Siena Scout Day
Siena head coach Alex Jurczynski is building something. After half a decade as an assistant with Princeton, Jurczynski was tabbed as the next leader for the Saints in the summer of 2023. After a challenging initial season in 2024, the program showed signs of life with a substantial turnaround in performance this past spring. The 2025 Siena Saints increased their overall win total by 10, their conference win total by 9, and finished 4th in the MAAC. Siena went 17-13 in conference games last spring which was their best regular season finish post-pandemic.
Typically, the easier part of a rebuild will be going from the bottom to contention. The hard part tends to be the next step. . . taking that team to the next level and becoming a perennial contender. There is reason for optimism that Jurczynski and staff can continue to build this program and take that next step.
For many of the smaller northeast schools, the transfer portal has made it more challenging than ever to build a sustained winner. That is especially true in the MAAC, a conference that tends to see a large amount of transfer departures. But the transfer market can also improve the outlook for a team like Siena. The Saints and Jurczynski have been opportunistic in the transfer market over the past couple of years, with many of their top players making their way to campus via other schools.
Beyond transfers, this is essentially Jurczynski’s first full recruiting class to make it to campus. On scout day, this first wave of freshmen made a strong impression with talent on both sides of the ball. Taking the program to “the next level" will be on the table if Siena's 2026 freshman class is the standard moving forward. Between the transfer market and recruiting, the strategy for Jurczynski and Co. appears to be “no stone left unturned" as they find players who slip through the cracks. There is a level of dedication and attention to detail here that is impossible to ignore.
Let's dive in to this Siena squad and highlight some of their potential draft talent.
Position Players
The position group is the strength of this roster. They return the majority of their lineup from last spring and have added some intriguing pieces to boost production. Siena was middle of the pack in terms of runs scored in conference play, while finishing 2nd in K rate and 1st in doubles. Coach Jurczynski stresses using the whole field, spraying the gaps, and putting the ball in play with his hitters so it's no surprise that this club excels in those categories. Here are some of the bats you can expect to see this year for the Saints.
Aidan Paradine | Catcher | Redshirt Sophomore
H: 6’0 W: 205 B: Right T: Right
Aidan Paradine is a New Jersey native who comes with some pedigree. He was a talented prep catcher who was initially a Georgia Tech recruit. He played ball as a freshman with juco powerhouse Northwest Florida State before landing at Siena last year. Landing Paradine is a great example of Coach Jurczynski finding talent that slips through the cracks. Paradine was an instant performer for Siena, putting up a .370/.474/.536 line in 232 plate appearances that included 7 homers and more walks (23) than strikeouts (18). He was named 2nd team All-MAAC and is Siena's top draft prospect for 2026. He played in three separate summer leagues, with the majority of his time spent with Danbury in the NECBL where he finished with a solid .798 OPS in 107 PA.
Paradine has a thick, physical build that looks well suited for catching. During infield/outfield, Paradine showed solid fundamentals making plays around the plate. His throws to second rwere a bit of a mixed bag, ranging from solid average to below average. Paradine allowed 17 steals on 19 attempts in the NECBL, a possible indication that the arm could stand to improve. It wasn't a bad defensive showing by any means, but scouts are going to want to see more consistent throws this spring to feel good about Paradine sticking behind the dish.
As you'd expect, there's plenty to like from Paradine as a hitter. He is a really strong kid and thickly built throughout his frame. He showed off that strength in BP with each sharply hit ball lofted to his pull side. Paradine's swing, which you can see in the video below, is optimized for pull side lift with what I like to call a turn and burn approach. He'll rotate fast and early around his core/pelvis before letting his arms rip through the hitting zone. You will often see pro hitters utilizing this kind of move to generate power on pitches located on the inner third of the plate. Paradine had a tendency to use the same swing regardless of where the pitch was located. That lack of adjustability is a concern for pro ball, but it didn't hold him back last spring. He had some strong plate discipline and batted ball data last year that may have been a result of his approach/swing. Opposing pitchers will often target the outer third or just off the plate with breaking balls and offspeed when facing Paradine in an attempt to limit his power production. This wasn't always successful in the MAAC, but pro pitchers will be far more capable of steering clear of Paradine's happy zones. Ultimately, scouts will want to see a willingness to use the whole field depending on the pitch type/location and being more of a complete hitter in the process. It's a shallow college catching field in the northeast and Paradine has a shot to be the top bat among the group with further growth.
