Wareham has developed a strong track record of position-player talent. From current major leaguers like Kyle Schwarber and Jarren Duran to recent draft picks who have turned into top prospects such as Brendan Summerhill and Murf Gray, Spillane Field has certainly been at the top of scouts’ travel schedules.
The 2025 Gatemen were the Cape Cod League’s best offense with 195 runs scored. Some of the hallmark batters of that lineup return for another summer, but Wareham also reloaded with hotshot youngsters and veterans looking for a breakout. Here are the 15 bats that will drive Wareham’s offensive success in 2026:
CATCHERS
Alonzo Alvarez, Sophomore, Miami
Alvarez was designated hitter on the ACC’s All-Freshman Team after a mammoth first year with a .341 average and .990 OPS. He sat fourth on the Hurricanes in hits and tallied multiple knocks in their final four games of the season–three of those in the NCAA Tournament. He can be a valuable asset for Wareham this summer at the plate as a switch-hitter, or behind the dish with his near-perfect .985 fielding percentage.
Drew Rogers, Junior, Georgia Tech
After another season with an OPS above .900 against ACC pitchers, Rogers returns to Wareham where he played in 12 games last summer. The experience of playing for the nation’s No. 2 overall team is sure to boost his Cape League success: Rogers tallied a pair of hits and scored a run in one of the Yellow Jacket’s NCAA Tournament matchups. After sitting behind Vahn Lackey, a consensus top-five pick in this June’s MLB Draft, Rogers will likely be GT’s starter in 2027.
Levi Clark, Junior, Tennessee
One of the Gatemen’s top guns from 2025 returns: Clark’s .333 batting average, and 25 hits helped Wareham record the CCBL’s highest OPS (.708) and highest run total (195). He played the utility role this past spring–starting at catcher, designated hitter, and first base–and hit in the top half of a Vols order that made the NCAA Tournament. With another year of SEC competition and last summer’s Cape League season under his belt, Clark will certainly be a leader with his skills and positional flexibility.
INFIELDERS
Caden McDonald, Junior, Florida
McDonald starred in pretty much every role that Wareham manager Ryan Smyth placed him in. He threw the third-most innings on the team and appeared both as a starter and reliever throughout the season. McDonald also smacked a team-high six home runs in addition to 18 RBIs. He excelled from both the mound and at the plate with the Gatemen, and that success carried over into his sophomore season with the Gators. McDonald was named a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award after a .319 batting average and 3.42 ERA in the uber-competitive SEC. Wareham welcomes back its Swiss Army Knife who grew in both aspects over his college season.
Caleb Barnett, Sophomore, Alabama
Barnett has only played in a few games in his true freshman season, but is currently soaking up tips on how to succeed in high-stakes baseball with the Crimson Tide hosting a Super Regional. Barnett may come late as Alabama looks destined for Omaha after three straight wins in the Regional, which would give Wareham some playoff pedigree in the dog days of the CCBL. The 2025 recruiting class’s No. 2 overall third baseman can use the Cape as a springboard into stardom in his second year of SEC ball.
Chris Ramirez, Junior, Cal Baptist (Transfer Portal)
Ramirez lived the dream of many young ballplayers coming to the Cape League. He had a strong freshman year that ended with a summer in Wareham, then translated that success into a sophomore campaign where he won WAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year in addition to his second All-WAC First Team nomination. After hitting .380 over 17 games for the Gatemen, he improved his batting average to .389 and broke the Lancers’ single-season hits record. He will miss some of the CCBL season due to his invite to Team USA, but will impress fans and MLB scouts alike on each night he wears the W this summer.
Kade Elam, Sophomore, Louisville
Most true freshmen hit some bumps and bruises in their first season between the battle for playing time against older players or the adjustment to collegiate pitching, but Elam was able to amass a strong year 1 campaign with a .297 batting average and over 200 plate appearances to help overcome that developmental curve. He finished third on the Cardinals in hits and comes to the Gatemen this summer with valuable reps in the ACC already under his belt.
