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2016 SFCBL Top 20 MLB ProspectsThe 2016 SFCBL season was full of outstanding players and competitive baseball as the league has continued to grow exponentially over the last six years of play.In the last two years of play the SFCBL has had 39 players drafted by MLB teams including 7 players being taken in the top 10 rounds as well as two players in consecutive years being named to the prestigious Golden Spikes Award Watch List which is handed out to the top amateur player in the country.Top MLB players such as Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg have won the Golden Spikes award.In 2015 former Boca Raton Blazer OF Donnie Dewees (University of North Florida) was named a Golden Spikes Award Semi-Finalist and was later drafted 47th overall by the Chicago Cubs.Currently DeWees was recently promoted to the Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans and has been tabbed the #11 prospect in the Chicago Cubs Organization making a shot in the Big Leagues just on the horizon. In the 2016 MLB draft former Delray Beach Lightning short stop and SFCBL All-Star Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina University) was drafted in the 4th round by the NY Mets.Paez helped lead the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to their 2016 NCAA College World Series Championship and had many key moments including a walk-off against LSU during the Super Regional Championship to advance to the 2016 College World Series. This past season three SFCBL teams were ranked top 35 in the national summer collegiate baseball poll which included the Palm Beach Xtreme at #23, Boca Raton Blazers at #22 and the 2016 league champion Pompano Beach Clippers at #17.With the continued success year after year some of the best players in the country are calling the SFCBL their summer home. We would like to thank the SFCBL Advisory Board and all Florida Area Scouts who helped contribute to our 2016 Top 20 MLB Prospects. Note: We are sure that there will be players that are not listed that will end up being drafted by MLB teams.The prospects were selected based off their overall tools, projectability,summer stats, prior draft history and school stats.All players were graded on a 20-80 MLB Scale with 50 being an average MLB tool.Please advise that an “average” MLB tool is considered to be outstanding at the amateur level.
1. JP Sorma Ohio State/Ashland University (OH) Pompano Beach Clippers OF Junior 6-0/220 Seven Hills, OH
Big body RHH that can hit with power to all fields which he displayed by hitting several of his 19 HR’s this season to the opposite field. 6.8 runner and profiles out as a left fielder at the next level with an average arm (on a big league scale). Defensively JP takes good routes to the baseball and will make outstanding plays at times. Sorma showed power to the opposite field which is not common at the amateur level with wood. JP broke the all-time SFCBL HR record this summer by hitting 19 HR’s. Power numbers are not rare for him as he hit 17 HR’s with 59 RBI’s at Ashland this past spring. 2. Tommy Romero Pompano Beach Clippers E. Florida State RHP Sophomore 6’2/215 Coral Springs, FL
A loose smooth arm that projects out as a starter, Romero’sfastball generally sits 91-92 but will run it up to 94MPH several times.He throws two breaking balls and can control them both.Command was an issue this past spring during school ball but he made a major improvement this summer walking 11 guys in 31.2 innings.Ability to mix his pitches and throw off-speed in hitters’ counts is another plus to his skill level.Romero also maintains consistent arm speed on all his pitches making it that much harder for hitters to recognize his off speed pitches.Romero struck out 51 batters in 31.2 innings and was he only pitcher with under a 1.00 ERA at 0.52.The 2017 draft for him will all depend on how his spring turns out but this summer was a proving ground for him throwing against quality Division 1 & 2 bats. 3. Tyler Schwanz Delray Beach Lightning University of Maine OF/RHP Senior 6’4/185 Novi, MI
Tall, lean, athletic, projectable frame and chance to hit with power is a great way to describe Schwanz as he was the only hitter this summer to finish over the .400 mark hitting .412 with 6 HR’s and 25 RBI’s.With a plus arm a chance to hit with power Schwanz projects out as a right-fielder at the next level.If he does not put up the numbers MLB teams would like to see this spring you may see him drafted as a pitcher.The 6’4 righty has a smooth effortless delivery and generally sits 91-92MPH with a sharp swing and miss slider.The fastball will project to be a plus pitch. 4. Andy Rohloff Coral Springs Royals University of Central Florida RHP Junior 6’2/185 Coral Springs, FL
