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Preseason All-State Showcase: Class of 2017/18 Middle Infielders

February 23, 2016

By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

and Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

Of the close to 100 prospects to showcase their abilities over two days of the 2016 Preseason All-State Showcase, sixteen worked out as primary middle infielders. Today we continue our analysis of the event with those individuals. (Note: each player will be listed during the course of this series of articles at their primary position. An evaluation of a secondary position will be included with the player's primary position evaluation).

Christopher Alleyne, 2017, SS, Springside Chestnut Hill
Maryland commit is a quick-twitch, 5-foot-9, 160-pound switch-hitter. Similar swing mechanics from both sides. Open stance, quiet hands with a little bit of rhythm, a quick waist-high leg lift, and short path to the baseball. Ran a 6.82 60-yard dash and posted an 89-mph exit velocity. Defensively, he plays low to the ground, shows good hands and a quick arm that generated 85-mph arm strength across the diamond, and good athleticism when completing the slow roller play.

Kyler Fedko, 2018, SS, Vincentian Academy
6-foot-2, 185-pound right-handed hitter who has added height and significant strength to his frame since we last saw him over the summer. Ran a 6.85 60-yard dash and posted an 87-mph exit velocity (up 9-mph from eight months ago). Hits from a slightly open stance, rocks weight to backside accompanied by circular, horizontal load of hands. Uphill swing path with some length. Defensively, he attacked the baseball and closed the gap to it well, while showing an accurate 83-mph arm across the diamond from an over-the-top slot.

Nicholas Fisher, 2018, 2B, Bishop McDevitt
5-foot-7, 140-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 7.45 60-yard dash and posted a 74-mph exit velocity. Starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square. Despite  a lack of strength in his frame and an armbar in his load, he did flash some bat speed in his slightly uphill path. Defensively, he fielded the baseball cleanly and logged 70-mph arm strength out of an over-the-top slot.

Peter Jamieson, 2017, SS, Cochranton
5-foot-11, 175-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 6.99 60-yard dash and posted a 79-mph exit velocity. Hit from a square stance with a short stride. Would benefit from adding strength to his frame and keeping his barrel up when he launches his hands in order to maintain a shorter path to the ball. Defensively, he exhibited 80-mph arm strength and would benefit from keeping his feet in rhythm through the catch and from fielding the baseball further out front of his body.

Brock Kauffman, 2017, SS, Garden Spot
Right-handed hitter with strong, 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame. Started from a slightly open stance and strode to square. Used the middle of the field and showed some feel for creating backspin. Wasn't getting much out of his backside on this day, as his weight was drifting into his front hip with his toe-tap stride, which could explain his 87-mph exit velocity being a few ticks down from the summer (90-mph). Improving footspeed has his 60-yard dash time down to 7.24. Defensively, he continues to show soft hands and an accurate 85-mph arm with carry across the diamond.

Brenden Kennedy, 2017, SS, York Catholic
Lean 6-foot-1, 175-pound left-handed hitter with room to add strength to his frame. Ran a 7.24 60-yard dash and posted an 84-mph exit velocity. Starts from an upright, narrow, wide open stance and strides to square. Swing has some ease and looseness, while he could probably get a little more juice out of it by staying through contact longer with his top hand. Defensively, he fielded through the catch well and showed accurate 83-mph arm strength.

Josh Kim, 2017, SS, Council Rock South
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed hitter who showed marked improvement across the board from when we last saw him a year and a half ago. Ran a 7.00 60-yard dash and posted a 90-mph exit velocity. Starts from an open stance, strides to square and exhibits rhythm in his swing. Worked hard to stay inside the baseball and flahsed bat speed despite some length and spin. Defensively, he showed smooth actions, a feel for coming to get the short hop, and posted 86-mph arm strength across the diamond.

Ryan McSorley, 2017, SS/RHP, Lansdale Catholic
5-foot-10, 175-pound right-handed hitter who has added some strength to his frame recently. Ran a 7.02 60-yard dash (a couple tenths higher than back in November) and posted 90-mph exit velocity. Starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square with a big leg kick that lingers in the air. Has bat speed and his hands work through contact, although his body drifts forward with his stride, limiting his ability to let the baseball travel into the zone. Defensively, he exhibited solid actions, a loose, slinger arm action that generated accurate 82-mph throws across the infield, and an ability to complete the slow roller play.

