Our second mock draft of the year starts college heavy and includes Charlie Condon, Travis Bazzana and others at the top.
2024 Bowman Preview
Previewing the 2024 Bowman baseball trading card product with a focus on every player that has a 1st Bowman card. Here you will find the most desirable 1st Bowman prospect cards of players including Walker Jenkins, Dylan Crew, George Lombard Jr., Arjun Nimmala, Brock Wilken, Aidan Miller, and over 80 more prospects.
Live Looks: UConn vs. Georgetown (4/21/24)
UConn vs. Georgetown was a matchup of two better teams in the Big East. UConn came into town and ended up sweeping the Hoyas. I attended the Sunday game featuring Georgetown left-hander Everett Catlett, an intriguing draft prospect for the 2024 MLB Draft. Here are a few names that stuck out and could gain some interest on draft day.
Kirby Snead and the Benefits of the Top of the Zone
Live Looks: Indiana vs. Maryland (4/5/24 - 4/6/24)
This Week in Baseball Cards - 4/15 - 4/21
Live Looks: Playing Catchup with the ACC
Well, life happens, right?
I’ve been boarded up with a ton of school in recent weeks and it’s been tough to find time to write up reports and clip together film for these. With that said, it’s still a goal to post these reports and film for readers, so while it’s late, you still get to enjoy it! This edition features players from the Duke/Clemson series and the UNC/Georgia Tech series that I scouted in middle/late March. The UVA bats and players from the Texas A&M/South Carolina series will be posted at a later date, hopefully as soon as possible.
Duke Blue Devils
lhp jonathan santucci
draft grade: Back-end first round (picks 20-30)
c macon winslow
draft grade: high follow (2026)
Clemson Tigers
LHP tristan smith
draft grade: FIFth/SIXth round
rhp aidan knaak
draft grade: high follow (2026)
of cam cannarella
draft grade: first round (2025)
OF Will taylor
draft grade: third round
3b blake wright
draft grade: day two moneysaver
North Carolina Tar Heels
OF casey cook
draft grade: Mid Day two
OF vance honeycutt
draft grade: Top 10-15 picks
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
SS Payton Green
draft grade: fifth/sixth round ceiling, likely later
OF drew burress
draft grade: potential first round (2026)
Live Looks: East Carolina at North Carolina, 2/23/24
Remember Carter Stewart Jr.?
Who is he?
Remember Carter Stewart Jr., former 8th overall pick back in 2018? The Braves drafted him, but after some issues with his physical, he decided to sign with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The decision came as a surprise to pretty much everyone at the time, and there was a lot of buzz around the idea that this might become a trend with players who don’t receive the signing bonus that they were asking for in the draft. However, it hasn’t really caught on, and there hasn’t been much buzz around Stewart since he decided to forgo the draft and begin playing professional baseball in Japan. This might not be the case for much longer. Before the season, Stewart signed a two-year, $10 million extension with Fukuoka. By doing so, he’ll be classified as a foreign professional once the contract is finished, and he will be exempt from the international bonus pool as defined by the most recent CBA. This will allow Stewart to return to the States and play in the MLB if he desires to do so after his contract expires. In the next couple years, Stewart is sure to generate a good bit of interest from organizations due to his power stuff, and experience in professional baseball.
The Stuff
Coming out of high school, Stewart was a highly touted prospect. His fastball sat in the low-90s, and his curveball featured some unreal spin metrics, consistently throwing it over 3,000 RPMs. There was no question of the upside that was present, and it was no surprise to see him taken in the top ten picks in 2018. Over in the NPB, Stewart has shown serious flashes of that potential that got him drafted so high. Across his three seasons, he holds a 3.91 ERA and a 9.0 k/9. So far this year, he’s seen an increase in fastball velocity, going from 94.7 to 96.7, touching 99 MPH.
The fastball features some big riding life, and he really tries to attack with it up in the zone. The curveball carries the same characteristics that had scouts drooling in 2018. It’s a power, high-spin pitch with really sharp break. Creates a lot of depth with it, allowing him to work up and down with the fastball. Curveball has 60-grade traits for me, and the fastball certainly has a chance to be a plus pitch if he can maintain the increased velocity. In addition to this lethal 1-2 punch, Stewart has been rumored to be incorporating a splitter and a gyro slider this year. The slider should allow for a more consistent offering to be landed for strikes. It’ll pose a challenge to hitters who now have to protect against the big up-and-down curveball as well as the sharper east-to-west slider. I’m very interested to see if the splitter can be developed more over the next two years. If it can be just an average pitch, it would give him four pitches and a solid chance to be a starter in the MLB once his contract expires.
