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June 02. 2012 8:05PM

Kevin Gray's On Baseball: Laconia riding wave of momentum

The Laconia Muskrats must wait for the completion of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft before finalizing their roster. It’s a good problem.

That’s the type of talent we’ve grown to expect from the New England Collegiate Baseball League, founded in 1993. The Muskrats, entering their third season, are preparing for Opening Night on Friday while eyeing three players who may be drafted this week.

Meanwhile, host families are stocking their fridge. Paint has dried on the replica Green Monster. Some intriguing pro prospects will be spending the summer summer in the Lakes Region. Those who get here, that is.

Switch-hitting outfielder Bijan Rademacher of Orange Coast College (Calif.), power-hitting infielder Bruce Caldwell of Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) and outfielder Marcus Davis of Walters State Community College (Tenn.) are just some of the names on MLB draft boards.

The three-day amateur draft begins with Round 1 and supplemental first-round picks Monday. Rounds 2-15 will be held Tuesday, followed by rounds 16-40 on Wednesday. Fans can follow the draft at MLB.com.

Muskrats general manager Noah Crane, just to be safe, has a tentative roster with 31 players, including right-hander Rob Blanc of Franklin Pierce University.

“This time of year, the roster is always in a state of flux somewhat,” Crane said. “Some guys are probably going to be drafted. There are pitchers who’ve thrown too many innings. Some guys go to summer school.”

Crane and the Muskrats are riding a wave of momentum following last year’s Eastern Division title and loss to the Keene Swamp Bats in the NECBL championship. Crane takes calls from college coaches across the country. On some days, everyone wants to be a Muskrat.

“We’ve had a great carryover from the playoff run. There’s no shortage of players who want to be involved with the NECBL,” said Crane, who played at the University of Massachusetts and coached at Mascoma Regoinal of Canaan, Spartanburg Methodist, Dartmouth and UMass.

He also worked for the Greenville Drive, a Red Sox affiliate, leading up to the 2006 season. Crane, who grew up in Woodstock, Vt., taps all those connections while attempting to form a team.

“You have to talk with a lot of people and sort through a lot of players to figure out which guys can truly play at this level and also be quality people off the field,” he said. “You look at skills and character. You talk to college coaches and scouts and try to fill in the gaps.”

Muskrats pitcher and third baseman Chris Costantino was named league MVP last season, parlaying a terrific summer into a lucrative deal with the Cardinals. The Rhode Island native was drafted in the 43rd round but did not immediately sign a pro contract.

Instead, he tore up the NECBL — throwing a no-hitter against Keene — before going back to the bargaining table with St. Louis.

“He’s the posterchild of what success in the NECBL can do for you professionally,” Crane said. “The Cardinals drafted him in June. He turned down their offer and became one of the best players in the history of the league. In August, the Cardinals came back and doubled their original offer and now he’s playing pro baseball.”

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FISHER TRACKS: Fisher Cats opening day starter Drew Hutchison, called up by Toronto on April 19, will start today against the Red Sox. Hutchison (4-2, 4.84 ERA) is coming off a nine-strikeout performance against the Orioles in which his fastball popped 95-mph.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen 95 out of him,” Blue Jays manager John Farrell told reporters after the game. “When he’s at that velocity, he’s almost a different type of pitcher, for sure.”

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FARM REPORT: Terry Doyle, a Salem High and Boston College graduate, took a no-hitter into the eighth inning for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights (White Sox) last week. He battled through a cramping right leg and won his third straight start, improving to 4-3 with a 3.05 ERA.

“I didn’t notice it was a no-hitter until the sixth inning. I really had to focus on making quality pitches even though my body was fighting against me,” he said.

Doyle has been racking up the strikeouts. He fanned 10 against Buffalo and leads Charlotte with 56 punchouts.

“I haven’t really changed much. The biggest difference is locating early in the count, getting ahead,” he said.

Staff writer Kevin Gray covers pro baseball for the New Hampshire Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News. His email address is kgray@unionleader.com.

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