BNN Report
News from the CBO, Minors, CCBL, and CYL
by Nat Wright-Kawolski
13 March 2316
CYL Predictions: Covenant and Jamaica Plain Look to Be on Top
A new season of Commonwealth Youth League baseball is set to begin, and after a thrilling 2315 campaign that ended with the Boston Common Baby Bellies capturing their first Youth Series title over the Old Lyme Lake Monsters, expectations are soaring across the Commonwealth. With returning stars, reloaded rosters, and new rivalries simmering, the 17th season of CYL play promises intensity from Opening Day to the final out of the Youth Series.
According to pre-season projections by PAM, this year's championship showdown could feature two dominant programs: the Covenant Dandy Boys from the North Region and the Jamaica Plain Treasures from the South Region. Both clubs come in as top seeds in their respective regions and boast elite-level lineups with deep pitching rotations. The NR and SR are stacked with postseason-caliber squads, and many divisional races may come down to the final week of the season.
North Region
In the NR, Covenant is projected as the team to beat thanks to its combination of power hitting and reliable starting pitching. The Georgetown Scholars enter 2316 with one of the league’s most consistent pitching staffs, while the Baby Bellies, last year’s champions, headline a loaded Paul Revere Division that are predicted to send five teams to the playoffs. Lexington and Lowell bring serious offensive firepower, while Far Harbor provides balance with a solid top-to-bottom roster.
PAM’s 2316 Northern Region Playoff Teams:
1. Covenant Dandy Boys (1st in Margaret Fuller Division)
2. Georgetown Scholars (1st in Emerson Division)
3. Boston Common Baby Bellies (1st in Paul Revere Division)
4. Lowell Frags (1st in Benjamin Franklin Division)
5. Plum Island Candymen (1st in W.E.B. DuBois Division)
6. Far Harbor Dockdwellers (1st in H.W. Longfellow Division)
7. Lexington Minuteboys (T-2nd in Margaret Fuller Division)
8. CIT Academy Yahoos (T-2nd in Paul Revere Division)
9. South Charles Bank Moonies (T-2nd in Paul Revere Division)
10. Saugus Launchers (T-2nd in Margaret Fuller Division)
11. Needham Radstorm (2nd in Benjamin Franklin Division)
12. North Charles Bak Goonies (4th in Paul Revere Division)
13. Marblehead Mess (2nd in Ralph Waldo Emerson Division)
14. Beerthirty Sippers (4th in Margaret Fuller Division)
15.Beantown Sprouts (T-5th in Paul Revere Division)
16. Diamond City Newsboys (T-5th in Paul Revere Division)
South Region
In the SR, Jamaica Plain’s star-studded lineup makes them a preseason favorite, but they'll face stiff competition across the board. The Coventry Quads and Brockton Claws are stacked with speed and pitching, while the Old Lyme Lake Monsters look to rebound after falling just short of the title in 2315. Add in powerful wildcards like South Beach and Weymouth, and the playoff picture in the SR is as unpredictable as ever.
PAM’s 2316 Southern Region Playoff Teams:
1. Jamaica Plain Treasures (1st in Alcott Division)
2. Coventry Quads (1st in Adams Division)
3. Brockton Claws (1st in Morse Division)
4. Old Lyme Lake Monsters (1st in Hancock Division)
5. Collegetown Spirits (1st in Bradberton Division)
6. Truro Hatchlings (T-1st in Attucks Division)
7. South Beach Waves (2nd in Alcott Division)
8. Weymouth Locksmiths (2nd in Morse Division)
9. New Haven Sailors (2nd in Hancock Division)
10. Wellfleet Tarberries (T-1st in Attucks Division)
11. West Quincy Atomatoys (3rd in Alcott Division)
12. Brown Bubblers (2nd in Samuel Adams Division)
13. Holyoke Mech Dragons (2nd in Bradberton Division)
14. Andrew Station Southies (4th in Alcott Division)
15. Dennis Menaces (T-3rd in Attucks Division)
16. Harwich Fishheads (T-3rd in Attucks Division)
NR Award Contenders
The NR features a fearsome slate of hitters led by 1B Malik Goodneighbor of Needham, who is predicted to post a jaw-dropping .400 average and .862 slugging mark in preseason projections. 2B Ares Ng of Marblehead is the top contender to follow Goodneighbor. LF Owen Burden and Fozzy Anderson, both of Lexington, also could be elite power threats, while Salem’s King Fish Davenport adds top-tier bat speed to an already dangerous South Charles Bank lineup.
On the mound, Marblehead ace Eagle Eye Hayes is PAM’s pick for Top Pitcher in the NR, with a 1.91 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 99 innings. Other dominant arms we are excited to watch include Talley O'Reilly (Rockport), Specs Blake (Far Harbor), and Rhubarb Coombs (Gloucester), each capable of carrying their squads through tough playoff stretches.
SR Award Contenders
In the SR, New Haven’s Rocket Rooth, son of County Crossing's Babs Rooth, headlines the league’s most powerful offensive threats, with 29 HR, 75 RBI, and a staggering .939 slugging percentage. Piedmont Marsh of Jamaica Plain (.405 AVG) and Weymouth’s Acrobat Magee (23 HR) provide pop from the 1B position, while Donegan Downs of Thompson Heights adds speed and gap power to a well-rounded lineup.
From the mound, Bridgewater’s Eamonn Madman is projected to dominate with a CYL-best 1.46 ERA and 115 Ks in just over 92 innings. Truro’s Bryce Yaag (12.19 K/9) and Old Lyme’s Wing Kawolski (123 Ks) are also poised to contend for pitching awards as key aces for postseason hopefuls.