Prep Baseball Report

Elite Prospect Showcase Analysis: Pitchers (Part Two)



By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

The 2014 Elite Prospect Showcase took place Saturday, November 1st at Keystone State Baseball Academy in Manheim, PA with 56 prospects from three states displaying their skills. The following is a look at half of the pitchers from the event, those who threw on mound number two. For an analysis of the pitchers who threw on mound one CLICK HERE.

Mound No. 2 Pitchers (In Alphabetical Order)


Matt Brooks
, RHP/IF, Spring Grove Area HS, PA (2016)


Brooks is an athletic 6-foot-1, 160-pounder who showed well as a position player, in addition to standing out on the mound (quick arm, minimal effort, fastball up to 85-mph). For a full rundown of his two-way abilities, see Sunday's article on the event's top performers.

Braeden Duff, RHP, Parkland HS, PA (2016)

The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Duff employs a simple, compact delivery, striding slightly closed, but staying on-line to the plate. He got downhill well with his fastball at 78-80 that had some slight armside run and didn't appear to be maxing out, so there is likely more in the tank for him. He showed a feel for his change-up at 68-69 that had some fade and he located it down in the zone. He also mixed in a slow 11/5 curveball at 63-65, losing his slot and not staying on top of it, at times.

Eric Ford, RHP, Cambria Heights HS, PA (2015)

Ford posted the event's top velocity, running his fastball up to 88-mph. For a full report on the 6-foot-1, 175-pound uncommitted senior, see Sunday's article on the event's top performers.

Chase Gilbert, LHP/OF, Hempfield HS, PA (2016)

Gilbert employs a short takeaway and throws from an over-the-top slot out of his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame. His fastball at 80-81 had some natural cut to it, while he showed a very good feel for a 79-mph cutter with late action. He also features a curveball at 69-72 for which the spin was a little bit loose on this day.

Bayley Jamanis, RHP/IF, Lancaster Catholic HS, PA (2016

Jamanis has a quick arm and stays on-line to the plate well. He consistently worked down in the zone with a fastball at 81-83 and touched 84-mph. The 6-foot, 170-pounder showed some feel for spinning an 11/5 curveball at 70-71, and a very good feel for his change-up at 72-73 with sink.

Brandon Knarr, LHP, York Catholic HS, PA (2017)

Knarr showed command of a three-pitch mix, while topping out at 84-mph. For a full rundown of the 5-foot-10, 195-pounder's bullpen, see Sunday's article on the event's top performers.

Dillon Marsh, LHP/1B, Lancaster Catholic HS, PA (2018)

After taking a solid round of BP and posting a 90-mph exit velocity, Marsh toed the rubber, running his fastball up to 85-mph out of both the wind-up and stretch with minimal effort. For a full rundown of the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder's two-way abilities, see Sunday's article on the event's top performers.

Anthony Piccolino, LHP/OF, Iona Prep, NY (2017)

Piccolino is athletic on the mound (he also ran a 6.89 60-yard dash) and has a quick arm. He strides slightly closed and throws from a low-3/4 slot with occasional recoil. The 5-foot-11, 165-pounder's repertoire included a fastball at 78-81 that had occasional cut and occasional run, a really good sinking change-up at 71-74, and a slurvy breaking ball at 64-68 that had a sweeping action across the entire width of the plate.

Joey Preciado, RHP/3B, Council Rock North HS, PA (2017)

Preciado has a long, loose arm action with a hook in back and high elbow. From his low-3/4 slot, his fastball sat 77-79 and touched 81. The 6-foot, 180-pounder flashed solid secondary stuff, although he had a tendency to get around his change-up at 69-71 and cast his curveball at 64-67.

Zeb Stough, RHP/3B, Red Land HS, PA (2018)

Physical 6-foot-1, 185-pound Stough touched 85-mph with his fastball, along with the makings of solid complementary pitches. For a full rundown of Stough's performance, see Sunday's article on the event's top performers.

Austin Wacker, RHP/OF, Cumberland Valley HS, PA (2016)

Wacker has a simple, repeatable delivery and a quick arm that generated a fastball at 80-81 and a change-up at 71-73 with fade. Despite being undersized at 5-foot-6, 160-pounds, he has a chance to get swing-and-misses from his tight 12/6 curveball. He also showed a slider that had a tendency to blend into the same action as his curveball, but didn't have as sharp a break.

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