Uncommitted Prospect List Rundown
July 1, 2018
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Below we have a rundown of all of the uncommitted prospects in the Buckeye State. This will be updated weekly with new content added.
Uncommitted Prospect Spotlights
***** Some prospects below may have committed since their article has been posted. Click on their individual profile to see if/where they have committed.
Christian Lothes LHP / OF / Lakewood Hebron, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 21 / POS: 2
HEBRON - In the past year Christian Lothes has gotten bigger and worked on making key improvements on the mound. Now the Hebron Lakewood senior-to-be is ready to make college visits in his quest to play at the next level. “My senior year is ahead, so I’d like to commit this summer,” Lothes said. “I just need to keep improving, get my velo up more, gain more weight and add more muscle to explode more off the mound.” Getting bigger is something Lothes has done over the last 12 months. “I’ve made good improvements in the weight room which helped me gain 25 pounds,” noted Lothes, now 6-2 and 195 pounds (down from 200 in the winter). “That has really helped. I was 175 last year and didn’t have a whole lot of muscle. More weight and muscle has helped me with driving off the mound and not getting hurt.” It was last summer that the Lothes played for Brownlee only to have an injury cut his season short. To read the full article, click here. |
Sam Bucher RHP / C / North Canton Hoover, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 68 / POS: 26
NORTH CANTON - A year ago, a back injury prevented Sam Bucher from attending the Top Prospect Games. The North Canton Hoover senior-to-be is hoping the recently completed PBR event is helpful in his recruiting process. “Brody Ware went last year and was impressed,” Bucher said of a high school teammate who has since committed to Liberty. “He talked highly of it. I was disappointed I couldn’t go, but excited about it this year.” The 68th-rated player in Ohio’s 2019 class has made strides in his game since a year ago. “I’ve put on 10 to 15 pounds and grown an inch,” the 6-2 190-pounder said. “I’ve been working harder in the weight room than in the past.” The drive to improve has Bucher throwing harder. “I used to sit in the low 80s but now I’m 85, 86, 87,” Bucher noted. “I’ve really been working on improving my velo. With age it’s gotten better.” To read the full article, click here. |
Benny Roebuck RHP / Bryan, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 13
BRYAN - Benny Roebuck was a bat boy when Matt Wisler was a pitcher on a Bryan High School team coached by Benny’s father Joe. Now Benny has aspirations to be where Wisler is at - pitching in the major leagues. “I obviously want to be there, too,” said the sophomore right-hander, who last year went to Atlanta with his dad to watch Wisler throw for the Braves. “He was in Bryan just like I am and that gets me going.” But first there is a matter of a college baseball dream. “Going into eighth grade year I started thinking about wanting to go to college to play baseball and that got me working harder,” the 23rd-ranked player in Ohio’s 2020 class said. “A year later I went to Atlanta with my summer team and pitched against one of the top teams in Florida. We lost 2-1, but my dad said he saw some scouts there and that got me going even more.” The PBR Underclass Games last July brought even more college interest in the 6-0 180-pounder. To read the full article, click here. |
Joe DiMattio RHP / 1B / NDCL, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 116 / POS: 38
CHARDON - “I’m a late bloomer as far as recruitment.” Those are the words of Notre Dame Cathedral Latin senior Joe Dimattio, who has recently found college interest from two junior colleges. “I took a visit to Johnson County in Kansas the other day and a month from now I’m taking one to Walters State,” Dimattio said in reference to the Tennessee school that is currently the second-ranked NJCAA Division I baseball team in the country. Interest took place after Brownlee Lookouts’ coach Ben Simon posted a recent video of the 6-2 205-pound right-hander throwing 88 mph. “It’s weird, I got out there when there’s not a lot of money left,” Dimattio explained. “I was 84-86 at the end of summer but guys were out of money. I had every Division III school plus (D-II) Lake Erie after me.” To read the full article, click here. |
Morgan Colopy OF / Centerville, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 42 / POS: 9
CENTERVILLE - Three offers are already on the table, but the desire to play in the deep south has Morgan Colopy still undecided about his college baseball future home. “I’m going to work out for five or six schools,” the Centerville junior said in looking ahead to an upcoming trip to Louisiana. Tulane, New Orleans and Nichols State are among the colleges Colopy will visit. “I hope the workouts in Louisiana go well, I want to go away from home where there’s nice weather,” Colopy explained. “I want to be able to work out year round and develop.” Ohio U, Dayton and Western Carolina have offered the 42nd-ranked player in Ohio’s 2019 class. ‘I’m a bigger-sized guy that’s strong but also athletic,” the 6-2 200-pounder said. “I run a 6.93 60 and throw 91 from the outfield. They like that I’m versatile. I have power, I can steal bases and I take pride in playing good defense.” To read the full article, click here. |
Dylan Swensen RHP / 3B / Gahanna Lincoln, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 92 / POS: 42
GAHANNA - The saying a dime a dozen seemed to fit. Last summer Dylan Swensen was a right-hander throwing 80 miles an hour. His aspirations to play college baseball were modest at best. “Five months ago nobody was texting or following me,” the Gahanna Lincoln junior said. “I always wanted to play in college but when you’re throwing 80 and a righty you’re not going to go to any dream college.” Now Wright State and Miami have reached out to the 6-3 195-pounder. Columbia, Dartmouth and Charleston are others that have been in contact. The reason? Swensen hit 88 at a combine in Indianapolis. “Credit goes to the Marlins coaches and just working harder,” Swensen said in reference to his summer team, pitching coach Justin Miller in particular. “Before this year I never thought I’d be able to do this and now with lifting and Driveline I’m showing I can do it.” To read the full article, click here. |
