By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

In an effort to continually provide college coaches, pro scouts, players, parents and fans with in depth information on prospects across the state, Prep Baseball Report is pleased to announce the return of, "The Pennsylvania Scout Blog". Look for reports from our team of scouts that will be updated frequently with scouting notes and information from around the state. Our scouts will report regularly on prospects they have seen in action the night before. Information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors and draft prospects will highlight the content. Look for pitcher velocities, pop times and home-to-first times to be among the statistical information included as well.

The blog is available to all PBR Plus subscribers.  Those with a subscription may view the blog HERE.

+ As always, all recruiting information should be forwarded to Greg Williams - PA Director of Scouting.

                             Inside Look

- Following are examples of content from the 2013 Pennsylvania Scout Blog

6/15/13 Scouting Notes - State Finals

+ 2013 RHP Austin Ross (Beaver Area HS) sat 86-88, touching 89 several times in the 2A title game. The Radford recruit also commanded a 73 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and a 70 mph changeup.

+ 2013 RHP Dylan Borawski (North Penn HS) sat 80-83, touching 84 mph a number of times with some arm side run to his fastball. Borawski commanded the strike zone with his fastball and also displayed a 65 mph curveball and a 67 mph changeup.

+ 2013 RHP Marshall Kiessling (Lower Dauphin HS) utilized an overhead rocker delivery and sat 80-81 with command of a 69 mph 11/5 breaking curveball.

+ 2014 RHP Garrett Wesneski (Canton HS) showed a power fastball out of a high 3/4 arm slot with arm side run that sat 84-87. Wesneski also threw a late breaking slider at 76 mph.

+2015 RHP John Bowman (Canton HS) is raw but showed definite arm strength. He sat 83-86 out of a high 3/4 arm slot and displayed a 73 mph changeup. Bowman struggled to command the zone but showed some arm side run to the fastball.

 

6/7/13 Scouting notes - state playoff games (quarterfinals)

+ 2016 OF Mason Nadeau (North Penn) showed an advanced approach at the plate throughout the contest. Hitting from the left side, the freshmen started with a slightly open stance and used a short, compact swing with quick hands to drive the ball to all fields. Nadeau also posted a 4.22 time to first in the fifth inning.  

+ 2014 3B Bobby Scott (North Penn) was impressive on the day, registering an exit velo of 86 mph in his at bat in the 4th inning. The right-handed-hitting junior starts from an even stance, incorporating a bit of a hip slide as he attacks the baseball. Scott drove two balls to the left-center gap and showed the ability to stay behind the baseball.  

+   2013 C Jake Kennedy (Coatesville) had pop times between 2.02-2.13 and showed solid receiving ability. Kennedy used a quick transfer and on-line, accurate throws to catch two runners attempting to steal.   

+ 2013 RHP CJ Martinez (Coatesville) struggled to find command of his fastball, which sat 80-82 and touched 84. However, when Martinez was able to pitch downhill, he showed he could be effective. The 6-foot, 165-poiund Martinez mixed in an impressive 72-74 power curve with a crisp, tight break. The senior also showed an effective changeup at 69-71, but was unable to go to his secondary stuff frequently due to falling behind in counts.

+ 2015 SS Ryan Malloy (Holy Ghost) had an exit velo of 89 MPH in the fifth inning. The sophomore starts with an even stance, using a line drive approach, quick hands and good extension to square the ball up. Malloy used a simple up and down toe tap with his front foot to start each swing. Defensively, Malloy showed good footwork and a very strong, accurate arm, with overhand action and on-line, chest-high carry.

+ 2015 RHP Curtis Staropoli (Holy Ghost) used an impressive FB/CB combo to keep the West York lineup in check. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound sophomore threw from a high 3/4 arm slot and his fastball sat 79-81 MPH, topping out at 83. The tall righty was able to pitch downhill, inducing 10 ground outs out of the 14 outs that were put into play. Staropoli also used a slurvy, 11/5 curveball that kept hitters off balance at 66-69 MPH. The sophomore worked quickly, but at times was too eager to get the ball and get back on the mound, which may have contributed to his early issues with command.

+ 2014 RHP Carson Fries (West York) registered strikeouts for all five of the outs he recorded, including setting down the last 3 batters of the game via the K. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior threw from a high 3/4 arm slot, with loose, free and easy arm action. Fries featured a four seam fastball that sat 81-83 MPH, a pitch which the RHP had tremendous control with. Fries showed remarkable poise for a young man his age, as he pitched out of a bases loaded and nobody out jam in a two run game in the bottom of the 7th by striking out three consecutive batters.

