UConn Baseball Recruiting and Commitment Thread

[huskymedic]

A draft report on Casey Dana.

Draft League Spotlight: Casey Dana

A high leverage hitter. Casey Dana, 3B from Seton Hall.

www.prepbaseballreport.com

-> A serviceable third baseman defensively, Dana also has some experience playing first base and has received more left-field reps in 2021. <-

 

[Tmill15]

-> A serviceable third baseman defensively, Dana also has some experience playing first base and has received more left-field reps in 2021. <-

As always, in any sport, it helps to have depth!

 

[Tmill15]

As the MLB Draft has come to a close, I have fully updated my list with all the commits and transfers coming in to the program. Following in the footsteps of the great, @dbmill, my list has Mozzicato, Kellington as drafted players as Pascarelli is supposedly reclassifying to 2022. Still a lot of great talent coming in between freshman and transfers. It will certainly be an interesting year!

 

[dbmill]

As the MLB Draft has come to a close, I have fully updated my list with all the commits and transfers coming in to the program. Following in the footsteps of the great, @dbmill, my list has Mozzicato, Kellington as drafted players as Pascarelli is supposedly reclassifying to 2022. Still a lot of great talent coming in between freshman and transfers. It will certainly be an interesting year!

Great? Let's not get carried away. I would agree with the greatly obsessed dbmill.

I don't believe Justin Oquendo was ever a UConn recruit. Recruiting websites like PerfectGame and PrepBaseballReport occasionally make mistakes. Anything I first see on those websites I try to verify with another source before reporting it here. Justin Oquendo has long disappeared as a UConn commit on PerfectGame.

RHP Mitchell Pascarella was originally a 2020 UConn recruit, but seems to be arriving on campus for the fall of 2021, joining the baseball program at that time.

David Smith transferred into the program prior to last season, but was ineligible to play. RHP Devin Kirby also transferred in, but was injured for the season. LHP Mason Kolean also transferred into the program prior to last season from Bowling Green, but was also ineligible to play. All these guys were listed on the UConn roster on the website last season You might want to add those guys to your list if you are also including Smith.

What was that about greatly obsessed?

 

[hardcorehusky]

As the MLB Draft has come to a close, I have fully updated my list with all the commits and transfers coming in to the program. Following in the footsteps of the great, @dbmill, my list has Mozzicato, Kellington as drafted players as Pascarelli is supposedly reclassifying to 2022. Still a lot of great talent coming in between freshman and transfers. It will certainly be an interesting year!

View attachment 68683

That is 20 new guys - I wonder how many remain from this year's team - in any event, the race to cut the roster down will be intense and ultimately who gets a shot at contributing.

 

[dbmill]

That is 20 new guys - I wonder how many remain from this year's team - in any event, the race to cut the roster down will be intense and ultimately who gets a shot at contributing.

In the past there have been approximately 45 or 46 players on the UConn roster during the fall ball season. Can't say for certain, but from what I remember that seems to be a fairly consistent number each fall season. Don't know if the 35 man spring season roster will once again be expanded due to the pandemic, but in a normal year a bunch of players end up getting cut from the team to get down to the 35. Usually there are 3 or 4 redshirted players who aren't officially on the playing roster, but get listed on the spring roster effectively making them part of the team even if they are unable to play. I've tended to refer to these guys as the UConn baseball taxi squad.

To my count, UConn has 20 recruits joining the program (currently including Owen Kellington, who has not announced yet any decision on going pro), and there are also 9 guys who were listed on the website roster who did not play last season (some due to injury or being ineligible to play) who apparently are still with the team (no report on their transferring or leaving, at least not yet). You never know, but a few more newbies could show up on the fall ball roster as well. Fall ball could very well be very crowded.

 

[Tmill15]

Great? Let's not get carried away. I would agree with the greatly obsessed dbmill.

I don't believe Justin Oquendo was ever a UConn recruit. Recruiting websites like PerfectGame and PrepBaseballReport occasionally make mistakes. Anything I first see on those websites I try to verify with another source before reporting it here. Justin Oquendo has long disappeared as a UConn commit on PerfectGame.

RHP Mitchell Pascarella was originally a 2020 UConn recruit, but seems to be arriving on campus for the fall of 2021, joining the baseball program at that time.

David Smith transferred into the program prior to last season, but was ineligible to play. RHP Devin Kirby also transferred in, but was injured for the season. LHP Mason Kolean also transferred into the program prior to last season from Bowling Green, but was also ineligible to play. All these guys were listed on the UConn roster on the website last season You might want to add those guys to your list if you are also including Smith.

