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UConn Baseball Recruiting and Commitment Thread
- Thread starter Dann
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There's an article in the Courant about UConn baseball recruit Josh Cohen; but, its behind the paywall.
www.courant.com
Mike Anthony: UConn baseball coaches were set to pass on this recruit until they learned he had just beaten cancer
Josh Cohen made his way to the fringe of UConn baseball recruiting plans two-plus years ago because what he did on the mound just looked right — great mechanics, smooth delivery, strong prese…
www.courant.com
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There's an article in the Courant about UConn baseball recruit Josh Cohen; but, its behind the paywall.
Mike Anthony: UConn baseball coaches were set to pass on this recruit until they learned he had just beaten cancer
Josh Cohen made his way to the fringe of UConn baseball recruiting plans two-plus years ago because what he did on the mound just looked right — great mechanics, smooth delivery, strong prese…
It’s in the 2020 thread... but here is a declassified version for the challenged.
Considering Devin Kirby has played two years at Santa Rosa JC, I would think that Kirby would be eligible to play for UConn this spring. Perhaps this signing was also partially due to the ACL injury to Justin Willis. By the way, Kirby played summer ball in 2019 for the Healdsburg Prune Packers, a team that had a pack of UConn Huskies on the roster. One of those players was Cole Brodnansky, who was also spent a season playing with Kirby at Santa Rosa.
Apparently he did. Guess he changed his mind. Don't know how this might impact his eligibility for the coming season.
Both Perfectgame.org and Prep Baseball Report are showing that Hector Alejandro, a high school class of 2020 RHP from Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury has committed to UConn. Ordinarily, if either of these websites report on someone committing, I look for a confirmation somewhere else as well, as they do make the occasional error, but since both of them are reporting the commitment, that is good enough for me. Alejandro had previously committed to St. John's.
Hector Alejandro Class of 2020 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA
www.prepbaseballreport.com
From Prep Baseball Report:
>8/13/18
Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame sneakily, sturdily-built frame, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides. the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. While flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.
8-12-18
Uncommitted. The final day of the Underclass Area Code was, sneakily, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. Sturdily-built with a durable, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides while flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.<
Hector Alejandro Class of 2020 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA
Hector Alejandro
From Prep Baseball Report:
>8/13/18
Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame sneakily, sturdily-built frame, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides. the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. While flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.
8-12-18
Uncommitted. The final day of the Underclass Area Code was, sneakily, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. Sturdily-built with a durable, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides while flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.<
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Confirmation here:Both Perfectgame.org and Prep Baseball Report are showing that Hector Alejandro, a high school class of 2020 RHP from Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury has committed to UConn. Ordinarily, if either of these websites report on someone committing, I look for a confirmation somewhere else as well, as they do make the occasional error, but since both of them are reporting the commitment, that is good enough for me. Alejandro had previously committed to St. John's.
Hector Alejandro Class of 2020 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA
Hector Alejandro
From Prep Baseball Report:
>8/13/18
Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame sneakily, sturdily-built frame, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides. the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. While flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.
8-12-18
Uncommitted. The final day of the Underclass Area Code was, sneakily, stocked with some of the most impressive arms of the event. Alejandro was one of them. Sturdily-built with a durable, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, the big right-hander came into the game in relief producing riding fastballs at 88-91. He has a clean arm stroke with quick hand speed out front, and showed control of the fastball to both sides while flashing a firm, near 12/6 breaking ball at 76-78. The pitch received some swings and misses, and has a strong chance to be a weapon moving forward.<
uconnbaseball
Hey there
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The blue collar trope is harder to maintain with all of these highly regarded recruits 
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Maybe yes, maybe no. What Coach Penders really wants is hard working players who do not slack off, which is what the blue collar label that he uses really is. Hopefully he can still get them as the talent pool of potential UConn recruits rises.
The blue collar trope is harder to maintain with all of these highly regarded recruits
Maybe yes, maybe no. What Coach Penders really wants is hard working players who do not slack off, which is what the blue collar label that he uses really is. Hopefully he can still get them as the talent pool of potential UConn recruits rises.
Austin Peterson is currently at Wabash Valley College, a junior college in Illinois, and is on their baseball roster. It would seem that he will spend the 2020 season there, and will end up in Storrs in the fall of 2020.
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OF/1B from San Diego who recently competed his freshman year @ Grossmont College in El Cajon California.
It used to be we were lucky if we found out about JUCO transfers the summer before they arrived at UConn. There were a few that we first found out about them at the fall ball Alumni game. Now this fall all of a sudden we seem to be finding out about them before they even play their sophomore year at their junior college. Social media at its best.
December through April is usually a slow time for announcing college baseball recruiting commitments, at least as far as UConn is concerned. A few commitments are likely to trickle in during these months, but the bulk of the recruiting announcements come in during the summer and fall. As such, it seems to be a good time to post a summary of future UConn baseball recruiting commitments that have previously been mentioned in this thread:
Devin Kirby (JUCO) - RHP - Kirby recently committed to UConn baseball. He already has spent two seasons playing in junior college in California, so on that basis he would normally be eligible to play in Storrs during the 2020 season. However, Kirby previously committed to Tulane earlier this year, so this could possibly affect his eligibility for this coming spring season.
