It’s been a month since my article on the top remaining uncommitted 2019 prospects. This week has been very busy in terms of top players committing. Most of the top 2019s are now off the board with the exception of Chris Palmer (East Islip), Paul Orbon (Chaminade), Anthony Cinquemani (West Islip), Bryce Grathwohl (Matituck), Colin Diez (Division) and the Harvey twins (Smithtown East). Here’s my take on the recent commits.
Tyler Widercrantz (Shoreham-Wading River 2019)-St. Anselm
I don’t know much about St. Anselm College, besides it being a private school in New Hampshire that plays in the Northeast-10 conference. They are coming off an 11-28 season in which they slugged .312 as a team. In other words, they could use some power hitters like Tyler. I’ve seen him a couple times, he was very impressive this season in the game against Mount Sinai. He smacked a two-run shot well over the fence at SWR’s home field. It’s not just the HR–it was the exit velocity off the bat, it’s his bat speed. For me, he’s a vastly underrated player and he will really put his name on the map this season with a big season. I had a Division-I grade on him, but obviously he found a fit at the Div-II level.
Matt Yip (Herricks 2019)-UNC-Wilmington
Yip is the younger brother of Nick, who was named to our All-Long Island team back in 2015. He has similar power to his brother, but has much more athleticism and defensive ability. He was among the Long Island leaders in HRs this season with 7. He also is a very solid catch-and-throw guy. I was in Fort Myers last October and he did an outstanding job of controlling the running game and also blocking pitches in the dirt.
I was pleasantly surprised to see he was able to get a Division-I scholarship, and it’s to a school that typically does not recruit from the northeast and that won 39 games. I was there in March to watch Hofstra, and they had a roster almost exclusively composed of players from North Carolina. They had four players in the top-10 rounds (Jeffers, Cota, Royalty, Warren).
They hit 54 home runs this season (much of that is due to a small ballpark and humid weather), but still they possess power in droves. While Yip fits that mold, I’m curious if that will translate to the next level. I think he needs to add some muscle to his frame. The Colonial Athletic Association is a powerhouse, and the weekend starters are professional caliber. I’m always happy to see a Long Island kid help expand the reach of our brand, but I’m curious if this was the best fit.
Aidan Larkin (Chaminade 2019)-Hofstra
Last year at this time, it really appeared Larkin was going to be one of the first middle infielders off the market. He had an outstanding weekend at the Underclass World Series in Fort Myers against some top pitching. When they came back, I watched him at at Baseball Heaven and he had a couple hits against Motus. From what I’ve heard, he began to attempt to switch-hit this summer, and at that stage, it was a little too late. He struggled hitting lefty and it wound up hurting his outlook a bit. He wound up with a Division-I roster spot, but not an athletic scholarship. Defensively, I like him but I think he’s more suited for second base.
Andrew Ledbetter (Whitman 2020)-Stony Brook
Ledbetterr was sort of a mysterious character to me being that I didn’t get to any Whitman games this season. I saw him at a Blue Chip showcase in August and his arm was head-and-shoulders above everyone. He has an absolute cannon, and he fired his throw 88 MPH to second base. He has a long arm action, which could mean a switch to the mound in the future. He has hit 90 MPH off the mound and that could be a smart decision. Stony Brook is a team that has always valued a top defensive catcher behind the plate.
Brady Doran (Ward Melville 2019)-St. Anselm
Playing in the shadow of his brother, it was sometimes hard for Brady to generate headlines on such a talented team like Ward Melville. Still, he had an outstanding junior season playing beside Logan at second base. I think he’s a winning player with the right demeanor to succeed at the college level. I think Division-II is a good fit for him, but he probably could’ve been a Division-I player with his skill set.
Ethan Farino (Ward Melville 2019)-Marist
Farino has the rare opportunity to be a two-way player at the Division-I level. I’m glad he held out for that chance because I have seen him crush the ball in the few times I’ve watched Team Beast and Ward Melville, and he also has a unique ability to generate ground ball after ground ball due to his deceptive delivery and power sinker. With his size, 6’2″, I think he will carve a role for himself as a prominent relief pitcher at Marist, a team that won 27 games last season.
