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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/12/2018

18u World Series Days 1-2 Notes


Day 1 action at the 2018 18u Perfect Game World Series saw some highly competitive games and featured a number of college bound players in early summer action as they prepare for the next step. The Florida Sox  got off to a hot start in early Monday morning action by besting Xtreme Baseball by a final count of 9-3.

University of Georgia signee, and recent Gulf Coast High School grad, Shane Marshall (2018, Naples, Fla.) showed why is bound for the Southeastern Conference. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound righthanded power swinger lived up to his billing by driving in three with two solid knocks. He also played flawlessly at first base for the Florida based Sox club.

The Sox lefthanded hitting leadoff hitter, 5-foot-9, 170-pound, Emilio Polanco (2019, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) was the catalyst for his club’s offense and was a ballhawk in center field. Polanco, hitting out of an open stance, drove one of the first pitches of the ball game to the deepest part of right-center field and then showed off his plus-plus speed by racing to third base and setting the table for the Sox big offensive day. The rising senior at Cenapec HS, is blessed with noticeable tools that should only improve with experience and exposure.

Two tradition-bound summer programs teed it up  in the second game of the day. Northeast Baseball 18u and Chandler World played in a well-played contest that was finally broken open in the fifth by NE Baseball as they cruised to a 6-1 victory behind a tandem of talented pitchers, solid defense, and timely hitting.

Tyler Snow (2018, Tavares, Fla.), a burly, 6-foot-4, 230-pound southpaw started and went four solid innings for Northeast. The Florida Southern University bound Snow threw first pitch strikes to all but two hitters and only allowed a scratch run. The big lefty pitches exclusively out of the stretch and pounds the zone with a 84-86 mph heavy sinker that he works to both sides of the plate. His breaking ball, a 12-to-6 curveball (68-70 mph), is a late breaker that is highly deceptive. Snow showed poise and composure and a highly repeatable high three-quarter arm action throughout his first game outing.

Snow turned the ball over to Kent State University signee, Max Rippl (2018, Ft. Myers, Fla.). The 6-foot, 190-pound Rippl, who just finished his interscholastic career at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, used a solid three-pitch mix to keep Chandler World off-balance and help secure the Northeast victory. Using a repeatable three-quarters arm slot and a whippy arm action, Rippl mixed and matched for three innings and never threw a pitch that did not move. His two-seam fastball showed heavy sink and arm side run and was clocked up to 89-mph. He pitched consistently in the 86-88 mph range. His slider sat at 77-mph and was a sweeping tight spinner that missed bats. His third pitch, a 75-mph change-up, was a highly effective option that gave the Chandler World hitters one more pitch to have to take into account.

The Northeast team was paced offensively by a number of hitters, but three stood out in their first game victory.

Bobby Sparling (2018, Palm Coast, Fla.), a solid 6-foot-2, 195-pound, corner infielder, served as the DH for Northeast in this game and certainly lived up to the “hitter” part as he was responsible for plating four of the NE Baseball club’s six runs. The powerfully built Sparling, a Daytona State College signee, hits from a slightly open stance and is a true righthanded pull hitter. He turned around a tough 84-mph heavy sinker on the inner-half and hit it over the left field fence to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. An inning later, he drove a pitch to deep left-center field with the bases full. His three RBI knock gave the Northeast pitching staff all the support they would need.

Penn State commit, Ben Kailher (2019, Rumford, R.I.) was outstanding with the leather and the stick. The slick-fielding shortstop was a steady hand on the left side of the infield and made some tough chances look routine. He has a great first step, soft hands, and a strong arm that produces throws that are true and firm. Offensively, the 5-foor-8, 155-pound dynamo, hitting out of a slightly open stance, has surprising raw power. Kaihler uses the whole field and drives the ball especially well to the gaps. He has plus-plus speed and can easily stretch routine hits for extra bases.

Local Southwest Florida product, Drake Dobyanski (2018, Naples, Fla.) was outstanding at the dish and in center field for NE Baseball in their victory. The switch-hitting Dobyanski is an athlete and uses his projectible speed and quickness to stand out offensively and defensively. The Florida Gulf Coast University bound outfielder is a toolsy player who takes charge defensively and covers ground with the confidence and ability of a professional prospect. At the dish, he is a contact hitter who uses his speed as a weapon to put pressure on any defense.

