Zack Short and Cole Fabio are why I do this. Players like those guys – guys who have been on the radar here for years, but not fully appreciated until a closer look during their draft year – make it all worth it. These are the kind of players that I’d go to bat for in a draft room. Short should be on any short list (no pun intended) of best college shortstop prospects in this class. He’s really, really good. Offensively he’s a high-contact hitter with an above-average blend of patience and pop. As a defender, he’s capable of making all the plays at short with range that should have him stick at the spot for years to come. There simply aren’t many two-way shortstops as good as him in this class. He’s an easy top ten round player for me with the chance to rise as high as around the fifth round (reminiscent of Blake Allemand last year) and a realistic draft floor of where Dylan Bosheers (round fifteen) eventually fell.

Fabio is right there with Short at the plate with a mature approach, keen eye, and above-average or better speed on the base paths. I know less about his defense than I’d like, but early notes on him point towards him being a more realistic option at second in the long-term than short. That’s one of the reasons why Short is ahead of him here, but, assuming Fabio is as good at second as I’ve been told, it’s far from a death blow to his prospect standing. I’d draft them both and have an all-new under-the-radar NEC middle infield prospect pair to watch grow over the next few years.

Not too far behind those middle infielders is Nick Mascelli. You’ll likely get less bat with him – hair less contact and similar patience, but definitely a step behind in terms of pop and physical projection – but he’s a good glove at short with a fine utility infielder profile. Brian Lamboy is a personal favorite thanks to his exceptional ability to battle with two strikes.

Jason Foley is currently the conference’s best hope for a future professional starter. His size, ability to throw three pitches for strikes (big fan of his 81-85 split-change), and solid peripherals add up to a potential back-end of the rotation arm. The two pitchers from Wagner are a study in contrast: Austin Goeke is the big guy with some projection left and 5-11, 170 pounder Mike Adams is the “what you see is what you get” prospect. Both are draftable talents, though it should be no shock that I opted for projection over polish for the time being.

Hitters

1. Sacred Heart JR SS Zack Short
2. Bryant JR 2B Cole Fabio
3. Wagner JR SS Nick Mascelli
4. Long Island-Brooklyn SR 2B Brian Lamboy
5. Wagner SR 3B/OF Ben Ruta
6. Bryant JR OF Matt Albanese
7. Bryant JR 2B/RHP Brandon Bingel
8. Bryant SR 1B Robby Rinn
9. Long Island-Brooklyn rJR OF Tommy Jakubowski
10. Bryant SR C/OF Buck McCarthy
11. Fairleigh Dickinson rSR C Patrick McClure
12. Fairleigh Dickinson SR 2B/SS Dylan Sprague
13. Bryant SR OF AJ Zarozny
14. Fairleigh Dickinson JR SS Matt McCann
15. Long Island-Brooklyn rJR 1B/RHP Mark Hernandez

Pitchers

1. Sacred Heart JR RHP Jason Foley
2. Central Connecticut State rJR LHP Cody Brown
3. Wagner JR RHP Austin Goeke
4. Wagner SR RHP Mike Adams
5. Long Island-Brooklyn JR RHP Bobby Maxwell
6. Central Connecticut State SR LHP Casey Brown
7. Fairleigh Dickinson rJR RHP Logan Frati
8. Long Island-Brooklyn rSO RHP Baylor LaPointe
9. Long Island-Brooklyn rSR RHP Brian Drapeau
10. Long Island-Brooklyn SR RHP Vincent Tranchina
11. Mount Saint Mary’s SR LHP Jordan Lawson
12. Wagner JR RHP Danny Marsh

Bryant

SR RHP James Davitt (2016)
rSR LHP Garrett Hayward (2016)
JR 2B/RHP Brandon Bingel (2016)
SR C/OF Buck McCarthy (2016)
SR 1B Robby Rinn (2016)
SR OF AJ Zarozny (2016)
SR C Daniel Palazzo (2016)
SR SS Dan Cellucci (2016)
JR OF Matt Albanese (2016)
JR 2B Cole Fabio (2016)
JR 1B/OF Zane Smith (2016)
JR OF Joseph Paparelli (2016)
SO RHP James Karinchack (2017)
SO LHP Justin Snyder (2017)
SO RHP Ross Weiner (2017)
SO LHP Logan Lessard (2017)
SO C Mickey Gasper (2017)
FR RHP Mason Palmieri (2018):
FR RHP Nathan Wrighter (2018):
FR RHP Craig Lacey (2018):
FR RHP Jack Owens (2018):
FR LHP Steve Theetge (2018):
FR 3B Tyler Panno (2018): LHH
FR INF John Nollett (2018):
FR OF Nick Angelini (2018):

