Colorado Year In Review: 9th Most Viewed Story in 2015

December 24, 2015

By John Cackowski
State Director

We're looking back at the Top 15 most viewed stories on our website from the year of 2015. Our 9th most viewed story in 2015 was the "Centennial State Games 18U Results and Wrap-up" with 971 total views. In the first season of this event we had over 80 teams which already ended up being one of the biggest summer tournaments the state has to offer. This year we already have over 60 teams penciled in for the event. Below is the Scout Blog of the Tournament and the 18U results.

In a tournament that saw 84 teams total and many of the top 17U and 18U teams in the state, all players were on display for the three day event., but there are a select few who caught the eye of Prep Baseball Report Colorado. We begin our look at these outstanding players with the outfield position:

Centennial State Games: OF Analysis

Jerome Bohannon, 2016 Cherokee Trail High School / Slammers Blue LHP/OF
Bohannon patrolled Centerfield for Slammers Blue against Cherokee Trail and Strike Zone. He moves effortlessly to the ball and took away several potential hits. He showed a + arm from the outfield with an arm velocity of 87 mph. A duel threat at the plate that can hit for power or lay down a bunt just as easy.

Stuart Eurich, 2015 Elizabeth High School / Lightning Gold OF/RHP
Eurich played right field for the Lightning against Post 6 and showed early in both I/O and the game you do not want to test his arm. An 86 mph arm velocity kept two runners from advancing on flyballs during this game. Hits from a power stance and uses the gaps well, stroking a double to the right center gap in this game.

Zach Sundine, 2016 Grandview High School / Lightning Gold OF/LHP
Sundine played left field for the lightning showing good instincts and quickness on balls to the gap. He throws a good ball with slight tail and was recorded at 84mph arm velocity.

Trae Smith, 2016 Cherokee Trail High School OF
Smith showed good range in center field during the game we saw him. He moves well on balls to his left and balls in. He gets himself into good throwing position by getting behind the baseball and hit 85 mph arm velocity during I/O.

Centennial State Games: Pitcher Analysis

Paul Tillotson, 2016 Lewis Palmer High School / Slammers Black RHP/OF
The No. 1 ranked player in 2016 for Colorado showed off his arm at the Centennial State Games. Consistently 89-90 and touching 91 a few times, Tillotson made quick work of the 3 innings he pitched against the Northern Colorado Bandits. Displays a smooth tall and fall motion with level shoulders and square athletic landing throwing off two feet and repeats delivery time after time. Arm is long and loose, lightning quick from an over the top slot.

Bailey Hansen, 2016 Air Academy High School / Slammers Blue RHP RHP/OF
Hansen 6-foot-5, 205 pound, had the game winning hit for Slammers Blue against Erie in the bottom of the 7^th. He has an 83 mph arm from the outfield and showed an 86-88 mph fastball in his one inning of work in this game. At the plate hits from a tall, balanced stance and short stride. Simple swing lets his hands and bat speed do the work. Bat comes through the zone and generates good back-spin on the ball for drive and carry. In last event exit velo was 92 mph.

Tanner Johnson, 2016 Chatfield High School / Khaos RHP/ OF
5-foot-11, 155-pound, right-handed hitting outfielder. Long/loose arm action, high ¾ arm slot. The No. 41 ranked player in the 2016 class threw a complete game against Columbine Elite. He was consistently 84-85 for the game with a 73 mph curve. He works quickly and efficiently keeping hitters off balance being able to throw multiple pitches for strikes. We recently saw him at Fall Prospect Program tryout and Johnson threw 90 mph from the OF.

Nate Sweeney, Cherry Creek High School / Slammers Black RHP/SS
6-foot-3, 185-pound senior, the No. 16 ranked player for 2016 and recently committed to Arizona. Sweeney impressed in one inning of work, topping out a 91 mph and striking out 2. Delivery is square and smooth with strong effort to the plate throwing off two feet. Will fall off to the 1B side a couple of times. Arm is long and loose and lightning quick. Sweeney is a potential high draft pick in the 2016 draft if he continues to show he can translate the velocity to strikes.

