Northeast Draft Deep Dive: Hitters
Final cuts, honorable mentions, senior signs, UDFA targets, and more
The draft is only a handful of days away which means it’s time to start digging in. This article will dig DEEEEEEEP into the 2025 draft class by highlighting a bunch of hitters who could be joining a professional organization soon. I decided to separate players into “buckets” rather than ranking each player individually. Most of the players in this piece and the upcoming pitcher article will be from the college ranks. Players who just missed being included on either my college or high school top 30 list will have “final cut” listed by their name. Enjoy!
Infield Performers
SS/3B Drew Wyers | JR | Bryant / Mississippi State | Final Cut
SS Sam Miller | JR | Columbia / Florida
3B Dean Ferrara | SR | Fairfield
SS Luke Nomura | JR | Fairfield
2B Harry Genth | SR | Haverford College | Final Cut
Drew Wyers was one of the final three players under consideration for my updated college top 30. Bryant was his third school in three years and apparently the third time was the charm. He posted career highs in nearly every offensive category with the Bulldogs while splitting time between third base (15 games) and shortstop (31 games). He may be more of a third baseman long term, a position he’s excelled at historically. There’s some size and raw pop, but hasn’t been tested too much with velocity. Unlike some of his peers in this article, Wyers has strong data backing up his box score stats, which gives him post 10th round potential for the draft. Mississippi State plucked him out of the transfer portal which likely means he’s heading to Starkville rather than pro ball. Wyers is already 22 years old, but a strong season at MSU would make him draft relevant again in 2026 as a senior sign. The Ivy League Player of the Year, Sam Miller posted a ridiculous .338/./407/.606 slash line, providing plenty of power (16 HR) and a dependable glove at shortstop. A former two-way player, Miller has mostly fringe average tools outside of his arm. He had trouble impacting the ball in the MLB Draft League and looks better suited for a second or third base deployment. Florida added Miller in the portal and he’s likely to make it to campus for his senior year. Like Wyers, he could be a senior sign in 2026 if he performs in the SEC. Dean Ferrara and Luke Nomura were quite the left side pairing for Fairfield in 2025. Ferrara posted a .952 OPS with 28 BB:28 K, 8 HR, and 20 SB. He was better than I expected at third base and I think he’s athletic enough to bounce around the diamond in a utility role. The tools aren’t explosive, but he legitimate feel for the barrel and he makes a lot of contact. Nomura has the edge over Ferrara in the physicality/athleticism department but also more questions with the swing. He’s hit double digit homers the past two years and his 1.020 OPS was a career high. Both Nomura and Ferrara have elevated chase rates, but I’m more confident in Ferrara making it work. I didn’t see shortstop instincts from Nomura, but he could be a solid defender at either second or third. Nomura has another year of eligibility and is currently in the transfer portal. Here's a video of Ferrara getting robbed of a hit:
It was a season of accolades for Haverford College two bagger Harry Genth. He won his second straight conference player of the year award, was named D3 Co-Player of the Year by Perfect Game, and was included on every All-Region team imaginable. The numbers were bonkers. Genth slashed .428/.556/1.034 line, slugged 23 homers, and stole 31 bases in 39 games. Genth’s performance was loud enough to garner attention from scouts both during the spring and after the season in private workouts. He also received a chance to perform with wood in the Draft League. The 22 year old senior is short and stout at 5’8-185. I saw him live with the Trenton Thunder and my first thought upon seeing Genth in the box was “he looks like Caleb Durbin.” I saw Durbin several times when he was with the Somerset Patriots and the physical similarities are uncanny. Genth has performed will with Trenton in a small sample (63 PA, .876 OPS, 1 HR, 12 SB, 14 BB:15 K) and has played both second and third base. The swing features a lot of moving parts with the hands and arms and an aggressive leg kick, but there’s plenty of bat speed to hang in pro ball. He has a natural uppercut to his swing and his small strike zone should make it challenging for pitchers to attack the upper portion of the zone. I don’t think Genth will have Durbin’s bat-to-ball ability, but there may be a tick more power.