Two other returnees who are worth monitoring are junior third baseman Jake Sparks and senior centerfielder Gavin Thorburn. Sparks was another huge portal addition last year for Siena after beginning his collegiate career at Marshall. Like Paradine, Sparks was named 2nd team All-MAAC in 2025 after slugging 14 homers and finishing with a .996 OPS. The lefty hitter stands in at 6’1-215 with a strength based swing and plenty of raw power to all fields. He didn't have his best day on scout day. There were some struggles defensively at third and some inconsistent batting practice rounds. Sparks’ 2026 production will heavily dictate draft interest. The ability to drive the ball with authority from line to line is a carrying traits for Sparks. He needs to improve his plate discipline and show he can handle good velocity when he sees it. Being able to handle third base or another non-first base position would also go a long way in improving his odds of getting drafted.
Thorburn is one of the top athletes on the squad. His best tool is his centerfield defense which showed well on scout day. The 6’0-175 righty is entering his 4th year with Siena and is coming off his best statistical season (.748 OPS in 218 PA; .683 in ‘24; .699 in ‘23). Thorburn is a steadying presence and experienced ballplayer at an up the middle position. There isn't a ton of offensive projection, but he has the athleticism to take his game up a notch as a senior and serve as a valuable role player.
Two transfers that are major wild cards but could provide immediate impact for Siena are rSO Matt Thorsen and rFR Cannon Vandever.
Matt Thorsen transfers in from Miami-Dade College and was originally at Northeastern as a freshman. He was probably the most “looks the part" player on scout day with an impressive combination of size and athleticism at 6’4-205. He has impact potential, but will need to prove he can hit D1 pitching. Thorsen showed good power to the middle of the field, but also left me with some questions regarding the bat-to-ball ability. Thorsen has a unique profile with experience on the dirt, on the mound, and the outfield. He could get time at multiple spots this year, and might fit best in the corner outfield or first base.
Cannon Vandever barely played as a freshman for Evansville, but will get a chance to secure a regular role as a Saint. Vandever’s father Joey was drafted and played in the minors with the Cardinals. Vandever, a shortstop by trade, could see time at both middle infield spots. He has a long, projectable frame at 6’3-195 and displayed solid actions defensively. There are some things to clean up with the bat, but Coach Jurczynski has been encouraged by Vandever's development so far.
Between Thorsen and Vandever, Siena's position group added a good deal of physicality and upside from the year before. The jury is out on whether or not either player will capitalize on their physical gifts, but I like the profiles that Siena has targeted here.
There were three underclass bats that caught my attention in sophomore Edwin Sanchez and freshmen Steven Ramirez and Scott Lynch.
Sanchez battled some injuries last year, but was able to accumulate 110 PA worth of valuable experience. His approach and discipline stood out to me last spring when I saw him against Fairfield. He finished the 2025 season with a .697 OPS and then performed well over the summer in the PGCL with a .797 OPS and a 15BB:14 K ratio. Hitting right-handed, Sanchez is quick to the ball and doesn't try to do too much. He doesn't have a standout tool, but I think he'll take a meaningful jump in production as a sophomore. He has experience at all three outfield spots and should see his playing time expanded this spring. Some BP swings below.
