Live Looks: Draft notes on Rutgers, Penn, Delaware, Others
College ball is underway, and I’ve been able to catch a number of games now. Below are notes on every team I’ve seen and notes on specific prospects. The reports are a combination of my own eyes, data, and industry hearsay.
I’ve also seen St. Joes and Canisius on opening day, but I did a specific live looks story on that here.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers should be one of the better teams in the Big 10 this season. They’re loaded with prospects and there team is pretty deep on top of some ready-to-contribute freshman that have impressed. I saw them take on Delaware last week in Newark, with them absolutely mashing against a less-than-impressive Blue Hens arm staff. This Rutgers team definitely has the talent to compete for a Big 10 title this year.
Will certainly be making the drive up to Piscataway this year hopefully a couple of times, but I missed out on a few notable guys due to me only being able to see one game of the Knights.
SS Josh Kuroda-Grauer — Rutgers
A catalyst for Rutgers, Kuroda-Grauer is having a dominant season at the plate this year for the Scarlet Knights slashing an impressive .452/.514/.677 through 30 games. His numbers should regress as Rutgers gets into the much stronger Big 10 part of their schedule, but that’s not to discredit him. This is a sure Day 2 draft pick, how early is the question though.
He seldom whiffs with a Z-Contact% in the high-90s, though the power is fringe with him being a clear hit-over-power bat, only racking up 14 homers in 130 career games at RU. He’s also shown some free-swinging and chase tendencies at the plate this year but at the same time he’s dominated mid-major pitching. JKG rarely strikes out with his compact two-handed swing that should be able to put up some good averages at the pro level. When I saw him last weekend at Delaware he showed a great ability to go the other way with several opposite-field liners, and he tortured a weak Delaware pitching staff before going 12-for-17 on the weekend — also hitting a foul opposite-field homer. He was a really fun watch with dancy feet and an instinct to run on the bases, and his reliable glove could allow him to play shortstop at the professional level but his arm might have him better fit for second base in the future — maybe even the outfield, a place where he has seen time. He had some really quick transfers and fields the ball well. I’ve seen his speed tool regarded as fringe by some, but it looks to be at least average if not even 55. There’s not really a plus tool with JKG but there’s a lot to like with both a potential 55-grade hit tool and 50–55 defense, definitely a name to keep a close eye on in this year’s draft.
3B Tony Santa Maria — Rutgers
Beginning his collegiate career on a 2021 Iona team that opted out of the season 14 games in, Santa Maria transferred to Rutgers in 2022 and mashed but only saw five games in 2023 due to injury, missing what was his draft year. Santa Maria is back onto the scene this season though and should be taken in Day 2 of the draft.
With a Big 10-leading eight homers on the year, Santa Maria is back to producing for the Knights slashing .386/.509/.773 in 88 plate appearances. Santa Maria shows a great ability to go to the opposite field and doesn’t lose power when doing so with his smooth two-handed stroke, where he keeps his hands at chest level in his preset and they stay level when moving them back in his load. He recognizes the zone and has a fairly patient approach, while he flashes some decent athleticism that should allow him to play somewhere like second base — he doesn't have the arm for third. His power is average to above average while his hit tool is likely a 45 grade.
LHP Justin Sinibaldi — Rutgers
Coming off of a complete game shutout against UConn, with some early-season struggles from Christian Coppola Sinibaldi has taken over as the Scarlet Knights’ ace.
Sinibaldi went undrafted last year but his stuff has seen a bit of a rise, giving him a good shot of being picked as he gets a second try in the draft. The velo was 90–93 in the fall but he was only 89–91 last week, while he features two slider profiles but was mainly 79–81 with more sweepish shape that spins well while picking up some whiffs, and a mid-80s changeup is mixed in. He lasted five innings allowing six runs/four earned when I saw him, struggled to command a bit against a decent Delaware lineup but wasn’t backed by his defense by any means.