Harrison Johnson 3B / OF / Mason, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 35 / POS: 2
MASON - As a sophomore starter on the top-ranked Division I team in the state, Harrison Johnson has a lot going for him. It starts in the classroom. “My family has stressed academics,” noted Johnson, who carries a 4.0 GPA. It continues on the field. “I see myself as coachable and want to learn,” Johnson said. “I’ll listen to any coach that has advice for me.” There is also versatility. “I play third base when Nick Northcutt pitches and the day after he pitches,” Johnson said in reference to the second-ranked senior in the state who has committed to Vanderbilt. “When he’s at third, I’m in right field.” To read the full article, click here. |
Noah Herron RHP / Brunswick, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 176 / POS: 62
BRUNSWICK - A year ago, Noah Herron was throwing a 75-78 mph fastball. His college baseball outlook was low. But things have changed for the Brunswick junior, whose velo is now in the 82-84 mph range. “I went to a PBR Warhawks Scout Day and felt the ball coming out of my arm well,” Herron explained about a recent clocking of 84 on the radar. “I trained a lot this offseason with a pitching coach at Oberlin (Connor Faix, who is now coaching at North Iowa Area Community College). We figured out an arm path that would make me more efficient and that’s helped a lot.” Eastern Michigan, Lake Erie and Ashland are colleges the 6-0 170-pound right-hander has been in contact with of late. “Before last summer I hit a big growth spurt,” Herron reflected. “I started working on my strength after summer ended along with working with Connor. All that combined to help out.” It has given Herron a new perspective on college baseball. To read the full article, click here. |
Nathan Haberthier RHP / 1B / Lakota East, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 25 / POS: 9
LAKOTA - The motto is simple. “I can do anything as long as I put the work in.” That adage is what Nate Haberthier lives by. It has also been a big part of helping the Lakota East sophomore gain notoriety on the baseball field. “I tell colleges I’ll work as hard as I have to,” the 25th-ranked player in Ohio’s 2020 class said. Ohio State, Ohio U and Tennessee headline a large group of colleges showing an Interest in the big right-hander. Xavier, Dayton and Miami are also in the mix after seeing Haberthier at a Flames Showcase. “Most of them like my frame and my projectability,” the 6-5 205-pounder noted. “They also like where I’m at with my speed right now.” At the 2017 Underclass Trials II first session this past summer, Haberthier was among the best in three categories: most projectable arm, best fastball and best movement on fastball. It has the hard-throwing Haberthier invited to the upcoming Top Prospect Games in June. To read the full article, click here. |
Hunter Hoffman RHP / 3B / Shelby, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 83 / POS: 33
SHELBY - One step at a time for Hunter Hoffman.
“I’ve been playing baseball since I was little and I’ve always dreamed about playing past college,” the Shelby junior pitcher related. “My dream is to get past the college level.” But first there is a matter of making that next step beyond high school and finding the right collegiate fit. Visits to Malone, Mount Vernon and Liberty University have taken place for the 83rd-ranked player in Ohio’s 2019 class. “The schools I’ve visited are small, besides Liberty,” explained Hoffman. “I like the small-school feel. I see myself doing that. If I continue to grow ... I can see me at the D-I level.” To read the full article, click here. |
Kyle McDonough C / 1B / Lakota East, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 90 / POS: 9
WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP - Watching an older brother battle through adversity in college has helped Kyle McDonough understand just how short baseball life can be. The Lakota East junior is trying to make the most of it while his college recruiting process picks up. “Seeing all that he had to go through put it all in perspective,” explained McDonough about his brother Adam, who was recruited out of high school by Akron (the program folded before he ever got to campus) and played at junior college programs Darton State (as a freshman before the program folded) and Southwest Tennessee until Lisfranc surgery ended his career last May. “I have to grind and grind and work harder in the weight room, in the classroom and on the field.” A January visit to Purdue is one of the recruiting highlights thus far for McDonough, who has also been talking with Dayton, Eastern Illinois and Ohio U. A 1.87 pop time with a 93 exit velo at the PBR CBC Scout Day helped get his numbers out there for colleges to see. To read the full article, click here. |
John Zigmond C / SS / Moeller, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 24 / POS: 1
CINCINNATI - When John Zigmond first began playing baseball, he liked the idea of being a catcher. After all his father, Erin, played the position in college at Wright State. Now Zigmond is hoping to follow in those footsteps as the recruiting process starts to pick up for the Moeller sophomore. “When I first started I wanted to be a catcher,” Zigmond related. “I caught in Little League, but then for a few years I played shortstop when I didn’t want anything to do with catching. But around 12U, I started getting serious about it again. I would listen to my dad say you can do this, and then it started happening.” The fatherly advice continued. “One hundred percent my dad is my biggest influence,” Zigmond said. “He’s always been there for me. In Little League was my coach in those days. He was always with me in travel ball and still coaches me up. After every game for 30 minutes we talk strictly baseball about what he saw that I did well. He’s taught me everything I know.” To read the full article, click here. |
AJ Rausch OF / SS / Olentangy Liberty, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 27 / POS: 7
OLENTANGY - The idea of getting recruited for college baseball can be stressful at times. Painful at others. Discouraging as well. But AJ Rausch finds nothing negative at all about it. “I love the recruiting process,” the Olentangy Liberty sophomore said. “I’m having a lot of fun with it. Two years ago I wasn’t thinking I’d be sitting here talking to you for an interview and here I am. It’s fun.” An offer from George Washington and unofficial visits to Ohio U, Miami and Penn State help make the recruitment enjoyable for the 5-11 170-pounder, who credits PBR showcases for being valuable in gaining exposure along the way, as well as participating in camps at the schools showing an interest. “It’s been really beneficial,” Rausch said. “OU and Miami wanted to get extra looks at me so it’s helped.” To read the full article, click here. |
