2018 Hamptons Collegiate League Top Prospects

Postseason Recap: For the first time in Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League history, the Riverhead Tomcats won the title, defeating the Long Island Road Warriors, 8-4, in the three-game championship series. Of the seven teams in the league, the Tomcats were the only team that hadn’t yet won a title.

1. Carson Seymour, RHP, Southampton, (So., Kansas State)

Seymour was brilliant this summer for Southampton, earning pitcher of the year honors after going 5-0, 2.63 and striking out 40 batters in his 41 innings. His fastball sat 91-93 mph, topped out at 96 mph, and he also mixed in an average curveball and average slider that showed glimpses of being plus pitches. He will likely choose between the two going forward and mix in what is a developing changeup. He was a bit of a thrower coming into the summer, but he pitched more effectively as the summer wore on. Seymour is athletic for his size (6-foot-5, 230 pounds) and holds runners on well. His mechanics aren’t perfect, but they’re solid at this stage. Seymour came to the league from Dartmouth but will begin the fall at Kansas State. He needs to command his offspeed offerings more consistently to take on big innings in the Big 12.

2. Nick Thornquist, C, Sag Harbor (Jr., Texas-San Antonio)

Thornquist barreled up the ball all summer en route to a .421 batting average, good for second best in the league. The rising junior features a short, compact swing, which he uses to spray the ball from gap to gap with some pull-side power. He is an above-average baserunner for a catcher, where he figures to stick at the pro level despite standing just 5-foot-8, 180 pounds. Behind the plate, Thornquist was a solid receiver and blocker, and his pop time sat in the high 1.80s and low 1.90s. Thornquist played his first two collegiate seasons at McLennan Community College but will play for Texas-San Antonio beginning in the fall.

3. Jake MacKenzie, 2B/SS, Shelter Island (So., Fordham)

In a stacked Shelter Island lineup, MacKenzie’s bat may have shined the brightest as he hit .345 with 10 homers and 34 RBIs. MacKenzie is well-built and has the ability to hit for contact as well as power to the pull side. He’ll take the next step when he shows he can use the whole field consistently. MacKenzie has above-average first-step quickness and agility, using his 6.69-second 60-yard speed to swipe 35 bags in 41 games. Defensively, his glove and arm are just average at second base, although he did play shortstop adequately over the summer. MacKenzie finished his summer with Bourne up on the Cape, hitting .286 in 14 at-bats.

4. Beau Keathley, RHP, Riverhead, (So., Oakland)

The sidewinding Keathley was virtually unhittable this summer, using excellent deception and a vicious fastball-slider combination to limit the league to an .070 batting average against (four hits in 19.3 innings). Using a low, three-quarter delivery, Keathley’s heater comes in around 86-88 mph and dives in, whereas his Frisbee slider runs a foot or better, making it particular difficult against righthanded hitters. Despite the electric repertoire, he was consistent with his command, whether it was for an inning as Riverhead’s closer or for three- or four-inning stretches earlier in the season. At just 6 feet tall and 150 pounds, Keathley has room to fill out, which should lead to an uptick in velocity.

5. Alex Volpi, 1B, Shelter Island (Jr., Holy Cross)

Volpi put up prolific numbers with the Bucks, setting the league’s single-season record for home runs with 16. He has outstanding power, primarily to the pull side, but he did show the ability to drive the ball the opposite way, both for contact and power. There is, however, some swing and miss, particularly with runners on base—this was evident when he joined Falmouth on the Cape late in the year and had nine strikeouts in 11 at-bats. Volpi’s athleticism and speed are just average, but he did pick his spots to take an extra base. Defensively, he figures to fit in best defensively at first base, where he showed glimpses of being an above-average glove. All things considered, his bat is the foundation to his pro aspirations.

6. Curtis Robison, OF, Westhampton (So., Penn State)

Coming off a big summer in Westhampton, Robison is ripe to have a big sophomore year in State College. Offensively, the sweet-swinging lefty led Westhampton with a .374 average, and he held a share of the team lead in homers with nine. He has power to hit to all fields and showed good discipline throughout the year, piling up more walks than strikeouts. He especially focused on improving against lefthanded pitching this summer. Robison is a well-built prospect, has an outstanding work ethic and won’t be seen taking any plays off. Defensively, he projects as a corner outfielder, but he did handle himself well in spot duty in center field this summer.

7. Dominic Savino, RHP, Long Island (Sr., Albany)

At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Savino is an imposing figure on the mound, and for much of the summer, he imposed his will on the opposition. In five appearances, Savino went 3-0, 0.90, pounding the zone with a heavy fastball that sits in the upper 80s and tops out in the low 90s. The common belief is there’s still more in the tank. He also throws a plus slider and a developing changeup, mixing up arm angles and pitch sequences to keep hitters off balance. At Albany, he has shined as both a starter and a reliever, going 8-4 with six complete games this past spring, just one year after leading the America East in saves. He started his summer on the Cape, posting a 3.00 ERA in three appearances.

8. Tyler Thorington, RHP, Westhampton, (Jr., Western Michigan)

After a modest spring in Kalamazoo, Thorington burst onto the scene as Westhampton’s ace. His fastball sat in the upper 80s and low 90s, topping out at 93 mph, and he combined it with a plus slider and work-in-progress changeup. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, he has a projectable starter’s body and a strong work ethic and competitive edge. Thorington spent the first half of the summer in the bullpen, yet still piled up a team-best 46 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings. He’ll only improve when he becomes more consistent with his command, inning to inning and outing to outing.

9. Tyler Becker, SS, Westhampton (Jr., Adelphi)

Batting first, the shortstop, Tyler Becker. That was the chorus at Aviator Field for this year’s Westhampton club. The lefthanded-swinging Long Islander was a fixture in the Aviator lineup thanks to his plus contact at the plate and smooth glove in the middle of the diamond. Becker raked for much of the season, finding gap after gap and using his above-average speed on the base paths. He hits for average to slightly above-average power, at times carrying the Westhampton squad that finished second in the standings. Becker can adeptly handle shortstop duties at the college level, but he profiles as more of a second baseman at the next level. More work in the weight room should pay dividends as he enters his junior season.

10. Eduardo Malinowski, SS/2B, Riverhead (So., Penn)

Coming off an Ivy League rookie of the year nod, Malinowski went on to earn Hamptons League Most Valuable Player after a massive summer with league champions Riverhead. Throughout the summer, he showed the ability to hit for average (.374) and power, and he could also to lay down a sacrifice bunt or grind out a 10-pitch walk when needed. Malinowski has exceptional bat control and hand-eye coordination. However, he could stand to be more selective early in the count, where he’d swing at pitches out of the zone. Malinowski has plus speed (6.7-6.8 60) and has excellent instincts on the base paths. Defensively, he plays both middle infield positions well, and he has enough arm to progress at shortstop in college as well as at the next level.