Going Forward
I think Carter Stewart has a legitimate chance to be a solid starting pitcher in the MLB. The fastball and curveball combination that he was so highly touted for are still present and have been developed and improved during his time in the NPB so far. If the slider turns into a legitimate weapon and the splitter can be effective, he could easily slide to a starting rotation in the big leagues immediately after signing. He’ll be 26 with six years of professional experience under his belt. Certainly, a name to keep in the back of my mind over the next couple of years. It might just be time to restart the Carter Stewart hype train.
This Week in Baseball Cards - 4/8 - 4/14
2021 Bowman Draft Retrospective
Taking a current look at the players with 1st Bowman cards from 2021 Bowman Draft which include Jordan Lawlar,Jackson Jobe, Carson Williams, Colton Cowser, Henry Davis, Marcelo Mayer, Harry Ford, Jackson Merrill, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Bryce Miller, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, and many others.
Live Looks: Lehigh vs Army
Last weekend, I traveled to Bethlehem, PA to see two of the top Patriot League teams in action, Lehigh University and Army. Lehigh was able to take game one in extras and Army pitchers dominated games two and three. While there is a lot of good talent on both sides, I am going to be highlighting what I saw from Lehigh third baseman Rafe Perich, Lehigh right-handed pitcher Cole Leaman, Army catcher Derek Berg, and Army right-handed pitcher Mike Ruggieri.
Rafe Perich - 3B, Lehigh
3-12, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 Sac Fly
Perich, overall, had an uneventful weekend against Army. In game one, he went 0 for 3 with a walk-off sacrifice fly on a deep line drive to right center. In game two, Perich was 1 for 4 with a double laced into the left center field gap. In game three, he went 2 for 5 with a relief pitching appearance, although having to leave the game early with an arm injury in the ninth inning.
While Perich may have had a quiet weekend, his 2024 season has been anything but quiet. So far he has started all 27 games for the Mountain Hawks, posting a .335 average, .528 slugging, and a .496 on-base percentage (1.131 OPS). Those numbers are currently ranked 2nd, 4th, and 3rd in the Patriot League, respectively. Also on the season, he has tied his career high in home runs with 6 while recording a 16.5% walk rate and an 11% k rate.
The ‘24 draft-eligible junior stands at 6’2” with a strong, athletic base. He’s a decent runner on the bases and is very quick at the hot corner. He’s a smooth defender with an effortless, strong arm that is playable at the next level. While he has the athleticism to play the outfield, I don’t see why he couldn’t stick at third base. He has a level swing path allowing him to hit to all fields. Perich likely projects as a 2025 draft pick and will be a player to watch for both the remainder of this season and next as well.
Cole Leaman - RHP, Lehigh
4 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Leaman started game 1 of the weekend for Lehigh. This is only his second start after suffering a groin injury a couple of weeks ago. He was taken out of the game in the top of the fifth inning after throwing 75 pitches. Leaman’s fastball was in the 91-93 mph range topping out at 95 with arm side run. He was also able to get plenty of swings and misses with his 80-83 mph sweeping slider. He also featured a mid-80’s changeup as well as a mid-70’s curveball.
So far this year, Leaman has made five starts, not including the injury where he faced only one batter. In those five starts, he has pitched 19 innings with 25 k’s, 10 walks, and a 1.90 ERA. The combination of his massive uptick in velocity from a year ago and his easy, repeatable delivery will earn himself a lot of attention as the year goes on. The ‘25 eligible sophomore is looking to build on his strong start to 2024 and solidify himself in the draft conversation next year.
Derek Berg - C/1B, Army
2-12, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B
Berg, like Perich, had a pretty quiet weekend. While he only had 2 hits, one of them came at a very opportune time. In the seventh inning of game three, the game tied up at 2, Berg drove a double that scored one and broke the tie. Army would go on to win game three by the score of 6-4. While the offense wasn’t quite there for him this weekend, he stood out more to me at catcher. He allowed zero past balls in the two games he was behind the plate and showed off his good framing skills as well. He is a good athlete and he has the arm to match (2.00-2.05 pop).
On the season, Berg has been playing both catcher and first base. He is hitting for a .275 average, .510 slugging, and a .378 on-base percentage with 5 home runs and a team-leading 9 stolen bases. The senior has proven his leadership on the field and has been a mainstay in this Army lineup since he arrived at West Point as a freshman in 2020. He was on the first team all-Patriot League team a year ago and was a preseason all-conference player this season as well as preseason defensive player of the year.