Justin Silverstein SS / RHP / Turpin, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 15 / POS: 2
CINCINNATI - An older brother played NAIA baseball. Another is a high school senior committed to Dayton. Justin Silverstein is following in their footsteps. Visits to Marshall and Dayton have already taken place for the Turpin sophomore, who plans to check out Miami Ohio in the spring. “Since my visit, Dayton has offered,” said Silverstein, a 6-1 165-pounder. “They like my quick hands in the infield and they really stressed on that. They want me as a shortstop playing with my brother.” Jake Silverstein is a senior right-handed pitcher at Turpin, heading to play for Dayton after graduation. To read the full article, click here. |
Trent Jones RHP / OF / Jackson, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 6
MASSILLON - The potential of being a two-way player has Trent Jones drawing interest from colleges across the state. It also has the Massillon Jackson sophomore enjoying the early stages of his recruiting process. “It’s better than everybody told me,” Jones said. “It’s been a lot of fun, a dream come true. But down the line I’m sure there will be more complications. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.” The Northern Ohio Prospect Games in Kent ended in a visit to Wright State while a Buckeye Elite Tournament in Columbus put Jones on Ohio State’s radar. “They like that I’m a two-way player,” noted Jones, who in his session at the Prospect Games was tops for Most Tools and Most Projectable Arm. “They like I’m a tall kid with a good body to build on. Once they see what I can do that attracts them.” To read the full article, click here. |
Patrick Suter LHP / 1B / Moeller, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 10 / POS: 1
CINCINNATI - Visits have been made to four of the top Division I colleges in Ohio. Talk has gone on with other schools from the Big 10, Southeast Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference. And Patrick Suter may still be pitching junior varsity ball this spring. That can happen at Cincinnati Moeller when you are a 6-4 sophomore left-handed pitcher. “Some of them saw me at the Future Games, I did pretty well there,” Suter explained about schools he has made visits to in Cincinnati, Kent State, Miami and Ohio State as well as others showing interest like Michigan, Tennessee and Wake Forest. “I didn’t receive interest right after the Games, but later on it happened. Some of the others saw me during the summer.” The 10th-rated player in the state in the 2020 class has a lot to offer for those that have watched him throw. To read the full article, click here. |
Wyatt Hudepohl RHP / 1B / St Xavier, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 4
CINCINNATI - What is not to like about a 6-3 190-pound sophomore that has thrown the baseball 88 miles an hour and has a 4.0 GPA at one of the top schools in the state? “I’m a hard worker and will do whatever is possible for the team,” said St. Xavier’s Wyatt Hudepohl, the eighth-ranked player in Ohio’s 2020 class. “I manage my time well and give full effort. I try to be the best person possible and in the end try to portray myself that way. Hopefully, colleges will see that.” Visits to Duke and North Carolina in January are proof colleges see plenty in the hard-throwing right-hander. To read the full article, click here. |
Ethan Kulich OF / LHP / Massillon Jackson, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 84 / POS: 19
MASSILLON - When Ethan Kulich was six-years-old he used to throw a ball against the wall in his family’s unfinished basement and making diving catches. The junior is still make great catches, now doing it for Massillon Jackson during the spring and the Lake Erie Warhawks in the summer. It has colleges taking notice in the 5-11 170-pound outfielder, though it has not been a perfect winter for Kulich. “I was supposed to go to an OU camp but it was snowed out and rescheduled on a day I had basketball,” Kulich said. “I was sick another day for a camp, so it’s been a disappointing winter for me. I’m still in contact with coaches and I hope they come see me play.” To read the full article, click here. |
Logan Danzeisen OF / RHP / Sylvania Southview, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 13 / POS: 4
SYLVANIA - Even as a key contributor to a 20-1 basketball team, Logan Danzeisen has found time to stay baseball ready. “My dad and I hit five or six times a week,” the Sylvania Southview sophomore said. “We also throw three or four times a week as well. I do workouts and lifting with the basketball team.” That is where his main interest is right now. “The next month my focus is on basketball,” Danzeisen noted. “Once that ends, it’s baseball season. Then it will be about focusing on that and living up to expectations. In the summer it will be about having fun and competing.” As a potential two-way player in college, the 13th-ranked player in Ohio’s 2020 class has been in contact with a number of Division I schools. To read the full article, click here. |
Cole Zak OF / LHP / Mayfield, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 8
MAYFIELD - With visits already made to Ohio State, Kent State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech, Cole Zak is hardly a hidden gem. Talks with the likes of Ohio U, Wright State, Dayton and Michigan State have also taken place as well as participating in a camp at North Carolina. “The PBR Top Prospect Games and also videos of me hitting, those two played the biggest part,” the Mayfield sophomore said about how colleges have found out about him. “I’ve also been sending emails to coaches to tell them to see my video. My high school and summer coaches helped in that process.” A left-handed hitting outfielder as well as a southpaw on the mound, Zak admits to being a little surprised with the recruitment. To read the full article, click here. |
Andrew Whetsell SS / 2B / Upper Arlington, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 79 / POS: 10
UPPER ARLINGTON - The dream of playing college baseball is getting closer for Andrew Whetsell. Getting priorities in order helped out.
