EDITOR'S
NOTE: Jheremy Brown spent three weeks in Emerson, Ga., covering the
2015 16u and 15u WWBA National Championships as well as the 13u, 14u,
15u and 16u PG World Series and provides some thoughts on some of the
standout performers as a final recap to the summer tournament season.
With that in mind, there were countless performances that are more
than noteworthy that are not mentioned below, as only first-hand
observations were taken into account.
For
more notes from Jheremy Brown, and Brian Sakowski, please visit the
daily recaps from the aforementioned events.
16u
WWBA Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
| Day 3
| Day 4
| Day 5
| Day 6
| Day 7
15u
WWBA Daily Recaps: Day 1
| Day 2
| Day 3
| Day 4
| Day 5
| Day 6
| Days 7-8
15u/16u
PG World Series Daily Recaps: Day 1
| Day 2
| Day 3
A
Quick Synopsis of a Three-Week Odyssey
Wait,
what?
One
of the beauties about the game of baseball is no matter what you
think you might see or conceive to be nearly impossible it’s almost
a foregone conclusion that the opposite will occur. The players below
turned in solid performances that almost make you scratch your head
while watching them do their thing out on the diamond.
Alejandro
Toral, 1B
2017
| Davie, Fla. | Commitment: Miami
Okay,
so this may be cheating as he technically participated in the 17u
WWBA National Championship with Elite Squad Prime, but this
particular moment occurred while the 16u WWBA was beginning on
adjacent fields. Known for his top-of-the-class lefthanded power
since his first Perfect Game event over two years ago, Toral strode
to the plate with his team down a run and a ticket to the
championship game on the line. Like a seasoned veteran, despite
actually being one of the youngest players on the field, Toral
remained calm and jumped all over a fastball, sending a rising line
drive over the right field fence for a solo home run, jumping off the
barrel at 106 mph.
A
recent commit to the University of Miami, Toral possesses some of the
top power in all of amateur baseball, and the fact that the No. 4
overall prospect has another full year on the summer circuit and two
years of high school baseball is a scary thought for any opposing
pitcher. Though he’s known for his elite level power, Toral’s
able to show it off as frequently as he does due to his advanced
approach and overall aptitude for hitting. The blast put an
exclamation point on an impressive summer for Toral and the video
above relives the memorable home run.
Jordon
Adell, OF
2017
| Louisville, Kentucky | Commitment: Louisville
While
Toral and Leonel Perez (detailed below), each provided a singular
blast throughout the three weeks, Jordon Adell made a habit of
launching long balls throughout the 16u WWBA National Champinoship
and the 16u PG World Series. Hitting three home runs in each of the
two tournaments, Adell continued to put one of his many high level
and extremely loud tools on display. After an eye opening performance
at the Junior National Showcase in June, in which he ran a 6.47
60-yard dash and threw 97 mph from the outfield, Adell continued to
put his fast bat and big righthanded power on display.
With
each shot that he hit even more memorable than the last, Adell’s
encore to a 106 mph, 405-foot shot to the left-center field gap
during the 16u WWBA National Championship was another hard liner over
the left-center field fence at 100.6 mph off the barrel. While the
sheer number of home runs is impressive, Adell’s final home run of
the tournament may have been the most remarkable as he drove the ball
hard over the right-center field wall showing his strength plays to
all fields, even at 8:15 in the morning. With a long and muscular,
fast-twitch frame, Adell has all the tools to justify his No. 6
overall ranking in the 2017 class and more importantly shows that
they play on a more than regular basis.
Tyler
Myrick, RHP
2016
| Lake City, Fla. | Commitment: Alabama State
It
wasn’t even 12 months ago that I last saw Tyler Myrick on the
mound, but a lot had certainly changed between my two viewing of the
Floridian righthander. Last summer at the 15u Perfect Game World
Series Myrick sat in the 83-86 mph range rather comfortably, and to
prove the type of jump he’s made, he rarely threw a fastball at or
below 86 mph in multiple looks this summer. With noticeable added
strength to his broad and strongly built frame, Myrick proved to be
not only durable over the course of seven innings, but that he’s
able to carry and even get stronger in terms of velocity as innings
progress.