High velocity arm with swing and miss off-speed pitches.Fastball sits in the 91-95 MPH range but generally works at 93-94MPH.Andy profiles out as a big league bull pen guy and features electric “stuff” at the college level.Rohloff features a mid 80’s sharp swing and miss slider along with a change up.Hard hard guy, does not throw anything soft.Command is going to be the question this spring at UCF.Scouts want to see him control his pitches better and pound the zone. 5. Dave Egeland Delray Beach Lightning University of Bridgeport (CT) LHP Senior 6’0/205 Toms River, NJ
Strong left handed pitcher with clean mechanics, Egeland was up to 92MPH several times during the 2016 All-Star Game at Florida Atlantic University.Dave features a slider in the 80-82MPH range and a solid change up to keep hitters off balance.A strong senior season and good numbers should propel him forward in the 2017 MLB draft. 6. Benito Varela Pompano Beach Clippers Stetson University/Palm Beach State JC (FL) C Sophomore 6’0/180 Miami, FL
Very athletic catcher who can throw, run and hit.Has a chance to hit with power as he belted several opposite field HR’s this season. Good receiver and blocks ball very well.Varela will transfer to Palm Beach State JC for the 2017 season. 7. Kyle Simon Pompano Beach Clippers Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL) 1B Junior 6’2/225 Colorado Springs, CO
Strong athletic build and a chance to hit with power at the next level Simon was one of the most feared hitters in the SFCBL this past summer.Defensively he needs to improve but his ability to hit will advance him to the next level.As a member of the league champion Pompano Beach Clippers he hit .366 with 8 HR’s and 14 doubles this summer.Simon also showed power to this opposite field as he hit several HR’s to right-center.In his sophomore season at Palm Beach Atlantic, Simon hit .301 with 9 HR’s. 8. Connor Dunbar Delray Beach Lightning High Point University (NC) SS Sophomore 6’0/170 Tallahassee, FL
Arguably one of the best defensive short stops in the country this summer Dunbar made only 3 errors in 123 attempts and 290.9 innings played.During the 2016 All-Star Game scouts made comments referring to his ability to “play short stop at the big league level defensively right now”.Not only can he make the average play 98% of the time, Dunbar made acrobatic and off-balance plays that an average college SS will not make.As a left handed hitter, the bat will be the big determining factor on how the draft plays out for him as he does need to improve his power and consistency at the plate.However though he is young and has another full season before he is draft eligible which gives him time to continually improve his game.Dunbar hit .314 this summer with 3 doubles. 9. Nelson Alvarez Jr. Delray Beach Lightning Miami Dade JC (FL) RHP Freshman 6’6/225 Miami, FL
The 27th round selection of the Cleveland Indians in this years MLB draft, Nelson will be draft eligible again this coming season at Miami-Dade JC.Projection is the name of the game for Alvarez Jr. as he stands at 6’6 and consistently sits 90-92MPH.Being as young as he is we expect to see a velocity jump this coming season at Miami-Dade. 10. Keisy Portorreal Palm Beach Xtreme Clarendon JC (TX) RHP Sophomore 6’2/215 Santo Domingo, DR
The big Dominican right-hander was the ace of the Palm Beach Xtreme staff as he 3-1 with a 1.54 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 35 innings thrown.Portorreal consistently sits 91-92 and will occasionally run it up to 93MPH.Portorreal will maintain his velocity deep into his outings as he has a very strong mature body.Keisy also flashes an average curve ball (on a big league scale) but consistency with his breaking pitches is what is going to make or break him in the 2017 draft. 11. Junior Ramirez South Florida Huskies Faulkner University (AL) RHP Junior 6’1/205 New York, NY
Hard throwing Junior Ramirez was a key part of the Huskies staff this summer as he struck out 51 batters in 41.1 innings with 4 saves.Junior throws a 4 seam FB that sits in the 91-93MPH range and a 2 seam FB with run and sink in the 88-90MPH range.Ramirez also has good control of his slider which he can throw for a strike or throw as a sharp swing and miss pitch.A clean delivery and loose arm made Junior a very desirable arm out of junior college. He will play at NAIA powerhouse Faulkner University for his junior season. 12. Chris Busch Palm Beach Xtreme St. Petersburg JC (FL) OF Sophomore 6’1/170 Boca Raton, FL
Left handed hitter Chris Busch was a tough out this season in the SFCBL as he .358 with 10 doubles in 137 PA’s.Busch has a smooth left handed stroke with a chance to hit with power.Defensively he profiles out as a center fielder as he is an above average runner and can play defense.He primarily played right field this summer as he also has a strong arm from the outfield.His freshman spring was excellent hitting .351 with 5 HR’s, 5 doubles and 3 triples making him a desirable recruit for Division 1 schools this spring.His athletic ability along with his tools gives him a chance to be a pro prospect this spring at St. Petersburg JC. 13. Brynn Martinez South Florida Huskies Quincy University (IL) SS Junior 5’10/170 Southwest Ranches, FL
