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Elite Prospect Showcase Analysis: Class of 2018/2019 Pitchers

November 19, 2015

By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

and Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

The 2015 Elite Prospect Showcase took place Saturday, November 7th at Keystone State Baseball Academy in Manheim, PA with 75 prospects from four states displaying their skills. Today we conclude our analysis of all prospects in attendance by reviewing pitchers in the freshman and sophomore classes.

Norwin 2018 right-hander Christopher Wallace didn't author the top bullpen at the event, but there is little doubting the upside in his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame. Pitched out of a three-quarter slot from a long, deep arm action. Will work around his front side with an upright finish and some recoil, yanking the ball gloveside at times. His fastball sat 83-85 and he has a chance to throw a heavy ball if he can consistently get downhill over his front side. Showed a solid feel for his change-up at 75-77 with armside action. Curveball at 72-74 is still a work in progress, but it did show a little more depth than when we last saw him in June.

 

James Balogh, 2018, RHP/OF, Pocono Mountain East
Athletic, 5-foot-11, 160-pounder with loose, clean arm action and solid three-pitch mix. Worked from the far first base side of the rubber out of a high three-quarter slot and landed slightly closed. Fastball with occasional armside run sat 83-mph and peaked at 84. Sold his change-up with fastball armspeed well, as the pitch clocked in at 73-75 with fade. Also showed a feel for throwing his solid curveball at 67-70 for a strike. Despite his stature, athleticism (ran a 6.88 60-yard dash) and arm action hint at more to come.

Brady Bash, 2018, OF/RHP, West Chester Henderson
6-foot-1, 165-pounder worked entirely out of the stretch from a high three-quarter slot. Upright delivery and slightly open landing limited full extension and caused him to throw uphill a bit. Fastball sat 81-82, touching 83-mph. Good feel for his change-up at 72-74 with sink and also showed a sweeping breaking ball at 63-65.

Andrew Brady, 2018, 3B/RHP, Avon Grove
6-foot-3, 160-pounder who pitches out of a high three-quarter slot with a slight stab out of the glove. Works around his front side and spins toward first base, inhibiting ability to get extension and work downhill. Fastball sat 75-76, while he will need to show improved feel for his change-up at 66-68 for it to be an effective pitch. Also featured a knuckle curveball at 64-66 that had more knuckle than curve to it, but showed solid downward action.

Nick Embleton, 2019, RHP/1B, East Pennsboro
6-foot-1, 165-pound who pitching out of a three-quarter slot after turning his back to the hitter and uncoiling with some front arm swim. Similar stuff, just with a different feel, to when we saw him previously. Fastball sat 77-80 that occasionally ran or cut based on inconsistencies in delivery (usually release point). Showed a decent feel for both his change-up at 72-74 that also occasionally cut and a curveball with 11/5 action at 65-66.

Aidan Frye, 2018, RHP/3B, Springside Chestnut Hill
6-foot, 175-pounder with a quick arm who works out a high three-quarter slot and explodes out of his balance point. Fastball has jumped a couple ticks since we last saw him during the high school season to 82-83. Very aggressive with a good feel for his change-up at 74-mph that showed late run. Curveball at 67-68 backed up on his some, but showed solid 11/5 shape when right.

Zach Klapak, 2018, C/RHP, Delaware Valley
6-foot-1, 185-pounder works out of a high three-quarter slot with long, clean arm action. Back shoulder dip can lead to him throwing a bit uphill and his fastball with occasional tail at 82-83 (touching 84-mph) flattening out. Delivery had a little more life to it and he appeared to maintain his elbow slot better than when we last saw him in June. Breaking ball (a 12/6 curveball at 69-72) was much improved, while he also featured a solid change-up with armside fade at 75-77.

Joe LaFiora, 2018, 1B/LHP, Neumann-Goretti
Primary first baseman sat 74-76 from a high 3/4 arm slot with an overhead rocker delivery. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound lefty was down a bit in velocity from where we saw him sit comfortably at 77-79 earlier in the summer. Also fashioned a looping 61 mph curveball with 1/7 shape and a 71 mph changeup with some sink thrown at fastball arm speed. Solid frame and easy, repeatable mechanics should lead to additional velocity in coming years.

Ryan Miller, 2018, 3B/RHP, Fleetwood Area
6-foot-1, 180-pound righty sat 80-83 from a 3/4 arm slot with a quick, live arm. Significant velocity jump is possible as Miller continues to grow into his projectable frame and better learns to incorporate his lower half into his delivery. Also displayed a 69 mph curveball with 11/5 rotation and a 76 mph changeup thrown at near fastball arm speed. Complimentary pitches will improve with better arm speed.

Jonathan Moldoff, 2018, 3B/RHP, Westtown School
Primary third baseman sat 72-76 while working solely from the stretch out of a high 3/4 arm slot. Tendency to drag back side limits the 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-hander's velocity. Also displayed a 63 mph curveball with 11/5 shape and a 67 mph changeup that he telegraphs by slowing his arm speed.

Ben Mongelluzzo, 2018, OF/RHP, Penn-Trafford
5-foot-11, 165-pound who pitches out of a high three-quarter slot with a wrist wrap and kicks his lead foot toward home plate. Fastball sat 78-79, touching 81-mph, with occasional run and sink. Showed good feel for a change-up at 72-73 with fade, while also showing a curveball at 69-71 that he struggled to command on this day.

Nick Parker, 2018, RHP/IF, Dallastown Area
5-foot-11, 160-pounder with compact delivery who showed a quick arm out of a high three-quarter slot. Four-seam fastball sat 83-mph, while his two-seamer at 81-82 had hard, late run. Good feel and sell on a change-up at 72-74 with sink. Ability to flip a solid curveball at 66-68 with 11/5 action in for a strike. Didn't have a great feel for his cutter at 74-75, but did flash one during the sequence that showed the pitch has a chance to develop into a usable one for him.

Connor Rakow, 2019, OF/RHP, Franklin Area
5-foot-11, 160-pound youngster who pitched out of an over-the-top with a hesitation at the top of his compact delivery and good direction toward home plate. Two-pitch mix included a fastball at 77-79 with baby tail and a curveball at 65-67 that was inconsistent, but showed solid 11/5 action when right.

Paul Stowell, 2018, RHP/IF, St. Joseph's Prep
Don't overlook this 5-foot-9, 165-pounder who pitches entirely from the stretch with an up tempo delivery and throws his front side at the hitter. Has solid arm speed that generated a fastball at 82-84 with occasional baby tail out of a high three-quarter slot. While he signals slider, his breaking ball acts more like a curveball with 11/5 action, while he also featured a change-up at 69-72.

Matt Ziminsky, 2018, RHP/IF, Whitehall
5-foot-10, 170-pound, low three-quarter slinger with loose, quick arm and good rhythm in his delivery. Consistently located down in the zone with his fastball that sat 80-81 (touching 83-mph) with very good run and sink. Appeared to really trust his change-up at 67-69 that had late diving action. Especially given his arm slot, a slider that sat 71-mph was the better of his two breaking balls (the other being a softer 11/5 curveball at 67-68).

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