The major league playoffs are underway, and baseball fans in Wareham may recognize a few familiar faces. 

Several Gatemen alumni are taking the field this postseason representing teams from Boston all the way to Los Angeles. The Gatemen are part of the Cape Cod Baseball League, a premier amateur league that attracts top college talent from across the country every summer. This August, the Gatemen took the Cape Cod Baseball League Championship title for the first time since 2012 when they defeated the Chatham Anglers 9-3 in the final. That was the team’s eighth title win in Cape League history.

Former Gatemen major league players to look out for during the playoffs this season include relief pitcher Matthew Barnes of the Boston Red Sox and outfielder George Springer of the Houston Astros. The pair attended the University of Connecticut together and both joined the Wareham Gatemen back in 2010. Their relationship goes back even further though with Barnes and Springer playing summer baseball for Team Connecticut in high school.

Springer was named the 2017 World Series Most Valuable Player after hitting a record-tying five home runs to propel the Astros over the Los Angeles Dodgers in an exciting seven game series. To date, Springer as hit a grand total of 121 home runs in his major league career. Against the Red Sox in the playoffs, Springer has gone 3 for 8 with 2 walks, 4 RBI's, 1 run scored and 2 doubles.  He has tied the Astros postseason games with a hit streak at 7 games. 

Barnes was named a First Team All-American while playing baseball at the University of Connecticut. He has 294 strikeouts under his belt and a win—loss record of 20—14 in the major league. In the playoffs, Barnes has pitched relief in both games for a total of 2 and 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. He earned the win in game 2.  

Joining these two friends are several other former Gatemen. 

Pitching relief alongside Barnes for the Red Sox is Brandon Workman of Texas, a Gatemen alumni from the 2008 season. Workman has pitched 1/3 of an inning in relief and gave up 3 hits, 4 earned runs and 2 walks in the playoffs. In 2010, he was a second round draft pick for the Red Sox and has 189 total strikeouts. His win—loss record of 14—15 in the majors.

Joining Springer on the Houston Astros are Dallas Keuchel of Oklahoma, Collin McHugh of Illinois, Max Stassi of California and Tony Sipp of Mississippi.

Keuchel, a Gatemen alumni of 2007, is a starting pitcher for the Astros with 943 strikeouts. A seventh round draft pick of the Astros in 2009, Keuchel has won the 2015 American League Cy Young award and three Golden Glove Awards.

McHough, another starting pitcher for the Astros, played alongside Keuchel on the Gatemen team in 2007. He was first drafted by the New York Mets in 2008 during the 18th round of the Major League Baseball Draft and has a total of 683 strikeouts. Against the Red Sox, he pitched 1 inning in relief and gave up 1 hit and had one strikeout.

Stassi, the team’s catcher, joined the Gatemen in 2009. Prior to joining the Cape League, he played for the United States national baseball team in 2006, winning gold in the Pan American Games in Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

Sipp, a relief pitcher, joined the Gatemen in 2003 and also played for the Cotuit Kettleers. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 45th round of the 2004 draft and has also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks. So far Sipp has only pitched 1/3 of an inning in the playoffs, giving up no hits or runs. 

Other major league pitchers to watch for include Wade Miley of Louisiana, another alumni of the 2007 Gatemen team. A starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, Miley was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2008 draft and has also spent time playing for the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles. His major league resume includes a strikeout total of 973 and a win—loss record of 71—76. He started game 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and pitched 5 and 2/3 scoreless innings striking out 3 while also going 2 for 2 at the plate with 1 run scored.

On first base for the Los Angeles Dodgers is Max Muncy of Texas. Muncy played for the Gatemen in 2010 and has hit 40 career home runs, 35 of which he has hit in the 2018 season. Muncy was a participant in this year’s All Star Game Home Run Derby where he was beat out in the second round by the eventual champion Bryce Harper. He was a fifth round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2012. Muncy started game 3 and went 0-3 with 2 strikeouts. 

The League Championship series’ started Friday, Oct. 12, and the World Series Championship series will begin on Tuesday Oct. 23.