GLENDALE, Ariz. – There was still a chill in the desert air early Saturday morning as the more than 110 prospects began gathering at the Camelback Ranch Cactus League spring training complex for the first day of play at the Perfect Game West Uncommitted Showcase and PG National Underclass West Showcase.
Among those on hand for the West Uncommitted was Anthony Amicangelo, a 2016 outfielder/shortstop from Bremerton, Wash., who could not have been any more adamant about his reason for being in the Valley in the Sun this weekend. He will be graduating from Bremerton High School this spring and his college plans are far from being solidified.
“I find myself without a college so I thought it was definitely important to come out here and show the colleges and the scouts and the Perfect Game organization what I have to offer as far as a baseball player,” Amicangelo said after completing the fielding portion of the morning workout session.
“This is part of the process, communicating between each (college) coach, sending them video, keeping them updated on my schedule, what tournaments I’m going to, how I’m doing in school,” he explained. “It’s rough but it’s for the love of the game and to keep playing on and reach the MLB eventually; it’s just my goal.”
It’s a goal shared by every one of the more than 30 prospects in attendance at the West Uncommitted. This isn’t Amicangelo’s first go-around at a PG showcase but there are always things to work on and improve upon, and always a new set of eyes to try to impress.
“This gives him a chance to come down here and improve his (workout numbers),” Anthony’s father, Stacy Amicangelo, said Saturday morning. “He’s got some college stuff going but there’s always that chance there’s a little bit more out there.”
The savviest and most serious competitors at a PG showcase like the West Uncommitted or National Underclass West know they provide not only a stage on which they can show their wares but double as an all-encompassing classroom. Amicangelo enjoys the interactions with the other prospects, whether they’re talking about swinging the bat or throwing the ball – they’re always looking out for each other.
Amicangelo’s name was featured prominently in the listing of the leaders from the morning workout session. He posted personal and event bests with a 90 mph throw from the outfield and an 85 mph throw across the infield, although his 7.06 clocking in the 60-yard dash was off his personal best of the 6.95 he recorded at the PG Northwest Showcase this summer.
“It’s awesome being out here and meeting new guys and doing all the drills and improving your (times and velocities),” Amicangelo said. “You’re coming out here during the offseason and working on things just to better yourself.”
Bremerton, Wash., is a community that lies an hour’s ferry ride west of downtown Seattle, and Amicangelo describes a competitive baseball culture around the Seattle area. “There are plenty of Division I players, there are plenty of players that went on to play professional baseball,” he said. “There’s just a lot of competitive baseball being played up there.”
Amicangelo played basketball through his eighth-grade year but decided to put it aside to pursue baseball on more of a full-time basis. He’s been pleased with the progress his game has shown.
“I remember not too long ago I was out here running high 60 times and not throwing as hard as I wanted to,” he said. “It’s good to get out here and see that you’ve been progressing in the weight room and how it translates to how you do out on the field.”
The dream of one day playing in the big leagues began to enter Amicangelo’s mind when he was around 5 years old, but as he got older he came to realize he would have to put in a lot of hard work to make that dream a reality. When he was 12 or 13 years old, he knew he was going to have to pick up the pace – “get on top of it” in his words – and he went out and began to chase the competition.
He played at the 14u PG World Series in 2012 and was at the 2014 18u PG MLK Championship. He hammered it this past year, beginning with a return appearance to the 2015 18u PG MLK Championship followed. He followed that up with appearances at the PG/EvoShield National Championship (Upperclass), the PG Northwest Showcase and the PG California World Series (Underclass).
The PG Northwest Showcase experience was a fine one for Amicangelo, and not only because it was held in Ravensdale, Wash., about an hour from his Bremerton home. He was named to the prestigious Top Prospect List and earned a very respectable 8.5 PG Grade (10.0 is tops) at the conclusion of the event.
His post-event scouting report noted his “quick hands with present bat speed … (with) the ability to stay inside the baseball for opposite field contact; an aggressive hitter early in counts who produced consistent hard contact.”
Finally, Amicangelo made the long trip to Jupiter, Fla., in late October to play at the blockbuster PG WWBA World Championship with Salem, Ore.-based Baseball Northwest and immediately got a taste of the of the big-time.
Northwest’s first opponent was the EvoShield Canes – which went on to win its unprecedented third straight PG WWBA World Championship title – and faced PG All-American Matt Manning, who was unhittable in two innings of work.
“It was crazy going down there,” Amicangelo recalled. “We went down there and right away we’re facing a guy throwing 95 (mph); it was a lot of fun. You’re surrounded by a bunch of guys with the same goals and they aspire to (achieve) the same things and eventually go on to the next level. They all work as hard as they can to try to get the top – MLB or any other professional baseball.”
Amicangelo still has plenty of time to make a college choice and his game continues to improve offers are sure to come his way. On the “colleges interested in” segment on his PG Player Profile Page, he lists mostly northern schools like Michigan State, Ohio, Northern Colorado and Washington State.
A decision will come all in good time. For now, he can look forward to his senior season at Bremerton High – he won a league batting title and was second-team all-state a junior – and all the memories it will create.
“It’s a good ride; it’s fun and it’s kind of cool to make the ride with him,” Stacy Amicangelo said. “Today is so different for these guys, and they can get more games in one season then a guy could get in five years (in the past). A lot of these kids are playing mostly the year around – you’ve got to take a few months off to save the arm – but with most of these kids it’s almost like you have to keep playing just to keep up with everything.”