Prep Baseball Report

Massachusetts Western Preview Showcase: 2015/'16 Evaluations



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Massachusetts Western Preview Showcase


By Dennis Healy

Massachusetts Scouting Director

We would like to thank all who participated in PBR Massachusetts' Western Preview Showcase. This was a great opportunity for unsigned senior prospects to be put on college radars. Many players impressed during their individual workouts at the showcase. Below we have the complete statistical results from the event as well as the top performers across various different categories. 

In the coming weeks, we will be adding and updating profiles for each of the players in attendance, including complete analysis and video.

Interested in attending a PBR Massachusetts event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

For now, please take a look at the statistical results from the event by clicking here.

Also please take a look at the Top 11 Article, which highlights the top performers using 11 commonly used criteria for analyzing prospects, by clicking here.

To view the 2017/'18 evaluations from the event please click here.

Massachusetts Western Preview Showcase: 2015/'16 Evaluations


2015 Evaluations


Connor Perry, OF, Salisbury, 2015

5-foot-11,175-pound right-handed hitting outfielder with athletic and solid build. Ran a 4.69, his best tool, and the run tool should improve. Life in the bat out of a wide open setup and pull approach. 85 mph exit velocity with good power potential in the bat. Lots of action in his hands and barrel prior to swing starting, would like to see him quiet it down and let his hand speed take over. The potential to be a legit power threat is certainly there. The outfield glove works fine and he threw 76 mph from a high-¾ arm slot. Very high ceiling with a good skill set.

Shawn Boston, INF, Wilbraham and Monson, 2015

5-foot-7,165-pound solid and athletic build. Ran a 4.69 with ease and moved well during the event. Threw 74 mph across the diamond and showed some flare with his glove. The feet work well in the field, and his throwing is out of a low-¾ slot. The tempo and prep step approach were good. Swing was clean and loose out of even base set up. The hand set up is low and the hands are direct to the ball. Sprayed the ball around the cage and stayed behind the ball at contact. Tee exit velocity was 83 mph. Shawn had a solid workout and should be on many coaches radar.

2016 Evaluations


Top Pitcher
: Stephen Fleury, RHP, Wilbraham and Monson, 2016
Top Positional Player
: A.J. Difillipo,3B/OF, Belmont Hill, 2016

A.J. Difillipo, 3B/OF, Belmont Hill, 2016

Left-handed hitting third baseman with an athletic build at 6-foot, 180-pounds. Currently ranked 29th in the 2016 rankings. Very good tools across the board, glove plays at third and he moves very well over at the hot corner. Threw 82 mph across the diamond out of a high-¾ slot with plenty of carry. Backhand and drop step were done very well at the event. Ran a 5.00 and did it with a smooth minimal effort. The bat is good as his set up is simple, slightly wide on the base and stays in position on the bottom half as the ball approaches. The path is flat and strong as he is a gap-to-gap guy now that could have plus power down the road. Showed plus bat head speed with an 88 mph tee exit velocity.

Anthony Costa, OF, West Springfield, 2016

5-foot-9, 165-pounds stocky build that shows a muscular physique. An outfielder only, he threw 68 mph from the outfield with a long arm swing. Ran an easy 4.93 with an athletic gait to the run. The bat was flat through the zone and the bottom half set up was even and calm. Exit tee velocity of 76 mph. Showed a consistent approach in the cage spraying balls back up the middle and kept his head still and behind the ball at contact. Should concentrate on stretching as I believe there is more fast twitch in his game.

Brett Morrison, 3B, Hopkins Academy, 2016

Sleeper of the event, 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitting third baseman. Looks and moves athletically in the field. Threw 80 mph across the diamond, his feet are good but he needs to learn proper prep steps and approach to the ball. Handled the slow roller very well. The glove plays as he could be able to stay at third for the next level. Ran a 5.00 and did with a smooth and easy attempt. The swing is loose and compact. Tee exit velocity was 83 mph and should improve with physical strength. The setup is even and he works the barrel above the ball. Kept the bottom half in play and in position. Took two very good rounds and stayed in the middle for both of them. Should garner a bunch of attention this spring and coming summer.

