New York Games: Pitchers Analysis - Part One

July 21, 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 pitchers reports from our New York Games: Part One

Pitching Reports - Part One

Reid VanScoter, LHP, Livonia HS, NY (2017) stands 5-foot-11, 16-pounds with a lean athletic frame. Has grown and gained strength since last February. He uses a fast but balanced delivery from a long, quick Over-the-top slot. Throws with downhill tilt, showed late arm side sink at 81-82 mph. VanScoter does show the ability to up his velocity when needed. Topped 84 mph several times in his outing. Changes speeds well, lives down in the zone, all pitches for strikes, works inside with fastball well.

Ryan Marketell, RHP, Webster Thomas HS, NY (2016) stands 6-foot-5, with a lean 165-pounds on his frame with a ton of room for growth. Wide shoulders and strong legs, could easily hold more weight. Long but slightly choppy arm action, with a High ¾-arm slot. Got hit when 4-seem (79-81) was flat in the zone. 2-seem showed good arm side sink. Curveball was loose at times, but when thrown correctly, showed sharp late depth, 11/5 shape. Good glove action, finishes well over front side. Keep an eye on him.

Brennen Smith, LHP, Webster Thomas HS, NY (2016) is an athletic and strong 6-foot-1, 175-pounds and can flat out pitch. Balanced and smooth delivery with a long and loose arm action. Mid to high-3/4 arm slot. Fastball showed hard sink with some late action at 81-82 mph. Showed he can bring up velo when needed. Sat 83-84 for an inning from the stretch. Would like to see him speed up his tempo between pitches. Curveball showed early action, but is able to throw it anywhere in the zone. Impressive pitcher, lives off the fastball, able to spot on both side of the plate, headed to Canisius fall of 2017.

Tanner Cooper, RHP, Canandaigua HS, NY (2017) works from a high-3/4 arm slot sitting 78-79. Slider featured tight rotation with some late action. Change up checked in at 73 MPH. Has strong arm from the infield, not sure pitching is in his future but at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds he has the body to develop.

Will Van Beusekom, RHP, CBA Albany, NY (2016) fastball sat 79-81, touching 83 MPH a few times from a high ¾-slot. A bit raw with his actions and secondary stuff needs some fine tuning. Pitched through less then prime conditions (11pm, light drizzle, wet field). Serious upside from his 6-foot-6 lanky frame.

James Maddison, Aquinas HS, NY (2016) great pitchers build at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Sat 79-81 MPH with good downhill action on FB from a high 3/4 slot slightly over-the-top with tilt. Curveball showed 12/6 action at 60-61 MPH. Possibly freeing up his arm slot would allow for better velocity but would change shape of breaking ball. Power mid-3/4 slot would provide his frame with the best velocity.

Evan Threehouse, RHP, Olean HS, NY (2016) 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, with room for additional gains physically. Sat 84-85, touching 86-87 MPH in a light rain. 2-seam fastball featured some arm-side action down and in on RHH in the 82-83 MPH range. Flashed the best breaking ball at the PBR Games when he stayed on top. Featured 10/4 shape with late razor blade bite to it. Occasionally would get underneath loosening up the rotation (67-68 MPH). Physical gains and change up development will help him reach his ceiling. Just committed to Radford.

Tyler Mattison, RHP, Fort Ann HS, NY (2017) young with a tremendous pitchers frame at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds. The RHP sat 84-85 MPH, topping 87 with more in the tank. Breaking ball featured slurve like tendencies with some 10/4 action, rotation a little loose. Featured a straight change that held its location at 74 MPH. Major upside.

Jon Sell, RHP, Burnt Hills HS, NY (2015) strong and athletic 6-foot-0, 195-pound frame. Wide shoulders, with room for growth in his base. Showed a quick and jerky delivery, and seemed to rush at times, yet showed excellent command with his FB 79-82mph from a high-3/4 arm slot. Arm action was short with good hand speed. Can throw CB's at different speeds keeping the same arm action. Should work on getting his change-up down in the zone. Finishes well over his front side.

Danny Hobbs, RHP, Saratoga HS, NY (2016) - committed to Siena College on 7/9 (After his start at the NY Games). Athletic 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame with room for growth. Fast paced Delivery, with a long/loose mid-3/4 arm slot. Had some control issues early in the game, Looked like he was overthrowing, and throwing badly across his body. Fastball had great life at 82-85mph. Curveball was sharp showing 10/4 break. Once his control improved, he dominated his final 3 innings of work. When he's on, he's one of the best in the eastern side of the state.

