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2004 Top Prospects

Matt Karl  LHP - 2004 - Wallingford, CT
University of Connecticut

At 6 foot 2 and 205 pounds, Karl has a powerful body and he showed that he’s got the inclination and ability to use it. He is a left-hander that plays first base and showed a good glove with athleticism there. He can easily field that position and possibly excel there at the next level. His arm strength is a plus for that position with 86 mph velocity across the diamond and he also has the velocity and ability on the mound too. We have seen him throw 87 mph with a good curveball before but he did not pitch in Wareham. At the plate he showed more than we expected with some of the best pure power in the event. He showed a slightly top hand dominant swing as the balls jumped off his bat as fast as any in Wareham and he took the hard hitting approach into the games. He displayed some of the best bat-speed over the course of the weekend and pounded the ball mostly to left field with the exception of a Big League knock over the center fielders head. He does not hold back and we liked the power that Karl brings to his game.

Jay Rainville  RHP - 2004 - Pawtucket, RI
Tennessee

With his 6 foot 3 and 220 pound frame, Rainville has some of the strongest pitching actions in the 2004 High School draft class. He has consistently shown low to mid 90’s velocity this summer and did not disappoint at the Northeast Top Prospect Showcase. His fastball sat in the 90-93 mph range topping out at 94. It showed some late life and comes from an effortless but fast arm. His curveball was clocked mostly at 75 mph and he pitches to his spots well. Rainvilles velocity is routine and he appears to stay within himself seldom looking to “throw harder”. In fact, from the stretch he comfortably showed 92 mph on every pitch in Wareham and it looks like he can throw 9 innings with his best stuff. He is one of the best and arguably the best Prep pitcher in the Nation.

Andrew Gale  RHP - 2004 - Durham, NH
North Carolina

Everything about Gale says Major League Baseball from his body to his make-up to his stuff on the hill. With maybe the most impressive body in a draft class full of stud right-handers, Gale has the arm and ability to reach expectations for being a top draft pick. He threw his fastball with a pretty delivery between 88-92 mph and has shown an ever-improving breaking pitch every time we see him. In Wareham his cut fastball had the action of a slider and when he develops that into a pure slider he could have a couple of the best pitches in the class. He threw the cutter at 80-83 mph and he lets the ball go way out in front giving very little time to react with authority. Throw in the 81-83 mph change-up he showed and he could be the top pitcher on any list, including the ’04 Prep draft board. With his ceiling still very high and learning from his father, former Big Leaguer Rich Gale, he could potentially be one of the top pitchers, tailor-made for Professional Baseball.

Mark Rogers  RHP - 2004 - Orr's Island, ME
Miami

As if the Northeast did not have enough power arms, less than a year after MA native Jeff Allison re-wrote the record books in the Northeast, Rogers has emerged as one of the top pure power pitchers in the Nation for 2004. Rogers, at 6 foot 2 and 200 pounds has the build and the arm that joins him into an elite group of right-handers for the 2004 draft. From cold weather Maine, Rogers has a purely overpowering fastball at this level with the 90-93 mph velocity he showed in Wareham. That alone is enough to dominate in the North but he also shows the makings of 2 more impressive pitches. His curveball has good down action between 72 and 76 mph that has at times shown a plus bite and could develop into one of the best curveballs in the Country. He has a special arm that we have seen up to 96 mph and will be watched closely through the fall and spring.

Juan Carlos Portes  SS - 2004 - Moulden, MA
Uncommitted

Portes is an exciting player that possesses 2-way ability for professional baseball. He is a primary shortstop who has average running ability and a good glove with a strong fundamental defensive side to his game. It features a plus arm and good instincts. He can make the difficult play. He can also hit and showed that in Wareham with a quick swing and good power for his 170 pound frame. His power potential is good and he shows a quick to the ball approach against top pitching time and time again. Even more interesting might be that arm strength. He took the hill and threw 88-91 mph topping out at 92 with an 80 mph change-up that was advanced for the lack of innings he gets on the mound. He also showed the makings of a good tight spin with his 71 mph curve. It’s hard to say where he will end up but he certainly has a lot of potential and Portes is a good draft follow for the 2004 class.

