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2014 Elite Prospect Showcase Results

November 2, 2014

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

The 2014 Elite Prospect Showcase took place yesterday at Keystone State Baseball Academy in Manheim, PA with 56 prospects from three states displaying their skills. The following is a look at ten of the top performances on the day. A complete analysis of prospects at each position will be coming in the week ahead. For now, CLICK HERE to view complete results for all prospects in attendance.

Two-Way Players

+ Lancaster Catholic freshman LHP/1B Dillon Marsh featured a loose, quick arm and high leg kick that helped generate fastballs at 83-85 out of a three-quarter arm slot with minimal effort. He featured a solid change-up at 70-73 with sink when he got it out front. His curveball clocked in a 71-72 and showed a short 1/7 break, although he tended to slow his arm to throw it.  The 6-foot-1, 180-pound left-handed hitter's hands work despite triggering with no stride and swinging with his body a bit. He stays inside the ball well and has a chance to hit for some pop, as his 90-mph exit velocity indicates. He also ran a 6.99 60-yard dash and showed good feet and hands at first base.

+ Spring Grove junior SS/RHP Matt Brooks has a super quick arm in the field and on the mound. He showed solid feet and arm (85-mph across the diamond), very good hands, and an ability to make plays on the move. The right-handed hitter starts slightly open and strides to square with a high back elbow and hands in a good launch position. He takes a short path to the ball and stays inside well. He also ran a 6.94 60-yard dash and posted an 84-mph exit velocity. The lanky 6-foot-1, 160-pounder pumped fastballs at 83-84, touching 85-mph, and got downhill well with minimal effort. He kicks his front leg at the hitter, but stays on-line well and has more in the tank with better extension toward home plate. He flashed a solid straight change-up at 74-75 and a feel for spinning his curveball at 70-71.

+ Elizabethtown sophomore SS/RHP Nick Stoner ran the second fastest 60-yard dash of the day at 6.81, while showing good feet and hands on defense, and an 82-mph arm across the diamond. At the plate, the right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and stays inside the ball well. His hands work and he posted an 81-mph exit velocity. The 6-foot, 155-pounder sat 84-85 out of a high-3/4 slot with a long, loose arm stroke and a fluid, repeatable delivery. Stoner's 72-mph curveball showed biting 11/5 rotation with some two-plane break. His split-change sat 72-74 with some late down action, but his ability to apply the grip will need to improve in order to not tip the pitch.

+ Red Land freshman RHP/3B Zeb Stough starts with an overhead rocker into and abbreviated arm swing before kicking his front foot toward the plate with a bit of a head snap up top. The physical 6-foot-1, 185-pounder featured a fastball at 82-84, touching 85-mph, that was fairly straight, but had some life to it. He showed a 2-seamer at 80-81 with occasional sink, a 12/6 curveball at 67-70, and a 71-73 change-up with sink and fade at its best. The right-handed hitter is stiff and strong (88-mph exit velocity), working under the ball at times with a middle-away approach. He ran a 7.31 60-yard dash and his defense is not as developed as the rest of his game, so a move across the diamond may be in order down the road.

Position Players

+ Susquehannock junior 3B/C Connor Hood is an above average defender at the hot corner with very good hands, easy arm strength across the diamond (80-mph today; has been 85 in the past), and an ability to make plays on the move. Showcasing behind the plate for the first time, he posted 1.96-2.10 pop times with a 77-mph arm out of the crouch. The right-handed hitter's swing is a bit uphill, but he gets the barrel to the ball and has the ability to drive a gap (86-mph exit velocity). The 6-foot, 170-pounder also ran a 6.93 60-yard dash.

  • CLICK HERE to read about Hood's commitment announced shortly after the completion of the event.

+ Ephrata junior SS Nate Fassnacht continues his upward trajectory. He logged the top arm strength of the day, throwing 91-mph across the diamond, while also showing good feet, very good hands, and an ability to make plays on the move. The switch-hitter starts slightly open and takes a short stride to square from the right side. He holds his hands at a good launch point and repeats his swing, which has a bit of length, but with bat speed (85-mph exit velocity). His left-handed stroke also features a bit of length, but his hands work, he stays inside the ball well, and posted an 81-mph exit velocity.

+ All chit-chat among coaches ceased when Neumann-Goretti junior 1B Lou Testa began slamming balls off the back net of the facility with a top exit velocity of 97-mph. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound right-handed hitter has a high back elbow and rocks back to load, while the ball screams off his bat due to his physical strength and bat speed. Defensively, he fielded the ball a bit deep and would benefit from improved agility around the bag, but showed solid hands and an 80-mph arm.

Pitchers

+ Malvern Prep freshman RHP Brady Devereux wasn't at his best, but still flashed some of the ability that make him one of the most coveted freshman arms in the country. The baby-faced 6-foot-1, 170-pounder is athletic on the mound with a loose, clean arm action.  His fastball was 80-82 on this day, but reports had it multiple ticks higher over the spring and summer. He also flashed a curveball at 69-70 that has a chance to be a swing-and-miss offering, along with a change-up at 71-74.

+ York Catholic sophomore LHP Brandon Knarr threw three pitches for strikes out of a high-3/4 slot.  The stocky 5-foot-10, 195-pounder's simple, repeatable delivery includes a wrist wrap. His 82-84 fastball and 71-74 change-up were both fairly straight, but he commanded them in the zone well. His 1/7 curveball showed good shape and should tighten up as his velocity creeps higher.

+ Cambria Heights uncommitted senior RHP Eric Ford was the top velocity guy on the day, running his fastball to the plate at 85-88. There should be more in the tank with him, as his front side collapses, causing him to body the ball to the plate with some effort. If he learns to maintain his posture, he could see addition velocity gains, as well as be more consistent with his 70-71 curveball that flashed tight spin on occasion. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder also showed a firm change-up with slight tail at 78-80.

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