By Dan Machovina and Chris Valentine

On Monday, February 17th over 120 prospects gathered at the Brunswick Bat Cage for the Northeast Ohio Preseason Preview. The event featured a combination of players from all classes. Below, we recap the top players from the Class of 2016.

To view the complete statistical results, click here to view the complete statistics from the event.

TOP PROSPECT

Jake Vance, RHP/3B, Canton Central Catholic HS, 2016

6-foot-2, 171-pound with lanky, projectable frame. The young righty sat in the low 80's with his fastball, but we have seen him up into the mid 80's consistently. With long, loose arm action and a delivery that requires little effort, it is easy to see the reasons why he is already picking up offers and interest from college programs. His breaking ball showed tight 11/5 break at 68-69 mph. The real separator for Vance comes with his changeup. He shows excellent feel and sells the arm action on a low 70's changeup that has good fading action. And, adding to his arsenal, the righty broke out a new split-finger fastball that showed good tumble at 65-66 mph. Vance is one of the top pitching prospects in Ohio for the Class of 2016, so in a few years, it may not be worth much to read about his potential as a position player. Nonetheless, the 6-foot-2, 171-pound prospect also shows potential as a position player. At the plate, he starts from a closed stance and uses a minimal stride to trigger his lower half. He created solid contact with some pull tendencies in his swing. His power will only continue to get better as his long frame fills out. Vance will only improve as he simplifies his load and gets rid of the occasional baring action that takes place. In the field, he shows natural, fluid actions. He covers ground well to both his glove side and backhand. He plays on his toes, shows good reactions, and creates a quick transfer to get ride of the baseball. 

CLASS OF 2016 PLAYER ANALYSIS

Anthony Terrell, SS, R/R, Firestone HS, 2016

Has a thin 5-foot-9, 145-pound frame with room for added strength. Reached top velocity of 63 mph across the infield. Tendency to play on his heels. Will improve in all areas as he creates angles and develops momentum towards his target. Offensively, he starts in a bit of a crouch. Uses a short stride with room for improvement with his lower half. He also ran a 7.76 60-yard dash.

Beau Workman, OF/RHP, Northwest HS, 2016

5-foot-10, 200-pound prospect. Uses long arm action through high ¾ arm slot. Showed some carry on his throws with a top velocity of 82 mph. Average hands and feet. Corner type. Balanced stance from the right side. Short stride. Fluid rhythm to his swing with pull tendencies.

Blake Griffith, RHP/3B, Grove City HS, 2016

6-foot-3, 180-pound prospect with tall, athletic frame. Uses short arm action through high ¾ arm slot.  Reached top velocity of 70 mph across the infield. Tends to start from his heels. Average hands and feet. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed some raw pop in his swing. Starts in a tall stance. Partial use of his lower half. Pull tendencies in his swing. Top exit velocity of 79 mph.

Bradley Hughes, LHP, Brookside HS, 2016

6-foot, 170-pound thin body frame. Threw from an upper ¾ slot with shorter arm action. Tendency to throw across his body as he lands closed. Will improve as direction is straightened up. Fastball showed some tail at 73-75 mph. Threw a soft. gradual breaking curveball at 61 mph. His changeup was thrown at fastball arm speed 65-67 mph.

Cameron Deemer, MIF, R/R, Wadsworth HS, 2016

Has smaller 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame with added room to fill. Infielder showed good clean actions. Played through the baseball. Good release arm release and reached a top velocity of 81 mph across the infield. Offensively, he started with a balanced set up, step and swing hitter. Showed the ability to use both fields; just needs to continue to get stronger. Ran a 7.26 60-yard dash.

Chet Waddell, RHP/IF, Willoughby South HS, 2016

Young thin 5-foot-10, 135-pound body frame with much room for added growth and strength. Came from over the top arm angle with short arm action. Fastball was straight at 70-74 mph. Breaking ball was flat at 63-66 mph, and changeup was thrown at fastball armspeed 64-65 mph.  In the field, he throws with slinging type arm action at 64 mph. tendency to play on his heels. Offensively, he uses a tall set up, needs to improve on using more lower half. Tends to bar his arm. Needs to continue to get stronger physically. Ran a 7.20 60-yard dash.

Chris Shorter, OF, Walsh Jesuit HS, 2016

6-foot, 170-pound prospect with athletic frame. From the outfield, he uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot. Shows some carry to his throws with a top velocity of 80 mph. Corner outfield type with athleticism in his feet. Needs to shorten his exchange. At the plate, he starts in a balanced stance. Heavy backside load and long stride creates some stride issues. Short path to the ball. 81 mph exit velocity off the tee.

