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Maryland Preseason ID: First Thoughts

February 23, 2016

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By Jerry Shank
Maryland Scouting Director

The Maryland Preseason ID was held on Sunday, February 21 at Diamond Pros Facility in Glen Arm, Maryland.  This was the second-annual event for the ID and once again was a highly attended event with just over 80 participants, the highest to date for PBR Maryland. On a side note, The 2016 Maryland Preseason ID was the one-year anniversary of our first event in Maryland. After a day to dissect, here is our first take from the event.

Building off a strong performance from the first Maryland Preseason ID, University of Maryland commit and 2017 grad Kieran Garner once again showed us why he was considered one of the top prospects in the state with another great showing at this year’s Preseason ID. Garner showed off his arm strength to the tune of 92 mph on the day, improving from his event high of 89 from last year. What stuck out the most was that he threw with less effort during his bullpen with the ball jumping out of his hand. He continued to show nice feel for a change up combined with tighter rotation on his 11/5 breaking ball that shows potential as a power pitch. He could very well be one of the top arms mentioned from Maryland in the 2017 draft class.

Garners future teammate 2017 OF/LHP Randy Bednar also showed why he is one of the top juniors in the state after an impressive performance during the position player portion of the event. Bednar ran a 6.7 60-yard dash with a 1.63 10-yard split to showing quick acceleration. The lefty thrower was 89 mph from the outfield and put on an impressive showing during the batting practice portion with the ball exploding off his bat. He showed fast bat speed and line-drive ability at the plate and cemented his place among the top of the 2017 class. Although he did not pitch during the event, Bednar has showed much improvement on the mound as well now reportedly pitching 89-91 mph.  

Last year Parkside HS 2017 LHP Grant Burleson came onto the scene and was noted as one of the breakout performers from the event. This year another Parkside lefty impressed during his bullpen session. 2017 LHP Sean Fisher showed better lower half usage in his delivery with a tighter arm action. He maintained a velocity of 83-85 mph and looks prepped to make a jump during the year with his length and stronger frame. Fisher once again had good life on his changeup down in the zone and is now throwing more of a small biting slider as opposed to his bigger breaking ball from this past summer.

Mount St. Joseph was well represented at the event with their 2017’s Ethan Gallagher, Matthew Gibbs, and Nicholas Torroella. Gallagher set a new Maryland record with his 99 mph exit velocity and was another that took an impressive BP.  The young right-handed hitter does not get cheated at the plate with his strong swing and quick bat to go along with his 7.1 speed and 81 mph arm from the outfield. Gibbs showed sound actions from the infield and nice athleticism on the day.  His 1.65 10-yard split showed his quick burst that ended with his 6.82 60-yard dash.  He showed a quick bat at the plate that got a bit pull happy at times, but showed a quick swing and barreled up plenty of balls. Torroella was 86 mph from the outfield and ran a 7.07 60-yard dash and showed a short swing at the plate and improved during his batting practice as he began to show more extension through contact.

2017 Future Games participant Jacob Paulishak looked like he added to his frame to go along with another growth spurt, now sitting at 6-foot-3. The Middletown HS prospect showed clean actions from the field and improved his 60-yard dash time now down to 7.14. He looked stronger at the plate and had a more fluid delivery on the mound getting up to 83 mph and looks to have more in the tank.

Other Future Games participants John Andreoli, Kristan Curry Jr, and James Moses had nice workouts as well. Andreoli showed smooth actions in the field and impressed with a 1.66 10-yard split. Curry showed well across the board and Moses had a nice BP session and also is intriguing on the mound with easy effort up to .

Archbishop Spalding’s Nick Vermillion showed athleticism and flexibility behind the plate with his solid 5-foot-10, 235-pound frame. He received with soft hands behind the plate and stuck low balls well. His pop times were consistent at 2.0 and had strength at the plate with a 92 mph exit velocity and should be a fine replacement after Carter Sears heads to JMU next fall.

Charleston Southern recruit Ryan Brown improved again with a 6.66 60-yard dash and also looks to have added strength to his frame. He had another strong showing during the workout and looks primed to have a big season for Saint James this spring. 

Brown's teammate at Saint James Isaac Schlotterbeck is an interesting prospect on the mound.  The righty showed a loose arm action and projectability on the mound in the 2017 class.

James M. Bennett teammates Tyler Dunn (2016) Tyler Shockley (2018) and Grason Winterbottom (2017) also had solid workouts during the event. Dunn pitched exclusively from a side arm angle during his workout and sat at 79 with late sink on his fastball. Shockley looked in good form coming off an injury that had shut him down all fall and early winter. Winterbottom has a solid frame at 6-foot, 190-pounds and has continued to impress at the plate.

Two arms that came onto our radar during the Preseason ID were 2017 Roland Siwinski of Chesapeake and 2018 Cole Dunn of Middletown (DE). Both right-handed arms had projectable frames and deliveries while getting up to 85 mph on the mound.

2018 Nick Collier of John Carroll threw well on the mound showing a quick arm with some deception in his delivery at 83 and looks to have more in the tank.

Overall, the Maryland Preseason ID was another successful event and, as you can see here, was full of talent from around the area.  There were many more that I forgot to include but stay tuned as we will have continued coverage from our fantastic start to 2016.

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