By Jerry Shank
Maryland Director of Scouting

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The 2015 Prep Baseball Report Maryland Preseason ID took place Saturday, February 22^nd at Diamond Pro’s baseball facility in Glen Arm, MD. Close to 60 of the top 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 prospects came and put their ability on display in front of the PBR scouting staff.

CLICK HERE to view the results article along with the top statistical performers for the event in multiple categories. 

Over the course of this week we will be releasing position-by-position analysis articles with scouting reports on each player and identifying the top prospects. Two-way prospects will appear in a position analysis as well as pitching analysis. We shall identify top prospects in each area, and will also identify a younger talent (2017 or 2018) as a Future Watch to follow if applicable. 

Today we look at the pitchers that participated in the event. There was a good pool of talent that came from this event, with many to be included into the MD state rankings that will come out the beginning of the summer. 

Top Prospects

Elliot Zoellner – St. Mary’s (2016)
Zoellner is a 6-foot-2 175-pound RHP. He is a very projectable pitcher. He throws from a high ¾ arm angle with very quick arm speed and free arm action. He displays a smooth rhythm and the ball jumps out of his gand with easy effort. He throws a heavy fastball with some run at 89 mph. He also threw a few fastballs that had some cut to them. His breaking ball was sharp with 10/4 movement and potential to be a power type pitch at 74-76 mph. He showed fastball arm speed on his changeup and the pitch had good sink on it at 77-79 mph. Zoellner has already made the overall rankings in the PBR Top 400 at #130. He still has plenty of projection to grow.

Jordan Menfee – Archbishop Curley (2015)
Menfee is a 6-foot-4 220-pound RHP. He throws from a high ¾ arm slot with good arm speed and free arm action. He displays a controlled delivery with rhythm and a little effort in his throws. He throws his fastball very well downhill with some late sink at 89 mph. His breaking ball has late bite to it and slows arm down slightly. His changeup has good sinking action. Menfee is a very projectable arm at the next level. If he can stay aggressive with his off-speed pitches like he does with his excellent fastball, Menfee could be a very special arm with his great frame and projectability. Already committed to Northern Kentucky, Menfee could be a prospect to look at in the draft especially if he continues to develop his off-speed pitches.

Kieran Garner River Hill (2017)
Garner is a 6-foot-2 195-pound RHP/3B. Garner projects very well on the mound. Throwing from a high ¾ arm slot, he sat at 87 mph topping out at 88 mph. His fastball jumps at you with hard action and good command. His 11/5 breaking ball is sharp and he shows fastball arm speed throwing it 71-73 mph. He also shows good command of his changeup, with good sink and fastball arm speed at 74-78 mph. 

Grant Burleson – Parkside (2017)
Burleson is a 5-foot-10 155-pound LHP.  With excellent arm speed, Burleson pitched in this early bullpen at 86 mph and shows more in the tank. He pitches from a high ¾ arm slot and free arm action. He has a smooth and clean delivery with regular effort and good rhythm. His fastball had late run on it and he showed good command of the pitch. His breaking ball had 1/7 break with power action and fastball arm speed at 71-72 mph. His changeup had sink and fade to it with fastball arm speed and sat 74-77.

Jaret Bennett – Col. Richardson (2016)
Bennett is a 6-foot-1 185-pound left-handed pitcher and first baseman. Pitching from a high ¾ arm slot, he showed good athleticism in his delivery and a smooth rhythm. His free and quick arm displayed a velocity of 84 mph maxing out at 86 mph with run and downhill action. He threw a 2/8 breaking ball with near fastball arm speed and late break. 

Austin Elliot – Cape Henlopen (DE) 2018
Elliot is a 6-foot 170-pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder. An already athletic body, Elliot pitched at 84 mph from a high 3/4 arm slot with quick arm speed. He displayed smooth rhythm and had good downward action on his fastball. His changeup had near fastball arm action with some sink and he had good command of the pitch. He did not show a breaking ball as it was still early in his bullpen schedule.

