Prep Baseball Report

New PBR Colorado 2017 Rankings Release



John Cackowski
State Director 

In the fall of 2014 PBR Colorado released our first ever 2015, 2016, and 2017 rankings. In the past year Prep Baseball Report Colorado has had the opportunity to cover amateur baseball like no other organization has ever been able to do before in the state of Colorado. Between scouting numerous games from our last 2017 rankings posted in Janurary, and recently having a great opportunity to see more 2017 grads at the Top Prospect Games, we were able to move our 2017 ranking list from 55 to 100 . Our next 2017 rankings will be posted after our Preseason All-State event next February.

Staying at No. 1 is RHP Caleb Sloan of Regis Jesuit (No. 30 overall). 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. Sloan attacks the zone with 89 mph fastballs that has a heavy feel to it. 2-seam fastball has good late run. Good athlete. Ran a 4.19 home to first time and had 87 mph exit velo. On pace to be very elite pitcher and quarterback for the Jesuits. Look for Sloan to get an opportunity this spring to become a dominant force on the mound.

Moving up from No. 3 to No. 2 in our rankings (No. 180 overall) is switch hitting catcher Casey Opitz of Heritage High School. A 5-foot-11, 155 pound junior who burst on the scene this spring catching for the Eagles.  The 1.91 pop-time in the game we saw made him one of the top catchers in the Centennial State Games, and recently he was a force behind the plate at the Fall Diamond Classic picking off runners off the bases left and right.  Opitz is quiet behind the plate and blocks balls in the dirt very well. Has been starting for Heritage since his freshman year, and also hits 2-hole for the Eagles. Optiz is already getting looks from big time D-1 colleges.

Moving up from No. 11 to No 3. in our Rankings is John Sorensen of of Rocky Mountain. 6-foot, 185 pounds. Bats left and throws right. We came away extremely impressed with Sorensen after we saw him play in the Junior Sunbelt Classic. He had a great tournament as the only 2017 player who made the team. Hit in the middle of the order for Rocky Mountain in 2015, and expect him to be a force offensively in 2016.

There was some other movement in our top ten 2017 rankings. Moving up from No. 5 to No. 4 was RHP James Notary of Broomfield. Dropping 2 spots but staying in the top 5 is SS Austin Chouinard of Regis Jesuit. OF/RHP Luke Kuberski of Green Mountain stays at No.  6,  Cracking the Top Ten for first time are newcomers 3B Matt Given of Rock Canyon, and LHP Connor Nantkes of Cherokee Trail.

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 Jesuit 2017 RHP
2 Casey Opitz CO Heritage 2017 SS
3 John Sorensen CO Rocky Mountain
2017 3B
4 James Notary CO Broomfield 2017 RHP

5 Austin Chouinard CO Regis Jesuit
2017 SS
6 Luke Kuberski CO Green Mountain 2017 OF
7 Matt Givin CO Rock Canyon
2017 3B
8 Jacob Hilton CO Arapahoe 2017 SS
9 Connor Nantkes CO Cherokee Trail
2017 LHP
10 Jonah Jenkins CO Chaparral 2017 C