Top 20 Stories of 2018: No. 18 FL JUCO Soph. All-Star Weekend - Southern Conference

December 7, 2018
Phil Kerber
PBR Florida/JUCO Wire

Over the next few weeks we we will be counting down the 2018 caldendar year with a look at the top 20 viewed stories of 2018. After combing through our google analytics, we have compiled a list of the twenty most visited stories, by you, the readers, in 2018.

We continue our countdown with FL JUCO: Sophomore All-Star Weekend - Southern Conference

NO. 18 FL JUCO: All-Star Weekend - Southern conference

This past weekend the annual FCSAA Sophomore All-Star Game and Showcase occurred in Lakeland, FL at Joker Marchant Stadium. This event is for sophomores only, many of which are still uncommitted. The Southern Conference and Panhandle Conference played each other and participated in a showcase on Saturday, October 27. The following day, Sunday, October 28, The Mid Florida Conference and Suncoast Conference did the same.

This week we will breakdown the standout performers from the weekend, starting with the Southern Conference.

ASA Miami

Merfy Andrew, RHP, ASA Miami (SO)
One of the more intriguing arm in attendance. The 6-foot-1, 200 pound right-hander showed some big time arm talent, but lacked any command. The fastball worked up to 95 mph with a fairly clean and compact arm action. There is a ton of pure arm talent and will be very interesting to see if he can harness the upside.

Jose Ulloa, RHP, ASA Miami (SO)
Bethune-Cookman recruit is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a lean frame. He is another big arm talent player for ASA. The fastball worked up to 95 mph, while he commanded a bit better, it did flatten out at times allowing hitters to square up the pitch. The slider worked at 75 mph and overall has present arm talent and some upside as he develops as a pitcher.

Wilfran Alfredo, RHP, ASA Miami (SO)
Pitched during the bullpen sessions. 5-foot-10, 175-pound right-handed pitcher, lean athletic frame, loose body. Delivery works with apparent athleticism, gets through quickly to a high ¾ slot. Fastball played at 89-91. Offered up two breaking balls, a slider and a curveball, two distinct shapes, worked on different planes. Slider worked 11/5 with some sweeping action, 76-78. Curveball, 12/6 shape, 72-75.

Broward

Eddy Arteaga, OF, Broward (SO)
Standing at 6-foot, 190 pounds, the frame appears long and lean. He played outfield for the showcase and has also caught in the past. He is an athlete and an above average defender. The bat though, is by far his best tool. Shows the ability to turn the barrel, with present strength, bat speed and leverage. He has natural loft and bat to ball skill and could be one of the top left-handed bats in the conference.

Zackery Urso, INF, Broward (SO)
5-foot-8, 160-pound let-handed hitting infielder, athletic build, a bit undersized, but plays with an aggressive edge. Attacks the baseball offensively, goes after first pitch he likes. Barrel path works uphill with natural lift.

Andrew Fernandez, C, Broward (SO)
6-foot-2, 210-pound, right-handed hitting catcher, strong, durable build. Strength translates to swing, strong hands/wrists through contact, takes a power approach at the plate with pull tendency. Squared the ball up In his first at-bat for a hard hit double in gameplay.

Eastern Florida State

Kevin Silva, OF, Eastern Florida State (SO)
5-foot-10, 185-pound left-handed hitting outfielder, athletic build. Barrel control type hitter, makes line drive contact. Puts the ball in-play routinely, has a feel for the zone, rarely chases. Recorded a single and drew a walk in-game.

Alvaro Valdez, OF, Eastern Florida State (SO)
Really tracked the ball down well in center with above average range. Has some bat speed and feel to hit from the left side and appears to be an above average athlete with some upside.

Pablo Barquero, LHP, Eastern Florida State (SO)
6-foot-1, 185-pound left-handed pitcher. Showed command of fastball at 83-85 some life. Located inside and out, left little over the plate, struck out all three batters faced in one inning of work.

Andres Rodriguez, RHP, Eastern Florida State (SO)
5-foot-9, 170-pound athletic right-handed pitcher. Athleticism throughout delivery, quick, smooth rhythm, high ¾ slot. Fastball sat 87-89 with a 77 mph curveball.

Ray De Los Santos, RHP, Eastern Florida State (SO)
A really intriguing arm with what appears to be a very durable, 6-foot-3, 205 pound frame. Was scheduled to throw in the game, but because of the current setup threw in the bullpen session. The fastball worked 90-92 from a low effort, easy and clean 3/4 slot. The pitch has present, late life. Showed the makings of a plus slider at 85-86 mph which had hard, late action. Will be an arm to track early in the spring.

Mike Entenza, RHP, Eastern Florida State (SO)
6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed pitcher, strong, durable build, strength throughout frame. Works with a long arm action, circular draw on back-side, arm moves quickly through to a high ¾ slot. Fastball worked mostly 88-89, topping out at 90. Aggressive with breaking ball, 11/5 shape, 74-78.

Indian River State

Hunter Holland, OF, Indian River State (SO)
6-foot-4, 205-pound physical, muscular frame, strength throughout, right-handed hitting outfielder. Power approach, present bat speed, there is swing-and-miss in barrel path, but the combination of bat speed and physicality makes for an intriguing power bat.