 

6/4/13 Scouting Notes - State Playoff Games (Round 1)

+ 2013 Bonner RHP Daniel Furman was very impressive in 8 relief innings. The righty used a fastball that sat 87-89, bumping 90 several times, to compliment a nasty off-speed arsenal that included a sharp 11/5 curve and a tight slider with late movement.

+ Bonner catcher Steven Furman had a solid day behind the plate, nailing two would-be base stealers at second and blocking the plate while applying a tag to cut down a runner at the plate. The freshman backstop had pop times of 2.17, 2.22 and 2.26

+ 2014 West York Catcher Cole Bixler is someone to keep an eye on. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound right-handed hitter swings from a slightly open stance, using a solid lower half and quick hands to generate bat speed through the zone. The junior barreled two balls on the day, lining a frozen rope right at the shortstop and sending a double over the right fielder's head. Bixler had pop times of 2.17 and 2.20

+ Saegertown C Tyler Walters is widely regarded as one of the top hitting catchers in the Class of 2014. He flashed his bat speed on a high and inside fastball in his first at bat, lacing a single to left field, registering an 87 mph bat exit velocity

+ Quaker Valley 2015 RHP Tyler Garbee had his 2nd consecutive strong playoff outing on the mound. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound prospect sat 82-84, touching 85 mph several times out of a high 3/4 arm slot. While he did not register a strikeout, he pitched to contact and utilized a 70-72 mph 11/5 breaking curveball effectively.

+ Pennridge 2015 OF Danny Shane: ran a 4.34 home-to-1B time; starts slightly open with high hands; stayed inside the ball well; showed average arm strength and above average accuracy; tracked ball well in center; aggressive baserunner (one turn around 1B went about 40ft up the line before the throw stopped him).

+ Pennridge 2015 2B David Tatoian: has some strength in frame; ran a 4.16 home-to-1B on a drag, but true speed may be somewhere in between that and the 4.84 time on a turn he recorded; showed some bat speed, although swing could be a tad stiff at times due to slight arm bar; infield actions a bit choppy, but not overly concerning at the present time.

+ La Salle 2015 OF Jimmy Herron: quality athlete; no useful home-to-1B times today, but has posted a couple of 4.22s in the past; barreled the baseball all four at-bats today, twice to center and twice to the pull side.

+ Neumann-Goretti 2016 OF Brian Verratti: little guy (5-foot-6, 145-pounds), but took quality swings all game; stayed on top and created backspin; solid approach, only swung at balls he could handle; starts slightly closed and buries hands a bit, which may account for all balls in play being hit the opposite way

+ Neumann-Goretti 2016 IF Nicky D'Amore: strong frame (6-foot, 180-pounds); solid actions and arm strength; starts open and strides to slightly open; flashed some bat speed.

+Neumann-Goretti 2014 1B Josh Ockimey: verbal commitment to Arkansas; plus raw power; hands work on balls away, but top half tends to jump at ball and ties self up a bit; good runner (4.47 home-to-1B) for size (6-foot-2, 215-pounds).

 

5/30/13 district xi championship (AA/AAA/AAAA)

+ Brett Kosciolek, 2015 RHP/1B, Tamaqua - Good size (listed at 6-foot-6, 181-pounds). FB 83-85, touch 86. Long, stiff arm action with hook in back. Command needs to improve. Reasonably quick to plate (1.37-1.43). CB at 65-69 was primary off-speed pitch.

+ Justin Aungst, 2014 RHP/IF, Salisbury Township - 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. High-3/4 slot, loose, clean arm action. FB 84-87, lacks significant action. Was up with it (in and out of zone) a lot. Makings of solid CB at 69-71.

+ Nicholas Ampietro, 2014 RHP/IF, Salisbury Township - Little guy (5-foot-8, 155-pounds) with quick arm from high-3/4 slot. FB 85-86, lacks significant action. Was up with it (in and out of zone) a lot. Solid SL with late cut action at 76-77. Slower CB at 70-71. Long to plate (1.5-1.6)

+ Kyle Buchman, 2014 OF, Notre Dame (Green Pond) - No standout tool, but showed a knack for finding the barrel vs mid-80s velo.  Bat speed is a bit of question mark, as everything the left-handed hitter put in play was between left-center and the left field line.

+ Evan Kulig, 2016 IF, Salisbury Township - Nice frame for frosh (5-foot-9, 180-pounds). Took some good swings and showed some bat speed. Solid defensive actions with easy arm swing.

