Mozzicato tops list of prospects from state
With no minor-league season last year, Hearst Connecticut Media’s annual top 20 prospects list of players with Connecticut ties took a hiatus.
It’s back this year, and not surprisingly, there’s a new No. 1 atop the list after the Kansas City Royals surprised the baseball world by taking East Catholic lefty ace Frank Mozzicato with the seventh overall pick in July’s MLB Draft. The Royals’ gain was UConn’s loss — Mozzicato had signed to pitch with the Huskies, but found 3.55 million reasons to begin his pro career instead.
Several other 2021 draft picks join this year’s list, while a few players (including 2019’s No. 1 Anthony Kay) have graduated from rookie status and are now established big-leaguers. And while the minor-league season ends a little later this season in midSeptember, due to a COVID-19-related late start, we’ll keep with tradition and unveil this year’s list on Labor Day Weekend:
1. Frank Mozzicato, LHP, Ellington, Royals: East Catholic left-hander shot up the prospect charts this spring after throwing 492 ⁄3 straight scoreless innings. Predicted to be a late-first round, early-second round pick, he went No. 7 overall to the Royals, signed below slot for $3.55 million and has yet to throw a pitch in affiliated ball. Baseball America rates him as the Royals’ No. 10 prospect.
2. Michael Burrows, RHP, Waterford, High-A, Pirates: In his first year at High-A Greensboro, Burrows went 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in 11 starts. He’s been out injured since mid-July but remains Pittsburgh’s No. 10 overall prospect, per Baseball America.
3. Tim Cate, LHP, Manchester/ UConn, Double-A, Nationals: Lefty has really struggled in his first season at Double-A Harrisburg (2-9, 5.99 ERA), but held his own against Chris Sale in one start and remains the Nats’ No. 15 overall prospect, per Baseball America.
4. Jason Foley, RHP, Sacred Heart, Triple-A, Tigers: One of two Sacred Heart products to play for Tigers this season, he posted a 2.84 ERA in 6 1⁄3 innings out of Detroit’s bullpen and is the organization’s No. 23 overall prospect, per mlb.com.
5. Jacob Wallace, RHP, UConn, High-A, Red Sox: It’s been a struggle most of the season for the former flame-throwing UConn closer, but he pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in eight outings in August and put the finishing touches on a four-man no-hitter against Asheville on Thursday.
6. Rohan Handa, LHP, Yale, Giants: After a decent season at Yale two years ago, Handa burst out of nowhere with a 97-mph fastball with the Mystic Schooners this summer, good enough to get picked in the fifth round by the Giants in July.
7. Ben Casparius, RHP, Westport/ UConn, Dodgers: Former Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year at Staples was one of the nation’s leaders in strikeouts in his one year at UConn this spring and was picked by the Dodgers in the fifth round in July. He’s currently with the ACL Dodgers Rookie League team.
8. Patrick Winkel, C, Orange/UConn, High-A, Twins: Former Amity High star and Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year returned from Tommy John surgery to post a solid season at UConn this spring, got picked by Minnesota in the ninth round, signed for well over slot and has hit a solid .265 in his first 10 games as a pro.
9. Simon Whiteman, SS, Trumbull/ Yale, Double-A, Giants: Nearly a Rhodes Scholar while at Yale, Giants’ 2019 ninthround pick has 33 steals in 37 attempts between two stops this summer.
10. Thomas Milone, OF, Monroe, Double-A, Yankees: It appeared former Masuk High star might finally get his chance in the bigs after hitting .285 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this summer. Instead, he was sent down to Double-A Somerset in August, where he’s continued to hit (.285). Maybe next year?
11. Emmet Sheehan, RHP, Darien, Low-A, Dodgers: Former Salisbury School ace pitched three seasons at Boston College, was selected in the sixth round of the July draft and has gone 2-0 with a 5.63 ERA in his first four pro outings.
12. Stephen Paolini, OF, Fairfield, Low-A, Braves: Former St. Joseph High stud taken in the fifth round of the 2019 draft has really struggled (.179) in his first year in Augusta, but he hit a solid .266 in August and has 15 steals on the season.
13. Mason Feole, LHP, UConn, High-A, Padres: Injury-plagued former UConn lefty ace pitched to a 9.00 ERA in 21 relief outings for the TinCaps before returning to the injury list last week.
14. J.T. Hintzen, RHP, Greenwich, Double-A, Brewers: In his first season with Double-A Biloxi, former Greenwich High star is 5-2 with a 3.75 ERA in 30 relief outings. He boasts a 1.09 WHIP, and opponents are hitting a mere .225 off him.
15. Kyler Fedko, OF, UConn, Low-A, Twins: After hitting over .400 for Huskies this spring, drafted in 12th round by Minnesota and began his career with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels.
16. P.J. Poulin, LHP, UConn, Double-A, Rockies: Ex-UConn closer struggled in his first few outings with Yard Goats after being promoted from High-A Spokane, but has settled in over the last month as a reliable arm out of the Goats’ bullpen.
17. Colton Bender, C, Lebanon/Quinnipiac, Low-A, Padres: A 10th-round pick in July, he’s hit .290 in his first 17 professional games with Lake Elsinore.
18. Matt Batten, 2B, Shelton/Quinnipiac, Triple-A, Padres: All this 2017 32nd-round draft pick has done is hit as a pro, batting a healthy .298 with 18 steals this season in El Paso.
19. Patrick Ruotolo, RHP, UConn, Double-A, Giants: Former UConn reliever was 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 31 relief outings for Richmond before being placed on the injured list on Monday. Like Wallace, had also closed out a no-hitter earlier this season.
20. Justin Guerrera, SS, Watertown/ Fairfield Univ., Low-A, Mets: After being selected in the 20th-round by the Mets, he’s hit the ground running, hitting .303 with three homers in his first 19 pro games with St. Lucie.