Shortstop Steven Ramirez is a Bronx native who played high school ball at P27 Academy in South Carolina. Listed at 5’10-180, Ramirez has strength to his build especially in his thick lower half. He's a switch hitter with strong hands, average bat speed, and some feel to manipulate the barrel. There's some natural leverage in the swing that allows him to get the ball in the air, though I'm not sure how big of a power threat he'll develop into. Ramirez looked really comfortable on defense with a good internal clock and clean hands. He is a pretty decent runner but will probably slow down as he fills out. There's a chance Ramirez carves out a regular role sooner than later this spring and he looks like the shortstop of the future for this Siena squad. Ramirez is an older freshman and will be draft eligible by age in 2027. Because of that, he's someone worth keeping an eye on this spring, especially if he gets regular playing time. You can check out some right-handed BP swings below.
Scott Lynch is a local recruit from Mechanicville, NY listed at 6’1-200. I don't have a ton to go off of since I lost batting practice video, but I did write down “hitterish + size” in my notes on scout day. Lynch has more of a corner profile, but he'll be a freshman to watch moving forward if scout day was any indication.
Pitchers
Matt Murtagh showed the loudest stuff on scout day and will look to anchor this Siena staff. Another timely portal addition for Siena, Murtagh is a North Carolina A&T transfer who also made stops at St Thomas Aquinas College and SUNY Sullivan at the juco level. He didn't have much success with NC A&T last spring (36 IP, 10.75 ERA, 18 BB, 23 K) but a 2026 rebound is certainly on the table. Murtagh has a solid build at 6’2-190 with a quick arm and a 3 pitch mix. He sat 91-92 and topped out at 93 MPH during his pen and it looks like there could be more velocity in the tank. Murtagh showed a hard 83-84 MPH slider that has a chance to be a weapon with more consistency. His 84-87 changeup flashed better than the slider and should allow him to navigate opposite handed batters. The arm talent and firmness of his stuff put Murtagh on the “deep" section of my draft watch list. He's going to be asked to shoulder a heavy load on this Siena staff so there should be opportunities for Murtagh to distinguish himself this spring.
Two more experienced arms worth mentioning are righties Casey Vaughn and Ryan Taffe. Vaughn missed all of last year with an injury, but has come back strong. At 6’2-185, Vaughn showed a funky low release and a whippy arm action. He lived right around 89-90 with a solid changeup and a slurvy breaking ball in the 73-76 range. Taffe is a redshirt junior with a workhorse build at 6’4-210 that stood out on draft. He started a little slow during his pen (85-88) but got into a groove about halfway through. With the ball coming out nicely, Taffe was 88-90 with an upper 70s slider and a low 80s changeup. If he comes out looking like he did in the back half of his pen, you could envision Taffe developing into a valuable innings eater.
There were a couple of upperclassmen with unique profiles that are worth a mention. SR Owen Pincince is a two-way player with plus arm strength and rSO Gio Conte is a UConn transfer who could fill a variety of roles. Pincince is a physical 6’0-205 righty who showcased his plus arm from right field prior to stepping on the bump. He had a pretty good year with the bat in ‘25 (.830 OPS) while only pitching once during a game. Coach Jurczynski told the scouts in attendance that Pincince could be in line for more work out of the pen depending on how the season goes. He was 88-90 with a 77-80 MPH slider and an 82-83 MPH changeup. It was a usable three pitch mix, surprising given how few reps he's received as a pitcher. It's an interesting development path for Pincince and there could be more room to grow over the course of the spring.
As for Gio Conte, he didn't pitch much with UConn but had some success over the summer (22.2 IP, 2.78 ERA, 21 K, 10 BB) in the Futures League. What makes Conte interesting is his ability to shift slots on the fly. He’s a smaller framed righty who shows good body control on the mound. From a lower slot (nearly sidearm), Conte will sit in the mid 80, but he ticks up to the 87-89 range from a more traditional arm slot. He gets big sweeping action on his mid 70s slider, especially from that lower arm slot. It's not an overpowering combo, but I think Conte will throw strikes and he will be a deceptive look for opposing batters.
