Player Name: Mike Delio
Position: RHP
School: Carle Place ’15, Oneonta ’19
Mike is the pitcher that achieved national fame for throwing the only 21-strikeout perfect game in Long Island history in 2014.
He has a very high leg kick that gets above letter height. His hands are head high and his head is focused on the ground before he picks up his target. He keeps a firm back leg. He has a good stride but he lands with his front foot pointed towards third base which can cause the arm angle to get out of consistent spot. His release point is high 3/4. He does not finish fully and can add another tick by bending more.
His delivery is reminiscent of former MLB pitcher Jon Leiber.
In the All Star Game, he threw a scoreless inning, escaping a bases loaded jam.
The first batter ripped an 87 MPH fastball to CF for a single. The following batter fouled off a 67 MPH curve on the first two pitches before hitting into a 6-4 fielder’s choice. He started the following batter off with a 69 MPH curve before hitting a fastball to right field for the second out. The following batter fouled off a curve, watched another curve for strike two, watched a curve for ball one and then singled to left field on a fastball. The following batter worked a full count, fouled off a high fastball before hitting a chopper to third base for an infield single to load the bases. Delio escaped the jam on a ground out to first on a 2-1 fastball. He worked mainly in the 86-88 MPH range with the fastball, 76 with the change and 69 with the curve.
He did not attempt any pick offs and there was no balls hit back to him.
He should do very well at the Division-III level.