Mike Ruggieri - RHP, Army
5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 2 BB
Ruggieri started game 3 for the Black Knights and was effective from the moment he stepped on the mound, allowing zero runs through the first 3.2 innings of work. His fastball ranged between 90 and 92 mph topping out at 94. He also featured an 84-86 mph sweeping slider and a disappearing 83-84 mph splitter. He was able to command all three pitches Sunday, getting nearly all weak contact through his 5 innings pitched.
Ruggieri is a senior who stands at a towering 6’6”, 267 lbs. He has so far struck out 37 batters on the year allowing 17 walks in his 35.1 innings of work. He was on the first-team all-Patriot League team last season and was a preseason all-Patriot League pitcher entering this season. He has been a key component of this experienced Army team this season and will look to build on this strong performance as the season goes on.
Other player notes
Lehigh Fr. RHP Julio Ermigiotti
Ermigiotti has appeared for the Mountain Hawks as both a starter and reliever. The young arm has a fastball that can get into the low-90s with a mid-70s slider and changeup. So far on the year, he has struck out 14 and walked only 4 through 20 innings of work. There is a good case to be made for Ermigiotti to find himself firmly in the weekend rotation as early as this season.
Lehigh Fr. 2B Raffaele Rogers
Rogers is an outstanding defensive second baseman. He also has the potential to be a high on-base percentage player with his patient approach at the plate and solid speed. I would like to see him make more solid contact than he has so far, but he is young and has lots of room for growth.
Army So. OF William Parker
Parker is putting together a very nice sophomore season, hitting .327 (6th in the Patriot League) with a .942 OPS and 36 RBIs, which ranks 2nd in the Patriot League. Parker covers a lot of ground in left field for the Black Knights and is a key hitter in the middle of their order.
Army Sr. 3B Sam Ruta
Ruta has a lot of experience at the hot corner. He has been a starter all four years he’s been at West Point. He is having his best year yet, batting .319 with a .713 slugging and a .472 on base. He also has 9 homers and 27 RBIs. He has a good arm, but the glove has been shaky at times during his career. I see him becoming a corner outfielder at the next level. He has cut down on his swing and misses this year and become a more patient hitter and the result has been, as you’d expect, more power and fewer strikeouts.
X: @JakeBarg
This Week in Baseball Cards - 4/1 - 4/7
2024 MLB Draft: Top 200 Prospects
College Baseball Roundup - Week 6
This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/25 - 3/31
Live Looks: Wake Forest vs. Virginia (3/16/24 - 3/17/24)
Ohio Valley: Pre-Season Deep Dive of Prep Baseball Infielders This Spring
High school baseball is upon us, with Kentucky baseball starting last week and Michigan's baseball season already underway as this article is being posted. Early looks of the Kentucky season have shown positive signs for the few arms mentioned prior, as they are already flying with a great start to the season. This upcoming Saturday (March 25th), Ohio baseball season begins with many touted matchups that will be must-sees for the avid baseball lover in the Ohio area. If the weather cooperates, I will be in the fields watching the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) Division-I reigning champions Archbishop Moeller start their season against Strongsville and will provide a live look later next week on the matchup.
Part three of our series continues here, analyzing the region's infield prospects. The Ohio Valley continues the trend from the last few years of us being spoiled with a few top-tier and toolsy prospects following the footsteps of Ohio Valley infielders Colt Emerson, Colston Montgomery, Henry Kaczmar, and Alex Mooney, who displayed their advanced baseball skills at the variety level to either hear their name called in July out of high school or became a high-level dude walking onto campus in the fall and fought for a spot in the lineup out of the gate. Further, we have one SS who could hear his name called early on day one this year.
The 2024 class for this prep baseball season is stacked with dudes who possess future major-league tools and who will have huge impacts on their respective college programs or clubs next season. All of these guys with future breakdowns are dudes I can see getting their names called in July or dudes to keep noted as potential future high-round selections in 2027. The honorable mention group of dudes is in the next tier of guys who I can see get their names called sometime in the 2027 or 2028 draft after some seasoning versus better competition or added time with maturity to grow their pro tools.
| 3B/SS Caleb Bonemer, Okemos HS (MI) |
| 6-foot-1 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Virginia | B/T: R/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 9 mo |
Bonemer enters the 2024 draft cycle as the top high school infield prospect in the class due to his impressive combo of physicality, explosive tools, and massive stock bump from the 2023 prep showcase and summer circuit. Bonemer is the most prolific infielder we have seen in a hot minute to come out of the prep ranks in Michigan. Further, Bonemer has the chance of joining highly touted infielders like Colston Mongomery and Colton Emerson of being Ohio Valley infielders drafted in the first round in recent years - in short, save your seats now for Okemos high school baseball games this spring as there will not an open seat if you wait till Michigan's season to start with scouts soaring to Michigan with anticipation to watch him play.
