New York Games: Genesee Valley Position Player Analysis

July 22, 2015

Dan Cevette
Director, New York

The New York Games took place July 7-9, hosted in Rochester NY - allowing over 180 high-level NYS baseball players the chance to be seen on a larger platform. Over 70 colleges and a handful of MLB scouts made their way to Rochester in hopes of uncovering a hidden Gem. Three players have already committed to D1 programs due to their high-end performance at our event and many more are taking visits and weighing college offers.

Here's a look at the Genesee Valley position player reports from our New York Games:

Genesee Valley Team

DJ Berry, C/MIF, Aquinas HS, NY (2017) Stands 5-foot-10, 150-pounds with an athletic body. Very aggressive approach in field with quick hands and rangy, clean loose arm action with good strength and accuracy. Receives pitches clean with soft hands and has fast footwork during transfer. At the plate shows a relaxed, balanced setup. Appears to have no load with a long stride to the pitch, hands could quicken to help bat path through the zone. Extension is short and compact with an athletic high-finish. Shows some projection with the bat if he continues to put in the hard work.

Mike Perlo, C, Fairport HS, NY (2016) Stands at an athletic looking 5-foot-9, 170-pounds. Behind the plate has good hands and receives the ball cleanly. Has a wide base with good target and shows promise with smooth transfer. Quick arm action with a Low-High-3/4 arm slot. At the plate his setup is balanced and relaxed. Has smooth back load and short stride to the pitch, shows projection with the bat, some uphill bat plane tilt and a mid-section balanced finish. Bat and hand speed will quicken with more strength gains.

Sean O’Neill, C, Webster Schroeder HS, NY (2016) Stands at a solid, athletic 6-foot-0, 175-pounds. Behind the plate shows soft and clean hands when receiving and transferring for throw. Has good footwork with a high-3/4 arm slot. At the plate his setup is relaxed and has great balance. During the pitch his back load is smooth and has a compact short stride to the ball. Demonstrates some projection as a hitter, bat path is long and stays in the zone, finishes with slightly uphill bat plane and mid-section balanced position.

Justin Bunting, MIF, Greece Athena HS, NY (2016) Stands an athletic 6-foot-0, 175-pounds. As a fielder shows potential to have aggressive instincts with clean hands, has upside with footwork with more lateral speed work. Very athletic arm action with multiple arm slots to target. At the plate is very balanced and relaxed with clean back load and compact, short stride to the pitch. Very projectable hitter who keeps the bat at a level plane through zone and has a good mid-section finish. Hands will quicken with more work and increase in overall strength.

Brennan Smith, 1B, Webster Thomas HS, NY (2016) Very athletic build standing at a solid 6-foot-1, 175-pounds frame. Clean and smooth approach with soft and relaxed hands as a fielder, rangy, clean loose arm action with accuracy to target. At the plate stance is open and relaxed, during the pitch back load is smooth and stride is short. Hands are short and quick to the ball with some uphill bat plane tilt on swing. Finish is high and shows strength as a projectable hitter.

Ryan Simmons, SS/3B, Victor HS, NY (2016) Athletically built with a 5-foot-11, 175-pounds frame. Has a clean, loose arm action with great arm strength across the diamond, has potential for rangy ability. Fields ball deep but arm strength and quick release makes him a solid fielder. At the plate setup is balanced and relaxed, path to the ball is compact and strong with a smooth load and short stride to the pitch. Has high finish and keeps the bat level through the hitting zone. Shows great projection as a hitter with more hard work.

Maddux Minton, OF, Livonia HS, NY (2016) Athletic body frame standing 6-foot-0, 165-pounds. Fields the ball well but can improve approach and range with more outfield drills. Plays through the ball and releases with a high-3/4 arm slot. Balanced setup with a relaxed approach at the plate. Back load is smooth, quick with compact and quick hands to the ball. Shows projection as a hitter with some uphill bat plane tilt of swing path.

Dominic Palma, C, Hilton HS, NY (2016) Athletic and solid body standing at 5-foot-11, 195-pounds. Behind the plate shows soft and clean receiving skills, fast footwork and great transfer during throw downs. Arm slot is versatile with good strength and accuracy. Approaches with an open setup, smooth load and short balanced stride to the pitch. Bat path is compact and strong through the zone and stays level through contact. Finishes with an athletic and balanced look. Great projection as a hitter with solid contact and power.

