Day 1 of the 2019 MLB Draft came and went with no local players getting selected, although Elon RHP George Kirby was selected in the the first round (20th overall) by the Seattle Mariners and he is a Rye, NY native.
As is the case every season, dozens of players have a shot to get drafted but that list dwindles as the season progresses and ultimately only a select few Long Island players will hear their name called.
Here’s my best guess at the local players that will have their dreams fulfilled and will play professional baseball.
High School:
Jaison Andujar, OF, Bay Shore
Andujar quickly put himself on the radar after moving back to Bay Shore from the Dominican Republic. He is a pro-caliber bat with a tremendous arm in center field. I was surprised he only had three home runs considering two of them came in one series. At 19 years old, he’s older than the average senior in high school, but he is worth a draft pick nevertheless.
Tim McHugh, OF, Commack
There are not many high school players in the draft that are in the shape that McHugh is in. There are also not many players younger than him. For those two reasons, teams are interested in him. Unfortunately, a strong commitment to TCU has made it less likely that a team will spend a pick on him at this point. I will include him in this piece because that is a variable that is out of my area of knowledge and he is certainly talented enough to warrant a draft pick. The power and the potential are enough to make any team salivate. He had a ridiculously good 2018 season and he didn’t match those numbers this season but being 17 until October means he’s still a young senior in high school with a ton of upside.
Joe Savino, RHP, Connetquot
Final: Connetquot 7, Longwood 2
WP: Joe Savino (CG, 3 H, 11 K, 0 BB, 2 ER)Alex Ungar: 3-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI
Derek Yalon: 2 H, 3 RBI pic.twitter.com/nmOOPPcmMJ— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 28, 2019
He bounced back yesterday after allowing three runs (2 ER) in the first inning to record the win in the Suffolk AA Finals. I’ve written about him numerous times and it’s become increasingly clear to me that Savino is a pro pitcher. He showed what he could do last year and has does nothing to dispel that notion. He’s got the prototypical size and has the clean arm action. He also has no nerves on the mound. There’s no other way to say it other than he’s the real deal.
College:
Nick Grande, SS, Stony Brook
A two-time All-American SS, reigning America East Player of the Year and finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award. Grande has done it all. I’ve watched him play enough to know that the performance in the NCAA Regionals was an anomaly. He’s developed enough power to turn himself into one of the premier middle infielders in the nation. In my mind, he compares very favorably to Jesse Berardi two years ago. I would be very surprised if he went outside of the top-10 rounds.
Mike Wilson, OF, Stony Brook
If there was another question about his sophomore season, he put that to rest immediately in the 2019 season. He got off to a scorching start to the season, cooled off a bit and missed some time with an injury and still found a way to finish with 10 HR, 45 HR and .611 SLG. There’s no question that he is prone to the strikeout (55 in 175 at bats) but he has the power to redeem that quality. Already drafted by Boston out of high school, I think there’s no question that he will be drafted again.
Ed Baram, RHP, Adelphi
Ed Baram getting lose for Adelphi pic.twitter.com/L3x2JvCuNP
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) February 28, 2019
His last two starts notwithstanding, Ed Baram was lights-out in 2019. He was named 1st team All-American and had the lowest Division-II ERA in the nation. The New Jersey native is a relentless competitor and put together one of the finest seasons in Adelphi history. The arm action is lightning quick, the splitter is dynamic and his control is advanced. I think he becomes the latest Panther pitcher to join the professional ranks.
Vito Friscia, C, Hofstra
The Valley Stream Central grad has some of the best pure power in the nation. He hit another eight home runs this season and finished his career with 25 HR and 206 hits. Playing catcher this season increased his value in my opinion. I’ve heard over 20 teams were interested in him. Typically with that demand a player does not fall through the cracks.
Kyle Martin, RHP, Fordham
Kyle Martin (Oceanside ’16, Fordham) into to pitch pic.twitter.com/cptpoEVk0J
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) July 10, 2017
Martin was considered one of the best prospects coming out of Oceanside in 2015 and he has continued to increase his star while closing games for Fordham. He won six games and saved 10 for the Atlantic-10 champs, he threw 44.1 innings with 65 strikeouts. His low arm slot and filthy slider is death on right-handed hitters. With a nearly 6:1 K:BB ratio, he’s a safe bet to get to pro ball and pound the strike zone.
Andrew Misaszek, LHP, Northeastern
The Oceanside native is a senior at Northeastern and compiled a 2.33 ERA over 38.2 innings with 12 saves. The hard-throwing southpaw brings a lot to the table but the blemish was certainly the command. He walked 29 batters and hit four. The velocity warrants a draft pick and I think he will hear his name called.
