By James L. Teta
Below you will find a write up of the top players I isolated from the Blue Chip Prospects coaches camp. The event featured an impressive crop of players being evaluated and taught by coaches from UCONN, St. John’s, Fordham, Stony Brook, Hofstra, Boston College, Dartmouth, Pittsburgh, Farleigh Dickinson, Albany, Maryland, Sacred Heart, Fairfield, Princeton, Manhattan and St. Joseph’s.
The mechanics of below are as follows: The number in front represents the digits provided by the camp for each kid to wear on their back as an identifying marker, followed by their name and graduation year. ***For coaches: If you need any additional information, reach out to your point of contact within the Blue Chip Prospects organization for more detail.
#121: Kevin Bowrosen
5’10”, 165 lb outfield/infield/pitching prospect
Miller Place HS 2020 (Coach: Rick Caputo)
Breakdown: Kevin is an athletic bodied left-handed hitter with great bat speed. His aggressive approach at the dish and smooth stroke will make him a force to be reckoned with moving forward. Kevin strikes the ball well to all fields, garnering looks and attention from many coaches at the camp. He is a smooth fielder with quick feet. These attributes combined with his hitting ability, tracks Bowrosen as a strong Div-I prospect. The sky is the limit for this kid. His strong arm allows him to succeed on the mound and preventing extra bases in the outfield also. There is a super utility quality to him, which at the professional level is becoming more and more valuable. With many positional options, a confident demeanor and positive attitude, Bowrosen has the potential to be a coaches dream.
#128: Michael Sadowski
5’10”, 150 lb outfield/pitching prospect
Queens Metropolitan HS 2020 (Coach: Ian Fried)
Breakdown: Michael is a quality left-handed pitcher with plenty of athleticism. This athleticism can help differentiate himself as a well above-average fielder, regardless of position. It was on display during outfield drills, his bullpen and in the cage. This multi-pitch, strike throwing prospect, showed us a quality change up to go along with a good fastball. Michael is a solid offensive player, with potential on that side of the ball.
#131: Tim Zupkus
6’0”, 175 lb outfield prospect
Holy Cross 2020 (Coach: Adams)
Breakdown: Tim may have been the best pure outfielder at the event. He shows fluid movement, tremendous feet and quality athleticism. These attributes likely make Zupkus a centerfield prospect at the college level. Tim is an aggressive, twitchy athlete, with quick hands and feet. This solid all-around ballplayer makes offensive adjustments easily; which likely means he can translate the swing into games.
#139: Rocko Brzeniak
6’0″, 170 lbs
Matawan Reg HS 2022 (New Jersey)
Breakdown: Rocko is an impressive sight. Only an 8th grader, he already has a muscular build. This New Jersey product took some violent hacks on day 1. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see him on day 2, but his performance created a buzz. Rocko was one of the youngest players at the camp, but garnered a lot of attention from the coaching staff. He is a big yet controlled swinger, with a focused, planned attack. His aggressive hacks are a joy to watch. Rocko’s load, rhythm, timing, and mechanics, give him a chance for a nice offensive career moving forward. Brzeniak has potential to be a feared, middle-of-the-order, corner infielder, at the college level and possibly higher.
#141: Andrew Ciufo
6’0”, 185 lb infield prospect
Phillips Academy 2019 (Coach: Kevin Graber)
Breakdown: Ciufo re-classified after finishing his junior season at Pat-Med. Since then, he has impressed as an all-around ballplayer with athleticism like his brother, Richie. His mental approach makes just as much of a lasting impression as his physical ability. Andrew’s high energy and leadership qualities show through in spades. This great kid shows excellent footwork as an infielder. When compared to many other talented players at the camp, Cuifo has the best “ankle bone to target” footwork (as a post ground ball, clam shell movement). Both potential and ability exist within him as an offensive player.
#142: Daniel Helfgott
5’9”, 155 lb infield prospect
Don Bosco Prep HS 2019 (Coach: Mike Rooney)
Breakdown: Helfgott strikes me as a smart ballplayer. A strong finish to his swing provides carry on the baseball. This will only continue to improve as he grows and builds strength. Daniel flashed defensively as an infielder. A rapid release and quick hands overall, allow him to make any play on the diamond. Helfgott threw the ball well from all platforms (multiple angles). This hard working quality fielder has a chance to develop at an exponential rate, assuming his baseball diligence continues.
#143: Aidan Larkin, 2019
5’11”, 175 lb infield prospect
Chaminade HS 2019 (Coach: Mike Pienkos)
Breakdown: Larkin has a knack for performing well when Axcess Baseball is in attendance. He swung a red-hot bat in the WWBA World Championship in Fort Myers and continued that at the Antonia Agostinelli Memorial tournament last month. He takes violently aggressive hacks from both sides of the plate. Switch-hitting is a rare commodity and he swings well from both sides. In the field, he is sure-handed with an accurate arm. He doesn’t have the flair as some middle infielders, but is a steady glove at a premium position.
