2016 WWBA Southeast Qualifier #1 Day 1 Scout Notes
Pitching for the Ninth Inning Royals in their consolation game this morning was recent Georgia Southern commit, righthanded pitcher David Johnson (2017, Tucker, Ga.). Johnson has a lean, slender build listed at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds with room to continue to fill out physically and add strength. He showed a long arm action through the back with a stab before coming through his arm circle and throwing from an extended three-quarters arm slot. There was effort at release, but the ball came out clean. He started with a larger leg kick past his belt with a short hip turn before uncoiling towards the plate. He landed closed down the mound with short extension, cutting off. His fastball worked 85-90 mph and topped out at 91 mph with arm side life that worked best up and out of the zone. He was unafraid to challenge hitters inside, but had trouble commanding the pitch to the lower third of the zone. His go-to off-speed pitch was a short breaking slider with 10-to-4 shape. The pitch worked up to 78 mph with replicated arm speed and developing snap.
In the round of 32 matchup between Game on Stealth 2017’s and the East Cobb Colt 45’s 18, the Stealth sent out impressive UGA commit, righthander Emerson Hancock (2017, Cairo, Ga.). Hancock possesses a highly projectable 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame with long limbs and tremendous room to fill out. He showed a longer arm action with a plunge in the back and slight power T through his delivery. He landed mostly online, slightly open at times, with a very short stride and limited lower half drive. Hancock works over his front side with recoil at landing, he’s mostly balanced throughout and lands in a good position to field. His fastball worked 87-91 mph very consistently over his three perfect innings on the mound. It showed arm side life when he worked on top of the pitch and best up and out of the zone for a chase swing and miss. His best secondary pitch was a changeup showing short sink and fade up to 80 mph with good replicated arm speed. His curveball showed big depth with mostly 12-to-6 shape and raised slot slightly for the pitch that hit 75 mph. Hancock was very effective on the mound getting to both sides of the plate and generated lots of weak contact when not missing bats entirely.
Playing in the outfield behind Hancock was Kennesaw State commit, Malik Spratling (2017, Leesburg, Ga.). Spratling is generously listed at 6-foot, 175-pounds, likely a tad smaller, but I do not doubt the physicality. He’s tremendously strong with a quick bat to match. His swing worked mostly linear, but with a compact hand path through the zone. He collected a pair of doubles in the Stealth’s two playoff games on Saturday as well as a triple. He has a still barrel through his load with a leg lift trigger. He generates some leverage in his swing with strength to drive the ball off the barrel. Spratling uses his speed well in the field both on the bases and in the outfield showing good range and strong reads off the bat.
There may not have been a player in attendance this weekend that did more for their 2017 draft stock than outfielder Myles Christian (2017, Olive Branch, Miss.). Noted for his accomplishments in yesterday’s action, Christian added on to it on Saturday showing impressive consistency with his swing. Christian stands highly athletic at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds with room to continue to fill out in his frame. His swing is so loose, and fluid through the zone with strong wrists and the ability to drive the ball. His doubles power that he showed yesterday translated further with consistent loud barrel in game including a home run in TPL’s first game of the day. He matched that with a loud single and then a triple in their night game.
The ball comes off easy off the barrel with a leveraged swing out front and clean use of his lower half. There is room to refine the length of the swing, but his ability to find the barrel and match plane at the point of contact has impressed. Christian also turned in his best run time of the weekend with a turn around first base clocked at 4.44. Christian is currently committed to Middle Tennessee State, but if he continues to stay on this pace he could see his professional prospects creep up.
Joining Christian in a loaded TPL outfield were both Joe Gray, Jr. (2018, Hattiesburg, Miss.) and Jordon Adell (2017, Louisville, Ken.). Both players offer tremendously high ceilings as offensive talents and each rank in the top five of their respective classes. Gray stands with almost endless physical projection with a very lean, athletic frame listed at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. He currently possesses easy plus bat and hand speed at the plate. He shows some feel for rhythm with a deeper weight shift and and an active, elastic hand load. The ball comes off with immense impact off the barrel with a very fluid swing at the point of contact. There is easy carry and backspin with room to project plus power at the next level. To boot, from the right side batter’s box, he turned in a 4.07 home-to-first time which grades out as another plus tool. His arm was also almost tested by a baserunner who took a very wide turn around the bag, but once Gray came up throwing from right field he runner quickly reversed course and headed back to third. The game comes almost as effortless to Gray as it does to any player in recent memory.
Adell turned in quite the day in his own right. Like most of the TPL offense, he helped ignite their 10-run outburst in their first game of the day. Adell’s calling card on top of his athleticism has always been his double plus bat speed. It was on display again collecting a pair of base hits, including a double, in their first game with a smooth line drive swing plane with big time intent through his lower half. What stood out through all of his plate appearances was his patience and selectiveness at the plate. He waited for his pitch and then looked to unload on it in the air. He let his power take hold in their second game driving a ball effortless off the barrel that one hopped the wall. His timing looks to be significantly improved from this past summer and backing up his performances at other highly scouted events. Adell saw his defense make an impact in the game as well, getting an excellent read off the bat for a sinking line drive in center and making a diving catch to preserve the lead late in the game.
