Prep Baseball Report

Lafayette College Announces 2014 Early Signing Class



By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Lafayette College Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Ian Law has been busy, real busy. The Leopards have announced their early signing class for 2014 and it is 10 players deep. What makes the class unique is that the ten players hail from nine different states.

According to Law, "Without question the strength of this class is the versatility and athleticism throughout. Our position players all have the athletic ability to play multiple positions on the field and that will give them the opportunity to get on the field quicker and help the ball club. On the mound we have four big guys, spanning from 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-10, that all possess a lot of upside. We feel that this group of guys compliments our returners very well. We will become more athletic as a group and increase depth and options all over the diamond. The four guys on the mound will be nice additions to the staff and are great competitors with the ball in their hand."

Law, in his third season as the Recruiting Coordinator, had some very specific advice for underclassmen beginning the recruiting process. "The biggest piece of advice for young guys is to focus on taking control of what you can control. Whether it is writing your own emails or playing hard at all times, take pains to control those aspects of your life that you can. Effort and attitude make up your character and your character doesn't get to have 0-for-4 days like you may experience at the plate. The way things are today in the recruiting process there are always eyes on you. Prospective student-athletes do not understand how much a college coach watches and how important little things can be. Don't put on a show, be that person all the time."

PA recruits

Steven CohenSS/2B Steven Cohen (William Penn Charter School)

Cohen replaced 2012 Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year Kenny Koplove (Duke) at shortstop in 2013 at Penn Charter. He has a strong enough arm to stay there, but may eventually move across the bag at the next level. He runs a 7.19-second 60-yad dash and checks in at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds. Cohen paired with Koplove in 2012 to form one of the top double play combinations in the state. He was a 1st Team All-League selection in 2012 when he hit .340 with 10 doubles, two triples and 22 RBI. Cohen is ranked No. 85 in the PA Class of 2014.

Kyle StefanicRHP Kyle Stefanic (Conestoga HS)

Stefanic is a 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty that sits 83-85 with additional velocity likely as his frame fills out. He has been up to 86-87 over the summer. Stefanic is athletic as evidenced by his 7.3 foot speed. The righty has played travel baseball for the Chester County Crawdads.

Remainder of the class

OF Drew Aherne (Walt Whitman HS - MD)
MIF Quentin Bubb (Georgetown Preparatory School - DC)
LHP John Cain (Pine Bush HS - NY)
C AJ Kloehn (Jackson HS - OH)
INF/UTIL Patrick Nelson (Pennington School - NJ)
OF Luke Robinson (St. Louis University HS - MO)
Conor Russell (Wellesley HS - MA)
Hadley Stone (Taft School - CT)

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