What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Baseball): The Lake County Captains

“It’s beginning to look a lot like baseball, in every park we roam…”

I can finally say after months of waiting that baseball has come back into our lives! Naturally, you probably assume I’m talking about the Cleveland Indians, and to an extent I am, but on a more minor level. Just east of Progressive Field about 20 minutes down 90, Classic Park; home of the Lake County Captains, readies for their 2017 opener to another exciting season.

If you’re new to the minor league scene, let me paint you a brief picture. You have before you, a team made up of guys who are your big league’s future. They play with the same passion, yet a completely different type of drive that is seen daily. At the gates you will be greeted throughout the season with some awesome promotions. Walking in, the new score board in centerfield will oversee all things across the park, while families get set to enjoy the game at a fraction of the cost of a major league game. It’s the best, and I will tell you over and over until it’s annoying that you need to get to out to an MiLB game, so to persuade for even more let’s dive a little deeper into those awesome promotions.

To any baseball fan, the simple bobble head is a coveted treasure. We come from far and wide to be 1 of some thousand and at times stand in line longer than most games last. This year, one of these bobbles is in the blonde-haired likeness of Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians starting third baseman, on July 8th. The other two, a Francisco Lindor bobblehead August 9th and Yan Gomes’ best friend Stipe Miocic bobble June 5th. Other promos to look forward to include Thirst Thursdays (my favorite) where fans can partake in some pre-game 1$ domestic drafts and half off domestics and pop until 9pm! The Captains are also letting the dogs out on Sunday, June 4th with Bark in the Park ($8 ticket + $5 pooch pass for the pups!), along with their Family Fun Sundays that the kids will absolutely love.

The new scoreboard, just next to Ray’s Landing in right-center, has slowly been put together through the off season. Over the years, their old scoreboard did the minimum it had to, with a tiny screen and enough info given to know the status of the game. This new touch of sparkle over the field is seen as an investment into this park after 15 years of play there. The new video board alone will be able three times larger than the older version, adding also a new HD quality for fans. The project is expected to be completed by the April 8th home opener against the Dayton Dragons.

Now for the important part: what players do fans need to keep tabs on this season. Most of the roster starting 2017 comes from the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, their short-season brethren farther east. Starting pitcher Brady Aiken is one of them and is definitely someone to keep an eye on as it could be a very telling year for the lefty.

Aiken’s adventure started with the Houston Astros, being drafted by them in 2014 as the number 1 overall pick. Due to an unfortunate need for Tommy John’s surgery, the deal between him and Houston fell through. A year later, he went in the first round again, this time to the Cleveland Indians. Aiken played between rookie ball and short season in his first year within the Indians system. He showed signs of healing with instances of promise, which can be seen in his walks/strikeouts (21/57) over 46.1 innings. Seeing him pitch in person last year, he did not blow me away, but that judgment should be taken with a grain of salt, because he was not pitching at his best, but working back to it. Aiken has a year at his feet that can be started on a healthy note, where he can finally ground his cleats into a real season that could potentially show the why he was a first-round pick in back-to-back years.

Picking a few other pitchers to watch for this season is not easy, but here are two I believe will get their names stuck in your head this year, lefty starter Juan Hillman and the righty reliever Michael Letkewicz.

Hillman isn’t your typical flame-throwing pitcher, though he has the make up to add heat to his fastball as he matures and fills out. As it stands, he has an outstanding change up mixed with excellent command for someone so young. It was thought that he could have played in Lake County in 2016 though that did not happen, but starting there this year and getting the full season under his belt will aid in his development. I foresee Hillman having a season not exactly surprising to those who already follow him, but one that will make new comers schedule their trips around seeing his starts.

Letkewicz caught my eye last season in Mahoning Valley. The 2016 draft-pick pitched 41.1 innings in 21 games out of the pen and led the arsenal of relief arms with a 6-0 win/loss and 4 out of 4 save ops. His confidence can breathe new life into a game he’s called into, giving his team a chance to get and/or keep their lead. I believe a team is only as strong as their bullpen, and when a farm system has someone like Letkewicz in their relief ranks it gives me high hopes for the future of the team. I am very curious to see how he will manager to stretch his dominance across a full season and I expect he will be just as productive.

Stepping off the mound a bit, I’m going to entice you with a bat or two that could spell exciting things for the Captains this year. One of which might sound familiar due to the Mejia on the back of his jersey. No, this is not Francisco Mejia coming back down to LC, but in fact CF Gabriel Mejia making his way up to LC. Many writers that have followed G. Mejia have dubbed him “fast Mejia” do to his speed in the outfield and around the bases. Actually, he leads the entire Indians minors in speed according to Baseball America. I first saw him in 2015 at the tail end of the season, and was caught off guard by his ability to beat a throw to first on an infield hit. In each of his seasons he has hit above .300 (career .333), hit 9 triples, 23 doubles, and has stolen 140 bases, only to be caught 40 times. His bat works around his best asset, and he will continue to prove as he gets better/matures that home run totals are not the end all, be all to an offense (he has hit 0).

Don’t let me make it sound like these are the only few to pay attention to this season. There is a roster full of names to check out and I invite you to find out for yourself which players to follow and learn about. From guys like RHP Shane Bieber and LHP Ben Krauth to IF like Alexis Pantoja and Luke Wakamatsu, there is a vast amount of guys that will get people excited not just during games, but about the game as a whole which makes following them through their careers even more entertaining.

With the combination of freebees, cheap (but good) seats and an impressive product on the field, the 2017 season for Classic Park will be one fans will remember. Most importantly, there will be a new crop of guys hoping to leave their mark in Lake County and with their fans that will carry across the rest of their careers. I hope for those new to the MiLB, I have ignited a new curiosity that will get you to fall in love with this team, and for those who are returning for another season, I hope to see you April 8th!

“…take a look at the starting 9, jump over the foul line,
and get ready for the mob that waits at home”

Expected 2017 Lake County Captains Roster