#152: Jake Pierre
5’9”, 155 lb infield prospect
Sachem North 2019 (HS Coach: Tom Gambino)
Breakdown: Jake put himself on the map with a 5-for-5 performance at the Northeast Elite tournament two months ago at Baseball Heaven. All five hits were well-struck including the walk-off single to win. His compact swing allows him to find holes even if he’s fooled on a pitch. His swing is sweet as sugar; a true silky-smooth lefty stroke. As an infielder, he stays low to the ground. His ability to rise to the occasion and play better during a ground ball competition is an impressive quality as well.
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#155: Sean Lane
6’3”, 225 lb infield prospect
St. Dominic HS 2021 (Coach: James Goelz)
Breakdown: This young man is quite imposing physically with room still to develop. He may or may not grow moving forward; but once he becomes a man, this kid will only get stronger. Lane is a pure hitter with tons of pop, a quality finish to his swing, and a relaxed rhythm at the plate. Sean also moves well as an infielder. His sneaky athleticism is a nice surprise. This big young man moves very well and is light on his feet. Another prospect where the sky is the limit.
#159: Mike Prisco
6’0”, 175 lb catching prospect
Newfield HS 2020 (Coach: Eric Joyner)
Breakdown: Prisco is a hard-nosed ballplayer, probably one of the toughest kids at the camp. A lefty stick and impressive offensive prospect with power to all fields, Prisco hit the baseball really well all day. What stood out aside from his physical ability is his calm, even keeled demeanor. Whether Mike smoked one off the L-screen, or rolled over to first base, his emotions stayed check. This is a perfect quality for someone to be entrusted as the leader of a pitching staff.
#167: Dharyl Moon
6’2”, 160 lb outfield prospect
New Hyde Park HS 2019 (Coach: Doug Robins)
Breakdown: He really impressed in the cage. Daryl is another tall, yet fluid left-handed hitter. Moon struck the baseball extremely well, with pop to all fields and in each quadrant of the zone. He should only improve as he builds strength and grows into his 6’2” frame. Defensively, Moon showed well enough. The weight room and getting stronger will prove to be Moon’s best friend moving forward. Both will help him exponentially in his development as a ballplayer.
#174: Matthew Yip
5’11”, 165 lb catching prospect
Herricks HS 2019 (Coach: Rich Bizelia)
Breakdown: Yip is an above-average player on both sides of the ball. His 2.03 pop time as a catcher is quality and Matthew has room to improve. At a commodity position, his combined ability to hit and show defensive skill is valuable moving forward. He did a very good job with the pitching staff in Fort Myers, no easy task with the caliber of velocity and movement on Next Level’s staff.
#180: Joshua Graham
5’11”, 170 lb infield/pitching prospect
Salesian HS 2021 (Coach: Keith Del Valle)
Breakdown: “Dual threat prospect,” is the perfect definition for this young stud. Josh’s well above-average athletic ability shows through in the box and as a pitcher. Already a thick kid (particularly in his lower half), Graham’s power and strength shine on each side of the ball. If Josh can continue to refine his aggressive, violent hacks, it will make him a more consistent striker of the baseball moving forward. A regular strike thrower with good arm action, this young man has potential to be an excellent pitcher, hitter, or both.
#184: Alex Ungar, 2020
6’2”, 175 lb SS/RHP
Connetquot HS 2020 (Coach: N/A)
Breakdown: Ungar’s delivery is perfectly in synchronization. For a sophomore in high school that is 6’2 and wiry, that is rare. He has command of his mid 80s fastball and throws a deadly 12-6 curveball. Showed great athleticism at SS and can handle the bat. He is a very bright prospect.
#190: Anthony Cinquemani
6’4”, 190 lb infield/pitching prospect
West Islip HS 2019 (Coach: Shawn Rush)
Breakdown: Cinquemani is a big man with soft, quick hands. Offensively those hands help him create an athletic and powerful swing. As a defender they serve him well at first base, which could help save his team errors on infield throws. Continued flexibility will help him as an infielder and throughout his overall game. He has quality arm action and a long frame. He could be the next in a long line of great pitchers at West Islip.
#195: Dylan Johnson
6’0”, 165 lb infield/pitching prospect
Newfield HS 2021 (Coach: Eric Joyner)
Breakdown: The brother of Stony Brook-commit Kyle Johnson is well on his way to carving out his own successful baseball career. The freshman is well above the curve for a player at his development. He sat 80-81 with his fastball but also commands a knuckle drop and slider all for strikes. Johnson showed really well on the hill, in the cage, and as a defender. A guy most likely projecting to a corner infield spot, if not starting pitcher; his long arm circle probably plays better as a outfield prospect moving forward. Luckily for Johnson and any coach he plays for, he is more than athletic enough to make that move if needed.
