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By Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

The Fall Kickoff Showcase began four consecutive days of activity at Cooper Park on the campus of Millersville University last week.  35 prospects from four states showcased their abilities in advance of the beginning of the Fall Kickoff Showcase Tournament.

+ CLICK HERE for complete results for all prospects in attendance.

CLASS OF 2018 position players

Billy Collins, 1B, North Penn HS (PA)
6-foot-3, 230-pound right-handed hitter starts from an open stance and initiates his swing with a knee-to-knee stride displaying balance through extension. Took one of the better rounds of batting practice on the day showcasing the ability to create backspin with present power to both gaps.  Registered a 96 mph bat exit velocity and ran a 7.76 60 yard-dash. Displayed active feet and a soft glove hand defensively with accurate 79 mph arm strength across the diamond. Physical athlete moves very well for a prospect his size. Uncommitted senior will likely draw heavy interest in the months ahead and is likely to make an early offensive impact at the next level.

Benjamin Fulton, 1B/C, Brandywine Heights HS (PA)
6-foot-2, 210-pound left-handed hitter starts from a square stance and incorporates a short, leg-lift stride to initiate his swing. A high back elbow and incomplete hip rotation leads to some length and barrel drag.  Registered a bat exit velocity of 79 mph and ran a 7.76 60-yard dash. Fielded balls with a narrow base around the first base bag while showcasing 68 mph arm strength across the diamond. Uncommitted senior also showcased his skill behind the plate. Displayed pop times of 2.30-2.45 on throws of 66 mph from the crouch. Footwork and limited finish in his throwing motion could be cleaned up lower those times quickly.

Hunter Hamlin, C/3B, North Penn HS (PA)
5-foot-9, 190-pound right-handed hitter starts from a square stance and initiates his swing with a short, lift-and-replace stride. A relatively late load leads to rushing to the hitting zone at times. Lower half works in conjunction well with the upper half.  Strong hip turn and quick hands lead to a bat exit velocity of 92 mph  with present gap power. The uncommitted senior continues to show above average defensive abilities with event best pop times of 1.98-2.08 on throws of 76 mph from the crouch.  Also displayed 81 mph arm strength across the diamond from third base. Impressed with receiving skills and vocal leadership during the course of bullpen session.

Jacob Keene, 3B/1B, Butler Area HS (PA)
6-foot, 215-pound right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and uses a quiet, lift-and-replace stride to initiate his lower half. Repeatedly gets to a solid load position and creates barrel whip with a strong hip turn. Registered an 85 mph bat exit velocity and barreled baseball consistently during a solid round of batting practice. Uncommitted senior displayed capable defensive action at both corner infield positions with 79 mph arm strength across the diamond and ran a 7.84 60-yard dash. Uncommitted senior has returned from an injury earlier in the year and is near 100%, having shown a 91 mph bat exit velocity at a previous PBR event prior to the injury.

Brady Madden, 2B/SS, East Pennsboro HS (PA)
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and initiates his swing with a short, controlled stride. Showcased a flat barrel path through the hitting zone and loose wrists during a solid round of batting practice. Registered an 89 mph bat exit velocity and displayed a gap-to-gap approach with the potential for some future power. Plenty of fast twitch actions as evidenced by his 6.68 60-yard dash.  Above average defender flashed soft glove hand with 83 mph arm strength across the diamond. Throws from a 3/4 arm slot with a quick release. Shined during game action defensively making multiple difficult plays while showing the ability to handle chores at third base as well as at both middle infield positions.

Connor Mikulski, OF/C, North Penn HS (PA)
6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and initiates his swing with a short stride. Displayed some lower half glide in his swing, but head stays still and Mikulski does a solid job of staying inside the baseball.  Barreled the baseball consistently with a bat exit velocity of 89 mph and showed a flat barrel path through the zone leading to line drives to all fields. Ran a 7.01 60-yard dash and showed athletic defensive actions at two positions. Flashed 79 mph arm strength from the outfield while consistently playing through the baseball.  Registered pop times of 2.15-2.25 with 71 mph arm strength from the crouch during his evaluation behind the plate.

Tyler Siddal, 3B/OF, North Penn HS (PA)
5-foot-11, 160-pounder ran an impressive 6.69 60-yard dash and flashed an athletic across the board skill set. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide, open stance and utilizes a lift-and-replace stride to initiate his lower half. A high back elbow and some barrel wrap leads to some length in swing but good balance and quick hands allow for consistent hard contact. Registered an 83 mph bat exit velocity and showcased the ability to use all fields well. Impressed at a pair of defensive positions showcasing the ability to hand defensive chores at third base and in the outfield at the next level with mid-80s arm strength.

Andrew Thomas, SS/2B, Ephrata HS (PA)
5-foot-8, 165-pound right-handed hitter starts from a square stance & utilizes a short stride to initiate his lower half. Stays inside the baseball well and demonstrated the ability to barrel the baseball consistently in batting practice with a bat exit velocity of 81 mph. A line drive approach led to balls being sprayed to all fields. Ran a 7.14 60-yard dash and displayed a defensive skill set best suited for second base at the next level. Demonstrated sound glove actions and accurate 78 mph arm strength across the diamond with the potential to play additional infield positions.

Ethan Tirado, OF/1B, Hempfield HS (PA)
5-foot-10, 185-pound left-handed hitter starts from a from a square stance and incorporates a short, heel-raise stride to initiate his swing. Displayed a flat barrel path with a feel for the barrel and a line drive approach. Uses the middle of the field well with limited lower half incorporation. Additional work to fully engage the lower half would improve current 70 mph bat exit velocity. Ran a 7.50 60-yard dash and showcased straight line carry on throws of 69 mph from the outfield. Hard worker with a desire to continue playing the game at the next level should continue to make significant strides in his game moving forward with his sound work ethic.

Cameron Weigand, SS/2B, Wilson HS (PA)
6-foot-2, 185-pounder has a prototypical shortstop's frame. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance and incorporates a toe-tap stride to initiate his swing.  Showcased a solid feel for the barrel with some present gap power and a bat exit velocity of 86 mph.  Displayed athletic actions with the ability to play through the baseball in the outfield with 81 mph arm strength. Moves well laterally in the middle infield. Showcased a short arm throwing motion while tending to field the ball deep with 78 mph arm strength across the diamond. Projectable frame, 7.10 foot speed and athleticism should give Weigand the chance to play multiple defensive positions at the next level.

Luke Weigel, C/1B, Lampeter-Strasburg HS (PA)
6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed hitter showcased present pull side power and a bat exit velocity of 93 mph during a solid round of batting practice. Weigel starts from a square stance and incorporates a short stride and aggressive hip turn to initiate his swing. Went 2-for-9 with a double during game action over the weekend while making loud contact on several occasions. Continues to show progress in his development behind the plate turning in pop times of 2.01-2.10 on throws of 77 mph from the crouch. Also shows capable actions around the bag at first base. Outgoing, vocal player that other players gravitate towards.

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