Chris Sittinger, RHP, Keystone HS, 2016

5-foot-11, 150-pound thin frame. Uses a clean ¾ arm slot with average arm speed. Fastball was straight at 75-77 mph, Curveball showed tight downward spin at 67-69 mph. Changeup showed some tailing and dropping movement at 72-74 mph. From the outfield he threw with 77 mph arm strength. Tendency to open early, which effects his accuracy. Offensively, he started with a balanced set up, used a toe tap timing mechanism. Has room for improvement with his lower half and use of top hand. Ran a 7.47 60-yard dash.

Christian Specht, RHP, Jackson HS, 2016

6-foot-2, 147-pound prospect with tall, athletic frame. Long, loose, and easy through high ¾ arm slot. Projectable arm. He sat at 79-81 mph with some run. Breaking ball showed late 11/5 action at 65-67 mph. Changeup is thrown near fastball arm speed with good arm side fade at 71-73 mph. Could be the sleeper prospect of this event. Could see a big jump in velocity as he matures and adds strength to his frame.

Colton Thomas, LHP, 2016

Threw from a ¾ arm slot with long arm action. Throws across his body a bit. Shows some deception in his delivery. Fastball had some run to it at 70-72 mph. Curveball was soft at 58-61 mph. Slider was better of his off-speed pitches 70-71 mph. Changeup was thrown at fastball arm speed with some cutting movement at 63-66 mph.

Daniel Mendenhall, C, Walsh Jesuit HS, 2016

5-foot-10, 190-pound prospect with athletic, durable frame. Uses short arm action through high ¾ arm slot. Top velocity of 74 mph from the crouch. Registered pop times between 2.06 to 2.19 with accuracy to his throws. Compact swing. Good balance throughout. Slight uphill path with line drive production. Ran impressive 7.06 60.

Dillon Rohm, C, R/R, Eastlake HS, 2016

Has thick 5-foot-8, 185-pound frame. The catcher threw between a 2.12-2.28 pop time with 65 mph velocity. Short arm action through ¾ arm slot. Offensively he started with an upright set up. Doesn’t use a hand trigger, Minimal stride. Starts hands from the shoulder and  showed ability to use both fields and made good contact. Ran a 7.41 60-yard dash.

Doug Erb, RHP, Hudson HS, 2016

Has a 6-foot, 170-pound frame. Used a short arm action coming from his ear. Threw his fastball straight at 76-77 mph. He threw a tight downward curveball with average break at 67 mph. Also had a changeup at fastball arm speed that was mostly straight at 64-65 mph. Infielder with average actions. Clean release. Threw with 63 mph arm strength across the diamond.. Offensively, he starts with a tall set up. Slightly stiff mechanics. Uses a long stride. Contact type hitter. Ran a 7.27 60-yard dash.

Drew Kline, LHP/OF, Archbishop Hoban HS, 2016

6-foot, 180-pound prospect with athletic frame. Potential two-way prospect, but strongest skill set is on the mound. Sat in the low 80’s off the mound through a high ¾ slot. Fastball has good cutting action. Uses long arm action with some quickness. Breaking ball shows late 1/7 break at 66 mph while his changeup has some fade at 66-67 mph. In the outfield, he shows some carry to his throws with top velocity of 80 mph. Plays through the ball but needs to consistently close up his front side. At the plate, he has strong pull tendencies in his swing. Front side has tendency to fly open. Hands work quick through the zone. Uphill path. Top exit velocity of 81 mph off the tee.

Eric Scavnicky, RHP, Eastlake North HS, 2016

5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. Threw from an over the top arm angle with short arm action. Fastball was straight at 71-73 mph. Curveball showed some late dropping movement at 61-63 mph. Changeup was below fastball arm speed at 61-63 mph. Infielder played from his heels. May be more third-base type at this point. Needs to create angles and play through. Reached top velocity of 71 mph across the infield. Offensively, he used a wider set up, inward turn with front foot, good hands back to shoulder trigger, contact type hitter. Ran a 7.84 60-yard dash.

Evan Starling, C, R/R, Kenston HS, 2016

Thin 5-foot-7, 155-pound catcher with room for added strength. Starts with balanced stance, uses a good hands back trigger to shoulder, and a higher front leg lift. Defensively, he had between a 2.28-2.35 pop time. Threw 63 mph from behind the plate with short arm action. Accuracy to his throws. Ran a 7.90 60-yard dash.