“Coach Marker says aspects in your outside life contribute to your physical game on the field,” the Upper Arlington junior said about his high school coach Tom Marker. “My grades were bad and coach got on me and pushed me. This year it’s different and they’re a lot better. I have school work in order.” With a GPA now at 3.0, Whetsell is considering business or engineering as a college major to go along with taking his dream to the next level. To read the full article, click here. |
Jacob Lezon 1B / OF / Amherst Steele, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 77 / POS: 5
AMHERST - For starters, Jacob Lezon is “100 percent healthy now. There are no restrictions.” It has a large number of colleges strongly interested in the Amherst Steele junior. But for awhile, Lezon was beginning to wonder. First there were two knee surgeries, one at the end of his freshman year and one the following summer. Four months ago, there was Tommy John concern, though no surgery was done. Scar tissue had built up and that has now been fully cleaned out. “I had another MRI to check it out and it looks like nothing ever happened,” a healthy Lezon proclaimed. Still, it was far from easy reaching where he is now. To read the full article, click here. |
David Silva Jr SS / OF / Otsego, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 78 / POS: 9
TONTOGONY - Although basketball season is nearing tournament time, David Silva Jr. has not lost focus on his goal to play college baseball. “I go to the Bowling Green Fieldhouse two or three times a week to throw, hit and field grounders,” the Otsego junior said. “I also practice on Sunday.” It makes for a busy winter for the 5-11 165-pounder, who has helped the Knights to a 13-6 record on the basketball court. “I think playing basketball helps in dealing with adversity,” Silva said. “You can’t simulate that. It also helps with conditioning and with getting quicker feet defensively.” To read the full article, click here. |
Trevor House LHP / OF / Ross, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 76 / POS: 9
HAMILTON - Pitching is a way of life in the House family. Chris House has spent years as a pitching coach during spring and summer baseball while his son Thomas is a freshman pitcher at Eastern Michigan. Add Trevor House to the mix. The Ross junior left-hander is now on the radar of numerous Division I colleges, including an offer from EMU. “I’m considering it, but I want to take a look at all my options to make sure,” House said about the possibilities of joining his older brother with the Eagles. To read the full article, click here. |
Brendan Holley SS / RHP / Elyria Catholic, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 36 / POS: 8
ELYRIA - “This is going to be my summer”
That is the view of Elyria Catholic sophomore Brendan Holley, who missed out on attending the Top Prospect Games in 2017 because of an illness. “We’re going to be playing in a lot of big tournaments at Vanderbilt and Nashville in front of a lot of ACC colleges,” pointed out Holley, who will play in the summer for the Lake Erie Warhawks. “I’m also going to try and get invited to the Top Prospect Games again.” An unofficial visit to Ohio U has been his recruiting highlight to date. To read the full article, click here. |
Evan Bainbridge RHP / Stow Munroe-Falls, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 74 / POS: 30
STOW - Baseball or basketball?
Evan Bainbridge has a decision to make. At 6-9 and a pitcher, college baseball coaches have a strong interest in the junior at Stow Munroe Falls. But Bainbridge also excels on the basketball court, where the big man for the Bulldogs has led his squad to a 15-2 record. “I like playing both,” Bainbridge said about being at a crossroads in his recruitment. “This summer I’ll play both and see what it leads to. I’ll see who is interested, who offers me and gives me a chance. I want the best fit for me.” A baseball offer from Dayton came at the beginning of the school year after a visit. To read the full article, click here. |
Josh Romans SS / RHP / Jackson, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 3
MASSILLON - Starting at shortstop for the Division I state champions as a freshman certainly can prove to be beneficial in the future. Just ask Josh Romans. “It really pushes you,” the Massillon Jackson sophomore said. “We do a lot of conditioning and a lot of what we do is like a college workout. It makes you mentally tough and gets you ready for college.” Schools at the next level have taken notice, with Romans another in the long line of Jackson players being recruited. Ohio University, Kent State, Dayton and Wright State are among those showing an interest in the 6-0 185-pound right-handed hitter, who had a pair of singles and scored two runs in an 8-2 state championship win over Strongsville back in June.. “A lot of the interest came after the Future Games,” noted Romans. “I did really well there and started hearing from colleges that day.” To read the full article, click here. |
Matthew Geraci RHP / SS / St. Ignatius, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 71 / POS: 27
CLEVELAND - Talent is not the only thing that can help Matthew Geraci reach the next level in baseball.
