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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

The first-year of the Eastern PA Top Prospect Games brought 65 college hopefuls to La Salle University in Philadelphia on July 19-20. Today we continue prospect analysis with those who participated as two-way performers. Tomorrow we will wrap up with pitchers. Links to previous evaluations of position players can be found at the end of this article.

Class of 2017

Ryan Cedzo, OF/LHP, Fairview
Wiry, athletic 6-foot, 180-pound left-handed hitter. Hits from a square stance with simple approach and short path to the baseball. Worked the middle of the field well during game action. Tools include an 86 mph exit velocity and 4.44 home-to-1B time. Recorded 83 mph arm strength from the outfield, which could be enhanced if he continues to work his feet through the throw.

Showed some pitchability out of an over-the-top slot with some feel for moving the ball in and out, as well as expanding off the plate. Fastball sat 81-83 with some cut to it, while he also featured a big, top-to-bottom curveball at 69-72 and a floating change-up at 65-66.

Noel Franczyk, LHP/1B, Springfield
Tall, lean 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame. Arm action has some hook and wrap into a high three-quarter slot. Was around the zone with a fastball that sat 75-78, while hitters didn't appear to see it well as the pitch seemed to come out from behind his head. Also featured a slow, loopy curveball at 61-62 and a rare straight change-up at 68-70.

Left-handed hitter starts from a square stance and takes a short stride. Swing is pull-oriented and his 76 mph exit velocity would benefit from strength gains. Showed capable defensive actions and footwork around the first base bag.

Ryan Murphy, OF/RHP, Wilson
Pitches out of multiple arm slots with a loose arm action and projectable 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame. Worked to the gloveside fairly well with a fastball that sits in the low-80s from a high three-quarter slot, while he will also drop down sidearm on occasion. Continues to mix in a solid change-up and developing curveball that occasionally flashes some sharpness.

Right-handed hitter starts from a open stance and incorporates a small toe-tap to square. Relaxed set-up with some pre-swing rhythm and loads his hands to a good launch position, while swing has some length and lift to it. As might be expected, has a long, loose arm action from the outfield; throws travel straight with carry and he showed 84 mph arm strength.

Joe Preciado, RHP/3B, Council Rock North
Physical 6-foot, 200-pounder who pitches out of a three-quarter slot. Compact delivery with slight wrist wrap, while finish can be a bit upright. Fastball sat 84-87 with limited plane, but good life. Slurvy, sweeping breaking ball at 64-67 had occasional depth, while he threw his change-up with good sell at 71-72. Was around the zone with all three pitches.

Right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and strides slightly closed. Head stays still, gets hands to good launch point, and stays behind his front side. Swing has some length with power potential (91 mph exit velocity). Made some nice plays defensively despite not having premium range.

Nick Stoner, RHP/IF, Elizabethtown Area
6-foot, 170-pound Bloomsburg commit continues his upward trajectory. Super-athletic delivery with long, loose arm action. Collects himself over the rubber well and maintains direction to home plate. Fastball sat 88-91 with occasional biting armside run and he pitched to the bottom of the zone well. An upper-70s curveball acted more like a hard slider as he tended to get around the pitch on this day. Didn't feature his upper-70s change-up much, but it too has a chance to be a quality pitch for him.

Right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square. Has good bat speed and consistently barreled the baseball during his BP round. Battled well and showed good bat-on-ball skills during game play. Showed an ability to get inside a fastball on the inner part of the plate, as well as the ability to square up a pitch down in the zone. Recorded an 87 mph exit velocity and ran a 4.39 home-to-1B time.

Class of 2018

Andrew Brady, OF/RHP, Avon Grove
Lean left-handed hitter with room to add significant strength to his 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, especially above the waist. Starts from a square stance and strides closed with a simple approach that is geared to the opposite field. Exhibits loose hands and wrists with a short path to the ball despite an armbar in his load. Recorded 79 mph exit velocity. Showed 78 mph arm strength from the outfield with a low trajectory while landing open with his stride leg.

Primary position player pitched out of a high three-quarter slot with abbreviated arm action. Fastball at 79-81 lacked significant action, while curveball at 67-70 had limited bite and overall command was inconsistent.

Justin Byler, 1B/RHP, Warwick
6-foot-4, 185-pound left-handed hitter. Starts from an open stance and incorporates a knee-to-knee stride to square. Barrel wrap creates some length, but he generates good leverage and showed some feel for elevating the baseball during his BP round. Current gap power (87 mph exit velocity) should improve as he continues to add strength to his frame. Doesn't possess the quickest feet, but showed a solid glove and good footwork on double play feeds.