Jack Griffith, SS, R/R, Bloom Carroll HS, 2016

5-foot-9, 175-pound frame. Infielder showed some natural actions in the field with quick clean release and top velocity of 75 mph across the infield. Likely proejcts as a second base at the next level, but with continued development and more arm strength, he could stay on the left side. Offensively, he started with a more upright stance, no trigger present, step and swing type with line drive production. Ran a 7.34 60-yard dash.

Jackson Gilbride, OF/LHP, Brecksville-Broadview Hts, 2016

6-foot-1, 166-pound prospect. In the outfield, he uses short arm action through high ¾ to over the top slot. Average feet and hands. At the plate, he starts in an athletic stance. Loads to the back side and uses a short stride. Partial use of his lower half. Line drive production. On the mound, he sat 71-74 mph with some sink. Breaking ball has two-plane action at 58-61 mph while changeup shows fade at 65 mph.

Jake Budyka, 3B, R/R, St. Edward HS, 2016

Athletic 6-foot, 160-pound frame with room to fill. Infielder showed average actions with a slinging type arm release and top velocity of 66 mph from the infield. Offensively, he starts with a balanced set up, tends to dive in at the ball. Enhanced balanced will aid his consistency. Ran a 7.44 60-yard dash. On the mound, he uses a slow rhythm. Fastball was straight at 76-79 mph. Changeup was his best pitch at 68 mph with some arm side run. Breaking ball was a bit erratic down in the zone at 71 mph.

Jarod Deagan, RHP, Copley HS, 2016

Good projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound body frame. Natural actions from the outfield position. Plays through the ball. Some quickness in his arm with a top velocity of 80 mph. Plays through the ball. At the plate, he starts from a tall, narrow stance. The right-handed hitter uses a short stride. Upper body type hitter. Minimal load with short path to the ball. Line drive production with some pop in the bat. On the mound, he threw with a long, stiff arm action. More to come with lower half and increased stride. Fastball sat at 75-77 mph. Curveball had downward movement at 63-67 mph. His changeup was thrown at fastball arm speed with tail movement 64-67 mph.

Joe Weisenseel, MIF, R/R, St. Edward HS, 2016

Thin 5-foot-7, 150-pound frame with room for added strength. Defensively he showed average actions and quicker feet. At this point he looked to be more of a second base type. Throws wells from different angles. Offensively, he starts in a balanced stance and gets his front foot down early, uses no hand trigger and swing can get to be a little mechanical. From the infield he threw 65 mph, and ran a 7.01 60-yard dash.

Jonathan Newsome, 2B/3B, Massillon Perry HS, 2016

5-foot-7, 145-pound prospect. Uses short arm action through low ¾ to ¾ arm slot. Throws well on the move. Reached top velocity of 76 mph. Has some softness in his hands. Good glove side range. Tall, athletic stance at the plate. Starts a bit closed. Uses a toe tap for initiating his lower half and timing mechanism. Slight uphill path. Pull tendencies in his swing. Ran a 7.5 60-yard dash.

Johnny Mooney, OF, L/L, Solon HS, 2016

Thin 6-foot, 155-pound body frame with room to fill. Short arm action with top velocity of 73 mph from the outfield. Plays through the ball. Offensively, he started with an open stance and squared it back up. Partial use of his lower half. Short, level path. Will be aided by increased body strength. Ran a 7.32 60-yard dash. On the mound, he throws through a high ¾ arm slot. Fastball has some cut at 67-71 mph while breaking ball has gradual movement at 60-61 mph. Tends to slow down arm speed with 63 mph changeup. Will be aided by more lower half in his delivery. Tendency for back leg to collapse, which creates some directional issues.

Joseph Charpentier, C, Hudson HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 185-pound prospect with solid frame. Catcher threw between a 2.18-2.31 pop time with 73 mph velocity. Uses long arm action. Offensively, starts with open stance and weight slightly more on back leg. Gets foot down back to even. Hands start high in his load. Inside/out production. Ran a 7.21 60-yard dash. 

Keaton Lahmers, RHP/SS, Dover HS, 2016

Thin 6-foot, 170-pound frame. Threw from over the top arm slot with short arm action. Delivery requires some effort as weight gets outside of his body with his rocker step. Fastball was straight at 78-80 mph. Curveball was flat at 66-67 mph, would like to see him get more on top of the pitch to help with depth. Change up showed some tailing movement thrown at fastball arm speed 72 mph.

Kent Reeser, OF, L/L, Miamisburg HS, 2016

Has thin 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame with room for added strength. From the outfield he threw with 74 mph arm strength with long arm action. Offensively, the lefty started with a tall set up. No present hand trigger. Step and swings. Uses an upward bat path to the ball. Ran a 7.13 60-yard dash.