“I’m one of the most competitive kids you will find,” the St. Ignatius junior said. “I have the stuff to pitch at the college level but it’s not about that. I have a competitive drive and want to get better than my peers.” Wright State, Dayton, Kent State and Ohio U have shown some interest in the right-handed pitcher. “They like that I have good command of all three pitches,” Geraci noted. “I have good velocity on my fastball, I’m athletic and projectable enough.” To read the full article, click here. |
Michael McNamara SS / St. Ignatius, OH / 2020Rankings StateRank: 35 / POS: 7
CLEVELAND - What a busy 2018 it has been for Michael McNamara. The St. Ignatius sophomore not only is part of a strong basketball program, but McNamara is also staying busy talking with colleges about his baseball future. “It’s pretty exciting,” the 6-0 190-pounder said. “A couple weeks ago I’m not talking to anybody and the next week I’m planning an unofficial visit to Nebraska for a camp. And I’ve got a visit to Cincinnati in a couple weeks.” There is also the Warhawks PBR Showcase on Feb. 4 ahead for McNamara, who attended the PBR Underclass Trials in the summer. To read the full article, click here. |
Owen Poland RHP / 1B / Dover, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 72 / POS: 27
DOVER - Participation in the Future Games and a chance to play for Bo Jackson Elite opened the eyes of Owen Poland. It also gave college coaches a glimpse of what is to come from the Dover junior pitcher. Recent visits to Holy Cross and Miami along with interest from Cincinnati, Bucknell, Campbell and Otterbein has the right-hander gaining notoriety on the college radar. “They like my size, Miami is definitely happy about that,” the 6-6 195-pounder said. “Another thing they like is my offspeed and how I’m able to work it in.” Poland credited “a lot of the interest” to the Future Games. To read the full article, click here. |
Joe Auberger RHP / 1B / ST Xavier, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 69 / POS: 25
CINCINNATI - It was freshman year when baseball changed for Joe Auberger. “I played basketball that year and after the season I came into baseball a little lackadaisical,” reflected Auberger, a right-handed pitcher who also plays some first base. “It was then a coach, Davis Schaefer, told me that I needed to focus because I have some potential. “Toward the end of the year I started to develop as a pitcher. It was then I quit basketball and dedicated my life to baseball. I had really never thought about college baseball until then.” Now it is one of the main things on the mind of Auberger, a junior at St. Xavier. To read the full article, click here. |
Andy Miller SS / 2B / Hiland, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 66 / POS: 8
BERLIN - Andy Miller has grown quite a bit since he was in ninth grade. The Berlin Hiland junior has put more than 30 pounds on his 5-9 frame and the 175-pounder is hoping that translates into a more powerful hitter on the field. “I’ve put on 30 to 40 pounds since I was a freshman,” Miller said. “I’ve been lifting a lot, especially with basketball and in the summer. That’s helped me get stronger. I can hit it harder and my throwing velocity is up.” It also has colleges showing an interest in the right-handed hitting infielder. To read the full article, click here. |
Jack Laird 1B / RHP / Elyria Catholic, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 70 / POS: 5
NEWARK - When Jack Laird first joined the Lake Erie Warhawks the original plans had catcher penciled in as his position.
“Then they saw me throw and they wanted me to try pitching,” explained Laird. “It worked out pretty good.” Now the Newark Catholic junior is getting college interest at a position he has only been playing since 2014. “Right now I’m going to a lot of camps to get in front of them,” said the 6-2 190-pounder, who has been to Ohio State, Ohio U and Kent State so far. “I also went to the Top Prospect Games and that helped a lot. A lot of coaches came.” To read the full article, click here. |
Mike Williams C / 3B / Brunswick, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 65 / POS: 8
BRUNSWICK - When you have a father who spent 22 years in professional baseball, the chance of the sport getting in your blood is pretty strong.
That is the case with Mike Williams. “I’ve played baseball almost since I was born,” the Brunswick junior said. “It’s the best game there is. I played basketball and football, but baseball is the hardest. I just like the challenge.” Now Williams is finding out about a new challenge in the game - college recruiting. To read the full article, click here. |
Neil Robertson RHP / OF / Lake Ridge Academy, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 59 / POS: 19
NORTH RIDGEVILLE - Playing high school baseball at a small private school has Neil Robertson checking out similar type colleges. The Lake Ridge Academy junior also has a preference to the location.
