Prep Baseball Report

Battle on the Border Team Preview: Pitchers & Two-Way Players



Team New Jersey’s roster has been finalized for this Sunday’s clash with PBR New York and New England. The pitching staff will feature four 2017 graduates and four 2018 graduates, with two-way players, Casey Dana and Mason O’Mara, serving as the closers.

Let’s take a look at the pitching staff for the event.

Sean Miller, RHP, Pope John XXIII, 2017
+ Miller is 6-foot-3, 180 pounds with a lean, projectable frame. He’s athletic throughout his delivery and, at times, has swing and miss stuff. He pitches from a ¾ arm slot and gets arm side run to a low-to-mid 80s fastball. His breaking ball has plus-plus potential at 74-76 and he shows a good feel for repeating fastball arm speed when throwing changeup.

Andrew Montalvo, RHP, Paramus Catholic, 2017
+ Montalvo is 5-foot-11, 155 pounds; wiry and athletic. He has an up-tempo style that really makes hitters uneasy. He has whip in the arm action and pitches with a low ¾ slot allowing his fastball to reap the benefits. His fastball is in the low-80s currently but the arm speed suggests that there is some more in the tank. He has a sweeping slider at 70-72 miles-per-hour and a solid changeup.

Mike Pirrotta, RHP, Freehold Twp HS, 2017
+ Pirrotta has an imposing build at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. He has arm speed to his short, abbreviated arm action. The ball comes out clean and with life in the low-to-mid 80s. His off-speed offerings have been a work in progress but both pitches, curveball and changeup, have potential.

Nick Trendler, RHP, Seneca HS, 2017
+ Trendler is 5-foot-10, 180 pounds; strong and stocky. He has a bulldog’s mentality on the mound and pitches with a steady three-pitch mix. His fastball is currently in the low-80s but he has projectable arm action and arm speed. His breaking ball is a potential out pitch with 11-to-5 shape at 69-71 miles-per-hour.

Nick Hohenstein, RHP, CBA, 2018
+ Hohenstein is 6-foot-1, 195 pounds and will be a treat to follow as he fills out and matures. He pitches with tempo and aggressiveness in the bottom-third of the strike zone with his three-pitch mix. Already in the 85-87 mile-per-hour range with his fastball; the right-hander projects for big velocity.

Alex Havlicek, RHP, Indian Hills, 2018
+ Havlicek is already committed to Virginia Tech and understandably so. He is 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and has an advanced feel for pitching with high level stuff. He has a quick arm and already sits in the mid-80s. His slider is two-plane at 73-76. The potential is there for the righty to end up as New Jersey’s top 2018 arm when all is said and done.

Matt Semon, RHP, Don Bosco Prep, 2018
+ Semon is 6-foot-1, 170 pounds; loose and athletic. He pitches with good rhythm and an efficient lower half. He has a quick arm and pitches from a ¾ arm slot. He has above average movement on his fastball; at times showing some of the best run/sink life I’ve seen from an ’18. His breaking ball and changeup have a chance to be above average pitches as well.

Kevin Teschko, RHP, Gateway HS, 2018
+ Teschko is long, loose and athletic (6-0, 165). He has a loose arm action and the ball jumps out of his hand in the low-80s with more to come. His breaking ball has potential to be a plus pitch as well. He has the chance to become very good as he physically matures.

Casey Dana, 3B/RHP, Don Bosco Prep, 2017
+ Dana is 6-foot-3, 190 pounds with present strength and athleticism. He is a solid defender at third base and has shown advanced instincts. There is a lot to like about swing. He stays balanced, has a smooth stroke, and shows the ability to find the barrel with consistency. He has the ability to hit for average and with some juice. On the mound, he’s clean and repeatable. His fastball is in the low-to-mid 80s and his breaking ball shows good shape and tight spin.

Mason O’Mara, RHP/OF, CBA, 2017
+ O’Mara is 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with a high level of athleticism. He is a high level pitching prospect that does an excellent job showcasing his athletic abilities as an outfielder. He has some raw power at the dish and, when he’s on time and balanced, displays it well. On the mound, he pitches largely in the mid-80s with a long, clean arm action. He pitches from ¾ arm slot and his fastball has good arm side/sinking life. His slider has come along well and I’m interested to see how much of an improvement he’s made on the pitch.