Working
from an up-tempo, high energy delivery Myrick shows off his
athleticism, as he’s not only able to repeat his delivery but does
so while filling up the strike zone. If you were to watch video or
see him throw live you might point out the fact that his arm slot
isn’t from pitch-to-pitch but that’s done with intent and is part
of the reason the Alabama State commit remains so difficult to hit.
Able to work through a lineup multiple times on just his fastball,
Myrick typically lived at 88-93 mph while peaking at 94 mph and did
so up until the last pitch of the game. A part of the reason for such
a wide range on his fastball is due to Myrick dropping down to a
lower three-quarters slot which adds even more sinking and heavy life
to his already bat-breaking fastball, living in the 88-91 mph range
from that slot.
From
his more comfortable and traditional three-quarters slot Myrick comes
out attacking with his heater which shows heavy bowling ball type
life and in one start threw fastballs for roughly 65 of his 74
pitches in a complete game, shutout effort. His arm action is very
fast and remains hidden through the back and at release, making it
even more difficult to pick up especially as he’s able to dot his
fastball to either side of the plate.
Ian
Anderson
2016
| Rexford, N.Y. | Commitment: Vanderbilt
With
a handful of 2015 Perfect Game All-Americans both age eligible and in
attendance for the 16u WWBA National Championship, none made a bigger
impression than this Vanderbilt University commit. No more than a
year ago Anderson was working in the mid-80s with his fastball but
shortly thereafter he began climbing into the upper-80s while toucing
90-91 mph.
Knowing
it was only a matter of time before more velocity was coming,
Anderson turned in a strong performance at the Perfect Game National
Showcase before taking his stuff a step higher while in Emerson. With
an ideal and long 6-foot-3 frame, Anderson isn’t done growing quite
yet, and it’s scary to think what his stuff will look like come
June of 2016 with additional strength gains. Throwing for his
hometown team, the Clifton Park Knights, the young righthander came
out looking to prove he’s the top righthanded prep pitcher in his
class and the message was loud and clear. In the opening frame
Anderson sat at 94 mph, bumping a 95 once and simply overpowered
hitters while looking as though he was playing a game of catch with
his twin brother Ben, who was doing the catching.
The
arm action is as clean as you’ll find on a pitcher his age and his
command of the strike zone rivals any in the class as he’s able to
work to either side of the plate with intent while harnessing the
late tailing life. His fastball velocity puts him in the grouping of
elite arms, but it’s the off-speed that serves as a separator with
both his curveball and changeup showing above average at present
while projecting for more. Anderson’s curveball is one of the best
in next year's draft class, regardless of high school or college,
showing late bite and big depth in the upper-70s which usually
foreshadows that more fastball velocity is en route.
His
changeup is just as advanced at present, and as outings progressed
the more frequently he showed the pitch. Thrown in the low-80s and
peaking at 84 mph, everything up until the last 10 feet says fastball
out of Anderson’s hand, including the hitters' instincts, as they
jump out onto their front foot early, swinging over or creating weak
contact on the late diving pitch. Perhaps the most impressive
takeaway was Anderson’s advanced level of pitchability as of the 67
pitches he threw, 51 of them were for strikes.
Leonel
Perez, 3B
2017
| Palmview, Texas | Commitment: None
Imagine
you’re called in to pinch hit in the top of the seventh with two
outs, bases loaded and your team down four runs. Now add into the
equation that the winning team heads to the 15u WWBA World
Championships finale.
