Drew
Ripepi

Physical: Extremely durable, powerful 5-foot-11, 215-pound frame with athleticism in abundance. University of Pittsburgh commit. 

Offensively: RHH - Wide, slightly-open setup as the barrel pointed straight down over the backside in the stance; utilized an early leg hang with ability to put it down and burst through a slightly uphill path into the hitting zone at any point. Explosive actions at the plate with high-intent to the pull-side, recorded a 55% line drive rate and a 91% hard hit during his round with ability to really get into pitches out over the plate (382 feet batted ball distance). Notched a 102 mph bat-exit velocity per Trackman Baseball with a very high power ceiling that he’s already tapped into (24.2 G’s of rotational acceleration). Big time middle of the order stick with RBI potential. 

Defensively: The primary third baseman featured a low, attacking posture in the approach yielding tons of carry across the diamond on the throws (95 mph). The arm strength is plus at the moment aided by impressive lower half strength present throughout the drive leg; high intent in everything he does, but there’s control present. Made the play on the run with a ton of confidence as well, altering the arm angle to a low ¾ slot.

Physical: Strong and durable 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame with advanced tools in all phases of the game. 7.18 runner in the 60-yard dash. University of Pittsburgh commit. 

Offensively: RHH. Wide, open stance with a slight crouch in the knees as the hands start high above the shoulder with the barrel pointed downward over the back. Utilized a leg hang stride to initiate a high level swing through a slightly uphill path in the hitting zone, advanced sink into an extremely efficient lower half showing well above average hip-shoulder separation in the box, stayed behind the baseball well at contact point while letting the hands jolt through towards extension at impact. Plenty of lift in the box while matching plane early and often, a combination which led to tons of hard contact and home runs during batting practice with legitimate pull-side juice. Recorded a peak bat-exit velocity of 102 mph according to Trackman Baseball / 388 foot maximum batted ball distance / 77% hard hit percentage (one of the tops at the entire Future Games Northeast event). 

Defensively: The primary third baseman featured advanced athleticism at the hot corner in a powerful frame. Beat the ball to the spot with consistency showing natural instincts in space, covered ground on either side of his body with a quick first step / medium-low center of gravity. A soft glove hand played loosely out in front and worked well evidenced by two Sportscenter-esque diving plays during game action finished off using an absolute hose through a high ¾ slot with high level hand speed across the diamond. INF - 92 mph

Physical: Standout combination of advanced physicality and high level athleticism in a 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame. Ran a 7.09 60-yard dash at the PA State Games. University of Pittsburgh commit.

Offensively: RHH. Wide, slightly open stance with the hands high above the shoulder and the barrel pointing slightly downwards while resting on the shoulder. Utilized a deep and controlled knee knock stride with violent hip rotation and weight shift to the front side upon impact. The barrel jolts through a slightly uphill path into the hitting zone creating high level whip through extension and advanced home run power to all fields. Creates natural lift and backspin to both gaps displaying obvious middle of the order potential at the next level. Showcased a loud round of batting practice at the PA State Games while registering a 102 mph bat-exit velocity per Trackman Baseball and stayed hot in game action with four extra base hits among the two games.  

Defensively: The primary third baseman was an advanced defender all weekend beating the ball to the spot and playing aggressively through the baseball using a powerful lower half with a low center of gravity. Made two nice diving/sliding plays during game action showcasing legitimate impact defender qualities at the hot corner. The arm strength was plus too, as he featured high-level arm speed through a power, high ¾ slot creating carry and accuracy across the diamond; should obviously stick on the left side of the infield moving forward. Made the play on the run with relative ease and threw accurately from multiple angles. 3B - 92 mph 

Showcased advanced feel for an uber-physical 5-foot-11, 205-pound frame with athleticism in his movements and noticeable strength in his actions. The right-handed hitter begins with a wide, even stance utilizing a controlled leg-kick to initiate a violent swing through a slightly uphill barrel path. Generated advanced hand speed through the hitting zone allowing for natural pull-side lift and loud contact during batting practice. Displayed advanced barrel control in what was one of the most impressive rounds of the day with repeatable backspin line drives to the pull-side gap. Recorded the top bat-exit velocity of the event at 100 mph using a fluid and physical lower half, demonstrating the violence he possesses at the plate. The primary third baseman featured active footwork with a low center of gravity and natural ease to his movements during defensive evaluations. Created momentum with a soft glove hand yielding accurate 91 mph arm-strength across the diamond with present carry out of a fluid, high ¾ arm-slot. Should be one of the top right-handed power bat follows in the ‘22 class. 

Ripepi showcased his above average hit tool going 4-for-7 with a hit by pitch on the weekend. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound right-handed hitter, currently ranked No. 18 in the PA Class of 2022, showed signs of his power potential with a double and a triple.