Western PA Summer Review: Class of 2019 Analysis
June 24, 2017
By Dan Williams
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting
The summer rush of PBR events in Pennsylvania continued this week with the 2017 Western PA Summer Review on June 20. 32 prospects from Pennsylvania gathered for a showcase and a 9-inning game at Kelly Automotive Park home of the Butler Blue Sox. Today we continue our analysis of the prospects in attendance by taking a look at those who participated from the Class of 2019
+ For complete results from all prospects in attendance - CLICK HERE.
Class of 2019
Dylan Hetrick, 2019, Mercer Area, OF/SS
6-foot-2, 180-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing with short knee to knee leg kick. Demonstrates rhythmic load with loose hands in achieving bat exit velocity of 82 mph. Swing plane keeps bat in hitting zone early and late allowing use of all fields. An aggressive weight shift and hip turn achieves good separation.
Defensively, flashed athletic actions with decisive reads and good angles. Would benefit from being more aggressive in getting behind baseball and playing through.
Harrison Pontoli, 2019, Beaver Area, 2B/SS
5-foot, 160-pound right-handed hitter starts from square set up and initiates swing with lift and replace. Pontoli flashed a rhythmic load, loose hands, and a direct path to baseball with a bat exit velocity of 76 mph. An aggressive weight shift and hip turn were demonstrated. A solid feel for the barrel was exhibited in BP as Pontoli consistently squared balls to all fields.
Defensively, Attacked ball using good angles to get proper hop. Routinely played ball out front and bottom up demonstrating soft glove hand and clean, quick transfer. Foot work allows 78 mph arm strength from left side to play up.
Isaac Buterbaugh, 2019, Derry Area, C/3B
5-foot-11, 180 pound right-handed hitter with physical frame initiates swing with short stride, Sets up square with a wide base. Initiates swing with short stride. There is some back side collapse. Hand speed helps achieve bat exit velocity of 79 mph. Demonstrated solid feel for barrel in square multiple balls during BP session. Would benefit from a more aggressive weight shift from a slightly narrower base.
Defensively, showed good hands and clean transfer could benefit from staying square when blocking and staying in line with throws.
Jacob Weckerly, 2019, Karns City, C/3B
5-foot-11, 155-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing with lift and replace from square set up. A passive weight shift results some tendency to pull off baseball. Weckerly demonstrates a solid feel for the barrel and was able to barrel multiple balls in round of BP. There is solid back elbow connection, a still head and good posture at contact with a bat exit velocity of 73 mph.
Defensively, soft glove hand, good lateral movement and blocking skills were demonstrated. Throwing motion is slightly long with tendency to drop elbow.
Jacob Commens, 2019, Quaker Valley, LHP
6-foot-3, 170-pound, left-handed pitcher. FB sat 72-74 with some arm side run. CB at 61 mph showed 11-7 shape with rolling action. Commens flashed solid command particularly to outer half with ability to repeat delivery. There was some tendency to fly open. Commens would benefit from more aggressive use of lower half and weight shift over front side.
Kaden Keely, 2019, Franklin Area, LHP/1B
5-foot-10 155-pound left- handed hitter initiates swing with lift and replace stride. Shows soft controlled load with loose hands, good balance and excellent rhythm to swing. Demonstrated good separation and feel for barrel consistently squaring up baseball and using whole field in round of BP. Swing is short and on plane early and late with direct hand path. Recorded bat exit velocity of 82.
Defensively, moved athletically around bag. There was some tendency to field ball deep and from top down.
Lance Baldensperger, 2019, Warren Area, OF
5-foot-11 160-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing with lift and replace stride. There was some difficulty being on time on this day. Lower half sway creating an uphill swing path was present. Baldensperger is an above average athlete as evidenced by his 6.94 sixty time. Athleticism should allow necessary mechanical swing changes including more aggressive hip turn.
Speed and athleticism play in OF. Baldensperger would benefit from staying in line and following his throws.
Stephen ODonnell, 2019, Karns City, C/2B
5-foot-10 155 pound right-handed hitter who runs very well for position(7.0 sixty) initiates swing with lift and replace stride. Demonstrates good feel for barrel with direct hand path to baseball. Balance is good, head is still and back elbow is connected in achieving 75 mph bat exit velocity. Separation is adequate and swing played in BP with O'Donnell demonstrating ability to consistently barrel the baseball.
Defensively, demonstrates clean transfer with adequate hands, Would benefit from improving upper body angle in blocking.
Tyler Yough, 2019, Karns City, SS/RHP
5-foot-9, 170-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing with no stride heel raise. Shows soft in sync load, short path to baseball, still head, and adequate separation in achieving a bat exit velocity of 75 mph. Bat is on plane throughout hitting zone. Yough maintains his posture well while hitting off a firm front side. Overall swing is mechanically sound and played as such in BP with ball being consistently barreled.
Defensively, there was tendency to sit back on baseball. Hands are adequate and transfers are clean. Yough would benefit from attacking and playing through ball more aggressively.
Luke Salvo, 2019, Union Area, C/3B
5-foot-11 190-pound right-handed hitter demonstrates good balance keeps head still and achieves excellent separation. There is a tendency for back elbow to drift in front of hands when connecting creating bat drag. There is also some length to swing associated with significant bat wrap. Salvo recorded a bat exit velocity of 75 mph.
Defensively, hands are soft and good blocking technique was present. A somewhat slow transfer increases pop time.
Zach Zuchelli,2019,Blackhawk, SS/2B
5-foot-8, 145-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing with heel raise and no stride. Backside collapse leads to uphill swing path. Swing is short and hand path is direct. Zuchelli would benefit from better backside drive and maintenance of posture. Zuchelli recorded an 85 mph bat exit velocity
Defensively, shows soft, quick hands while fielding ball out in front and from bottom up. There is solid footwork to and through the ball. A clean quick transfer is present. Threw 77 mph across the diamond.