2,079 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story  | 7/19/2017

16u BCS Day 2 Scout Notes

Photo: Perfect Game

Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes

Under clear blue morning skies at City of Palms Park, Marucci Elite Texas and the Northeast Dragons opened Day 2 play of the 16u BCS National Championship. Marucci used solid pitching, sound defense and timely hitting to hold on for a 9-4 win over a very good Northeast Dragons club from Westfield, Massachusetts.

The Marucci club from Houston has an outstanding table-setter in their leadoff hitter, Brandon Pearson (2019, Sugar Land, Texas). The 5-foot-8, 165-pound speedster, who will be a junior at George Ranch High School next year, is a steady hand at the top of the order. He takes pitches and work counts. His quick trigger and flat bat path allow Pearson to use the entire field to hit line drives. Once on base, Pearson is an aggressive and instinctive runner.

The tough and heady catcher for the Marucci club is David Pagan (2019, Richmond, Texas). The hard-nosed, 5-foot-9, 160-pound receiver has all the tools collegiate level coaches look for. He is the vocal leader for his club. He calls a very mature game and his catch-and-throw skills are advanced for a rising high school junior. He is calm and cool under pressure and it is obvious that his staff trusts his abilities. He also brings a very capable bat to the park. He hits out of a slightly open stance and he sees pitches deep in the zone. His middle-of-the-field swing path, that has a slight lift at contact, allows Pagan to drive the ball with authority from gap to gap.

Eric Benitez (2019, Rosharon, Texas) is a rising junior at Manvel High School. The solidly built 6-foot, 195-pounder is a barrel-chested switch-hitter who brings a slugger’s approach to the plate.  He hits out of an even stance and sets up deep in the box. He leans on his backside and has a definite lift to his swing path. His timing is consistent and he gets his barrel to the ball routinely. He has the strength in his swing to be a power threat every time he comes to the plate.

Casen Holden (2019, Conroe, Texas) is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound lefthanded pitcher who showed solid stuff during his four innings on the bump for the Marucci nine. A rising junior at College Park High School, Holden commanded his fastball to both sides of the plate with precision. His arm-side run and consistent velocity, that was in the 80-82 mph range, kept the Dragons in check. His solid changeup was an outstanding secondary pitch and was in the 70-73 mph range with very good depth at the plate.

Bart Shea (2019, Westfield, Mass.) is a solidly built, 5-foot-11, 200-pound rising junior at Southwick-Tolland Regional High School. He barreled up one of the very few mistakes that Murucci southpaw Casen Holden made on the day and hit it well beyond the left field wall at City of Palms. The impressive shot from the power swinging Shea helped give the Dragons something very positive they can build on as their week continues.

Game 2 at City of Palms on the tournament’s second day featured long-time PG regular, the East Cobb Astros, against a highly competitive and well coached Patriots Baseball Club out of Tampa. The East Cobb team rode their long-standing formula of shut down pitching, flawless defense, and timely hitting, to an 8-0 run-rule victory as the rains hit City of Palms as the game came to its conclusion.

The Astros pitching staff was led this morning by 6-foot-1, 170-pound righthander Hunter Loyd (2019, Knoxville, Tenn.). Loyd, who is entering his junior year at Christian Academy of Knoxville in the fall, was dominant from the get-go. His fastball was consistently clocked in the 84-86 mph range. He pitched with outstanding pace and filled up the strike zone routinely. He also mixed in a tight-spinning, late breaking 12-to-6 curveball that sat between 73-mph and 75-mph. He often buried his curveball as his go-to, swing-and-miss strikeout pitch. His high three-quarters arm slot and easy, repeatable mechanics made his outing fairly routine.

Peyton Presley (2019, Cumming, Ga.), who entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the second inning, came on to relieve Loyd in the top of the fifth. Presley brought some heat with him. His four-seamer was lively and firm and was consistently in the 86-89 mph range. He had late riding life on that fastball, especially in the upper half of the zone. His command was outstanding. He pounded the zone and overwhelmed the Patriot hitters. Although he showed a sharp 70-mph curveball a couple of times, he really didn’t need it during his dominant stint on the mound.