Three freshman arms worth keeping an eye on are George Handal, Brad Curtis, and Cole Hambly. Handal is the big prize for Coach Jurczynski's recruiting class. A Honduras native, Handal switched commitments from Rice to Siena after coaching changes. He was teammates with Steven Ramirez at P27 and the two will form a strong freshman pairing at Siena. Handal is a big kid at 6’4-210 with a maturity and polish to his game. He showed a 4 pitch mix, highlighted by his fastball which he commanded very well. Handal’s heater showed good carry at 90-91, topping out at 92, with an easy release that suggests more velocity on the horizon. He threw a short slider around 80, a downer curve between 77-78, and a low 80s changeup. The fastball and curve could play well together with good north-south separation. The slider and curve are a bit inconsistent presently with the two pitches blending together at times. Still, it was a good look for Handal. Like Ramirez, Handal is old for the class and will be draft eligible in 2027 as a sophomore. He'll be a name to watch moving forward.
I've crossed paths with Brad Curtis a few times over the years and he's always shown poise. He has some two-way ability but leans more towards a future on the mound. Curtis has a firm, stocky build at 6’0-220. He’s been into the low 90s previously, but lives in the upper 80s range with a fastball showing good arm side running action. His best secondary is a low 70s curve with good depth. Curtis will also show a low 80s changeup and a mid to upper 70s slider with big sweep. Curtis has a solid track record of throwing strikes which could lead to immediate innings as a freshman. He profiles as a ground ball/pitch to contact arm.
Cole Hambly is another freshman with two-way skills. A strapping 6’2, 205 lefty hitter and righty thrower, Hambly has a chance to earn some reps on both sides of the ball this year. He has some physical projection remaining with a loose swing, average bat speed, and a level swing that plays gap-to-gap. He also has solid footwork at first and an above average throwing arm that would work at third base. As a pitcher, Hambly is understandably raw but I was impressed with his pen and the arm strength he showed on the bump. He sat 87-88 t89 with a 69-70 MPH curve, and a low 80s changeup. I didn't see a dependable secondary in this look, but that should improve over time if he sticks with pitching.
There aren't many sure things on this staff heading into 2026. But there are enough pieces here to form a staff that can compete in the MAAC.
Lafayette @ Marist Scrimmage
My first scrimmage of the fall featured a double header matchup between Marist and Lafayette. Let's start with some players from Lafayette.
Lafayette
Pitchers
Trey Deitelbaum | RHP | Junior
H: 5’10 W: 200
There are two conferences, the Ivy League and the Patriot League, that don’t fully feel the effects of the transfer portal. Few players leave, even fewer transfer in. But that didn't stop Lafayette from making a big splash in the portal with their addition of Trey Deitelbaum. Deitelbaum spent two years at Bryant (7.34 career ERA), getting innings as both a starter and reliever. His stuff ticked up over the summer with Danbury in the NECBL and Lafayette swooped in early.
Deitelbaum is an athletic, thickly built righty who checks in at around 5’9-5’10 and 195 lbs. He has good arm speed and moves quick and hard down the mound. There are some similarities between Deitelbaum's game and Marcus Stroman's. Deitelbaum started the second game of the double header. After a shaky 1st inning, Deitelbaum dominated in his second and final inning, striking out the side. Deitelbaum opened up 92-94 and touched 95 with the fastball. It looked like he was throwing two different types of fastballs, a 4-seam and a sinker. He dipped into the 91-93 range in the 2nd inning, but was more effective in this velocity range, showing some command to both sides of the plate. Deitelbaum also changed shapes and speeds on his slider. He threw a tighter variant in the 78-81 MPH range and a sweeper in the mid 70s. Both pitches could be above average weapons at the big league level with a few ticks of velocity.
There's definitely effort to Deitelbaum's delivery, but it isn't violent. I like the position he gets to at foot strike and there's some explosion down the mound. It's a higher slot but because of his shorter stature, it’s still coming out from a lower height. Deitelbaum looked in control and did a good job of repeating his mechanics.
