Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Hudson Valley Open: Complete Analysis

September 5, 2015


Analysis from the Hudson Valley Open Aug 12

Cole Nicolis, C, Marlboro HS (2016)
Nicolis, stands at an impressive 6'2" 185lbs. Primarily a catcher, Cole exhibited a 90 MPH exit velocity while running a 7.72 60. Offensively- Nicolis hits from a balanced stance with feet slightly outside of shoulders using a short and controlled load of the hands back where he maintains a 45 degree bat angle. Stride is short and opens slightly. Stays behind the ball well with an aggressive lower half, finishes up high with his finish. Line drive/gap results with power potential. Defensively- Nicolis was very impressive behind the plate, creates good angles in the dirt and handled the assortment of arms with ease. Compact setup with clean exchange from glove to hand. Very efficient with footwork and all throws online to the bag in the 2.08-2.14 range. Showed positive field presence. 

Casey Dana, 3B/RHP, Don Bosco Prep (2017)
Dana already has filled out his next level frame at 6'3" 185 lbs. The Montgomery, NY resident who attends Don Bosco Prep in NJ, showed athleticism throughout the event, running a 7.24 60 time along with 90 MPH exit velocity. Listed as a 3B/RHP he projects better at 3B (80 MPH arm strength) at this point but showed potential on the mound. Offensively- Dana hits from a slightly open and spread stance with his lower half and stands more upright from the waist up. Aggressive lower half with some top hand drag creating bottom 1/3 contact which works when he can create the backspin needed to drive the ball but a few times he slipped underneath and put the ball in the air. When able to make this adjustment, look out, as he will find his ceiling in the power department. Defensively- Dana has the athleticism and body type fill that corner INF role. Showed impressive glove side range for his size with and over the top release that featured good carry on his throws. Glove stays soft and could benefit from a quicker transition but all the working parts are there and in order.


Joseph Canonaco, RHP, Briarcliff HS (2016)
Canonaco, checks in at a slight but yet athletic build at 6'0" 165lbs. Pitching- During his live outing he showed the ability to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate, with the ability to use his arm side run to front door some fastballs on left handed hitters and bore in on right handed hitters. Sat 81-82 MPH, touching 83. Projectable frame and live arm indicates more in the tank. Delivery wise, Canonaco uses a small rocker step, dropping hands to belt position before driving both leg and hands up to chest height. Has late back leg collapse but is able to drive up and over front side. Slight recoil with follow through. Uses a long arm action that works through a 2 O'Clock slot. Breaking ball showed tight rotation with late 1-7 action. Was able spot and expand. Change up was in the 71-72 range and is a serviceable pitch that will only get better. Pitchability is there and will be ready to contribute early on at the next level.

Simon Alvarez, 3B, Arlington HS (2016)
 Very rare to come across legitimate third basemen at the prep level but Alvarez fits that mold at 6'0" 187 lbs. Ran an above average 60 for a corner infielder at 7.07 and posted an impressive exit velocity at 89 MPH. Arm strength is suitable at 80 MPH. Offensively- Sets up with a wide stance and a higher hand position that sits event with his helmet. Slight rock back with weight and load of hands. Stride foot hangs a bit as he extends his front leg outward, landing slightly open. Drives through the ball by getting up on back foot and shifting weight into contact. This causes for there to be some lift in his swing, which may fit his role long term but be troublesome for off-speed. Showed some pop to left center. Defensively- Showed middle infield actions in a 3B body. Accurate throws off a quick snap like release. Hands are soft and out in front. No panic to his game. With athleticism and ability Simon could be comfortable at not only 3B but SS, 2B and possible the corner outfield if need be.

Austin Mosher, RHP, Valley Central HS (2018)
Slightly built at 5'8" 150, Austin was a rare find this summer as a true submarine RHP. Pitching- Being a 2018 Austin has the time to develop his niche and be great addition to any staff at the next level. Velocity was 55-57 MPH but will be more important will be the ability to keep the ball down which he showed and to change speeds (still needs work). Secondary pitches will need to progress. Seems to have a feel for his delivery and is able to repeat it. Worth keeping an eye on his progression the next few years. 