While
the Houston Banditos ultimately dropped the semifinal game to Chain
National, pinch hitter Leonel Perez was responsible for the single
most impressive moment of the entire tournament. With a timeout
called after a first-pitch strike to Perez, Banditos Coach Ray DeLeon
said something to the effect of “get ready, something is going to
happen on the next pitch,” and boy was he right. Seeing an elevated
fastball he knew he could handle, the uncommitted Perez, who also
shows an easy upper-80s fastball on the mound, unloaded on the 0-1
offering over the left field fence to tie the game while
simultaneously erupting his dugout and giving his team another chance
at victory.
Uncommitted,
but for how long?
Below
are five players who were already highly regarded prospects, and
during their time in the South did nothing but reaffirm what college
recruiters and evaluators already thought in their minds. All of the
players below have been written about extensively in our daily recaps
(as linked above).
Nicholas
Storz, RHP
2017
| Brooklyn, N.Y.
Update: Committed to Louisiana State University, August 7, 2015
I’ve
covered Storz rather extensively over the last two years, first
seeing him in the spring of his freshman year at Poly Prep, and the
overall development of Nicholas Storz since that outing is rather
impressive. Up until last spring Storz was viewed as a primary
catcher who could jump on the mound and throw hard based mostly off
his arm strength rather than overall mechanics on the mound.
Like
with anything when you’re learning, repetitions are key, and with
his focus turned almost solely on pitching – he also shows
impressive raw power with the bat – the strides Storz has made in
terms of both his mechanics and overall feel were noteworthy. Sitting
comfortably in the 88-90 mph range with the ability to bump up to
91-92 when needed, Storz’s arm action has become much more fluid
over the last calendar year as have his mechanics which he
consistently repeats, allowing him to locate his fastball to either
side of the plate.
Always
having the big fastball and prototypical size the young New Yorker
has shown outstanding development with both his slider and changeup,
helping him become a well-rounded pitching prospect. In his most
recent outing in the playoffs, Storz was able to rely on his slider
until he found the feel for his fastball. He threw his slider in the
78-80 mph with sharp bite and late tilt, serving as a true put-away
pitch throughout his time on the mound.
He
won’t show his changeup as frequently but it also made jumps since
last summer as he does a better job of maintaining his arm action on
the 80 mph offering and in turn is able to generate late fading life
down in the zone.
Conor
Grady, RHP
2017
| Tampa, Fla.
Update: Committed to Florida State University, August 6, 2015
One
of only a handful of prospects within the Perfect Game top 100 high
school rankings who remains uncommitted, Grady opened eyes with his
performances down in Georgia with a bevy of suitors looking on. After
getting my first look at Grady last fall at the PG Florida Qualifier,
there’s been visible strength added to his 6-foot-2 frame along
with more fluidity to his overall mechanics. Previously showing a
slight pause at the top of his delivery before driving towards the
plate, Grady moves through his mechanics smoother now with a loose
and whippy arm action that’s capable of producing highly sought
after stuff.
Grady,
like Storz above, showed impressive velocity throughout his outing as
he sat at 87-90 mph, peaking as high as 91 early in the game. Very
fluid through his arm action, Grady’s able to generate consistent
sinking life on his fastball and does so with relative ease while
locating to either side of the plate. The fastball is just part of
the story for Grady as he shows two distinctive breaking balls with
both a slider and curveball. Showing more depth on his curveball and
sweeping life on his slider, Grady rounds out the full arsenal with a
changeup in the 78-80 mph range, showing a solid differential in
velocity while mimicking his loose and easy arm action.
Shane
Shifflett, SS
2017
| Venice, Fla.
Update: Committed to University of Florida, August 12, 2015
The
exploits of Shifflett on the diamond aren’t a hidden secret as he
already has 33 different Perfect Game events listed to his name,
including three showcases, with the most recent coming in June in
Fort Myers for the Junior National Showcase. Full of fast-twitch
muscle, Shifflett showed well on both sides of the ball during his
time in Georgia with the Florida Burn. Listed at 5-foot-11,
165-pounds, Shifflett showed off his prowess up the middle as he made
several plays ranging to his right with soft hands and plenty of arm
strength across the diamond off his back foot. He has the athleticism
and instincts to stay at the premium position at the collegiate level
and shows as much range up the middle as he does to his backhand.