His home to first times suggested above average speed and he made a good, big-league caliber play charging a grounder at third base. There are questions about the hands/glove on the dirt, but I think he can grow into a passable defender at multiple spots. Genth has done enough to earn a pro shot in my mind and I would be surprised if nobody pulled the trigger. Where he goes is up for debate. Caleb Durbin was a 14th round pick back in 2021 but he could also go in the 8-10 range as a senior discount pick. There’s also a chance for a Ryan McCarty situation where Genth signs with a team after the draft. McCarty put up huge numbers at Penn State-Abington (D3), signed as a UDFA with the Blue Jays, and is now performing well at AA.
Speedy College Outfielders
Lewis Rodriguez | SO | Marist / St John’s
Jayce Tharnish | rSO | St Bonaventure
Jackson Tucker | SR | St John’s
Jon LeGrande | JR | St John’s
Caleb Shpur | GR | UConn | Final Cut
Lewis Rodriguez is a draft eligible sophomore with 70 grade speed. He’s a skinny kid but has some wiry strength and a raw approach at the plate. There’s some impact in the bat when he’s able to get out in front and lift the ball, but he’s primarily a groundball hitter. I’m not sure if his offensive game will translate to wood. His speed doesn’t always play the way you’d expect on the bases or in center field. Rodriguez is transferring to St John’s and I would be surprised if he doesn’t end up on campus for his junior season. There’s some video of Rodriguez I took during the fall below. Jayce Tharnish had a breakout junior year that included .403 average (3rd in the A10) 7 HR, 32 SB, and a 1.058 OPS. The underlying data aren’t quite as strong and the overall track record of performance is mostly limited to this past spring. He’s a high quality athlete with size (6’3-190) and plus or better speed who is a capable defender at all three outfield spots. Tharnish is currently in the transfer portal and playing on the cape this summer. Teams may want to see him repeat his performance in 2026 before fully buying in. His size and athleticism gives him more upside than the other guys in this bucket. Here’s a clip of him homering vs Tennessee. Jackson Tucker has been a steady performer for 4 years at St John’s with a table-setting/centerfielder profile. Like Rodriguez, he has a lean, narrow frame, but with plenty of twitchy athleticism. Tucker has excellent plate discipline and makes contact at a high rate. He’s also a plus runner who is an asset defensively in centerfield and is still only 21 despite being a senior. The contact/discipline/defense combo might be enough for a UDFA signing or a large senior discount selection in the 8-10 round range. Video HERE. Jon LeGrande spent two years at Wabash Valley College before landing at St John’s. He’s short at 5’8 but with a thicker build than Tucker. There’s some sneaky power to the opposite field, but he is more of a line drive/low fly ball hitter. He posted a strong .368/.443/.578 line with nearly as many walks (23) as strikeouts (26). He’s an aggressive baserunner with plus speed. With Tucker entrenched at the CF position, LeGrande played left field and was solid there. His routes can be inconsistent at times and the same can be said of his arm. I have questions about LeGrande’s ability to handle velocity at the next level and I’m concerned he’s limited to left field defensively. To his credit, he’s currently performing well on the Cape. In 70 PA he has a .300/.371/.383 slash line with 4 XBH, 5 BB, 9 K, 8 steals (12 attempts), and has spent most of his time in center. Some video HERE.
Of the five players in this bucket, Caleb Shpur is the guy I’m most confident about getting a pro opportunity this year. A grad transfer from DIII Endicott College, Shpur shined on both sides of the ball during his second year with the Huskies. Shpur put up a respectable .358/.426/.521 which included 8 HR and 43 SB. He’s a pesky hitter with a short swing that allows him to spray the ball all over the field. Shpur is a plus or better runner with great instincts on the bases. I saw Shpur several times this year and his feel for the game, instincts, and baseball IQ grew on me over time. Hitting behind runners during a hit and run, dropping down a bunt, taking and extra base, taking smart routes on balls in the outfield, making the right throws. Shpur showed it all and he made it look like it was second nature. The defensive side is where Shpur really excels. He was arguably the best defensive player at any position, college or high school, that I saw all spring. Other observers seemed to agree as he took home the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Award for an outfielder. Shpur’s defense passes the eye test and grades extremely well on teams’ internal defensive metrics. D1Baseball had Shpur as the top outfielder in college baseball with 19 defensive runs saved this year. It’s gold glove caliber defense at the pro level with a 5th outfielder type of profile. I would be shocked in Shpur doesn’t receive a chance in pro ball given the defensive mastery and overall skillset. He just barely missed making my updated top 30 college players rankings. Here’s a nice open side swing from the great Burke Granger.
