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Five who turned pro from the Shelter Island Bucks

Max Watt on the Fiske Field mound pitching for the Bucks. He made his made his professional debut this week, pitching one perfect inning with a strikeout against the Gulf Coast League Rays.
Max Watt on the Fiske Field mound pitching for the Bucks. He made his made his professional debut this week, pitching one perfect inning with a strikeout against the Gulf Coast League Rays.

BY BRIAN MUNDY

The Shelter Island Bucks’ 2015 season ended on August 1 when they accomplished their ultimate goal of winning the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL) Championship. In just their fourth season of existence, the Bucks organization has celebrated many firsts.

There was the first victory, the first playoff game, the first playoff victory, the first appearance in a championship series, the first championship victory and the first Bucks to be drafted by Major League Baseball (MLB) teams.

Once a college baseball player has worn a Bucks uniform and played at Fiske Field for a few months, he is forever linked to the Island. Some former Bucks have gone on to play professional baseball where they have continued to celebrate their first win, hit, home run, etc.

Former Bucks Max Watt (‘14), Alex Katz (‘13), Mac James (‘13), Mike Wallace (‘13) and Vinny Guglietti (‘12) are each in the midst of living out a dream that included a stint in the HCBL on Shelter Island.

Max Watt
Watt, who was drafted by the Boston Red Sox twice, in 2013 and most recently this past June in the 22nd round, was assigned to the Gulf Coast League (GCL) this summer after signing his first professional contract. Due to the number of innings he pitched (69.1 in 15 appearances) at Lynn University this spring, the Red Sox opted to rest Watt for the first month of the GCL season.

“Our trainers are top-notch,” Watt said. “They wanted to give me some rest. [The Red Sox] have a plan for every player in their organization.”

According to Watt, a flame-throwing 6-foot, 8-inch, 250-pound righthander, this first summer of pro ball has been a good transition period, enabling him to get acclimated to the workout program, staff, trainers and organization.

Watt added that there is competition among teammates, but they support each other. “We all have the same mentality. We all want to eventually be in Boston,” he said.

With a fastball that tops out in the mid-to-high 90s, Watt made his professional debut this week, pitching one perfect inning with a strikeout.

Alex Katz
The White Sox organization has already promoted southpaw Alex Katz since he was drafted in the 27th round in early June. Since earning his first professional save with the Arizona League (AZL) White Sox on July 3, Katz was sent to the Great Falls Voyagers (Montana) in late July after just six appearances.

He’s been used mostly as a reliever and seen some success, notching a 3.57 ERA and striking out 20 batters in 17.2 innings.

Life as a minor leaguer, Katz said is similar to summer leagues. Since arriving in Great Falls, he’s stayed with a host family, a similar arrangement when he was on the Island with the Bucks.

For the younger players trying to take their games to the next level, Katz has some advice. “Keep working,” he said. “Hustle and always play your hardest because there’s always someone watching.”

Mac James
Of the five Bucks playing in the pros, Mac James is the furthest along. After an injury-shortened 2014 with the Tampa Rays Class A short-season affiliate, Hudson Valley Renegades, James was moved up to the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

Playing in the Class A full-season Midwest League has enabled James to get many more at-bats as an every-day player, either at catcher or designated hitter. “The coordinators have a general plan for each player,” James said. “They want us to get more reps, to get better.”

Although many of the players at this level are the same as last year, James is starting to see subtle differences in the pitching.

“At this level there’s a little more velocity on the fastball and some more consistency in the arms,” he said. “The pitchers are starting to be more polished.”

James’ 2014 season in Hudson Valley was cut short to 57 at-bats — he batted .263 — when he broke his hand sliding into second base. So far, 2015 has been a healthy year. He hit his first professional home run on May 3 in a 6-5 win against the Lansing Lugnuts. To date, his batting line is .266 average, 23 runs, 3 home runs, 10 doubles, 19 walks and 29 RBIs.

As far as his progress as a catcher, James does not shy away from giving credit where credit is due.

“Paul Hoover, the Rays roving catching coordinator, has been great. He has us working hard,” James said.

Still, James has his eye on the prize. “Making the big leagues is my main goal. But I want to continue to have a good year, to have some consistency,” he said.

Mike Wallace
After being drafted in the 30th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates this summer, pitcher Mike Wallace was assigned to the GCL Pirates, where he tossed two scoreless innings and was sent to the Bristol (Virginia) Pirates of the Rookie Level Appalachian League.

The 6-foot,-4-inch righthander has yet to find his groove with a combined 9.42 ERA in eight games. Bristol has a 20-23 record and is 3.5 games out of first place.

Vinny Guglietti
After catching on with the Quebec Capitales of the Independent Can-Am League, Vinny Guglietti enjoyed his first professional home run and stolen base. “This league is very good. Guys here have a lot more experience,” Guglietti said. He added that there are players who have competed at double-A, triple-A and even some with major league experience.

Guglietti was hitting .224 before being released on July 25 to clear roster space for a player coming off the disabled list. He went home to Connecticut to figure out his options. The lefthanded first baseman keeps a positive attitude and knows that baseball is not just a game, but a business.

“It’s an experience and it won’t be the last time I’m released,” Guglietti said. “There was just no space for me at the time.”

With some help from his manager at Quebec, he was picked up by the Garden State Grays, a unique team in the same league in that they’re homeless, with no park of their own, playing every game on the road. Unlike other teams whose players reside with families or in cramped apartments, Grays players who don’t live nearby reside in a hotel in Mahwah, New Jersey.

Despite the hardships endured, Guglietti has made the most of the opportunity. The change of scenery worked. On August 5, in just his second game with the Grays, he homered, doubled and drove in two runs against the Rockland Boulders. He had hits in five of his first six games with the Grays and is batting .350 for a team that is 8-28.

“I’m adapting to what pitchers are doing to me. It’s not uncommon to see 2-0, 3-0 changeups at this level,” Guglietti said. “There have been some big adjustments.”

High hopes for the HCBL
Each of the Bucks alumni has similar views of the HCBL and the Bucks, which have each grown in popularity since their inceptions, in 2008 and 2012, respectively. In addition to keeping in touch with some former Bucks teammates, they each follow the league and the Bucks on social media, Twitter being the most popular.

“I hope the HCBL continues to grow. I think at some point it will be on the level of the Cape Cod League,” Watt said. “You definitely can’t beat the area the teams are in. I enjoyed Shelter Island. Dave [General Manager Dave Gurney] and his family were great to me.”