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6'4" 225, holy shit
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92 MPH fastball
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from per-fect-game.org
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http://www.newstrib.com/articles/spo...47DF1EA916B8E7
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gotta imagine he goes to college or we throw a ton of money at him
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ejKk-ogvE&feature=player_embedded[/ame]
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6'4" 225, holy shit
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92 MPH fastball
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Joey Ceja is a 2011 RHP with a 6-4 225 lb. frame from Ottawa, IL who attends Marquette HS. Big strong build, physically mature. Full hand drop delivery, stays balanced and directional, downhill angle, high 3/4's release point, repeats well. Steady 91 mph fastball, touched 92 mph, maintained velocity, throws easy, FB runs well at times. Primary FB pitcher, curveball shows some depth and 11/5 shape, could tighten/speed up, occasional change was workable. Will always have velocity, probably plus in future, development of off speed very important. Good student, verbal commitment to Louisville.
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OTTAWA -- Baseball has been a love for Joey Ceja since he was 5 years old playing catch with his dad, Jim, in their backyard.
But he may not have had as much enjoyment in a season previously as he had this spring for the Ottawa Marquette Crusaders.
Ceja led Marquette to a 31-6 record that included regional and sectional titles.
"It feels really great," Ceja says. "I had a great year."
It was only the second baseball sectional title in school history, and the Crusaders surpassed the school record for wins in a season, which was previously 29 wins in 2005.
Ceja was one of the main reasons the Crusaders had such success.
Ceja went 10-0 on the mound with a 1.08 ERA as he struck out 90 batters with 24 walks in 65 innings pitched.
"It was a good one," says Ottawa Marquette head baseball coach Todd Hopkins of Ceja's 2010 baseball season. "It was what I thought he would have as a pitcher -- hitting wise he surprised me. He hit the ball. He had big hits. ... He really did better than I anticipated, and hopefully, he can carry that over and do even better next year."
Ceja batted .451 with 56 RBIs and 34 runs. He had 10 doubles, three triples and six home runs. He walked 15 times and struck out 23 times in 122 at bats.
The hitting success even surprised Ceja.
"It was kind of a shocker," Ceja says of his hitting prowess. "Last year, I did OK. This year, it was an outstanding year. I hit great until the postseason. I was on almost every game."
Ceja's stats say he was one of the best hitters in the area this year, and his pitching stats make his contributions outside the batter's box quantifiable leading Ceja to be the 2010 NewsTribune Boys Baseball Player of the Year.
This year, he was named the best baseball player in North Central Illinois, but Hopkins is looking to next year when Ceja could be the best baseball player in the state.
He is currently ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2011.
"He's a special player that's why he's ranked second in the state," Hopkins says. "He's probably the best prospect in the state. I know how hard he throws. He's got three good pitches that he can get over whenever he wants. ... He is better than advertised."
Ceja has verbally committed to attend the University of Louisville for baseball. He can sign a National Letter of Intent to play at Louisville on Nov. 10.
Until then, he is bound by his word, but no one should expect Ceja to back out from his commitment to the Cardinals.
"I will definitely stay at Louisville cause they got a very good pitching coach, and I know he will get me better," Ceja says.
Roger Williams is the heralded Louisville pitching coach that Ceja looks forward to playing for in the future. Williams and the rest of the Louisville coaching staff cannot comment on Ceja until he officially signs his Letter of Intent.
Ceja says he chose Louisville over Arizona State, Illinois and South Alabama.
"It's far, but it's not far enough where it's a plane ride away," Ceja says of Louisville. "I don't want to be a plane ride away from home. I think that would be too hard for me. When we went there, the campus was amazing, and they have a great baseball team."
Ceja committed to Louisville in December, and Hopkins has been impressed with the way his ace pitcher behaved in response to the attention from committing to a Division I school.
"I think he's handled it like a professional," Hopkins says. "I really believe that he one day will be a professional, just the way his demeanor is. He's a great kid. Give his parents credit for that. If you saw him outside of baseball, you wouldn't know he was a star athlete. He doesn't act like it. He's just an everyday Joe."
He is an everyday Joe with a 94 mile-per-hour fastball.
It is one of three pitches in Ceja's arsenal along with a curveball and changeup, but it is the fastball that is his fail-safe.
Hopkins thinks the fastball can get even better.
"There is no question he is going to be throwing harder," Hopkins says of Ceja heading into his senior year. "I anticipate him throwing in the 95 or 96 (mph) range next year. It probably won't happen in March or April, but by the time May rolls around, he's going to be hitting that. ... There is no reason why he can't take the next step up to the 95 or 96 range."
