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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/21/2017

16u BCS Day 4 Scout Notes

Photo: Perfect Game

Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes | Day 3 Notes

The CBC Elite club, based out of Puerto Rico, has a great mix of talented, fundamentally sound players. They are well coached and play with a lot of energy. Taking the mound for the CBC squad was a young righthanded pitcher who showed some dominant, highly projectable stuff. Michael Martinez (2017, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico), showed the mechanics, repeatable arm action, and pitchability that points towards a very bright future. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Martinez, who attends A. Crawford Moseley High School in the Dominican Republic, has an electric right arm.

Martinez has an easy delivery that incorporates a long arm action, sound lower body mechanics and a high three-quarters arm slot. His four-seam fastball, that has explosive life at the plate, was clocked from 88-92 mph. He has pinpoint control and was able to pitch to all four quadrants confidently and consistently. His sharp 12-to-6, late-breaking curveball was consistently clocked in the 72-74 mph range. His third pitch was a very deceptive 75-76 mph changeup that had fading depth at the plate.

Hitting out of the two-hole for CBC was their very talented shortstop, Keniel DeLeon (2019, Orlando, Fla.). The smooth fielding and very heady DeLeon has all the tools at shortstop and certainly has the baseball IQ to impact any collegiate program. He has easy first-step quickness and a soft glove hand. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder also possesses a very sound throwing motion that is very accurate. Offensively, DeLeon – a rising junior at Olympia High School – has a very quick bat. He works counts and has a natural swing path that helps him power the ball with authority to all parts of the field.

The CBC three-hole hitter is Johnny Fernandez (2019, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic). The 6-foot-2, 170-pound Fernandez has advanced skills in left field as evidenced by his first-step quickness, capable glove and very strong and accurate arm. Fernandez really shines with a bat in his hands. The strong righthanded hitter swings out of a balanced stance and generates tremendous bat speed by incorporating his powerful core into every pass. He has steady gap-to-gap power which projects to college ball and beyond.

Hitting cleanup behind Fernandez is 5-foot-10, 160-pound, Jeremy Encarnacion (2019, Tampa, Fla.). A junior-to-be at Leto High School, Encarnacion is a very gifted third baseman who has shortstop ability with his glove and a powerful right arm. His glove is steady and his easy movements make him an advanced corner player. Offensively, Encarnacion has some pop. He has a short, compact swing and a very quick trigger. He has consistent gap-to-gap power that will only get better as he matures.

William Pagan (2019, Carolina, Puerto Rico) is the catalyst and speedster on the CBC team. He, like many of his CBC teammates, is a patient hitter who really works counts. His speed is his No. 1 tool and he uses all his ability to get on base and put pressure on the defense. He had a solid knock, a bunt for a hit and a walk in his plate appearances on Thursday. Once on the bases, he was always a threat to run and his speed can play at any level.

220 Second to None out of Vineland, New Jersey, brought a couple of very talented players to Fort Myers this week. Jim White (2019, Broomall, Pa.) is a gifted shortstop with very quick feet, a reliable glove, and a strong and accurate arm. He makes all the plays with athletic ease and projects a confidence that his teammates feed off of. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound White also swings the bat well. He has a short, compact swing and generates solid bat quickness. He has a flat bat path and makes consistent middle-of-the-field contact.

Joe Gallagher (2019, Marmora, N.J.) is the very talented catcher for Second to None and his ability behind the plate projects well to the next level. The 6-foot, 165-pound Gallagher is a gamer. He is an accomplished receiver and moves confidently and easily behind the plate. He is an advanced thrower of the ball. He has great transition-to-throw skills and gains grounds like a professional catcher. His throwing motion is short and quick and highly accurate.

The Ropes 16u-Florence Baseball Club out of McKinney, Texas is one of the top teams in the tournament. The talented squad that traveled to Southwest Florida this week stacks up with any of the other teams here. Chase Peterson (2019, McKinney, Texas) swings a very capable bat out of the two-hole for Ropes. The lefthanded swinger is a very disciplined batter who understands his role at the top of the order. He has very quick hands and a short, compact swing path. He has the plate coverage to hit the ball to all parts of the field, but is especially tough when pitchers try and pitch him in. He hunts middle-in pitches and has the bat quickness to get to them. He is also a plus runner who is very instinctive on the basepathss.

