leads Wareham with 16 hits on the summer and has tallied a base knock in the Gatemen’s last six games. He has played in the outfield, at first base, and behind the dish so far this summer, and his defensive flexibility only adds to his value as a future MLB Draft prospect. Clark’s batting average has risen to .258 with his hot-streak to begin the month of July.
Clark had a solid first summer with the Gatemen, but has grown over a strong sophomore year with the Volunteers. He improved in hits (47) and RBIs (44) with an overall stronger approach at the plate.
“I think there's just comfort with the league. Kind of understanding and knowing how the league works, taking care of the body and making sure the arm's good which is really hard for first-time guys out here that don't understand,” Smyth said. “Playing basically 40 games straight with very little days off, what that wear and tear does, I think that's something that he's done really, really well with this year.”
RHP Ethan Baiotto, Tennessee:
Baiotto owns the eighth-lowest ERA in the Cape League (1.15) and is one of nine Gatemen with double-digit strikeouts. He has only allowed one earned run so far this summer and has recently transitioned to a full-time starter role with rotation departures earlier this month. After facing Cotuit in his first start of 2026, Baiotto next starts on Sunday in Bourne as Wareham aims to keep pace in the West Division.
He doesn’t let runners on一only two walks on the season一and repeatedly produces efficient innings to keep his pitch count low and let Wareham’s bats get back to work.
“We were confident in him (Baiotto) coming in. We know he's a guy that fills up the zone, and has a really good sinker that he's been able to command and on off-speed pitches to kind of go with it,” Smyth said. “The biggest thing with him is he just fills it up: here's my stuff, go hit it if you can. And with that mentality, he's had a lot of success out here.”
RHP Mark Brissey, Arkansas
One of two Razorbacks on Wareham’s staff, Brissey held a top-tier Whitecaps lineup to just one score in his lone start of season. Similar to Baiotto, his role has fluctuated from reliever to starter and will continue to be an asset as Wareham faces roster departures and off-day changes. Brissey’s 16 K’s rank fourth on the Gatemen and he has improved in efficiency with runners on over six appearances this summer.
He only made one start this past spring, but Brissey’s strong appearances both in relief and as the opener will create more opportunities in 2027: he will be one of the returners on an Arkansas staff which recorded the fourth-lowest ERA in the SEC.
“I think they (Brissey and Baiotto) put themselves in a position to warrant probably more innings when they go back to school. And they've just had a lot of success. They've been confident and you know, pitching really well, and it’s exciting to see with two young guys,” Smyth said. “Hopefully we have the chance to maybe even get them back next summer and see the growth and development after another year of school.”
While he wasn’t named to the West Division roster, Coen Niclai was one of six hitters named for the Home Run Contest. He is tied for the most homers (4) in the Cape League after a moonshot at Veterans Field on Thursday.
Niclai recently committed to Oregon State in the transfer portal and leads the Gatemen 14 RBIs, eight more than any other Wareham batter.
“There was no doubt about that (Niclai’s selection). Four homers, probably missed one or two more by a few feet,” Smyth said. “He's been absolutely smashing the baseball, so it's going to be fun to see him let him eat in a BP setting, which normally he doesn't do in BP. Kind of has his routine, so it's going to be interesting and really exciting to see him turn a couple loose.”
Four of the East Division’s five franchises (Yarmouth-Dennis, Brewster, Harwich, Chatham) have reached the double-digit wins mark. The West Division only has two with Bourne and Hyannis. But while the highly-competitive East may present as heavy favorites, boosted again with the Red Sox’s impressive 19-2-1 record, the West boasts many of sluggers to make it an interesting challenge.
“The West would obviously, based off of this year so far, would be the underdog in this game,” Smyth said. “We're (The West Division) playing at an East Coast field (Harwich, Whitehouse Field), and that would be my thing that I would say that the West has invented. We're the underdog coming into town and looking to win a ball game.”
The CCBL’s best square off in Harwich on July 18, just seven days from now. Tickets can be purchased through the Cape League’s website.
