Virginia's Tommy Doyle Ranks No. 1 In NECBL — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

NEBCL Top Prospects

Tommy Doyle, rhp, Keene (Jr., Virginia)

Brandt Stallings, of, Keene (So., Georgia Tech)

Connor Kaiser, ss, Newport (So., Vanderbilt)

Travis Jones, if/of, Valley (Jr., Texas)

Jason Foley, rhp, Mystic (SIGNED: Tigers)

Darrien Ragins, lhp, New Bedford (Jr., Delaware State)

Mark Washington, rhp, Valley (Jr., Lehigh)

Michael Osinski, ss, Vermont, (Jr., Longwood)

Troy Dixon, c, Newport (Sr., St. John’s)

Stephen Scott, of, Newport (So., Vanderbilt)

Postseason Recap: A year after falling in the NECBL championship to the Vermont Mountaineers, the veteran-heavy Mystic Schooners made it all the way back this summer, defeating the Sanford Mainers, 8-2, to win the league crown. The Schooners finished the season with a franchise-best 35-16 record, and they were the clear team to beat heading into the playoffs with a league-leading 29-win regular season. Lefthander Kevin Magee (St. John’s) got the start and victory for Mystic in the title game, allowing one earned run in five innings. Texas Christian’s Michael Landestoy, Vanderbilt’s Tristan Chari and Louisiana Tech’s Chace Lunceford were among the hitters who drove in runs in the win, with Lunceford hitting a two-run home run to help break the game open.

1. Tommy Doyle, rhp, Keene (Jr., Virginia)

Doyle went 2-7, 5.07 in 64 innings with Virginia in the spring, making seven starts but pitching primarily out of the bullpen—where he’s been for most of his Virginia career. However, the 6-foot-6 righthander blossomed in a starting role with the Swamp Bats during the summer, going 1-1, 1.62 with 40 strikeouts to seven walks in 33 innings and establishing himself as the clear top prospect in the league. With his big frame, Doyle generates downward angle on a heavy 91-93 mph fastball with natural cutting action. Doyle touched as high as 96 mph this summer and lives at 93-95 in short relief. He generates swings and misses with a hard 82-85 mph slider while also commanding a curveball and mixing in an occasional changeup. Like most Virginia pitchers, Doyle begins his delivery with a knee bend—though an abbreviated one. His repertoire, body, command and effortless velocity point to a future as a starter, and a strong junior season with the Cavaliers could elevate his draft stock to that of an early round pick.

2. Brandt Stallings, of, Keene (So., Georgia Tech)

Ranked No. 248 in the BA500 heading into the 2015 draft, Stallings didn’t play every day for the Yellow Jackets in his freshman season but made the most of his opportunities, batting .299/.360/.535 with seven home runs in 144 at-bats. The numbers from this summer don’t jump off the stat sheet—.240/.286/.462, four homers in 104 at-bats—but Stallings’ tools and potential remain tantalizing. The 6-foot-4, 217-pound outfielder has plus power at the plate and ran a 6.5 60-yard dash this summer while playing mostly center field. Stallings was a corner outfielder and DH for Georgia Tech in the spring, and some evaluators question his ability to stick in center. His arm, while serviceable, is his weakest tool. Wherever he ends up on the diamond, there’s no doubting Stallings’ power. His ceiling is high as long as he’s able to tap into his power consistently and reign in his swing-and-miss tendencies.

3. Connor Kaiser, ss, Newport (So., Vanderbilt)

This spring, Kaiser was one of a handful of Commodores saddled with the unenviable task of trying to fill Dansby Swanson’s shoes at shortstop. Kaiser didn’t put up Swanson-like offensive numbers—nor was he expected to—batting .261/.362/.311 in 119 at-bats, but he sparkled defensively and continued to do so in the NECBL. League coaches raved about Kaiser’s smooth infield actions, above-average instincts and plus arm, voting him the league’s defensive player of the year. He committed only two errors in 139 chances over the summer, making several highlight-reel plays. As advanced as he is with the glove, Kaiser’s bat is lacking. He hit just .218/.353/.309 in 110 summer at-bats. Still, he showed an advanced feel for the strike zone and could add power as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame.

4. Travis Jones, if/of, Valley (Jr., Texas)

The No. 496 prospect in the 2014 BA500, Jones has long caught the eyes of scouts due to his athleticism. Jones was a wide receiver in high school, runs a 6.5 60-yard dash and can still add muscle to his 6-foot-4, 220-pound body. He played through stress fractures in his back this summer and consequently had a limited 56 at-bats in 15 games, but he batted .286/.355/.518 in that time with three homers and nine stolen bases. And he showcased his athleticism while playing shortstop, third base, left field and first base. Primarily a corner outfielder and DH for the Longhorns in his sophomore season—in which he hit .300/.395/.411 in 180 at-bats—Jones will likely stick in left or right in the future, where his power should play.