Corey DeMauro, RHP, Westhill HS (2016)
Slight build at 6'0" 140lbs but with a live and loose arm that works from a low 3/4 slot. Pitching- Ton of action from his fastball which sat 77-79 MPH but performed harder, creating awkward swings and jam shots. Slow development up to balance point through his rocker step. Features a glove tap at his peak position before speeding up the remaining delivery.  Lands slight open with stride and front side but does not seem to effect release point. Recoils some with his delivery which could provide some unnecessary stress. Breaking ball falls into the slider family at 69-72 with some late tilt to it. Change up needs work at 73-75 but with that type of arm action and movement, it could be a go to pitch over the long term.

David Reynoso, SS/RHP, Walter Panas HS (2017)
 At 5'11" 155lbs Reynoso has an athletic frame that has room to develop. Put up some respectable measurables with a 6.99 60, an exit velocity of 83MPH with an arm strength that checked in at 80MPH across the diamond. All three categories were improved on from the PBR games a month ago. Offensively- Reynoso hits from a narrow stance with a hand position that sits even with his chin, aligned with back shoulder. Creates proper separation on his load and stride. Firmly anchors front side while getting aggressive back foot and hip rotation into contact. Assertive with lead arm and despite some barrel drag, David is able to stay in the zone with a level plane. Easy extension that stays more to pull side. Line drive type results. Defensively- Very active with his footwork, showed positive left side infield actions with suitable arm. Ranges well in all directions. Could be more consistent with throwing footwork, would like to see more ground covered and a consistent method (heel clicks, step throughs and step behinds all in a few groundballs). This will help with the timing and the flow of his throws. Pitching- All though more of a secondary projection at the moment, David did flash some ability here. Sat 76-77 MPH on the mound with the CB at 67-69 and the change a bit on the firm side at 71-73. Uses a 3/4 to high 3/4 slot. Compact at balance point but strides open to 1B side leaving the ball to leak out of his hand early. CB has some 12-6 action with late downward break. Athletic enough and has a frame that could fill out to where he may garner some dual looks down the road.

Blake Baccello, 2B/SS, Pine Bush HS (2017)
Baccello, a slight but athletically built middle infielder ran a 7.81 60 with a 4.83 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 73 MPH and arm strength was 70 MPH across the diamond. Offensively- Blake hits from a slightly spread stance with a small and controlled load of the hands and stride. Bat angle stays in the 45 degree range. Clears out lower half and stays short to contact. Front knee locks out occasionally taking his swing path into foul ground, limiting acceleration through the ball and finish. Groundball/line drive results with table setter's mentality. Repeats swing pitch to pitch. Defensively- Active footwork into his approach, fields everything out in front and quick with transfer from glove to hand. Funnels up into throwing motion and displayed quick release. More in the tank velocity wise as his focus was getting the ball in and out. Projects more at 2B now but could fill SS role if need be. Continue improvements with foot speed and arm strength will only enhance his projection.

Christopher Skermo, 2B/SS, Burke Catholic (2016)
Athletically built at 5-foot-10 162 pounds, Skermo had some respectable measurable numbers running a 7.16 60, 4.44 Home to 1B, positional velocity of 74 MPH and exit velocity of 78 MPH. Offensively- Skermo hits from a spread stance, starting with a flat bat angle that he draws up during his load. Gains some ground on his stride which could be pulling him to far apart with lower half. Stays behind the ball well and gets good lower half rotation. Shows good balance through contact and extension with a high finish. Line drive results. Defensively- Middle infield actions coupled with a quick release. Feet stay moving, allowing for a proper setup, uses a short shuffle during release. May need to step behind and be more aggressive here for left side throws. More in the tank velocity wise and his approach is to have the ball out quick. Soft hands and throws stayed online. Athletic and runs well enough to handle some OF if needed. Fourth team All-State selection for Class B.

