By Steve Nielsen
Illinois Scouting Director

The Unsigned Senior Showcase saw a number of left handed pitchers with solid pitchability. The group featured some projectable frames and good feel for secondary pitches. Here’s our look at the left handed pitching group.

1. Joey Marciano, Clemente HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Marciano is a big-bodied left-handed pitcher standing 6-foot-3, 250-pounds. Marciano is a high-level lefty who showcased an 85-87 mph fastball with, it seems, plenty more in the tank. He throws from a high ¾ arm slot using a long arm action. His rhythm is smooth and shows a solid mound presence. Marciano’s curveball showed plus action, working on a sharp downhill plane. Thrown with fastball arm speed this has potential to be a high level swing-and-miss pitch. Marciano also featured a slider at 72-74 mph with potential for late-sweeping action.

2. Brad Henry, Alton HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Henry is a long, lanky left-handed pitcher with a high ceiling. At 6-foot-4, 175-pounds, Henry’s long arm action from a lower ¾ arm slot gives a unique look to hitters. Henry showed the ability to control the zone with his fastball, showing run and sink on his 82-84 mph fastball. Henry showed feel and arm action for his off-speed pitches, resulting in ideal splits off of his fastball (curveball at 67-69 mph, change up at 75 mph). His curveball showed 10/4 sweeping action and his changeup was thrown with excellent arm speed, showing arm side run. Henry is a commodity as a tall left hander with feel and upside.

3. Patrick Martin, St. Viator HS, LHP, Class of 2013
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Martin is a high-ceiling left-hander. Coming from a 3/4 arm slot, Martin works slightly across his body and gets good arm-side run on his 84-85 mph fastball. His arm works free and easily, and as he continues to develop physically, Martin should see his velocity increase. He throws three pitches for strikes, including a sweeping 67-71 mph breaking ball and a 78 mph changeup. Nothing he throws sits still.

4. Wendell Ferguson, Brother Rice HS, LHP/1B, Class of 2013
Ferguson is a left-handed first baseman who showed soft hands and solid footwork around the bag. He showed a good arm from first base with accuracy at 82 mph across the diamond. At the plate Ferguson showed good extension with some pop from the left side. He uses a short stride, exhibiting good bat speed and balance throughout his swing. On the mound Ferguson projects well as a long armed lefty that throws from a ¾ arm slot with good arm speed.  He throws slightly across his body with solid rhythm. His fastball was recorded at 83-85 mph, showing some cut action. Ferguson threw a 69-72 mph breaking ball along with a change up at 76-80 mph, which also displayed some cut with sink. Ferguson showed that he could be tough on left-handed hitters with his cutting actions from a ¾ arm slot going across his body.

5. Carson Cheesman, Galesburg HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Cheesman should be one of the more coveted left-handers in Illinois’ Class of 2013. The 6-foot, 165-pounder throws three pitches for strikes. His arm is quick, coming from a 3/4 angle, and he hides the ball well. His fastball topped at 84 mph with arm-side life. His 72-75 mph changeup has the potential to be a go-to pitch, as he spotted it with confidence with similar arm action down in the zone. Cheesman also threw a 70-71 mph curveball for strikes. All three pitches come out of the same window, thrown with similar hand speed.

6. Ankur Shah, St. Charles North HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Although slight in build, the 6-foot, 145-pound left-hander showed he can flat-out pitch. A strike-thrower, Shah commanded four pitches for strikes, all with movement. His 83-84 mph fastball demonstrated sink down in the zone, while his 75 mph changeup showed arm-side run. His curveball and slider both registered in the 72-74 range, with his slider more of a sweeping pitch. Shah, who works from a 3/4 arm slot, is mechanically sound and showed rhythm and tempo throughout delivery.

7. Thomas Prescott, Lyons Township HS, LHP/1B, Class of 2013
Prescott is a 6-foot-1, 185-pound two-way player who showed well on the mound. Prescott is a lefty who has a very deceptive delivery. His arm action is short and quick, while hard to pick up when coming out of his hand. His fastball was clocked at 80-83 mph with arm-side run and showed the ability to command the zone with it. Prescott’s curveball produces a sweeping action that he throws with comparable arm speed to his fastball. He showed the ability to be able to keep this pitch down in the zone with regularity. Prescott also featured a change up at 71-72 mph with sink that was also thrown with good arm speed and deception. Offensively, Prescott showed the ability to make hard contact using a level bat path and a good approach. Prescott also ran a 7.10 60.

