Preview: Andreychuk, Handley, Jacobs, Lumley, Pinero, Quantrill, Remillard

RHP Jevon Jacobs (Ajax, Ont.) of the Jackson State Tigers is ranked the ninth best prospect in the Southwestern conference by Baseball America.

By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
There were all kinds of Canucks featured in the NCAA pre-season issues of Baseball America and Perfect Game.

The defending champion Virginia Cavaliers open against the Kent State Golden Flashes in the Caravelle Resort Tournament at Myrtle Beach, SC Friday as the road to Omaha begins.

Included in the previews by the two respected publications to name some were ...

Prospects like: RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) of the Stanford Cardinal, SS Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) with the defending champ Cavs, RHP Zack Pop (Brampton, Ont.) of the Kentucky Wildcats, 3B Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) of the Niagara Purple Eagles, 2B Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.), LHP J.P. Stevenson (Hunter River, PEI) and RP Ian Remillard (Valleyfield, Que.) who play for coach Mike McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.) of the Canisius Golden Griffs; OF Toby Handley (Whitby, Ont.) Stony Brook Sea Wolves; Griffin Andreychuk (Nanaimo, BC) of the Seattle Redhawks and Jevon Jacobs (Ajax, Ont.) Jackson State Tigers. 

Pre-season all-conference Big Men on Campus honors went to: Remillard, Lumley, Kirwer and Stevenson, 

And there were mentions of graduates and current players such as: OF Phillippe Craig-St. Louis (Gatineau, Que.) of the Oregon Ducks; OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Joel Brophy (Burlington, Ont.), RHP Liam Stroud (Maple Ridge BC), RHP Daniel Procopio (Toronto Ont.) and LHP Michael Bucci (Toronto, Ont.) of the Buffalo Bulls, Quantrill, Pinero, Pop, Remillard, Lumley, Kirwer, Stevenson and Handley.

Conference Previews
Pac-12
Perfect Game
By Mike Rooney
Top Prospects
2016
1. Cal Quantrill, rhp, Stanford 

Stanford: Stanford was absolutely decimated by injuries in 2015 and that led to an uncharacteristic 10th place finish in the conference.  Cal Quantrill, who at one point was considered a favorite to be the top overall draft pick in 2016, underwent Tommy John surgery last March and that was a death blow to the Cardinal’s season.  Quantrill’s rehab has progressed well and all signs point to him in some capacity later this spring.

Oregon: Cole Irvin, Matt Phil Craig-St.Louis and sophomore Jakob Goldfarb give this lineup much needed physicality in the middle of the order. 

Baseball America
By Michael Lananna
Notable Storylines: Watch out for Stanford, who could receive a major midseason boost whenever ace righthander Cal Quantrill returns from Tommy John surgery.

Top 20 prospects
2016
1. Matt Krook, lhp, Oregon
2. Cal Quantrill, rhp, Stanford

ACC
Perfect Game
By Jheremy Brown
Top Prospects
2016
1. Corey Ray, of, Louisville, 
16. Daniel Pinero, ss, Virginia

Virginia: The Cavaliers went on a remarkable run to capture the crown in Omaha last June and was able to do so on the strength of several key upperclassmen, most of whom have left Charlottesville for the allures of professional baseball. Junior shortstop Daniel Pinero returns after being a draft-eligible sophomore when he hit .308-6-29,

Baseball America
By John Manuel
Top 20 prospects
2016
1. Corey Ray, of, Louisville
19. Daniel Pinero, ss, Virginia

SEC
Perfect Game
By Andrew Krause
Kentucky: After a strong summer campaign in the Northwoods League, sophomore righty Zach Pop is slated to take over the closer’s role. The 6-foot-4 Canadian has impressive arm strength and arm speed, and he’s showcased an effective slider to go along with a fastball up to 95 mph.  

Mississippi State: Jake Robson impressed last season, hitting .324/.436/.368, and the center fielder is expected to be the catalyst of the offense with elite level speed (6.33 second 60-yard dash). With another strong spring performance at the plate, the junior can put himself in position to be an early round draft pick.

Top prospects
2017
1. Tanner Houck, rhp, Missouri
12. Zachary Pop, rhp, Kentucky

Metro Atlantic
Perfect Game
By Jheremy Brown
Preseason All-Conference Team
Pos. Name Class School Stats/Notes
MIF Jake Lumley Jr. Canisius .331-3-39; a top MAAC bat, strength & speed combo
3B Tanner Kirwer So. Niagara .324-2-17; 2nd team MAAC in ‘15, 24 SB in 27 att.
SP J.P. Stevenson So. Canisius 4.81, 73 IP, 69:18; upper-80s, adv. command & feel
RP Ian Remillard Sr. Canisius 4.11, 35 IP, 41:12;10 SV, pounds w/4, FB low-90s

Top prospects
2016
1. Thomas Jankins, rhp, Quinnipiac
3. Ian Remillard, rhp, Canisius
9. Jake Lumley, 2b, Canisus

