September 15th, 2022

Keith Grant | Digital Media Strategist | Firecracker Sports

Long Island Dodgers Nation: Team Scout Day (9.10.22)

It was an awesome turnout this past weekend for the LI Dodgers Team Scout Day with lots of young talent on display and some rising seniors looking for a home in 2024 that helped their stock. The event took place at PAL Stadium in Holbrook, New York. We saw 8 college coaches attend the event from the surrounding area. In total we had 40 players at the event ranging in graduation classes from 2023 to 2027. Thank you to the LI Dodgers coaching staff for giving us the chance to evaluate their guys.

We are going to highlight some of the top players that participated but also some up and comers who you should keep an eye out for in the coming months. Top performers are listed at the bottom of this email for the major testing categories, including the schools that were present for this event. While many players showed good ability here were some of the top players who showed well at the scout day

1. Tyler Marcus C 2025. Calhoun HS (NY) 5’7” 178lbs Bats R Throws R

Tyler had an awesome showing at the event, launching balls mostly to the pull side with above average power during the BP round. He is a strong kid who also showed athletic movements behind the dish as well. Although his bat will get him into the lineup even if he plays another position. He is undoubtedly a high end prospect to keep your eyes on.

2. Greg Malerba P/OF 2023. Kellenberg Memorial HS (NY) 5’11” 175lbs Bats R Throws R

This was our 3rd look at Greg in the past few years. He caught the eye of coaches at the event looking for 2023 arms. He showed a loose arm action and premium athletic frame that a college program could easily build on. He featured the best fastball of the pitching workout (78.3 mph) and a peak spin rate of 2186. He also worked in a changeup, slider, and curveball that were serviceable. He’s definitely a good follow at Kellenberg.

3. Thomas Morton 1B/P 2026. North Babylon High School (NY) 6’0” 189lbs Bats R Throws R

Thomas showed super well at the event, landing in the top 5 for hitting and pitching metrics. He has a physical frame already at a young age and will continue to improve with this program. He’s already had some big moments for the dodgers and we look forward to seeing him at our future events. Excellent student boasting a perfect 4.0 GPA.

4. James Karras OF/UTIL 2023. Island Trees High School (NY) 6’1” 180lbs Bats R Throws R

James is a high academic rising senior (4.0 GPA) with the ability to help a lot of different programs with his versatility. He put up the top numbers on the day in several categories out of 40 players so the tools are definitely there. He’s someone that should be off the board soon.

5. Liam Gaine OF/P 2025. Smithtown East High School (NY) 6’2” 175lbs Bats R Throws R

Liam is just one of the Dodgers many talented young players. He put up some of the best evaluation metrics at the event both on the mound and at the plate. It will be exciting to see whether he focuses solely on pitching or outfield going forward as he grows into his body. Great student

Showcase Top Performers

60 Yard Dash:

1. Zach Migliore Lindenhurst, NY (7.09)
2. James Karras Levittown, NY (7.25)
3. Ziggy Cohen Bethpage, NY (7.38)
4. Nicholas Karras Levittown, NY (7.44)
5. Michael DiGiuseppe Lindenhurst, NY (7.46)

Catcher Pop Times

1. Aidan Morano West Babylon, NY (2.16)
2. Ben Pilgrim Bethpage, NY (2.16)
3. Jayden Sleeper Mineola, NY (2.25)
4. Tyler Marcus Merrick, NY (2.25)
5. Nicholas Miller Massapequa, NY (2.28)

OF Velocity

1. Alonso Espinet Long Beach, NY (80)
2. Greg Malerba Hicksville, NY (77)
3. Sean Cantwell West Islip, NY (77)
4. James Karras Levittown, NY (75)
5. Liam Gaine Saint James, NY (75)

INF Velocity

1. Ziggy Cohen Bethpage, NY (77)
2. Sean Cantwell West Islip, NY (76)
3. Steven Kolm Valley Stream, NY (76)
4. Ben Pilgrim Bethpage, NY (75)
5. Michael DuGuiseppe, Lindenhurst, NY (73)

Hitters: Exit Velocity

1. Tyler Marcus Merrick, NY (90.8)
2. Sean Cantwell West Islip, NY (89.2)
3. Thomas Morton West Babylon, NY (88.7)
4. James Karras Levittown, NY (88.2)
5. Ryan Camier North Babylon, NY (86.8)

Pitchers FB – Peak Velocity

1. Greg Malerba Hicksville, NY (78.3)
2. Alonso Espinet Long Beach, NY (77.9)
3. Sean Cantwell West Islip, NY (77.6)
4. Jaret Sarrantonio Westbury, NY (77.4)
5. Steven Kolm Valley Stream, NY (75.9)

We would like to thank the following colleges and professional organizations who were present for this event which included — Johnson & Wales University (RI), Saint Thomas Aquinas College (NY), Felician University (NJ), SUNY – Old Westbury (NY), Monroe College – Bronx (NY), Mount Saint Mary’s College (NY), Hudson Valley Community College (NY) and Queens College (NY).

We look forward to seeing you at one of our Team Scout Days coming up this winter but also we have our 2023 College Showcase Camps already open for registrations. Check out our upcoming events right here: https://play.firecrackersports.com/. Remember we only accept a select amount of players per event to maximize your attention from college coaches and pro scouts while giving you more reps than other traditional showcase companies and events.

If you are interested in hosting your own Team Scout Day for your program(s) with skills and drills with college/pro coaches, Trackman testing, t-shirts and much more…please contact us today! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact operations@firecrackersports.com for more information