Prep Baseball Report

College Roundup: Class of 2016 Prepares for Year Four


Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

It's been a mixed bag of success for the top ten prospects in the Pennsylvania Class of 2016. The top two prospects, Alex Kirilloff and Nolan Jones are knocking on the door of their respective oragnization's major league rosters while six of the 10 are currently applying their craft at the professional level. Two of the 10 are entering their 4th year of college baseball and two are no longer playing the game.

Today we take a look at the baseball careers of those in the top 10 spots in the final Pennsylvania Class of 2016 rankings since their departure from high school.

Class of 2016: Top Ten Prospects

Alex Kirilloff OF / 1B / Plum , PA / 2016


+ Kirilloff has compiled a .317 career batting average as a professional player. Over the span of three full minor league seasons he has hit 36 home runs and has driven in 177. Following a banner season in 2018 he was named the Minor League Player of the Year in the Minnesota Twins organization.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE


Nolan Jones SS / RHP / Holy Ghost Prep, PA / 2016


+ Jones was a 2nd round selection of the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 MLB Draft. He has compiled a .283 average over the course of his first four seasons of pro ball while hitting 38 home runs and driving in 171. Jones has also compiled an impressive .409 on base percentage. He is considered the No. 1 prospect in the Indians organization and has a strong chance to make the opening day roster of the big club in 2020.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE


Max Kranick RHP / SS / Valley View, PA / 2016


+ Kranick was selected in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has gone 12-14 with a 3.34 ERA over his first four seasons of professional baseball. To date Kranick has logged 245 innings of work walking just 58 batters while striking out 194.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE


A.J. Alexy RHP / 3B / Twin Valley, PA / 2016


+ Alexy was an 11th round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2016 MLB Draft. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound righty has gone 10-18 with a 3.75 ERA over his first four seasons of professional baseball. Most impressive has been his ability to put batters away, registering 286 strikeouts in 235.1 innings of work.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE


Isaiah Kearns 3B / RHP / Mifflin County, PA / 2016


+ A two-way player at the college level, Kearns has saw the bulk of his time on the mound where he went 8-4 with 97 strikeouts in 93.2 innings of work during his freshman and sophomore seasons for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Kearns did not play college baseball in 2019.

+ College Bio: CLICK HERE


Jake Jessell C / RHP / Woodland Hills , PA / 2016


+ Jessell played one year of college baseball at Patrick Henry CC where he hit .296 with 10 home runs and 41 RBI.

+ College Bio: CLICK HERE


Dante Biasi LHP / 1B / Hazleton Area, PA / 2016


+ Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 22nd round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Sat out 2017 college season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Went 3-6 with a 5.20 ERA as a conference starter at Penn State as a redshirt freshman. Following a banner redshirt sophomore season in 2019 he was selected in the 6th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE


Carter Cross RHP / OF / Cathedral Prep, PA / 2016


+ Redshirted during his first year at Nebraska. Cross has appeared in 35 games over the past two seasons and enters his redshirt junior season in 2020 as a career .206 hitter.

+ College Bio: CLICK HERE


Kenny Bergmann C / OF / William Penn Charter, PA / 2016


+ Bergmann compiled a .161 batting average at Connecticut over his first two years with three RBI and three runs scored. Transferred to Newberry College in 2019 where he hit .311 with 26 RBI as a junior in 2019.

+ College Bio: CLICK HERE


Dan Hammer RHP / 2B / Father Judge, PA / 2016


+ Hammer compiled an 8-19 record with a 6.15 ERA over his first three seasons as a Pittsburgh Panther. He was selected in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles with the 378th overall pick.

+ MILB Bio: CLICK HERE

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
2019 Holiday Showcase PA 12/28 Keystone State Baseball Academy
Super 60 Pro Showcase NATIONAL 02/02 The MAX - McCook, IL
2020 Preseason All-State - Southeast Session 1 PA 02/15 Keystone State Baseball Academy
2020 Preseason All-State - Southeast Session 2 PA 02/16 Keystone State Baseball Academy
2020 Preseason All-State - SW/Central PA 02/22 Iron Horse Sports Complex
2020 Preseason All-State - Western PA 02/23 Pittsburgh Indoor Sports Arena
2020 Preseason All-State - NE/Central PA 02/29 Liberty Sports Arena
2020 Preseason All-State - Northwest PA 02/29 Erie Premier Sports
2020 Preseason Jr PA State Games Trials PA 03/08 Keystone State Baseball Academy


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