Bonemer is a physical athletic specimen on the diamond with a muscular build that oozes projectable strength with strong hands, wrists, and quads/lower half. In the box, everything works in sync with a quiet load, a small front-foot-striking stride, and a shorter compact swing displaying minimal wasted effort attacking the baseball with eye-popping explosive bat speeds, triple-digit exit velocities, and barreling nearly everything he attacks. When he punishes baseball, he is typically pull-side happy with the power but has shown the ability to exhibit XBHs up the middle on occasion. Contact-wise, he can hit all over the zone and spray hits anywhere throughout the field. Due to previous looks, scouts this spring would like to see him lower the whiffs in the game from inferior competition (a similar issue we saw in the 2021 varsity season from a similar comp SS in Brady House).
In the field, Bonemer is a very athletic and projectable infielder with a high likely chance to stay on the left side of the dirt with his soft hands, smooth fluid feet/motions towards the baseball, plus range, plus field awareness/baseball IQ, strong arm, good reactions, impressive composure/body control, and quick reactions to the baseball. Further, Bonemer allows his athleticism to play throughout his game without any hiccups (even during the challenging plays). Similar to Brady House, he is massive for his size. So, scouts will need to determine if the size will make him shift out of the middle and slide over to 3B or corner OF in the future when he hits physical maturity.
Overall, Bonemer has shown everything that scouts typically look for from prep position players during the draft process and is a very polished high school prospect. So far, he has made a solid case to be considered a top 15 or even top 10 selection in the draft with his very high ceiling. Due to the strong college class this season, he could fall down the boards with teams looking for more maturity and quicker to show talent. If Bonemer has an eye-popping spring as he did over the summer, he may force the hand of an organization to take him higher than most rankings and mock drafts have him before the Michigan prep season.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 5 HS player & Top 25 overall draft talent; First-round grade w/ top 10 upside
| 1B/RHP Jake Hanley, William Mason HS |
| 6-foot-6 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | B/T: L/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yrs 11 mo |
Presumably, the most prominent and premier prep baseball athlete out of the Ohio Valley, Hanley early this year, attended the Prep Baseball's Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by blasting baseballs nearly 400 feet and recording triple-digit exit velocities (103.5 mph). Hanley physically stands out from the typical high school hitter with a 6-foot-5, 235-pound XL frame with loud upside tools and an even higher ceiling. Hanley has been a consistent workhorse out of a prolific baseball program at William Mason High School, which in recent years, has produced professional players in Nicholas Northcut and former first-round selection T.J Zeuch.
A few weeks back, we mentioned the pitching upside Hanley has made over the last calendar season, making him a difficult profile to project between being an offensive middle-of-the-order bat, a future high-velocity arm, or the unicorn of both. This week, we will dive into what we have seen since his early prep years as an uber-physical middle-of-the-order first baseman.
If you want to go back and see his pitching profile going into the Ohio prep season, you can see it Here
As mentioned above, Hanley is a large physical frame athlete who shows premium projectable upside as a professional ball player with muscular proportions and strength throughout his body. Hanley displays very simple and smooth operations at the dish, exhibiting an athletic balanced stance with a smooth load, quiet leg kick, soft stride, whippy hands, and a controlled barrel. When he attacks baseballs, his natural strength is loud, exhibiting a mixed lofty/upward violent swing that produces thunderous hard contact every time he puts the ball in play (92.9% hard-hit rate and an average of roughly 97 mph or more EVs). Further, he possesses violent bat speed (76 mph bat speed average), allowing his tall lefty frame to get into triple-digit exit velocities. The projection for him to stay as a middle-of-the-order bat is sustainable. However, Hanley will need to exhibit his lofty/upward violent swing more often and produce more XBHs in-game as too frequently, his hitting ability against tougher pitching competition leans more into straight line drives and hard ground balls due to his occasional neutral attack angle (or insufficiency of displaying on-plane efficiency) and his bat path becoming flat in his swing versus better competition from his need in making up for timing issues in his load and his lengthy bat path (all fixable attributes in his game). On the bases, Hanley is an average runner at best overall.