Linkin Garcia, Sophomore, Texas
After 78 hits and a Big 12 All-Freshman Team nod, Garcia recently transferred in-state to the Longhorns. He is a highly-touted prospect for the 2027 MLB Draft and a clutch hitter who ended the year third on Texas Tech with 59 RBIs. Garcia started all 55 games for the Red Raiders, playing both shortstop and second base that will prove vital for playing time at UT and with Wareham. His biggest asset for the Gatemen may be his strong gauge of the strike zone: Garcia only fanned 37 times and is more than comfortable with jogging to first while driving up a pitch count.
RJ Hamilton, Redshirt Junior, Duke
Hamilton’s first year with the Blue Devils was a smashing success: he posted career-highs in hits (63), RBIs (41), and total bases (102). But larger than the stats themselves, Hamilton found a groove in Durham and played in 54 games. He led Duke in hits and ended his collegiate season at the plate on a high note with consecutive multi-hit outings in the ACC Tournament. Can Hamilton have a similar impact on his new home this summer? Smyth sure hopes so.
Shamaar McDuffie, Senior, Kennesaw State (Transfer Portal)
After his best season to date with the Owls, McDuffie can parlay his 2026 spring into a successful return to Wareham this summer. He only played in five games last season but made a mark with four hits in just 16 at-bats, and should see an increased role after cutting down on strikeouts this spring. He brings momentum into his second year in the Cape League and can quickly make a name for himself against power-conference arms.
Tony Lira, Redshirt Sophomore, Arizona
He was a unanimous selection for the Big 12’s All-Freshman Team, an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention member, and the Wildcats’ leader in multiple offensive stat categories. Lira turned his first full season into a breakout year with a .343 batting average and a comfortable manner at the plate despite the lack of in-game reps against collegiate pitching. Wareham has had success with Arizona’s top players in the past and Lira looks to be another Wildcat stud coming to guard the gate.
OUTFIELDERS
Dylan Dubovik, Sophomore, Miami
Dubovik was a staple of the Hurricanes’ lineup as a true freshman, racking up 43 hits and 30 RBIs in his true freshman season of college baseball. While Dubovik feasted early in non-conference games, he truly found his stride in the month of May with a six-game hit streak that spanned over regular season conference games and the ACC Tournament. Dubovik ended his first year with Miami and set the tone for Wareham with two hits and two RBIs in the NCAA Tournament.
Foster Apple, Junior, Stetson
Apple returns to Wareham for a second summer after contributing an .857 OPS and three hits across 12 at-bats in 2025’s CCBL appearances. The Gatemen also return a dependable defender in left field: he notched a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in addition to eight putouts last summer. Mid-major players often fall under the radar, but Stetson has the experience both in the Cape League and from two seasons of college baseball to shine.
Jason Wachs, Junior, Tulane (Transfer Portal)
Back-to-back seasons with a batting average above .300 and an OPS above .900 is sure to excite every Gatemen fan. Wachs’ consistent play earned him a spot on the American Conference’s All-Conference First Team, leading to an increasing spotlight heading into the CCBL season. He tallied hits in 42 games and led the Green Wave in knocks, average, OPS, RBIs, and total bases.
Noah Sheffield, Junior, Florida State (Transfer Portal)
After playing 37 games in four different positions, Sheffield comes to Wareham with some serious hype after a successful sophomore season at FSU. He stepped up to the challenge of an increased role, and filled it perfectly by raising his OPS and displaying poise in the batter’s box against tough ACC pitchers. The son of MLB legend Gary Sheffield will be counted on for defensive fluidity and the overall electricity he brought to the Seminoles
The 2026 Gatemen take the field and the batter’s box on June 13th—just six days away—as Wareham travels to Cotuit for Cape Cod Baseball League Opening Day. The Gatemen open Spillane Field a day later, and the full summer schedule is available on Wareham’s website.