2017
1. Dan Drpich, 1b, Siena
2. Tanner Kirwer, if, Niagara
5. J.P. Stevenson, lhp, Canisius

Canisius: The Griffins are strong year in and year out and 2016 is no different as they open the spring as the favorites to win the Metro Atlantic once again. Lefthander J.P. Stevenson returns and he looks to build off a 2015 freshman season that saw him log 73 innings with advanced command for an arm new to college baseball, striking out 69 while walking just 18. Josh Shepley will round out the rotation and split time in 2015 between the ‘pen and rotation. Senior Iannick Remillard enjoyed a solid junior campaign and followed it up with a strong summer season in the NECBL. Armed with a fastball that he can ramp up to 93 mph, Remillard also shows a feel for a splitter and change up, all of which he used to save 10 games last spring and average better than a strikeout per inning. Both Connor Panas and Brett Siddall (23 home runs combined) won’t return in 2016 ... Playing up the middle is junior Jake Lumley who put up big numbers of his own last spring and will bat leadoff this year after hitting .339-3-39 with 10 stolen bags. 

Niagara: The Purple Eagles look to build upon their 13-win season a year ago. Tanner Kirwer made quite the first impression as a freshman last spring in which he hit .324 with a couple of home runs and his speed proved to be a valuable asset at the top of the order with 32 runs scored and a team-high 24 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Junior catcher Joel Brophy also brings some strength from the right side to the lineup as he hit a couple long balls and took the majority of the reps behind the plate. Junior Liam Stroud also returns from last season’s rotation, starting 13 games while logging 54 2/3 innings, which gives the coaches another experienced arm. Righthander Daniel Procopio led the team with four saves last season and racked up 40 innings while sharing the closer’s role. Michael Bucci is another righthanded junior who proved to be a quality option out of the ‘pen as he was called upon 18 times last year and logged 27 2/3 innings.

Baseball America
By Jim Shonerd
Notable Storylines: Canisius has been the MAAC’s standard-bearer of late, winning either the regular-season or tournament titles in each of the last three years, and the Golden Griffins won’t give up the mantle without a fight. They’ll have a different look though after losing staff ace Devon Stewart and their two most dangerous hitters, Connor Panas and Brett Siddall, who combined for 22 of the team’s 33 homers a year ago. Junior second baseman Jake Lumley (.328/.416/.440) can do a little of everything and figures to be the offense’s biggest catalyst, and the Griffs have high hopes for big sophomore first baseman Ryan Stekl (.294/.367/.336). But with Stewart gone, the pitching will need some other arms to step up.

Top 10 prospects
2016
1. Tom Jankins, rhp, Quinnipiac
3. Iannick Remillard, rhp, Canisius

America East
Baseball America
By Hudson Belinsky
Top prospects
2016
1. Stephen Woods, rhp, Albany
2. Cameron Stone, rhp, Stony Brook
3. Toby Handley, of, Stony Brook

Perfect Game
By Jheremy Brown
Preseason All-Conference Team
OF Toby Handley Jr. Stony Brook .330-0-35; sub-6.5 runner, above avg. defender

Top Prospects
2016
1. Stephen Woods, rhp, Albany
5. Toby Handley, of, Stony Brook

Conference Notebook
Stony Brook: Gone from the Seawolves 2015 lineup is senior leader and catcher Cole Peragine, but Stony Brook still returns as the preseason favorites in the America East due to the talent and depth that will return between the white lines. Junior outfielder Toby Handley is full of fast-twitch muscle and it easily shows in what he’s capable of doing on the diamond. Starting in center field, Handley shows 6.4 speed in the 60-yard dash, a tool that will suit him well atop the Stony Brook lineup. His speed impacts both his defensive abilities and the defense of the opposition as he swiped 12 bases last spring and finished second in batting average with a .330 mark with excellent knowledge of the strike zone. 

Western Athletic
Baseball America
By Michael Lananna
Notable Storylines: Seattle and Sacramento State are both significant threats for the WAC title. Seattle finished second in the conference last season, is strong up the middle with infielders Griffin Andreychuk and Sheldon Stober.

Top prospects
2016
1. Brick Paskiewicz, rhp/of, Grand Canyon
9. Griffin Andreychuk, ss, Seattle

Southwestern Athletic
Baseball America
By John Manuel
Notable Storylines: Senior righthander Jevon Jacobs (6-4, 5.70) should return to a full rotation role after playing both ways last season.

Top 10 Prospects
2016
1. Jose DeLa Torre, c, Southern
9. Jevon Jacobs, rhp, Jackson State

Perfect Game
By Andrew Krause

2016
Top 10 Prospects
1. Angel Alicea, 3b, Alabama State
10. Jevon Jacobs, rhp, Jackson State

Jackson State: Jevon Jacobs is a valuable righty that should play a large part in the Tigers’ success this spring. Jacobs should be a solid senior sign this June and the righty has command of his 88-92 mph fastball to go along with a quality slider and feel for both a curveball and changeup.