Depending on the scout(s) you speak with, there are some who believe that the two-way potential is real within Hanley, and when he breaks through the next ceiling within his development, it will be more apparent. There is no question that the hit tool and the metrics that come with it are impressive, with above-average potential projections attached throughout. However, suppose Hanley would get drafted in July. In that case, it is more likely that he will be drafted because of the toolsy upside in his hitting abilities that he displayed over the winter showcase setting, a positive offensive spring performance, and an imaginable combine invite (with the off-the-field element of the money being right). Suppose Hanley gets the chance to go to Bloomington in the fall. In that case, the coaching staff will definitely tinker with his pitching potential and get him out on the mound next spring (I'm highly assuming Risedorph, Sinnard, and Foley are drafted this year and not coming back) while giving him at-bats in fall ball and early in the spring.
In conclusion, I love to see players get their ability to achieve their dreams and get their money from the hard work they have put into baseball. Nevertheless, my selfish side would love to see him go to college and try the two-way ability out, as I can see him evolving into a Big Ten/Midwest version of Jac Caglianone or Brendon McKay because of the upside he has in his tools, both ways. Additionally, he wouldn't be the first Cincinnati native to pass on big money, double down, and prove themselves in college for a bigger payday if he did (Andrew Benintendi was drafted in the 31st round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and then was a top 10 overall selection in 2015 by the Boston Red Sox. Further, Zeuch went down a similar route before being drafted 21st overall by the Toronto Blue Jays). Thus, seeing the hoops and challenging tasks for scouts to determine the future for the most polarizing, intriguing, and tooled-up athlete in the Midwest of this class in Hanley.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 HS player; Day 2 grade but probably going to school.
| C Hogan Denny, Mooresville HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-0 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | B/T: R/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 8 mo |
A decorated multi-sport athlete from the Hoosier State, Denny is a two-time All-State backstop who has shown his physical athleticism from the diamond to the gridiron as his school's star quarterback (as an underclassman showed some advanced athleticism as a wide receiver for the football team). Denny is by far the best prep catcher in the region who has a strong accurate arm behind the dish and has displayed desirable power traits in the box. Like many others on these lists, Denny was a Prep Baseball Super 60 invitee and, during the event, displayed some of the most power in the country by blasting baseballs over 106 mph and demonstrating some of the most explosive bat speeds you will see slightly over 86 mph. Further, outside of being a star catcher for Mooresville HS and being arguably the most productive offensive juggernaut in Indiana prep baseball, Denny has displayed stuff on the mound by recording over 100 strikeouts as a lights-out reliever guiding his varsity squad as a year-in and year-out state championship contender. His current projection for his future is staying behind the dish, so below, we will stick with his offensive and defensive upside as a catcher.
In the box, Denny displays a sturdy physical build that shows strength throughout his frame. His advanced athleticism could be considered sneaky due to his build, but he is a tremendous athlete overall (he has swiped 67 stolen bases in varsity baseball and has made some appearances at SS). Operating in the box, Hogan now works with an athletic balanced stance where, in the past, he had a wide stance, but he has tinkered with his approach at the plate to harness more into his power profile. Further, he is a simple mover from the right side, displaying quick hands, a quiet controlled load, and a leg lift stride that blasts the barrel into the zone with oozing power from his lower half from a shorter swing. A very confident and good poised hitter. His swing/hands occasionally can get a little too early, but overall, it is on time with the barrel being in the zone for a long time at a linear level with intent. When watching him, many scouts have used the scouting vocabulary of Hogan having an “advanced approach and very disciplined.” If you are a nit-picky individual, you can say that he needs to be more rotational to generate more power. However, with this offensive profile, he already has enough natural strength to generate the long ball when needed (explains the change in stance). Overall, the power he has is ridiculous, with still more in the tank. In addition, his offensive profile is more of a gap-to-gap approach with XBH upside and the ability to spray it all over the field. Additionally, the bat works well in-game and outside of a contained environment (at the varsity level, he has produced over 35 XBHs and 19 long balls entering his senior year). His projection shows that he can stay in that middle-of-the-order stop in the lineup with a floor of a six-hole hitter.