+ Eric Santiago, 2016 IF, Notre Dame (Green Pond) - Could play lower to the ground, but moves well and possesses solid arm strength. Some work to do offensively, but hands worked well on a single to left-center his third at-bat.

+ Connor Higgins, 2015 LHP, Parkland - Big frame (6-foot-3, 200-pounds). FB 84-87 with some armside action. Up and armside a lot. Lost velo quickly into second inning. Did not feature a secondary pitch in 2.2 IP. Long to plate (1.63-1.75).

+ Chris Rabasco, 2015 RHP/IF, Parkland - Arguably features the top arm strength in the state from the left side of the diamond.  Winds up with long arm action to get it, might be better prospect on the mound (did not pitch this day). Appeared more comfortable fielding balls on the move than with his feet underneath him.

+ Ryan Bonshak, 2014 C, Whitehall - Receives well. Throw has carry. Good agility. Starts slightly open, stakes simple stride, swing a bit stiff. Good runner (4.38 home-to-1B and he pulled the chute a bit early).

+ Jeffrey Charles, 2014 3B, Whitehall - Big kid with strength in his frame. Arm action isn't the prettiest, but ball has carry across the diamond.

 

5/30/13 WPIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (A/AAAA)

+ OLSH 2013 RHP Preston Falascino sat 83-85 out of a high 3/4 arm slot, touching 86 several times. He also commanded a 67-70 mph 11/5 breaking curveball. He showed his changeup infrequently, telegraphing the pitch by dropping his elbow and throwing from a lower arm slot.

+ Western Beaver catcher Steve Menich showcased a solid left handed swing driving a two strike curveball to left center for a triple and a single up the middle off an 85 mph fastball. Menich's lone out was a one hop ground ball that he hit on the nose at the second baseman.

+ North Allegheny 2014 RHP Mitchell Machi controlled the game with a fastball that he commanded to both sides of the plate at 83-85 mph. Machi mixed in a 73 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and a 71 mph changeup, but relied heavily on his fastball that he kept down in the zone for most of the evening.

+ North Allegheny 2013 SS Brandon Bergstrom went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double. He impressed with his glove, quick feet and fluid release on seven assists, including two double plays.

+ Seneca Valley 2014 RHP Connor Coward sat 85-87 out of a high 3/4 arm slot, touching 89 twice. He threw two curveballs, a 12/6 breaker at 77 mph and an 11/5 breaker at 72-74 mph.

+ Seneca Valley CF Jonathan Dorogy (who finished 2nd in the 100 meters at the PIAA state track meet last week) showcased his game changing speed going first to third on a wild pitch in the 6th inning.

 

5/29/13 wpial championships (aa/aaa)

+ Beaver HS 2013 RHP Austin Ross, a Radford recruit, sat 88-89 early in the game touching 90 on three occasions out of a 3/4 arm slot. Ross complimented the fastball with command of a 72-74 mph 11/5 breaking curve ball. He pounded the strike zone with 10 K's and no walks.

+ Quaker Valley HS 2015 RHP Tyler Garbee sat 83-86 from a high 3/4 arm slot and showed some arm side run to the fastball. He will need to improve his curveball and develop a changeup moving forward, but showed promise and projectable size at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds.

+ The AAA game showcased five pitchers that all showcased quality stuff and demonstrated the knowledge of how to pitch. Hopewell starter, 2013 RHP Clayton Covalt mixed an 81 mph four-seam fastball that showed late life with a 70 mph curveball. Hopewell went to 2013 LHP Stefan Mrkonja to start the 6th inning. Mrkonja worked the final four innings showcasing a fastball that sat 79-83, and a biting 67-70 mph curveball. South Park starter, 2013 RHP Nick Yobbi fought through 3.1 innings without his best stuff. He sat 83-86 with a tight breaking 73 mph curveball. Yobbi relied heavily on his cutter that sat 76-79 mph. 2013 LHP Jake Bywalski worked the middle innings sitting 83-85 while commanding a 70 mph curveball, a 73 MPH slider and a very effective 74 mph changeup. The final pitcher to take the mound on the evening was South Park 2013 RHP Randy Dobnak who picked up the win with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Dobnak sat 87-89 while touching 91 four times in his final inning of work. He complimented the fastball with a late breaking 74 mph curveball.

 

5/28/13 District 10 Championships Prospects

+ Cochranton HS senior RHP Ryan Northcott sat 79-81 with command of his 70 mph curveball to register 9 strikeouts on the day. While his fastball was not overpowering he was able to spot it well and threw his 11/5 breaking curveball at of the same arm slot at any count.

