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Millersville University Announces 2015 Early Signing Class

November 22, 2014

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Millersville University head coach Jon Shehan recently announced the signing of seven players to National Letters of Intent during the November early signing period. Shehan, along with recruiting coordinator Ryan Forrest, have put together a deep class with a number of power arms. The Marauders come off a 39-16 season in 2014. Millersville won the PSAC East, lost in the PSAC finals and advanced to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional where they lost in the championship to Seton Hill.


2015 Early Commits

RHP Rhett Jacoby (Parkland HS, PA) - PBR Rank #62

Shehan: Rhett is a mid-to-high 80's arm with a plus breaking ball. Winning is in Rhett's blood, as he comes from a very competitive Parkland program. His delivery needs very little cleanup, and he already has three pitches that would compete in the PSAC.

PBR: Jacoby is a 6-foot-3, 195-pound righty with a long, lean frame. He has room to continue adding to his frame and his velocity. Jacoby sat at 85 mph with late life to his fastball out of a high 3/4 arm slot at the 2013 Elite Prospect Showcase. His 76 mph curveball has 11/5 breaking action and he showed some arm side run to his 78 mph changeup thrown at near fastball arm speed. Jacoby displayed the same mechanics and velos out of the stretch and continues to show strides towards becoming one of the top right handed arms in this class.

LHP Cordell Shannon (Shippensburg HS, PA) - PBR Rank #57

Shehan: Left-handed pitching is a hot commodity - especially left handers with pro bodies that can spin a quality breaking ball. Cordell loves to compete. He takes the ball each day, expecting to win. His gritty attitude, blue-collar work ethic, and raw ability likely comes from his dad who pitched in the Kansas City Royals organization.

PBR: Shannon sat 80-82 with a wipe-out curveball that showed two-plane break at 72 mph in the early stages of the 2014 high school season. Shannon lost some velocity as the game wore on, but showed signs that additional velocity is inevitable with a quick arm and considerable arm-side run. Although Shannon was able to control the running game with varied moves to 1B, he will have to shore up his 1.85-2.05 times to home-plate. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound lefty touched 83 twice in the first two innings and sat comfortably in the mid-80s this fall.

SS Grayson Miller (East Pennsboro HS, PA) - PBR Rank #52

Shehan: Grayson can flat out hit. He has an advanced approach and swing at the plate. His power will surprise people - he packs a big punch for a player under six foot tall. Obviously, we are excited about his bat, but he also brings above average defense (he could very likely end up at any of the three infield positions), and sub-seven speed in the sixty yard dash as well.

PBR: Miller is one of the most impressive hitters among middle infielders in this class. The right-handed hitter has shown considerable pop and a 95 mph bat exit velocity at the 2014 PA Top Prospect Games. While his defense lags a bit behind his offense he is athletic enough (6.96 runner) to find a home in any lineup and his bat should keep him there.

RHP Mike Mock (Central - Martinsburg HS, PA) - PBR Rank #98

Shehan: Mike is a championship caliber athlete on the baseball field, wrestling mat, and football field. We signed him as a pitcher, but I suspect that he will eventually force his way into the lineup as a hitter too. On the bump, Mike uses a strikeout breaking ball to go along with his mid-80s fastball.

PBR: Mock impressed at the 2014 PA Top Prospect Games in June. He sat 84-86 while touching 87 mph early in three innings of work. The 6-foot, 170-pound two-way prospect also commanded a 68 mph curveball with 11/5 rotation and a 65 mph knuckle ball with sharp down break. Mock struck out seven while working around some command issues. He went on to run a 7.08 and flashed a 90 mph bat exit velocity while going 2-for-6 at the plate in game action.

RHP Bobby Dorta (Palmyra HS, PA) - PBR Rank #132

Shehan: Bobby's 6-foot-5 frame is going to help him make some big strides in his time at Millersville. He also was brought up in a baseball family. His dad Melvin played in the big leagues for the Nationals at second base. He has a loose, efficient arm action and his ability to throw three pitches in the zone will help him compete long-term for a job in the rotation.

PBR: At 6-foot-5, 170-pounds, Dorta has all the makings of a late-bloomer. His arm works and he has shown good tempo on the hill. As he fills out his frame he should continue to add velocity and additional depth to his 11/5 breaking curveball.

RHP Kyle Peterson (State College Area HS, PA) - PBR Rank #91

Shehan: Kyle brings more than a projectable frame, quality stuff, and advanced mechanics. He has an expectation to eventually be a leader in our program - both on and off the field. On the mound, he gets good arm-side run on his fastball and throws a breaking ball that has more east-west movement.

PBR: Peterson is a 6-foot-6, 255-pound righty that has progressed significantly in the past two years. He sat 82-83 out of a high 3/4 arm slot with fastball command at the Preseason All-State Showcase in February. Peterson also displayed a 69 mph curveball with slider action, a 72 mph changeup at fastball arm speed with some run and sink, and a developing 73 mph splitter. His splitter, which he began to throw a year ago, shows hard down action and has the potential to be his signature pitch.

C John Turner (Perkiomen Valley HS, PA) - PBR Rank #248

Shehan: John is a student of the game, which will enable him to learn how to call a game. We look for catchers that can be role models for our pitchers and John is no exception. He is an outstanding leader, student, and communicator. He is an advanced receiver, blocker, and an above average thrower.

PBR: Turner has projectable size at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds and a strong arm behind the plate. He showcased pop times of 2.16-2.24 on throws of 76 mph from the crouch during the 2013 PBR Fall Program. With additional work on his footwork and release time, Turner should see his pop times improve moving forward. Turner hits from a slightly open stance and utilizes all fields by staying inside the baseball. He displayed an 84 mph bat exit velocity and went 2-for-5 with a walk during the course of game action over two days.

Q&A With the Coach

PBR: What do you feel are the strengths of this recruiting class?

Shehan: Our main objective for 2015 was to bring in impact arms. Shannon, Jacoby, Dorta, Mock and Peterson are just that. Each of these young men fit the Marauder mold for arms - they are physical, athletic, and they love to compete. From a position standpoint, we currently have a deep roster - in the middle infield, at first base, and in the outfield. We will lose a catcher and a third baseman to graduation in 2014, so adding a catcher and an infielder was a priority. Turner and Miller are more than adequate players at those two positions.

PBR: What advice would you have for underclassmen just beginning the recruiting process that might help them in this process?

Shehan: I believe there are a few crucial mistakes that prospects make during the process. First, they fail to see college baseball being played. There are a lot of opportunities for high school athletes to watch practices, squad games, and even spring games at all levels of college baseball. Second, prospects should contact coaches. Parents should not do the work for the prospects because coaches do not coach parents. Lastly, prospects should choose an institution based upon where they will receive a great education and have a great experience. Lots of other factors come into play that should not. If education and experience are put at the forefront of the process, rarely will prospects make a poor choice.

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