The summer is young.
The Cape Cod League teams haven’t even begun their schedules. That will happen Saturday, so Reagan Ricken and Ethan Plog will get some innings beginning this weekend. Mason Bruan and Omar Serna may join them.
To this point, Jack Ruckert and William Patrick are the only current Tigers with summer statistics.
Patrick has had a nice week with the Healdsburg Prune Packers. He’s 6-for-14 (.375) with a double, a triple and three walks with only one strikeout in 23 plate appearances. The double left the wooden bat at 110 mph. That’s smoked.
He’s primarily playing centerfield, but he’s also moved over the right in one game. Right now, he’s the projected centerfielder for the 2027 team, so reps there are a positive.
Ruckert is just 3-for-13 (.231), but he’s walked eight times and been hit by a pitch, so his on base percentage is .565. He does not have an extra base hit.
Ruckert has played second base and shortstop, and that should continue throughout the summer. Steven Milam is going to be LSU’s shortstop, so Ruckert could see some time at third base this summer, as well.
I’ll say this. Ruckert walking eight times in four games with a hit by pitch is a bit of a tell on the league’s early pitching. Also, Healdsburg has outscored its opponents 72-5 in five games. I don’t know a ton about the Pacific Empire League, but my antenna is up on that.
We’ll keep an eye on all the summer action moving forward. Some of LSU’s signees are playing around the country, as well.