University of South Carolina commit Brennan Milone (2019, Woodstock, Ga.) showed those in attendance why he is headed to one of the Southeast Conference’s hallmark programs. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Milone, who is a rising junior at Woodstock High School, is a steady, smooth and gifted third baseman who displays professional abilities at the hot corner. He has outstanding lateral movement and a plus arm that is consistently accurate. Offensively, he hits out of a balanced, even stance, and is very smooth and controlled as he produces advanced bat speed through contact. He has a power hitter’s lift and gets his barrel to the ball regularly. As he matures and gains more experience, Milone will unquestionably be a very capable power hitter.

East Cobb held a comfortable 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth needing only two runs to win the ballgame against the Patriots and also beat the rain that was looming over the right field fence. The East Cobb two-hole hitter and gifted left fielder, Gavin Lee (2019, McDonough, Ga.), took care of both with one swing of the bat. Just as rain started to fall, the powerful Lee, a rising junior at Locust Grove High School – hitting out of a balanced and even stance – connected on a no-doubter driving it well over the left field wall. That loud knock, with one runner on, provided the Astros with an impressive 8-0 win over a very solid Tampa based Patriots team.

When the rain clouds cleared in the latter part of the afternoon, play was able to resume at the 5-Plex Training Facility. A very competitive game took place between two well-coached, fundamentally sound clubs. Lawrenceville, Georgia-based Elite Training Academy faced off against the Lowell, Massachusetts Spinners Prospect team. The two clubs went at it for six innings before the time limit was reached as ETA walked away with a well-earned 4-2 win.

Drew DeMasi (2019, Lilburn, Ga.) was the ETA standout on the day. The solidly built, 5-foot-10, 205-pound DeMasi started the game at first base for Elite Training Academy. DeMasi is very smooth and agile around the bag. He has very quick feet and a sure glove. He can make all the plays around first base. At the plate, the rising junior at Parkview High School, who hits in the three-hole for ETA, is a plus hitter. He has a very easy and uncomplicated approach at the plate. He hits out of an even and balanced stance. He has very strong and quick hands and consistently gets his barrel to the ball. He has a power hitter’s lift at contact and the ball travels when it comes off his bat. Lastly, DeMasi closed out the game on the hill for ETA showing a solid two-pitch mix. He has the same approach on the hill that he has at the plate. Simple mechanics that are highly repeatable allow him to pepper the strike zone with a lively 82-84 mph fastball and a tight-spinning 12-to-6 curveball, thrown in the 69-72 mph range.

Koby Ayala (2019, Lilburn, Ga.) is a high school teammate of Drew DeMasi at Parkview High School. He is the ETA sparkplug and a very heady player. Offensively, he has a compact, short, quick, middle-of-the-field swing path that he uses to consistently get his barrel to pitches. Defensively he shines, as he makes all the routine plays look ordinary and he makes the tougher plays look routine. Ayala has very quick feet and easily gets to ground balls that many in this tournament would not. He also has a professional player’s ability with his glove. His arm is strong and true and he can turn the double play like few in his age group.

Ayala’s middle infield mate is another very capable ETA player, Jubriel Felix (2019, Dacula, Ga.). The cat-quick Felix is a rising junior at Dacula High School and has all the tools that college level middle infielders possess. He has very sure hands and a strong arm that can make all the throws. Offensively, the lefthanded hitting Felix is a line drive machine. His short and compact swing and level bat path help him to consistently get his barrel to contact and spray the ball around the diamond.

Simon Graf (2019, Stone Mountain Ga.) started on the mound for ETA and was solid. The lefty, who is a rising junior at Providence Christian Academy, used a two-pitch mix that he pounded the strike zone with. His 82-84 mph fastball – that Graf kept on the edges of the plate – was especially effective in the lower half of the strike zone. His complementary curveball was a sharp 12-to-6 breaker that had late bite.

The Lowell Spinners Prospect club also brought some solid players to Fort Myers this week. Will Weidman (2019, Boxborough, Mass.), the Spinners talented shortstop, is a very capable middle infielder with sure hands and a strong, accurate arm. Offensively, the 6-foot, 175-pound Weidman swings a powerful bat. He has a slugger’s lift at contact and has gap-to-gap pop.

Kyle DeRoma (2019, Dracut, Mass.) is the Lowell based club’s gifted catcher. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound backstop is a very capable receiver who has a strong setup, easy movement and is quick to set up, gain ground and throw. His pop-times were routinely in the 2.0-second range.