Matt Beditz, OF/2B, LaSalle Instiitute (2016)
Beditz has a slight yet athletic build at 5-foot-11 155 pounds with room for physical growth. Matt ran a 7.21 60 with a 4.70 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 78 MPH and his positional arm strength was 74 MPH. Offensively- Starts slightly open with stance and strides back to even, gaining some ground towards the mound. Slight wrap of the barrel with the load but maintains a 45 degree angle. Rotates lower body and takes hands to the ball at the same time, causing him to spin through contact occasionally. Swing path stays short but would benefit more from lower half clearing a path. Various types of results, the better contact were the line drives through the middle. Groundballs and flyballs were pull side. Defensively- Matt worked out both in the OF and INF. As an outfielder he had a methodical but correct approach staying behind the ball into his crowhop. Timing of breaking his hands was a bit late and some throws trailed off arm side. As an infielder, a similar approach, using a short front shuffle and quick release. Arm was serviceable from the left side with more in the tank. Would like to see more aggression from both positions during his approach footwork so that momentum can be carried into his throws.

Anthony Manoy, 2B/SS, Pine Bush HS (2018)
Manoy, a slightly built 2018 at 5-foot-6 115 pounds plays the game much larger. His measurables may not measure up on the large scale with 7.85 60, 70 MPH exit velocity and arm strength at 69 MPH but his skill related performance stood out. Offensively- One of the more consistent rounds of BP on the day as he sprayed line drives to all field and seemed to barrel everything up. Hits from a narrow and slightly open stance with a flattened barrel postion. Uses a slight load of the hands and strides into more of spread position, staying behind the ball through his swing. Short into the zone with some moderate extension that could be enhanced with some weight transfer as well. Table setter type approach. Defensively-  Positive middle infield actions, using short, choppy steps to get into position and stay moving through his throws. Uses a short heel click as opposed to a full shuffle step into his release. Focusing being more on getting the ball out then getting additional carry. More in the tank arm strength wise because of this. With continue physical maturity, improved foot speed and arm strength Anthony should be on the radar sooner then later.

Tyler Sheeley, OF, Valley Central HS (2016)
Sheeley checks in at an athletic 5-foot-8 145 pounds. The outfielder only put up some respectable measurables running a 7.01 60 with a 4.45 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 79MPH with a positional arm strength of 76 MPH. Offensively- Sheeley hits from a slightly spread stance with a heel lift and minimal gain on his stride. Hands tend to have alot of activity starting center body and moving back and forth into a shortened load just off the shoulder. Firmly planted on front side with appropriate back foot/hip rotation. Stays short and inside contact, although due to lack of separation during his load, can occasionally push through the ball. Ground-ball/line drive results. Defensively- Tyler stays behind the ball very well timing his approach footwork. Uses an aggressive crow-hop but breaks hands a bit late causing the ball to float on his throws. Separating his hands and getting the arm action kick started earlier should help him get back on top and produce better carry. Accurate arm, should be able to adapt to all 3 outfield spots.

Cole Gill, C/3B, S.S. Seward (2016)
Gill, a slight yet athletic build at 5-foot-11 155 pounds displayed some respectable measurables across the board for the 2016 C/3B. Cole ran a 7.21 60 with a 4.65 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 75 MPH and positional velocities were 73 MPH (INF) and 71 MPH (C). Offensively- Cole sets up in a balanced stance with his fee just outside shoulders and hand position just off his back shoulder with a 30 degree bat angle that flattens out during his load. Uses a toe tap where the first step is early and then he waits to see the pitch before the second step. Can be risky with better velocity on the mound or polished secondary stuff. Generates aggressive lower half rotation while bat maintains a level plane through the zone with extension finishing to pull side. Contact type hitter with ground-ball/line drive results. Defensively- Cole showed his versatility with a good showing behind the plate and in the infield. As a catcher he uses a "primary" setup that is narrow and takes some time to complete his footwork and transfer. Throws were accurate but just short of the bag in the 2.17-2.24 range but easily can be better with few adjustments. Should be a sub 2.1 pop by spring. Clean with his blocking but could benefit from a "secondary" position with runners on base to help his agility when throwing and blocking.  As an infielder Cole uses a low to the ground approach, fielding everything out in front. Throws were accurate with good carry. Projects as a 2B/3B type.