Andrew Carignan  RHP - 2004 - Norwich, CT
North Carolina

Developing through youth baseball as a catcher has certainly helped Carignan build his arm strength and over the past couple years he has become one of the top arms in the Northeast. He is a 5 foot 11 right-hander who showed 3 good pitches around the strike-zone. His fastball was dominating between 90-93 and out of his hand fast. His arm is super fast and he showed a powerful action toward the plate using every muscle he can recruit in the process. He also showed a good comfort level with his curve, enough to use it a lot! He registered the curve between 69-74 mph and he threw as many strikes with that pitch than any other. He also showed a 77-78 mph change-up that was brief but timely as he used it twice to get a strike 3 call. He showed a good approach and is more than just a hard thrower. Watch out for him because we have seen him up to 94 this summer and he just might put up some big numbers before the draft.

Angel Salome  C - 2004 - New York, NY
Uncommitted

Salome showed an arm equivalent to or better than any catcher we have seen this year in the Nation. He is a short and powerful body with nearly no body fat and enormous athleticism. He ran a 7.06 and has been better many times previous. He moves like a cat behind the dish and he plays the game fast and hard. His pop times were regularly under 1.90 and he recorded at least one time of 1.79 to second. His velocities on those throws were in the low to mid 80’s with a few at 85 mph. Plus Arm! His bat showed all sorts of power and power potential with lots of bat-speed and if he got into one square we would have liked to see how far it would actually travel beyond the fence. He has some off the charts raw ability and is one of the more interesting catchers we have seen around the nation this summer. If he hits he will be a high draft pick.

Joel Collins  C - 2004 - Richmond Hill, ON CAN
South Alabama

Collins is a well-built catcher who has maturity and ability to his game. He has a good looking 6 foot 1 frame with a strong upper half and showed good actions offensively and defensively throughout the weekend in Wareham. He showed excellent arm strength by popping every throw to second base under 2.0 with his best being a 1.91 at 84 mph. His transfers and footwork are all under control and in rhythm. He blocks, receives and sets up easily and properly with a natural look about him as if it were his home. With the bat Collins looked good in BP with good depth to his gap to gap line drives and showed some loft power with a HR off a top pitcher in his first game. He is a catcher that does everything well and projects to step in and make an impact right away at the next level.

Jordan Ellis  RHP - 2004 - Bryn Mawr, PA
Virginia

Another 2-way prospect in Wareham was Ellis. We still can’t figure out where he will end up but there is no question he will wreak havoc on either opposing hitters, pitchers or both. He is a race horse built 6 foot 2, 190 pounds with athleticism. He ran a 6.95 in the 60, has showed plus outfield arm strength and swings the bat with Big League bat-speed and power. His bat was level and fast as he swung through the ball hard producing a couple hits that shot through the gap in an instant. Lots of potential with the bat. On the hill he showed the arm strength with an 88-91 mph fastball that dipped to 87 only once, out of the stretch. His curve had a good break at 72-75 and he flashed one change-up at 77 with potential to be a 3rd average pitch. He is an outstanding talent and if he can channel his energy properly and play within himself he has potential to be a special player.

Tim Smith  OF - 2004 - Scarborough, ON CAN
Arizona State

One of the best pure bats in the Northeast Top Prospect showcase belonged to Smith. He has a solid 200 pound body under his 6 foot 2 frame and transferred the power to his stick well. He showed a very nice and fluid left-handed swing that stayed inside the ball and drove all fields with power. He collected at least 4 extra base hits that were all impressive for an event loaded with power arms on the mound. He presently has power and the potential is there for more. Defensively he plays the outfield well and showed a Major League arm with a low trajectory throw at 89 mph. He also runs well for a big guy registering a 60 time of 7.17. His bat will play him on any team but his tools indicate that he has average Major League ability in the outfield and this package is a special one.

Mark Ostrander  OF - 2004 - Hopkinton, MA
Uncommitted

Good body, 6.90 runner, 90mph OF arm and Attacker at the plate!

Ryan Moorer  RHP - 2004 - Peabody, MA
Maryland

Lively 87-90 mph fastball, tight 73 mph curve and a plus 6’3 frame.

Randy Schwartz  3B - 2004 - Kleinburg, ON CAN
Uncommitted

85-89 mph, 70 mph hammer, 6’4 200 pound body can hit too!

Jim Cassidy  RHP - 2004 - Medway, MA
Uncommitted

Athlete with 90 mph OF arm, 6.80 runner, can swing the bat and Pitch!

Bryan Garrity  C - 2004 - Peabody, MA
Uncommitted

1.87 pop time, + body, power arm and ball Jumps off his wood bat!