Joseph Schmidt, RHP, Saratoga HS, NY (2016) – stands 6-foot-1, 210-pounds, broad shoulders/strong legs. Works quickly, fast paced delivery. Sat 79-81 topping 82 mph. Mid to high-3/4 arm slot. Has a slight wrap but plus control. Curveball has sharp 11/5 break with depth. Knows how to pitch, will throw any pitch in any count. Good hand speed on Change-up, but stayed flat. Needs to work on using his lower half. Could increase velo easily. Finishes out in front with a slight glove side fall.

Dan Yankowski, RHP, Ichabob Crane HS, NY (2016) stands 5-foot-10, 175-pounds. Accomplished pitcher. Doesn't over power hitters, but control of all pitches is excellent. FB sat 79-81 from a High ¾-arm slot. 2-seem has some arm side sink. Curveball sits 63-67. Will throw CB's in any count, shows sharp-hard 12/6 bit. Finish is over the front side with minimal drag.

Joe Kruszka, RHP, Gowanda HS, NY (2016) - athletic 5-foot-9, 175-pounds, shows plus arm strength for his size. Sat 82-84 topping 86 twice. Fast paced delivery, with a long loose but very quick arm action. Over the top Release-Point. CB action is early, but thrown at 72-74mph. Tends to slow his arm action down on Change-up. Max effort at all-times, struggled for a bit out of the stretch, but he's athletic enough to make adjustments. Tough competitor, up-beat, Good team-mate, fun to watch.

Alec Vaules, RHP, Pittsford Sutherland HS, NY (2016) stands 5-foot-11, 185-pounds with an athletic, but stocky build. He uses a balanced delivery, throws from a short-compact arm-action at a mid-3/4 slot. Fastball sat 77-80 mph topping 82. Fastball shows some late jump at times with arm-side fade. Curveball sat 67-69 with loose spin. Finishes over his front side, repeatable.

Matt Johnson, RHP, Fairport HS, NY (2016) has an athletic, smaller build from the mound. Balanced through his delivery, long on his back side arm action, throws from a lower-3/4 slot with a fastball sitting 78-80 (max 81). He shows the ability to spin a baseball with a 67-68 mph sweeping slider that has swing and miss potential. Needs more arm-strength but definitely understands how to pitch.

Wyatt Conklin, LHP, Bloomfield HS, NY (2016) stands 6-foot-2, 175-pounds with an ideal pitchers build. His delivery is solid and balanced, uses a long and easy arm-action, he throws from a high-3/4 slot. Fastball sat 76-78 with great feel for the strike zone. Curveball was 64 mph, a bit loose and needs more hand-speed. If Conklin can up his velocity 3-4 mph he could be lights-out.

Brent Turpyn, RHP, Hilton HS, NY (2016) has a larger frame, wide thick shoulders. Delivery was pretty balanced through his finish, fastball was 77-80 mph from a high-3/4 slot but mostly flat. Curveball has early loose break at 65 mph.

Maddux Minton, RHP, Livonia HS, NY (2016) stands an athletic 6-foot-0, 165-pounds from the mound. We have seen Minton a bunch already this year, and although his velocity has stayed 77-80 mph there’s some things to like about his upside. Hand-speed is quick and arm works loose and easy from a ¾ slot, feel for spin but needs to be tighter at times. He has the chance to throw harder with time and work.

Lucas Terwilliger, LHP, Scotia-Glenville HS, NY (2017) uses a smaller frame from the left-side. Quick-jerky delivery, arm action stays short and quick from a high-3/4 slot with shoulder tilt. Fastball sat 77-79 topping out at 81 mph. Curveball has sweeping action at 62-65, changeup has good hand-speed at 73. Arm has some life from the left-side, fun player to follow.

James Weisman, RHP, Rocky Point HS, NY (2017) stands 5-foot-10, 175-pounds with an athletic build. His delivery is balanced through release, loose clean arm action, fastball sat 76-80 mph but stayed on one-plane. Curveball was 66-68 mph with some spin and loose break, finishes well over his front side. Arm looked a bit tired, reports of much better velocity.

Jason Downs, RHP, Albion HS, NY (2016)
Downs stands 5-foot-8, 145-pounds with a smaller build. Relaxed balanced delivery. Smooth tempo. Arm action is clean, throws from a mid-3/4 slot, fastball sitting 79-83 mph with some arm-side sink. Curveball has an early hump out of the hand sitting 67-70 mph, needs to finish more out in front with more hand-speed. The stronger he gets the more consistent he will be.