Calvin Paredes, OF/LHP, Mount St. Michael's (2016)
Paredes, an athletically built OF/LHP at 6-foot-1 165 pounds ran a 7.42 with a 4.45 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 76 MPH (woodbat) and positional arm strength was 74 MPH. Offensively- When Calvin took BP, everyone stopped to watch. Very repeatable effort and the ball jumps off the bat. Hits from a slightly uptight and narrow stance, gaining slight ground with stride landing softly. Loads hands and weight back (50/50 to 60/40 position) before exploding into the ball with his lower half. Maintains acceleration through the hitting zone along with balance. Extension finishes to pull side and limited weight transfer may effect opposite field drive and pull side power. Natural born hitter. Defensively- Tracks the ball well and stays behind it into his throws. Would like to see a more assertive crow hop to help get his body into throwing position. Throws showed good carry with some arc. Projects more as a very offensive left fielder at the next level. Has body type and offensive projection to possibly explore 1B. Pitching- More of a secondary position for Calvin but being a LHP will always attract interest. Fastball sat in the mid 70's with some sink and arm side run.  Breaking ball more slider/slurve like in the upper 60's with more 10-4 action. Change up didn't have the feel and was too hard at 72-73 MPH. Being left-handed that's a weapon that could develop, especially with the action his fastball has. Delivery wise Calvin uses a slight side step up to a compact balance point. Small collapse on back leg late but get's over front side with a slight recoil when back leg works over.

Paul Hansut, 1B/OF, Highland HS (2016)
Hansut is well put together and athletic 6 foot 225 pound corner OF/1B. Ran a 7.56 60 with a 5.11 Home to 1B. Positional velocity was 79 MPH and he posted one of the top exit velocities of the summer at 94 MPH. Offensively- Paul hits from a balance and slightly upright stance with a top of the shoulder hand position. Takes his weight slightly forward (to a 50/50 position) with minimal separation with his hands. Generates all kinds of torque through his lower hald and core, showing some pull side power potential. Straight line swing path into the zone with extension that sweeps out of the hitting zone. Middle of the order, run producing mentality. Defensively- Paul showed a strong arm from the outfield, using the quick shuffle method as opposed to the crowhop, creating a a quicker release but perhaps taking a few MPH away from his throws. Good carry and throws were online. At 1B, Paul showed good footwork around the bag and was good on throws in the dirt. Projects better at 1B but is more then suitable at a corner OF position if looking to keep bat in the lineup.

Michael Zamora, SS, Xavier (2017)
Zamora is compact yet athletic 5-foot-9 185 pound infielder who ran a 7.80 60 with a respectable 4.58 home to 1B. Exit velocity checked in at 79 MPH and arm strength peaked at 70 MPH. Offensively- The lefthanded hitting Zamora had one of the better BP rounds on the day showing a repeatable swing path with above average balance and plate coverage. Michael sets up slightly open and uses a soft stride to get back to even. Hands start close to his head but gain the proper separation away from the body. Body weight rocks forward slightly before achieving a 60/40 position later. Aggressive lower half with balance. Stays inside contact and can barrel the ball up to all fields. Foul line to foul line hitter with mostly line drive results. Could fill table setter role or heart of the lineup (5-7 spots). Defensively- Middle infielder actions tucked into a 2B/3B mold. Fields everything out in front and is soft with hands, quick with transfer. Creates good angles during his forehands. Keeps feet moving during throws, although may be taking an additional shuffle step. Low elbow on throws created a pushing type motion. Arm action/strength will need to improve for him to stay on the left side of the infield. Projects as an INF who can handle 3B/SS/2B and who's bat will keep him in a lineup.