Matthew Glady – Severna Park (2017)
Glady is a 6-foot 145-pound RHP.  Has a long lanky frame with good foundation to fill out. He pitches from a high ¾ arm angle with quick arm speed and free arm action. He displays regular effort in his controlled deliver with smooth rhythm. His fastball has late run and he threw is for strikes at 83 mph. His breaking ball is sharp with power potential with 11/5 break and good feel for the pitch.  Glady has a very projectable body and frame to fill out with good arm action

Future Watch (Listed Alphabetically)

Connor Banks – James M Bennett (2017)
Banks is a 5-foot-11 155-pound LHP.  He has good rhythm on the mound and fluid delivery. From an over-the-top arm slot with good arm speed, Banks pitched at 77 mph. His fastball had late run action and he showed good command of the pitch. He threw a tight 1/7 breaking ball with a slightly changed arm angle, late break and near fastball arm speed. He had good feel for his changeup and had fade on the pitch. 

Zack Gelof – Cape Henlopen (DE) 2018
Gelof is a 6-foot-1 175-pound athletic shortstop and right-handed pitcher. On the mound, Gelof showed smooth rhythm with a quick arm speed and good sink on his fastball that sat at 82 mph. He threw from a high ¾ arm slot and showed a late action power breaking ball. He had a free and easy arm action and is a very projectable pitcher.

Stephen Pelli – St. Mary’s (2018)
Pelli is a 5-foot-10 180-pound RHP/3B. He has a solid frame that will get stronger. Pelli projects well on the mound. He throws from a high ¾ arm slot with quick arm speed and good arm action. He has good rhythm in his clean delivery and throws with some effort. His fastball has good late run with command at 84 mph. He throws an 11/5 breaking ball that is early break with potential to get better.  He shows good feel for the changeup at 66-68 mph with fastball arm speed and good sink on the pitch. Pelli will be an interesting prospect to follow and see how he develops and grows into his body.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Brendan Benito – Southern (2018)
Benito is a 5-foot-8 135-pound right-handed pitcher and infielder. On the mound, Benito pitched at 69 mph from a high ¾ arm angle with late sink on his fastball. His breaking ball had 10/4 rotation with gradual break. His changeup had late fade with near fastball arm speed.

Langston Cross – Flowers (2017)
Cross is a 6-foot-1 188-pound RHP/OF. On the mound Cross threw from an over-the-top arm angle at 70 mph.  He had a controlled delivery and pitched with some effort.  His 11/5 breaking ball had good rotation with near fastball arm speed.  He has a very nice frame to fill out and some raw ability. 

Andrew Decker – Towson (2018)
Decker is a 5-foot-8 180-pound catcher and right-handed pitcher. On the mound, Decker threw from over-the-top and worked downhill at 75 mph. His breaking ball was 11/5 with gradual movement. He showed better rhythm from the stretch. His changeup was straight with late and light fade.

Griffin DelGaudio – James M Bennett (2017)
DelGaudio is a 6-foot 155-pound RHP/INF.  Using his long and lanky frame, DelGaudio showed a free arm action with smooth rhythm. He topped out at 78 mph with his fastball and the pitch showed slight sink. He had good command of his off speed pitches displaying near fastball arm speed with both pitches. 

Kolten Koon – Winters Mill (2016)
Koon is a 6-foot-5 180-pound right-handed pitcher and third baseman. He showed good arm action and should learn better body control within his delivery. He has average arm speed with sound arm action from a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball topped out at 80 mph and he had fastball arm speed on his changeup at 73. He showed a tight slider with a little dip at 72 mph. He has a good frame to fill out and as he does and learns his body more, Koon could be a prospect to keep an eye on and follow his development. 

Grayson Lawrence – McDonogh (2018)
Lawrence is a 5-foot-10 175-pound left-handed pitcher and outfielder. On the mound Lawrence pitched at 69 mph and consistently threw strikes with slight sink on his ball from an over-the-top arm angle. His 2/8 curveball had sweeping action and was consistently for strikes. He slowed down on his changeup and had slight sink on the pitch with sound arm action.

Dalton Morgan – Clear Springs (2015)
Morgan is a 5-foot-11 190-pound RHP.  He throws from a high ¾ arm angle with good arm speed and free arm action. He has balance in his delivery with regular effort and smooth rhythm. His fastball has run and sink to it at 84 mph. He shows an 11/5 power breaking ball with fastball arm speed and good command.  His changeup also has fastball arm speed and good command of the pitch at 75-77 mph. The uncommitted senior showed good tempo and ability to pound the strike zone.

James Moses – Loyola Blakefield (2017)
Moses is a 5-foot-7 160-pound outfielder and left-handed pitcher. On the mound, Moses showed smooth rhythm in a controlled delivery. The pace in his delivery at times got him out of his smooth rhythm. He had some run on his fastball at 76 mph. He threw a 1/7 breaking ball with early break. He showed feel for a good changeup that had sink and fade from good fastball arm speed.

