New Cape arm has brought 'koof' to a deep, talented pitching staff

The Cape Catfish and Jackson (Tenn.) Rockabillys have spent more time with each other in the early portion of this summer Prospect League season than most married couples have over the past week.

For the fourth time in the last week, the two teams will meet today in Jackson at 7 p.m., and what the Rockabillys (4-2) will more than likely see is some quality pitching from the Catfish (2-3).

“I love the confidence that (our pitchers) have behind their pitches,” first-year Cape assistant coach Nolan Davenport said following Cape’s win over Jackson at Capaha Field on Sunday.

The Catfish have utilized 12 different pitchers in their five games, and so far, lead the Prospect League in ERA (2.08).

“Our pitchers really like to fill up the (strike) zone,” Davenport continued. “That’s what I love about them. They’re not scared to throw it in there.

“They know that they’ve got stuff.”

The Catfish have allowed just eight earned runs and 24 hits (second in the league) in 34 2/3 innings, and no one has been more impressive in those regards than first-year Cape pitcher Drew Wedgeworth.

The recent Glendale High School graduate has thrown five innings for Cape and given up just two hits and no runs. He has walked a couple of batters and struck out five.

“He’s got stuff,” Davenport said. “He’s got what I call ‘koof.’”

“As it turns out, “koof” is a very, very good thing to have (think “swag”).

“He’s that guy,” Davenport said of the Missouri State recruit. “He’s got that swagger about him.”

Not only has Wedgeworth been effective on the mound, but he has also played a couple of games at first base.

Offensively, he has a pair of hits in 11 at-bats.

“He’s got that baseball blood,” Davenport said. “He walks out there with a bucket-load of confidence. You can see it.”

The Catfish coaching staff has handled their pitching staff with care so far, with opening-day starter Jorge Romero being the only arm to get extended work.

Romero, a second-year Cape player, has thrown nine innings in two outings and ranks fifth in the Prospect League with nine strikeouts.

“We do have a lot of arms that we can roll out there,” Davenport said. “We have a lot of guys in our bullpen.”

Some of the Cape pitchers haven’t worked in a month since their college/high school seasons ended, so they can’t go out right now and throw a long stretch of innings and a lot of pitches.

“If you haven’t thrown in more than five weeks,” Davenport said, “then you aren’t going to go out and throw more than two innings.”

Following today’s game, the Catfish visit Alton (5-1) on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. The River Dragons currently have the best record in the league.

Cape will return to Capaha Field on Thursday against the DuBois (Ind.) County Bombers (1-5) at 6:35 p.m.

Kohlfeld Distributing will sponsor free Coors Light or Miller Light sunglasses to the first 400 fans through the gates on Thursday.