Defensively, behind the dish, Hogan's clear best attribute is his strong and accurate arm, recording arm speeds in the low 80s. Overall, he is an advanced catcher with pop times in the upper 1.80s and low 1.90s while displaying quick reactions, soft hands, strong lower half/knees, a quick release out of a short compact ¾ arm slot, exemplary athletic footwork, fast transfer abilities, and a high baseball IQ. The quarterback background comes into play with his ability to read the field/basepaths and make decisions on the fly very well in a quick process. He shows good field general qualities to stay behind the dish at the next level or even transition to the corner infield if needed.
Hogan may get some scouts' looks this spring due to his decorated athleticism, track record of offensive production at the varsity level, and participation in previous high-level baseball events (Prep Baseball Super 60 and PG Nationals). I can easily see him being in the running for Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Indiana and be a strong candidate for the Johnny Bench Award (an award given to the top catcher at the high school level from the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia region). Overall, I envision Hogan as a high-follow prospect from the Hoosier State with more 2027 MLB Draft upside than this summer. Henceforth, I see Hogan going to college this fall to better himself versus good Big Ten competition and making an impact behind the dish as a backup catcher his true freshman year before breaking out as the main dude behind the plate for the Hoosiers moving forward. Suppose the power potential makes a further jump in the near future, and his offensive profile translates at the college level. In that case, the Hoosiers may have another high-level athletic power profile backstop as they did nearly a decade ago with Kyle Schwarber.
Preseason Draft Grade: N/A - Future college backstop
| Honorable Mentions |
| SS/OF Alex Koelling, William Mason HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-1 | 170 - pounds | Commit: Ohio State | B/T: L/R | Draft Age: 18 yr 1 mo |
| SS/3B Alex Martin, Boyd County (KY) |
| 6-foot-3 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Xavier | B/T: R/R | Draft Age: approximately 18 yr 0 mo |
| SS/3B Issac VanderWoude, Illiana Christian HS (IN) |
| 5-foot-11 | 188 - pounds | Commit: Virginia | B/T: L/R | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr 0 mo |
| 3B/RHP Jackson Frasure, Chaminade-Julienne (OH) |
| 6-foot-2 | 225 - pounds | Commit: Akron | B/T: R/R | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr 0 mo |
| SS Parker Brzustewicz, St. Mary’s HS (MI) |
| 6-foot-3 | 185 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | B/T: R/R | Draft Age: 19 yr 6 mo |
| SS/C/2B Parker Corbin, Cincinnati Country Day (OH) |
| 5-foot-9 | 180 - pounds | Commit: Maryland | B/T: L/R | Draft Age: 18 yr 11 mo |
| SS Ryder Kirtley, Troy HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-0 | 185 - pounds | Commit: Virginia Tech | B/T: R/R | Draft Age: 18 yr 10 mo |
| 1B/RHP Sawyer Solitaria, Saint Ignatius (OH) |
| 6-foot-3 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Kent State | B/T: R/R | Draft Age: 18 yr 2 mo |
Live Looks: Northeast Prep Workout
Earlier this month, I was invited to a private workout featuring a handful of talented prep players from across the northeast region. This was a first for me. It was a moment in my career that felt important, a milestone of sorts. It was also a phenomenal opportunity to check out a large group of players at once, many of whom I intended on seeing at some point this spring.
An event such as this is helpful when putting the finishing touches on your priority list. You can only be in one place at a time, which means you are constantly being forced to choose between seeing one player (or group of players) over another player each day leading up to the draft. Strengthening that priority list ahead of the season helps an area scout maximize their limited amount of time. It’s not a perfect setting for a thorough evaluation, but you can gather a surprising amount of valuable information in a short window of time. This was a nice preview for the weeks, months, and years ahead. Below, you can find three players who made a strong impression and piqued my curiosity, followed by a handful of players who I’ll be tracking closely as prep baseball kicks into gear in my neck of the woods.
alex ramos | ‘24
RHP | GOSHEN CENTRAL, NY
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL COMMIT
One of the stronger locales for the northeast 2024 prep class will be the Hudson Valley area of New York. Alex Ramos, a Hudson Valley righty at Goshen Central, is an arm that area scouts will be eager to check out this spring. He was someone who stood out to me after seeing some short clips of him on social media with the look of someone who was just starting to blossom as a pitcher. That feeling was confirmed after seeing Ramos fire off consistent 93-95 MPH heat during his pen. Ramos is a quality athlete with a projectable, long-levered frame (6’3-190) suited for the mound. It’s a bit of a longer arm action, but Ramos was able to sync the operation effectively thanks to his above-average arm speed. Ramos releases from a high, almost over-the-top arm slot and extends well during his delivery. This gives the fastball good hop, and at this velocity, it’s a power pitch that projects well at the next level. There’s some head movement on release that could use some cleaning up to improve command, but the overall development to date is highly impressive. Ramos also featured a 74-76 MPH overhand curveball that had good shape at times and a changeup in the mid-80s. Between the two, I preferred the curve. It’s probably fringy presently, but I see the makings of a legitimate weapon as he develops and starts using it more.