This was a good look and a nice surprise early in the fall. Deitelbaum is slotted into the weekend rotation and is someone I'll look to see before the high school season gets started in April. There will obviously be questions. He's a smaller guy without much of a track record at the college level to date. We'll need to see how he maintains his stuff/command over the course of the season and during starts as he pitches deep into games. But the early signs are positive and Deitelbaum is in a good spot to put together a run this spring.
Some similarities here between Deitelbaum and UConn's Sean Finn.
I think Tristan Helmick is a classic ‘circle the wagons' type. Scouts aren't in just yet, but they are keeping tabs on Helmick. The results to date haven't been there (6.77 career ERA), but hope for a jump remains. Helmick is a projectable, lanky 6’6-185 righty who flashes three pitches and will also be young (turns 21 in June) for the 2026 draft class. Helmick will show 90-93 velocity, but sat in the upper 80s and touching 90 against Marist. Fastball command was still an issue for him, though his cutter and slider looked improved. Helmick mixed in a 83-85 cutter and a 77-80 MPH slider, both of which flashed solid average. He threw three quality sliders in his 2nd inning of work, racking up two whiffs and a called strike. However, he also hung a couple sliders that could have led to major damage.
Overall, it was an outing that felt similar to the other occasions when I saw Helmick. Plenty of flashes, plenty of talent, but a lot of traffic on the bases. Consistency will be the name of the game for Helmick as he enters his junior season. If he turns the corner, he’ll have no shortage of scouts willing to get a look at him this spring. Here are some slo-mo pitches from Helmick during the scrimmage:
Two more names I plan on tucking away for 2027 are sophomores RHP Trey Zaffiro and RHP Kellen Moore. Zaffiro is a 6’3-195 product of Long Island who's brother Cole currently pitches in the New York Yankees organization. Trey sat in the 87-88 MPH range during the scrimmage with a breaking ball and changeup living in the low 80s. He recorded a 1-2-3 inning and picked up a whiff on his changeup while facing a lefty. It was a solid, unspectacular appearance for Zaffiro, but he looked much better than his 2025 stats indicated. Zaffiro could be poised for a “stepping stone" type season in year two. Moore is huge at 6’5-210. Like Zaffiro, he got knocked around as a freshman, but will look to take a step forward in 2026. Moore deployed a two-pitch mix with a 87-90 MPH fastball topping out at 91 and a mid 70s slider that was effective against Marist. He could make for an interesting weapon for Lafayette at the end of games. You can see a bit of Moore in the video below.
Position Players
Lafayette will enter the 2026 season without some offensive mainstays. Lineup anchor Ethan Swidler transferred to Washington, while long time contributors Michael Zarrillo, Easton Brenner, and Ben Petrone have graduated. However, the middle infield should provide some much needed stability. Junior Matt Colella has locked down the shortstop position for Lafayette the past two years. One of the captains on this Lafayette squad, Colella has a slight build at 5’10-175. He's a pesky bat-to-ball type who is extremely difficult to strike out (5.6% K rate in ‘25). He has bottom of the scale power, but he doesn't need that to be a part of his game in order to provide value. Colella had almost twice as many walks (23) as (12) strikeouts last year and is at his best working counts and spraying ground balls. He's not a burner on the bases, but is a solid runner. Colella completes his game with quality, dependable defense at shortstop for the D1 level.
Sophomore second baseman Alex Barrist is even smaller than Colella at 5’8-155. But Barrist packs plenty of punch in his undersized frame. He recorded a .797 OPS last year as a freshman across 204 PA. During the scrimmage, Barrist had multiple well struck hits including a home run and a line drive single, both to his pull side. Barrist played a clean second base but I didn't get a read on his arm nor was I able to get a run time, so I'm not sure what the overall profile looks like. At the very least, he's a hitterish college performer who should slot near the top of this Lafayette lineup.
There were two more hitters who could be of interest for the 2027 draft. The first was first baseman Liam Ebbs who has standout physicality and size at 6’2-210. Ebbs is coming off a great summer in the South Florida Collegiate League where he hit .367/.470/.511. He showed better than average raw power and he nearly left the yard to the opposite field. There was some swing and miss during the scrimmage, but Ebbs looks primed for a major boost in production as a sophomore.
