Prep Baseball Report

Open ID Showcase Analysis: Corner Infielders



By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

The summer rush of PBR events in Pennsylvania and West Virginia kicked into high gear in June with the PA Top Prospect Games (June 17-18), Shenandoah Valley College Prospect Showcase (June 23) and the PA Underclass Games (June 24-25) all offering college coaches a glimpse at some 175 prospects in a short period of time.

This past week two Open Identification Showcases were held with an additional 75 prospects demonstrating their abilities. We are in the process of analyzing the prospects that performed by position at both events. Today we wrap up our analysis by taking a look at the corner infielders in attendance.

PA Open ID SHowcases:
Corner Infielders


Top Prospects

3B Jason Cerniglia (Serra Catholic), 2016

Jason CernigliaCerniglia is a 5-foot-9, 200-pound right-handed hitter that barreled the baseball consistently displaying the ability to stay inside the ball with good balance from a square stance. Cerniglia wore out the middle of the field during his round of batting practice with a bat exit velocity of 80 mph. The sophomore showed a soft glove hand and the ability to play through the baseball with developing arm strength (77 mph arm across the diamond). Cerniglia will need to continue to work to improve his mobility and foot speed (7.80 60-yard dash).

RHP/1B Jacob Rife (Hempfield Area), 2017

Jacob RifeRife is a 6-foot-4, 180-pound sophomore that barreled the baseball consistently from a square stance with a toe tap stride and a bat exit velocity of 79 mph. He displayed good footwork and a soft glove hand around the bag with a 67 mph arm across the diamond. Rife gets the nod as a top prospect at this event because of his projectable frame and his current abilities on the mound. The long limbed righty sat 79-81 while touching 82 mph from a high 3/4 arm slot. He displayed repeatable mechanics and should continue to develop added velocity as his frame continues to fill out. Rife also showed a 73 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and 71 mph changeup with some arm side run.

3B/1B Dante Parente (Blackhawk), 2015

Dante ParenteParente is a 6-foot, 185-pound uncommitted senior that has worked hard defensively to improve mobility and fluidity. He displayed to play the baseball on the move and made throws from several arm angles with a 74 mph arm across the diamond. The left-handed hitter barreled baseball after baseball during his round of batting practice showing the ability to drive both gaps with regularity. Parente showcased a bat exit velocity of 85 mph and loose hands that allow him to stay inside the baseball and help him to create barrel whip.

3B Davis Schneider (Eastern Regional, NJ), 2017

Davis SchneiderSchneider showcased the ability to play through the baseball and to make throws from multiple arm angles with a 75 mph arm across the diamond. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound sophomore was even more impressive at the plate barreling the baseball consistently out of a square stance with a leg lift stride. Schneider registered an 87 mph bat exit velocity and displayed the ability to drive both gaps with a strong lower half and good balance throughout his swing.

 

Best of the Rest (alphabetical)

1B Cody Acon (Western Beaver), 2015

Acon is a right-handed hitter that starts from a slightly open stance with a high hands load. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound uncommitted senior showed the ability to barrel baseballs frequently with a bat exit velocity of 77 mph. Acon ran a 7.65 60-yard dash and displayed a 65 mph arm across the diamond with capable footwork around the 1B bag.

LHP/1B Michael Baird (Southmoreland), 2015

Baird sat 77-79 from a high 3/4 arm slot while topping at 80 mph. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound lefty also displayed a 65 mph curveball with 1/7 rotation and a 69 mph changeup. Baird showed a soft glove hand and good footwork at 1B with a 70 mph arm across the diamond. The right-handed hitter displayed the ability to barrel the baseball frequently from a slightly closed stance with a high hands load. Baird registered an 89 mph bat exit velocity and ran a 7.77 60-yard dash.