Overall, Ramos profiles as a projection righty, but one who has more present velocity than similar arms in the prep and college classes. He has made significant gains over the past several months and is on an upward trajectory. If the stuff he showed in this pen translates to game action this spring, Ramos could leapfrog a good chunk of the prep pitching class in the region.
connor lane
CATCHER/RHP | OLD SAYBROOK SENIOR, CT
UCONN COMMIT
Connor Lane challenged Alex Ramos for the biggest surprise of the day. After showing off some good pop during BP, Lane jumped on the bump and caught the attention of every scout in attendance. Lane’s cannon arm is well-known to evaluators in the area, but now Lane has begun converting that arm talent behind the dish to the pitcher’s mound. He made a promising short appearance out of the bullpen in October during the WWBA tournament in Jupiter and has since taken things to another level. Lane has a physical 6’2-205 build, with immense arm strength. There was some variation to the arm action and delivery during this pen, but considering his experience level as a pitcher, it exceeded my expectations. The arm action is very short, at times resembling Texas Tech freshman Mac Heuer, though Lane releases from a higher slot. Lane sat in the 91-92 MPH range with his heater, with a few fastballs registering at 93-94 MPH (at least one scout in attendance had a 95 reading). The fastball had arm-side movement, with a few flashing good, late action. He complimented the fastball with a slider that had surprising polish. An upper 70s pitch, Lane showed feel for locating the breaker to his glove side. A couple had some “hump” coming out of the hand which made them easier to pick up, but the foundation for a solid secondary is present.
Because Lane is both an integral piece behind the plate for his high school squad and a legitimate catching prospect, it remains to be seen how many opportunities he’ll receive on the mound in the months ahead. He showed enough in this look to suggest he has a real shot at “coming out” as an arm this spring, especially as he focuses more on pitching and accrues experience on the mound.
JC Pacheco | ‘26
SHORTSTOP | DEPAUL CATHOLIC, NJ
UNCOMMITTED
The 2026 high school class in New Jersey has a chance to be special. Based on this brief look, JC Pacheco is a name that belongs in the upper echelon of prep talents for 2026. Playing for Jersey powerhouse DePaul Catholic, Pacheco made a great first impression with the potential for a plus arm on the dirt and both contact and power in the box. Pacheco has good physicality for his age at 5’10-170 and is likely to grow in the years ahead. He showed a quiet swing with good barrel whip during his rounds of BP with the potential for both above average (or better) hand/bat speed as he matures. Pacheco was able to produce quality contact in all directions, and his knack for making hard, elevated contact up the middle and to the opposite field was noticeable.
Obviously, we are a long way from the 2026 draft cycle, and a lot can change over that time. We’ll need to see if the offensive tools he showed in this look will translate to live pitching. That said, Pacheco is someone I’m eager to track over the next few years as he shares the field with a slew of fellow draft talents at DePaul Catholic. Pacheco remains uncommitted, but he is sure to be a high priority for recruiters moving forward.
QUICK HITS
Julius Rosado | Shortstop
South River HS, NJ | 2025
Rutgers Commit
I was glad to get another opportunity to see shortstop Julius Rosado before the high school season started. Once again, Rosado was cool, calm, and collected on both sides of the ball. He has well-defined strength while remaining smooth and nimble. We’ll see if he can stick at short long-term, but he checks a lot of the necessary boxes to play on the left side of the infield at the next level. He’s a confident hitter in the box with a swing that’s geared for explosive power to his pull side. It’s a swing that will be put to the test as he faces better, more consistent stuff, but he’s a kid that I expect will put in the work to make adjustments as he moves up the ladder. He would be a huge recruiting win for head coach Steve Owens and recruiting coordinator Brendan Monaghan should he reach campus.