Joseph McComb, C, Pine Bush HS (2018)
McComb is well put together for his age at 5-foot-10 194 pounds. Broad shoulders and thick legs making for a prototypical catcher's build for the 2018 grad. Joe ran a 7.61 60, 4.52 Home to 1B. Exit velocity was 82 MPH and his arm strength from behind the plate was 71 MPH. Offensively- Once Joe found his rhythm he demonstrated a line drive/flyball stroke with some power potential. Joe uses a balance setup with feet just outside the shoulders and a hand position that starts inside his collar bone. Creates some separation off of body with load but may benefit from starting a bit further back and using the same take back. Hands lead the swing and he tends to stand up a bit into contact. Once his lower half becomes more involved he'll reach his offensive ceiling. Defensively- Behind the plate Joe has a compact setup, exchanges footwork cleanly to his glove side. Slight gap from receiving the ball to transfer that most likely will bring his throws from the mid 2.1 range to sub 2.1. Accurate throws on the bag with good carry. Partial breakdowns on balls in the dirt, will look for this to be improved on long term. Highly projectable player behind the plate. May want to look into secondary position of 1B or 3B to help improve marketability.

Max Vidal, RHP, Highland HS (2018)
Max checks in with with projectable pitcher's frame at 6'1" 165lbs with plenty of room for growth. Pitching- Max uses an easy rocker step and stays compact up to his set position. Does collapse on his back leg significantly, getting low to the ground. Stride leg lands to the 1B side and collapses through the front knee, losing his height advantage and the ability to work off a downward plane. Uses a high 3/4 arm slot, finishing off to the 1B side with his follow through. Fastball was 70-71 MPH, touching 72 MPH. Was able to spot it to his glove side. CB had some 1-7 action with some late downward bite. Change up was on the firmer side at 68-69 MPH. A few mechanical adjustments will allow for Max to repeat his delivery and to reach his full potential velocity wise.

Ryan Duffy, RHP/SS, Haldane HS (2017)
Duffy, a well put together INF/RHP at 6-foot 185 pounds ran a 8.15 60 with a 4.97 Home to 1B. Exit Velocity was 70 MPH and positional velocity was 71 MPH. Offensively- Ryan uses a narrow setup with bat placed on shoulder. Uses a toe tap back before extending forward. Arms slightly "bar out" during load phase as barrel wraps behind head. Anchors firmly on front side and stays behind the ball. Bat travels a good distance in order to get to contact due to early wrap and late back foot/hip rotation. Some barrel drag that works into a high finish. Line drive/flyball results. Will need to lesson his timing mechanisms in order to be at a better position into contact. Frame is there to tap into a strong lower half. Defensively-  Starts from an upright and stays a little too tall into fielding position. Does get hands out and front and funnels everything in. Suitable arm for left side. Would benefit from a cleaner transition from glove to hand along with footwork coinciding with this movement (better flow). May project better at the corner infield positions over time. Pitching- Uses a side step to drive up to balance point. Hands drop from mid chest position to belt and Ryan uses a short infield like arm action out of the glove. Arm slot works through at a high 3/4 position. Lands slightly open and on his heel causing some spinoff towards 1B (leaving arm back and causing ball to run). Elongated his arm action and getting the lower half to contribute will help his long term development. FB was 72-73 MPH, CB (1-7 with early break) 61-62 MPH and Change up (down action) at 60-63 MPH.

Andrew Huffman, C, Rondout Valley (2017)
Huffman is a solid 6 foot 185 pounds with broad shoulders and thick legs who ran an 8.86 60 with a 5.50 Home to 1B. Exit Velocity checked in at 78 MPH while his arm strength behind the plate was 70 MPH. Offensively- Andrew hits from a balance position with a slight upper body lean over the plate and bat just off his shoulder at 30 degrees. Uses a small load and picks front foot up slightly for timing. Stays back behind the ball well. Could benefit from additional back foot/rotation to help clear a path into contact. Extension finishes around the body into foul territory (3B side) as hands were at times tied up at contact. Some power potential here. Defensively- On a day where the catching stood out, Andrew was right in the mix showing efficient footwork both from glove side and throwing side. Throws were online with good carry as his pop times were in the 2.10-2.21 range. There is no reason why Andrew won't be a sub 2.1 pop guy with arm strength improvements and staying lower coming out of the chute. Fundamental with his blocking and receiving. Projects well behind the plate but also may want to consider a corner INF position to help marketability.

Recent News