Scouting state players’ prospects in MLB Draft

There will be a bit more normalcy to the 2021 MLB Draft, which kicks off a week from Sunday in Denver.

This year, the draft will be 20 rounds — still just half the amount of a normal draft, but far more than last year’s event, which was limited to a mere five rounds due to the pandemic. Don’t forget, thanks to minor-league restructuring over the past year, there are a lot fewer rosters to fill these days.

As usual, there should be a good amount of players with Connecticut ties selected over the three-day draft. A few of them — Ben Casparius, Pat Winkel, JuJu Stevens and Emmet Sheehan — recently attended MLB’s first-ever draft combine in Cary, North Carolina.

It’s possible one state player could hear his named called on July 11, when the first round is held, televised on the MLB Network and ESPN at 7 p.m.. East Catholic’s Frank Mozzicato could

get selected late in the opening round, or as a compensation pick.

More likely, Mozzicato and several other local players will be selected on July 12, when rounds 2-10 are selected, starting at 1 p.m. on MLB.com. The draft wraps up on July 13 with rounds 11-20, beginning at noon on MLB.com.

Here’s a look at local players who should be selected next week:

Frank Mozzicato, LHP, Manchester, East Catholic High: The UConn commit’s stock skyrocketed this past spring, at one point tossing four straight nohitters and ultimately leading East Catholic to the Class M state title. Mozzicato boasts a fastball that hits 93 MPH, but his curveball is what separates him from the pack. He just turned 18, so he’s a bit of a risk, but the lefthander ranks No. 41 on Baseball America’s Top 500 draft prospects and is at No. 39 at MLB.com. He should be selected within the first three rounds, and one thing is certain: Mozzicato isn’t likely to set foot on campus in Storrs and play for Jim Penders, father of his East Catholic batterymate, Hank.

Ben Casparius, RHP, Westport, UConn: After a strong first and final season at UConn in which he finished among the nation’s leaders in strikeouts, the former Staples High star and 2017 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year attended the draft combine last week.

He didn’t throw at all as he was in the midst of an 18-day shutdown following the end of UConn’s season, but he went through strength and conditioning exercises, met with teams and felt good about where he stands heading into the draft.

“There’s a million different factors that go into it,” Casparius noted. “So, right now I’m confident I’ll go on Day 2.”

Rated as Baseball America’s No. 147 draft prospect and No. 170 by MLB.com, Casparius should be selected somewhere between rounds 3-8. His fastball can reach 95, but it’s arguably his third-best pitch behind his slider and change-up. That’s led some scouts to speculate that he’ll end up as a reliever, but Casparius isn’t thinking that way.

“When I think about what I have to work on, it’s definitely fastball command,” he admitted. “But, I think having two-plus pitches right now, and potentially a third within the next couple of years, can really keep me in a starting rotation for a long time. That’s something, for me, that’s my next priority.”

Casparius, who began his career at North Carolina, actually has two more seasons of college eligibility left. He won’t be using those.

“If I get picked where I’m expecting to get picked, then I’m going to sign,” he said.

Patrick Winkel, C, Orange, UConn: The 2018 Gatorade Connecticut and GametimeCT Player of the Year who led Amity to three Class L state titles came back from Tommy John surgery to post a strong 2021 season with the Huskies (.284, 11 homers).

He’s currently playing in the Cape Cod League, but darted down to the MLB combine for a couple of days last week to participate in a few on-field workouts (batting practice, catching bullpens, throwing to bases) as well as individual interviews with several teams.

“It was a great experience,” Winkel said, “not only going down there and being able to showcase my talents, but to be able to meet some guys I played against in college. There were some really good catchers down there, being able to pick their brains and kind of learn from the experience. It wasn’t just going down there and trying to show everyone everything you could do. For me, I wanted to go out there and meet people, pick people’s brains and just learn. The more you can learn, the better.”

Winkel was a 31st round pick by the Yankees out of high school in 2018 but figures to go much higher this time around. He rates as Baseball America’s No. 160 draft prospect (No. 223 at MLB.com) and should find himself selected within the first 10 rounds.

“I’m really not hearing too much right now,” he said. “There’s still a good amount of time, still hoping to showcase what I can do this last week, kind of down the stretch. I’ve got a great team of people in my corner that I can rely on for advice and guidance. Honestly, whatever happens, happens.”

Juju Stevens, OF, Woodbridge, Amity: Stevens was the only local high schooler to attend the MLB combine, and it was a great experience for the 18-yearold outfielder.

“It was absolutely incredible,” his father, Julian, said. “Juju did incredibly well. On the first day, he was one of the guys on the leaderboard. He’s gotten a lot of positive feedback from various scouts. He looked like he belonged there. He was effortless. It was beautiful. A wonderful experience.”

After a strong senior year at Amity, Stevens has jumped up Baseball America’s draft rankings to No. 311, up from No. 360 — and that was before the combine, where he hit one of the longest opposite-field homers of any of the high school players.

Stevens has commited to play next spring at the University of Missouri, but the draft could thwart those plans.

“That’s something we’re still evaluating,” Julian said. “Having never gone through this process, we don’t know what’s what. We’re kind of taking it day by day. They’re very tightlipped about what round, where he is. No one can predict that yet.”

Still, Julian noted that Juju is eager to begin a pro career, and if he’s selected high enough or offered the right signing bonus, it would be hard to resist.

“If it’s there, yeah, that’s probably the outlook, more than anything,” Julian continued. “Because, he’s at that level. His maturity on the game, his outlook on the game. We feel like he has a good support structure. If the opportunity presents itself, yeah, he’ll take it.”

Rohan Handa, LHP, Yale: One of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s draft, the Indian-born, handlebar mustached lefty has seen his stock skyrocket. His high-80s fastball two years ago at Yale has turned into 97, coupled with an even better slider with the Mystic Schooners this summer. Not even rated in Baseball America’s Top 500, Handa could go within the first 5-8 rounds.

Emmet Sheehan, RHP, Darien, Boston College: Sheehan emerged as BC’s Friday night starter this year and set a single-game school record with 15 strikeouts against Pittsburgh late in the season. He attended the MLB combine and is currently ranked as Baseball America’s No. 342 draft prospect.

Miles Langhorne, RHP, Greenwich: Senior season at Greenwich High was a bit inconsistent, leading some to speculate he could honor his commitment to perennial national power Vanderbilt. BA’s No. 385 draft prospect, he could get picked on Day 2.

Ryan Higgins, RHP, St. Luke’s (New Canaan): Duke commit is BA’s No. 454-ranked draft prospect. Could go on Day 2 or 3.

Kyler Fedko, OF, UConn: Hitting over .400 with 12 homers for the Huskies this season and earning Big East Player of the Year honors wasn’t enough to convince some scouts that he doesn’t boast the speed or glove to play center or right field, nor the power needed to play corner outfield. Still could be a Day 2 draftee.

Andrew Marrero, RHP, New Haven, UConn: Though he still has plenty of eligibility left at UConn and could be the Huskies’ closer next season, it’s not out of the realm that an organization could take a late-round shot at the Wilbur Cross grad who boasts a dynamic arm.