Boomer's Scout Book (Posted August 29th)

Program: 2026 Fire55 and Jr. Fire55
Date: Wednesday, August 6th - Thursday, August 7th
Location: Dunkin Park; Hartford, CT
College Coaches Present: 28
Total Players: 112

At the beginning of August, Firecracker Sports hosted the third annual Fire55 showcase, wrapping up our summer schedule. The event took place at the beautiful Dunkin Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats, Double- A Affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. 112 players from the classes of 2026-2027 participated over the course of two days at the stadium. They participated in a pro-style workout before competing in showcase games the remainder of the event. 25 college coaches were in attendance and worked alongside the players for both days. Whether it was working on skills and drills or coaching during the games, the coaches provided support for all players. Huge thank you to the Yardgoats for allowing us into Dunkin Park and assisting with everything we needed, but more importantly, giving the players a great experience.

On the night of August 5, before the event started, Firecracker hosted an opening reception where players checked in and received their gear for the showcase and games. In addition, they got to listen to college coaches discuss the recruiting process and what it takes to be a successful college baseball player after being recruited. Coach Endy Morales from Curry College talked about the differences between high school and college baseball, and Coach Ed Bethke from Southern Connecticut State University talked about the transfer portal affecting recruiting. We also had panels of D1 and D2 coaches, including Coach Max Weir from UMass Amherst and Coach Joe Tonelli from the University of Bridgeport. Our D3 and JUCO panel included Coach Mike Odenwaelder from Eastern Connecticut State University, Coach Cody Kauffman from Rhode Island College, Coach Joe Napolitano from Bryant & Stratton College, and Coach Jelani Hamer from Oswego State University. Huge thank you to all of coaches who not only spoke in front of the players, but attended the event.

Since the event has concluded and all metrics have been posted, we wanted to highlight a few performances from Fire55. These selections are very difficult to make as there were a lot of great performances. If you are not mentioned, it does not mean you didn’t perform well, just that these select few really stood out above the rest of the great players in attendance. Our staff and the college coaches were very impressed with the talent on display and it is tough to choose just a few players from the bunch. If you want to see the complete results from the event, you can check out the leaderboards on the event page. Without further ado, here are some of the top performances (No specific order) from Fire55!

Top Position Players

Jackson Gietek, Powerhouse Bulldogs, 2027 OF/P
- Jackson is a tall, athletic outfielder. An aggressive hitter aiming to hit the ball hard every swing. Lifts the ball well with a smooth left handed swing. His arm has room to improve in the outfield, but that can come with more strength. Overall, he is a high level prospect who can absolutely hit his way into college baseball.
Joseph Nevadomski, CT Smoke, 2027 1B/P
- Big frame lefty with pull side power. Also goes the opposite way with ease. Good footwork at first base with solid glove skills, as well. With additional growth and more athleticism, Joseph has the potential to be an excellent first baseman at the next level.
Ryan Cleary, CT Crush, 2026 OF
- Ryan has the ability to play all 3 outfield positions, covering a lot of ground with a good arm. At the plate, sets up in a tall stance in the box looking to do damage, with a swing to match the approach. Looks to drive the ball into the gap every at bat. Strong athletic build and will continue to fill out more. If he does so, watch out for Ryan to be an impact player at the collegiate level.
Tyler Dorvee, Hayner Academy Barnstormers, 2027 3B/OF
- Another great athlete, Tyler has quick swing and backside pop. In the field, he has a strong arm across the diamond, and gets rid of the ball very quickly. He has all the tools to be a well rounded player at the next level and will be a really good follow going into this fall.
Evan Clark, CT Whalers, 2026 MIF/UTIL
- Evan’s greatest strength is his athleticism. Han above average arm and is an overall above average defender in the field. Has a very good IQ on the bases and had some good reads while base running. He is a well rounded hitter and has the power, just needs to learn to go all areas of the field and he’ll be very successful.
Riley McDade, Bases Loaded Bulldogs, 2026 P/SS
- Riley has a very smooth lefty swing. Quick bat and elevated well, showing his gap power. Needs to be more athletic in the field, but possesses a strong arm. Athleticism will come with more strength, but will absolutely be able to play in college.

Top Pitchers

Lucas Sands, Maine Sluggers, 2026 P/SS
- Lucas has really good size and is an athlete on the mound. Above average FB with good offspeed and breaking ball to go with it. Lots of movement on the breaking ball. Struggled with command, but his stuff plays up. Legit arm that could be on some college rosters right now
Chase Malbaurn, CT Crush, 2027 P/1B
- A great arm on the mound with mid 80’s velocity. Hinges well with his lower half and could increase velocity with some more strength. Already has good size but still has room to fill out. If he puts in the work, will be a very successful pitcher. Was also a great bat with good plate discipline and good footwork at first base.
Ethan Ford, 518 Velocity, 2028 P/MIF
- Another all around great player. Impressive on the mound, mixing FB/SL/CH keeping hitters off balance. Good velocity on the fastball and the other pitches play off it very well. His athleticism will help him be adjustable on the mound. Good defender with a simple swing and lots of pop in the bat as well.
Riley Fenton, Titans, 2027 P
- A tall left handed pitcher, Riley has the potential to be a solid pitcher at the next level. He has Fastball in the upper 70s, and low 80s. Good tempo and delivery, with good arm speed. Needs to command the zone better, but has the stuff to be successful. Adding muscle and filling out will only help him and is the most important thing for his development.

To wrap up, we want to again thank the coaches from Southern Connecticut State University, Dean College, Albertus Magnus College, Mount Saint Mary’s College, Johnson & Wales University, Nichols College, Rhode Island College, Bryant & Stratton College, Oswego State University, University of Bridgeport, Curry College, UMass Amherst, Eastern Connecticut State University, Salve Regina University, Manhattan College, Brandeis University, University of Albany, Framingham State University, University of Brockport, and St. Peter’s University for helping us and the players. Players, to find your metrics, you can visit your profile from the event page, or your account. Thank you to all the players for coming out to Fire55 and for a great summer. There is no other way we want to end the season!

Be sure to check out the Road To Fire55 and the rest of our College Showcase Camps in 2026! Registration for these events will open soon, and can be found here. Remember, spots are limited, so register now to maximize your exposure to college coaches and pro scouts while giving you more reps than other traditional showcases. We hope to see you soon!

Are you interested in hosting your own Team Scout Day for your program(s) with skills and drills, evaluations from colleges and pro scouts, live data testing with Trackman, t-shirts and much more? Reach out to us today! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact joey@firecrackersports.com for more information.