With
the bat Shifflett is listed as a switch hitter and is more than
capable of doing so though he hit mostly righthanded over the last
couple of tournaments in Georgia. The quick-twitch athleticism
translates into above average speed down the line though he didn’t
have to show it over as he continued to hit line drive after line
drive into the outfield, some falling for base hits while others were
at-‘em balls. Shifflett is full of tools that play at present and
projects well as he’s only going to get stronger as he develops
physically.
Jacob
Pfennigs, RHP
2018
| Post Falls, Idaho
It’s
not often I get to write about a player from Idaho. Only heading into
his sophomore year of high school there’s more than enough reason
to believe that this won’t be the last time I write about the young
Jacob Pfennigs. Already ranked No. 68 by Perfect Game heading into
the tournament, the 6-foot-6 Pfennigs solidified himself as an arm to
watch in the 2018 class, even if he isn’t from one of the typical
baseball hotbeds.
With
a long and lean 180-pound frame, Pfennigs immediately shows off his
athleticism as he remains balanced and is able to repeat his
delivery. While the lower half remains pretty consistent, Pfennigs’
release point would vary at times, which would create occasional hard
cutting life, but the arm action remained quick and tension free.
Early
in the contest and through the first couple of innings Pfennigs
worked comfortably in the 85-88 mph range, peaking 89 a time or two
in the opening inning while showing solid acceleration through the
back with the ability to work down in the zone with his fastball.
Along with the fastball Pfennigs showed both a changeup in the
mid-70s and a slider in the upper-70s, each showing present life, and
like his fastball, project for even more in the near future.
Mason
Denaburg, C/RHP
2018
| Merritt Island, Fla.
Update: Committed to University of Florida, September 3, 2015
Not
only does Denaburg shine defensively behind the plate and with his
righthanded swing but he also makes a loud impression with his
ability on the mound, proving to be a true two-way talent and a
highly sought after commodity by major collegiate programs. Ranked
No. 35 in Perfect Game’s 2018 rankings, Denaburg’s athleticism is
consistently put on display as he shows loose and flexible actions
behind the plate despite his long 6-foot-3 frame. His arm is a game
changer too, showing a short transfer and a quick release along with
above average arm strength and carry down to second base.
Although
he's only listed at 170 pounds, Denaburg already shows strength in
his swing, and along with the power, he shows an solid overall feel
for hitting and isn’t afraid to use all fields. Though a majority
of the contact I saw off of Denaburg’s barrel was hard and to his
pull side, with loose hands and a short path, he also showed the
ability to stay balanced on curveballs and go with outer half pitches
to the opposite field.
Showing
the same athleticism on the mound Denaburg is able to not only run
his fastball into the upper-80s, peaking at 89 mph, but he’s able
to hold the velocity from the first pitch of the game to the last
thanks in part to how quick his right arm is. He’ll continue to
gain velocity as he continues to incorporate his lower half into his
delivery, but he already shows the ability to live down in the zone
with his fastball, inducing uncomfortable swings from hitters with
his fastball.
Commitments,
commitments, commitments.
The
following players all arrived in Emerson, Ga., uncommitted, but after
strong showings were able to head home and begin their next year in
high school with their collegiate commitment taken care of. Less than
three weeks ago all the following players would have been listed in
the grouping above, however, after their standout performances
coaches acted swiftly and picked up key pieces to their future
recruiting classes.
Pat
DeMarco, OF
2017
| Staten Island, N.Y. | Commitment: Vanderbilt
Sterling
Hayes, SS
2018
| La Jolla, Calif. | Commitment: Vanderbilt
DeMarco
isn’t a stranger to having coaches look on as he played this past
spring for a loaded Poly Prep team in New York and is the three-hole
hitter in a talent-laden Team Elite Prime lineup. A broadly and
strongly built 5-foot-11, 205-pound center fielder, DeMarco shows the
defensive tools to stand out with solid reads off the bat and a
strong arm on his throws coming in. The defensive abilities are nice,
but DeMarco’s calling card is the big power that’s packed into
his righthanded swing as he shows the ability to drive the ball to
all fields and does so with solid extension and life off the barrel.
