6’6″ Greg Marino is coming off a great year and is up to 88-90 MPH with his heater. Certainly a potential draft candidate pic.twitter.com/d5UKWGTEoS
— Axcess Baseball (@axcessbaseball) October 16, 2017
This afternoon I was at Stony Brook University to watch their Scout Day, which was attended by at least 20 MLB scouts from across the region. Stony Brook is one of the few teams in the region that consistently have their players selected in the MLB Draft. This year should be no different, as they have a handful of players that are draft-eligible. Additionally, they have younger players that could garner interest in the coming years. Below is my observations from the workout.
- Dylan Resk (JR) is a 6’1″ power-hitting outfielder that smacked 13 HR last year and drove in 34 runs. The ball really jumped off his bat, he’s definitely the player that possesses the most natural power on the team. He generates great loft with his swing, when he gets full extension he is really a dangerous hitter.
- Michael Wilson (SO) was already drafted by the Boston Red Sox out of HS in New Jersey. He is transitioning to the outfield this year. He showcased his plus arm from right field. It is a true weapon that could curtail extra-base hits. He unleashed some terrific throws to third base and home. At the plate, he has a great left-handed stroke. He hit five HR last year. He cooled off towards the end of the season last year and his AVG dropped to .262 but now in his sophomore year, I expect him to make the necessary adjustments that will allow him to hit in the middle-of-the-order all season and finish over .300.
- Andruw Gazzola (SR) has had a great career for the Sea Wolves. Originally a shortstop and pitcher, he played all of last year in the outfield. He is athletic enough to play everywhere. At the plate, he has compiled a career .308 AVG, finishing each of his three collegiate seasons over .300. He hit 0 HR last year, but hit 16 doubles and three triples. He stands in a crouched stance at the plate, but doesn’t use his back side on his swing which cuts off his power. It hasn’t prevented him from being a productive hitter, but as a corner outfielder it is historically been a spot for a power hitter.
- John Tuccillo (FR) appears to be a true weapon behind the plate in terms of stopping the running game. All of his pop times were sub 1.95, some in the 1.8 range. He has a lightning quick release and strong arm, but some of the throws were off line. They will be looking to replace David Real, who did a very nice job for them the past two seasons so it will be interesting to see if he or Sean Buckhout earns the starting job.
- Bobby Honeyman (SR) is another versatile player that came to SBU as a SS but has also started games at all infield positions before settling in as the 3B last season. He has a great athleticism, smooth hands and a very quick release with an accurate arm. Not the strongest arm on the team, but he makes up for it with quickness. He has batted .267 over his three-year career but he looked lock in at the plate and I can envision him having a career-high in hits this season. Not a power hitter, but does a lot of things right. He is a winning ballplayer that won a Long Island Championship at Massapequa.
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- Aaron Pinto (SR) had a great season last year, and he wound up as their de-facto ace by the end of the season. He struck out 48 over 40 IP with a 2.88 ERA. He is an undersized RHP (6’0″) but really maximizes his velocity by using his lower half and with a very quick arm action. He was 88-90 MPH with the fastball but has touched 91 MPH in the past. He throws a change up at 80 MPH with incredible deceptiveness and downward vertical drop from the same arm speed. Borderline MLB Draft pick, but with a great season as the workhorse of the team he could be a late-rounder.
- Greg Marino (RD-SO) has the highest upside of any pitcher. He is 6’6″ and a slender 195 lb. He enjoyed a successful freshman season with 60.1 IP and 58 strikeouts. He needs to cut down on his walks, I think that will come from establishing the fastball. Today he worked in the 88-90 MPH range as well, with a 78 MPH change up and 81 MPH slider. The command of the offspeed pitches were not there, but that may be the only thing separating him from being a pro prospect. His size, composure and mechanics spell pro prospect. He also comes from an athletic family, as his brother, Steve, played professionally for five seasons.
