Program: Northeast Community College
Head Coach: Marcus Clapp: 9th year
NJCAA Region/Division: Region 11, DII
Email: [email protected]    
Twitter: MarcusClapp  
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Entering his ninth year at the helm, Marcus Clapp leads a Northeast Hawks roster primed to make noise this spring. Coming off a year that saw a 33-27 record, falling in the Region 11 tournament, this year's squad looks poised to improve on almost every mark from the year prior. Despite losing over 225 innings on the mound, along with four everyday starters in the lineup, this roster is stronger than ever. On the mound, six impactful arms return, including their top two arms, and three impact transfers. Then, with the lineup, they boast a two-headed monster with their top two bats returning, along with the core of their lineup and a freshman looking to make his mark. Despite heavy losses, this year's team looks as strong as ever, having its eyes set on a Region 11 championship and more.

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PITCHERS

This pitching staff enters this year losing nine arms for more than 225 innings, but despite this, they still boast one of the more experienced and strongest staffs in Region 11. Returning on the mound are their top two arms, along with two lefties who saw a mixed role in his freshmen year. The top returning is right-hander Cole Kuszak. The righty is working off a year where he tossed 57 innings to a 6.47 ERA with 46 strikeouts. A key heading into the spring will be reducing the free passes as he shows a two-pitch mix with the fastball sitting 89-91 mph with slight cut and a high spin slider sitting 76-78 mph, gaining 2500 RPMs. Then, for the two lefties, Max Denson starts this group, used mainly as a bullpen arm last season, but made four starts. He tossed 51.1 innings, tossing a 4.21 ERA with 57 strikeouts to 28 walks. We have gotta a number of looks at him this fall where he’s been in the mid-80s with the fastball, curveball sitting upper-60s with depth, and changeup sitting mid-70s. His ability to command the zone makes him an interesting candidate to take a spot in the starting rotation. The final left-hander in this batch is Caden Rezac, and he is one who has the highest upside to join the rotation. He made 13 appearances, seven of them being starts, tossing 34.2 innings, and striking out 64. Rezac put together a strong fall, making a loud performance at our showcase. The lefty showed a three-pitch mix with the fastball sitting upper-80s, topping at 90.6 mph with cutting tendencies, the slider was a true sweeper gaining 17 inches of horizontal movement with 2700 RPMs. These three arms are set to lead the staff, but this isn’t the end of the story for this staff.

• SO. RHP Cole Kuszak is an intriguing arm out of a lean 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame. The right-hander racked up one strikeout in his one inning of work, inducing soft contact while attacking the zone. Working out of an easy, medium kick motion, working down the hill with clean, quick, short arm action. Kuszak showed a two-pitch mix with the fastball sitting 89-91 mph with slight cut, spinning 2400 RPM. The slider was 76-78 mph with a tight gyro shape, spinning 2500 RPMs.

• SO. LHP Caden Rezac, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-hander, put together an intriguing profile on the mound Friday afternoon. Working from a low-effort stretch-only motion, with loose short-arm action from a lower ¾ slot and some whip to the finish. Not afraid to spin it, the lefty worked with a defined three-pitch mix, able to keep hitters off-balance. The fastball was sitting 85-87 mph, T90.6 mph with slight cut. The slider was 75-78 mph, 2700 RPM with 17 inches of sweep. The curveball was 75-76 mph, 2700 RPM with late break. Evidente feel for strikes with all three pitches. Rezac is an upside arm with lots to like.

The bullpen for the Hawks looks poised to be a key strength as they head into the spring. Two arms look set to hold down high leverage innings, but also have the stuff to fight for a starting spot. Leading this group is right-hander Preston Hastreiter, seeing 20.2 innings last year, tossing an 8.71 ERA with 23 strikeouts. Despite a more or less desirable ERA, Hastreiter has shown strong looks this fall, retiring three batters in five pitches in our lone look at him. He still showed the fastball 87-90 mph with a sharp slider sitting 81-83 mph, from a side-arm slot. Next up is left-hander Eli Johnston, who tossed 32 innings across 16 appearances, striking out 15 with a 5.63 ERA. A lefty sidearm slot that will be difficult for left-handed bats. This duo will be looking to hold down the bullpen and provide stability for the starting rotation.

• SO. RHP Preston Hastreiter stands in as an imposing 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame and didn’t give much of a look as the right-hander retired the side in just five pitches. Flashing a two-pitch mix, the fastball was sitting 87-90 mph with some arm-side run, and the slider was 81–83 mph with sharp gyro action. Hastreiter worked from a high leg kick, drop, and drive motion with short arm action, able to gain velo with ease.

While these returning sophomores run deep with experience, there are still 225 innings being lost from the previous year. Set to fill those gaps are three incoming transfers, along with a duo of standout freshmen, all poised to take major steps this spring. Starting us off are two sophomore transfers from Hutchinson Community College in left-hander Beckett Lund and right-hander Beau Pasteur. After a freshman year where he only saw two innings on the mound, Lund looks poised to be a threat on the mound after an impressive fall. The lefty shows a high-powered arsenal with the fastball sitting 88-90 mph, the slider 79-80 mph, and the changeup in the same range. Now for the second Huchinson transfer, Pasteur tossed 4.1 innings in his freshman year, also giving a strong look this fall, set to be a major arm this season. There's a lot to like from the side-arm slot with an east-to-west profile. The fastball sits upper-80s with 2500 RPMs, same with the sinker, the slider sits upper-70s, gaining 2900 RPMs, and a changeup sits low-80s. The final transfer comes from Feather River Community College, a sophomore right-hander, Drew Perigo, after tossing 13.1 innings with a 2.70 ERA with 21 strikeouts. He shows a three-pitch mix with the fastball up to 90 mph, slider sitting 75-77 mph, and changeup sitting upper-70s. These incoming transfers look set to each have major roles this season.