Mac Shinaberry, C, Walsh Jesuit HS, 2016

6-foot-1, 205-pound prospect with mature, physical frame. Looks the part. From the crouch, he reached a top velocity of 74 mph. Uses short arm action through high ¾ arm slot. Efficient actions. Footwork has some room for improvement. Should only get better as quickness improves. At the plate, he starts in a balanced stance. Uses a short stride. Hands have some quickness in them, but tendency to wrap creates some length. Good raw power in his swing. Interesting follow if it all comes together. Top exit velocity of 82 mph.

Michael Mathieu, LHP, Jackson HS, 2016

Young 5-foot-9, 150-pound body frame. Threw from a clean ¾ arm slot with slower arm speed. Fastball was straight at 71-73 mph. Curveball had slurvy, gradual movement at 62-63 mph. Changeup showed some tailing at fastball arm speed 63 mph. Natural actions from the outfield position. Not exceptionally quick, but plays through the ball. Top velocity of 74 mph through high ¾ arm slot. Starts in a tall setup at the plate. Tendency to drop the hands in his load. Some quickness to his hands with uphill path. Linear type hitter.

Michael McDonough, LHP, Crestview Local HS, 2016

6-foot, 150-pound southpaw with average, athletic frame. Uses long, loose arm action through high ¾ arm slot. Delivery requires some effort. Obvious quickness in his arm. Has some repeatability issues, but showcased an 81-84 mph fastball with good late cut. Breaking ball was erratic and down in the zone at 71-72 mph. Changeup was thrown near fastball arm speed at 68-69 mph with limited movement. Definite follow. If he develops repeatability and his secondary pitches show improvement, he will be one of the top arms out of the Northeast part of the state.

Michael Rogers, OF, L/L, St. Ignatius HS, 2016

Thin 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame with some room for added strength. Outfielder threw with 77 mph arm strength from his position. Good feel for position with fluid footwork and ability to play through the ball. Offensively, he starts with a balanced set up. Short stride with slight uphill path. Inside/out production. He also ran a 7.38 60-yard dash. On the mound, he sat in the low to mid 70’s with some arm side run to his ball. Back leg tends to collapses, which causes some direction issues. Throws through ¾ arm slot with long arm action. Breaking ball has 1/7 action near fastball arm speed. Changeup is a bit erratic at 70-71 mph.

Noah Suarez, SS, L/R, Newton Falls HS, 2016

Has skinny 5-foot-9, 135-pound frame with lots of room to fill. Tendency to play fro,m his heels. Showed average actions with 68 mph arm strength across the infield. Projects as a second base type at this stage. Offensively, the lefty used a crouched balanced stance, with a slight hands back trigger. Limited stride. Short path to the ball. Needs to continue to gain strength to frame. Ran a 7.22 60-yard dash.

Noah West, SS, R/R, Westerville Central HS, 2016

West hit our radar only a year ago. Since that time, his body has physically developed and his skill set has improved. In the field, he shows fluid footwork and the ability to cover ground. Good rhythm to his actions with some softness in his hands. Arm action has some length to it, but showed accurate throws with some carry at a top velocity of 76 mph across the infield. At the plate, he initiates his swing with a leg kick, which creates a tendency to dive. Upper half works with a simple load and short path to the ball. Needs to improve overall balance for the next level. 

Robert Desmond, RHP, Shaker Heights HS, 2016

Projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame. Throws with short arm action through upper ¾ slot. Displays good direction, but will be aided by better hip lead. Fastball was at 74-76 mph. Changeup was thrown at fastball arm speed at 70-71 mph. Slurvy curveball was 63-65 mph with two-plane action. Tended to be up in the zone.

Ryan Erway, OF, R/R, Crestwood HS, 2016

Thin 5-foot-11, 150-pound body frame with room for added strength. Outfielder threw with 69 mph arm strength. Tendency to field like an infielder. Will improve as he plays the ball on the outside of his glove foot. Offensively, started with wider and balanced set up with no present hand trigger. Swing tends to be a little stiff. Pull tendencies. Ran a 7.33 60-yard dash.

Ryan Robertson, OF, R/R, Strongsville HS, 2016

6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect with projectable body frame. Outfielder threw with 73 mph arm strength. Will be aided by playing through the ball and creating forward momentum. Average hands and feet. Offensively, he used a tall set up. Upper body type hitter. Doesn’t clear the front side. Uphill path to the ball. Top exit velocity of 71 mph. Ran a 7.66 60-yard dash.