“I want to go to school on the east coast or in the south where I can play baseball year round,” Robertson noted. “Right now I’m in the middle of calling and emailing those I might want to play for.” Rhodes College and McDaniel College are the most recent schools the 6-5 185-pound right-handed pitcher has been in contact with regarding college and baseball. Rhodes, located in Memphis, and McDaniel, just northwest of Baltimore, are private liberal arts schools that interest Robertson. To read the full article, click here. |
Asher Soltis RHP / 1B / St. Edward, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 63 / POS: 20
LAKEWOOD - It was a summer to not remember for Asher Soltis Now the Lakewood St. Edward junior has something to prove. “The summer did not go as planned,” explained the right-handed hurler, who played with Release Baseball. “It was the first time scouts were at my games. I’m only 16 and I just turned that a few months ago. I wasn’t as mature mentally as I would have liked. The radar got to me. I had never had a season like that. To read the full article, click here. |
Trey Wright C / SS / Massillon Jackson, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 61 / POS: 7
MASSILLON - A year ago Trey Wright was the starting second baseman on Massillon Jackson’s state championship team. Now a junior, Wright has big shoes to fill this season replacing all-state catcher Dillon Dingler. What the 6-0 185-pounder has in common with Dingler is college interest. While Dingler is now at Ohio State, Wright is getting looked at by a number of Division I schools. “I haven’t made any official visits but I’ve been sending emails back and forth with Marshall and Radford,” Wright said. “It’s been mostly MAC and Conference USA schools.” To read the full article, click here. |
Quinton Morris C / OF / Moeller, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 60 / POS: 6
CINCINNATI - While most kids around the age of seven or eight are busy learning how to play the game of baseball, Quinton Morris was different. His love at the time was hunting, fishing and soccer. “I haven’t played baseball for very long,” the Cincinnati Moeller junior said. “Around the age of 10, I was playing basketball and the guys were talking about baseball, My dad wanted me to try it out so I did and I liked it.” The late start has not prevented Morris from becoming a standout in arguably the top high school baseball program in the state. To read the full article, click here. |
Bryce Cox C / C / Springfield Shawnee, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 58 / POS: 5
SPRINGFIELD - A strong arm is usually associated with pitching. But Bryce Cox has used that asset to gain notoriety at another part of the game - catching.
“Wright State just phoned me and said they were impressed with my arm strength,” related Cox, whose position velocity of 81 is the best among unsigned catchers in Ohio and the same as the top-rated unsigned backstop in the country. To read the full article, click here. |
Avery Swigart SS / RHP / Springfield, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 80 / POS: 14
SPRINGFIELD - It was 10 months ago that Avery Swigart participated in the Sinclair Showcase. “That was my first time to Sinclair,” the Springfield senior reflected. “I had no intentions of contacting them back then, but this summer I heard some good things about them and hoped to hear from them. But I never did.” Eventually, upon recommendation from PBR Ohio Director of Scouting’s Jordan Chiero, Sinclair and Swigart resumed contact. Now Sinclair is one of a number of colleges Swigart is considering to play for upon graduating high school. To read the full article, click here. |
Mason Montgomery SS / RHP / Vermilion, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 54 / POS: 8
VERMILION - Two years ago Mason Montgomery came to an important decision.
“Growing up I was always basketball and baseball and then it just clicked,” Montgomery said. “I wanted to play college baseball. I saw how much I had grown as a player and how much fun I had traveling and being part of a team. There is no greater feeling.” The Vermilion junior is working toward that goal, with Tiffin University the first to show an interest in the 6-2 170-pounder. To read the full article, click here. |
Emma Lopez C / 3B / Alliance, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 4
ALLIANCE - Growing up in Puerto Rico, Emma Lopez was another face in the crowd playing baseball. “At the age of 9, 10, 11, 12 ... I was not very good,” Lopez admitted. “It was just a hobby and I didn’t care about it. But I had people say ‘you could be good if you take care of business.’ It was multiple people that said so. It was then I got serious about it. “At 13 my confidence level got up and I was thinking ... I’ve just got to keep working at it.” A little more than a year later, Lopez moved to Ohio and is now a junior at Alliance drawing interest from a large group of colleges. To read the full article, click here. |
Jack Spellacy OF / RHP / Olmsted Falls, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 51 / POS: 14
OLMSTED FALLS - The so-called lack of size has never been a hindrance for Jack Spellacy.
Now 5-8 and 175-pounds, Spellacy has been a two-sport star at Olmsted Falls. A running back in a football program that has reached the regional final the past two years, the junior will be starting on the baseball diamond for the third season in the spring. “I’m a hard-working kid, what you see is what you get,” Spellacy said. “I may be short, but I’m stronger and faster than most everyone. I don’t think size matters, at least I hope not.” To read the full article, click here. |
Calvin Hunter OF / RHP / Milford, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 56 / POS: 16
MILFORD - As the recruitment of Calvin Hunter continues, the Milford junior is quick to stress that there is more than baseball in his future. “Education for me is the most important thing,” Hunter related. “It’s neck and neck with baseball.” Interest from a number of prestigious academic schools has been in the works for the 4.5 GPA student who scored a 34 on his ACT. “When I talk to colleges I express my academics and that they may not have to give as much money (for athletics), so I usually lead with that,” Hunter said. “I also tell them about other things I’m involved in like community service. Then I bring up my hitting.” To read the full article, click here. |
Jesse Caver 2B / RHP / Solon, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 81 / POS: 3
SOLON - Not only is a position uncertain, which sport Jesse Caver plays in college is yet to be determined.