It’s a wonder how Brynn Martinez was under the radar out of high school in the State of Florida.The switch hitting short stop has smooth quick actions in the field with an average big league arm.His hands and feet work well together making his actions look effortless.Defensively at the next level scouts will have to make the decision to either keep him at SS or move him to 2B.At the plate Martinez hit .367 this summer with 1 HR and 5 doubles.During his spring season he started all 56 games at Quincy and hit .331 with 6 HR’s, 11 doubles and 2 triples. 14. Brady Acker Palm Beach Xtreme Chipola JC (FL)/University of New Orleans (LA) RHP Junior 6’4/215 Tamarac, FL
Starter type arm with 3 pitches that he controls well.Brady’s fastball sits in the 89-92MPH range and can run it up to 93MPH.He also throws a hard slider in the 80-82MPH range which he has good control over.Also in his arsenal of pitches is a change up with sink and depth.His ability to keep consistent arm speed on all his pitches throws hitters off.This spring at Chipola Brady was a perfect 5-0 with a 2.57 ERA and 51 strikeouts 66.2 innings thrown.He will continue his career at the University of New Orleans for his junior season. 15. Claudio Rubiera Palm Beach Xtreme University of Southern Mississippi C Senior 6’0/205 Miami, FL
A brick wall behind the plate not many balls get past Rubiera as he his feet work very well behind the plate.Claudio also throws well with a quick release and is a good receiver.Offensively he hits with some power as he has the ability to hit the ball out of the park.A tough out at the plate Rubiera hit .359 this summer with 2 HR’s and 7 doubles. 16. Joe Gomez Florida Pokers University of Miami C Senior 6’0/195 Wellington, FL
Tabbed as the favorite to replace the Hurricanes 1st round draft pick Zack Collins, the switch hitting catcher hit .292 this summer and was selected to play the 2016 SFCBL All-Star Game.Defensively he moves well behind the dish and has a strong arm with a quick release.Offensively this past season at Miami he hit .308 and will look to gain significant playing time this spring in Coral Gables. 17. Drew Beck Phipps Park Barracudas Howard JC (TX) 3B Sophomore 6’1/205 Canfield, OH
A big bat in the lineup this summer for the Barracudas Drew Beck was not an easy out hitting .375 with 3 HR’s and 8 doubles.A big strong frame with power Beck hit several home runs this summer 400 plus feet.Defensively he profiles out at the next level as more of a first baseman.This past spring during his freshman year at Howard, Beck hit .333 with 9 HR’s 10 doubles and 59 RBI’s.A young player with tools gives him a chance to be a solid professional prospect. 18. Dominic DiCaprio Delray Beach Lightning Rice University (TX) C Sophomore 6’0/200 Coral Springs, FL
A standout freshman year at Rice DiCaprio was named a Freshman All-American after hitting .293 with 20 RBI’s and 6 doubles.A wall behind the plate DiCaprio blocks the ball well and throws well with a strong arm and quick release.Offensively he shows some signs of power hitting several HR’s this summer season. 19. Kennie Taylor Delray Beach Lightning Duke University (NC) OF Sophomore 5’11/165 Tampa, FL
Don’t let Taylor’s size fool you as he can really hit and shows power at times hitting 4 HR’s with 6 doubles and 2 triples this summer in 98 PA’s.As a freshman his playing time was limited due to a deep upperclassmen outfield but he will have the opportunity in his sophomore season to take a starting spot.In centerfield Taylor tracks the ball down well and takes good routes to the baseball.His bat is his best tool right now and the young athletic Taylor will continue to get better as he matures and becomes a professional prospect. 20. Seth Douglas West Boca Snappers Canton University (NY) 1B/RHP Senior 6’4/215 Reedsburg, WI
Very understandable that prospect Seth Douglas flew under the radar of many colleges and scouts as he has only been playing baseball for 5 years now.The very strong athletic Douglas can go either way at this point as he can hit with power and also can run it up to 92MPH on the mound.Douglas showed seemingly effortless power as there were times that he “missed” a pitch and still hit the ball out of the park.Defensively Douglas moves very well at 1B and throws very well.On the mound his arm is loose and quick in works in the 90-91MPH range.Seth worked out for several MLB teams this May before the draft and is expected to be a solid senior sign pending his spring season at Canton University.Scouts will have to determine whether they like him as a hitter or pitcher.
