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Section 3 Game Recap: Syracuse vs Fayetteville-Manlius

May 4, 2016

Dan Cevette
Director, New York

It's not everyday over 30 MLB scouts show up at a high school baseball game, especially one in central NY. Two years ago, the Syracuse area started to see scouts when RHP Scott Blewett (Baldwinsville) was gathering interest from several MLB teams. He would end up being drafted in the 2nd round of the MLB draft, where he signed a contract with the Kansas City Royals. Fast forward to now, and Syracuse HS standout, LHP Jeff Belge is seeing the same kind of love.

Belge, standing 6-foot-4, 220-pounds was simply too much for the FM lineup. On the day, he worked 5 1/3 innings, gave up two hits, struck out 12, while walking four batters. His fastball would top the 93 mph mark, but sat more consistently in the 87-89 range, with a few 91-93 readings each inning. His curveball/slider was really impressive with next-level swing and miss projection ranging 76-82 - with the slower readings appearing more like slurves with more-depth. Consistency of his mechanics look to be his No. one priority as he logs more innings this spring.

Belge wasn't the only Syracuse HS player that impressed, Catcher, and Buffalo commit Antonio Nesci had a day. At the plate the LHH looked aggressive and athletic going 4-4, using the whole-field while grinding out each at-bat. Behind the dish he handled Belge relatively with ease, pulling in several low-strikes smoothly and was able to hold the lefty's devastating slider. He also caught two base stealers with a pop-time, in game of 2.01.

For the Hornets, Connecticut commit OF Josh Loeffler battled Belge in his third at-bat, eventually taking an 88 mph fastball opposite field for an RBI-triple. FM tried to get things going with aggressive base-running early to disrupt the big-lefty but were over-matched at the plate.




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