By Paul Gotham
Sports Writer, New York

On a day when the combined total of participants and college coaches (50 players and 18 coaches) outnumbered the degrees in Fahrenheit (48) on the Onondaga Community College thermometer, the Prep Baseball Report, New York  2015 Unsigned Senior Showcase mined a few hidden gems.

Entering with “exit” times

RHP/OF Billy Clifford (Baldwinsville HS, 2016) and C Sean Putnam (Fayetteville-Manlius HS, 2016) weren’t in a hurry to leave. The pair made their mark when checking their exit velocity. Clifford was the first of the day to reach to 90 mph-plateau. Putnam registered 88 with a wood bat before switching to aluminum and topping the chart at 92. Not to be overlooked, OF Calvin Paredes (Mount St. Michael Academy, 2016) made the five-plus hour trek north from the Bronx and arrived early afternoon at OCC. Swinging a wooden shillelagh, the lefty using an athletic, fluid stroke lit the gun with four swings of 86 or better topping off at 88.

Pleased to meet you; hope you guess my name

Just as it looked like the day was giving way to the dreary conditions, RHP Jack Acquaviva, (Westmoreland HS, 2016) making his first PBR appearance, took the mound and changed the vibe of the coaches sitting behind the screen at home plate.