College baseball is back, which means talk about national seeds, regionals, draft prospects and more.
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NCBWA Pre-Season All-America Team
MLB DRAFT: Top 50 Prospects | 1st-Round Draft Order
BECK: 10 Players to Watch in the SEC | Big 12 | ACC
Ohio Valley
CHURCHILL: Top Players in the PAC-12 | WAC
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Here are the top players to watch in the America East.
10. Jason Agresti, C — Binghamton
Agresti throws well and works effectively with the pitching staff, but his calling card is his ability at the plate, not behind it. Last season Agresti hit .320/.358/.517 in 41 games.
9. Joey Castellanos, SS — UMass-Lowell
Just a freshman, Castellanos will be tested early and often both at the plate and in the field. But he is a terrific athlete with quick-twitch actions and enough arm strength to make plays at shortstop for four years. He doesn't project to hit for power but he made a lot of hard contact in high school and that skill plays anywhere. Could be a draft prospect to monitor for 2020.
8. Chris Bec, C — Maine
Bec, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound senior, is the best pure hitter on the Maine roster, including No. 1 on this list. There's no home run pop, but a lot of barrels and a load of line drives amid tons of contact. Bec posted a 30-17 BB/K ratio last season and batted .340/.426/.465 in 54 games. Behind the dish he's active with a quick release.
7. Aaron Pinto, RHP — Stony Brook
Pinto was a horse last season, appearing in 20 games and covering 40 2/3 innings. He struck out 48 batters and allowed just one long ball. Pinto touches the low-90s but sits 87-89 with deception and movement.
6. Nick Gallagher, RHP — Binghamton
Gallagher may be the most accomplished starter in the conference to start 2018 after 12 starts a year ago that resulted in 70 2/3 innings, a 2.67 ERA and the pitcher of the year award. Gallagher sits 86-88 mph and offers a solid-average changeup and nick galla
5. Greg Marino, RHP — Stony Brook
Marino split 2017 between starting and coming out of the bullpen, but punched out nearly a batter per inning and served up just three home runs in 60 innings of work.
4. Colby Maiola, OF — UMass-Lowell
Maiola was a second-team all-conference selection last season, batting .331/.406/.521 in 47 games. He has above-average speed and offers defense and the ability to steal a base (14 of 18).
3. Jake Wloczewski, RHP — Binghamton
Wloczewski, a fifth-year senior, has served a sa starter and reliever and figures into the rotation to start 2018. In 10 starts last season, the right-hander allowed just 50 hits in 62 frames. He sits in the low-90s with his fastball.
2. Collin Duffley, RHP — UMass-Lowell
Duffley is a three-pitch, command-and-feel right-hander with velocity upside and two promising secondary offerings, including a changeup that flashes when he uses it regularly. The New Hampshire native made 15 appearances (11 starts) last season, covering 69 innings and posting a 71-30 K/BB ratio. Opponents batted just .205 off him.
1. Jeremy Pena, SS — Maine
Pena, son of former big-league infielder Geronimo Pena, can swing it and handle his position and has shown no significant weakness in his first two years at at Maine. Last season, Pena batted .319/.371/.491 in 54 games, and swiped nine bases in 10 attempts. He's aggressive in the batter's box with a short swings engineered for line drives, but knows how to get out front and pull the ball with power on occasion.