What was that about greatly obsessed?

I have Kolean and Kirby on last years list so your right. Smith should be there too thanks!

 

[businesslawyer]

Much easier to project players who have Division 1 records than those who don’t. If Casey Dana shows up, he is in the lineup, as DH if he doesn’t field well enough to win a field position. He has proved he can hit at a Big East level, and it’s not like we have a DH returning who can’t play the field. If we return all four infielders (looking more and more likely), have Dana at DH and an outfield of Ferrer, Stock (the big question mark at this point) and is it Simmons (the JUCO transfer who looked good before getting hurt this year), as long as we get anything from the Catcher that’s a potentially strong lineup.

And Stefanini will, at worst, be a weekday starter. He’s already proven he can start against our New England weekday level opponents. Hopefully he can make the step up against tougher competition and start on weekends, but at worst he’s a weekday rotation guy.

 

[Magruber]

Much easier to project players who have Division 1 records than those who don’t. If Casey Dana shows up, he is in the lineup, as DH if he doesn’t field well enough to win a field position. He has proved he can hit at a Big East level, and it’s not like we have a DH returning who can’t play the field. If we return all four infielders (looking more and more likely), have Dana at DH and an outfield of Ferrer, Stock (the big question mark at this point) and is it Simmons (the JUCO transfer who looked good before getting hurt this year), as long as we get anything from the Catcher that’s a potentially strong lineup.

And Stefanini will, at worst, be a weekday starter. He’s already proven he can start against our New England weekday level opponents. Hopefully he can make the step up against tougher competition and start on weekends, but at worst he’s a weekday rotation guy.

Curious, why would Stock be a question?
Had a Great season at UCONN, has nearly guaranteed starting spot here, and didn't get drafted. Seems to me like no reason to look anywhere else.
We NEED Eric back this year.
Has BEPOY potential.

 

[navery12]

Curious, why would Stock be a question?
Had a Great season at UCONN, has nearly guaranteed starting spot here, and didn't get drafted. Seems to me like no reason to look anywhere else.
We NEED Eric back this year.
Has BEPOY potential.

As a UConn fan it makes sense for guys like Stock and Fedko to come back, but wouldn't say it's a lock since it would be a 5th year in college for both. If we get both back though, the ceiling and floor of next year's team is raised considerably

 

[dbmill]

Curious, why would Stock be a question?
Had a Great season at UCONN, has nearly guaranteed starting spot here, and didn't get drafted. Seems to me like no reason to look anywhere else.
We NEED Eric back this year.
Has BEPOY potential.

As a UConn fan it makes sense for guys like Stock and Fedko to come back, but wouldn't say it's a lock since it would be a 5th year in college for both. If we get both back though, the ceiling and floor of next year's team is raised considerably

Have to also remember that scholarship money in college baseball isn't exactly plentiful. Very few college baseball players are on full scholarship. There are only 11.7 scholarships in college baseball that can be split among up to 27 players (the rest are walk ons). From the amount of attention Christian Fedko and Stock are getting on the UConn twitter feed during their time in summer ball, it increases my confidence that they will be back at UConn for the upcoming school year. Also, I would also think the cutbacks to the lower level minor leagues make it less likely for undrafted players with eligibility remaining to go pro. Still, there is always a chance these guys could move on for some reason or another.

 

[dbmill]

Much easier to project players who have Division 1 records than those who don’t. If Casey Dana shows up, he is in the lineup, as DH if he doesn’t field well enough to win a field position. He has proved he can hit at a Big East level, and it’s not like we have a DH returning who can’t play the field. If we return all four infielders (looking more and more likely), have Dana at DH and an outfield of Ferrer, Stock (the big question mark at this point) and is it Simmons (the JUCO transfer who looked good before getting hurt this year), as long as we get anything from the Catcher that’s a potentially strong lineup.

And Stefanini will, at worst, be a weekday starter. He’s already proven he can start against our New England weekday level opponents. Hopefully he can make the step up against tougher competition and start on weekends, but at worst he’s a weekday rotation guy.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Casey Dana getting some time at 1B on those occasions when Reggie Crawford finds himself heading to the mound to pitch. UConn seems to have picked up a couple of grad transfers this summer who can fill in at 1B.

By the way, it's old news for us now, but the D1baseball.com transfer tracker is now listing Casy Dana and Enzo Stefanoni as grad transfers to UConn.

