Cappuccilli Has Grown as a Hitter

Tony Cappuccilli is a classic power hitter.

The Edison senior catcher stands 6 feet 2 and is a stocky 225 pounds. The tree trunk thighs and large biceps suggest the strength that has made him the county home run leader this season, with 10.

Now in his third year on varsity, Cappuccilli has 28 homers. That’s one shy of the Orange County career record set last year by La Quinta’s Gerald Laird, who has since graduated.

“When I’m hitting [the record] won’t be on my mind, but it’s something I definitely want,” said Cappuccilli, whose home run in last Friday’s game against Marina put him one ahead of Santa Margarita’s Jeff LaRue and El Toro’s Josue Lopez for this season.

“To pass a guy like Laird would be cool because he could really hit. I really respect his skill.”

Cappuccilli, 18, is consumed by baseball. He has studied karate for eight years, but hasn’t considered playing any other team sport since he took his first T-ball swing at age 5.

Not that Edison’s other coaches haven’t inquired.

“The football coach [Dave White] tried to get me to come out,” Cappuccilli said, “but I just love the competition of baseball.”

Edison Coach Tom Duggan is excited about Cappuccilli’s progress this season from a one-dimensional slugger to an all-around hitter.

“He is much more patient at the plate this year,” Duggan said. “He’s always had the power to hit it out, but last year and as a sophomore, he would chase balls out of the strike zone. They could throw balls below the knees or above the shoulders and he would fish for it.

“This year, he has laid off those balls and is taking walks on pitches he would have swung at before. He has figured out to hit his pitch, not the pitcher’s pitch.”

Last year, Duggan said Cappuccilli batted .333 (27 for 81) with nine homers and 24 RBIs. He had 19 walks but struck out 17 times.

In 17 games this season, Cappuccilli is batting .391 (18 for 46) and has driven in a team-high 22 runs. He has 15 walks and has struck out only eight times.

Cappuccilli said working at being more selective at the plate during the Connie Mack tournament last summer was one reason for his improvement. He became stronger and more physically fit by lifting weights during the fall and winter. He’s also cut down on his swing to make more consistent contact.

“Sometimes I take big hacks to go for home runs,” Cappuccilli said. “But when I try for home runs with a long swing, I miss the ball.”

His big season has had a ripple effect throughout the Chargers’ lineup. Pitcher-outfielder Bryce Popoff, who bats behind Cappuccilli, had only one home run and three RBIs at this point of the season last year. This season, Popoff has five homers and 21 RBIs.

Duggan said because Edison’s hitters are being more patient and getting deeper into the count, they’re getting better pitches to hit.

“I don’t have a couple of guys who are batting .450,” Duggan said. “But I do have six to seven guys hitting over .300, and I will take that.”

Another key element to help account for Cappuccilli’s outstanding season was the elimination of recruiting distractions. He has signed to play at Nevada.

Cappuccilli insists major league baseball’s June amateur draft is not on his mind. “I have no control over that,” he said. “My angle is win [the section title]. Winning the league and [the section], that’s all I think of. Whatever else happens, happens.”

He said a couple of professional scouts have told him he needs to improve his defense if he wants to catch in college and beyond.

“I like being behind the plate,” Cappuccilli said. “But my throwing is only OK. I have to work some on my release and my footwork. And I’m still working on blocking balls in the dirt. I want the pitchers feeling comfortable so they can throw anything.

“I think they have more confidence in me than a year ago.”

The Chargers (12-6, 4-3) are in a four-way tie for first place in the Sunset League and are pursuing their first league championship since 1984.

Cappuccilli said this Edison team has that capability.

“There’s no one in league we can’t beat,” he said. “We need to beat teams we should and split with the others.

“This team does play well together and wants to win. Last year was the start of where we are now. We made the playoffs [as a wild-card team] and got to the second round. We have built on that experience.”

There’s still the matter of the county home run record. If and when the moment arrives, however, don’t expect Cappuccilli admire his record blast.

“You don’t show up people,” Cappuccilli said. “You stand there and watch a homer, the next time you might get hit [by the pitcher]. And you should get hit.”