Sam LaFontaine, SS/2B, Western Reserve Academy, 2016

5-foot-9, 150-pound middle infield prospect with thin, athletic frame. Uses short arm action with some quickness to his transfer. Top velocity of 71 mph across the infield. Footwork has room for improvement. Will be aided by play through the baseball and being more aggressive. At the plate, he starts in an athletic setup. Compact swing with some rhythm to it. Line drive type hitter, but swing can get long.

Sean Cahill, MIF, R/R, Hudson HS, 2016

Has smaller 5-foot-8, 145-pound frame with room to fill out for added strength. Infielder looked to be more second-base type at this point, Showed good actions with good arm release. needs to continue to get stronger physically but actions looked good defensively and reached a top velocity of 66 mph. Offensively, he started with an open stance but still managed to square up his front side. Good hands back to shoulder trigger and showed ability to hit for contact. Ran a 7.46 60-yard dash.

Tanner Montgomery, C, Green HS, 2016

5-foot-10, 145-pound prospect with average, thin frame. Uses short arm action through high ¾ arm slot. Top velocity of 69 mph from the crouch with pop times between 2.19 to 2.32. At the plate, he uses a big stride to create forward momentum. Results in head movement. Pull tendencies. Top exit velocity of 70 mph.

Turner Mudrock, 2B, R/R, St. Edward HS, 2016

Has smaller 5-foot-8, 155-pound frame with room to fill. Showed average actions for his age, and reached a top velocity of 70 mph across the infield. Long arm action through ¾ arm slot. At the plate, he starts in a balanced stance. Uses a short stride. Uphill path to the ball. Tendency to dive a bit, which can effects his head and eyes through the swing.

Tyler Canova, OF, L/L, Hoban HS, 2016

Has smaller 5-foot-8, 160-pound athletic body. Outfielder threw at 75 mph from his position. Uses long arm action through low ¾ to ¾ slot which effects his accuracy. Offensively the lefty started with a tall balanced set up. Tends to jump at the ball. Improved balance will aid his swing. Uses an upward bat path to the ball. Ran a 6.91 60-yard dash.

Vinny Oppedisano, RHP, Walsh Jesuit HS, 2016

6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect with athletic frame. Throws through high ¾ arm slot. Uses short arm action with average arm speed. Tendency to land closed. Throws across his body some as a result. Fastball is straight in the mid to upper 70’s. Breaking ball showed late 11/5 action at 59-60 mph while changeup is thrown near fastball arm speed with good fade down in the zone at 70-71 mph.

Will Edgerton, RHP, Shaker Heights HS, 2016

6-foot-4, 225-pound frame prospect with big, physical frame. Slow, deliberate tempo. Delivery requires some effort. Throws with short arm action. Fastball was at 71-74 mph. Soft curveball at 58-61 mph. Will improve break and depth as he stays on top of the pitch. Straight change was thrown at fastball arm speed at 66 mph.

Zachary Meese, LHP, Jackson HS, 2016

Thin, projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 160-pounds. Showed some quickness in his arm action. Fastball was at 76-78 mph while curveball showed promising slurvy break at 67 mph. Also threw a 68 mph changeup at fastball arm speed with some tailing action. All three pitches were thrown for strikes. Definite follow as he grows and matures over the next year.

Zach Kahn, 2B, R/R, Strongsville HS, 2016

5-foot-10, 165-pound frame. Aggressive to the ball. Plays through and creates angles. Fields the ball out in front and shows some softness in his hands. Threw with 79 mph arm strength. Offensively, started with balanced set up shows descent pop for age to both sides of the field. Quick, short swing with solid contact. More lower half will only increase his power. Ran a 7.09 60-yard dash.

Zach Pipoly, 1B/RHP, Walsh Jesuit HS, 2016

Pipoly has a big, physical frame with a solid upper body. The left-handed hitter already looks the part. He starts from a tall, balanced stance and uses a short stride. He uses a simple load and takes a slight uphill path that creates good lift. The ball jumped off his bat to all fields with obvious pull power. In the field, he shows good athleticism with a quick release. He registered an impressive 7.08 60-yard dash If you are looking for a comparison, you might want to look at Jeff Murray, a member of the Cincinnati Bearcats 2012 recruiting class. On the mound, he is a bit raw. Throws through a high ¾ to over the top slot. Fastball sat in the low 80’s and jumped up to 83 mph. Breaking ball was a bit soft at 60-63 mph with 11/5 action. Tends to slow down his arm speed. Changeup has some fade at 62-64 mph.