2021 MLB Draft Combine: Which New England prospects will participate?

Tyler Mattison (Bryant Athletics)

The 2021 MLB Draft is less than three weeks away, and scouts are taking advantage of the later-than-usual draft to get one final look at some of the top high school and college prospects this week.

A total of 167 players are slated to attend the first-ever MLB Draft Combine this week in Cary, N.C. Fourteen of those players are from New England.

There will be a tournament with games for high school players throughout the week at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. All players will have the opportunity to participate in pro-style workouts at the USA Baseball complex. Strength and conditioning assessments will be done this week at the Raleigh Convention Center. There will also be programs on educating players about their upcoming careers in professional baseball and on social media branding.

As Detroit Tigers Northeast scouting supervisor Jim Bretz recently noted on the New England Baseball Journal Podcast, this could be a historic year for prospects around New England. As many as 10 to 12 high school and prep prospects could earn selections in the 20-round draft. At the Division 1 level, there are both a handful of pitchers as well as a few hitters who could hear their respective names called early in the draft.

Here is a look at the New England players who accepted invites to the 2021 MLB Draft Combine.

Sean Burke

RHP | University of Maryland
Hometown: Sutton, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 240

The St. John’s Shrewsbury (Mass.) alumnus made 13 starts for Maryland this spring, posting a record of 6-3 with a 3.27 ERA. He struck out 107 batters in 74.1 innings. His fastball velocity sits in the 92- to 95-mph range since simplifying his delivery after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2018.

Ben Casparius

RHP | UConn
Hometown: Westport, Conn.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 193

Casparius has plenty of upside after only recently making the move to becoming a full-time pitcher. He finished the season with an 8-5 record and 4.03 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 91.2 innings. He rejuvenated his career with a transfer from the University of North Carolina after his sophomore season.

Ryan Cusick

RHP | Wake Forest
Hometown: Sudbury, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-6 | Weight: 230

Cusick ranked eighth in the nation at the D1 level in strikeouts per nine innings (13.89) this spring. With a fastball that tops out at 99 mph and a quality curveball, Cusick seems likely to earn a selection in the first round. He had an up-and-down season this spring, posting a 3-5 record and 4.24 ERA with 108 strikeouts in 70 innings.

Steve Hajjar

LHP | Michigan
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Left
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 230

The Central Catholic (Mass.) alumnus had a strong season as Michigan’s ace, posting a 4-2 record and 3.09 ERA. He issued 29 walks against 110 strikeouts in 81.2 innings. His fastball velocity tops out in the low- to mid-90s. He also showcases a 12-to-6 curveball and a slider.

Dom Keegan

1B | Vanderbilt
Hometown: Methuen, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 210

Keegan may not be able to attend the Combine, depending on the length of Vanderbilt’s run in the College World Series.  Keegan has been key in that run, earning SEC Tournament MVP and Nashville Regional Most Outstanding Player. On the season, he’s hitting .360 with 14 home runs, 55 RBI and 52 runs scored and a 1.002 OPS.

Owen Kellington

RHP | U-32 High (Vt.)
Hometown: Plainfield, Vt.
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 180

The UConn commit recently became the first person to graduate from a Vermont high school and pitch for the NECBL’s Vermont Lake Monsters in the same month. Pitching for U-32 High this spring, he went 7-0 with a 0.18 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 49 innings.

Jackson Linn

RHP | Cambridge Rindge and Latin
Cambridge, Mass.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 205

The Tulane commit is a two-way prospect with limited pitching experience. For now, he is viewed as a legit, big-bodied power hitter. If he barrels up the ball, he can hit tape-measure home runs, although he needs to show more consistency in his swing mechanics.

Tyler Mattison

RHP | Bryant University
Hometown: Fort Ann, N.Y.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-4 | Weight: 216

Mattison was dominant for Bryant this spring, going 10-3 with a 2.46 ERA in 80.1 innings. He struck out 95 and walked 14, ranking 10th nationally in WHIP (0.88), 19th in K:BB ratio and 33rd in walks/9. Mattison struck out 8-plus batters in eight of his 13 starts.

Christian Moore

SS | Suffield Academy (Conn.)
Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-1 | Weight: 200

The University of Tennessee commit batted .317 for Suffield this spring, including a pair of home runs. He also scored 13 runs and was 14 of 14 in stolen base attempts. On the mound, he was 1-0 with three saves. His ERA was 0.00 while notching 19 strikeouts.

Jonathan Santucci

OF/LHP | Phillips Andover (Mass.)
Hometown: Leominster, Mass.
Bats: Left | Throws: Left
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 195

He is ranked as a top-60 recruit in the country and second overall in the state of Massachusetts. The outfielder/left-handed pitcher is committed to Duke University, and he was named a Perfect Game Underclass All-American in 2019 and 2020.

Emmet Sheehan

RHP | Boston College
Hometown: Darien, Conn.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 215

Sheehan had a solid season in BC’s starting rotation. He made 13 starts, going 5-5 with a 4.23 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. He earned All-ACC Second Team honors after holding opponents to a .222 average. He struck out 15 batters at Pittsburgh (5/7); the most on record in program history.

Michael Sirota

SS | Frederick Gunn School (Conn.)
Hometown: Queens, N.Y.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 180

The Northeastern commit was voted Co-WNEPBL Young Division Co-Player of the Year after batting .440 with 10 RBI. Sirota can do it all — he can throw it 96 mph across the diamond, run a 6.57-second 60-yard dash, and hit for power.

Juju Stevens

OF | Amity Regional (Conn.)
Woodbridge, Conn.
Bats: Right | Throws: Right
Height: 6-0 | Weight: 175

Stevens went into the pandemic without a single offer and only tepid interest from Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. After performing well at the East Coast Pro Showcase and Summer Rivalry Classic last summer, he committed to the University of Missouri.

Patrick Winkel

Catcher | UConn
Orange, Conn.
Bats: Left | Throws: Right
Height: 6-2 | Weight: 197

Winkel missed the entire 2020 season after he underwent ligament replacement surgery on his right arm in December of 2019. This spring, he batted .284 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI in 53 games. After playing all 53 games for the Huskies, he was selected to the All-Big East Second Team.