Ridgefield Raptors land 10 players on All-West Coast League teams

The Ridgefield Raptors were well-represented on the All-West Coast League teams with 10 players selected for the list announced Thursday.

The first team included Ridgefield outfielder/catcher Jacob Sharp (UNLV), who was named co-MVP of the WCL on Wednesday along with Wenatchee second baseman Joichiro Oyama. Ridgefield infielder Travis Welker (Fresno State) was also a First-Team All-WCL selection.

Three Raptors landed on the second team: second baseman Jake Tsukada (Portland), outfielder Trent Prokes (Modesto JC) and starting pitcher Cooper Rons (Sacramento State).

An additional five Ridgefield players earned honorable mention nods for their contributions this season: outfielder/first baseman Doyle Kane (UC San Diego), infielder Mikey Kane (Oregon State), catcher Riley McCarthy (Portland), pitcher Jeter Schuerman (Cal State Bakersfield) and first baseman Safea Mauai (BYU).

Tsukada was limited to 27 games after arriving in Ridgefield two weeks into the season, then missed three weeks with a shoulder injury. He picked up right where he left off upon returning to the lineup July 24 and continued on as Ridgefield’s leadoff hitter through the end of the season. Tsukada finished with a .333 batting average (35 hits, four doubles, 16 RBI).

The right-handed pitcher Rons quickly established himself as Ridgefield’s ace pitcher after joining the team in mid-June. He went 5-0 in seven starts while limiting opponents to three earned runs in 30 2/3 innings pitched (o.88 ERA). He tallied 24 strikeouts, 13 walks and gave up 21 hits.

Ridgefield’s five honorable mentions included brothers Doyle Kane and Mikey Kane, both of whom returned to the Raptors for a second season after joining the team late in the 2021 campaign. Both played at College of the Canyons under Ridgefield head coach Chris Cota before landing at UC San Diego and Oregon State, respectively.

Doyle Kane’s .349 batting average ranked third on the team. In 47 games, he had 61 hits with six doubles and 23 RBI.

Mikey Kane played in a team-high 48 games. He hit .260 with 51 hits, including 11 doubles and two home runs, and 27 RBI.

McCarthy (Mountain View High School) was one of several players from Clark County who played for the Raptors this summer. In addition to working into the rotation as a catcher, McCarthy’s offensive proficiency earned him additional playing time as a designated hitter. His .366 batting average was second on the team behind Prokes. He slashed 37 hits with seven doubles, one home run and 26 RBI in 30 games.

Schuerman started the season as one of the Raptors’ top relievers, then became a starter late in the season, including getting the start for Game 1 of the Divisional Series against Portland. The right-handed pitcher led the team with 45 strikeouts with 15 walks and 30 hits allowed. He had a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings pitched.

The lefty-hitting Mauai carved out a role as the Raptors’ primary cleanup hitter and delivered 34 RBI, ranking second on the team behind Sharp. In 33 games, he had 41 hits, including seven doubles, one triple and three home runs.

WCL Commissioner Rob Neyer will announce the final batch of awards on Friday, including Coach of the Year, Top Prospect, Executive of the Year and the Team Sportsmanship Award.

First-Team All-WCL