2016 Summer Collegiate Top Prospect Index
Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League
Official league website
Year established: 2008
States represented: New York
No. of teams: 7
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Westhampton Aviators (27-14-1)
Postseason Champion: Westhampton Aviators
Player of the Year: Richard Palacios, SS, North Fork (Towson)
Pitcher of the Year: Reiss Knehr, RHP, Westhampton (Fordham)
Top 5 Prospects
1. Reiss Knehr, RHP, Westhampton (Fordham/SO in 2017)
Knehr was far and away the best pitcher in the Hamptons this season, finishing in the top three of five of the seven ballots for Pitcher of the Year. The righty was 4-1 with a 1.15 ERA in the regular season to help Westhampton post the league’s best record, and he struck out 49 hitters in 39 innings. His fastball also topped out at 96.
2. Richard Palacios, SS, North Folk (Towson/SO in 2017)
As dominant as Knehr was on the mound, Palacios was his equal at the plate for North Folk. He led the league in hits, runs, triples, and stolen bases, while tying for third in home runs. He ended the summer with 60 base hits, one shy of the Hamptons League record. He is slender at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, but he has plenty of pop in his bat.
3. Bradley Case, RHP, Montauk (Rollins College/SO in 2017)
The first thing you notice with Case is his size — he stands 6-foot-7. He currently lives in the low-90s with his fastball, but there is room for more velocity in his arm. He has also shown the capability to throw both a slider and changeup for strikes and outs, and his 51 strikeouts led the league.
4. John Rooney, LHP, Southampton (Hofstra/SO in 2017)
Rooney is another big pitcher on the list. At 6-foot-5, 230-pounds, he is thicker than Case. There is plenty of present velocity for Rooney, who typically sits in the low-90s but touched 95 this summer. His three-quarters arm angle gave hitters fits all summer.
5. Josiah Gray, RHP, Southampton (Le Moyne/SO in 2017)
Gray was an infielder that was converted into a reliever, which has proved to be a good move. He lives between 92-94 with his heater (which he relies on heavily) and has been up to 95 with it. Gray faded a bit towards the end of the summer, with his velocity dipping to 89-90.
New York Collegiate Baseball League
Official league website
Year established: 1978
States represented: New York
No. of teams: 10
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Olean Oilers (39-7)
Postseason Champion: Olean Oilers
Player of the Year: Aaron Phillips, OF/RHP, Olean (St. Bonaventure)
Pitcher of the Year: Aaron Phillips, OF/RHP, Olean (St. Bonaventure)
Top 5 Prospects
1. Aaron Phillips, OF/RHP, Oleans (St. Bonaventure/SO in 2017)
Phillips did it all for the Oleans Oilers on their way to both the regular and postseason titles in the NYCBL. At the plate, he hit .395 with five home runs, 17 doubles, 54 RBI, 18 walks and 11 stolen bases in 45 games. On the mound, he posted a 1.31 ERA due in part to his big-time fastball.
2. Billy Griffin, LHP, Oleans (Washington College/SO in 2017)
Griffin almost matched Phillips in the ERA category, posting a lowly 1.43 ERA during the summer. The 6-foot lefty has quite a bit of pitchability, and used it to go 4-1 on the year.
3. Sean Pisik, RHP, Syracuse Salt Cats (Le Moyne/SR in 2017)
Pisik racked up 48 innings on the mound for the Salt Cats, and he did it all in a small body as he stands at 5-foot-11, 150-pounds. His size doesn’t stop him from striking out a large number of hitters, however — he had 62 strikeouts in his 48 innings of work. Pisik uses his smarts and control on the mound to get hitters out.
4. Derek Martin, OF, Cortland (Southeastern/SO in 2017)
Martin showcased big-time power this summer in New York, launching seven home runs and driving in 46. He also had three triples and 12 doubles, with a grand total of 59 hits.
5. Joe Anselmi, OF/IF, Syracuse Salt Cats (Manhattanville/Graduate w/ eligibility)
Anselmi is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound player that does a little bit of everything. He plays in the infield and outfield and he toes the rubber as well. He shows big power at the plate and also flashes a great arm. He has 6.75 (60-yard dash) speed that plays at every position as well.
South Florida Collegiate Baseball League
Official league website
Year established: 2011
States represented: Florida
No. of teams: 10
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Pompano Beach Clippers (25-8)
Postseason Champion: Pompano Beach Clippers
Player of the Year: JP Sorma, OF, Pompano Beach (Ohio State/Ashland/JR in 2017)
Pitcher of the Year: Tommy Romero, RHP, Pompano Beach (East Florida State/SO in 2017)
Top 5 Prospects
1. J.P. Sorma, OF, Pompano Beach (Ohio State/Ashland/JR in 2017)
Sorma showed his ability to leave the yard at any time and in any part of the field this summer with his powerful righthanded swing. He hit more than a couple of his 19 summer home runs to the opposite field. He is a 6.8 (60-yard dash) runner, and will more than likely fit best in left field at the next level because of a slightly below average arm.
2. Tommy Romero, RHP, Pompano Beach (East Florida State/SO in 2017)
Romero was a starter this summer with Pompano Beach, and that is where he will likely stay. Romero sits between 91-92 most of the time with his fastball, but he will run it up to 94 mph when he needs a little extra. He also has two breaking balls that he controls well.