University of Oklahoma commit, Christian Ruebeck (2019, Denison, Texas), holds down second base for Ropes and is a slick-fielding, heady player who appears to have a great baseball IQ. He is rock solid on the infield and has outstanding anticipatory awareness. His hands and glove are sound and his playable right arm is very accurate. Offensively, the 6-foot-1, 160-pound rising junior at Denison High School is a patient line drive hitter who works counts and sees pitches deep in the zone. His quick trigger enables him to hit to all parts of the field.

Blake Jackson (2019, Coppell, Texas) is the very talented Ropes center fielder. The Texas Tech commit is a rising junior at Coppell High School in suburban Dallas. He has some pop in his lefthanded swing. Hitting out of a slightly open stance, Jackson leans on his back leg and uncoils with advanced bat speed. His strong shoulders and core create a very powerful swing that has a slugger’s lift at contact. He makes consistent contact and can drive the ball out of any park. Defensively, Jackson can cover ground in center field. His plus speed and steady glovework certainly helps his corner outfielders and allows them to play closer to the lines.

Turning in a solid performance on the bump for the Ropes club was Mason Meeks (2018, Hickory Creek, Texas). The powerfully built, 6-foot-1, 190-pound Meeks, is a rising senior at Lake Dallas High School. His lively and well-commanded fastball was steadily in the 80-82 mph range and had outstanding arm-side run. The strike-throwing righty capably pitched to both sides of the plate and was especially effective in the lower half of the strike zone. He also mixed in a sound, tight-spinning curveball that stayed in the 68-70 mph range and a very deceptive 73-74 mph changeup.

– Jerry Miller



East Cobb houses more than a few college-ready ballplayers as the East Cobb Yankees had a talented southpaw and a catcher on display on Thursday at the 16u BCS National Championship in Fort Myers, Fla.

Tyler Fairchild (2020 Cumming, Ga.) is a lefty who knows what he is doing on the mound. He mixes speeds and locations very well, to lefthanded hitters and righthanded hitters, with his two-pitch arsenal. That includes a fastball he throws anywhere from 77-81 mph and a swing-and-miss curveball at 66 mph. He controls the running game well and gets the groundball he needs to get out of innings. Fairchild has quick reactions off the mound and gives the extra effort to make the plays that most pitchers would give up on.

Colin Sanders (2020 Cumming, Ga.) caught Fairchild during his appearance and called a good outing. At the plate, Sanders showed good lift on his swings with a quick tap-and-load and high finish. He looks to drive the ball hard and deep and as a result doesn’t get cheated at the plate.

For the Caloosa Cats Tyler Burton (2018 Labelle, Fla.) toed the rubber and his mechanics caught a lot of attention. Sitting pretty with his fastball anywhere from 79-82 mph and a well-controlled curveball at 64 mph, Burton did everything in his power to control the controllable. Creating good angle from the pitching mound, staying on top and out front of his breaking ball, he was able to disrupt the timing of some decent hitters.

Milan Tucker (2019 Lehigh Acres, Fla.) is a defensive standout who could potentially stand out on offense as well. Tucker’s ability to range forward and backward, and to his left and right, along with his consistent soft hands and glove work gives him immediate attention.

From top to bottom, the Elite Squad 16u Prime ballclub is loaded with talent, all over the field. A few standouts highlighted the day with precision and accuracy, power and speed.

Florida Gators commit Ryan Cabarcas (2019 Pembroke Pines, Fla.) of the Elite Squad Prime is a special talent and a joy to watch compete. His 84-87 mph fastball that topped out at 88 is tricky for hitters to time up and get good wood on. The pitch had good movement, and Cabarcas commanded it well with the ability to throw it down main street only to have it break out of the zone, or in on the hands of righthanded hitters. If not already enough, Cabarcas also featured a plus slider (75-77 mph) and an advanced changeup (79-81 mph), two pitches that are still developing but are leaps and bounds beyond the average 16-year old. Mixing all of this together, Cabarcas walked away unscathed after five scoreless innings, racking up nine strikeouts against one hit and four base on balls.