And then there's centerfielder Jack Mislan. I saw Mislan a couple of times at showcases while he was a prep, and then a couple more times in high school at Central Bucks-East where he played alongside Dodgers draft pick Chase Harlan. Mislan has always possessed an impressive power/speed combo. I've seen him make some excellent plays in center and he ran a 4.10 home to first during the scrimmage. He doesn't look like he’d be a fast runner, but his speed has never wavered in my looks. Mislan can put a charge in the ball, too, with an aggressive swing that features above average bat speed. He put together a quality freshman season in ‘25, finishing the year with a .261/.333/.455 line with 8 homers. The key for Mislan will be getting more comfortable against spin. He has a tendency to expand the zone both early and late in counts when facing breaking balls, leading to empty swings. If he can show some improvement in that regard, Mislan could enter his 2027 draft year as one of the top position players in the Patriot League.
Marist
Marist has been a victim of their own success. They've recruited and developed impact talent the last few years but have mostly been a middle of the pack team in the MAAC. They lost their starting centerfielder from last year in Lewis Rodriguez as well as one of their top performing arms in Ethan Marzo to the portal. The year before that, 1B/OF Ethan Conrad (Cubs 1st round pick) transferred out as did SS Bayram Hot. Those are tough pieces for any northeast program to replace, but unfortunately that's the reality of the current college landscape. Marist appears to have another wave of underclassmen with pro potential and a core contingent of vets who could be difference makers in the MAAC if things break the right way. Here are some names to know. . .
Noel Rivera | Shortstop | Sophomore*
H: 5’10 W: 185 B: R T: R
Noel Rivera made a good impression during Marist's fall scout day prior to his first year with the Red Foxes. He was on the skinny side and would need to add strength, but there was noticeable athleticism and some bat-to-ball ability. I ran into Rivera again during the MAAC tournament and he looked much stronger, putting on some good weight. He was arguably Marist's most complete position player last year, securing a role at the hot corner while putting together a .291/.384/.485 line with 5 homers, 20 steals, and a 16 BB:24 K ratio in 191 plate appearances. For his efforts, Rivera was an easy All-MAAC Rookie Team selection. He also happens to be the older brother of Gabriel Rivera who is a freshman at Rutgers and a potential draft guy in his own right.
Entering his sophomore year, Rivera is now sliding over from third base to shortstop. He'll also be draft-eligible by age, so I was glad to get an early look at him this fall. Rivera's footwork and hands at shortstop were choppy on this day. I got the sense that his internal clock still needs development, something that could improve with more reps, but we'll have to wait and see. For what it's worth, I thought he was fine at third base, arm included, but obviously the angle that a defender sees and approaches the ball is completely different up the middle.
Rivera had a productive day at the plate, making hard contact a number of times. He put an exclamation point on the day by smoking a walk-off homer to his pull side, an absolute laser that got out in a hurry. Without the added strength, that might have been a line out to the left fielder. Rivera is an agressive hitter with an upright stance and high hands. He looked quicker to the ball in this look with less of a backside load than what I remember. There's more feel for contact than feel for the barrel at this stage, but Rivera proved he can put a charge into the ball when he connects cleanly. He's a tick slower than when I first saw him, but I clocked an above average home to first time during the scrimmage.
Rivera will look to carry Marist's offense in only his second year at the college level. While I do believe he's worth scouting presently, pro clubs have been hesitant to fully dive into the second year/sophomore eligible bucket of college players in recent years. Here are a couple of swings from Rivera during the MAAC tournament.