LHP/1B Garrett Martell (Elizabeth Forward), 2016

Martell sat 75-76 from a high 3/4 arm slot with command of a 69 mph 1/7 breaking curveball and a 72 mph changeup. The 6-foot, 165-pound junior pounded the strike zone and threw his complimentary pitches at near fastball arm speed. Martell displayed a 79 mph bat exit velocity out of a square stance with a flat bat path through the hitting zone. He barreled the baseball frequently with no stride and showed the ability to use all fields. Martell showed capable actions defensively at 1B with a 68 mph arm across the diamond.

1B Kyle Paradis (Quakertown), 2015

Paradis displayed the ability to barrel the baseball frequently from a square stance with a high hands load and a toe tap stride. The 6-foot-2, 160-pound right-handed hitter used all fields with a bat exit velocity of 73 mph. Paradis showed a soft glove hand and good footwork around the 1B bag with an accurate 70 mph arm across the diamond. The secondary outfielder ran a 7.30 60-yard dash.

RHP/3B Tre Ramos (Williamsport), 2015

Ramos is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound uncommitted senior that sat 81-83 out of a high 3/4 arm slot with both run and cut to his fastball at different times. The righty also showed a very solid 74 mph slider with late break and 75 mph changeup thrown at fastball arm speed with some arm side run. The right-handed hitter showcased an 81 mph bat exit velocity from a square stance with a tendency to cave his backside. Ramos displayed the ability to play through the baseball at 3B with 79 mph arm across the diamond.

3B Austin Robertson (Emmaus), 2017

Robertson starts from an open stance and has a tendency to not get closed at impact leading to him pulling off the baseball at times. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hitter showcased a 78 mph bat exit velocity and barreled the baseball at times when he got balls on the inner half of the plate. Robertson ran a 7.56 60-yard dash and displayed a 74 mph arm across the diamond from 3B.

RHP/1B Hunter Scott (Butler Area), 2016

Scott is a 6-foot, 195-pound righty that sat 76-78 out of a high 3/4 arm slot with some hip coil to his delivery. The junior displayed command of a 68 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and a 64 mph changeup thrown at fastball arm speed. Scott showcased a 74 mph arm across the diamond and an 82 mph bat exit velocity from a slightly open stance. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and utilized a short swing path to barrel the baseball frequently during his round of batting practice.

1B Justin Silvious (Carlisle), 2016

Silvious ran a 7.27 60-yard dash and displayed capable glove work with a 64 mph arm across the diamond from 1B. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound junior showcased a 73 mph bat exit velocity from an open stance and barreled the baseball frequently during his round of batting practice. The right-handed hitter displayed strong lower half action to his swing and the ability to drive the left-center field gap.

RHP/3B Andrew Smith (Cumberland Valley), 2016

Smith sat 74-76 while touching 77 mph out of a 3/4 arm slot. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound righty works quickly and pounds the strike zone. Smith also displayed a 64 mph curveball with slurve action and a 71 mph changeup. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance with a leg lift stride and a high hands load. Smith showcased a 71 mph bat exit velocity and the ability to use all fields. Smith ran a 7.99 60-yard dash and showed an accurate 71 mph arm across the diamond from 3B.

1B/LHP Isaac Turner (Wheeling Park, WV), 2016

At 6-foot-2, 195-pounds Turner is easy to notice on the baseball diamond. The left-handed hitter displayed a lift and replace stride with a flat path through the hitting zone during his round of batting practice. Turner barreled the baseball routinely with a bat exit velocity of 79 mph. The junior showed light feet and a soft glove hand around the bag at first base. Turner also showcased an accurate 73 mph arm across the diamond. The lefty has just recently begun to work as a pitcher and should see rapid gains in velocity with his fluid delivery from a 3/4 arm slot. Turner sat 71-73 with some arm side run to his fastball while also commanding a 58 mph curveball and a 68 mph changeup.

3B Charlie Varriano (Hemfield Area), 2017

Varriano ran a 7.66 60-yard dash and showed capable defensive actions at 3B with a 76 mph arm across the diamond. The right-handed hitter has advanced abilities for a prospect his age with looseness to his hands. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound sophomore showcased a bat exit velocity of 87 mph and the ability to barrel the baseball routinely with gap power to both sides of the field.


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