2026 #2 New CF Option?
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 5:26 pm
The Future in Center Field
Surprising Development in the Organization
by Caitlen Sullivan
Halifax Chronicle Herald Sports Editor
April 2, 2026
It’s tough to field a quality center fielder who can both hit and field in the MBWBA. Qualified players are few and far between. Certainly Halifax is less than thrilled by having only Barry Allen and Lightnin Hopkins as CF options. Allen had a surprisingly good season offensively last year after being rescued off the scrap heap by the Hawks. He hit .281 and even added 13 home runs. He has decent enough range and rarely makes an error, but his arm detracts from his ability and he earned a zone rating of -4.0 last season. Hopkins isn’t going to hit, he brings base running speed and stolen bases to the table. He has better range than Allen and a better arm. His zone rating came in at +1.0 two years back and -0.1 last year in limited action.
Outfielder Dominic Wyatt
Suddenly it appears that there may be another option in the not too distant future. The Hawks signed Australian born Domenic Wyatt to a minor league contract back in 2022 with low expectations. One does not really expect a lot from players from down under. In the International Complex, Wyatt exhibited good power at the plate and showed good discipline. He runs the bases extremely well. Most importantly, he has great range and a great arm, and he has taken very well to patrolling center field. He actually got a call-up to Halifax in September last year from class A when both Hopkins and Allen were injured. In the critical final days of the battle for the playoffs, he saw brief action as a defensive replacement in CF for the Hawks. He will be playing center field in AAA this season, a big jump after just 45-games of experience in A ball. Let's hope he continues to develop!