LATEST PG SHOWCASE REPORT
2006 National Showcase
Derrick (D.J.) Fitzgerald is a 2007 right hand hitting middle infielder from Ocean Lakes HS, residing in Virginia Beach, VA. Fitzgerald has a compact, strong, athletic build on a 6'0" 178 lb. frame. He was ranked #78 among PG National Top 100 position players. Fitzgerald hits from a square stance and employs a quiet hitting approach. He has a quick bat and swings aggressively, but stays in control of that swing. When hitting his best he hits the ball the other way. He is a line drive contact hitter with enough speed to put pressure on the defense. Fitzgerald's swing plane is pretty flat and he is short the ball, while regularly putting together quality, competitive at-bats. He looks to be a solid two-hole type that can drive in some runs. Fitzgerald is capable of playing either middle infield spot but looks more comfortable and polished at 2nd base. His arm rates as solid average in raw arm strength, with a release that works better for him at 2nd. He has enough arm to go across the diamond, but it takes a bit more effort than will play as well when the game moves at higher speeds. He does have enough athleticism to develop a quicker release, keeping shortstop as an option. A good runner, Fitzgerald ran 4.49 home/1st with a 6.83 60 yard time. Like most players, his underway speed is better than his burst out of the box. It is likely that a handful of area scouts will check in on Fitzgerald from time to time this spring, afterall he does play in one of the hotbeds for prospects the last number of years and his a good player. Look for him to play D1 ball and continue to develop into a stronger professional prospect in a few years.