Francis Dromm, LHP, North Shore HS, NY (2016) has a lanky, wiry build and throws from the left-side. He uses a balanced - clean delivery, short compact arm action, throws from a high-3/4 slot with a balanced finish. Fastball has signs of life sitting 78-80, touching 81 a few times with natural run. Curveball was 62-64 mph some loose spin, changup showed as his second best pitch at 73-74 with some swing and miss potential.

Alec Teska, RHP, Cato-Meridian HS, NY (2017) has a very strong, wiry-athletic frame from the mound. Broad thick shoulders, his delivery is quick but remains repeatable and fluid. Arm action is longer and loose, signs of next level velocity. Fastball now sits 78-80, topped 81 mph with some late depth. Curveball was 67-70 with sweeping action. Change up sat 73-74 with quick hand-speed. Prospect to keep an eye on.

John Tiberia, RHP, Horseheads HS, NY (2017) stands 6-foot-0, 185-pounds with a projectable body. He uses a simple side-step during his delivery, repeatable arm circle, throws from a high-3/4 slot. Fastball was 76-79 mph with some angle to it, stay up in zone most of the outing maybe overthrowing some. Curveball was 62 mph with early spin, changeup was 71 mph with some depth, finishes glove side.

Ryan Duda, RHP, Shaker HS, NY (2016) did not pitch in games due to rain but threw a nice bullpen for us before the rains became severe. He’s got a stocky, thick build, strong upper body and throws with a quick arm action. Fastball has been up In the low 80’s, appeared heavy in the pen. Threw all three pitches In the pen with some early break to his curveball – loose spin, hand-speed changeup that he buried a few times.

Kyle Eskildsen, RHP, Monroe-Woodbury HS, NY (2017) has a very athletic, projectable frame from the mound. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound righty showed early that his ceiling is high from the mound with a quick, clean arm action, fastball sitting 78-81, have seen it up to 84 when everything’s working together. He shows a 71-73 mph slider with some late tilt. Definitely a player to keep an eye on.

Joe Iengo, RHP, Iona Prep HS, NY (2017) stands a lanky 6-foot-4, 190-pounds with a nice frame. He uses a slower pace on the mound, with a longer arm action, throws from a high-3/4 slot with tilted shoulders. Fastball sits 74-77 with some arm-side run, curveball 65-70 mph has 11/5 shape some late bit, finishes a bit open with his front side.

Navada Waterman, RHP, Coudersport HS, PA (2016) stands a shorter 5-foot-9, 140-pounds with a thin build. He uses a fast paced delivery, arm action is loose and clean, throws from a high-3/4 slot. Fastball sits 79-83 mph with some natural arm side-tail. Curveball sits 70-73 mph with sharp spin, and late depth. Change up was 72-75 but left it up most the outing. Quick arm-speed for a pitcher his size.

Garrett Boldt, RHP, Olean HS, NY (2017) is an extremely gifted athlete that sometimes is called upon to pitch. He’s has above average hand-speed with a fastball sitting 81-86 mph, struggled to find the zone at times. His delivery is quick, some effort through delivery, bullpen type. Curveball was 70 mph with some early break.

Ryan Williams, RHP, Kenmore East HS, NY (2017) has great size on the mound standing 6-foot-2, 210-pounds. Very balanced delivery, longer arm action, and throws from a high-3/4 slot. Fastball sits 78-81 (have seen him up to 84 in spring – arms a bit tired) with good downward angle, curveball has early action at 61-64 mph, changeup has hand speed action at 71 mph. Chance to be very good if his arm strength continues to improve.

Brady Thomas, RHP, Solanco HS, PA (2016) has an athletic build, shorter but compact. He uses a slower, balanced delivery, arm action is a bit choppy, throws from a high-3/4 slot, fastball sits 78-81 mph, topping 82, some natural arm-side run. Curveball was his best pitch showing above average spin, late depth at 70 mph. He finishes glove side over his front-side.

Zac Granger, RHP, Horesheads HS, NY (2017) has a very athletic frame, lanky build. His delivery was fluid and balanced, arm action loose and clean, throws from a high-3/4 slot, fastball sat 78-79, touching 80 mph with some angle. Curveball was 74-75 with hand speed and late action – 11/5 shape. Needs to continue working hard, but tons of upside for the young southern-tier player.

Matt Staszak, RHP, Orchard Park HS, NY (2017) stands 6-foot-0, 166-pounds with a slender build. On the mound he uses a quicker, jerky delivery, arm action is a bit choppy in the back circle, throws from a high-3/4 slot, fastball sits 75-77 mph with some downward tilt. Curveball was 59-63 with loose spin.