3. Tyler Schwanz, OF/RHP, Delray Beach (Maine/SR in 2017)
Schwanz is a two-way prospect that hits for both average and power, but also is highly projectable on the mound with his 6-foot-4 frame. He hit .412 this summer, the only hitter to do that in the South Florida league, and he also sat 91-92 mph with his fastball with a smooth, effortless delivery.
4. Andy Rohloff, RHP, Coral Springs (Central Florida/JR in 2017)
Rohloff has a big projectable arm as well. The 6-foot-2 righty works from 93-94 mph, but touched 95. He has electric stuff at the college level, but projects more out of the bullpen in pro ball. His slider is his best secondary pitch, as it’s a sharp, swing-and-miss pitch.
5. Dave Egeland, LHP, Delray Beach (Bridgeport/SR in 2017)
Egeland is the smooth lefty that you look for out of a college arm. During the league all-star Game this summer he got up to 92 mph with his fastball. He also uses a low-80s slider and a changeup that keeps hitters off balance.
Jayhawk League
Official league website
Year Established: 1975
States represented: Kansas, Oklahoma
No. of teams: 8
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Hays Larks (33-10)
Postseason Champion: Hays Larks
Top 5 Prospects
1. Austin O’Brien, 1B, Hays (Oklahoma/JR in 2017)
O’Brien was the biggest stud of the league this year, and he lands as the top overall prospect as well. He finished just two hits shy of winning the league’s triple crown. He led the league in home runs (9), RBI (48), doubles (17), runs (48) and batting average (.410). O’Brien has been a three-year starter for the Sooners.
2. Taylor Snyder, SS, Liberal (SIGNED/Rockies)
Snyder is built like a pro shortstop at 6-foot-2, and he’s now playing pro ball at that position after he signed with the Colorado Rockies after playing just four games with the Liberal Bee Jays. He did plenty of damage in those four games, hitting three doubles, two home runs, and knocking in six.
3. Mike Mioduszewski, OF, Hays (Eastern Michigan/JR in 2017)
O’Brien gets a lot of the love for having the most power in the league, but Mioduszewski might give him a run for his money. He had eight home runs during the regular season and won the home run derby at the NBC World Series. He stands at 6-foot-4 and his power projects to the next level.
4. J.B. Olson, RHP, Liberal (Oklahoma/JR in 2017)
It’s often times an exaggeration when someone is described as flawless on the mound, but Olson was awfully close. He didn’t allow a single run working as the Bee Jays closer, over a span of 11 1/3 innings. He works at a low three-quarters arm slot that is difficult to pick up, and uses a fastball that works between 89-91 mph.
5. Keegan Curtis, RHP, Hays (Louisiana-Monroe/FR in 2017)
Curtis had a very good season with Hays, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.43 ERA. He looked even better for the Larks during the NBC World Series, throwing six innings against KCBL champion Hutchinson and striking out 11 hitters. In an outing against the Kansas Stars (with former big leaguers Adam LaRoche, J.D. Drew, Jack Wilson, and Brandon Inge in the lineup) he went five innings and struck out nine.
Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League
Official league website
Year Established: 1967
States represented: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
No. of teams: 8
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Allentown (27-10)
Postseason Champion: Allentown
Player of the Year: Zach Leone, C/1B, Staten Island (Susquehanna/SO in 2017)
Pitcher of the Year: Cory Heitler, RHP, North Jersey (Wagner/SO in 2017)
Top 5 Prospects
1. Drew Tumbelty, RHP, South Jersey (Rider/JR in 2017)
Tumbelty hasn’t been a top pitching prospect for long, but it’s not because he hasn’t been good on the mound. It’s because he just started toeing the rubber recently, converting over from his old spot on the infield. He touches 94-95 mph with his fastball fairly regularly, and his rawness and potential on the mound is what makes him so intriguing.
2. Cory Heitler, RHP, North Jersey (Wagner/SO in 2017)
Heitler used an arsenal of four legitimate offerings to be named the Atlantic Pitcher of the Year. The honor was well deserved, as he posted a 1.77 ERA in just over 50 innings. He struck out 60 this summer, combining his 12-to-6 curveball with a tight slider.
3. Joe Zirolli, OF/3B, South Jersey (Cecil County/SO in 2017)
Zirolli is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound load at the plate, and his power jumps out when you watch him hit. The JuCo player slugged eight home runs this summer with South Jersey, and he also hit for average (.393). He is also a very good athlete for his size.
4. Dan Wirchansky, LHP, North Jersey (Rockland CC/SO in 2017)
Wirchansky doesn’t blow anybody away with his 88 mph fastball, but he gets a lot of swings and misses and weak contact with his sharp curveball and changeup. His 2.82 ERA was partly due to the 52 strikeouts he posted in 51 innings, again proving he doesn’t need an elite fastball to get hitters out.
5. Shane Woelfel, OF, North Jersey (Bloomsburg/JR in 2017)
Woelfel is a speed guy, and he used his speed this summer to hit for a higher average than anyone else in the league (.405). He combines the speed with a little bit of pop in his swing as well, with four home runs and 20 RBI. He had 18 stolen bases in 22 attempts as well.