Raw Power / Corner Bats
1B Kyle Wolff | JR | Boston College
C Ryan Strnad | Citius Prep, NY / Seton Hall
OF Harrison Feinberg | SR | Northeastern
3B Owen Petrich | JR | St Joseph’s / Virginia Tech | Final Cut
C Camden Righi | Wethersfield, CT / UConn | Final Cut
Kyle Wolff checks some data boxes that teams tend to value. He’s a thickly built R/L first baseman with above average raw pop, but isn’t much of an athlete. Wolff is playing for Harwich on the Cape and has a .770 OPS in 13 games. Ryan Strnad is a physically mature backstop with the potential for plus raw power. There’s some swing and miss to his game and his future at catcher is questionable. He’s likely to develop into a middle of the order slugger should he make it to Seton Hall. There’s some BP video of Strnad below. Harrison Feinberg was a highly regarded USC commit of Connecticut back in 2021. He’s been at Northeastern the past few years and put together his best campaign this past spring. Feinberg was named Co-CAA player of the year after a .367/.455/.715 line that included 18 homers and 37 steals. He’s limited to an outfield corner, but does have enough power to profile there. Feinberg’s closed setup at the plate is similar to Cam Maldonado’s and a lot of his power goes the opposite way as a result. I’m not confident in the hit tool, though I do respect the power and believe he’s got a chance to sign somewhere as a UDFA. Feinberg turns 23 in September and has struggled on the Cape this summer in a small sample. Owen Petrich was an instant performer at St Joseph’s in 2024 after transferring in from Delaware. He turned in an even better season in 2025, increasing his OPS almost 100 points, boosting his home run total from 11 to 15, and walking more than he struck out. Petrich also showed noticeable improvement defensively at third base and has a shot to stick there. It’s a pro body with a power over hit offensive profile. He was scooped up by Virginia Tech in the transfer portal, but could receive some late round draft interest. Petrich will turn 23 in December.
Cam Righi is a massive prep hitter at 6’4-240 and Connecticut’s Gatorade Player of the Year. He played catcher in high school, but will probably move to corner outfield or first base at UConn. Righi is a pretty good athlete and runner for his size and might be a good fit in right field moving forward. There's some stiffness to the swing but the potential for plus raw power is evident. Righi is currently playing for New Britain in the Futures League where he’s slugged 3 homers while slashing .277/.410/.489 with wood. Righi received strong consideration for my top 30 prep board.
Catching Depth
Evin Sullivan | SR | Binghamton
Zach Rogacki | SR | Binghamton
Jake Bold | JR | Princeton
Ashby Vining | SR | St Peter’s
Easton Masse, Westminster Prep, CT / Boston College
Evin Sullivan and Zach Rogacki split catching duties at Binghamton with Rogacki getting some play in right field when not in the squat. Both backstops had an OPS of 1.000 or better, contact rates above 80%, and chase rates near 20% in 2025. Sullivan looks like the more traditional catcher and he earned extra points in my book by showing well in the receiving department during the Draft League. Both seniors are potential late round/UDFA targets this year. Jake Bold will show flashes of a potential power hitting catcher, but has yet to put it all together for a full season. He improved his plate discipline in a meaningful way this year and had a good showing with wood last summer in the Northwoods League where he homered 12 times. His defensive ability is a work in progress. Bold is playing on the Cape this summer and with a year of eligibility remaining, is likely to return to Princeton for a final season. He’ll be on the draft radar again in 2026. I wrote about Ashby Vining earlier this spring HERE. TLDR: Strong, athletic catcher with plus raw power and a plenty of arm strength. He slashed .335/.387/.534 this year for St Peter’s with 10 home runs. Vining is actually playing in the Banana Ball League, something I’ve never typed before, but could sign as a UDFA with a team in need of an experienced catcher. Easton Masse has some solid baseball bloodlines. His father Bill was a Yankees draft pick and currently works for the Padres while his brother Rowan plays for UMass-Lowell. Easton is an Area Code Games alum with a hit over power offensive profile, but is ultimately a defense first catcher. He will probably end up at BC but it is worth mentioning given the bloodlines and advanced defensive ability behind the plate.