The tough luck starting pitcher for Chandler World 18u was Montreat College signee, Clem Marsilia (2018, St. Petersburg, Fla.). The 5-foot-11, 165-pound righthander used a solid three-pitch mix to hold down a very potent Northeast offense and left after four innings, with the game tied at 1-1. His running, heavy sinker was consistently clocked in the 82-84 mph range and was never straight. His 11-to-5, slurvy breaking ball had a late, sweeping break, that was hard to track and harder to square up. His third pitch was a solid 75-mph change that he threw out of the same window as his fastball.

– Jerry Miller



Toeing the rubber for eXposure Florida in game one vs Chi Town Cream was lefthanded pitcher Stephen Wilmer (2018, Sarasota, Fla.) who went 3 2/3 innings pitched. While standing only 5-foot-11, Wilmer was able to get on top of the ball well and create a downward plane for himself. His fastball sat 86 mph, touching 88 mph, while mixing in a curveball from 69-71 mph with down movement.

Brian Martin (2018, Westland, Mich.) served as the DH for Chi Town. He was able to get the offense started against Wilmer, collecting the first hit of the game off an 87 mph fastball that he turned on and drove down the third base line. Martin stands 6-foot-1, weighing 205 pounds with solid present strength.

Chi Town brought in Tristin Lively (2018, Las Cruces, N.M.) from the bullpen to close out the game, and the righthander executed. Going two and two-thirds, Lively struck out six batters, walking one and didn’t allow a hit. The six-foot, 187-pound righty hit 91 mph with his fastball, sitting 88-90 mph with movement. His ability to miss bats with the fastball is generated from his loose arm action that creates tailing action on the pitch. He mixed in a sweeping slider at 77-79 mph.

Shortstop Miguel Soto (2018, Kissimmee, Fla.) hit the ball with authority over the course of two games. Against Chi Town, Soto did a great job of staying inside the baseball and driving the ball to right field. He followed that up with two hits against Dbacks Langley Blaze, including a double hit into the right-centerfield gap. Soto maintains an inside-out swing and focuses on hitting line drives.

In the early morning game against eXposure Florida, first baseman Justin Thorsteinson (2020, Langley British Columbia) flashed his power potential. A physical presence on the field, Thorsteinson has a large 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame. Down three runs in the last inning, he got a fastball inside and turned on it. Thorsteinson pulled his hands in and through the zone quickly, tying the game on one swing as he sent home run over the right field fence.

Dbacks starting pitcher Zach McQuaid (2018, Langley, British Columbia) was terrific, working five and two-thirds innings against eXposure. Standing 6-foot-2, 190-pounds with an athletic build, McQuaid flashed an 89 mph fastball that he used to establish the strike zone. He worked in a knee-buckling slurvy breaking ball at times with tight spin. McQuaid throws from a loose three-quarters arm slot, pounding the zone with strikes and working fast.

Catching most of the game for eXposure was Austin Schmitt (2018, Valley Park, Mo.) who showed quickness behind the plate and a strong arm. He threw out a few runners at third base, one on a pick off that he threw behind the runner. The other came off a base hit to right field. The right fielder delivered a strike to home plate, which caused the runner rounding third base to put on the brakes. Schmitt received the throw and on a quick glove-to-hand transfer, nailed the runner at third for an out. He also pitched the final two innings, touching 87 mph off the mound.

Diamond Prospects 17u starter Juan Osorio (2018, Miami, Fla.) established his fastball early against Chandler World 18u. Osorio works free and easy with a three-quarters arm slot and has a fastball sitting 86-92 mph with some arm side sink. He mixes in a roller curveball at 69-73 mph, with a good difference in velocity from his breaking ball and fastball. He flashed a changeup at times at 78-82 mph. In four innings, Osorio struck out seven hitters.

Tate Dearing (2018, Surrey, British Columbia) worked two innings for Dbacks Langley, striking out four batters on 41 pitches. At 6-foot-2, 210-pounds, Dearing has a durable pitchers body. His fastball sat 85-89 mph and worked both sides of the plate with the pitch. He dropped in a slider at 76-79 mph, using it effectively to backfoot lefthanded hitters.

Nailing down a one inning save for Slammers was Kasey Koppelmaa (2018, Littleton, Colo.). The 6-foot-1 lefthander pitches with some effort while working at a fast pace. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a fastball sitting 84-86 mph with a solid downhill angle and some life. Needing just 16 pitches, Koppelmaa struck out the only three batters he faced.

– Jacob Frisaro
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