Brodie Altiere, RHP/SS, Mt. Greylock Regional, 2016

5-foot-11, 155-pound right-handed pitcher and shortstop, a good looking athlete. Two-way prospect that showed well at the event. The defense at shortstop was choppy but he fielded everything and threw the ball 75 mph across the diamond. ¾ arm slot with plenty of carry on his throws, his arm path is short enough to handle the pivot as well. Ran a 5.12 and had a tee exit velocity of 78 mph. Hit out of an even base with a toe tap prior to contact. Swing is loose but needs to be flat in the zone, right now it is in and out of the zone very quickly. On the mound, he threw the ball very well, touched 80 mph with boar and sink. Dropped down a couple times, as knuckles were low and he was 77 mph, maybe something to take a look at because he is athletic enough to do it. Breaking ball was slurvy at 65-67 and the changeup is 69 mph. The delivery is easy and repeatable out of a ¾ slot. The path is quick and short on the back side.

Dawy Lebron, 3B, Lowell, 2016

6-foot-2, 180-pounds with very long and athletic actions. Right-handed hitting corner infielder who showed an 84 mph arm across the diamond and a good approach to the ball. His feet play at third and his glove isn't flashy but he fielded everything cleanly. Ran a 5.02 with long strides.  At the plate, he shows good bat speed out of a wide base set up. A high back elbow leads to a bit of a long swing but with some tweaking the bat could flatten out and be formidable. Had an tee exit velocity of 89 mph. Lots of positives for him at this event and he should be on many coaches radar.

Isaiah Choiniere, RHP/INF, Cathedral, 2016

5-foot-6,145-pound, right-handed pitcher and infielder. Threw 73 mph across the diamond and showed a nice glove. The arm works out of a ¾ slot and has carry to it. Ran a 5.53 and had a tee exit velocity of 76 mph. The swing was loose and his bottom half set up was even. The need for strength to handle the barrel is there. On the mound, he touched 75 mph out of a simple and repeatable delivery. Spun a 12/6 breaking ball at 64 mph that had good depth to it. Changeup was 67 mph with the makings of the right spin. The delivery is repeatable with a little bit of head movement to it and some effort.

Jeff Zebrowski, LHP, Chicopee HS, 2015

5-foot-10, 175-pound athletic left-handed pitcher threw from a low-3/4 slot. The delivery was simple on the bottom half with an even lift and direct stride. The top half emphasis was on a stiff and rigid front side and and a clean arm swing. The fastball was true and touched 72. The use of two different spin pitches was shown, breaking ball at 57 and a slider at 65. The slider has a chance to be a good pitch down the road. The frame can add weight and and grow.     

Jimmy Flahive, LHP, Longmeadow, 2016

Left-handed pitcher who stands a solid 6-foot-1, 190-pounds and throws out of a low-¾ arm slot. The arm is a bit long and he pulls it through in a low slot. Has a small bounce to his delivery as he repeats a coil and go. The foot on the rubber is angled up against the rubber and leads to forward lean. Pitched 69-71 mph and spun a breaking ball (short) at 59 mph. The slider was better as it was up to 64 mph and came out of his hand very nicely, looking like a fastball. The changeup is a tick wide at 61 mph. The front side arm needs a bit more direction to it as it leaves early and leaves his shoulder exposed.

Justin Frometa, 1B/C, Williston Northampton School, 2016

Left-handed hitting stocky first baseman stands 5-foot-10, 175-pounds. His swing speaks for itself as he can handle the barrel and hits the ball with authority. Pull happy at this time while showing plus power to that side of the field. The bottom half is evenly set up and he has a front leg lift but he gets the foot down prior to contact. The path is flat and very aggressive. Needless to say, he doesn't get cheated at the dish. Tee exit velocity of 84 mph. At first, the defense is playable as his feet are good. Throws 76 mph across the diamond and ran a 5.41. The glove worked well and his prep steps were correct. Good left-handed hitting prospect, thunder in the bat.

Justin Garcia, SS, East Longmeadow, 2016

Switch-hitting shortstop who stands a lanky 6-foot-1, 155-pounds is currently ranked 22nd in the 2016 player rankings. Very smooth hands and actions in the field. Threw from a short lower-¾ slot and was accurate with minimal effort. Arm velocity was 72 mph as he was under control and in his skill set. Slot is very good for handling the pivot and getting rid of the ball quickly.  Can handle the slow roller as well as the glove is legit. Ran a 4.91 and has more in the tank with added weight and strength to the frame. Hitting from both sides of the plate, right-side being more advanced at this stage. The right-handed swing has a little forward lean to it but the swing is loose and direct to the ball. The tee exit velocity from the right side was 77 mph and from the left it was 68 mph. The left-handed swing is a work in progress as he is still feeling for the ball and his swing. With strength and work he could be a good switch hitting prospect.