• SO. LHP Beckett Lund put together a strong outing on the mound, coming from a lean, long-limbed, 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame. The left-hander operates out of a medium leg kick, drop and drive motion, staying loose with the arm working out of a lower ¾ slot. Working with a three-pitch mix, Lund attacks with the ball jumping out of his hand, getting on hitters quickly. The fastball was 89-90 mph, with cutting tendencies. The slider was 79-80 mph with a gyro profile, playing down in the zone. The change-up was 79-80 mph, with arm-side run.

• SO. RHP Beau Pasteur is a fascinating arm with lots to love about it. The right-hander deals with a true east-to-west sidewinder profile, with stuff that plays up. Working from an easy rocker motion, driving down the mound with a loose, whippy arm, working from a sidearm slot. Pasteur’s arsenal is loaded with a defined four-pitch mix able to miss and match with ease to keep hitters guessing. The fastball sits 87-88 mph with slight ride for the slot of 9 IVB, spinning 2500 RPMs. The sinker plays true, sitting in the upper 80s with negative IVB and 20 inches of horizontal movement. The slider sits in the upper 70s, spinning 2900 RPM, with -21 inches of horizontal movement. The changeup pairs well with the fastball and sinker, playing in the middle, sitting low 80s. The profile leaves right-handed hitters with almost no hope, especially when the lower half of the box is being dominated like it was Friday afternoon.

Now rounding out this staff is that duo of freshmen touched on earlier. Right-hander Barrett Fries from Centura Secondary, Nebraska start us off. A long-limbed 6-foot-5, 160-pound frame, the arsenal continues to develop and one to look out from s he add more to the frame, right now sitting in the mid-80s. Then the final piece is another right-hander in Ethan Cole from Millard West. He gave a strong showing during our showcase down in Kansas City, sitting in the upper-80s, T93 mph, with a sharp slider sitting 76-78 mph. These arms are expected to lock down the backend of the bullpen and help round out a well-balanced staff entering the spring.

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OFFENSE

With the core of the lineup returning and only four starters departing, the offense looks loaded and ready to explode this spring. The brightest spot of this lineup is the return of sophomore INF Hayden Parrish and redshirt sophomore OF Brady Fitzpatrick. These two create a high-powered top of the order that will threaten any staff they come across. Parrish comes off a freshman year where he slashed .356/.453/.464, with 16 extra-base hits and 45 RBIs. The left-handed bat was a standout at our fall showcase in early October. During game pplay Parrish went 3-for-4 at the plate, sending two over the wall, adding a single, and a walk as well. Living on the barrel showing the ability to use the whole field, going oppo for his first homerun. If the fall is any signifier for the spring, Parrish looks to be a top bat in Region 11. Now, when it comes to the reshirt Fitzpatrick, this is another bat that strung together a loud performer in early October. Starting with his round of BP, where he posted a max EV of 95.5 mph, followed by a 6.76 60–time and 90 mph arm from the outfield. The lefty bat would then follow this with a 2-for-3 performance, adding a double, single, and walk. Both these bats are mature, know how to do damage, and will be the catalysts for the offense this spring.

• SO. INF Hayden Parrish put together potentially one of the best performances out of any player this Friday. The left-handed bat went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a single, and a walk. Staying all over the barrel, Parrish started the game with a hard line out to enter, followed it up with an opposite field home run, then a line drive single pull-side, and ended his night going down and launching a changeup over the right-field wall. Operating from an athletic, open wide set stance, with a simple leg lift load, with some present rhythm in the hands that stay compact and whip through the zone. Parrish is an athletic 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame with room to add strength who also ran a 6.69 60-time. A name to know with the JUCO circuit.

• RS-SO. 2B Brady Fitzpatrick had a strong showing with the bat on Friday afternoon, working out of a physical 6-foot, 194-pound frame. The left-handed bat operates out of an athletic set-up with a simple coil load. The hands work quick and strong through the zone, creating a flat path able to work through the ball. Putting up numbers with a 94.1 max EV during the showcase portion, while also going 2-for-3 with a double, single, and walk during gameplay. In the box, Fitzpatrick was working at-bats, able to stay for a while fighting till he could get one to handle. A mature left-handed bat with an understanding of how to get on.

Now looking to add support to the top of the lineup are three more sophomores set to build off their first year. SS Edgar Hernandez starts us off, coming off a down first year where he still tallied 16 extra-base hits with seven home runs. Where Hernandez standsout is with the glove, an athletic defender with the ability to cover both gaps, paired with an 88 mph arm across the diamond. While the glove instantly stands out, the bat has continued to develop, posting EVs up to 94 mph, as the lefty bat looks to improve on his freshman year marks. Now the final two sophomores look to share time behind the plate in catchers Kye Privett and Giuseppe Salvatore. Privett is one we’ve had a chance to see this fall after his freshman year, where he slashed .252/.367/.327, with eight doubles, and 31 RBIs. This fall, he posted a max EV of 97.4 mph with a 77.3 mph bat speed. The bat has continued to develop as he stays a strong defender behind the plate. Then rounding this group out is Salvatore, who we didn't see much of this fall, but slashed .250/.367/.327, with nine extra-base hits. It will be interesting to see how his role develops into the spring and if these two continue to split time or one finds a new home within the defense.

Now rounding out this lineup is freshman INF Lou Hodoly, who strung together a strong fall, looking to make an impact in his first year. The Omaha South product produced a strong showing this fall, posting a max EV of 93.8 mph, with an arm up to 91 mph across the diamond. This right-hander truly sticks out in the dirt as a confident, fluid defender with clear athleticism and a lively arm. If the impact isn't with the bat this year, it will come from the glove.

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