The Lowell Spinner who deserves the biggest pat on the back is their starting pitcher, Chris Zeoli (2019, Westfield, Mass.). The righthanded Zeoli turned in a solid six-inning performance for the Spinners and probably deserved a better fate. His three-pitch mix, while not overpowering, was quite effective and well commanded. His lively fastball, that had excellent arm-side run, was clocked in the 78-80 mph range. His 12-to-6 curveball showed sharp break and depth and was consistently in the 64-66 mph range. His changeup, which he did not show too much, was a very effective pitch that showed depth at the plate and was clocked at 69-71 mph.

– Jerry Miller



Louis Zayas (2019, Davie, Fla.) has a large 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame with long limbs. He served as the Elite Squad 16u South team’s extra hitter in Tuesday’s action. His lefthanded swing is easy and fluid. Zayas sets up to hit from a tall, even stance with little bend at the knees. His swing plane does well to elevate balls and create natural loft when making contact. He’ll need to incorporate his lower half better as he ages, however. Currently, his power is limited by Zayas only utilizing his upper half. There’s plenty of power projection though, as he has an easy swing and a large frame. His bat is definitely worth checking in on as Zayas continues to grow.

Colin Sanders (2018, Cumming, Ga.) is a thick 6-foot-1, 200-pound catcher with good power with the bat. Sanders’ served as the East Cobb Yankees’ extra hitter in Tuesday’s game and collected an RBI. He sets up to hit from a tall, very upright stance with a low hand set. As he begins his load he transfers most of his weight into his back leg and then lunges at the ball. Sanders does well to stay balanced through his swing while showing impressive strength at the point of contact. He does like to keep his hands inside the ball, which saps some power, but when hit to the pull the ball jumps off the bat. His natural uppercut and ability to get backspin on the ball will allow him to continue hitting for good power. Sanders is an interesting follow.

Bryson Lucas (2019, College Station, Texas) is one of the better pitchers currently in the tournament. A large reason why he’s so effective is because of his elite velocity for his age. His fastball sits in the mid-80s and explodes past hitters while showing late, cutting action occasionally. His motion belies some effort at the point of release and this occasionally affected his command. He finished the outing with four walks. Lucas’ arm action is short and quick through the back before coming to a half three-quarters arm slot. He also threw a good curveball in the high-60s. The pitch had plenty of depth, and the break was late. Lucas will eventually need to hone his command, but his two pitches are capable of overwhelming hitters. Lucas is verbally committed to Texas Christian University.

Stephen Boutwell (2019, Kaufman, Texas) is already physically imposing at 5-foot-8, 185-pounds. His size gives him a natural ability to hit for good power. He begins his swing from a narrow stance with a high hand and back elbow set. Boutwell transitions into his load with a small toe tap to help his timing. He then engages his lower half well by rotating his hips and creating extra torque. His swing isn’t as quick as sometimes it can get long and loopy. However, Boutwell’s power makes up for his potential contact problems. He gets natural lift when contact is made, and his upper cut swing plane will produce lots of fly balls. In the field, Boutwell shows decent range for someone his size, and he possesses good arm strength. His throws were consistently accurate as well. Boutwell is worth following to see if he can tap into his potential power.

Andrew Jenkins (2019, Atlanta, Ga.) is already sturdy at 6-foot, 195-pounds with some physical projection still remaining. The athletic third baseman starts his righthanded swing from an open but incredibly narrow stance. His load begins with a high leg kick, and his hands stay in a low set. Because of his hand placement they have nowhere to go but up. This produces a healthy uppercut that will feed Jenkins’ power as he grows older. He doesn’t sell out for his power though, and he is able to work long counts and lay off close pitches. Jenkins’ work in the field is also solid. He has quick reactions at the hot corner, and the soft hands to make difficult plays look easy. His arm is well above average and is consistently accurate. Jenkins has great potential.

Bryce Lawrence (2019, Dallas, Ga.) is another well-built third baseman at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds. Lawrence doesn’t have the same type of power potential that Jenkins does, as Lawrence’s swing is geared toward inside-outing pitches and shooting them to the opposite field, and he does this with ease. He lets the ball travel deep before generating good rotation from his hips and shoulders. His work at third base will make him a lock for the position. Lawrence has quick hands and excellent footwork to keep him in a good fielding position. His arm strength is already present, and his throws are on target. If Lawrence ever hits for average power his contact skills and ability to third base could make him an even better prospect.

