By TJ Hunt
Scouting Director, New Jersey 

Day 2 of the Fort Myers World Wood Bat Underclass Tournament has come to a close. With Hurricane Matthew battering the east coast of Florida, the west coast remained mostly dry for a full day of action across Southwest Florida. Although he is committed to Wake Forest, coaches and scouts did not hesitate just to watch 2019 RHP Stephen Restuccio (Hammonton HS, NJ) on Friday afternoon. The 6-foot-2 195-pound righty threw 2.1 innings, surrendering two seeing-eye hits, and one walk while striking out three. His fastball sat 88-89 mph and flashed a breaking ball with small 11/5 depth at 73 mph. Effortless from a high-¾ slot, Restuccio used his fastball to overpower hitters in his outing - resulting in many swings and misses and several broken bats. A lean, athletic build, Restuccio has some projection still.

 

Other NJ Prospects of Note:

+ Alex Havlicek, RHP, Indian Hills HS, NJ, 2018 (Virginia Tech commit)
Havlicek has a tall, lean and athletic build at 6-foot-4 200-pounds. Sat 87-88 for the majority of his outing. Flashed a hard slider at 77-78 with 11/5 depth. Drop and drive type pitcher. Back side collapses to help him get some explosiveness down the mound. Threw three innings, allowed two hits, one walk, and struck out five.

 

+ Sky Duff, MIF, Bishop Eustace HS, NJ, 2018
Duff has an athletic build at 5-foot-10 160-pounds. LHH, laced two singles, one through the right side of the infield, and one line drive to center - both barrels. Showcased some speed with 4.65 rounded home-to-first.

+ Brennan O’Neill, RHP, Morristown HS, NJ, 2018
O’Neill has an athletic build  at 5-foot-11 185-pounds. Sat 81-83 mph with fastball from a high-¾ slot. Loose arm action, also flashed a breaking ball between 72-76 mph. Quick arm, gets leverage going down the mound with a high glove side. Threw five innings, allowed six hits, walked two and struck out three.

Joey Ventresca, RHP, Pinelands Regional HS, NJ, 2019
Ventresca has an athletic build at 5-foot-10 145-pounds. Played SS for most of the game, came in for the last two innings to close the game out. Sat 80-81 with FB, dropped a breaking ball in  for strikes between 68-71 mph with 11/5 depth. Drop and drive type pitcher, uses back leg drive to produce power and explosiveness. 72 mph straight changeup for strikes. Needs to finish through delivery with legs more. Can get more out of velocity if all momentum can truly go toward home plate.  Threw two innings, had three strikeouts, no walks.

+ Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbarton HS, NJ, 2019
Leiter has an athletic build at 5-foot-10 165-pounds. Sat 84-86 mph with FB. Had some trouble with command of FB - threw 4.2 innigs, walked six and struck out six. Arm action works, high-¾ with feel for slider at 74-75 mph. Just needs to be more consistent with strikes.

+ Brandon Drapeau, RHP/1B, Clearview Regional HS, NJ, 2019
Drapeau has a tall wiry build at 6-foot-6 210-pounds. Sat 75-77 mph on the mound with a breaking ball between 63-65 mph. At the plate, Drapeau has a powerful right handed swing. Uses a high leg kick and viciously torques hips and hands to generate some pop. True gap to gap power, barreled a single to left field.