CF RJ Johnson Jr. — Rutgers
The leadoff man for the Scarlet Knights, Johnson Jr. is a speedy centerfielder that has definite ’24 Day 3 draft potential, though the hit tool is the question. A transfer from a Florida JUCO, Johnson has hit .305/.421/.442 for Rutgers this year and has been an impact player for the Knights.
The aforementioned speed is the calling card given it’s likely a plus tool, as he’s already racked up 10 stolen bases this season. He can take a poor route at times but his speed and athleticism still points to at least average defense in center. At the plate, Johnson doesn’t show consistent pop by any means with only one homer as both the hit tool and power are 35–40. He has a wide stance with barely any stride that looks a bit awkward and he can be slow to react on some pitches. His legs obviously make him the prospect he is, but if he can find a way to hit at the pro level he could be really dangerous.
OF Trevor Cohen — Rutgers
A 2025 draft name, Cohen has hit .400 this year for Rutgers — though 35 of his 42 hits have been singles with only one homer.
He doesn’t whiff, and the bat-to-ball skills are legit with a two-handed follow-through that really reminds me of Jarren Duran — his 2023 stance was practically a replica of Duran but Cohen seems to have a newer stance this year, where he holds his hands closer to his body during his preset and leans a bit more into his back leg during his load. Cohen runs well while he has an above-average hit tool but the pop is almost non-existent.
Notes on others
Grad transfer lefty Joey DeChiaro also had some decent stuff out of the pen sitting 91–93 with two secondaries but is now in his fifth year of college ball and struggled to locate. Unfortunately didn’t get to see lefty Donavan Zsak, probably the best pure stuff on the Rutgers staff, but will definitely see Rutgers again this year. Also did not see the aforementioned Christian Coppola as he’s had some struggles and has lost the Friday night starter job. Freshman infielder Ty Doucette has raked at the plate this year for them hitting .386 with five homers in 13 games while competing for time, and freshman catcher Jackson Natili hasn’t hit much but he was solid behind the plate against Delaware—showed some receiving skills while his arm looked strong.
Penn Quakers
Penn is the best team in the Ivy League. They made their first regional since 1995 last season and they should without a doubt win the Ivy League for the second year in a row. There are a number of pro prospects on this Quakers team and they’re surely the best team on the east side of Pennsylvania — favorites to win the Liberty Bell tournament.
I only got to see them during the second game of the doubleheader Friday which means I missed Cole Zaffiro’s start and Carson Ozmer’s relief outing (Ozmer can also hit but he’s a pitching prospect), but I’ll certainly be back to see more action from Penn this spring. There are several good draft prospects on this team.
RHP Ryan Dromboski — Penn
Last year’s Ivy League pitcher of the year in Dromboski has had a real rough start to his year following some preseason attention but put together his first solid outing of the season Friday. He went five innings allowing just two runs on five hits, three walks, while he struck out nine. His ERA still sits above a 10 though, as Cole Zaffiro has been the ace of the rotation for the Quakers this year. Dromboski’s struggles definitely lower his stock, might even take him out of Day 2 of the draft.
Dromboski has some really flat shape to his fastball at his low-three-quarters arm slot but doesn’t really miss bats with it given it can get a bit run-heavy — it was 90–92 and topped at 93 Friday. He can struggle to command the pitch at times and it wasn’t really used much compared to his sweeper, which is Drombowski’s clear calling card. It sat 81–83 while he wasn’t afraid to throw it in-zone and it picked up plenty of swings-and-misses, making Brown hitters look silly at times; the sweeper picked up a whiff rate over 50% last year and it’s a plus pitch when he locates it. He then mixed in a changeup that was mainly in the high-70s last season but it seems to have made its way up into the low-80s. He had some great energy on the mound and was a fun watch, wouldn’t be surprised if he turns his year around in the second half.
RHP Eli Trop — Penn
Trop has the upside of a pro arm and he’s had some good results at Penn, but wasn't picked following his junior season last year due to inconsistent velo and a lack of secondaries after having a chance of going very late in Day 3. He still has an upside of being a pro arm, however.