Tyler Castrataro | Shortstop
Mahopac HS, NY | 2024
Hofstra Commit
I’ve now seen a good amount of Hofstra recruits up close and personal this winter and I’ve come away impressed. There’s been a clear, positive shift for Hofstra’s baseball program with skipper Frank Catalanatto at the helm. Like Rosado, this was my second look at Tyler Castrataro who serves as a good example of Hofstra’s enhanced recruiting thrust. A wiry, quick-twitch athlete Castrataro plays bigger than his listed 5’10-160 size. He’s an above-average runner and athlete who takes some ferocious cuts in the box. Castrataro’s ability to hammer the baseball is rare for someone his size. The violence in his swing is a big factor in that ability which, in theory, could impact his ability to make contact during live ABs. Regardless, Castrataro has plenty of raw tools to develop further and is the type of athlete that schools like Hofstra should be looking to work with.
Dylan Hansen | Right-Handed Pitcher
Downingtown East HS, PA | 2024
Coastal Carolina Commit
Out of the two Pennsylvania arms, Hansen showed the “louder” stuff but he also had more violence to the delivery. Hansen has good length and remaining projection at 6’3-205 with a strong, quick arm. The strikes were a bit scattered on this day, but Hansen displayed three quality offerings with a 91-93 MPH fastball, a slider between 78-80 MPH, and some decent. nascent feel for a changeup. Hansen is committed to Coastal Carolina, a school that has done a fantastic job developing players from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions in recent years.
Kross Howarth | Third Base/Right-Handed Pitcher
Perkiomen School, PA | 2024
Tulane Commit
As with Dylan Hansen, Kross Howarth has the same kind of long, projectable build (6’4-205) that will fill up a jersey while providing teams with something to dream on. The Tulane commit has legitimate two-way ability with an ideal power bat/power arm skillset for the hot corner. There’s plenty to like as an offensive prospect, but I paid extra attention to him on the mound. I really liked how effortlessly he filled the zone with his deceptive delivery. He stays closed for an extended period of time with a crossfire delivery and a low ¾ arm slot. I think this opens up a lot of developmental and pitch-shaping opportunities with his fastball moving forward. His fastball had good sinking action at the bottom of the zone, but I could see the pitch acting as a “hybrid” fastball that induces grounders at a high rate but can also miss a healthy amount of bats. Logan Webb and Marcus Stroman are good examples of this. He sat in the 90-91 MPH range but has lived in the 90-93 MPH (t94) range multiple times, dating back to the summer. Howarth also flashed some really good sliders (79-82 MPH). There weren’t any batters, obviously, but I imagine that his best sliders would release from behind a right-handed hitter before sweeping across the zone to the outer edge of the plate. He also threw a curve (74-76), which traded some sweep for additional vertical action as well as a changeup at 84 MPH.
It can be a challenge for a pitcher to maintain a consistent release point with a delivery such as Howarth’s, but it clearly wasn’t an issue on this day. Howarth is going to get dinged in draft models because he’s already 19 and will be closer to 20 years old than 19 years old on draft day. But this is the type of arm I love to watch and track because there are outlier characteristics that could really “pop” if everything comes together. I hope to get a second look at Howarth this spring to see if he can do what he did in this pen over a full outing. If I don’t get the opportunity to see him myself, I know Pennsylvania-based evaluator Jake Bargery (who lives near Perkiomen) is ready to see him live during the high school season. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any video of Howarth on the mound, but you can check out some swings below.
Cristofer Cespedes | Right-Handed Pitcher
North Rockland HS, NY | 2024
Maryland Commit
Cespedes popped up this past summer/fall and is a big body (6’4-220) righty who sat in the 91-92 (t93) MPH range with a low 80s curveball and a mid-80s changeup. The mechanics need to be ironed out, but it’s a nice, short arm action from a high ¾ release with some deception. He’s raw as a pitcher, but I could see him taking off at Maryland. The size and ability to touch 94 mph with the fastball will draw scouts this spring.
Harrison Lollin | Right-Handed Pitcher
Monroe Township HS, NJ | 2024
Penn State Commit
Lollin was the most “complete” pitcher of the four mentioned in this section. He has a strong, filled-out frame at 6’1-210 that looks ready for the next level of competition. His stuff was noticeably firmer with a four-pitch mix highlighted by a fastball in the 91-94 MPH range. He also threw a sinking fastball with running action that he threw down and to his arm side in the 88-90 MPH range. The slider featured two-plane action at 79-82 MPH, which was tight at times, and he completed his repertoire with a promising changeup in the low-80s with fade. This was my first time seeing Lollin and he looked much better than I expected. He moved up my priority list for the spring following this brief outing. Stock up.