High Priority Follows: James Davitt, Brandon Bingel, Buck McCarthy, Robby Rinn, AJ Zarozny, Matt Albanese, Cole Fabio, Joseph Paprelli

Central Connecticut State

rJR LHP Cody Brown (2016)
SR LHP Casey Brown (2016)
JR RHP Brett Susi (2016)
JR 1B/RHP Andrew Hinckley (2016)
SR C Connor Fitzsimmons (2016)
SR OF Matt Martinez (2016)
JR OF Franklin Jennings (2016)
SO 3B Ryan Costello (2017)
SO 2B Dean Lockery (2017)
SO INF/OF Mitch Guilmette (2017)
FR RHP Brandon Fox (2018)

High Priority Follows: Cody Brown, Casey Brown, Connor Fitzsimmons, Franklin Jennings

Fairleigh Dickinson

rJR RHP Logan Frati (2016)
SR 2B/SS Dylan Sprague (2016)
rSR C Patrick McClure (2016)
rJR OF/3B Ryan Brennan (2016)
SR 3B Joel Roman (2016)
SR 1B/C John Giakas (2016)
JR SS Matt McCann (2016)
rSR OF Shane Siebler (2016)
SO 3B Bobby Romano (2017)
FR RHP Kyle Rockin McLaughlin (2018)

High Priority Follows: Logan Frati, Dylan Sprague, Patrick McClure, Ryan Brennan, Joel Roman, Matt McCann

Long Island-Brooklyn

rSO RHP Baylor LaPointe (2016)
JR RHP Nick Freijomil (2016)
JR RHP Bobby Maxwell (2016)
SR RHP Vincent Tranchina (2016)
rSR RHP Brian Drapeau (2016)
rJR 1B/RHP Mark Hernandez (2016)
SR 2B Brian Lamboy (2016)
rJR OF Tommy Jakubowski (2016)
JR C Harrison Preschel (2016)
SO LHP Cory Hart (2017)
FR RHP Mike Kreiger (2018)
FR LHP/OF Tre Jackson (2018)
FR OF Joe Mercadante (2018)
FR C/3B Andy Camilo (2018)
FR SS Luis Arias de los Santos (2018)
FR 3B/SS Kyle Ruth (2018)
FR C Andy Camillo (2018)

High Priority Follows: Baylor LaPointe, Nick Freijomil, Bobby Maxwell, Vincent Tranchina, Brian Drapeau, Mark Hernandez, Brian Lamboy, Tommy Jakubowski

Mount St. Mary’s

SR LHP Jordan Lawson (2016)
SR LHP Chad Diehl (2016)
SR RHP Austin Bonadio (2016)
rSR RHP Connor Graber (2016)
rSR OF Ryan Owens (2016)
rJR OF Zach Hostetter (2016)
SO RHP Nick DeCarlo (2017)

High Priority Follows: Jordan Lawson, Chad Diehl, Zach Hostetter

Sacred Heart

JR RHP Jason Foley (2016)
rSR RHP James Cooksey (2016)
SR OF Jayson Sullivan (2016)
SR 1B Victor Sorrento (2016)
JR 1B Keith Klebart (2016)
JR SS Zack Short (2016)
JR INF Ted Shaw (2016
SR INF/RHP Jesus Medina (2016)
rSO INF PJ DeFilippo (2016)
SO OF Dan Schock (2017)
SO C Cody Doyle (2017)

High Priority Follows: Jason Foley, Jayson Sullivan, Zack Short

Wagner

SR RHP Mike Adams (2016)
SR LHP Paul Mammino (2016)
JR RHP Danny Marsh (2016)
JR LHP Brad Currao (2016)
JR RHP Austin Goeke (2016)
SR 3B/OF Ben Ruta (2016)
rSR OF Trey Nicosia (2016)
JR SS Nick Mascelli (2016)
SO OF Anthony Godino (2017)
FR RHP Doug Molnar (2018)
FR 1B Anthony Harrold (2018)
FR 2B Cole Heavilin (2018)

High Priority Follows: Mike Adams, Danny Marsh, Austin Goeke, Ben Ruta, Nick Mascelli