Alex Parker – McDonogh (2016)
Parker is a 6-foot-2 190-pound RHP/C. He throws from an almost over-the-top arm angle with quick arm speed and a loose arm action. He stays tall in his delivery with smooth rhythm and pitches with regular effort. His fastball has hard sinking action on it with good command at 86 mph. His breaking ball has 11/5 shape with late break on the pitch with near fastball arm speed at 70-73 mph. His changeup has fade to it with near fastball arm speed and needs to be a bit more consistent but he is consistently down with the pitch. Parker has good projectability and will be a 2016 pitcher to follow.

Keith Parks – Old Mill (2016)
Parks is a 6-foot-1 195-pound LHP.  He throws from a high ¾ arm angle and average arm speed.  He has a free arm action in a controlled delivery with some rhythm in it and some effort. He has late sink on his fastball that topped out at 80 mph. His breaking ball has late action to it with near fastball arm speed and he consistently threw it for strikes at 65-68 mph. He threw a good changeup with fastball arm speed that had sink to the pitch at 64-65 mph. He adds some deception to his delivery and is a 2016 LHP to keep an eye on.

Jacob Paulishak Middletown (2017)
Paulishak is a 6-foot-2 175-pound middle infielder and right-handed pitcher. On the mound Paulishak has a slightly rushed delivery with good, late sink on his fastball at 82 mph. He slowed up slightly on his breaking ball and changeup but had good feel for both. Has a great frame and is a bit raw on the mound with a lot of potential.

Zach Putman Mount St. Joseph (2017)
Putman is a 6-foot-0 160-pound middle infielder and right-handed pitcher. On the mound, Putman threw from an over-the-top arm angle in a controlled delivery with some rhythm. His fastball had cut at 71 mph. His breaking ball had near fastball arm speed with power action. He showed good feel for the change up but needs more change in velocity, throwing it at 67 mph. 

Orlando Roberson Jr – Seneca Valley (2015)
Roberson Jr is a 5-foot-11 165-pound RHP/OF. Roberson projects well on the mound. He pitches from an almost over-the-top arm angle with average arm speed. He has a quick delivery and some rhythm and regular effort. His fastball has sink to it at 78 mph. His breaking ball has gradual movement to it with 10/4 shape and near fastball arm speed at 65-66 mph.  He slows his arm down on his changeup at 68-69 mph.

Connor Shockley – Parkside (2017)
Shockley is a 5-foot-10 170-pound third baseman and right-handed pitcher. On the mound, Shockley throws from an almost over the top arm slot with a free arm action. He showed good rhythm and pitched topped out at 82 with regular effort. His 11/5 breaking ball has power action to the pitch with a near fastball arm speed. His changeup was consistently 74 mph and he pounded the strike zone with a clean delivery.

Tyler Shockley – James M Bennett (2018)
Shockley is a 5-foot-8 135-pound right-handed pitcher and catcher. On the mound, Shockley threw a heavy ball from a loose, ¾ arm slot. He hid the ball well with good arm speed and pitched at 81 mph. He showed a good slider with late action that shows potential to be a power slider. His changeup had fastball arm action and good sink to the pitch. 

Nicholas Torroella – Mount St. Joseph (2017)
Torroella is a 5-foot-10 160-pound OF/RHP. On the mound, he has a quick arm action throwing from an over-the-top arm angle. He pitches downhill with his fastball at 78 mph. He has a good 12/6 curveball with sharp movement and near fastball arm speed that he commands well. His changeup sat in the 69-71 mph range. Prospect to keep an eye on as he develops.

CJ Wiley - Southern (2015)
Wiley is a 6-foot-4 180-pound LHP/OF. He has a very good frame and body to build upon. On the mound, Wileys body projects well. He throws from an over-the top angle with average arm speed. He stays tall in his delivery. His fastball was straight at 74 mph. His breaking ball had gradual break and his changeup had near fastball arm speed and slight sink.

Andrew Zerbe – New Life Christian (2015)
Zerbe is a 5-foot-11 200-pound outfielder and pitcher. An athletic and strong frame, Zerbe threw a fastball with cut at 68 mph from a ¾ arm slot. His breaking ball had gradual break with near fastball arm speed.  He has a good frame to build upon.