Greensboro: Zach Sullivan, SS

[tjfla]

Discuss

[HUGG]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTPmUkQmBwE[/ame]
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Sullivan is an incredibly athletic outfielder who has all the tools to be a solid player at the next level. At the plate, Sullivan is an aggressive hitter with good bat speed and bat control but needs to develop a better approach. He also has decent power already and should be able to add more as he fills out. Sullivan’s best tool is his speed which, along with great instincts, will allow him to steal a substantial number of bases in pro ball. He also is an above-average defender in center with good range and reactions and a a solid arm. Sullivan’s bat will be the key for him as he moves forward and will decide if he is more of a defensive replacement or an everyday starter.

-MLB.com

weird that we announced him as a SS

[emkayseven]

If nothing else, the last 10 months have provided Zach Sullivan a sample of the dizzying travel schedule of life in professional baseball.

Last August, Sullivan – a blue chip centerfielder and senior at Corning East – followed a successful showing at the prestigious Area Code Games in Southern California with exhibitions at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field in New York City.

More recently, Sullivan flew to Florida on Friday to work out at Tropicana Field with the Tampa Bay Rays. A couple days later, he was off to the Pacific Northwest for a visit with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, before returning to Corning on Tuesday.

For the next couple days or so, however, Sullivan will trade in his frequent flier miles for some quality time at home with friends and family as he eagerly awaits a lifelong dream to be fulfilled.

Sullivan is expected to be selected at some point over the next 72 hours when the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft begins at 7 p.m. today.

“I’m very excited,” Sullivan said. “These past couple years of doing all this travel ball has led up to this moment. I’ve been really anxious these past couple months for this and now that it’s finally here and now it’s just time to wait and see where everything pans out.”

With only the first two rounds of the draft scheduled to take place today, Sullivan believes there’s a better chance his name will be called Friday. There are a total of 40 rounds in the draft.

One of the earliest projections for Sullivan came from baseball scouting website perfectgame.org, which predicted Sullivan will be drafted in the fourth round.

After gaining the attention of MLB scouts last summer during a number of all-star showcase tournaments, Sullivan finished off a sensational high school career as he helped the Corning Hawks claim both division (STAC West) and conference (STAC) titles for the first time in the program’s history.

As a senior in 2014, Sullivan boasted a sweltering .458 batting average (27-for-59), drove in 28 runs and homered three times. He also accrued a team-best 14 stolen bases and posted a .773 slugging percentage.

For Corning varsity baseball coach John Knapp, it’s obvious why Major League scouts flocked to see the Hawks – and more specifically Sullivan – play this past season.

“He has the five tools – he’s got speed, he hits well, he hits for power, he’s got an outstanding defensive manner to himself and a tremendous arm,” Knapp said. “And you put the five tools together on a 6-foot-3, 180-pound high school student and he’s just a once-in-a-lifetime athlete.”

While Sullivan said the Rays and Mariners have shown the most interest in him, he’s also been in close contact with the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants.
“Every game, there were Major League Baseball scouts from various teams there,” Knapp said. “A few of them, after the game would put Zachary through a series of drills to kind of hone in on his ability.”
“This past week, ever since we got done (with workouts in Tampa Bay and Seattle), most every team has contacted either me, my dad or my advisor (Jack Toffey),” Sullivan said, noting that teams are trying to see how serious he is about potentially foregoing a college career to sign a professional contract.

In November, Sullivan signed a letter of intent to attend college and play for the NCAA Division I baseball program at SUNY Stony Brook.

Sullivan said he would consider turning pro right out of high school, but it would depend on the offer.
“We’ve been talking and making a family decision about what’s the lowest I would take to be able to forego the college experience and being a student athlete,” Sullivan said. “It’s just a family decision to see how everything happens.”

Only the first two rounds of the draft will be shown on MLB Network. Rounds 3-10 will be available on mlb.com beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, while rounds 11-40 will be on mlb.com starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.

http://www.the-leader.com/article/20...09851/?Start=2

[emkayseven]

All that hard work has finally paid off.

Corning East senior Zach Sullivan was selected in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball draft Saturday by the Miami Marlins, going 407th overall.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Sullivan said Saturday. “Leading up to it was so stressful. It’s just a stress relief.”

His father Jack added, “It’s a great experience for him to be drafted into pro baseball. We’re happy it’s over.”

Sullivan, 18, was the third-highest player picked from a New York high school, behind Baldwinsville pitcher Scott Blewett (Kansas City Royals, second round, 56th overall) and Kingston second baseman Patrick Dorrian (Atlanta Braves, 12th round, 373rd overall).

Sullivan’s mother, Lisa Rossi-Sullivan, noted Zach went out with some friends to purchase Marlins caps shortly after learning he was taken by Miami.

Sullivan played center field this season for the combined Corning baseball team. He batting .500 with six doubles, two triples, three homers, 37 RBIs, 31 stolen bases and a .573 slugging percentage to help the Hawks win the Southern Tier Athletic Conference championship.

Corning coach John Knapp believes the Marlins are getting someone who will get better as he matures. Major League Baseball’s website, mlb.com, listed Sullivan as 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds.

“He’s an athlete, a Division I athlete, a pro athlete. He can now mold his body getting into a training program. He’ll get bigger and stronger and weigh about 200 pounds,” Knapp said.

“His athleticism is off the charts. Zachary has played football and basketball,” Knapp continued. “The benefit of my job was being able to tell scouts what a great young man and what a great leader he is.

“He’s worked extremely hard, made a lot of sacrifices and made good choices. It’s good to see him reaching his potential.”

The mlb.com scouting report on Sullivan called him “an incredibly athletic outfielder who has all the tools to be a solid player at the next level. He also has decent power already and should be able to add more as he fills out.

http://www.pressconnects.com/article...und-by-Marlins

[Mainge]

He iso'd .073 and had what looks like 11 XBH in what's likely 20+ games.

Wonder why his power didn't show in games.

[emkayseven]

Zach Sullivan is expected to make a decision on whether he will sign a minor-league contract with the Miami Marlins later this week said his mother, Lisa Rossi-Sullivan, on Monday.

The Corning East senior was selected in the 14th round, No. 407 overall, in the Major League Baseball draft by the National League team on Saturday.

“Probably within a couple of days, we should have some closure in terms of where things move,” Rossi-Sullivan said.

She said her son had “a couple of conversations” with the Marlins on Sunday evening. Among the details she said they went over was that Sullivan would likely start out with the Gulf Coast League Marlins rookie team based in Jupiter, Fla.

Although Sullivan signed a letter of intent in November to attend Stony Brook and play for the Division I program there, he told the Star-Gazette on Saturday that he is leaning toward foregoing college baseball and joining the Marlins farm system after he graduates June 28.

Sullivan said he is hoping to land a contract that includes a signing bonus and an agreement from the Marlins to cover costs for education if he is to pursue one.

Said Rossi-Sullivan on Monday, “What we’re waiting for is the final details in what that’s going to bring for Stony Brook. That is something that is very important to us and then he’ll make that final decision.”

She added, “It’s all really exciting and quite wonderful.”

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/artic...-Miami-Marlins

[tjfla]

SIGNED

Finally graduated from HS-Says got 5th Rd Money and will play CF

http://www.ithacajournal.com/article...n-sign-Marlins