Trop is a 6-foot-4 right-hander with an attractive sidearm release point a few ticks below 5-feet, and he can touch the upper-90s in fastball velo as he consistently was at the end of last year; the fastball is a 50-grade pitch when it has velo. However seeing him Friday, he couldn't hold his velo — after an error by Penn sent it to extras, went from mainly 91–93 in the ninth before dipping to 88–91 in the 10th and 11th going as low as 87 a few times. He was using the fastball maybe 75% of the time which made his velo decline even more evident as he really lacks feel for his 76–80 breaking ball. The arm slot and velo that he’s flashed at least before is certainly intriguing and results have been there for Trop, but the stuff is just too inconsistent at the moment.
RHP Thomas Shurtleff — Penn
After a less-than-impressive freshman year with an ERA over 10, Shurtleff has been a good asset for the Quakers’ bullpen this season with some nice stuff. He’s one of the lesser-talked-about names for the Quakers and I didn’t even have him on my radar going into when I saw him, but a 2025 eligible name, he’s got a decent shot of being grabbed next year with some nice stuff.
There was a lot to like as he maintained a lively 90–92 with some run to it, while he filled the zone with a sharp mid-80s slutter. He then missed a few bats with a mid-70s sweeping curve that got up to 78, which all three pitches have the potential to reach even average grades if he can continue producing. It’s a three-quarters delivery for Shurtleff a delivery that’s kind of stiff, but he hides the ball well which helps decept.
3B Wyatt Henseler — Penn
One might be quick to point out Henseler is already past his draft year given he’s a senior, but he chose to stay in school and graduate from Penn this year after receiving some notable pro interest — he’s also committed to A&M for his fifth year (can’t fifth year at an Ivy).
If you follow the Penn Baseball Analytics account you’ll find him crushing balls at EVs well over 100. He also has a 50–55 grade glove and a plus arm, as he was throwing 89 across the diamond as a sophomore in HS. He’s patient at the plate, doesn’t chase much which puts his hit tool at least in the 40s. He’s already up to 10 homers this year in just 20 games which means he’s hit a homer in every other game — he tallied 18 last year and 14 the year before. In fact, he has more homers than singles as well as more walks than strikeouts, slashing .300/.396/.738 and he now has the all-time Ivy League home run record. His power probably caps out at 50–55 though, and he’s a senior as said — if he goes to the Aggies next year we’ll also see how he fares in the SEC, but there’s some clear potential with Henseler as both the pop and defense are really intriguing tools. He’s just old.
SS Davis Baker — Penn
The lefty bat shortstop has hit .357 for Penn this year, and he’s one of the better Ivy League prospects for 2025 but the tools don’t really stick out for Baker.
He’s patient and recognizes the zone well like a lot of these Quakers hitters, but really lacks pop. He’s really lean, I’m not sure if he can play shortstop either — he lacked urgency on a routine grounder and a Brown hitter then beat him to first as a result. He strikes out at a rate over 20% but will draw walks. Wasn’t a fan of his swing, it’s a two-handed stroke with sort of an awkward follow-through. His numbers are pretty good through college ball but as said he doesn’t flash much tools-wise at the moment, his hit tool is fringe at the moment and the power is well below average — though he does have another season and a half before he’s in the draft and he has some projection remaining in several categories.
UTIL Jarrett Pokrovsky — Penn
Pokrovsky is solid 2025 eligible hitter that intrigues me. He’s taken a leap this year at the plate and has impressed, outdoing his freshman year numbers by a longshot. He’s slugging .481 compared to last year’s mark of .404, also has three homers and seven doubles compared to last year’s two long balls and nine doubles.
Pokrovsky isn’t afraid to go the other way and his EV profile has taken a massive jump from his freshman year. He can hit velocity and has a stocky frame but is rather athletic given he’s a utility asset. Has a smooth two-handed stroke that looks clean when he gets ahold of one. Both the hit tool and the power tool are raising their stock at the moment while he’s at worst a fringe defender with the utility. We’ll see how he pans out for the rest of the year but he’s a 2025 name to watch.
