The 2023 Season was expected to be a rebuilding year for the Mission Viejo Maulers and General Manager Chris Ferraro. In March, the Maulers dealt away Justin Verlander and Aaron Judge, 2022's American League Cy Young and Most Valuable Player, to the Spokane Fightin' Fish to enter the season with a reloaded Farm System and blank slate on the Active Roster.
Carrying over just six players for $10, Ferraro cashed in $120 combined on Gerrit Cole and Luis Castillo to lead their rotation. Five months later, the duo finished the 2023 RDBL Regular Season as the top two pitchers in scoring with Cole edging out the Mariners ace for the Roger Dorn Baseball League Pitcher of the Year Award.
Cole was spectacular from start to finish, posting a league-best 474.0 points over 27 starts, logging 168.0 innings. He allowed just 132 hits with an elite 2.95 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. While the RDBL Award is handed out for the RDBL Regular Season timeframe, Cole hardly stopped producing for Ferraro and the Maulers in the Playoffs, ranking second in pitcher scoring while posting a 1.32 ERA and 0.73 WHIP over 41.0 dominant frames.
It's Cole's first RDBL Pitcher of the Year Award as he joins Justin Verlander (2019) as the second Mauler hurler to take home the honor. Cole joins Sandy Alcantara (2022), Walker Buehler (2021), Verlander (2019), Max Scherzer (2018, 2017), Madison Bumgarner (2016), Jake Arrieta (2015), Felix Hernandez (2014) and Clayton Kershaw (2013) as Pitcher of the Year winners.
The right-hander is expected to be back atop the Maulers rotation under his 2/$70 contract with Castillo (2/$50) right behind him to open 2024.
Honorable Mention for the Award included Castillo, Zac Gallen (Hops), Logan Webb (Hops) and Framber Valdez (Goutfish).