Jordan Coffey (2019, Edmond, Okla.) is a big 6-foot, 195-pound catcher with an impressive bat. At the plate he starts from a slightly open stance. He then transfers all of his weight into his back leg as he slightly raises his front foot. His hands, meanwhile, are fairly loud. During his load they’re pushed down, and then raised once more before attacking the ball. All of this plays ups Coffey’s power, but it also makes his contact skills suffer. There’s plenty of strength in Coffey and his swing but he’ll need to show he can make consistent contact in order to really succeed. From behind the plate as a catcher, Coffey’s throws to second are always near the bag, and there is some demonstrated quickness to his transfers. Coffey’s all-around game is strong, and if he makes some small adjustments to his swing to facilitate more contact, he could improve quickly.

– Kyle Zweng


Coby Mayo (2020 Coral Springs, Fla.) has been dropping a few jaws as a designated hitter/corner infielder/righthanded pitcher who has put his hitting mechanics and unloaded his pitching arsenal on display. At 6-foot-4, 170 pounds, Mayo talks and plays a lot bigger, both on the mound and at the dish. Mayo loves the ball middle-in and his middle-of-the-field swing and big-time pop helps him get on base often. Coming up on 16 years of age, Mayo’s fastball sat at 83-85 mph and touched 86 with bite in on the hands of righthanded hitters, and his power curve generated a few swing and misses at 64 mph.

Florida Pokers – Original teammate Kevin Heinrich (2019 Coral Springs, Fla.) started the game on the mound. Sitting at 83-87 mph from the right side, Heinrich’s two-seam fastball, along with his 68 mph breaking ball, kept hitters off balance. He prefers to work the corners with his noticeable fastball command to induce popups and weak groundballs.

From the first pitch Colin Flynn (2020 Coral Springs, Fla.), showed his toughness and competitiveness. Flynn is a duel-threat catcher with big defensive tools, and has projectable big-time power at the next level.

On the opposite side of the ball, the Carrollwood Gators ran out righthanded pitcher, Michael Dominguez (2019 Tampa, Fla.), who threw five consecutive scoreless innings. Dominguez has good mechanics, lift and creates a difficult angle and tosses a mid- to upper-80s fastball and a true 12-to-6 curve at 64 mph. His CB is his most polished pitch and uses it often for swings and misses.

Florida Stealth 2019 Founders Maxwell Romero Jr. (2019 Miramar, Fla.), is a lefthanded hitting catcher with college-level footwork, transfer and release behind the plate; he can throw runners out and is confident is his arm. Romero Jr. receives the ball inside the knees and brings a ton of balls back into the strike zone. He shows leadership on the field and directs traffic. At the plate, he can handle pitches inside and uses his strength to turn routine groundball outs into singles and extra-base hits in the gap. Romero has a good build and overall is a projectable and effective two-way catcher, both at the plate and behind it.

Bryan Pazos (2019 Miami, Fla.) of Banditos Sanchez is a southpaw with good upside. His fastball sat at 81-84 mph with some cut action, and he challenges hitters inside with it. Pazos has a live, electric arm with a good arm action and an easy, fluid delivery. He mixes in a curveball with two-plane break at 70-73 mph and showed a changeup at 71 mph. He stays compact through his release point and looks to overpower hitters. Repeatable timing and mechanics are evident in his delivery and he routinely puts his team in a good position to win games.

Florida Burn 2019 Premiers’ Charlier Vari (2019 Wesley Chapel, Fla.) is another projectable dual-threat catcher who showcased his ability behind the plate. A warrior on balls in the dirt, Vari has extremely quick feet that allow him to bury would-be passed balls and wild pitches. He receives the ball well versus just catching, and at the plate Vari showed college-ready lift and pop that could lead to balls hit over the fence in the future.

Premier teammate Orion Kerkering (2019 Nokomis, Fla.) played catch with Vari for some of the morning slot. Kerkering, a righthanded pitcher, mixed in various grips on the fastball — a cutter when working away on hitters, and a sinker when working down — all of which were consistent at 84-89 mph. On top of his fastball variations he showed hitters a sweeping 73-76 mph hammer that he used well away and with two strikes on hitters.

– Reginald Woods
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.