2017 Summer Collegiate Top Prospect Index

www.hamptonsbaseball.org
Year established: 2008
States represented: New York
No. of teams: 7
Regular season Champion (best overall record): Westhampton Aviators (27-14)
Postseason Champion: Long Island Road Warriors

Player of the Year: Nick Bottari, 1b, Westhampton (Southeastern)
Pitcher of the Year: Evan Tubbs, rhp, Southampton (St. Edwards)


Top 5 Prospects

1. Kyle Martin, rhp, Riverhead (Fordham/SO in 2018)
Martin was dominant during his freshman year pitching predominantly out of Fordham’s bullpen, going 6-1 with a 2.76 ERA and an impressive 45-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 32 2/3 innings. He continued to pitch mostly out of the bullpen again in the summer with similar results, striking out 39 and walking just seven in 23 1/3 innings. Martin’s fastball sits at 88-92 mph, touching the mid-90s on occasion and adds deception, and movement, thanks to his lower three-quarters slot. He also throws a solid slider and developing changeup that could determine his eventual role.

2. Nick Bottari, 1b, Westhampton (Southeastern/R-JR in 2018)
After starting his collegiate career at Miami, Bottari has transferred to NAIA powerhouse Southeastern after two years at Hofstra. Long known for his talents in the batter’s box, Bottari enjoyed a huge summer, hitting a league-leading .454 with 10 homers and 38 RBI on his way to being named the league’s MVP. He shows a keen eye at the plate with the ability to hit for both average and power, consistently hitting the ball hard to all fields.

3. George Bell, of, Riverhead (Connors State/SO in 2018)
Bell is the son of the 1987 American League MVP of the same name, and the younger Bell has a similar profile to his father. Bell has considerable power potential with a still-growing 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame and the ability to drive the ball hard to the gaps. He homered and doubled in the league’s all-star game to earn MVP honors and he also displays 6.6 speed and a cannon of an arm from the outfield.

4. Shane McDonald, lhp, Long Island (Southern New Hampshire/R-SR in 2018)
McDonald was nearly unhittable for the league champs, going 4-0 with a 0.42 ERA mostly as a reliever and then drew a pair of starts in the postseason, including a masterful 12-strikeout performance over seven innings to claim the championship. He finished his summer by helping Brewster to a championship in the Cape Cod League, using a lively 88-91 mph fastball, late-breaking slider and promising changeup to record outs. McDonald is also a very intense competitor on the mound, and may be best used in a short relief or specialist role at the next level.

5. Justin Lebek, of, Sag Harbor (Davidson/JR in 2018)
Lebek did his fair share of damage at the plate in the spring for the Super Regional upstar Davidson team, hitting .282 with seven dingers and 44 RBI. He arrived late to the Hamptons as a result but still tied for the lead in homers with league MVP Nick Bottari with 10. Lebek has good leverage in his swing with quiet, quick hands, and could become a bigger power threat with more consistent contact. He has the foot speed and arm strength to be an asset on an outfield corner as well.


Prospects 6-10:
Freddy Sabido, 1b/of, Wagner
Jacob Stracner, of, McNeese State
Matt Hansen, ss, Toledo
Nick Robinson, rhp, Rhode Island
Tanner Propst, lhp, Louisiana Tech