Notes on others
Nick Spaventa is also an intriguing freshman first baseman that can hit, will certainly be a 2026 draft name if he stays on the same trajectory while he’s flashed some athleticism that should allow him to play not just first base. Sophomore reliever Jake Moss sat 89–91 out of the pen with a low-70s curveball but couldn’t locate.
Delaware Blue Hens
I’ve seen Delaware twice this season now, some decent bats but no real depth on the mound. A really old lineup too. They took down ranked Campbell twice this past season but the weekend before let up over 50 runs to Rutgers, as they should be a mid-tier CAA team.
OF Andrew Amato — Delaware
Amato tore the cover off the ball in the Perfect Game League last summer and was the league’s MVP, before his numbers have taken a massive step up this year, as the left-handed bat is slashing .328/.483/.687 and is a force in the Blue Hens lineup. He should be a day 3 prospect for the draft this year as he’s ’24 eligible.
Amato has showed impressive discipline this year, as he recognizes the zone well and his walk rate is just shy of 20%. He has an open stance and a bit of a bat wrap with a rotational swing as his hit tool is fringe to average, while his six homers (which already matches his HR total last year) and fairly strong EVs this year point to fringe power. His glove tool is also in the ballpark of average as he robbed a homer this weekend at Campbell.
Notes on others
Fifth year Joey Loynd rakes for the Blue Hens and is a good college hitter, but isn’t really a prospect given he doesn’t move well at third and doesn’t really have the power a team would want for someone his frame. They have some other decent hitters but no true prospects other than Amato.
On the mound, freshman Tyler August is legit from what I’ve heard, but I have not seen him yet. Tyler Strechay’s velo is in the 90s but he struggles to locate and lacks secondaries, plus he’s old and didn’t get much playing time at West Virginia. JUCO transfer Ethan Schaub is a solid lefty college arm but doesn’t have the velo or command to be considered a prospect.
Brown Bears
Brown is a pretty fringe-average Ivy League team but they have a couple of notable guys. Though it’s not listed that he’s from the country, Jack Seppings was a member of Great Britain’s reserve squad in the World Baseball Classic and is probably a pro arm but I did not get a chance to see him. Freshman southpaw Ryan Oshinskie had some projectable stuff out of the bullpen at a lanky and projectable frame as he sat 87–88 while touching 91, the secondaries he lacked feel for though.
Lafayette Leopards
In 12 of Lafayette’s 21 games this year they’ve allowed more than 10 runs leading to a 4–17 record. A couple notable names but that’s really it, as I saw the Leopards a few weeks back at Delaware.
Easton Brenner has put up a decent year at the plate but I highly doubt it’s enough to get drafted given he’s eligible this year. Another ’24 eligible name Michael Zarillo was actually a solid draft prospect heading into this year with a 104 90th percentile EV last season but has hit just .150 this year and has really struggled.
2024 LHP/1B Tague Davis — Malvern Prep (PA)
This is the one non-college name on this list, but given this is where I go to school, I thought I’d share some thoughts here. A number of scouts kept a close eye on Davis’ two innings on the mound and his at-bats in the first scrimmage of the year last week, and he took BP after the game for the said scouts in attendance.
The son of former first overall pick and current Phillies broadcaster Ben Davis, at the plate he’s power-over-hit with him blasting seven homers last season in just over 30 games, also playing for the USA team in the high school All American game last year. He has an aggressive swing that might need to be toned down when he gets to higher levels as he may start to whiff. On the mound he’s a lefty with a lower-three-quarters arm slot. His fastball which has some sinker shape to it is 88–91 T93, while he’s 78–82 with the changeup that he kills spin with and has some decent run. He gets some nice shape on the mid-70s slurve with nearly 3000 RPMs of spin. He’s been in and out of top 100 2024 high school rankings — recently listed as the №205 draft prospect on Baseball America.
Notes on others
Also for Malvern, Sophomore Jack Herbein also is up to 90 and senior Yale commit lefty DJ Peterson is into the 90s with some nice sweeping action on the secondaries.