“I’m still not sure if I’m going to play football or baseball,” said the Solon senior, who is also considering being a two-sport athlete in college. “There are three options, it’s going to come down to which one I love more. If I end up wanting to play just one, I would play the other, too, if it meant getting to a better school.” To read the full article, click here. |
Joel Roediger RHP / OF / Wapakoneta, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 54 / POS: 21
WAPAKONETA - With a 31 ACT score and a 3.8 GPA, college is a certainty for Joel Roediger. If it includes baseball is yet to be decided.
The Wapakoneta senior pitcher has visited a wide variety of schools with both baseball and a business degree under consideration. “I’m looking for a good business degree and a baseball program doing well,” Roediger said of the perfect scenario. “Accreditation, job placement and being highly-sought after by an employer are important in a school. I’m not looking at one that will take my money and kick me out the door when I’m done. To read the full article, click here. |
Spencer Marinac LHP / OF / St. Edwards Lakewood Ohio, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 55 / POS: 7
LAKEWOOD - Good size and throwing left-handed usually spells pitcher. But that wasn’t the case for Spencer Marinac … until he turned 14.
Now it appears to be the avenue to a college baseball scholarship for the St. Edward’s junior. To read the full article, click here. |
Dominic Pilolli OF / Canfield, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 49 / POS: 12
CANFIELD - Dominic Pilolli enjoys competition. “Since I was seven- or eight-years-old I loved the game of baseball,” Pilolli said. “I never watched it on TV when I was little, I always wanted to be out playing it. I just love the competition. My play steps up when I’m playing better competition. If I can do that at the next level, it would mean a ton.” It appears the Canfield junior will get that opportunity with college recruiting currently in the early stages, with most recently a visit to Toledo and talk with Youngstown State. To read the full article, click here. |
Hunter Jessee OF / LHP / Kings, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 45 / POS: 10
KINGS MILLS - The past year is having a big effect on the future of Hunter Jessee.
The Kings High School junior has been converted to the top of the batting order and that has brought on changes while recruitment of the 45th-ranked player in Ohio’s 2019 class picks up. “I’ve always been a 3 to 5 hole hitter but last year they put me at leadoff,” explained the left-handed hitting outfielder in regard to his high school team. “It’s a different mentality. They like to groove the first pitch but if you swing at it you’ve got to love it because you’re also up there to help out the guys batting behind you.” To read the full article, click here. |
Fredrick Sisco RHP / OF / Gibsonburg, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 31 / POS: 11
GIBSONBURG - The last time someone from Gibsonburg played Division I college baseball was the mid-80s. Fredrick Sisco could be the next. “It’s just a small town,” Sisco said of the northwest Ohio community with a population of 2,600. “To be the first one to go to D-I in 30 years would be crazy.” The junior pitcher has taken steps in that direction. “I’ve talked with Dayton and they’re very interested and now I’m talking to Bowling Green,” Sisco said of two colleges he has visited. Camp invites have also been extended to the 5-11 165-pounder by Ohio State and Michigan. To read the full article, click here. |
Matt Evans RHP / SS / Big Walnut, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 44 / POS: 17
SUNBURY - The decision to become a pitcher is paying big dividends for Matt Evans. In events like PBR’s Central Ohio Preseason Preview last February, Evans did not even participate as a pitcher. Now the Big Walnut junior is talking with Wright State, Marshall, Toledo, Miami and Bowling Green about pitching in college. “I’ve always been a shortstop first and pitcher second,” explained Evans, who has not yet taken a college visit. “This summer I realized I was shutting good teams down and I might have a future there.” To read the full article, click here. |
Spencer Stanton 1B / LHP / Massillon Jackson, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 36 / POS: 2
MASSILLON - While Massillon Jackson was winning the Division I state championship back in June, Spencer Stanton was looking ahead. A sophomore at the time, Stanton was a member of the junior varsity team for the Polar Bears last season. “It picked at me a little,” Stanton admitted about not being on the varsity roster. “It’s something I had not gone through before. But I wouldn’t have the chip on my shoulder I do now to have something to prove.” That motivation has helped the 6-3 205-pound junior become a prized commodity on the Division I college baseball recruiting scene. To read the full article, click here. |
Grayson Hamilton RHP / OF / Lakota East, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 42 / POS: 15
LAKOTA - In the past month Grayson Hamilton has made visits to Toledo, Miami and Cincinnati. It may just be the start for the promising junior from Lakota East. “The whole recruiting process started after the Top Prospect Games,” Hamilton related. “More interest came after the fall showcase at Wright State.” To read the full article, click here. |
Mo Schaffer RHP / OF / Moeller, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 100 / POS: 36
