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Who Are The Top Remaining Uncommitted 2021s?

This year more than any year, uncommitted players are looking at the calendar and getting nervous about where they will play at the college level. That’s human nature, worrying if you missed your short. I’ve been there, plenty of players have been there. But here’s the good news: schools are always looking for good players. It doesn’t matter if it’s a pandemic. If you can play at the collegiate level, they will make room. Without further ado, here’s the list of the top uncommitted players on Long Island from the 2021 class.

Brendan Williams, West Hempstead

When I tell you that people lost their mind over this kid, I am not kidding. His performance on Sunday night in the championship of the Northeast Elite was truly special. I got messages from the recruiting coordinators of UCONN, Felician, St. Rose and Franklin Pierce in the hours following the game. Two people that I’ve seen since Sunday have brought it up to me in conversation. The prevailing thought is that this is a pro arm and somehow he’s slipped through the cracks. That very rarely happens. My guess is that has to do with playing for a small high school, having a sudden uptick in velocity and not being a self-promoter. Either way, he picked the right time to emerge in the spotlight. Sal Agostinelli’s tournament is one of the best in the northeast. There was at least four MLB teams represented and they all will be paying attention to him next year. But it begs the question – if the top-ranked team in the northeast couldn’t hit (with players committed to Maryland, Stony Brook, St. John’s, New Haven, Sacred Heart, etc), who is going to? We might see an Anthony Kay type of season next year. The fastball was 87-89 MPH, he spun a 12-6 breaker that was unhittable and he was unflappable. Can’t say enough good things about him. If grades are an issue, that’s one thing. But that was a pro arm we say on Sunday night that struck out 15 over 7 shutout innings. He will pitch one more time this year on November 1.

Level: Division-I

Tyler O’Neill, Mepham

Talk about another hidden gem. I first heard the name in May 2019 when he was the winning pitcher against Wantagh in the Gianni Macchio walk-off game. To hold down Wantagh in any game – let alone a do-or-die playoff game is exceptional. He is a pitcher and a catcher although his future is certainly on the mound. His fastball velocity was up to 88 MPH this weekend in the Northeast Elite. He stands 6’1 180 lbs. He sits in the 85-86 MPH range. He throws multiple pitches for strikes, including a deadly 71 MPH slider. He even beat LI Titans-Quattrini, who lost only two games all season. He is a Division-I arm and has that fluid arm action that plays at the next level.

Level: Mid-Major Division-I

Hayden Leiderman, Roslyn

Hayden went 3-0 with a 1.87 ERA as a sophomore on varsity in 2019. He went on to add several MPHs to his velocity. He looked extremely good in our tournament back in July as you can see in the video with his fastball in the upper 80s. He’s also a very good hitter, I’ve seen him show the ability to hit the ball to all fields. I’ll say this though, Hayden told me he is looking exclusively at high-academic schools so he’s unable to announce any commitment until he’s been accepted into the school.

Level: Ivy League

A.J. Joya, Central Islip

The first time I saw Joya play was at the end of 2016 when he was still on the kid fields. Him and Coltrane Calloway (Seton Hall-commit) were the best players on the field that day. He continues to be a physical specimen and really stood out at the Blue Chip event last month. He is well-built at 6’1 195 lbs. He told me has put on 10 lbs this year, but it doesn’t appear to have effected his athleticism as he still ran a 6.8 60. In the outfield, he showed agility and a very strong arm at 79 MPH. His best attribute is certainly his bat. During batting practice, he was the only player to hit multiple home runs. During the game, I saw two of his at bats. One was a rocket single to left and the other was a HR to left center. The ball explodes off his bat. Whether he can translate that into game action is the question, but he has all the pre-requisites to succeed.

Level: High-End Division-II

Ryan Miller, Westhampton Beach

Jack Halloran, Westhampton Beach

Once baseball started in July, he was one of the best players on Long Island, smacking double-digit home runs. As you can see in the video, he’s a big kid at 6’2 200 lbs. He turned on this fastball by Rob Milopsky, who can get it up in the upper 80s and won a Suffolk County Championship. Halloran has the ability to put it out of any park. He is a multi-sport star that also plays football and basketball.

Level: Division-II

Ryan Steel, Harborfields

Very good outfielder and he filled the stat sheet this week at the Northeast Elite. He was named MVP and hit .533 with five RBI, two runs, two doubles and four stolen bases.

Level: Division-II

Kyle Colleluori, Huntington

Very athletic and has the ability to play outfield and pitch. He closed out the tournament for MVP Beast this weekend against Body Armor. He will be a four-year varsity player for Huntington. He is regarded as “one of the better hitters on his team” and is a high academic kid.

Level: Division-II/Division-III

Evan Fisher, Sachem East

Major power hitter. He hit 10 home runs this summer and has always been a middle-of-the-order type bat. He has a stocky build at 6’0 240 lbs, but runs well for his size.

Level: Division-II

Will Stewart, Hicksville

Level: Division-II/High Division-III

Mike Freda, Hills West

Freda has the distinction of batting cleanup on varsity at Hills West as a freshman. That certainly does not happen often and that’s a testament to how well he handles the bat. That’s especially important as a catcher when offense is much harder to do.

Level: Division-II/High Division-III

Matt Hynes, Farmingdale

Matt is the prototypical craft lefty with command of a nasty 12-6 breaking ball. He works primarily in the 80-82 MPH range.

Level: Division-II reliever/Division-III starter

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Vinny is the President of Axcess Baseball. He is a 2013 graduate of Adelphi University and he is currently the Long Island area scout for the San Diego Padres

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