Rivera’s double play partner AJ Brotz is another draft-eligible hitter worth mentioning. Brotz was a juco transfer from Genessee CC prior to 2025 and performed well (.298/.387/.339) during his first spring as a Red Fox before posting similar numbers this summer in the NECBL. Brotz has a lean build at 6’0/190 and is a twitchy althete with plus speed. He’s a solid defender at the keystone and has also received some reps in the outfield as well. Brotz has a patient approach but isn’t passive, I think he has a genuine understanding and knowledge of the strike zone. He’s a lower launch hitter leading to mostly singles. Brotz appeared a bit stronger in this look than I remembered. He smashed a no doubt, booming homer to center on an 87 MPH fastball after not hitting a homer across 400+ plate appearances between the spring and summer last year.
Brotz has a couple of carrying traits with his contact ability and speed while also providing some coverage defensively on the dirt and the outfield. If the power ticks up this spring, he could get some attention as a senior sign candidate or as an undrafted free agent (UDFA).
Then there's redshirt sophomore Chris Diaz. Diaz transferred to Marist last year from Tulane and was the team's primary right fielder. Getting his first real taste of D1 ball, Diaz had an uneven first year with Marist (198 PA, .230/.354/.335, 1 HR, 29BB/52K) but he stands out physically with a thickly built, pro-level body at 6’0/210. He'll combine that physicality with a fairly well-rounded set of raw tools, though they don't always play that way during games. There are some potential pitch recognition issues holding back the offensive profile. Diaz has way more raw power than the extra base hit and home run totals suggest. He spent some time hitting with wood in the Northwoods League over the summer with a similar offensive output, though he did swipe 19 bases in only 26 games. I'm not sure if Diaz figures things out as a hitter, and this recent look didn't really swing me in one direction or another. He'll garner some scouting interest if he performs during the early months of the 2026 spring. You can check out some video I took of Diaz last fall HERE.
Finally, there's Luis Cedeno, the rare NAIA to northeast college transfer from Warner University in Florida. Known for his speed, Cedeno was a .323/.427/.390 hitter with 113 steals during his three years at Warner. During his 2025 campaign, Cedeno stole 31 bases (86% success rate) after swiping 51 bases in 50 games the year before. The undersized speedster (listed at 5’8/170) reportedly ran a 6.56 60 on scout day and has a reputation for covering a lot of ground in center. Cedeno was named to the NAIA gold glove team by the ABCA. A right-handed hitter, Cedeno looks to spray grounders and line drives and let his legs do the work. He's older for the class as a grad transfer, but looks to have two plus tools in his speed and defense. We'll see how the NAIA production translates to the MAAC.
A trio of incoming freshmen outfielders are worth monitoring moving forward in Thomas “TJ” Baer, Chase Haglund, and Peter “PJ" Strand.
I happened to see Baer manning centerfield for Joel Barlow High School last spring during a postseason matchup. He was phenomenal, leading his team to a victory. Baer showed well above average speed, slugged a home run late in the game, and then proceeded to topple over the outfield wall to rob a home run, preserving a lead. Obviously, that kind of performance stuck with me. Baer is undersized at 5’9/160 but it’s a frame that will continue to add strength. I like his quick swing and he reportedly ran a 6.70 60 time on scout day. He also dropped down a great sac bunt late in a close game (video below), and he’s officially earned the ‘gamer’ label from me. Baer is clearly not afraid of the big moment and I'm looking forward to seeing him more in the months and years ahead.
Both Haglund and Strand possess some compelling traits as well. Haglund is a nimble, table setter type who recorded a blazing 6.53 60 time on scout day. He has a slighter frame than Baer and features a line drive swing and approach. Meanwhile, Strand at 6’4/210 has noteworthy size, especially for a freshman. He played high school ball at Shaker High School with Dodgers signee Tommy Case. Strand is a physical hitter with solid average bat speed and some loft in the swing. There’s swing-and-miss to his game that will need to approve, but the power upside is evident. Strand is a fringy runner and a strong arm with a corner outfield/first base defensive future.
