Eagles showcased in summer leagues

William Cheney

After a postseason run that ended in the NCAA regionals for Georgia Southern University’s baseball team, seven players will continue playing during the summer.

The Cape Cod League, which is the most prestigious summer collegiate wood bat league, is annually headlined by college stars and professional prospects. What many do not know, however, is there are dozens of summer leagues for college ballplayers all over the country.

Junior outfielder Hunter Thomas, freshman first baseman Ryan Cleveland and freshman catcher C.J. Brazil are participating in the Valley Baseball League.

The Valley League is a wood bat league located in Virginia. It was founded in 1897 and has been operating as a NCAA summer league since 1961. The league boasted 27 former participants playing in Major League Baseball last season, according to the league’s website.

The league’s season spans 44 games throughout the summer and has 11 different teams. All three Eagles are on different teams as Thomas plays for the Stauton Braves, Cleveland plays for the Front Royal Cardinals and Brazil plays for the Aldie Senators.

Freshman Avery Fagan and junior Patrick Riley play in the Sunbelt League, while freshman Caleb Pressey plays for the Augusta Blue Bombers in the Atlantic Coast Collegiate League, which is a summer league for incoming collegiate freshmen and rising sophomores comprised of teams across the states of Georgia and South Carolina.

Freshman third baseman Garrett Chapman will be playing in the Coastal Plain League for his home state team, the Florence Red Wolves.