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Updated Class of 2021 Player Rankings (March)

The fall/winter have proved valuable for many 2020 prospects, with many names coming off the board to some of the top programs around the nation. Throughout the year we have traveled across the region to showcases and games.

That being said, we have had the pleasure of seeing a number of solid players this past year. Prospects are popping up left and right, making velocity jumps, improving 60-yard dash times and showing more power with the bat.

Below we will take a look at “The Risers”, "The Newcomers”, "The Sleepers" and some of the top uncommitted prospects by position.

To view the Class of 2021 Rankings Positional Breakdown, click here.

The view the Uncommitted Positional Breakdown, click below:
RHP | LHP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C

To view the entire rankings, please click here.

The Risers

Two lefties at the same showcase showed giant improvements across the board. At Brownlee Scout Day Kent State commit Brandon Golubski (Tallmadge) and Miami OH commit Nicholas DeMonica (Lakeview) both look like huge pickups for those respective universities. 

Brandon Golubski LHP / OF / Tallmadge, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 10 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 497 / POS: 61 Report: Golubski has a chance to be special physically. A young 2021 that has been up to 91 mph and really doesn’t have much to fix movement wise, meaning any added strength should translate to more velocity. Look for him to continue to raise his stock inside the state and nationally.

Nicholas DeMonica LHP / OF / Lakeview, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 4 Report: DeMonica looked like a different dude completely than we’ve seen from him in past outings. The southpaw was much more physical, more quality movement and everything has twitched up. Velocity followed as he was up to 88 mph, never dipping below 87 mph. As impressive as the velo jump was the development of the breaking ball was equally or more impressive...a legitimate swing/miss offering. Both fastball and breaking ball register above MLB average spin rate wise.

CJ DelGratta RHP / 1B / Olentangy Berlin, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 23 / POS: 8 Report: One of the biggest risers in the most recent update is RHP CJ DelGratta. Toledo is going to be really happy with this pickup as CJ showed an easy 87-89 mph fastball with an above average breaking ball at Triple Crown Scout Day. The upside here is obvious when you combine the elite stuff with the 6-foot-4 frame and ability to compete in the zone.

Matthew Giberti OF / C / Saint Ignatius, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 30 / POS: 2 Report: An uncommitted outfielder out of St. Ignatius showed big time jumps this offseason. Matt Giberti, is about as low risk of a prospect as you can ask for. The tools are there, most impressively showing off a 6.52 60-yard dash on a notoriously slow turf at Preseason All-State. Also offers gap abilities from the left side of the box and an 85 mph arm from the outfield. Two other numbers that will jump off the page to recruiters is the 4.35 GPA and 34 ACT. That mixture of ability and academics can allow college coaches to sleep easy at night.

Jake Johnson SS / RHP / Medina, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 25 / POS: 6 Report: Another guy who won the offseason is two-way talent Jake Johnson out of Medina HS. As an arm he showed feel for the zone, the ability to spin it and a velocity jump up to 89 mph. As a position guy he has a rare combination of functional athleticism and burst. Meaning he has ball skills and measurables: 6.91 runner, 91 mph arm strength across the diamond, 91 mph exit velocity and can make plays/find the barrel often. Very talented player that stood out at both Preseason All-State and Release Scout Day.

The Newcomers

Zachary Weber RHP / OF / Lebanon, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 28 / POS: 9 Report: It’s not uncommon for an arm we haven’t seen/isn’t on our radar to perform well enough to enter the rankings. However, it is very rare for an arm to come out of nowhere and enter the top 30 overall in the rankings...which is exactly what RHP Zachary Weber (Lebanon HS) did after two dominant performances this winter. The stuff was electric, showing an upper 80s fastball paired with a near plus breaking ball. Whenever we get back to playing his starts will be HEAVILY attended by college scouts.

Nathan Archer OF / LHP / Keystone, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 41 / POS: 3 Report: A position guy that turned heads this winter is OF Nathan Archer out of Keystone HS. Archer is a similar rare breed of ball skills and burst as I previously talked about with Jake Johnson. Everything he does is smooth yet he lights up the radar guy on both sides of the ball. As a defender he profiles at just about wherever you want to put him in the outfield with his ball skills, 6.8 speed, and 87 mph arm strength. At the plate he is very efficient from the left side with present gap abilities and projects to grow into at least occasional power. One of my favorite position guys I saw this winter.

