This weekend I was in Fort Myers for the immensely-popular WWBA Underclass World Championship. There were five Long Island-based teams competing; Motus Academy, MVP Beast, Body Armor Titans, Next Level Baseball and the East Coast Lumberjacks.
Here are some of my biggest takeaways from the weekend.
- With 202 teams in the tournament and college coaches from everywhere–including Power 5 conferences, this is a must-attend event.
- The facilities of the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins are absolutely gorgeous. If you love baseball as I do, it really reminded me of why I fell in love with the game. With no Major League game being played, I was able to walk around the ballpark and it made me appreciate the rudimentary aspects of the game such as that feeling when you walk through the rotunda and catch the first sight of the field, the smell of the freshly-cut grass, the perfectly straight foul lines and the size of the building. It really takes me back to those days as a kid walking into Shea Stadium in the late 90s when I got hooked on this game.
Now for the individual players that caught my eye:
- It’s no secret at this point, but wow, Tim McHugh‘s ceiling is unlimited. In Thursday’s game, there was a number of MLB agents to watch the Commack junior, vying for his services in the future. They are not going to waste their time–if they are spending their time with a high school athlete then they clearly suspect him as a potential first or second round MLB Draft pick in 2019. He ripped an RBI triple that would’ve been a home run had the wind not been gusting in. He certainly looks like a professional athlete already and by all accounts he is as respectful of a young man as there is. TCU should be thrilled with the quality of player they will be getting, That is, of course, if he ever steps foot on campus. And he gets to face high school pitchers for the next two seasons.
- Jake Krzemienski threw very well. He pitched through a back injury much of the summer, which sapped his velocity and put his ceiling into question. He answered those questions emphatically as he struck out six batters over 2.2 and allowed only one hit. He hit 83 MPH, but more importantly he showed toughness and pitch ability. He did struggle with command of his curveball, but I saw the baseball, and it was basically lacking anything resembling raised seams. That makes it very difficult for a pitcher with a tradition 12-6 curveball. That is not the same baseball they use in Section XI. In my opinion, he would be a great fit for the local Div-I schools. Coach Kritikos told me he has only lost 3 games since he turned 12-years-old. He was the X-Factor for Commack in the postseason–compiling a walk-off hit, a win and a save in crucial games.
- Ethan Farino (Ward Melville 2019) was really impressive. He has a deceptive delivery with a sidearm slot (almost reminiscent of Walter Johnson from the grainy black-and-white videos I’ve seen). Kritikos marveled about his ability to induce weak contact–specifically on the ground. That is a skill that is immensely important at any level. He was not needed at the varsity level last year with a rotation of Ben Brown, Max Nielsen and Chris Buehler, but he or Matt DiGennaro will compete to replace Brown.
- Will Kennedy (Smithtown East 2019) has no pulse on the mound, and that’s a good thing. You can pitch angry or you can haven pulse–just as long as you’re not nervous. I originally saw him in January getting a lesson with Neal Heaton and he was really impressive. He is also the cleanup hitter on Next Level, so he can definitely swing it. His velocity was only in the upper 70s, but he checks off every other box you can look for. His mechanics are very clean and repeatable, he is reminiscent of Cole Hamels in that regard. He also commands both sides of the plate. He generated plenty of swings-and-misses and struck out six batters over 4.1 IP of relief. He came in with one out and the bases loaded in the third and finished the game. He is very athletic, showing a good pickoff move and ability to field his position.
- Aidan Larkin (Chaminade 2019) had a phenomenal weekend. He finished second in the entire tournament in AVG. In the two games I watched on Friday, he did basically everything right. He went 2-3 with a sac fly in the first game. He also scored on a slow roller to the third baseman, a very aggressive play considering where the ball was hit with the infield in. He was even more impressive in the next game, as he hit an RBI single to the right side in his second at bat and then ripped a two-run single to left field in his next at bat. He made a sparkling play in the field. He will be a crucial piece for Chaminade the next two years. Very impressive player. I think because of his baseball IQ, he has a “high-floor” and should be on the radar of all the Div-II schools.
- Matt Pelcher (Calhoun 2020) finished fifth in batting in the tournament. I’ve been a huge fan of Pelcher since I first watched him at the NYBA camp last summer. He possesses the perfect demeanor and maturity that you want to see from your catcher. He is a gifted defensive catcher that is one growth spurt away from being a high-end Div-I catcher. Having been on varsity since eighth grade, Pelcher has been on the radar for over two years already. He started the game off with a single and came around the score. His athleticism allows him to play second, shortstop and third base as well. The latter of which was where he played in this game.
- Roman Dorosh (Sachem East 2019) missed some time this summer due to an injury to his right wrist that was fractured in two spots. Had that not occurred, he would certainly have been already committed to a top program in the country. On the day he injured his wrist, he still touched 89 MPH in Georgia. Teams have been following him since. He pitched in front of a number of scouts including Pittsburgh, East Carolina and Stony Brook, among others. He allowed two runs over four innings but was very impressive. He worked in the mid-to-upper 80s. What stands out about him is his aggressive approach to hitters. He attacks the strike zone and has no fear. He should be committed soon, his outings have been must-see since his debut on varsity this season.
- Body Armor Titans were trailing 3-0 when Johnny Castagnozzi stepped up in the seventh inning on Thursday. The UNC-commit smoked a game-tying three-run shot to left center. It was one of those defining moments in his young career. Only a sophomore in high school, he already has the type of leadership abilities that college coaches only hope to see from their upperclassmen. It will be interesting to see how he deals with teams pitching around him this year. Nobody will want to give anything to hit to a top-50 player in the nation.