Pitchers
Marist rolled out three arms during the scrimmage that have the goods to compete at a high level in the MAAC. RHP Steven Mazza is a redshirt junior who missed all of 2025 with an injury but performed well in a small sample (8.1 IP, 2.16 ERA, 7H, 2BB, 13K) over the summer in the NECBL. Mazza commanded his fastball well in the 89-91 MPH range with a 79-81 MPH slider and an upper 70s changeup. It's not the flashiest profile, but Mazza has the size (6’1/200), command, and pitch mix to start on weekends. If he performs early and the velocity ticks up a bit this spring, he could receive some scouting attention. Some warmups below.
RHP Tyler Hartley is another redshirt junior who should get a chance to start. He provided one of the better looks at Marist's scout day prior to 2025. The 6’2/200 pound righty showed some flashes in an expanded role last spring with mid 90s velocity at best, but the stuff has often varied outing to outing. I saw him briefly against Seton Hall and something looked off. He was barely scraping 90 MPH with little feel for the rest of his arsenal. Things looked better this time around as Hartley was living comfortably in the 91-92 range with a low 80s slider, a mid 80s changeup, and what appeared to be an 87 MPH cutter, though I could be wrong about that. The video below shows some Hartley warmups during the Seton Hall game followed by a few pitches against Lafayette. You can see that Hartley altered his delivery with a simple side step into his windup. His arm action is still long in the back but it looks like he's getting down the mound with more intent and his stuff is a bit livelier as a result.
RHP Ryan Vandewater is also a redshirt junior listed at 6’0/190. The 2025 season was his first with Marist and, similar to Hartley, he showed some flashes but lacked consistency out of the pen. Vandewater has topped out around 94/95 MPH with a good changeup/split in the past. In this look, he sat 90-92 MPH with his fastball and mixed in a decent slider in the upper 70s. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning which included a pair of strikeouts. Vandewater missed plenty of bats this summer, but the walks will need to come down in a big way. This appearance against Lafayette was a positive step in the right direction. Vandewater could fit in a variety of roles for coach Ratchford and crew. Some warmups from Vandewater last spring below.
A couple other 4th years arms that will be important pieces for this Marist squad are LHP Will Taylor and RHP Caleb Kempler. Those two performed well last year with a 3.36 ERA and 3.82 ERA respectively. Taylor is a pitchability lefty who led the MAAC with a 4.00 K-BB ratio while Kempler has been a highly dependable arm the last two years in numerous roles.
Moving over to the underclass ranks, Logan Scholl is a sophomore with some of the best raw stuff you'll find in the conference. A 5'11/185 bulldog, Scholl popped on to my radar after seeing him as a prep at PBR's Northeast ProCase. I saw him again during the MAAC tournament before this most recent look against Lafayette. Scholl isn't a big guy but there's a tantalizing amount of arm speed and strength. He sat 92-94 MPH (t95) with a low 80s slider and an upper 80s changeup. It's a power arsenal that's he's still learning to harness and deploy. He had a promising summer in the Perfect Game Collegiate League. The stuff is a little raw to start weekends, but he could serve as a late-inning pen option. A strong sophomore season would solidify his standing as one of the area's top college pitcher follows for the 2027 draft. Unfortunately, I don't have video from this look, but I'll make sure to post something the next time I see him.
Finally, there are a couple of newcomers who took the mound that could provide immediate production for the Red Foxes. The first is RHP Aiden Lopez, a 5’9/180 freshman with considerable arm talent in a small package. He sat in the 87-89 MPH range with good feel for tunneling his curveball that showed quality shape. There’s likely to be a few more ticks of velocity remaining, making him a name worth stashing away. LHP Connor Southwell is a redshirt freshman transfer from Boston College who recorded a couple of strikeouts in a scoreless inning of work. He sat around 87 MPH, topping out at 89, and went to the fastball for both swinging K's. Southwell also utilized a 76-78 MPH slider and a 79-80 MPH changeup, the former generating a whiff.
Marist has a nice little mix of college performers with a track record and guys with tools that could take a leap this coming season. They look like a good bet to make it back to the conference tournament with enough talent to make a postseason run if things break the right way.