8. Derek Olson, St. Charles East HS, LHP, Class of 2013
The 6-foot, 170-pound Olson comes from a high-3/4 arm slot using a long arm action. He showed some arm speed as he delivered 81-83 mph fastballs. He also throws a sweeping breaking ball for strikes, in the 72-74 range. Olson also flashed a 70-73 mph changeup.

9. Alex Ventrella, Lisle HS, LHP, Class of 2013
The 6-foot, 180-pound Ventrella commands the strike zone with three pitches. The left-hander has a long arm action, coming from a high-3/4 slot, and showed repeatable mechanics. His fastball topped at 82 mph, while his 65 mph tight curveball is a solid pitch. Ventrella also commanded his 73-75 mph changeup.

10. Tomas Aguilar, Plainfield Central HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Aguilar impressed with his ability to spot three pitches, including an 81-82 mph fastball with arm-side sink. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound left-hander also commanded his 68-69 mph curveball down in the zone, in addition to a 74-75 mph changeup.

Best of the rest (Listed alphabetically)

Dan Bedore, Lake Forest HS, LHP, Class of 2013
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound left-hander comes from a high-3/4 slot, delivering fastballs that ranged between 77-79 mph. He showed feel for his 64-66 mph changeup; he also threw a 63 mph changeup.

Jimmy Brandt, Herscher HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Brand is a 6-foot-1, 192-pound left-hander who showcased a 75-76 mph fastball. He also threw a 60-62 mph curveball and a 65-66 mph changeup.

Jake Domsky, Lane Tech HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Domsky is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound left-hander who showed rhythm, tempo and clean mechanics on the mound. Coming from a high-3/4 slot, Domsky works downhill well, as he delivered 77-80 mph fastballs. He also showcased a 61-62 mph curveball and a 74-76 mph changeup.

Charkael Eggleston, Morgan Park HS, LHP/1B, Class of 2013
Eggleston is an athletically built 6-foot-2, 180-pound two-way player. On the mound, Eggleston comes from a high-3/4 arm slot and showcased a fastball that topped at 80 mph. He also showed a curveball, in the 63-66 range, in addition to a changeup. Positionally, Eggleston ran a 7.25 60 and was clocked at 75 from his position. He showed some swing looseness from the left side of the plate as well.

Matthew Furst, Prairie Ridge HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Furst is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound left-hander who comes from a lower-3/4 arm slot. His fastball checked in at 71-73 mph; he also showed a 63-65 mph sweeping breaking ball.

Cal Laird, Fenwick HS, LHP, Class of 2013
Laird is a 6-foot, 165-pound left-handed pitcher. A strike-thrower, Laird filled up the strike zone with his 78-79 mph fastball, with some sink down in the zone. Laird remained balanced and tall throughout, and repeated well. He’s short on the backside, and showed some deception in his delivery. Laird also showed a 64-67 mph curveball which he threw for strikes.

Ryan Moritz, LHP/1B, St. Joseph HS, Class of 2013
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound is a strong-bodied two-way player. On the mound, he operates from an over-the-top arm slot and is short on the backside. His fastball sat in the 76-77 mph range, and he also flashed a 64-65 mph curveball. Offensively, he demonstrated some pull-side power potential from the left side.

Michael Rogers, Libertyville HS, LHP/1B, Class of 2013
Rogers is a long lanky left handed pitcher standing 6-foot-5, 190-pounds. Rogers operates from a ¾ arm slot using a long arm action out of a drop and drive style delivery. His fastball featured slight run and sink at 76-78 mph while showing control of the strike zone. His breaking ball showed sweeping action at 65-66 mph, while his change up registered at 69-71 mph. Rogers frame and long ¾ arm action gives him solid projectability.

Ricky Rogers, Stagg HS, LHP, Class of 2013
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound left-hander comes from a high-3/4 slot, and showed some cut to his 73-76 mph fastball. He also threw a 61-65 mph curveball and a 56-59 mph changeup.

Kyle Wagenbach, Stark County HS, LHP/OF, Class of 2013
Wagenbach is a 5-foot-11, 155-pound two-way player. On the mound Wagenbach threw from a high ¾ arm slot with a long arm action. His fastball recorded slight movement at 73-76 mph. Wagenbach’s curveball is an 11/5 breaker with some sharp action that he threw for strikes. He also showed solid arm action on his change up, displaying sink at 66-70 mph. Offensively, Wagenbach hit out of a wide stance using a short stride while consistently working to the opposite field.