2018 MLB Draft: Pennsylvania’s Top Prospects

1. Mike Siani, OF, Penn Charter School, Philadelphia (BA Rank: 53)
HS • 6-0 • 180 • L-L •
Pennsylvania’s top draft prospect, Siani is a potential five-tool outfielder who is among the best defensive center fielders in the class with the tools and instincts that could eventually turn him into a 70-grade defender. He has a plus-plus arm and is a plus runner, which plays in the outfield and on the bases, where he is a disruptive runner. The Virginia commit also has a solid track record hitting against better pitching and some scouts think he might have an above-average or better hit tool down the line. He was a two-year member of USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, where he hit .333/.409/.487 with seven stolen bases in eight attempts from the leadoff spot and played a terrific center field for the gold medal-winning team last summer. Power is a question mark with Siani, as he has a tendency to slap the ball around and roll over on pitches and there’s not much physical projection left to give him. Evaluators like Siani’s makeup and admire his grinder, no-holds-barred style of play.

2. Kyle Hess, OF, Donegal HS, Mount Joy, Pa. (BA Rank: 224)
HS • 6-0 • 190 • L-R •
Solid across the board, Hess is a speedy outfielder with a chance to stick in center field who has shown some feel to hit and has average raw power. Hess isn’t overflowing with tools—his best is his running ability, which is plus at times but likely closer to above-average. He has fringe-average arm strength and lacks overall twitchiness, but scouts like the simplicity of his lefthanded swing. A Pittsburgh commit, Hess is seen as singable and a team who likes his odds to stick in center field could draft him among the top five rounds.

3. R.J. Freure, RHP, Pittsburgh (BA Rank: 243)
4YR • DE-So. • 6-1 • 205 • R-R •
A hard-throwing righthanded reliever at Pittsburgh, Freure throws a plus fastball in the 92-95 mph range and can spin a powerful, downer curveball that’s also a plus pitch—giving him the raw stuff necessary to be a shutdown reliever. He struck out a ludicrous 95 batters in 58.2 innings (14.57 K/9) this spring, with all but one appearance coming out of the bullpen. The question mark with Freure surrounds his ability to throw enough strikes to have success at the next level. Scouts label him with 30-grade command and his walk rate backs that up, with 35 free passes issued through 58.2 innings (5.37 BB/9) this season. A native of Burlington, Ont., Freure was a member of Team Canada’s 18U junior national team in high school.

4. Mason Ronan, LHP, Penn Cambria HS, Cresson, Pa. (BA Rank: 308)
HS • – • 6-2 • 190 • L-L •
A 6-foot-2, 190-pound athletic lefthander, Ronan has an easy delivery and has pitched in the 88-92 mph range at times with a sharp, 1-to-7 mid 70s curveball with plus depth. He gets good plane on his fastball and has shown a changeup at times, but the pitch needs work. He has some present control issues and walked a number of batters at East Coast Pro and the Area Code Games last summer, and a stabbing action in the back of his delivery could be part of that. Ronan has intriguing elements with a potential plus breaking ball and average fastball, but his stuff has been in the mid 80s this spring rather than the 90 mph range over the summer in shorter outings.

5. Tim Brennan, RHP, St. Joseph’s (BA Rank: 313)
4YR • 6-4 • 185 • L-R •
A three-year starter with St. Joseph’s, Brennan is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound righty who has posted a sub-3.00 ERA each season in the Atlantic 10 Conference. This spring, Brennan has lowered his WHIP below 1.00 for the first time in his collegiate career, and while he’s not a prolific strikeout arm, he managed a ridiculous 84-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 88.2 innings of work. That gave him the best walk-per-nine rate of any division one arm in the country, as well as the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio at 16.8. Where Brennan’s performance is among the best in the 2018 class, his stuff is more fringe-average across the board, with a sinking fastball that sits in the 88-91 mph range and is up to 93, as well as a slider and changeup. Brennan will have to get by at higher levels by spotting his pitches precisely and to both sides of the plate—which he’s capable of—but a 38.2 inning stretch in the Cape Cod League last summer showed what could happen against better hitters. Brennan posted a 3.96 ERA over seven starts with Yarmouth-Dennis and allowed more than a hit per inning, though he still had an impressive 31-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

