Official league website: www.acbl-online.com
2015 Summer Collegiate Top Propsect Index
Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League Top Prospect List (20)
The Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League is one of the oldest summer leagues in the country, playing its first season in 1967. As with many leagues, the ACBL had several prospects rise to the occasion throughout the past few months.
The Allentown Railers were the talk of the league, as the club ran away with the regular season crown. In the end, the Railers, led by the league’s top overall prospect, pitcher Matt Swarmer, were able to cap off their tremendous regular season with a decisive Game 3 victory in a winner-take-all matchup against the Staten Island Tide. Allentown’s 33-5 overall record was ACBL’s best ever. Swarmer shined all summer long, and he took home both the Most Valuable Pitcher and Most Valuable Player Awards thanks to a ACBL best eight wins, 0.55 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 65 innings of work.
Year established:1967
States represented: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
No. of teams: 8
Regular season champion (best overall record): Allentown Railers (33-5)
Postseason champion: Allentown Railers
No. 1 prospect, 2014: C.J. Moore, of, Staten Island (Lamar)
First 2014 player selected, 2015 MLB Draft: Mike Garzillo, 2b, Lehigh Valley (Lehigh/Yankees, 38th round)
Player of the Year: Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown Railers (Kutztown)
Pitcher of the Year: Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown Railers (Kutztown)
BATTING LEADERS
Batting average: Justin Cassinelli, 1b/of, Staten Island Tide (Susquehanna) (.386)
Slugging percentage: Justin Cassinelli, 1b/of, Staten Island Tide (Susquehanna) (.627)
On-base percentage: Charles Misiano, inf, State Island Tide (LIU) (.467)
Home runs: Brandon Soat, of, Allentown Railers & Vin Cosenzo, 1b, South Jersey Giants (6)
RBI: Devin Ruiz, of, South Jersey Giants (UNC-Greensboro) (36)
Stolen bases: Anthony Gaetaniello, of, Lehigh Valley Catz (Moravian) (25)
PITCHING LEADERS
Wins:Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown Railers (Kutztown) (8)
ERA:Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown Railers (Kutztown) (0.55)
Saves:Kyle McKelvy, lhp, Quakertown Blazers (Widener) (5)
Strikeouts:Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown Railers (Kutztown) (89)
BEST TOOLS
Best athlete: John Brue, of, South Jersey Giants (Saint Joseph’s)
Best hitter: Devin Ruiz, of, South Jersey Giants (UNC-Greensboro)
Best power: Devin Ruiz, of, South Jersey Giants (UNC-Greensboro)
Best speed:Casey Clauss, of, Allentown Railers (Francis Marion)
Best defender: Brian Uliana, of, Allentown Railers (Rider)
Best velocity: Justin Valdespina, rhp, North Jersey (Southern New Hampshire)
Best breaking stuff: Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown (Kutztown)
Best command: Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown (Kutztown)
TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. Matt Swarmer, rhp, Allentown (Kutztown/SR in 2016)
Swarmer was the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League’s No. 3 overall prospect in last year’s rankings, and he returned to the circuit this summer with a vengeance. At 6-foot-5, 185-pounds, Swarmer still has plenty of room to fill out as he continues to mature. The lanky righty posted a ridiculous stat line, with an unseemly 89-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a league best 0.55 ERA and 8-0 record. He started out his career at Division II Kutztown as a reliever, but he made a successful transition to the rotation this past spring. His pure stuff is not particularly overwhelming, but he has impeccable command and feel for his upper-80s fastball and low-80s slider and he’s a senior sign candidate worth watching this spring.
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