Colorado Year in Review: 3rd Most Viewed Story

December 29, 2014

By Jeff Markle
Assistant State Director

We're looking back at the top 15 most viewed stories on our website from the year of 2014. Our 3rd most viewed story was the Prep Baseball Report Colorado Rankings for the class of 2017. Below you can read the entire story.

John Cackowski
State Director

Recently PBR Colorado released their first 2015 and 2016 rankings. It is now time to release our 2017 rankings. When making this list PBR Colorado had to take into consideration the majority of these players have not played in a spring varsity game yet. Taking that into consideration we expect this list can fluctuate a lot by the end of the spring season. We will be re-ranking the 2017 class after the Underclass Invitational on 1/25/15

Starting at No. 1 is RHP Caleb Sloan of Regis. At 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, Sloan is already a strong physical pitcher who is still growing into his body. Sloan has seen his fastball go from the lower 80's last June to 88 mph on multiple occasions this winter during Slammers Arm Velocity Camp. Caleb also plays football and is a quarterback for Regis. As he gets back into baseball shape for the spring and with his frame he projects to potentially be in the lower 90's by end of his sophomore year. On pace to be very elite pitcher and quarterback for the Jesuits. Between No. 4 2015 Brent Schwarz, No 1. 2016 Bo Weiss, and No. 1 2017 Caleb Sloan Regis should have a pretty dominate force on the mound in 2015.

No. 2 in our rankings is Heritage switch-hitting catcher Casey Opitz. At 5-foot-11, 145-pounds Opitz is still growing but shows great action and potential behind the dish and has a mature approach at the plate. Coming from a talented baseball family where his two older brothers Jake and Shane who were both middle infielders and both drafted, Casey takes on the catching position and has a great chance to follow in his brother's footprints at Heritage.

No. 3 in our rankings is Jacob Arellano of Mountain Range HS. 5-foot-8, 140-pounds, right-handed hitting MIF/RHP impressed us with very good skills showcasing good hands and range with good accuracy throwing the ball 84 mph across the diamond from shortstop at the Southern Colorado Prospect Games. Hits from an athletic stance with minimal load, producing short uphill bat path with good bat speed and extension. On the mound Arellano showed same promise with a loose, 3/4 arm slot with level shoulders and squared, in-line delivery toward plate. Fastball topped out at 82 mph sitting at 80 and curveball was 68 mph with late breaking 11/5 action. Ran a 7.13 60. and had a 4.53 home to first time.

No 4. in our Rankings is Paul Degracia of Highlands Ranch. A 5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hittingthird baseman hits from a wide, open setup, hands load and back smoothly, stride is short, hands stay quiet pre-pitch, with short, uphill bat-path producing line drives with good carry from gap-to-gap and 82 mph exit velocity. Let's the ball get deep and has a good approach at the plate with maturity to go the other way. Does a good job of utilizing lower half in his swing. Stays low fielding the baseball showcasing very good hands, throwing 80 mph across the diamond from a short, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy. On the mound has a long-short arm action with good balance point and max effort delivery. He is in-line to the plate with good down angle producing fastballs 82-84 mph. Curve ball comes in at 66 mph with 12/6 action and nice bite.

Enough Reading about them to see the list click here.

Here is a sneak peak at the top 10

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Caleb Sloan	CO	Regis	2017	RHP
2	Casey Opitz	CO	Heritage	2017	C
3	Jacob Arellano	CO	Mountain Range	2017	SS
4	Paul Degracia	CO	Highlands Ranch	2017	3B
5	Jake Hilton	CO	Arapahoe	2017	SS
6	Carter Akerfeldt	CO	Mullen	2017	RHP
7	James Notary	CO	Legacy	2017	OF
8	Austin Chouinard	CO	Regis Jesuit	2017	SS
9	Jack Winkler	CO	Chatfield	2017	2B/MIF
10	Luke Kuberski	CO	Green Mountain	2017	OF