Brief one-inning appearance. Overhead rocker into three-quarter slot. Fastball at 77-80 exhibited occasional armside run, while an 11/5 curveball at 65-68 has potential.

Gabe Cicala, OF/RHP, Lancaster Catholic
Lean 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitter. Starts from a square stance and strides slightly closed. Hands worked and he stayed inside the ball during his BP round, while he squared up a mid-80s fastball back up the middle during game play on day two of the event. Registered an 85 mph exit velocity. Athletic actions in the outfield with accurate throws and 84 mph arm strength.

Pitched entirely from the stretch out of a three-quarter slot for one inning. Good hip load and clean arm action generated a fastball at 80-81 and a tight slider at 76-77 for which he has a good feel.

Colin Macko, RHP/1B, Crestwood
Left-handed hitter with long legs and plenty of room to add strength to his 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame that already generates an 85 mph exit velocity. Starts from an open stance and incorporates a slow, controlled stride to slightly closed. Exhibited loose hands and a smooth swing during his BP round. Also took a series of good passes at the ball during game play, including banging a pullside single against a mid-80s fastball in his first at-bat. Solid across-the-board skill set defensively.

Pitches out of a high three-quarter slot with an arm that shows some looseness following a hook and wrap out of the glove. Some crossfire action to his delivery due to closed landing led to yanking fastball at 79-82 across the plate to his gloveside. Also featured a solid 11/5 curveball at 67-70.

Hunter McGarvey, C/RHP, La Salle
5-foot-10, 175-pound right-handed hitter. Starts from a square stance and rocks weight back-to-front with a knee-to-knee stride. Body comes forward with stride, while head stays quiet. Creates rhythm with bat waggle and bars front arm some in load. Attacks the baseball, registering an 87 mph exit velocity, and consistently put the barrel on the ball during game play. Defensively, he's a quality receiver and blocker who exhibits good footwork on pop times of 2.06-2.12.

Attacked the zone out of a high three-quarter slot with some effort and arm speed. Slight hip coil and back shoulder tilt over rubber. Fastball sat 81-84 with occasional cut action. Rare curveball that checked in at 63-64 wasn't thrown with the same intent and arm speed.

A.J. Palumbo, RHP/IF, Parkland
5-foot-11, 160-pounder with clean arm action who pitches out of multiple arm slots. Starts with a sideways rocker step and gathers well over the rubber. Slightly crossfire landing leads to inconsistencies in release point and command at the present time. Fastball sat 80-83, while he will drop down sidearm at the lower end of that range and also mix in a short, 1-plane cutter. Curveball at 69-71 with 11/5 shape is solid, with some variance in the size of the break, while change-up at 70-71 had occasional sink.

Right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square. Tended to hook the ball during his BP round, while ability to drive the baseball (74 mph exit velocity) will improve as he adds strength to his frame. Did slam a triple to the pullside gap in his final at-bat during game action. Posted an in-game 4.59 home-to-1B time. Defensively, he tends to sit on his heels and field the ball deep, causing him to have to restart his feet in order to get off a throw.

Class of 2019

Drew Mummau, IF/RHP, Manheim Central
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitter. Hits from a square stance with simple approach and short path. Consistently barreled the baseball during his BP round and turned around a mid-80s fastball during his first live at-bat. Posted 78 mph exit velocity and an in-game best 4.56 home-to-1B time. Defensively, he plays low to the ground, moves well laterally, can complete plays on the move, and shows 77 mph arm strength.

Quick one-inning appearance. Compact delivery and pitched out of a high three-quarter slot. Threw strikes down in the zone with a fastball that sat 79-81. Showed a slow 12/6 curveball in warm-ups, but did not feature in game play.

Sam Servello, RHP/IF, Hollidaysburg Area
5-foot-10, 175-pounder with a live arm. Separates slow out of glove, but arm is loose and arm speed picks up out front. Drifts through balance point, pitches out of a high three-quarter slot, and has a tendency to spin toward the first base dugout with some recoil. Ran fastball up to 89 mph early in his outing, settling in the mid-80s out of the stretch and in his second inning of work. Curveball at 69-73 was inconsistent, but, at its best, spun well with big 11/5 shape and depth.

Offensively, the right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance, incorporates a quick, near waist-high knee lift, and lands open, causing him to predominantly hook the ball during his BP round. Swing has some length, but also flashes bat speed, and he posted an 82 mph exit velocity. Defensively, he doesn't have the quickest feet, which could lead to an eventual move to third base, but he showed a lot of trust in a soft glove hand and clean exchange.

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