Siegfried and Roy brought out the circus with the power hitting Elite Squad showouts, Tyler Knierim (2019 Weston, Fla.) and Mykanthony Valdez (2019 Davie, Fla.), who made it look easy by both leaving the park in the same game. The Blue Devils and Canes commit, respectively, possess middle-of-the-order D-I power, which is accompanied by speed out of the box. With projectable power, and developing defensive skills, the ACC stands to gain two great hitters.

– Reginald Woods



Elite Squad 16u Select coasted to an easy 12-4 victory over Broward Baseball Academy 16u Black on Thursday. Elite Squad’s roster is loaded with talent, and it all starts with their first baseman Nicolas Fuentes (2019, Miami, Fla.). He’s still highly projectable at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, but Fuentes already has the beginnings of good strength. His righthanded swing starts from a narrow, upright stance with little bend at the knees. He has an aggressive swing, and he clearly looks to do damage during every at bat. He shifts his weight well into the point of contact while maintaining his balance. His upper cut will allow his power to continue to grow as he does. There’s a lot to like Fuentes’ potential at the plate.

Corbin Tsistinas (2019, Coral Springs, Fla.) spent the day catching. His athletic 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame is athletic, which helps him behind the plate. He showed good mobility and impressive receiving skills. He has no problem blocking balls in the dirt or throwing down to second base accurately. Overall, Tsistinas defensive skills are polished. With the bat in his hands, Tsistinas comes to hit with an even, square stance with a high hand set. During his load he gathers his weight into his back leg before taking a small stride to the pitcher. His simple swing lends itself to contact, but Tsistinas flashed some power with long foul balls. Even if he never hit for much power, Tsistinas work behind the plate will keep him on the diamond.

Amante Mancini (2019, Pompano Beach, Fla.) had the benefit of throwing to the defensively solid Tsistinas. His stuff was dominant, and after his 1 1/3 innings Mancini had struck out three batters. It all starts with his mid-70s fastball. He commanded the pitch to the lower half of the zone easily and effectively. Mancini also varied the movement on the pitch, sometime cutting the ball while other times letting it run to his arm side. Despite the non-elite velocity, the pitch constantly baffled hitters. His changeup also stood out in the low-70s with good fading life when thrown down in the zone. Even when Mancini doesn’t strikeout the majority of hitters, he’ll likely induce soft groundballs because of where he can locate his pitches in the strike zone. Mancini is certainly an interesting, young, lefthanded pitcher.

Kyle Yeoward (2019, Coral Springs, Fla.) pitched a gem on Thursday, throwing the full seven innings without allowing a run while striking out 11 and only walking one. His compact 5-foot-11, 190-frame isn’t typical of a pitcher but that doesn’t stop Yeoward from being effective. He throws from a compact, crossfire delivery that ends in a balanced, ready to field position. He repeats his mechanics well and that shows up in his ability to throw lots of strikes. His fastball sits in the mid-80s with good running action when located down in the zone. His curveball is a big sweeper that buckled knees of righthanded hitters. He is still working on his changeup which sometimes flashes okay fading action. Yeoward’s good velocity and strike throwing ability make him an extremely competitive pitcher. And as he continues to harness his breaking balls he could become a very solid pitcher.

Bryant Rowell (2019, Warner Robins, Ga.) is a gamer. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound second baseman has plenty of grit and athleticism to help him in the field. At second base he makes sure to finish every play often by throwing to first from every imaginable arm angle. His glove is consistently soft and adaptable to bad bounces and he gets good first steps. At the plate, Rowell’s swing is quiet with quick actions. He often gets the barrel to the ball, and he showed he can hit the ball to all fields. There’s interesting power in Rowell as well. Rowell may not be the type of player to get a lot of press, but he can definitely play.

His teammate, Will Cialone (2019, Naples, Fla.), has a more traditional baseball frame at 5-foot-11, 185-pounds. The solidly built catcher has good footwork behind the plate with smooth exchanges when throwing down to second. His short arm action and impressive arm create a pop time right around 2.0-seconds. With a bat in his hands, Cialone is potent. His righthanded swing starts from a tall, upright stance with a simple leg lift for a timing mechanism. He rotates his lower half well while being compact and short to the ball with his hands. Cialone’s above average bat speed, natural upper cut, and present strength all signal good power in his bat. The ball should carry to the gaps with the lift he generates as well.