Proving
that their reach works from coast-to-coast the Vanderbilt coaching
staff went into California to pull out the young infielder, Sterling
Hayes. With a projectable 6-foot-1, 175-pound build, Hayes already
shows loose actions up the middle with quick hands fielding and
getting rid of the ball. My looks at Hayes aren’t as extensive as
some other players listed, but through a couple of games you could
see his full array of tools. Beginning his swing with a rather
upright stance, Hayes shows plenty of balance as he shifts into
contact with a loose and fluid swing path with contact skills and
strength that project as he continues to add strength over the next
couple of years.
Nick
O’Day, OF
2018
| Coatesville, Pa. | Commitment: Texas Christian
Nick
O’Day still has three years of high school left to see where he
ultimately makes the most impact, either with the bat or on the
mound, but for now he’s able to stand out on both sides and make
his presence felt time and time again. A strongly built 5-foot-11,
180-pound right-handed bat, O’Day hit three home runs in
consecutive games of watching and in the second game he went yard in
back-to-back at-bats. Though all three of his home runs came to his
pull side O’Day wasn’t afraid to go with the pitch as he scorched
a couple of balls the opposite way and into either gap showing very
loose and fast hands with a consistent feel for the barrel. On the
mound the newly minted Horned Frog worked in the 88-90 mph range
early in his first start of the tournament, bumping 91 while
generating solid downhill plane with a quick right arm and a balanced
set of mechanics. Able to locate his heater to either side of the
plate, O’Day’s feel for his off speed has continued to develop
nicely as he shows both a low-70s 12-to-6 curveball and a harder
slider while rounding out the arsenal with a changeup, giving him a
solid four-pitch mix.
Cory
Acton, IF
2018
| Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Commitment: Florida
Calvin
Greenfield, C
2017
| Chicago, Ill. | Commitment: Florida
It
was a good two days down in “The Swamp” as Florida Head Coach
Kevin O’Sullivan and his staff first landed infielder Cory Acton
and followed up his verbal with one from catcher Cal Greenfield,
giving them quite a haul in a 48-hour window.
Despite
only entering his sophomore year of high school, Acton has already
put his sweet lefthanded swing on display at numerous events with
each swing as impressive as the last. Don’t let his listed
measurable of 5-foot-11, 145-pounds fool you as Acton is full of
hidden strength and is already able to spray hard line drives from
line to line, earning him the distinction of one of the top pure bats
in the 2018 class to this point in the process. He’s listed as a
middle infielder in his Perfect Game profile and played third
throughout the tournament, showing arm strength across and actions
that should allow him to play up the middle for Coach O’Sullivan.
There’s
little question as to where Cal Greenfield ends up at the next level
as everything he does now behind the plate plays up and would blend
right into the D-I level. He shows light, bouncy actions on his feet
with soft hands and a quick transfer, and though he already shows
enough arm strength to contest any attempted theft, it’s easy to
envision more zip coming in the future. Just as his hands are
defensively, Greenfield’s hands with the bat show standout
quickness, and when coupled with his physical build he’s able to
drive the ball to all parts of the field. He even showed off some
foot speed as he hit a shot into the opposite field gap and came all
the way around for an inside-the-park home run.