Kyle Trombley, OF, Minnechaug, 2016

5-foot-11, 155-pound right-handed hitting outfielder who is ranked 25th in the current 2016 rankings. Can really run, and has plenty room to improve as he is fast twitch. Threw cleanly  from the outfield as he is gangly and still growing into the frame. The arm swing is long and has carry to it. The swing has good bat speed to it, 81 mph on the tee exit velocity. The need for strength is there as he has a lot of effort in his swing. Collapses on the backside and uses his fast hands to make up for that. The second round showed promise as he has the tools to hit, just needs to refine his bottom half and get above the ball. Very interesting athlete with tools that are excellent.

Michael Cruz, OF, Springfield, 2016

Left-handed hitting outfielder who stands a slender 5-foot-8, 140-pounds. Threw 70 mph from the outfield with a clean ¾ slot. Short arm swing on the back side as he got rid of the ball quickly. Ran a 4.86 and did it with a great first step. At the plate, he steps into the pitch while wrapping the bat as the ball approaches. The bat is flat but is long and thick to contact. Could use physical strength to help his game. Has a great deal of athletic ability.

Michael Pagacik, LHP, St. John’s, 2016

Crossfire left-handed pitcher who stands 5-foot-8, 145-pounds. The feet are at an angle as he pitches against proper feet alignment. Lots of pitchers do it as it adds to deception. The arm slot is a low-¾ and is quick, short on the backside. Threw his fastball at 71 mph and spun a breaking ball at 60 mph. The breaking ball had good rotation to it and he threw it for strikes. The changeup was 65 mph and had good arm-side run.

Nathan Epaul, C, Minnechaug, 2016

5-foot-9, 165-pounds with a solid build. Showed extremely well in the defensive session behind the plate. Stayed back in the drills and threw a consistent 2.01-2.03. The transfer and feet were quick and playable. The catching tools are there as he showed soft receiving skills as well in the bullpen session. At the plate, the swing is short and simple. He stays in his skill set out of a low hand set up and sprays the ball with a good approach. The BP rounds were solid and done properly by him. Tee exit velocity of 79 mph while running a 5.16, and throwing 72 mph from behind the dish.

Sean Murphy, OF, Westfield, 2016

Athletic and strong, 6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. Ran a 5.06 and threw 79 mph from the outfield with carry and downhill plane. The arm works out of a ¾ slot with a bit of stabbing on the back half of the arm swing. Showed well with the bat, tee exit velocity of 87 mph as he has a chance to be dangerous with the bat. The setup is slightly wider than shoulder width and the hands loose and free. The plane of the bat is long and flat with plenty of thunder to it. There was a tendency to collapse a bit on the backside but the plane itself is good. A guy to watch down the line as he gets physically stronger and has another summer of baseball underneath his belt.

Stephen Fleury, RHP, Wilbraham and Monson, 2016

6-foot, 170-pound right handed pitcher who showed well at our event. Showed a fast arm out of a higher than 3/4 slot. Arms are long and lanky, the frame should fill out as he matures. The delivery is relatively simple with a relaxed leg lift and good posture. He does push his head a bit to the side as the arm comes through but it's minimal. Fastball touched 79 mph and had arm-side run. Changeup is a good pitch with the right rotation on it. The repertoire has two spin pitches to it, a big breaking ball at 65 mph and a plus slider at 68 mph. The slider should be an out pitch at the next level. Good follow.

Tim Dickson, C/OF, Hall HS (CT), 2016

Right-handed hitting catcher, stands a slender 5-foot-7, 130-pounds. Very loose actions behind the dish and at the plate. Showed a tee exit velocity of 73 out of a even stance while showing a loose path to the ball. The feet are under control in the swing and he stays behind the ball. The swing needs added strength to it. Ran a 4.91 easily and with minimal effort. Behind the plate, showed an arm velocity of 67 mph and a pop time of 2.25. His feet and transfer are proper as he needs to physically get stronger and grow. Threw out of a good ¾ slot for the catching position.

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