 

[HUHuskie]

Was at Ocean State's TH at Danbury yesterday. Dana played RF in a couple of games

 

[dbmill]

Was at Ocean State's TH at Danbury yesterday. Dana played RF in a couple of games

Checked the box scores since Casey Dana started playing for Ocean State. He's been playing a bunch of corner outfield for the Waves.

 

[huskymedic]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Casey Dana getting some time at 1B on those occasions when Reggie Crawford finds himself heading to the mound to pitch. UConn seems to have picked up a couple of grad transfers this summer who can fill in at 1B.

Was at Ocean State's TH at Danbury yesterday. Dana played RF in a couple of games

Checked the box scores since Casey Dana started playing for Ocean State. He's been playing a bunch of corner outfield for the Waves.

Good, that means he can cover both Crawford and Stock when they come in to pitch

 

[scotty0330]

 

[huskymedic]

View attachment 68775

2023 6-2 215lb RHP attending Middletown South High School in Middletown Twnshp New Jersey.

Ben Schild fires Middletown South baseball to first state championship since 1996

Middletown South's baseball program won its first state championship in a quarter of a century behind a masterful two-hitter by sophomore Ben Schild.

www.app.com

Highlights

 

[dbmill]

Ben Schild Class of 2023 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

Ben Schild Class of 2023 Perfect Game Player Profile

www.perfectgame.org

Ben Schild is a 2023 RHP/1B with a 6-1 205 lb. frame from Lincroft, NJ who attends Middletown South HS. Recorded a 7.91 second 60-yard dash time. Large frame with some strength present in the lower half and well-proportioned throughout. Primary righthanded pitcher with a balanced delivery. Quick arm with a longer stroke in the back. High three-quarters arm slot and gets some riding life on the fastball that topped out at 82 mph. Good plane on the fastball and can really command the pitch nicely. Slows arm on secondary pitches but shows good depth to the curveball. Arm strength plays from secondary position of first base. Righthanded hitter with a high hand set, high back elbow, and a clean swing plane. Short stride inward with a controlled stroke. Has some pop to the middle of the field with very consistent barrel skills. Good student.

 

[huskymedic]

Ben Schild Class of 2023 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA

Ben Schild Class of 2023 Perfect Game Player Profile

www.perfectgame.org

Not bad 6-1 205lb as a U14. Now up to 6-2 215lb w/ two more years of growing to do!

 

[YardProduct]

Been coaching for some time now and I’ve never seen a kid like Gaby Tirado (‘24, Newington, CT, catcher, UConn commit). Kid is the best hitter to come along in a long while. His numbers are off he charts and he killed it at the Perfect Game FL WWBC. At 15 he can turn around FB 85-90 and exit velos north of 100. Very solid behind the plate as well. Keep your eye on this kid for sure.

 

[dbmill]

Been coaching for some time now and I’ve never seen a kid like Gaby Tirado (‘24, Newington, CT, catcher, UConn commit). Kid is the best hitter to come along in a long while. His numbers are off he charts and he killed it at the Perfect Game FL WWBC. At 15 he can turn around FB 85-90 and exit velos north of 100. Very solid behind the plate as well. Keep your eye on this kid for sure.

PerfectGame.org currently has Gabriel Tirado ranked at 224 in the 2024 recruiting class.

 

[BaseballDog]

Been coaching for some time now and I’ve never seen a kid like Gaby Tirado (‘24, Newington, CT, catcher, UConn commit). Kid is the best hitter to come along in a long while. His numbers are off he charts and he killed it at the Perfect Game FL WWBC. At 15 he can turn around FB 85-90 and exit velos north of 100. Very solid behind the plate as well. Keep your eye on this kid for sure.

I said the same thing on here two years ago when the kids was a thirteen year old. Best hands I had seen at that age. Kid is legit.

 

[mustafa]

I said the same thing on here two years ago when the kids was a thirteen year old. Best hands I had seen at that age. Kid is legit.

Lets hope he doesn't get TOO GOOD TOO SOON b/c we'll end up with another Frankie situation.
Hopefully, he actually makes it to Storrs.

 

[YardProduct]

Lets hope he doesn't get TOO GOOD TOO SOON b/c we'll end up with another Frankie situation.
Hopefully, he actually makes it to Storrs.

The way this kid hits, we may never see him play at Elliot.

 

[YardProduct]

I said the same thing on here two years ago when the kids was a thirteen year old. Best hands I had seen at that age. Kid is legit.

Here’s his latest Perfect Game numbers: Gabriel Tirado Class of 2024 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA