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Updated Class of 2017 Player Rankings Released

July 7, 2016

By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Following the completion of the high school season, as well as two summer showcases (one on each side of the state), it is time to roll out our first summer update to our class of 2017 rankings.  This iteration of the list jumps from 160 to 205, with pitchers notably standing out. The next update will likely come following the completion of two more events (again, one on each side of the state), plus the Pennsylvania Travel Baseball State Championships in August.

Top 10

RANK NAME STATE SCHOOL CLASS POS COMMITMENT
1 Shane Muntz PA Malvern Prep 2017 C Wake Forest
2 Trent Vietmeier PA Montour 2017 RHP Louisiana State
3 Joe Lancellotti PA Archbishop Wood 2017 OF North Carolina
4 Zach McCambley PA Pocono Mountain East 2017 RHP Coastal Carolina
5 Cole Stetzar PA West Scranton 2017 RHP Central Florida
6 Riley Christner PA Meyersdale Area 2017 RHP
7 Kyle Virbitsky PA Episcopal Academy 2017 RHP Penn State
8 Zach Kokoska PA Greater Latrobe 2017 OF Virginia Tech
9 Brendan Cellucci PA William Penn Charter 2017 LHP Miami
10 Brandon Knarr PA Eastern York 2017 LHP Notre Dame

 

No movement in the Top 10 outside of Muntz switching his commitment from Virginia Tech to Wake Forest. Making a push toward the group is Elizabethtown Area RHP Nick Stoner.While not as physically imposing as many of those ahead of him, the Bloomsburg commit now sits at #13 after a report from an MLB Scouting Bureau scout that his mid-80s fastball from last summer was touching 91 mph with an upper-70s breaking ball late in the spring.

Risers

One of the biggest jumps came from hulking 6-foot-5, 230-pound Coatesville Area RHP Adam Stauffer who, just eight months after working in the low-80s, pounded the zone with mid- to upper-80s velocity that has a chance to be a heavy ball in the future. His workhorse frame and relatively quick development should garner plenty of interest this summer.

Other risers on the bump: Penn Manor LHP Jeff Taylor, a Penn State commit who has always had pitchability, now sees his fastball sit in the mid-80s with the ability to reach back for 87 when he wants it. ...You have to see it to believe it, but 5-foot-9, 140-pound Pennridge RHP Andrew Mayhew bumped 90 mph this spring and held 86-87 through the fifth with a hard upper-70s slider. ...6-foot-5 St. Joseph's Prep LHP Colin Scanlon has cleaned up his delivery since last year and features one of the best curveballs in the state, which he shows an advanced ability to locate, and add and subtract with, based on the count.

Newcomers

West Allegheny LHP Michael Crawford makes the highest appearance for a first-time entrant, just outside the top 50, following his performance at the Western PA Top Prospect Games. Crawford showed an ability to repeat his delivery, sitting 82-84 with some ASR and featuring a quality two-plane curveball.

Other additions: Scanlon's rotationmate at St. Joseph's Prep, RHP J.T. Gosweiler, sports a physical frame with a heavy, mid-80s fastball and a feel for two secondary offerings, conjuring visions of another Philly Catholic League product, current St. Joseph's U RHP Pat Vanderslice. ...Grove City SS Kyle Shingledecker was another Western PA TPG standout, flashing a tool set that includes a 6.96 60-yard dash, 86 mph arm strength across the diamond, and 89 mph exit velocity. ...By no means a finished product, Souderton Area LHP Thylar Summarell sports an XL frame and low-80s fastball, while it wouldn't be shocking to see him make a Stauffer-like jump at some point.

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