All-Long Island: Catching Analysis From Feb. 20th

March 6, 2015

Dan Cevette
Director, New York

13 days ago PBR NY held its first ever Long Island/NYC Preseason Invite Only. The response was positive, the talent was heavy, and the smoke is finally starting to settle. Let's take a look at the catching scouting reports from Feb. 20th.

Chris Dutra, C, Iona Prep HS, NY (2016)
Dutra stands 6-foot-0, 200-pounds with a solidly built frame. At the plate he shows next-level skills with the bat. Slightly open stance, hands back and high before powering through the zone. Exit velocity off a tee was well above average at 95 mph. Path to the ball is short and compact, narrow base through contact, slightly inclined plane, long extension out in front. High finish with good balance. Behind the plate he shows the makings of a high-level catcher. Receives with soft hands, stays low in his crouch. On this throws to second he stands up in his crouch, makes ground up towards second, fast quick transfer, clean short arm action, 1.97 to the bag.

Santino Ycaza, C, Brentwood HS, NY (2016)
Santino who stands in 5-foot-9 170-pounds shows an impressive lower half. Foot work shows that both feet leave the ground as he transfers from glove to hand. Clean transfer, brings ball straight back to his ear. He finishes towards his targets and glove tucked underneath his arm-pit. Arm velocity is 78mph. Blocks the ball great with good movement around the ball. Hands are smooth and sways nicely with the pitch. Pop times range from 1.84-1.94. Shows to be an above average catcher in the high school level. At the plate he stands a bit open with his hands right by his shoulders. Turns his body into the catcher as he loads up. Hands stay inside the ball with a nice balanced stride. Hips and shoulders stay closed. Full extension on the ball. Exit velocity was 87mph and home to first time was a 4.63.

Sal Trancucci, C, Staten Island Academy HS, NY (2016)
Sal who stands in at 5-foot-10 180-pounds shows great foot work to second base as both feet lift off the ground and ball goes directly to his ear. Clean transfer and good finish to his target. Glove finishes to his side. Arm velocity was 78mph and clean with a mid ¾ arm slot. Blocking was good. Needs to work on lateral blocking and being smooth while doing it. Pop times were very impressive as he was in the range on 1.94-2.0. Soft hands and good sway behind the plate. At the plate he stands in with an open stance hand low by his chest with a clean load back with the pitch. Stride is long which makes his bat drop down. Hands stay inside the ball well. Hips and shoulders fly open early creating little drive. Gets decent extension through the ball with a good finish over the shoulder. Exit velocity was 80mph and his home to first time was 4.81.

Jimmy Barrett, C, South Side HS, NY (2017)
Barret a 5-foot-8 180-pound catcher shows decent foot work as he steps towards his target. Transfer is clean and brings the ball straight back to his ear. Glove finishes off to his side. Shows soft and smooth hands. Blocking was outstanding as he shows he can move side to side and keeping the ball in front of him. Arm velocity was 68mph and his pop times ranges from 2.13-2.4. Shows a jerky arm motion with a mid ¾ arm slot. At the plate he stands upright and narrow with stressed and tense hands. Loads his body back to the catcher with no stride at the plate. Shows good balance. Bat stays level through the zone and hands stay inside the ball. Hips and shoulders stay closed creating good power. Finish is high and over the shoulder. Exit velocity 78mph and his home to first time was 5.1.

Brendon Dowd, C, East Islip HS, NY (2016)
Dowd stands in at 6-foot-2 205-pounds. Behind the plate shows great foot work as both feet are in the air during transfer. Throws from a ¾ arm slot. Brings the ball past his ear before release. Finishes towards his targets and glove is tucked in underneath his arm-pit. Arm velocity was 75mph and his pop time ranged from 1.97-2.0. Shows smooth and soft hands. Blocking is good. Needs to work on centering the ball with his chest while blocking. At the plate he has an open stance, hands above his head and wraps his body when he loads. Bat path is long and slow. Creating a slight incline at contact point. Shoulders and hips fly open early creating little power. Decent extension on the ball with a good finish over the shoulder. Exit velocity was 83mph. Home to first time was 4.25 seconds.

Joseph Martins, C, Center Moriches HS, NY (2016)
Martins stands in at 6-foot-1 185-pound catcher who shows a tall and slender build. Behind the plate he shows smooth soft hands, great footwork to second base. Steps towards his target and throws from a ¾ arm slot. Arm velocity was 71mph creating pop times of 2.17-2.3. Tends to recoil after he throws and finishes off to the glove side. Blocks the ball well with good lateral movement. At the plate he has a upright narrow stance with his hand above his eat. Tense and stiff hands create him to load back into the catcher creating a long bat path through the ball. Finishes well over the shoulder with great balance. Hands tend to cast out a little bit. Gets extension through the ball but not consistent. Exit velocity was 78mph and home to first time was 4.34 second.

Sean Griffin, C, E.L Vandermuelen HS, NY (2017)
Griffin a 6-foot 175-pound catcher shows decent footwork as he steps towards his target and brings the ball straight back to his ear during transfer. Finishes towards the base he’s throwing to. Glove gets tucked under his arm. Hands are soft free and easy movement. Blocking was good. Shows that he can move side to side. Arm velocity was 64mph and had a pop time ranged between 2.3-2.4. At the plate he stands closed off with stiff and tight hands. Load causes an arm-bar which makes his bat path gets long. Little to no stride at all, shoulders and hips open early. Finish is good and over the shoulder with some extension through the ball. Exit velocity was 73mph and his home to first time was 4.94 seconds.