Tanner Cooper, MIF, Canandaigua HS, NY (2017) Athletically framed at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds. Glove is open out in front, clean hands on transfer into throwing, has potential for range with improvement on lateral movement to the ball. Arm slot is versatile and shows great accuracy to the target. At the plate displays an open stance that is relaxed and balanced, back load is smooth and stride is short to the pitch. Bat plane is level through the hitting zone and with a mid-high finish. Solid hitter with great projection.

Matt Buss, 1B, Fairport HS, NY (2016) Strong, thick body frame standing 5-foot-11, 180-pounds. Arm strength and accuracy is a great attribute, releases at a high-3/4 arm slot. Fields the ball deep but has good hands and potential for range with more lateral movement drills. Shows a relaxed, balanced setup at the plate, no stride to the pitch with a smooth back load to start swing. Hands are compact and strong to the ball, gets full extension through the hitting zone with a high finish. Shows projection as a hitter with solid contact and power capability.

Steven Hendrick, MIF, Rush Henrietta HS, NY (2017) Athletic, small body frame at 5-foot-8, 155-pounds. Fields the ball deep but has smooth clean steps during the approach. Potential as a fielder with more movement and lateral fielding drills. Arm slot is high-3/4 with accuracy on throws. Hitting approach is relaxed and balanced with a smooth back load and short stride to the pitch. Hands are short and quick to the ball with level bat plane through the hitting zone. Has projection as a hitter with hard work.

Stephen Edgett, OF, Webster Thomas HS, NY (2016) Solid athletic body frame of 6-foot-4, 185-pounds. Good approach as a fielder, smooth soft hands and good glove control, rangy. Arm is strong with carry and has accuracy, arm action is clean and loose with a high-3/4 arm slot. At the plate has an open stance showing he is relaxed and balanced, short stride and smooth back load during the pitch. Long, full extension through the point of contact with a high finish. Shows some projection as a hitter with good contact ability.

Ryan Marketell, MIF, Webster Thomas HS, NY (2016) Standing at 6-foot-5, 165-pounds with an athletic body. Stays deep with glove and hands, potential as a fielder with more work, quick release at a low-3/4 arm slot. At the plate stance is relaxed and has good balance, keeps hands short to the ball with no load and short stride to the pitch. Keeps bat level through the zone to some uphill tilt with mid-section finish. Some projection as a hitter with more hard work.

Alec Vaules, MIF, Pittsford Sutherland HS, NY (2016) Strong, thick body type at 5-foot-11,185-pounds. Clean glove work, recoils on throw with a low-3/4 arm slot, has good instincts but needs to work on lateral movement. Balanced, relaxed hitting setup with a short stride to the ball prior to contact, short and quick extension with good bat speed through the hitting zone. Some potential as a hitter with contact approach.

James Maddison, U, Aquinas HS, NY (2016) Good athletic stature of 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Good glove and hand action during fielding, throws over the top with good arm strength and carry to the target. Quality instincts as a fielder, will improve with more hard work. At the plate setup is open and relaxed, quick back load and short stride to the pitch. Bat path is long with some extension, keeps bat plane level with some uphill tilt after contact.

Brett Turpyn, MIF, Hilton HS, NY (2016) Strong, solid, body frame. Stays deep with hands and glove while fielding, has good instincts but choppy at times, Releases at a high-3/4 arm slot with accuracy towards target. Open, relaxed stance at the plate with smooth load and short stride to initiate contact. Shows projection with a short, compact swing. Keeps the bat level through the hitting zone with a high finish after contact.

Jason Downs, U, Albion HS, NY (2016) Small body, but athletic at 5-foot-8, 145-pounds. Versatile fielder who shows great range, clean and smooth footwork towards the ball, hands are smooth and quick to release point. Arm action is clean and has multiple arm slots he can release from. At the plate he is very balanced and relaxed, smooth back load and short stride helps keep his swing compact and short through the zone. Bat path is short and ends with a high finish after contact. Shows potential as a contact hitter.

Alex Canty, MIF, Batavia HS, NY (2016) Standing at 5-foot-9,155-pounds with an athletic build. Aggressive instincts as a fielder, gloves and hands stay open out in front as ball approaches, arm action is clean and loose with a quick release, follows through to the target after releasing the ball. Approach at the plate begins with an open setup, back load is smooth and clean, short stride to the ball, hands are short and quick through the hitting zone, keeps bat plane level through the point of contact and end with a high finish. Has some projection as a contact hitter.