5. Jason Foley, rhp, Mystic (SIGNED: Tigers)

Pitching for Mystic for the second straight summer, Foley lasted until late July in the NECBL before the Tigers signed him as a non-drafted free agent—following a performance in which he touched 97 mph on the gun multiple times. A physical 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthander who would’ve been a senior at Sacred Heart, Foley lives in the low-to-mid 90s and adds a late-diving splitter and show-me breaking ball. He threw just 11 NECBL innings but dominated in his appearances, striking out 19 to just two walks and seven hits and posting a 2.45 ERA. A starter for Sacred Heart each of the last two seasons, Foley relieved in the NECBL and has thus far remained in that relief role with short-season Connecticut in the New York-Penn League.

6. Darrien Ragins, lhp, New Bedford (Jr., Delaware State)

League coaches voted for Ragins as the NECBL reliever of the year, and he was a consensus top prospect in the league, as well. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthander, Ragins had a rough spring for Delaware State (2-5, 6.09) but was nearly unhittable with New Bedford, going 1-1, 0.69 with nine saves, striking out 39 and allowing only 11 hits in 26 innings. Walks are an issue; he walked 15 in 26 summer innings and 28 in 44 spring innings. But Ragins has a lively 91-94 mph fastball that he throws to every quadrant and uses to overpower hitters. Especially tough on lefties, Ragins hides the ball well and is an imposing figure on the mound. He showed some feel for a slider over the summer but didn’t use it much in games, as his fastball was enough to put hitters away. Ragins needs to develop his secondary stuff and limit his walks, but his arm strength from the left side is enough to warrant a hard look.

7. Mark Washington, rhp, Valley (Jr., Lehigh)

Washington is a raw talent, but his projectable 6-foot-7 frame screams potential. After a 6-1, 1.80 spring in 45 innings with Lehigh, Washington went 0-1, 2.61 in 31 innings with the Blue Sox, striking out 20 to 11 walks. His length allows him to generate excellent downhill angle on his heavy 88-90 mph fastball. He can touch a tick or two higher and is likely to tap into higher velocities as he adds muscle. Like many young pitchers his size, Washington struggles to repeat his mechanics at times, impacting his command. An inconsistent release point hampers his breaking ball, which shows flashes of being an effective pitch but is very much a work in progress. Washington needs polish, but his projectability gives him a high ceiling.

8. Michael Osinski, ss, Vermont, (Jr., Longwood)

Osinski won the starting shortstop job as a true freshman with Longwood in 2015 and batted .305/.374/.391 in his sophomore campaign this spring. He continued to hit with Vermont this summer, batting .351/.422/.405 with a homer in 148 at-bats. Osinski is a capable defender at shortstop, though his actions aren’t as smooth and arm isn’t as strong as fellow NECBL shortstop Connor Kaiser. One opposing coach said he thought Osinski was a better fit at third base. Osinski has a better present bat than Kaiser, keeping the barrel in the zone for a long time and showing the ability to make consistent, quality contact. Osinski doesn’t hit for much power (an .054 ISO), but he has room to grow and should hit in the middle of the order for Longwood this upcoming season.

9. Troy Dixon, c, Newport (Sr., St. John’s)

Dixon was the league’s leading hitter, batting .371/.432/.530 with a league-leading 15 doubles and two home runs in 132 at-bats, and coaches voted him as the NECBL’s MVP. A lefthanded hitter, Dixon showed gap power, an advanced feel for the strike zone and posted a 12-percent strikeout rate. He made more contact than he generally has in his St. John’s career, where he’s coming off a .253/.338/.339 spring. But Dixon also provides value defensively with his quick feet behind the plate, above-average blocking and receiving and strong throwing arm. He’s a defensively sound catcher with offensive upside and should get a look as a senior sign.

10. Stephen Scott, of, Newport (So., Vanderbilt)

Scott only had 22 at-bats in a crowded Commodores outfield this spring, but he was able to make up for that in the summer, tying for second in the league with 10 home runs and hitting .285/.403/.570 in 151 at-bats. Compact but strong at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, Scott has legitimate lefthanded power, albeit with some swing-and-miss tendencies—34 strikeouts to 27 walks. An average runner, Scott is best suited for the corner outfield and should see a few more at-bats in year No. 2 at Vanderbilt.