Right-hander exhibited some added velocity from last fall sitting 79-80 from a 3/4 arm slot. The primary infielder also displayed a 68 mph curveball with sweeping 10/4 shape and a 73 mph thrown at fastball arm speed. Works with an efficient delivery, commands the zone and has a feel for three pitches. Significant additional velocity gains are unlikely.

Joey Moyer, 2017, SS, Daniel Boone Area
5-foot-9, 165-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 7.16 60-yard dash and posted a 74-mph exit velocity. Starts from a slightly open stance and takes a short stride to square. Simple approach, kept eyes level, worked hard to stay inside the baseball, and used the middle of the field. Defensively, he showcased 81-mph arm strength across the diamond and incorporated his lower half into his throw well. Would benefit from playing a little lower to the ground and fielding the baseball further out front.

Kyle O'Fier, 2017, SS, Pittston Area
Switch-hitter with some strength in his 6-foot, 175-pound frame. Ran a 7.12 60-yard dash and posted an 86-mph exit velocity. From the left side, he starts from an open stance and strides to slightly closed. Holds hands high and lowers them to launch. Hands have some looseness and the ball comes off the bat well when he is able to get to extension. From the right side, he starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square. Holds hands high here as well, but maintains height during load. Keeps path short and eyes fairly level. Defensively, he fields the ball out front well, showed 81-mph arm strength across the diamond, along with an ability to complete the slow roller play.

Ben Reed, 2017, 2B, Central York
6-foot, 140-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 7.46 60-yard dash and posted 65-mph exit velocity. Hits from a square stance with a toe-tap stride. Has some rhythm in his swing, but would greatly benefit from adding strength to his frame in order to really get the bat head moving and shorten his path. Defensively, he showed good direction toward his target with his feet and posted 70-mph arm strength across the diamond.

Nick Serafino, 2018, 2B, Canon-McMillan
Right-handed hitter with wiry, athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Ran a 6.89 60-yard dash and posted an 86-mph exit velocity. Starts from a slightly open stance and strides to square. Simple approach with minimal body movement and keeps his eyes level. Would benefit from completing his lower half weight transfer, as he doesn't always get his backside fully rotated. Defensively, he played low to the ground and showcased 71-mph arm strength.

Adam Smith, 2018, SS, West Chester East
Wiry 6-foot, 155-pound right-handed hitter with room to add strength to his frame. Ran a 6.98 60-yard dash (has been 6.84 previously) and posted an 85-mph exit velocity. Starts from a wide open, narrow stance with good pre-swing rhythm and strides to slightly closed. Attacks the baseball with a pull-oriented, slightly uphill path and good bat speed. Showed well defensively with a quick transfer and release from a quick arm that generated accurate throws of 81-mph across the diamond. Also threw 85-mph from the outfield.

Tyler Smith, 2017, SS/RHP, Seneca Valley
6-foot, 170-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 7.10 60-yard dash and posted an 87-mph exit velocity. Starts from an open stance and takes a quick, knee-to-knee stride to square. Wraps barrel behind head, creating some length in his path. Attacks the baseball and would benefit from adding strength to his frame. Defensively, he fields the ball out front, plays through the catch well with his feet, and logged 83-mph arm strength from an over-the-top slot.

On the mound, Smith's delivery incorporates a deliberate wind-up and big hip coil in which he shows his back to the hitter. The uncoiling action tended to have his front side working toward the left-handed batter's box, which led to inconsistency in his release point. Out of an over-the-top slot, both his 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs sat 79-80. Best pitch was a mid-60s, 11/5 curveball with big break and some depth. Will need to continue to work to develop feel for his change-up, as he tended to yank it gloveside on this day.

Pete Vaccaro, 2017, SS, Oley Valley
Left-handed hitter with developed 5-foot-9, 185-pound frame. Ran a 7.34 60-yard dash and posted an 87-mph exit velocity. Starts from an open stance and strides to slightly open. Attacked the baseball and sprayed line drives to all fields, taking a short path to the ball. Defensively, he came and got the short hop well and exhibited an accurate 80-mph arm across the diamond.

Sam Wheeler, 2018, 2B, Sayre Area
5-foot-5, 135-pound right-handed hitter. Ran a 7.10 60-yard dash and posted an 80-mph exit velocity. Starts from an open stance and strides to square. Attacks the baseball and used the middle of the field. Swing can be a bit shouldery, which could be reduced by adding strength to his frame. Defensively, he fielded the baseball cleanly and recorded 75-mph arm strength across the diamond.

Previous Preseason All-State News