Prep Baseball Report

Top Prospect Games Analysis: 1B Reports from Aug 16th



Dan Cevette
Director, New York

The New York Top Prospect Games were a huge success, bringing together many talented players from all over New York showing off their skills in front of roughly 40 college scouts and two MLB scouts. We are already focused on making next years Top Prospect Games even better. From this years event, in only two short weeks, 6 players have received and accepted D1 and D2 college scholarship offers. We would like to give a special thanks to all the players, parents, help, and colleges from Aug 16, it truly was a special day for us.

The scouting notes on all 11 1B's are now complete, lets take a look at what Aug 16th had at 1B.

Austin Shields 1B (St. Mary’s Catholic HS, 2015)
At first base Shields moves quick off the bag, fields the ball out in front of his body, stays low and shuffles his feet towards his target. He has clean arm action from a high ¾ slot with above average 83 mph arm strength across the field. At the plate his setup is wide and balanced. He uses a back load and short leg lift for timing, his bat path is level through the zone, heads stays over the middle of his stance, extension after contact with a high finish. He generates 80 mph exit velocity.

Calvin Blish 1B (Elmira HS, 2015)
Blish has a very low, crouched stance, but still generates some serious pop and a well above average exit velocity up to 94 mph. He uses a back load, leg lift and stride before the pitch, bat path is slightly inclined with a shoulder high finish. Blish verbally committed to Millersville University less than a week after event.

Danny Madden 1B (Corning HS, 2016)
Madden has a solidly built body frame with projection from the left side. He stays behind the baseball and fields in an athletic position towards the middle of his stance. He moves his feet towards his target, opens hips slightly early, clean arm action from a high ¾ slot with 80 mph arm strength. At the plate he starts upright, stance is slightly more than shoulder width apart, small back load and stride for timing, drives his hands at the ball, long swing with a bat path fairly level, extension after contact and a shoulder height finish.

Lucas Sossei 1B (Canajoharie HS, 2017)
Sossei has the right size frame needed to play the first base position standing a nice 6-foot-3 210-pounds. He fields the ball low to his glove side, moves his feet toward his target, long arm action to a high ¾ slot at 76 mph. At the plate his setup is slightly more than shoulder width apart, tall and balanced. He uses a back load with hands even with the shoulders and a front heel lift for timing. No stride on the pitch, hands stay inside the ball, bat path slightly upward, extension after contact to a balanced shoulder height finish. Exit velocity was 82 mph, but signs of power projection with strength training this off season.

Andrew Sipowicz 1B (Orchard Park HS, 2015)
At first base the No. 25 ranked class of 2015 player fields with a wide base and stays low. Transfer is clean and quick to a short arm action from a low 3/4 slot. At the plate his stance is wide and tall, bat is flat, hands are high. On the pitch he brings the barrel up and back loads, transfers his weight to his back leg and starts his hands. He stays inside the baseball, above average bat speed at 91 mph, barrel stays slightly inclined through the zone, has extension after contact and a high, balanced finish. * Recently commits to Canisius College.

Todd Brockhuizen 1B (Pal Mac HS, 2015)
Brochhuizen stands 6-foot-0 215-pounds with a big solid frame. At first he comes and gets the ball with his glove down and out in front of his body. He fields in the middle of his stance and gets low. He uses an average transfer and short quick arm action. Throws form a mid ¾ slot with a 77 mph arm across the diamond. At the plate he starts wide and balanced. On the pitch he uses a back load, small stride, hands power through the zone staying inside the ball, bat plane has a slight incline, some extension after contact with a shoulder height hard finish. He over rotates some with his hips and upper body. Bat speed was above average at 88 mph off a tee displaying power growth.

Michael Denimarck 1B (Webster Schroeder HS, 2015)
Denimarck stands 6-foot-1 195-pounds with great size at first base and a good athletic frame. At first he fields the ball smoothly with good techniques, fields’ ball off to his throwing hard side with a quick, clean transfer. His arm action is long and he throws from a very high over the top slot collapsing on his back side with arm strength of 76 mph across the diamond. At the plate his set up is wide with hands head high. On the pitch he back loads, brings his front knee in shifting his weight back before powering his hands inside the ball with a level bat plane through the zone. His exit velocity was 85 mph showing signs of next level power potential and his finish is balanced at shoulder height.

Jordan Bernacet 1B (Schenectady HS, 2015)
Bernacet stands 5-foot-9 170-pounds with an athletic build. At first he gets behind the ball, stays low and fields the ball out in front of his body. His transfer is clean and smooth, arm slot is low ¾ and really gets his back side through the throw. At the plate he starts with his hands relaxed by his back shoulder, stands upright and feet are shoulder width apart. On the pitch he uses a leg kick and stride, hands are quiet before coming forward. His bat path is slightly inclined through the zone, he uses extension through contact and a high finish. He generates plus bat speed at 85 mph off a tee.

Nate Gorges 1B (Corning HS, 2016)
Gorges stands 6-foot-0 180-pounds with a solid frame. At first he fields the ball to his glove side, bends over at his waist to field and funnels back to his belt. His transfer is slow but clean. He uses medium length to his arm action, release from a mid ¾ slot at 72 mph. At the plate his approach is wide and weight shifted back, hands ear height; on the pitch he uses a small down load, leg lift and stride for timing. Hips and weight shift towards the pitcher, hands are powerful and quick, stays strong inside the ball through contact with some extension and a short shoulder height finish. His exit velocity was 86 showing positives signs of power potential.

Robert Shepard 1B (Corning HS, 2015)
Shepard moves well around the bag, keeps his feet moving, and fields the ball out in front of his body. He has an average transfer, short arm action and throws for a mid ¾ slot across the diamond. At the plate Shepard brings some next level power potential with above average bat speed over 90 mph. He sets up with his hands high, uses a small stride from a wide base. His bat path is slightly inclined through the zone, powerful hands stay inside the ball, high finish after contact.

Jake McArdell 1B (Cicero-North HS, 2015)
McArdell stands 6-foot-2 240-pounds with a big strong body. At first he moves to the ball, stays behind the ball, fields the ball out in front of his body and uses a quick transfer. He throws with a short arm action from a mid ¾ slot at 70 mph. At the plate he bats from the left side with a tall approach, hands high and weight shifted back. On the pitch he shifts his front knee back, uses a back load all for timing. His hands are quick and powerful with above average bat speed at 86 mph, he has long strong extension through contact with a high finish.

+ Unsigned Seniors: We can help get you the exposure your baseball skills deserve, do not hesitate and miss this opportunity. September 21st is for you.

Showcase State Date Location
Unsigned Senior Games NY Sep 21 15 James Georgeson Avenue, Oneonta, NY 13820