CINCINNATI - The chance to be a two-way player has Mo Schaffer looking at a trio of Division II colleges. “I’ve narrowed it to three schools.” the Cincinnati Moeller senior said in reference to... To read the full article, click here. |
Lawson Blackmore RHP / SS / Van Wert, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 43 / POS: 16
VAN WERT - The projectability is enormous. Where Lawson Blackmore lands is yet to be determined. The Van Wert junior pitcher stands 6-4 and 185 pounds …. right now. “I’m still growing. Doctors have me projected at 6-6, 6-7,” Blackmore said. “I have a cousin (at Bishop Dwenger High School in Indiana) who is strictly basketball and he’s 6-8, 6-9.” The prospects are exciting for a pitcher whose interest from colleges is starting to gain. To read the full article, click here. |
Jackson Meter RHP / C / Defiance, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 105 / POS: 37
DEFIANCE - The college baseball future of Jackson Meter is far from a certainty. Keeping busy in other sports has Meter taking things in stride as he weighs current options while also waiting for more possibilities to come around. “There’s not a lot going on right now,” the Defiance senior said. “I’ve been so busy with football and wrestling.” As of yet, nothing has materialized from a visit last year with Cincinnati and talks with Marshall and Radford leaving the junior college route a strong probability. To read the full article, click here. |
Ethan Hammerberg RHP / Upper Arlington, OH / 2019Rankings StateRank: 34 / POS: 13
UPPER ARLINGTON - A broken finger didn’t slow down Ethan Hammerberg, but an elbow injury has the Upper Arlington’s college recruitment on hold, at least to a degree. “I injured the elbow at the Top Prospect Games,” explained the junior right-handed pitcher. “It was seven pitches into my outing. I already had a broken finger (on the glove hand) so I wasn’t hitting.” Ohio State has shown a major interest to Hammerberg both before and after the injury. To read the full article, click here. |
Caleb Biedenharn RHP / OF / St Johns Jesuit, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 97 / POS: 34
TOLEDO - With a 33 ACT score and a 4.16 GPA, Caleb Biedenharn is a unique college baseball recruit. “Academics is a big part of what I’m looking for,” pointed out the Toledo St. John’s senior pitcher, who is still uncertain about where his future lies at this point in time. Case Western Reserve, Denison, Brown, Earlham, Adrian and Hillsdale are at the top of Biedenharn’s list of colleges. To read the full article, click here. |
Brett Carson OF / LHP / Teays Valley, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 89 / POS: 16
ASHVILLE - Playing four sports in high school can certainly keep a person busy. Add in college recruiting in two of those sports and there is a little time for anything else. That is the life of Brett Carson, who has narrowed his college of choice to three schools - Denison University, Muskingum University and Heidelberg University. Walsh, Lake Erie, Wittenberg and Eastern Michigan were others that have been in contact with the Teays Valley senior. “Everybody saw me at the Top Prospect Games,” related the 89th-ranked player in the state. “That’s when they reached out to me.” To read the full article, click here. |
Zach Losey RHP / OF / Tippecanoe, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 65 / POS: 22
TIPP CITY – Being a late-bloomer has Zach Losey uncertain about his baseball future. The Tippecanoe senior has made numerous visits in narrowing down where he will go to college, but is still unsure as to where he will play next year. “I'm looking at Sinclair right now,” said the 6-5 205-pound pitcher, who topped out at 91 at a Sinclair indoor camp. “That’s basically a tentative plan. I’m hoping to have a really good spring and get more interest from Division I and then most likely go to a JUCO for a year.” To read the full article, click here. |
Branden Blankenship LHP / OF / Northridge (Johnstown), OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 77 / POS: 6
JOHNSTOWN - From a left-handed catcher in his youth, to an outfielder and finally to the mound. It has been an interesting road to college prospect for Branden Blankenship. Now the Johnstown Northridge senior is looking for a college home. “I’ve been talking to a lot of colleges all in the last three or four months,” the 6-1 160-pound lefty said. To read the full article, click here. |
Andrew Funtash RHP / Walsh Jesuit, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 56 / POS: 21
CUYAHOGA FALLS - At 6-0 tall and 205 pounds with the ability to throw 90 miles an hour, Andrew Funtash is known along the college recruiting circles. But things have slowed down in that area after the Walsh Jesuit senior broke a foot back in August. “I was playing soccer for fun with a buddy and broke it on Aug. 10,” Funtash said. “I didn’t have to have surgery and I’m out of a cast now. I’m 12 weeks out and can’t jog or run. But the doctor said in January or February I will be full go again for baseball.” To read the full article, click here. |
Manny Vorhees C / RHP / Wapakoneta, OH / 2018Rankings StateRank: 70 / POS: 11
WAPAKONETA - Although summer is over, Manny Vorhees still feel like he is at an amusement park. At least when it comes to his college recruitment.
“Honestly, it’s been up and down like a roller coaster,” the Wapakoneta senior said. “I’ve talked to a bunch of colleges and they show interest, then it falls off.” The 6-2 205-pounder has made visits to Ball State, Cincinnati, Ohio Dominican and Cedarville, with Bowling Green, Northern Kentucky, Xavier and Ohio others in consideration at this time. To read the full article, click here. |