Chase
Wilkerson, SS/RHP
2018
| Headland, Ala. | Commitment: Florida State
Wilkerson
actually committed to the Seminoles at the end of the Perfect Game
World Series but he was a vital piece to Chain National’s run to
the 15u WWBA National Championship. Though listed as a primary
shortstop on his Perfect Game profile, Wilkerson made a loud
impression on the mound where brings his up-the-middle athleticism
and quick actions. Though listed at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, Wilkerson
regularly ran his fastball into the upper-80s in Georgia and 90 mph a
tournament prior while exhibiting the ability to maintain the
velocity throughout the duration of a game. A reason for this is that
Wilkerson’s arm action and delivery don’t require much effort at
all despite generating solid present velocity for a player heading
into his sophomore year. While a set of balanced and repeatable
mechanics Wilkerson shows a fast arm after his hand break, and when
coupled with his overall looseness in his frame and arm action, it’s
easy to project another jump or two in terms of velocity on his
fastball. Along with his fastball and the ability he showed to work
downhill to either side, Wilkerson displayed a nice feel for a
low-70s breaking ball with consistent depth and 11-to-5 shape.
Dillon
Marsh, LHP
2018
| Elizabethtown, Pa. | Commitment: Wake Forest
While
he’s not a catcher when he’s not on the mound like Denaburg
above, Dillon Marsh is a two-way talent who is equally impressive on
both sides of the ball. A strong and sturdy, broad-shouldered
6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthander, Marsh closed out a playoff game for
Bubba Baseball and did it rather impressively. With a physical build
that you don’t often see on a player heading into his sophomore
year, Marsh came out working in the 83-86 mph range showing a quick
arm and an up-tempo delivery on the mound. The ball comes out of his
hand cleanly and does so with angle from the first base side. The
pitch that served as a put-away offering for Marsh was his advanced
changeup in the upper-70s that featured late diving life while living
down in the zone. With the bat the newly minted Demon Deacon was just
as impressive as he brings that strength into the batter's box.
Generating solid extension in his swing with loose hands and a quick
barrel, it’s easy to see Marsh hitting the ball a long way due to
the amount of natural lift in his swing path and jump coming off when
squared up. The verbal commitment from Marsh is Wake Forest’s third
in the 2018 class joining Bubba teammate Brady Devereux and fellow
Northeasterner Brendan Tinsman.
Young
but impressionable
Sure,
the players below are only entering their sophomore year in high
school, outside of Triston Casas, and each are young, but we’re
talking about the impressions they made on those watching rather than
their age. Again aside from Casas, all the players are uncommitted
but made quite the impression in some of their first Perfect Game
events.
Kumar
Rocker, RHP
2018
| Watkinsville, Ga.
Not
listed in the program for the 16u WWBA National Championship, Rocker
made college coaches and myself scramble to find his name after a
single warmup pitch. Until we were given his name the 6-foot-3,
220-pound frame and effortless arm action were more than intriguing
for a player in the 2016 class, a bonus if he were a 2017, and near
jaw-dropping once told he was just going to be entering his sophomore
year. He came out sitting 87-89 and touched 90 mph, and the arm
action is as easy of one as you’ll find and the athleticism of
Rocker is evident after a handful of pitches.
With
a full, loose, and whip-like arm action through the back and at
release, Rocker is able to live down in the zone with his fastball
and create some sinking life on the pitch thanks to the extension he
generates out front. Throughout the three weeks and three different
looks at Rocker you could see an evolution in his overall game as he
began to show more secondaries, which included both a slider that he
could locate to either side and a changeup that showed similar life
down like his fastball. As he continues to grow and get even stronger
he’ll be more than interesting to follow with his three-pitch mix
and potential for an above average fastball.
Elijah
Cabell, OF
2018
| Winter Park, Fla.
If
there’s a 2018 version of what Jordon Adell is capable of doing
with the bat then it’s center fielder Elijah Cabell. Listed at
5-foot-10, 150-pounds, Cabell looks closer to 6-foot, 180-pounds with
a strong, muscular build and physicality throughout. He uses that
strength to generate some of the best bat speed I saw throughout my
three weeks in Georgia, regardless of graduation year, and as a
result was able to drive the ball hard to all parts of the field. A
righthanded hitter who sent a couple of balls over the fence, the
loudest came in an early morning game that looked like it had a
chance of going through the scoreboard if not for the protective
netting that hangs in front.
