2/25/2016 1:15:10 PM
Troy LaNeve, OF 6-foot, 175-pounds L/R, Pine Richland High School Gibsonia, Pennsylvania Travel Team: US Elite
It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the Vanderbilt Commodores are once again making noise on the recruiting trail as they lock up another piece for their 2019 class in Troy LaNeve of Pennsylvania. While the coaching staff has taken a more national route with their most recent commits, the Northeast has always been a “honey-hole” for the Commodores and there’s no reason to assume it’ll slow down any time moving forward as both Head Coach Tim Corbin and pitching coach Scott Brown are both Northeast natives. Producing plenty of high end talent that made it to school such as two-time first round pick Tyler Beede and most recently outfielder Rhett Wiseman, there’s a nice blend of Northeast talent in the 2016 recruiting class, led by top ranked prospect Jason Groome.
LaNeve is the latest commit for the Dores to what’s an already impressive, albeit still early, 2019 class and his No. 7 national ranking is the highest amongst those committed. Physically impressive at 6-foot, 175-pounds, LaNeve looks like anything but a player who’s set to begin his freshman year and he’s always been physically advanced, even when I first saw him well over a year ago at the beginning of his eighth grade year. Swinging the stick from the left side LaNeve has already made a strong impression on the national scene with a short and quick stroke while showing an innate feel for the barrel head and the ability to handle high end velocity. There are contact skills to the profile as well as a power potential as he shows natural lift to swing path and present jump off the barrel.
Defensively LaNeve profiles as a right field type as he already shows above average arm strength for a player his age as well as solid footwork and sound overall fundamental moving towards the ball. In the end the Commodores have the potential for right field who hits for power from the left side and the middle of the order.
LaNeve is commit No. 7 for Vanderbilt and he’s the third outfielder, fourth positional player overall, in the class. As previously stated his No. 7 ranking is the highest amongst the seven commits, joining righthanders Wesley Scott (No. 14) and Chris McElvain (No. 15), as prospects ranked within the top 20 nationally.