Other Notable Prospects:
Nik Constantakos Florida Pokers Charleston Southern University (SC) RHP Freshman 6’1/190 Jupiter, FL
One of the youngest players in the SFCBL this summer age was not an issue for Constantakos as he posted a 1.55 ERA and struck out 44 batters in 29 innings with only 4 walks.His fastball sat in the 90-92MPH range which was a jump for him from this past spring as a high school senior.Nik also throws a slider in the 76-79MPH range and a sinking change up.His arm action is smooth and loose and his motion seems effortless.Nik’s ability to pound the zone and consistently throw strikes is a huge plus for him.He will be draft eligible his junior year and will gain the attention of Carolina area scouts before then as we see him making another jump in the near future after a very successful summer season.
Mark Nowatnick Palm Beach Xtreme Florida Atlantic University RHP Junior 6’0/190 Pompano Beach, FL
Going into his junior year at Florida Atlantic Nowatnick will look to impress scouts as he yielded a 3.38 ERA with 14 K’s in 21.1 innings of work this past spring for the Owls.Nowatnick’s fastball sits in the 89-91MPH range with a high arm slot.This summer for the Xtreme Mark had a 2.81 ERA with 20 K’s in 16 innings of work but was then acquired by the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League to assist in their 2016 playoff run.
Brett Malm Boca Raton Blazers Adelphi University (NY) SS Sophomore 6’1/190 Medford, NY
Strong frame with good actions and a secure glove Malm looks to impress northeast scouts his sophomore year after coming off a great summer in the SFCBL.Malm impressed Florida area scouts this year at the All-Star Game during I/O as his actions and footwork work well together along with an 50 arm.Offensively Malm handled the bat very well against solid arms hitting .352 with 27 RBI’s and 10 doubles.This past spring he started at third base as a freshman but will take the SS spot this spring as he could arguably handle the position at any school in the country.Malm will need a big sophomore and junior season to climb up the draft board as he has already started the leg work by having a quality summer in South Florida.
Tyler Bauman West Boca Snappers St. John’s University (NY) LHP Junior 6’0/210 Stuart, FL
The ace of the West Boca staff Bauman had a 1.92 ERA with 42 K’s in 28 innings pitched this summer.Bauman has a loose quick arm action and sits in the 88-90MPH range but can touch 91MPH.At times he will flash a hard sharp slider is the 77-80MPH range which was a tough pitch for batters to make contact with.Consistency is the name of the game for Bauman as scouts will want to see him pound the zone, throw more strikes and walk fewer batters this spring.At times Bauman flashes a 50 breaking ball and a 50 fastball making him a prospect to follow. Alex Demchak Palm Beach Xtreme Florida International University LHP Senior 6'3/200 Boca Raton, FL
Starter type arm with a strong frame and good clean mechanics Demchak was 2-1 with a 1.20 ERA with 39 K's in 30 innings this summer. His FB sits in the uppers 80's with armside run and also features a slider and change up. Demchak showed good control and only walked 8 batters this summer. At FIU this spring Alex was 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA with 34 K's in 48 innings. This spring he will need to prove to scouts that he can show consistent control. A tall left handed arm with clean mechanics surely makes Demchak a follow player this spring.
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