The Top Pitchers from the Top Prospect Showcase
July 21, 2011
Ohio?s first annual Top Prospect event has concluded. Over the next week, we will break down the top prospects from the event and eventually conclude with the top overall list. Today, we start with the pitchers.
The event featured some of the top unsigned arms in the state. With the summer coming to a close, one of the top committed prospects cemented his place atop PBR?s rankings while several uncommitted 2012 players made their case for a college scholarship. However, when the day came to an end, several prospects from the Class of 2013 stole the show.
Top 2012 Pitching Prospects for the Event
Jacob Bosiokovic, RHP, Delaware Hayes/Ohio State recruit ? The 6-foot-6, 190-pound prospect uses a quick and short arm action to generate an easy 85-87 mph fastball. With his size and frame, he will surely add additional velocity as he continues to fill out. Even more impressive, Bosiokovic showed three consistent off speed pitches. He uses a sharp 79 mph slider with late breaking 11/5 movement. In addition, he shows a slower, early breaking curveball that sits at 71 mph. Lastly, the Ohio State recruit shows a developing straight changeup with good arm action.
Caleb Schillace, RHP, Keystone ? The 6-foot-4, 210 pound prospect from Northeast Ohio emerged as the top unsigned pitching prospect at the event. Using a long arm action and a high ¾ arm slot, Shillace showed an easy 87-88 mph fastball. He displayed a curveball that sat at 66-69 mph and showed 11/5 late breaking movement. The lanky right-hander needs to continue developing his changeup, which lacked consistent control while registering at 80-81 mph.
Wynston McMartin, RHP, New Albany- The 6-foot, 175 pound prospect from Central Ohio may not have been the biggest pitcher to take the mound, but he found himself displaying some of the top velocity at the event. Using an over the top arm angle combined with quick, short arm action, McMartin found himself throwing a heavy fastball that registered 86-89 mph. His curveball, which showed 11/5 gradual movement, sat 70-73 mph. His changeup, which showed consistent sink down in the zone, sat around 76 mph.
Jeff Clemmons, RHP Madison ? The 6-foot, 195-pound prospect from Southwestern Ohio is a solid, well-built prospect. He displayed a heavy fastball that was erratic at times, but registered 85-87 mph. His curveball, which was one of the best at the event, uses a sharp 11/5 movement and registers at 70-73 mph. Lastly, he showed the ability to consistently locate his changeup, which showed downward sink on the arm side.
The Best of the Rest
Justin Fritts, LHP, Mentor (6-1, 180)- 81-85 mph FB with a 71-73 mph CB and 73 mph
Ben Glischinski LHP, Kings (6-6, 225) ? 82-85 mph FB with 66-69 mph CB and 73-75 mph CH
Michael Koltak, RHP, Upper Arlington (6-0, 165)? 80-85 mph FB with 72-73 mph CB and 69-71 mph slider.
Jacob Miller, RHP, Westerville North (6-0, 175) - 83-86 mph FB with a 72-75 mph CB and 66-68 mph CH
Austin Miller, RHP, Zanesville (6-4, 200) ? 82-85 mph FB with a 67 mph CB, 76 mph SL, and 73 mph CH
Michael Steensen, RHP, Granville (6-3, 195) ? 82-85 mph FB with a 70-71 CB, 71 SL, and 73-74 CH
Top 2013 Pitching Prospects for the Event
Carlos Pena, RHP, Columbus West - The 6-foot-6, 210-pound turned heads with a long and loose arm action that generated an 87-90 mph fastball. Coming from a high ¾ slot, he throws a heavy ball with good sinking action. Pena?s breaking ball had sharp, late breaking 11/5 movement as it sat at 69 mph. With some additional work, his third pitch, a split-finger fastball that registered 81-82 mph, should help him keep hitters off balance. While Pena was not the most polished pitcher at the event, he showed a high degree of projectability and will surely become more refined with time.
Jason Johnson, RHP, Dublin Jerome- The 6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect showed a long and loose ¾ arm action as he generated an easy 83-86 mph fastball with excellent arm side run. The lanky righty relies on a sharp 71 mph slider that has late breaking 10/4 movement. For his third pitch, Johnson displayed a developing 73 mph split-finger fastball that showed signs of sinking low in the zone.
Andrew McDonald, RHP, Mason - The 6-foot-5, 210 pound prospect emerged as one of the top pitchers at the event. The tall right-hander uses a high ¾ arm angle and shows loose and free arm action as he generates a consistent 83-86 mph fastball with downward sink. McDonald?s curveball registers at 71-72 mph and shows sharp 11/5 movement. His changeup, which is thrown near the same arm speed as his fastball, sat at 77-78 mph and showed signs of fading. With his large frame, McDonald should continue to develop and throw a consistent mid to high 80?s fastball by next summer.
Adam Niemeyer, RHP, Minster- The 6-foot-2, 200 pound prospect stepped into the spotlight this spring as he earned the victory on the mound for the DIV State Championship game. While his fastball only registered 82-84 mph, Niemeyer?s frame and broad shoulders show potential for additional growth and development as he matures. He uses a quick and easy over the top delivery. His knuckle-curveball registered at 65-68 mph, and his changeup sat at 72-73 mph.
Tom Stoffel, LHP, Clayton Northmont- The 5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect is well-known for being one of the top athletes in the Class of 2013. On the mound, Stoffel impressed with an 82-85 mph fastball that showed consistent arm side run from his ¾ arm angle. His curveball proved to be his most consistent and effective off-speed pitch as it 70-73 mph with late breaking 12/6 movement. Finally, his changeup, which lacked consistent control, clocked in at 75-77 mph.
TJ Zeuch, RHP, Mason- The 6-foot-7, 210-pound prospect is another talented right-handed pitcher from Mason High School. Using a quick, over the top arm angle, Zeuch registered a consistent and heavy 84-87 mph fastball. While he features three off-speed pitches, his curveball proved to be the most consistent. It showed consistent 12/6 movement as the breaking ball sat 68-69 mph. His changeup registered 72-75 mph, but it still has room for development. Lastly, he displayed an 81-82 mph cut fastball that displayed some potential, but lacked consistent movement and effectiveness.