Hopkins says it will take Ceja strengthening his core and legs to reach those upper 90s with his fastball.
Those slight improvements and Ceja could be having even more fun in a Crusader uniform next year.
"We have a good chance to get back where we were," Ceja says. "We got to pick it up from this year cause there were a lot of good seniors on this team. If we play hard and do what we're supposed to, we can do it again."
But he may not have had as much enjoyment in a season previously as he had this spring for the Ottawa Marquette Crusaders.
Ceja led Marquette to a 31-6 record that included regional and sectional titles.
"It feels really great," Ceja says. "I had a great year."
It was only the second baseball sectional title in school history, and the Crusaders surpassed the school record for wins in a season, which was previously 29 wins in 2005.
Ceja was one of the main reasons the Crusaders had such success.
Ceja went 10-0 on the mound with a 1.08 ERA as he struck out 90 batters with 24 walks in 65 innings pitched.
"It was a good one," says Ottawa Marquette head baseball coach Todd Hopkins of Ceja's 2010 baseball season. "It was what I thought he would have as a pitcher -- hitting wise he surprised me. He hit the ball. He had big hits. ... He really did better than I anticipated, and hopefully, he can carry that over and do even better next year."
Ceja batted .451 with 56 RBIs and 34 runs. He had 10 doubles, three triples and six home runs. He walked 15 times and struck out 23 times in 122 at bats.
The hitting success even surprised Ceja.
"It was kind of a shocker," Ceja says of his hitting prowess. "Last year, I did OK. This year, it was an outstanding year. I hit great until the postseason. I was on almost every game."
Ceja's stats say he was one of the best hitters in the area this year, and his pitching stats make his contributions outside the batter's box quantifiable leading Ceja to be the 2010 NewsTribune Boys Baseball Player of the Year.
This year, he was named the best baseball player in North Central Illinois, but Hopkins is looking to next year when Ceja could be the best baseball player in the state.
He is currently ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2011.
"He's a special player that's why he's ranked second in the state," Hopkins says. "He's probably the best prospect in the state. I know how hard he throws. He's got three good pitches that he can get over whenever he wants. ... He is better than advertised."
Ceja has verbally committed to attend the University of Louisville for baseball. He can sign a National Letter of Intent to play at Louisville on Nov. 10.
Until then, he is bound by his word, but no one should expect Ceja to back out from his commitment to the Cardinals.
"I will definitely stay at Louisville cause they got a very good pitching coach, and I know he will get me better," Ceja says.
Roger Williams is the heralded Louisville pitching coach that Ceja looks forward to playing for in the future. Williams and the rest of the Louisville coaching staff cannot comment on Ceja until he officially signs his Letter of Intent.
Ceja says he chose Louisville over Arizona State, Illinois and South Alabama.
"It's far, but it's not far enough where it's a plane ride away," Ceja says of Louisville. "I don't want to be a plane ride away from home. I think that would be too hard for me. When we went there, the campus was amazing, and they have a great baseball team."
Ceja committed to Louisville in December, and Hopkins has been impressed with the way his ace pitcher behaved in response to the attention from committing to a Division I school.
"I think he's handled it like a professional," Hopkins says. "I really believe that he one day will be a professional, just the way his demeanor is. He's a great kid. Give his parents credit for that. If you saw him outside of baseball, you wouldn't know he was a star athlete. He doesn't act like it. He's just an everyday Joe."
He is an everyday Joe with a 94 mile-per-hour fastball.
It is one of three pitches in Ceja's arsenal along with a curveball and changeup, but it is the fastball that is his fail-safe.
Hopkins thinks the fastball can get even better.
"There is no question he is going to be throwing harder," Hopkins says of Ceja heading into his senior year. "I anticipate him throwing in the 95 or 96 (mph) range next year. It probably won't happen in March or April, but by the time May rolls around, he's going to be hitting that. ... There is no reason why he can't take the next step up to the 95 or 96 range."
Hopkins says it will take Ceja strengthening his core and legs to reach those upper 90s with his fastball.
Those slight improvements and Ceja could be having even more fun in a Crusader uniform next year.
"We have a good chance to get back where we were," Ceja says. "We got to pick it up from this year cause there were a lot of good seniors on this team. If we play hard and do what we're supposed to, we can do it again."
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gotta imagine he goes to college or we throw a ton of money at him
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[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ejKk-ogvE&feature=player_embedded[/ame]
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