High school class of 2020
David Christoforo - 1B/C
Phoenix Billings - SS
Bryan Padilla - SS
Korey Morton - OF
T.C. Simmons - 1B/OF (JUCO)
Adrian Siravo - RHP/OF
Brendan O’Donnell - LHP/1B
Joe Wozny - RHP
Saar Rosa - RHP
Calvin Ziegler - RHP
Bobby McBride - RHP
Leo Socci - RHP
Mitchell Pascarella - RHP
Hector Alejandro - RHP
Austin Peterson - RHP (Purdue transfer, now appears to be playing a year of JUCO at Wabash Valley College. Will likely have two years of eligibility for UConn)
High school class of 2021
Matthew Garbowski - C/OF
Zach Stephenson - OF
Jackson Ferrigno - SS
Frank Mozzicato - LHP
Owen Kellington - RHP
Craig Pihlkar - RHP
Braden Quinn - LHP
Jack Sullivan - RHP
High school class of 2022
Niki Brini - OF
Gavin Greger - LHP/OF
Devin Kirby (JUCO) - RHP - Kirby recently committed to UConn baseball. He already has spent two seasons playing in junior college in California, so on that basis he would normally be eligible to play in Storrs during the 2020 season. However, Kirby previously committed to Tulane earlier this year, so this could possibly affect his eligibility for this coming spring season.
High school class of 2020
David Christoforo - 1B/C
Phoenix Billings - SS
Bryan Padilla - SS
Korey Morton - OF
T.C. Simmons - 1B/OF (JUCO)
Adrian Siravo - RHP/OF
Brendan O’Donnell - LHP/1B
Joe Wozny - RHP
Saar Rosa - RHP
Calvin Ziegler - RHP
Bobby McBride - RHP
Leo Socci - RHP
Mitchell Pascarella - RHP
Hector Alejandro - RHP
Austin Peterson - RHP (Purdue transfer, now appears to be playing a year of JUCO at Wabash Valley College. Will likely have two years of eligibility for UConn)
High school class of 2021
Matthew Garbowski - C/OF
Zach Stephenson - OF
Jackson Ferrigno - SS
Frank Mozzicato - LHP
Owen Kellington - RHP
Craig Pihlkar - RHP
Braden Quinn - LHP
Jack Sullivan - RHP
High school class of 2022
Niki Brini - OF
Gavin Greger - LHP/OF
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Christoforo played a lot in RF over the summer. He didn’t catch at all when I saw him. I don’t see him catching much if at all at UConn either. He’s an ideal candidate at least early on at UConn as a DH. Billings is a SS but he literally can play anywhere, especially if Padilla is as good as advertised at SS.
The talent and depth the staff has on campus and coming in is remarkable. Obviously it all has to come together but the future is bright in Storrs.
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In early September Tulane baseball announced their signing class. Devin Kirby was not listed.
As far as Phoenix Billings goes, it's the same old recruiting story. The most athletic kids start out at SS, and then get moved elsewhere or to where they are needed as they move up levels in the world of baseball. In recruiting listings you see plenty of SS listed, not nearly as many at 2B or 3B. It's not a big surprise to me when a kid who is initially listed as a SS ends up in the OF as well.
As for Christoforo, I just try to list players where the recruiting services seem to list them. It can be the ultimate in trying to read tea leaves, so to speak. Catcher has been listed for him, even if though they would also seem to say that they thought he would literally outgrow the position.
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PerfectGame.org rankings of recruits for future seasons are not usually visible to those who don't pay for the premium service. Well, Perfect game rankings for upcoming recruiting classes recently became visible, it seems a sort of Christmas present to people like me. So here are the rankings for UConn recruits over the next few years:
2020 high school class:
328 - Adrian Siravo - RHP/OF
National Rank 500, which seems to work out more to the 500 to 999 range:
Hector Alejandro - RHP
Phoenix Billings - 3B
Bobby McBride - RHP
Brendan O’Donnell - LHP/1B
Bryan Padilla - SS
Saar Rosa - RHP
Leo Socci - RHP
Joe Wozny - RHP
High Follow:
Mitchell Pascarella - RHP
2021 high school class:
486 - Ian Cooke - RHP
National Rank 500
Matt Garbowski - C
Owen Kellington - RHP
Craig Pihlkar - RHP
National Rank 1000:
Jackson Ferrigno - SS
Zach Stephenson - OF
2022 high school class:
National Rank 500:
Niko Brini - OF
2020 high school class:
328 - Adrian Siravo - RHP/OF
National Rank 500, which seems to work out more to the 500 to 999 range:
Hector Alejandro - RHP
Phoenix Billings - 3B
Bobby McBride - RHP
Brendan O’Donnell - LHP/1B
Bryan Padilla - SS
Saar Rosa - RHP
Leo Socci - RHP
Joe Wozny - RHP
High Follow:
Mitchell Pascarella - RHP
2021 high school class:
486 - Ian Cooke - RHP
National Rank 500
Matt Garbowski - C
Owen Kellington - RHP
Craig Pihlkar - RHP
National Rank 1000:
Jackson Ferrigno - SS
Zach Stephenson - OF
2022 high school class:
National Rank 500:
Niko Brini - OF
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Haven’t looked through the thread to see if it’s come up already, but Gavin Kee is officially enrolled at Norwalk Community College per my younger sibling that attends there as well. Tough fall for a Norwalk player I really wanted to succeed the way Bryan did. Would’ve hoped someone at his caliber, able to be recruited to a school like ours, could have found a JuCo with a good baseball team, gotten everything together, and moved on to a four-year program.