There’s not really an offseason in college baseball, not for hitters and pitchers that want to stay sharp. The 2024 season came to an end for Arizona on June 1, but already many players from that team—as well as some set to join the Wildcats next year—are already competing in a variety of summer leagues across the country.
At least 24 current, former or future UA players are on the rosters of 12 different teams scattered about seven different leagues. The ones with the most Arizona presence are the Cape Cod and Northwoods leagues, two of the most well-regarded summer leagues.
Six members of the 2024 UA team that won both the Pac-12 regular season and conference tournament titles are in the Cape Cod League, which begins this weekend. Pitchers Tony Pluta and Tonko Susac and outfielder Brendan Summerhill are on the Wareham Gatemen, while pitcher Casey Hintz and shortstop Mason White are playing for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and catcher Adonys Guzman is with the Bourne Braves.
The Northwoods League features six players with UA ties including infielder Mathis Meurant, part of the 2024 signing class who played this past season at Cochise College. He’s on the Bismarck Larks, and in 12 games he’s batting .286 with a home run and eight RBI.
Third baseman Maddox Mihalakis made his debut Tuesday night with the Rockford Rivets and went 4 for 4 with five RBI, while also set to play in the Northwoods are Easton Breyfogle and Andrew Cain with the Rochester Honkers and Xavier Esquer with the Minot Hot Tots.
Four UA players are on the roster for the Boone Bigfoots in the Coastal Plains League, and there’s a quartet of Wildcats together on the Ocean State Waves in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.
And a trio of recently graduated UA pitchers are participating in the MLB Draft League, a summer league for college players out of eligibility who hope to draw attention from scouts. Trevor Long, Dawson Netz and Bradon Zastrow are together on the Frederick Keys, hoping to follow in the footsteps of ex-Wildcat Chris Barraza, who struck out 10 in eight innings with the State College Spikes last year before getting picked by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round.
Most of the UA players from the 2024 squad that aren’t currently slated for summer ball are either ones preparing for the MLB Draft in July or recovering from injury.
Postseason honors
The College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team features five UA pitchers from the 2024 team.
Right-handers Hintz, Netz, Pluta, Susac and Cam Walty were each honored, with Netz and Susac making the list for the second time. Netz and Walty were also nominated for the CSC Academic All-America ballot.
Walty was also named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region Team, landing on the second team and becoming Arizona’s first all-region pitcher since Bobby Dalbec in 2015.
White was named to the first team, extending Arizona’s streak to five full seasons that it has had at least one player on the first team.