Gage Morris (2019, Cartersville, Ga.) got the start at third base and managed to impress. His 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame is very athletic. This definitely helps him at the hot corner. His lateral movements were quick and decisive, and his arm strength is plenty to keep him on the left side of the diamond. At the plate, Morris starts from a wide stance. He then takes an early stride into the point of contact. This results in a big weight shift, and his hands are often pulled back. Occasionally, this results in a longer swing but it also allows Morris to have good strength at the point of contact when on time. There’s certainly some interesting potential in Morris.

The USA Showcase Prime team has the talent to be one of the best teams in the tournament, and their 4-0 record to start proves they could go all the way. The immense talent starts with their center fielder, Kevin Kilpatrick (2019, Stockbridge, Ga.). His 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame is slender and athletic giving him a natural ability in center field. His speed in the outfield is noticeable, and his arm, while not outstanding, is serviceable. At the plate, Kilpatrick’s hands swing from a deep hand load. This occasionally makes his swing long. However, Kilpatrick certainly sees the ball well and gets good extension through the point of contact. He also gets good lift in his swing and this will certainly help his power grow. Once on base, he’s an aggressive runner who loves to take the extra base. Kilpatrick is an outstanding athlete with just as impressive tools.

The team’s cleanup hitter is Brett Roberts (2019, Atlanta, Ga.). He’s a projectable 6-feet, 160-pounds with good present strength. He sets up to hit from a tall, even stance with a deep hand load. His hands are quick and direct to the ball, and his bat speed is impressive. Roberts’ swing lends itself to line drives, and he does a great job of working the gaps. Roberts’ main power potential will be when he pulls the ball to left field. However, more power should come as he grows into his body. Roberts also had the opportunity to throw 1 1/3 innings. His fastball sat in the low-80s with some late, running action. His curveball showed good depth at 69 mph as well. With four outs to work with, Roberts struck out three. He profiles better with a bat than on the mound, but it sure doesn’t hurt to be an effective strike thrower.

Bret Adkins (2019, Hiram, Ga.) has a similar build at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. And his large frame sets him up well to be an effective catcher. He receives the ball cleanly and his hands are strong enough to be an above average framer. His footwork when throwing down to second gains lots of ground and his arm is quick and accurate. Adkins is a great athlete and probably has the ability to play other positions around the field, but his abilities make him a lock at catcher. At the plate Adkins sets up to hit from a slightly open stance. He utilizes his lower half well when shifting his weight, and his aggressiveness is readily apparent. He swings at nearly everything in the zone looking to drive the ball to the gaps. He gets natural lift from his swing which will only help his power potential as he ages. Adkins is a truly talented all-around player.

Jacob Cook (2018, Dallas, Ga.) is a tall first baseman at 6-feet, 200-pounds. He has broad shoulders and present strength in his body. At the plate Cook starts his aggressive swing with a high leg lift used for timing and for generating power. He possesses solid bat speed, and he gets the barrel through the zone well. His hands are explosive. His line drive swing plane and all-fields approach allow Cook to hit for good average. The bat also jumps off the bat when on time suggesting there’s more power to be found. There’s already plenty of strength and the better incorporation of his lower half will only help his strength grow. His footwork at first base is also worth mentioning. He has a natural ability to find the base and pivot while focusing on the play.

Ryan Suppa (2019, Acworth, Ga.) got the start at third base for USA Showcase Prime on Thursday. He’s a prototypical third baseman at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. His arm strength is already a plus, and his mobility at third is impressive. He should be able to continue handling the defensive position with ease. At the plate, Suppa sets up to hit from a wide, open stance with a medium hand set. As he takes a small load, he brings his hands behind his body. From there they stay inside the ball, often shooting it to the opposite field. His swing is a predominantly upper half affair. But his slight upper cut swing plane and ability to generate lift don’t hamper his power. As he learns to incorporate his lower half better his power could really take off.

Another solid third baseman is Blake Bradley (2019, Lake Wales, Fla.). Coming in at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, he’s already thickly built with a solid frame. At the plate, Bradley utilizes an all-fields approach by trying to spray the ball. He has solid bat speed, but his hands often are inconsistent in the path they take to the ball. Bradley shows promising strength as well. In the field at third base, Bradley’s actions are sound. He has enough arm strength to beat runners to the bag by a good margin, and he works through ground balls effectively. Bradley is an interesting follow.

– Kyle Zweng
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