The
most impressive home run came later in the day though when Cabell
cleared the opposite field gap and provoked a college coach to say
something to the effect of “you just don’t see that” in regards
of the strength and ability to drive the ball to the opposite field.
As the tournament continued to progress Cabell kept going from
gap-to-gap, pacing a potent Central Florida Gators offense. The
athleticism plays in center as well as he shows above average arm
strength and uses his speed to get good jumps while showing solid
closing speed.
Not
surprisingly, he finished the 15u PG World Series as the event's Most
Valuable Player.
Ethan
Hankins, RHP
2018
| Cumming, Ga.
A
lot can change in 6-7 months and that holds true to the young
righthanded Hankins. The last time I saw him on the mound was last
October at the WWBA Freshman World Championship and at that time he
sat in the 80-83 mph range and stood 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. In a
tournament full of young, projectable talent, Hankins stood out
partially due to his velocity, but more important to his future
development was the loose and whippy arm action he showed, even as a
rising freshman. Since that tournament Hankins has grown three inches
and along with the height has added a consistent 5-6 mph to his
fastball, peaking 88-89 mph at a bevy of tournaments this summer.
Now
standing 6-foot-5 with long limbs and a lean, projectable frame,
Hankins projects as well as any arm in his class despite already
creating solid velocity with limited effort. Similar to Rocker,
Hankins creates solid extension at release and as a result shows late
life to his fastball, which is further helped by his lower arm slot.
Currently ranked No. 18 in the 2018 class, Hankins pitched mostly off
his fastball in my most recent viewing and was able to do so by
locating to either side of the plate with solid angle at release.
Triston
Casas, 3B/RHP
2019
| Pembroke Pines, Fla. | Commitment: Miami
Casas
has been making noise since last winter when he attended his first
Perfect Game showcase after committing to the University of Miami.
Since that showcase he’s attended another in the Perfect Game
Junior National and has participated in numerous of tournaments with
Elite Squad Prime. A true two-way talent, Casas doesn’t look like a
typical incoming freshman as he stands 6-foot-4, 238-pounds and he
doesn’t swing the bat or throw the ball like one either. A
lefthanded hitter, Casas shows an advanced feel for the barrel and
put that talent on display throughout his time in Georgia as he
continued to rip balls from foul pole to foul pole.
In
one particular game Casas drove a pitch down the right field line for
a standup triple and followed up that impressive at-bat by lining a
pitch into the opposite field for a hard single coming off the bat at
97 mph. He uses his strength well to generate big bat speed and also
brings that strength to the mound where he’s been clocked as high
as 91 mph this summer. Peaking out in the upper-80s during his time
in Georgia, Casas showed a quick arm and consistently worked downhill
with his fastball and stayed on top of his 12-to-6 curveball in the
mid-70s.
Gunnar
Hoglund, RHP
2018
| Hudson, Fla.
Earlier I mentioned how clean and easy Kumar Rocker’s arm action is
despite being a 2018 graduate and Hoglund’s arm action is just as
easy, producing similar stuff on the mound. Coming out of the bullpen
for his first appearance Hoglund looked as though he was working in
the low-80s while hardly breaking a sweat until you looked at the
radar gun and saw the 86-89 mph readings that were popping up.
Topping out at 90 mph, the ball comes out of Hoglund’s hand
incredibly easy and at the same time generates hard running life down
in the zone.
Hoglund
is able to repeat his delivery rather well for a young arm who’s
listed 6-foot-4 and is able to command the fastball life to either
side of the plate. The life and command are enough to stay off
barrels and he showed the ability to do so consistently as he threw a
complete game against a potent Central Florida Gators lineup in the
15u WWBA Championship game.
A
week later Hoglund was named the Most Valuable Pitcher at the 15u PG
World Series, and while he may only be heading into his sophomore
year of high school, he shows both a mid-70s curveball and a changeup
in the upper-70s. The change in particular has the makings to become
an above average pitch as he mimics his arm action well and shows
late tumbling life down in the zone.