Cutters have been dominating in both halves of season
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For the third time in the MLB Draft League era, the Williamsport Crosscutters are competing for hardare.
After capturing the 2026 MLB Draft League first-half title, the Cutters clinched a spot with home-field advantage for the chance to win their second MLB Draft League title in three years.
Unlike previous years, where the first-half champions entered cruise control with their playoff ticket already punched, the 2026 second-half Cutters lived up to their first-half counterparts. Heading into the final two regular-season games of the season, Williamsport sat with a 27-17 second-half mark for an overall record of 47-24 that ranks second best in the history of the league.
With no sign of slowing down going into the championship, there is still an abundant debate as to how the Cutters will line up going into the championship against either the State College Spikes or Aberdeen Ironbirds.
An ever rotating aspect of the lineup, the debate for who leads off Tuesday's championship continues to heat up. While the outfield appears to be set, with James McCoy, Chris Stanfield, and Santino Panaro occupying the grass, the two latter options have swapped leadoff duties over the last week.
What is no debate, however, is the ability of the former. Sporting an OPS of over 1.000 throughout both halves, James McCoy's imprint on a contest has been irreplaceable for Williamsport's title charge. Going into the regular season finale, McCoy's .365 average that includes 52 runs batted in, 10 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and a 1.146 OPS has firmly placed him amongst the best talents to ever play for the ballclub.
With the starting outfield more likely than not established, Loyalsock graduate Nick Barone still has the potential to make a late appearance off the bench. A two-half utility man, Barone averages an appearance every other game whether it be from the bottom of the lineup or as a pinch hitter.
What also appears penned in is the infield. From right to left, first baseman Matthew Williams expects to start as the clean up bat. And with 10 home runs and 41 runs batted in respectfully, he is a worthy batsman to sit behind James McCoy for the cleanup portion of the lineup.
Towards the bottom of the order, hot corner infielder Nicholas Romano will occupy a third base slot that typically features from the middle to the bottom third of the lineup. With the middle of the infield also concrete, second baseman Jack Kail will be a leading candidate to take second in the lineup while defensive specialist Sam DeCarlo takes the shortstop position while most likely taking a spot in the bottom third of the lineup.
The catcher's position and, most likely, a bottom third placement for the championship lineup will cause much debate in the leadup to the contest. For those favoring more experience, Penn State graduate Joey DeMucci would be the choice. Starting for the Nittany Lions at catcher this past season, DeMucci's role as a defensive specialist carried to Williamsport with 15 runners caught stealing in addition to 19 assists while being involved in four double plays.
For the more offensive option, his Big 10 counterpart Trey Wells has captured the eye. A Rutgers University graduate, Wells has shown a decent swing that includes a .247 average with six extra base hits and a pair of home runs in his time with the Cutters.
It can be argued that going into the championship, the spot most up for debate is the designated hitter position. With five different athletes playing the role over the last seven games going into Monday, infielders AJ Solomon and Jake Zitella, in addition to the aforementioned Barone, will vie for the position in the championship.
What remains more cloudy than any athlete at the plate will be those at the hill. For starting pitcher candidates, nobody has been in a better run of form than Bobby Helt. Heading into the week, Helt's one earned run allowed across 11 innings pitched in his last two starts paces the team. If the earned runs won't scare opponents, then his 13-3 strikeout to walk ratio will surely do the trick.
But for a more traditional starter, the Cutters can go with Josh Willits. One of three qualified second-half starters, Willits has torn up the second half with a 2.11 earned run average across eight starts that sports an undefeated 4-0 pitching record this season.
For relief options, the question will be when, and how, not if Matthew Mariano comes into the frey. In 14 appearances across both halves, Mariano's 1.91 earned run average in 37 and two thirds of an inning pitched meets the mark with 37 strikeouts and a ridiculous 1.09 WHIP. Davin Pollard, Tyler Muscar, and Brody Roe will all be candidates to come out of the bullpen, with typical starter Evan Grimes to be used as an "in case of emergency" reliever off of three days rest from his previous start.
If Williamsport ends up on top, it would complete the most dominant season in the history of the MLB Draft League.