Cole Brutcher, 1B, Indian River State (SO)
At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, he has a physically imposing frame with strength throughout. Physically mature and natural strength. There is some length and stiffness in the swing, but as he gets on time and to extension he shows above average pull side power. A potential impact, left handed power bat.

Josh Shrouder, INF, Indian River State (SO)
5-foot-10, 175-pound, athletically-built right-handed hitting infielder. Showed barrel control with a line drive approach at the plate. Had a single through the infield on a 94 mph fastball.

Zach Audet, RHP, Indian River State (SO)
At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, he has a lean frame with some projection left. He works with some length in the takeaway, that gets behind his back and off line. He has a quick arm though that helps get him to extension. Worked mostly 87-88 mph with a 72 mph curveball.There is some upside as the arm is quick and if he can get on line more consistently could make a nice jump.

Christian O’Kelly, RHP, Indian River State (SO)
A stocky, 6-foot-1, 200 pounds he worked with a funky, up-tempo delivery that creates some natural deception. The fastball worked mostly 85-89 mph, that worked downhill and he used to attack hitters.

Miami-Dade

Luis Guerrero, OF, Miami-Dade (SO)
A 5-foot-10, 185 pound outfielder, he has strength throughout the frame and is a twitchy athlete. He is a rangy outfielder, but the right handed hitter made an impact offensively. He is aggressive through the zone, with above average bat speed. The ball comes off of the barrel well and showed a slight uphill path while staying compact through the zone.

Danny Vazquez, RHP, Miami-Dade (SO)
6-foot-2, 180-pound right-handed pitcher, proportional, athletic build. Fastball topped out at 89 mph with some life. Changeup, 82 mph with fade.

Orlando Ribalta, RHP, Miami-Dade (SO)
Listed at 6-foot-8, 240 pound as it is a physical and strong frame. Worked out of the stretch only, with a simple delivery and gets seperated on time and to extension. The fastball worked 90-95 mph with late life. The curveball worked 74-75 mph with some depth. There is arm talent and strength that could be a 2019 MLB Draft follow.

Blake Baker, RHP, Miami-Dade (SO)
The right-hander had a very simple and repeatable delivery with an athletic frame and arm action. Repeats and attacked in the pen, with up-tempo and quick arm and a fastball that sat 90-92 mph with some late life. Showed a quality slider at 75 mph and a changeup at 82 mph. Three pitch mix with low effort and potential starter.

Jesus Valoy, LHP, Miami-Dade (SO)
6-foot, 200-pound left-handed pitcher, strong, durable frame. Arm works quick and clean from a high ¾ slot. Fastball sat 86-88 with late life in the zone. Showed feel for curveball with 1/7 shape, 74-76. Change, fade, 80 mph.

Palm Beach State

Tommy Green, RHP, Palm Beach State (SO)
6-foot-2, 205-pound, lanky with strength in the frame. Worked from a low 3/4 slot and the fastball had a lot of late, arm side run and sink at 87-89 mph. The slider is average and has a bit of a hump at 80-82 mph, but worked well off of the hard, sinking fastball. Struck out two in his inning of work.

Mason Doolittle, C, Palm Beach State (SO)
Appalachian State recruit, was the best in-game offensive performer. He is physically imposing at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. Defensively, he may have to move to the outfield as there is some stiffness behind the plate, but the bat really has continued to show up. He is extremely strong and has bat speed and stays compact and minimized swing and miss. He had single and a triple in the game and could be one of the top bats in the state.

Ray Sanchez, 1B, Palm Beach State (SO)
6-foot-1, 210-pound left-handed hitting first baseman, strong, durable frame. Takes a power approach at the plate, looks to elevate the ball to the pull-side. Present bat speed, strong hands/wrists through contact.

Jisjar Clotida, OF, Palm Beach State (SO)
A strong, 6-foot, 180 pound left-handed hitting outfielder has strength throughout the frame. Offensively, he has a strong and a balanced lower half. Slightly uphill path, there is some length, but has bat speed and strength and translated to a single in the game.

Noah Orlando, INF, Palm Beach State (SO)
5-foot-11, 175 pounds, he is a twitchy athlete. He has a quick first step and shows sound defensive actions. Offensively, the swing is compact and level with some present bat speed. Ran a 4.44 home to first time and is a solid all-around player.

Nick Tiano, INF, Palm Beach State (SO)
5-foot-9, 165-pound left-handed hitting infielder. Line drive approach at the plate, barrel control type hitter. Showed a good eye in his two at-bats on the day, drawing two walks.

Niko Leontarkis, RHP, Palm Beach State (SO)
The long, lean right-hander works with a high front side and worked downhill at 87-90 mph. The curveball has some depth at 75-77 mph and a changeup at 81 mph.

Pasco-Hernando State

Ryan Ayrey, LHP/1B, Pasco-Hernando State (SO)
6-foot-5, 200-pound left-handed two-way prospect, long, lanky frame, athletically-built. Pitched in the bullpen sessions. Athletic delivery works with quick rhythm. Fastball sat 87-89 with armside run. Curveball, 12/6 shape, 72-76. Changeup showed fade action, 80. Offensively, creates leverage in swing with long appendages, barrel path works uphill with natural lift, takes a power/pull approach.