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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/16/2016

17u BCS Finals Day 5 Scout Notes

Brandon Hohl     


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I started off the day at 5-Plex and got to see Score International-Bama and we’re going to start with the impressive relief outing from Florida commit Tommy Mace (2017, Tampa, Fla.). Tommy has a smooth, high leg kick, kicks out and falls in to a long stride, landing directly towards home plate. Mace has a long and very fast arm swing leading to an over-the-top release point. Working his fastball at 86-87 mph to both sides of the plate early in the count Mace would then finish with a devastating 74 mph slider with 11-to-4 break coming out of the fastball plane before diving out of the hitter’s reach. It was a very impressive appearance showing command of both pitches and keeping the game in reach for Score International. Extension appears to be adding perceived velocity on both pitches, and he finished with five strikeouts in two innings while facing the minimum six batters.

The offense of SI-Bama is led by Florida Atlantic University commit Patrick Morris (2017, Tampa, Fla.), a lefthanded hitter with an upright open stance, feet shoulder width apart, hands set above the shoulder and the barrel loaded behind the head. To begin his swing Morris gathers into the rear leg with a leg kick that coils the lead shoulder and leg, then takes a long stride maintaining torque throughout the body. He lands with a bent lead leg loading the hips for violent extension that generates bat speed. In his first at-bat he hit a long line out to deep center on a fastball. I really liked the swing, as the bat path works up to the ball and is on plane giving him a great opportunity for contact.

Another SI-Bama standout is Duncan Hunter (2017, Riverview, Fla.), a Jacksonville University commit and an athletically built outfielder that was hitting cleanup. He has an upright stance, hands above the shoulder, holding the bat flat. As the pitcher begins his motion Hunter starts his swing with a gather to the rear leg, drops the hands while tipping the barrel, then the stride separates to a strong launch position. Duncan creates elastic tension in the body and generates impressive bat speed and positive attack angle. Before the game Friday morning, Hunter and Morris were both hitting over .400 and accounted for nine runs scored.

Stars Baseball 17u held the offense of SI-Bama in check the entire game. Closing the game for Stars Baseball was righthanded pitcher Harold Cortijo (2016, Largo, Md.). Working out of the stretch, Harold has a quick leg kick over braced rear leg, long stride and long arm swing, and a three-quarters release. He used mainly a two-seam fastball with big arm-side run at 88 mph and a hard slider at 75 mph that he threw out of the same plane with late sweeping action. Cortijo finished with five strikeouts in three innings pitched.

On the mound for the Atlanta Blue Jays at Terry Park Brett was Cincinnati Bearcat commit Marlin Willis, a lefthanded pitcher from Stone Mountain, Ga. Marlin stands at a tall and projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pounds. His motion consists of a high leg kick keeping his hands low with a long stride synced with a long arm swing leading to a low three-quarters release. Willies attacked hitters with a 86-88 mph fastball, touched 90 multiple times throughout the outing, with lots of arm-side run. He also threw a developing changeup in between innings with good arm action and some depth. Once ahead in the count, Marlin would look to finish with either a hard 74 mph 1-to-7 curveball or an elevated fastball. The curveball came slightly up out of the low release point but the Cincy commit still managed to stay on top and create depth. Marlin went six innings giving up two hits and a walk with strikeouts.

Nation Elite Gold 17u righthanded pitcher and USF commit Graham Hoffman (2017, Clearwater, Fla.) took the mound Friday morning at the Terry Park Stadium. In a short 30-pitch start, Hoffman worked out of the stretch the entirety of his two innings. He spotted up his 87-89 mph four-seam fastball, that touched 90, early in the count, using both sides of the strike zone. The most impressive aspect about the USF commit’s outing was the command of his 72-75 mph 11-to-5 curveball. He was confident throwing it either as a get-me-over curveball that started at the shoulder dropping late into the strike zone or as a two-strike out-pitch starting in the zone then diving out. You can see video of Graham’s outing on Twitter under the handle @BCSFinals.

I briefly caught the Scorpions 2017 Prime at Terry Park and was surprised to see UCF commit and catcher Jake Molle (2017, Debrary, Fla.) on the mound. Jake carries a reputation for his defensive abilities behind the plate and has one of the strongest arms I’ve seen at the 17u BCS Finals. Molle came in for just one inning of scoreless work and threw the easiest of any 90 mph fastballs thrown at this tournament. Using really simple mechanics, Jake was able to spot his fastball wherever the catcher set up and looked like he was playing catch on the mound.

Perfect Game National Showcase attendee and Florida commit Samuel McMillan (2017, Live Oak, Fla.) has been incredibly successful at the plate at the 17u BCS Finals. McMillan has a wide stance, hands above the shoulder, and rhythm in the barrel. He begins his swing with a simple gather, as his stride separates tipping the barrel, long stride landing on a bent front leg. His lower half works really well by getting the back knee in to the power-L position. The Florida commit is hitting an absurd .818 through pool play with two doubles, six RBI and nine runs scored.
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