Andrew Horvath C / RHP / Aurora, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 52 / POS: 6 Report: Defending behind the dish is an artform and very few we’ve run across do it better than Andrew Horvath out of Aurora HS. The receiving ability was so impressive that at times it was tough to evaluate the pitcher because it was hard to take your eyes off what Horvath was doing. Also offers well above average arm strength back there (81 mph to second base) and showed sub 2.0 pop times. More than serviceable with the bat as well, showing 97 mph exit velocity in BP and carrying balls 350 plus feet.

Sleepers

Austin Bahmer RHP / SS / River View, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 144 / POS: 40 Report: An arm to keep an eye on is Austin Bahmer (Riverview HS). This is high praise but Bahmer reminds me of the first time I saw Notre Dame RHP Mitchel Megias. Now I’m not saying Bahmer is going to throw 94 mph someday but the two do share very similar frame and movement pattern characteristics. Bahmer is 6-foot-4, up to 82 mph with a very low effort delivery. There is velo available in the tank right now and an even higher velocity ceiling as he fills out that frame.

William Henkel LHP / 1B / Turpin, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 129 / POS: 18 Report: Another arm presently outside the top 100 that I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see jump is LHP William Henkel (Turpin HS). Starting LHPs are very hard to find and Henkel shows signs of a guy who could be just that at the college level. I would feel comfortable labeling him a true three-pitch guy as he commands the fastball well, can really spin a breaking ball and has a changeup that is more than serviceable. A quick google search of the young southpaw and you’ll see he was what appears to be the No. 2 starter on a solid staff, competing in a good league, registering a 3.64 ERA, all the while competing at at or under 80 mph, if he had the same velo we saw from him this winter. If the 6-foot-2 lefty picks up the velo a bit, as we expect him to, he will have a nice mix of D1/D2/JUCO eyes out to see him.

Michael Persichetti SS / 2B / Kenston, OH / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 135 / POS: 24 Report: A guy I’m excited to check out this summer is Micheal Persichetti, an infielder out of Kenston HS. It was only a showcase but Persichetti showed defensive qualities that are hard to find at the high school level, especially in the north. Tosses the ball with clean arm action and already mid 80s strength that I wouldn’t be shocked if it ended up at 90 mph or more before it’s all said and done. Movement wise he has a feel for angles, maintains rhythm, and can really pick it. The swing works with a top of the lineup look to him. Expect this tool to grade higher as he adds strength to that athletic frame.

TOP UNCOMMITTED PROSPECTS BY POSITION

Below we look to name the top 5 prospects in specific categories based on primary position in profile for the 2021 class. Beyond this group, there are numerous prospects that can help a collegiate program in some capacity.

+ Top Right-Handed Arms: Zachary Weber | Brennan McCune | Blake Peterson | Daniel Crissman

+ Top Left-Handed Arms: Drew Bachman | Bobby Perebzak | Erik Stern | Jack Fecko | Will Skerbetz

+ Top Outfield Prospects: Matthew Giberti | Nathan Archer | Charles Dean | John Panstares | Jalen Patterson

+ Top First Basemen Prospects: Patrick Ciccantelli | William Jaun | Nathan Adelman | Fletcher Holquist | Aaron Urban

+ Top Second Basemen Prospects: AJ Solomon (Video) | Dominic Magliocca | Maddox Pennington | Caden Contant | Jacob Scherette

+ Top Shortstop Prospects: Jake Johnson | Joshua Qualls | Connor Ashby | Dylan Bailey | Eli Brown

+ Top Third Basemen Prospects: Jackson Hauck | Matthew Campbell | Mike Mylott | Ty Stolarski | Garrett Kubitz

+ Top Catching Prospects: Andrew Horvath | Joshua Kross | Eric Coode | Dawson Pierce | Riley Cesnak

PBR Ohio Class of 2021 Top 10

Rank		Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1		Gavin Bruni	OH	Alliance	2021	LHP	Ohio State
2		Kurtis Reid	OH	Hamilton	2021	SS	Louisville
3		William Cook	OH	Miamisburg	2021	3B	Louisville
4		Ryan Miller	OH	Dublin Jerome	2021	C	Tennessee
5		Brayden Lybarger	OH	Elida	2021	RHP	Michigan
6		Jacob Gehring	OH	South Range	2021	RHP	Ohio State
7		Jace Middleton	OH	Olentangy	2021	RHP	Ohio State
8		Lauden Brooks	OH	Archbishop McNicholas	2021	SS	Kentucky
9		Logan Maxwell	OH	Lima Shawnee	2021	OF	Texas Christian
10		Brandon Golubski	OH	Tallmadge	2021	LHP	Kent State

***** To view the entire rankings, please click here.