6. Sean Guilbe, SS/3B, Berks Catholic HS, Reading, Pa. (BA Rank: 347)
HS • 6-2 • 190 • R-R •
A split-camp player, some teams could be in on Guilbe as high as the fourth to sixth round range thanks to his exceptional power potential, while other teams are out because he’s a right-right power-over-hit bat with real hit-tool concerns. There’s no doubt that Guilbe has power now, and could have plus power as he continues to develop and fill out a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. He’ll put on shows in batting practice and he has some bat speed, but there are real timing issues and it’s a pull-oriented, strength based swing which could create problems as he faces better pitching and higher velocity arms. Guilbe can throw enough to handle third base—he has an average arm—but he’s a below average runner and will be limited to a corner position. He’s committed to Tennessee, but teams expect him to be signable.

7. Chris Vallimont, RHP, Mercyhurst (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 6-5 • 235 • R-R •

8. Troy Terzi, RHP, Keystone (Pa.) (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Sr. • 6-1 • 205 • R-R •
There aren’t many Division III pitchers who can get to the mid-90s, but Terzi has that potential. Terzi went 9-0, 2.45 last season with 94 strikeouts in 99 innings.

9. Connor Ollio, SS, Butler (Pa.) HS (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 185 • R-R •

10. Tyler  Burchett, RHP, Red Lion (Pa.) HS (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-6 • 215 • R-R •

11. Kyler Fedko, SS, Vincentian Academy, Pittsburgh (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 215 • R-R •

12. Andrew Cossetti, C/3B, LaSalle HS, Glenside, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-0 • 215 • R-R •

13. Josh Spiegel, C, Penn-Trafford HS, Harrison City, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 210 • R-R •

14. Nick O’Day, OF, Bishop Shanahan HS, Downingtown, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 5-11 • 205 • R-R •

15. Ryan Kircher, LHP/OF, Plum HS, Pittsburgh (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-0 • 170 • B-L •

16. Dillon Marsh, 1B/LHP, Lancaster (Pa.) Catholic HS (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 215 • L-L •

17. Jacob Kelchner, LHP, Spring-Ford HS, Royersford, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 195 • L-L •

18. Jack Anderson, C, North Catholic HS, Cranberry Township, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-3 • 195 • R-R •

19. Michael Turconi, SS, Blackhawk HS, Beaver Falls, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 5-10 • 170 • L-R •

20. James Bleming, SS/OF, Lehigh (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Sr. • 6-0 • 200 • R-R •

21. Rhett Jacoby, RHP, Moravian (Pa.) (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 6-5 • 205 • R-R •

22. Jordan Bowersox, OF, Penn State (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 5-10 • 180 • R-R •

23. Cash Gladfelter, SS, Shippensburg (Pa.) (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 6-4 • 195 • L-R •

24. Jared  Melon, 1B/3B, West Chester (Pa.) (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 6-1 • 210 • R-R •

25. Connor Van Hoose, RHP, Bucknell (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Sr. • 6-1 • 175 • R-R •

26. Justin Hagenman, RHP, Penn State (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Jr. • 6-3 • 205 • R-R •

27. Taylor Lehman, LHP, Penn State (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • Sr. • 6-8 • 240 • L-L •

28. Brock Helverson, RHP, Perkiomen Valley HS, Collegeville, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-3 • 180 • R-R •

29. Eric Mock, RHP, Penn State (BA Rank: N/A)
4YR • RS-So. • 6-6 • 220 • R-R •

30. Nick Lucky, OF, Cocalico HS, Denver, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-1 • 185 • L-R •

31. Billy  Corcoran, RHP, Malvern (Pa.) Prep (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-7 • 195 • R-R •

32. Isaiah Payton, INF, Episcopal Academy, Newtown Sqaure, Pa. (BA Rank: N/A)
HS • 6-2 • 195 • R-R •