Brooks, Williams, Casey, Represent Legends in CCL All-Star Game
Compton, Calif. – At the time of the 2016 California Collegiate League All-Star Game, the Menlo Park Legends are owners of the fourth best CCL record at 10-8, and 23-11 overall. With one of the most potent offenses in the league, it is not surprise that the All-Stars from the Legends are just a few of the guys doing the damage. Menlo Park sends three bats to the annual midsummer game in Compton: Nick Brooks of Gonzaga University; RJ Williams of the University of Texas at Arlington; and Clayton Casey of the University of Houston.
Nick Brooks was a late arrival to the Menlo Park Legends after his Gonzaga Bulldogs got bounced from the West Coast Conference playoffs. Since arriving in the middle of June, Brooks has been nothing short of spectacular as one of the biggest bashers in the Legends lineup. He has been residing in the cleanup spot for a majority of the summer, Brooks has responded by hitting .420 with 5 homeruns and 21 runs batted in. The homerun total is tied for the most on the team, but his power numbers are also shown in his 9 doubles and .803 slugging percentage. It also doesn’t hurt considering he gets on base at a .532 clip. His conference numbers are about the same as his overall numbers, owning a .418 average with 2 homeruns and 11 runs batted in.
RJ Williams has not only been a steady presence at the top of the order for Menlo Park, but he has also been one of the team’s best defenders. Williams is hitting .313 this summer with a pair of homeruns, 7 doubles, and 16 RBIs. His 9 stolen bases are tops among Legends and he has only been caught stealing twice. Looking at the CCL offensive numbers, there is slight improvement with a .326 average, 8 of his 10 extra base hits, and 9 runs batted in. He is a perfect 5-5 stealing bases against the conference. He has seen time at each of the top three spots in the lineup, a reflection of his versatility and consistency. His defense reflects that as well, having seen time at both spots on the left side of the infield and being capable of playing second base as well.
One could make a case that Clayton Casey has been the hottest hitter in the Legends lineup over the past few weeks. Casey struggled once he joined the Legends in the middle of the summer, but has cranked up the dial in recent weeks to earn an All-Star bid. Casey owns a .333 average with 3 homeruns and 13 RBI while also featuring some of the best raw power among any Legend. The most impressive part of the numbers is that most of his damage has come in CCL games. He sports a .390 average against the CCL competition, with 2 of his homeruns and 10 of his RBIs, not to mention his 1.065 OPS (on base plus slugging percentage). His defense in centerfield has been stellar as he has the ability to track down any fly ball with his superb range and cannon arm.
The 2016 CCL All-Star game is Wednesday night at 7:00 PM from the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton, California. The game is being televised live on Fox Sports 1 so check your local provider for channel information to catch your Legends against the best players in the conference.