Rocco Porreco, 2017, Mullen High School 3B/RHP
The 6-foot2, 185 pound junior held Slammers black to 1 hit going into the 6^th inning. He lived around 83-84 mph with his fastball and kept hitters off balance with good arm speed on his off-speed pitches.

Centennial State Games: inf Analysis

Tommy Gillman, 2016 Columbine High School / Slammers Black MIF
Currently ranked No. 9 for 2016, the 5-foot-11, 180 pound senior shows good quick feet at both positions up the middle. We saw him at Short and he made several plays on slow hit balls causing him to have to field and throw on the run. An 86 mph arm velocity compliments his quick feet and hands. A switch hitter at the plate with gap-to-gap power and good pull power from the left side.

Aaron Dammel, 2016 Highlands Ranch High School / Slammers Black MIF
The 23^rd ranked player in the class of 2016 plays a solid second base for both Highlands Ranch and Slammers Black, we had him at 84 mph arm velocity in the Centennial State Games. Dammel ranges well on balls up the middle and turns a pair with quick fluid hands. A balanced hitter from the left side does a nice job of staying inside the ball and using the left-center gap.

Sean Rooney, 2016 Valor Christian High School / Slammers Blue MIF
Currently ranked 29^th for 2016, the 6-foot-0, 150 pound SS showed an 81 mph arm velocity in the tournament. Another left hand hitting SS shows good balance at the plate and good bat control driving the ball to all fields.

Billy Moreland, 2016 Heritage High School / Lightning Gold
5-foor-11, 175 pound SS who is ranked 24^th for the 2016 class. Moreland shows cases an 82 mph arm velocity from shortstop. Good feet and range have and is in good throwing position on most balls hit to him.

Cole McKissock, 2016 Air Academy High School / Slammers Black
Ranked 22^nd, the 5-foot-11, 180 pound senior played third base in the game we saw, with Gillman and Dammel up the middle, McKissock showed his versatility to get on the field. A strong accurate arm showed well in this game with an 83 mph arm velocity and several good off balance plays on slow rollers up the line.

Centennial State Games: Catcher Analysis

Maverick Handley, 2016 Mullen High School / Slammers Black C/MIF
A 5-foot-10, 200 pound senior who moves well behind the plate and handles a high powered pitching staff on daily basis in the summer. Handley displayed a 1.92 and 1.94 pop-time in each of the games we saw him. The right-handed hitter collected 6 hits and 1 homerun in the tournament.

Casey Opitz, 2017 Heritage High School / Lightning Gold C
A 5-foot-11, 155 pound junior who burst on the scene this spring catching for the Eagles. The 1.91 pop-time in the game we saw made him one of the top catchers in the Centennial State Games. Opitz is quiet behind the plate and blocks balls in the dirt very well. A switch hitter who hit from both sides of the plate in the game we saw, uses a short path to the ball with good gap to gap power.

By Jeff Markle
Assistant State Director

The Centennial State Games got back underway Saturday after a day off for rain. With all 32 teams in action here are the results from day 2 of pool play.

Centennial State Games Day 2:

Pool A
Granvdiew 3 Batters Box 2
Post 6 5 Batters Box 4
Post 6 5 Cherry Creek 17’s 4

Pool B
Gene Taylor 11 Fairview 3
Gene Taylor 13 Slammers Mouton 1
Diamond Club 3 Slammers Mouton 0

Pool C
Slammers Holzmer 7 ThunderRidge 3
Slammers Holzmer 9 Mullen 1
Mullen 7 Bear Creek 0

Pool D
Thunder Academy 7 Rocky Mountain 4
Thunder Academy 6 Slammers Quarton 2
Erie 5 Slammers Quarton 4

Pool E
Slammers Zavaras 3 Cherokee Trail 1
Slammers Zavars 4 Strike Zone 2
Strike Zone 5 Denver East 0

Pool F
Cherry Creek 12 Dakota Ridge 2
Cherry Creek 5 Longball 4
Lightning Blue 10 Longball 5

Pool G
Batters Box Gold 6 Pomona 1
Batters Box Gold 7 Monarch 2
Lightning Gold 9 Monarch 3

Pool H
Columbine Elite 7 Rocky Mountain Gold 5
Khaos 15 Rocky Mountain Gold 5
NOCO Bandits 2 Khaos 0