East Coast Pro Showcase Preview
July 27, 2015
By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting
Prep Baseball Report’s National Supervisor Nathan Rode will be in Florida this week to cover the East Coast Professional Showcase, which is a non-profit event hosted by MLB Scouts. Players who have been invited to this event have to be recommended by a professional scout, and are seen as potential draft picks in the following year’s Rule IV (Amateur) Draft.
The High School Class of 2016 is very strong in Virginia and DC, and that talent will be well represented at the showcase this week. Here is a quick look at the players from our coverage area that are participating in this event. To view the 2016 Overall Rankings, CLICK HERE. For the 2016 Virginia/DC Rankings, CLICK HERE.
Players representing the commonwealth:
+Jake Agnos, LHP, Battlefield, 2016 (East Carolina)
Agnos was among the best pitchers in the state this spring, and had the best single game performance in state history, striking out 21 straight batters after a leadoff hit. Agnos throws from a high three-quarters slot and works in the high 80’s with his fastball, and he has been up to 91 recently. He has an outstanding, sharp 1/7 breaking curveball as well a fading changeup that he throws with decent armspeed.
+Michael Bienlien, RHP, Great Bridge, 2016 (South Carolina)
Bienlien is a 6-foot-4 righty with a solid, prototypical pitcher’s frame who throws from a three-quarters arm slot. His fastball works in the high 80s and he has been up to 91 in the last month with a lot of armside run on his ball. He throws a hard slider and has a decent changeup.
+Zach Hess, RHP/1B, Liberty Christian Academy, 2016 (Virginia Tech)
Hess is a tall, lanky right hander with a prototypical professional pitcher’s frame and a lightning fast arm action that generates velocity with ease. During the high school season, he consistently worked in the low-90s with his fastball, and has been up as high as 95 this summer.
+Khalil Lee, OF/LHP, Flint Hill, 2016 (Liberty)
Lee hits from a tall stance that is athletic and slightly open. He has a slight leg kick and excellent balance throughout his swing. He has a very quiet lower half during his setup. His hands and lower half are explosive at contact. He has a gap to gap approach with power potential. He is a premium athlete in the outfield with a 90+ arm and sub 7.0 speed. On the mound, Lee has been gunned as high as 91 this summer.
+Noah Murdock, RHP, Colonial Heights, 2016 (Virginia)
Murdock stands a lanky 6-foot-7, and has a loose arm that works. His fastball sits in the high 80s and he has been up to 91 this summer. He throws a plus true slider and a sinking changeup. As Murdock continues to fill out, his velocity could increase significantly.
+Vinnie Pasquantino, CIF, James River, 2016 (Old Dominion)
Pasquantino hits from the left side with a slight crouch. He has a big leg kick and keeps his hands quiet. He is very short to the ball and his hands and hips are explosive, generating a lot of bat speed. He has good balance throughout his swing and has easy home run power to his pull side.
+Cayman Richardson, MIF, Hanover, 2016 (Virginia)
Richardson is a talented, athletic defender up the middle. He has a good arm and outstanding actions as well as good range. He is smooth and has a good rhythm in the field. At the plate, Richardson had a down high school season, but he still has a short stroke with decent bat speed that should produce gap power. He is a very good baserunner and his speed is a weapon offensively, as he is capable of beating out routine grounders on the infield.
+Joe Rizzo, 3B, Oakton, 2016 (South Carolina)
Rizzo has a polished left-handed stroke and exudes confidence on every swing. He starts in a balanced, athletic stance with high hands. He uses a leg kick and stays behind the ball very well. His hands are short to the ball and explosive. His lower half is also explosive. He has power through the middle of the field. At third base, he has good lateral movement and a strong throwing arm, with the ability to be a plus defender at the position.
+Garrett Stallings, RHP, Grassfield, 2016 (Tennessee)
Stallings stands 6-foot-2 and has an athletic frame with strong legs. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with a short, loose arm action and a lightning fast armstroke. In February, at the PBR VA/DC PreSeason All-State, Stallings sat 87-88, touching 89 with late run on his fastball. He had a late breaking, 12/6 curveball that ran 69-74. He also threw a slider with full armspeed that had late, sharp 10/4 break and ran 79-82. His change-up faded and was thrown with decent armspeed in the 74-77 range. Stallings demonstrated elite command of all four pitches.
Recent stories:
