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Class of 2016 Rankings Update: Countdown to Number One

November 19, 2014

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

With the outdoor baseball season coming to a close for the 2014 year, we will be releasing our updated class of 2016 rankings at the end of the week.  The next two days, we will count down the prospects who make up our top ten, with today's article covering the players holding down spots six through ten.

10. John Matthews, SS/RHP, Punxsutawney
Representing Team PA at the 2014 PBR Future Games, Matthews showed well across the board. He has quality infield actions, a soft glove hand, and showcased an 84-mph arm across the diamond. Offensively, the right-handed hitter stays through contact and behind his front side well, with the potential to drive a gap (88-mph exit velocity). The Kent State commit experienced a velocity spike on the mound this summer, with a fastball topping out at 88-mph from a high-3/4 slot and long, loose arm action. He also features a mid-70s curveball, solid change-up, and a slider that he throws from a low-3/4 slot. At 6-foot, 160-pounds, Matthews frame projects future strength gains.

9. Isaiah Kearns, RHP/IF, Mifflin County
"Electric" is a word scouts and coaches have used to describe Kearns' stuff. The West Virginia commit flashes plus arm speed, which generates an upper-80s fastball with the potential for more. The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder also shows a feel for spinning his mid- to upper-70s curveball. Command is still a work in progress for him, but his athleticism is impossible to ignore.  That athleticism is on display with the bat in his hands as well, when the right-handed hitter unleashes his swing with good bat speed and barrel whip.

8. Alex Kirilloff, 1B/LHP, Plum
Perhaps the most polished hitter in this class, Kirilloff possesses an advanced ability to repeat his swing, keeping his bat in the zone a long time and getting good extension through contact from the left side of the plate. The Liberty commit has shown the ability to drive the ball to both gaps and has pullside home run pop. Using his 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame, Kirilloff has also generated a mid-80s fastball with the potential to touch higher.

7. Myles Gayman, RHP, Greencastle-Antrim
Gayman burst onto the scene as a freshman, combining with current George Mason freshman Ryan Ricci as the 1-2 punch on the mound that led the Blue Devils to a district title and berth in the state tournament. The athletic Virginia commit features a mid- to upper-80s fastball and a solid feel for his secondary stuff. At 6-foot-3, 170-pounds, Gayman still has plenty of room to grow into his frame.

6. Kenny Bergmann, C/OF, William Penn Charter
Built like a linebacker at 6-foot, 200-pounds, the right-handed hitting Bergmann has bat speed and among the best raw power (91-mph exit velocity) in this class, to go along with a balanced stroke. Competing for Team PA at the PBR Future Games, he showcased an 89-mph arm from the outfield and 1.90-2.02 pop times from behind the dish. Still raw behind the plate, the Connecticut recruit is a verbal leader and possesses serious upside as he continues to get more repetitions.

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