Looks the Part
TWP Gio Colasante | JR | Harvard | Final Cut
SS Davis Baker | JR | Penn
OF Alex Luccini | SR | UMass-Lowell
This bucket features a few players who stand out from a physical/athletic standpoint but have some warts attached to the profile. Gio Colasante is a two-way player who returned from TJ this spring. He pitched out of the pen in the low 90s and a fringy breaking ball and was also Harvard’s everyday first baseman. Colasante can put on a show in BP and hit 10 homers, but there’s too much swing and miss presently. I think teams would like to see him at Harvard for another year and flip over to the left side of the infield defensively. He’ll be worth following next year on both sides of the ball. Davis Baker is a lanky, athletic shortstop at 6’2-190 that can flash all of the tools on the right day. He’s got an old-school, handsy swing and some pull side power. He’s inconsistent defensively and might be worth trying out in centerfield at the pro level. Like the other Ivy League juniors listed here, Baker is probably better off returning for his senior year in an attempt to take his game to the next level while earning his degree. There’s video from this spring for both Colasante and Baker below. Alex Luccini was one of the most impressive college bats I saw this spring from a physicality/athleticism standpoint. The 6’3-200 centerfielder has above average raw power and speed, but his lack of plate discipline leads to too many strikeouts, an issue that has followed him throughout his college career. Still, he’s got “the look” and there are legitimate tools that could warrant a UDFA/senior discount pick.
Some D2 Bats
1B/OF Brendan Sencaj | SO | Bentley
OF Chris Polemeni | rSO | College of Staten Island / UConn
OF Shanley Wall | JR | East Stroudsburg
Brendan Sencaj is a draft eligible sophomore who tore up the NE10 conference this spring and has continued doing so with wood in the NECBL. While splitting time between first base and centerfield for Bentley, Sencaj slashed .411/.492/.656 with 11 homers and 29 BB: 31 K in 252 PA. He’s currently slashing .981 this summer for the Sanford Mainers. Sencaj has a thicker build with a strong lower half and a swing geared for pitches in the lower half of the zone. I’m not sure if he’s on the draft radar since he’s a sophomore from a D2 school, but at the very least he’s a name worth tracking for 2026.
Chris Polemeni had a 1.186 OPS for CSI in 2025, showing off quality power as the teams’ everyday centerfielder. He was quickly picked up by UConn in the transfer portal and I have to imagine he’ll be playing in Storrs next year. Shanley Wall is the younger brother of St Joseph’s grad/CF Conlan Wall. Conlan was a personal favorite of mine while he was at St Joseph’s. Shanley has a thicker build with less speed than Conlan. I liked what I saw in the fall from Shanley who looks like a good energy guy who plays bigger than his stature. He has advanced strike zone awareness with a table setter mindset. He posted a 43:13(!) BB to K ratio and has a career 74 BB:35 K ratio for his career. Wall has a quick bat with the ability to cover the zone using a line drive stroke, flashing some extra base power to the right-center field gap. This isn’t the type of profile that is likely to garner a ton of interest in the draft, but Wall is “my type” of player and is worth mentioning in a piece such as this one.
EVEN DEEPER
And here are some more names that might be worth looking into. This is as deep as I can possibly go:
Brandyn Durand | C | Bryant
Zac Zyons | MIF | Bryant
Trent Rumley | INF | Canisius / Campbell
Aidan Redahan | 1B/2B | Central Connecticut
Cole Fellows | OF | Columbia
Jack Power | C/1B/2B | LIU
Brody Rasmussen | CF | Maine
Carmelo Musacchia | 2B | Northeastern
Jarrett Pokrovsky | 3B/OF | Penn
Alex Ungar | OF | Sacred Heart
Zach Eldred | 1B/OF | SUNY Brockport
Liam Daly | 1B | SUNY Purchase
Michael Whooley | SS | Villanova
*article photo credit to the Philadelphia Inquirer