Follow @pbrpennsylvania

By Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

The summer rush of PBR events in Pennsylvania continued this week with the 2017 Eastern PA College Prospect Games on June 27. Fourty prospects from Pennsylvania and Delaware gathered to display their abilities at Cooper Park on the campus of Millersville University. Today we continue our analysis of the prospects in attendance by taking a look at those position players that participated as a member of the Class of 2019.

+ CLICK HERE for complete results for all prospects in attendance.

ANALYSIS SCHEDULE

June 28 - Sneak Peak 
June 29 - Complete results & top performers
June 30 - Class of 2018 analysis
July 1    - Class of 2019 pitcher & two-way prospect analysis
July 2    - Class of 2019 position player analysis
July 3    - Class of 2020 two-way prospect analysis
July 4    - Class of 2020 position player analysis

Class of 2019

TOP PROSPECTs

Jake Romeu, 2019, C, Spring-Ford HS (PA)
5-foot-8, 166-pound backstop with a solid frame that should continue to develop.  Showcased pop times of 2.21-2.29 on throws of 70 mph from the crouch.  Feet work well with upper half with a clean transition.  More concerted effort to allow backside to get through throws will lead to lower times in the future.  The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance and utilizes a deep, high-hands load to initiate his swing.  Displayed some glide to his lower half but head remains still and he showed the ability to barrel the baseball routinely in a strong round of batting practice.  Finishes high and demonstrated ability to create some backspin with a bat exit velocity of 84 mph. 

Joe Stella, 2019, C/1B, Pittston Area HS (PA)
Physical 6-foot-1, 2000-pound backstop showcased solid footwork and a quick release with pop times of 2.08-2.15.  70 mph arm strength plays up as Stella displayed accurate throws, repeatedly putting the baseball on the bag during his defensive workout.  Right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and initiates his swing with a short, leg-hang stride.  86 mph bat exit speed should continue to rise as he works to get off his back side routinely.  Displayed gap-to-gap approach with solid feel for the barrel and showcased capable actions around the bag at first base as well.

Remainder of Position Players: (in alphabetical order)

Noah Johnson, 2019, OF/RHP, Penn Manor HS (PA)
5-foot-7, 130-pound two-way prospect showcased sound fundamentals across the board during his workout.  The right-handed hitter barreled the baseball routinely with limited wasted movement in his swing during batting practice with a bat exit velocity of 74 mph.  He displayed the ability to play through the baseball defensively with straight line carry on throws of 77 mph from the outfield while running a 7.08 60-yard dash.  On the mound Johnson sat 66-68 from an over-the-top arm slot with command of a 59 mph curveball with 12/6 rotation and a changeup at 64 mph.  Johnson will benefit from continued strength gains and physical maturation over the coming years.

Manuel Montes, 2019, OF/SS, York Catholic (PA)
5-foot-6, 130-pound right-handed hitter starts from a square stance and utilizes a short, leg-hand stride to initiate his swing. Over rotates hips at times causing bat head to lag through the zone with a bat exit velocity of 65 mph.  Ran a 7.13 60-yard dash and showcased 74 mph arm strength from his outfield position.  Continued work to gain confidence in his glove hand will be necessary moving forward defensively.

Additional EASTERN PA COLLEGE PROSPECT SHOWCASE CONTENT