Ethan Baumack, C, Shoreham Wading River HS, NY (2018)
Baumack who stands in 5-foot-7 167-pounds shows decent footwork as he steps towards his target. Clean transfer form glove to hand as he brings the ball passed his ear. Throws from a ¾ arm slot and had a recoil finish. Arm velocity was 66mph and had pop times between 2.3-2.5. Showed soft hands and decent rhythm behind the plate. Blocking needs some work especially to the left and right. At the plate he has an open stance with his hands above the ear and loads back with the pitch. No stride but good balance. Bat path stays level and hands stay inside the ball. Shoulder and hips stay closed creating good pop. Gets good extension and finishes well over the shoulder. Exit velocity was 77mph and his home to first time was 4.25 seconds.

Vinny Borrelli, C, Sachem East HS, NY (2017)
Borrelli who stands in at 5-10 180-pound catcher with decent footwork as he steps to his target and throws from a over the top arm slot. Tends to recoil after he throw. Clean transfer from glove to hand as he brings the ball back to his ear. Arm velocity was 72mph and his pop times ranged from 2.06-2.16. Shows soft hands but choppy movement when receiving. Blocking is good. Needs to be a little bit quicker. At the plate he’s narrow and up right with his hands just above his ears. Loads back with the pitch and has a short stride. Keeps his hands inside the ball and has a level bat path. Finishes over the shoulder with good extension. Exit velocity 73mph and his home to first time is 4.6 seconds.

Andy Karlan, C, Mamaroneck HS, NY (2015)
Karlan stands in at 6-foot 184-pounds with a strong athletic build. Foot work is clean and creates great momentum as both feet leave the ground during transfer. Hands are smooth and clean, as well as his blocking. Throws from an over the top arm slot with a 78 mph arm velocity. Throws through his target and falls off to the side. Pop time was between 1.92-1.97. At the plate he has an open stance and his hands above the ear. Loads back with the pitch and had a short and clean bat path to the ball. Bat stays level through the zone. Shows great extension through the ball and great finish with balance. Exit velocity was an impressive 95 mph and his home to first time was 4.3 seconds.

Tyler Sanderson, C, Hauppauge HS, NY (2016)
Sanderson who stands in 5-foot-8 185-pounds shows great footwork as both feet leaves the air during transfer. He throws over the top with an arm velocity of 72mph. Ball goes directly to his ear as e finishes through to his target. Pop time ranged between 2.0-2.2. Hands are soft and smooth, sways nicely behind the plate. Great blocker shows great movement back there. At the plate he starts off with a narrow and upright stance as his hands appear to be over his shoulders. Loads straight back to the catcher with a short and quick bat path. Bat stays level through the zone and shoulders and hips stay closed creating good pop. Finishes through the ball with great extension and balances at the plate. Exit velocity was 81mph and his home to first time was 4.53 seconds.

Gregory Tan, C/OF, St. Dominic HS, NY (2016)
Tan stands in at 5-foot-9 175-pounds. Behind the plate he shows decent footwork as he steps towards his target and has an over the top arm slot. Arm velocity was 72mph and his transfer from glove to hand was clean, brings ball back to his ear. Glove finishes of to his side and under his armpit. Pop times ranged between 2.07-2.09. Hands are good, could be softer, blocking was impressive as he moves side to side with ease. In the outfield he plays the ball off to his glove side and attacks the ball aggressively. Clean exchange and gets through the ball well. Arm-action is down and short and over the top with carry on the ball. Arm velocity 74mph. At the plate Tan stands closed off and his hands low. Stride is short and balanced quick to the ball, shoulders and hips leak early with little extension through the ball. Finish is clean and over the shoulder. Exit velocity was 63mph and home to first time was 4.56 seconds.

Nicky Manesis, OF/C, Shoreham Wading River HS, NY, (2017)
Manesis a 6-foot-2 175-pound outfielder/catcher shows a strong athletic lean build. In the outfield he plays the ball off his glove side, attacks the ball and finished through his target. Arm-action down and long and over the top arm-slot. Ball carries well as his arm velocity was between 71-74mph. Behind the plate Manesis steps towards his target and brings the ball directly to his ear. Arm velocity of 70mph. Shows soft and smooth hands behind the plate and shows to be an average blocker. Pop time was a 2.19. At the plate Nicky has an open stance with his hands above his ear. Loads back with the pitch with a short and balanced stride. Bat path is quick and short to the ball. Bat stays level through the hitting zone. Hands stay inside the ball as his shoulder and hips stay closed. Gets full extension through the ball as he finishes over his shoulder with great balance. Exit velocity 84mph. Home to first time 4.53.

James Jankowski, C, MIF, Bellport HS, NY (2016)
Jankowski 5-foot-11, 162-pounds. Behind the plate he steps to his target when throwing down. Transfer is clean and straight to his ear. Slight recoil after release, finishes towards base he’s throwing to and glove finishes tucked under arm-pit. Hands could be softer and less movement while receiving. Blocking was average, shoulders rolled over nicely. Needs some fine-tuning. Best pop time was 2.2. Catcher arm velocity 69mph. Average high school catcher. With work he can be a good college catcher. In the infield he fields the ball straight up, glove out in front, knees bent. Hands are soft and smooth and transfer from glove to hand is controlled. Arm –slot is mid-3/4 with little carry on the ball. Arm velocity 72mph. At the plate he has an open stance, hands above his ears. Loads straight back to the catcher. Stride is long and hands drop before contact. Bat path drags and is slightly inclined at contact. Shoulders and hips fly open early but still get’s extension on the ball. Finishes high above the shoulder with good balance. Exit velocity 70mph and home to first time was 4.78. With work on catching and hitting he can find his way in a college line up.