EASTON – The college baseball scouts arrived at the two-day Lehigh Valley Showcase with the standard tools of the trade – radar guns, stop watches and notepads.
The large contingent also brought something else to the event staged at Easton High School – a trained eye to uncover a hidden diamond on the diamond.
Thirty colleges participated in the session, representing seven different states (Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, New York) and all three NCAA divisional levels (D1, D2, D3).
Schools in attendance included Alvernia, Cabrini, Delaware, Dickinson, East Stroudsburg, Elon, Franklin and Marshall, Juniata, Kutztown, Lafayette, Lehigh, Lock Haven, Maryland, Millersville, Misericordia, Moravian, Muhlenberg, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Scranton, Seton Hall, Shippensburg, St. Joseph’s, UNC-Asheville, Ursinus, Virginia Tech, Wagner, West Chester and Widener.
The Lehigh Valley Showcase featured defensive sessions for infielders, outfielders and catchers on Day One, extended batting practice on Day Two and plenty of game action to wrap up both sessions.
The 85 players in attendance got exactly what they came for – high visibility and great exposure in front of a wide array of college programs and a solid opportunity to display their quantifiable skills and other assets that aren’t so easy to measure.
What they are saying:
Jake Siwert, 1B, Pennridge
What was your primary goal or objective for attending this event?
“I really wanted to be aggressive, whether it was hitting or on the bases. I felt like if I did that, then I would get the most out of it.”
How do you think you performed?
“I hit okay. I maybe wasn’t quite as aggressive as I wanted to be. There were probably a few pitches I took that I should have swung at.”
What is the biggest thing you can take away from this event?
“The biggest thing I can take away is just getting some exposure in front of coaches and showing them what I can do.”
Luke Storm, 3B, Easton
What was your primary goal or objective for attending this event?
“I just wanted to play my hardest and my best in front of these coaches.”
How do you think you performed?
“I feel like I made a couple of mistakes in the field, but it’s something that I can work on. I could also capitalize on some other things as well. There’s room to grow.”
What is the biggest thing you can take away from this event?
“Just getting a chance to show what I can do in front of all the coaches.”
Chris Sparacino, P, Pope John Paul II
What was your primary goal or objective for attending this event?
“I just wanted to get seen by as many college coaches as I could and just show them how much I love baseball.”
How do you think you performed?
“I feel like I performed pretty well. I threw a lot of strikes and got a lot of hitters out.”
What is the biggest thing you can take away from this event?
“Just getting to go out and have fun in front of college coaches and always hustling and putting in extra effort.”
Kevin Slick, 1B/3B, Souderton
What was your primary goal or objective for attending this event?
“Just getting out here and seeing what college coaches think of me as a player.”
How do you think you performed?
“I could have done better. I had three hits, but I think they were all grounders and I didn’t get a ton of opportunities in the field.”
What is the biggest thing you can take away from this event?
“That I could maybe work on some fielding. I didn’t get the most of all of my chances.”
JT Thompson, C, West Chester East
What was your primary goal or objective for attending this event?
“I just wanted to show what I could do and make sure I try my hardest.”
How do you think you performed?
“I played okay, I think. I know I can do better, but overall I did okay.”
What is the biggest thing you can take away from this event?
“Always work and know there’s always room to improve. I can get better at blocking and a few other things, but I have to keep putting work in.”
Positional standouts by the numbers
Pitchers
Sean Hughes (Archbishop Wood, 2017) – 86 mph
Kody Cracknell (Archbishop Wood, 2017) – 85 mph
Catchers
Dan Stauffer (Elk County Catholic, 2017) – 1.90 pop time … 5-for-9, 2 doubles in 2 games
Chris Burke (North Schuylkill, 2017) – 1.94 pop time … 6.95 in 60-yard dash … HR, 2 singles in 2 games
Casey Rother (Tamaqua, 2018) – 1.93 pop time
Eric Gale (Neshaminy, 2017) – 2.04 pop time
Ryan Kolimaga (CR South, 2017) – 2.05 pop time
Mark D’Alonzo (Lower Merion, 2018) – 2.06 pop time
Infielders
JD Barrett (Dallas, 2017) – 2 doubles, triple
Edward Denny (Stroudsburg, 2017) – 6.78 in 60 … 3-for-8 in 2 games
Christian Evans (Penncrest, 2017) – 3-for-6 … 6.97 in 60
Jake Geissler (Rustin, 2018) – 4-for-8, 2 triples
Liam Hughes (Easton, 2017) – 3-for-6
Matt Hutchins (Northampton, 2017) - .857 OBP (4 walks, single, reached on error in 7 PA)
Jack Sullivan (Germantown Academy, 2018) – 2 doubles
Nick Yannuzzelli (Easton, 2019) – 2-for-3 in Game 1
Outfielders
Kyle Albert (Stroudsburg, 2017) – 3-for-4 (3 singles) in Day 2 game
Riley Baumbick (St. Edwards, Ohio, 2017) 3-for-7 (double)
Seiler Edwards (Donegal, 2017) – 4-for-7 with 2 doubles
Dominic Fischetti (Loyalsock, 2018) – HR … 6.92 in 60
Tommy Rodriguez (Eastside, 2017) – 86 mph
Brandon Shafer (Schuylkill Haven, 2018) 3-for-3, triple in Game 1
Top 60-yard dash times
Edward Denny (Stroudsburg, 2017) 6.78
Michael Prisias (Archbishop Wood, 2017) 6.78
Hunter McClintock (Manheim, 2017) 6.84
John Contoudis (Jenkintown, 2017) 6.88
Dominic Fischetti (Loyalsock, 2018) 6.92
JT Harris (Bridgeport, W.Va., 2017) 6.94
Dale Houser (Donegal, 2017) 6.94
Cody Scherer (Lehighton, 20178) 6.94
Chris Burke (North Schuylkill, 2017) 6.95
Christian Evans (Penncrest, 2017) 6.97
Adam Fine (Harriton, 2019) 6.97
Bobby Wagner (North Schuylkill, 2017) 6.97
Matt Brunetti (Pope John Paul II, 2017) 6.97
Mike Worthington (Solanco, 2017) 6.97
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