+ Eisenhower HS 2016 RHP Casey Vincent served notice that he is a prospect to watch in this class. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound freshman sat 80-83 out of a high 3/4 arm slot with a 70 mph curveball. Vincent showed good 11/5 bite to the curveball early in the game, but the pitch lost its shape late in the game as Vincent's arm slot began to drop.

+ Saegertown HS 2014 C Tyler Walters once again demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the top hitting prospects in this class. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-handed hitter went 3-for-4, with 5 RBI, including a 3-run HR in the 1st inning that cleared the 370' sign in left-center field by some 20 feet.

+ Saegertwon HS 2014 OF Kyle Wise showcased his strong arm from center field gunning down a runner at the plate on a single to center in the 1st inning. His throw was a one hop strike to the plate from medium depth and beat the runner by several steps.

+ Sharpsville HS 2015 1B Greg Popatak showed raw power from the left side of the plate. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore laced a fastball to the fence in left-center field in his third at bat as he stayed through an away pitch to drive the ball with authority to the opposite field.

+ Warren HS 2015 RHP Tanner Stanz showed real promise working out of a high 3/4 arm slot. The athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound sophomore sat 83-86 with a sharp breaking 74 mph curveball. Stanz will need to develop a changeup to compliment his other two pitches.

 

5/28/13 District 2 championships prospects

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

+ Jake McCarthy, 2015 OF, Scranton HS - Left-handed hitter with solid build (6-foot-2, 180-pounds), smooth stroke, and above average foot speed (4.31 home-to-1B, 3.41 on a steal start). Has a bit of length to his finish, so his speed plays better underway than out of the box. Starts slightly open, strides slightly closed, showed some barrel whip. Tracked the ball well on defense and has good bloodlines (brother Joe named 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year at University of Virginia)

+ Max Kranick, 2016 IF, Valley View HS - Lean frame (6-foot-2, 160-pounds) with room to add plenty of strength. Moves well on the infield and already possesses above average arm strength. Took aggressive swings and showed an ability to get his barrel to a mid-80s FB. Starts slightly open, double-taps stride and opens a bit more with stride.

+ Colin Maldonato, 2015 RHP, Scranton HS - FB 83-86, flat with occasional tail. SL 71-74, mostly 1-plane, lacked depth. Solid build, good mound presence, loose arm with arm speed. Slow, deliberate wind-up, gets to good balance point, high-3/4 slot. Has a chance to add velo and be very good when he gets some action down in the zone.

+ Tyler Ksiazek, 2015 RHP/IF, Abington Heights HS - FB 84-86, touch 87. Similar action on 66-70 CB & 72-74 SL. Utilizes hip & shoulder turn over the rubber, slight stab out of the glove, and throws from an over-the-top slot. Left-handed hitter starts from square stance, minimal load, quick hands. Ran 4.25 and 4.29 home-to-1B times.

+ Jim Blevins, 2014 C, Lakeland HS - Recorded a 2.18 in-game pop time and hit a 3B off the top of the fence in left-center field.

+ Sean Padden, 2014 OF, Scranton HS - Right-handed hitter recorded 4.19 home-to-1B time. Also posted 4.00 home-to-1B on a drag bunt that rolled foul and he pulled the chute a few steps before the bag. Awkward doing most other things on a baseball field.

 

5/27/13 Independent League prospects

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

+ Haverford School 2014 L/L OF Steve Scornajenghi posted a 3.97 home-to-1B time on a push bunt.  He tracked the ball well in RF while battling a stiff wind gusting across the field.

+ Haverford School 2014 L/R SS Chris Sukonik posted home-to-1B times of 4.22 and 4.25.

+ Haverford School 2015 L/R 2B Kevin McGowan stroked two doubles to right-center. McGowan hits from a slightly open stance and has bat speed.  His infield actions can be choppy at times, but he has a chance to develop into a solid offensive second baseman.  He ran two 4.56 home-to-1B times.

+ Haverford School 2014 RHP Connor Burke worked 82-83 with a 71-73 SL that had 1-plane cut action.  Burke throws out of a high-3/4 slot with a clean arm action and slight wright wrap.

+ Mercersburg Academy 2014 RHP Michael Collins worked 78-82, topping at 83, with a 68-69 SL.  He has an XL frame, throws out of a 3/4 slot and is a bit of a short armer.

+ Malvern Prep 2014 R/R 2B Matt Maul is light on his feet and turns it over easy at 2B.  At the plate, his hands work, but he has a tendency to get out early on his front side and not use his lower half.  He ran a 4.43 home-to-1B time.