Taking the mound for East Cobb Baseball in their second game of the day was talented lefthanded pitcher, and Clemson commit, Davis Sharpe (2018, Dacula, Ga.). Sharpe is another physically built pitcher listed at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds with big time strength throughout his frame. He utilizes a shorter, compact arm action through the back with good ability to repeat his delivery. He threw from a high three-quarters slot working across his body some with a shorter stride to the plate. Sharpe worked from an extreme first base side of the rubber and landed towards first base as well through his landing. There was recoil over his front side and spun off around a stiff front leg landing. His fastball showed arm side wiggle at 87-90 mph and hit 91 mph. He used aggressively and early on in counts to set hitters up for his wipeout slider. His slider showed very hard bite with 11-to-5 shape and buried it consistently low in the zone. He was willing to pitch backwards if his fastball command wasn’t perfect, and threw the pitch for strikes. He struck out eight batters over five shutout innings and threw over 60 percent of his pitches for strikes.
Playing behind Sharpe at shortstop for East Cobb was the very talented Isaiah Byars (2018, Stone Mountain, Ga.). The Alabama commit possesses very smooth actions through the ball with an effortless transfer and release. He’s projectably built at 6-foot, 170 pounds with room to continue to add physical strength. His glove is currently ahead of the bat, but it plays up the middle and he has the actions to project to remain up the middle. The talented defender is committed to Alabama as a part of their robust 2018 recruiting class.
Game On Stealth brought out another UGA commit to take the mound for their second playoff game of the day in righthander Hunter Goodwin (2018, Sylvester, Ga.). Goodwin is quite possibly bigger than his listed 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with much more of a physical presence on the mound with big time strength. Goodwin currently shows as an arm strength first pitcher with a longer arm action and hook through the back of his arm circle. He kept his head down throughout his delivery which hampered his command, keeping his eye off his target. His leg lift pinched up into his body with a crossfire element to his landing. He swung the gate through his lower half, but uses his size and strength to get downhill. He works through the ball well with good extension down the mound. There was effort at release, but his fastball worked 85-89 mph and hit 90 mph a handful of times in the first inning. Goodwin’s fastball showed occasional arm side life when working on top and saw it flatten out up in the zone. He also showed a big curveball on the mound at 72 mph with 11-to-5 shape and depth. The pitch got over for strikes well enough, but has developing spin.
On the opposite quad, another impressive 2018 arm toed the rubber for Team Elite 17’s Prime. Vanderbilt commit, righthanded pitcher Ethan Smith (2018, Mount Juliet, Tenn.) certainly looked the part at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds with a strong pitcher’s build and room to continue to add strength. Smith showed a longer arm action through the back with a stab at the end of his arm circle. He used a very slow paced, deliberate delivery to the plate with a pause at the top of his leg lift. He landed closed down the mound with a short stride to the plate. Smith threw from an extended three-quarters arm slot, but had trouble replicating his release point. His fastball worked 84-87 mph and hit 88 mph after slowly rising in the first inning. He struggled to stay on top of it, but showed occasional life to the lower third of the zone. Smith also mixed in an 11-to-5 shaped curveball at 75 mph with good depth, but only used the pitch sparingly. His extension through the ball was better for his fastball, but he cut himself off for his curveball. Command came and went for Smith in the outing, but he has the build and arm strength to continue to develop on the mound.
Following up a two homer performance in yesterday’s game, infielder Devin Warner (2018, Euharlee, Ga.) delivered yet another one for the East Cobb Yankees in their second playoff game. Warner has a very physical build with broad shoulders and big time strength already, listed at 6-foot-2, 198-pounds. He’s listed as a switch-hitter, but only got swings from the left side during both looks at him. His power from the left side is abundant with above average bat speed through the zone. He gets on plane early and his swing looks like it is in the hitting zone forever. He finds the barrel consistently with intent through his lower half and easy drive off the barrel. Warner recently impressed at Perfect Game’s Underclass All-American Games with a home run in game action as well and has carried over the hot stretch back in Georgia. The Auburn commit has one of the better pure power bats in the already loaded 2018 class and continues to project very well at the plate.
– Matt Czechanski
Trevor Shelton (2017, Madison, Ala.) showcased some major power and barrel feel during the entire tournament. He has a slightly open stance with a high hand set and a high back elbow to complement his medium frame with some build. Shelton utilizes a simple stride with a toe tap for timing and long swing path with lift to drive the ball out in front and to the pull side. He has a solid weight transfer with quick bat speed and it showed with multiple hard hit doubles, including one high off the left field wall, and a homerun on Friday night. Defensively, Shelton lined up behind the backstop and showed above average arm strength and an impressive pop time of 2.13 seconds. He had a solid transfer and did a good job at keeping the running game in check.
Wake Forest commit shortstop D.J. Poteet (2017, John’s Creek, Ga.) displayed a lot of tools that have made him such a coveted sign coming out of the class. He has a tall frame and was lanky with some wiry, raw power. Poteet has a very deep, elastic load with a medium hand set and a toe tap timing mechanism. He gets his bat head out in front and generates a lot of hip torque and bat speed with a violent swing. His swing path allows him to hit the ball to the opposite field as well as pull for power. Shortstop gives Poteet a chance to show off his athleticism and ability to make difficult plays. He has an over the top delivery with a full arm action from short and made a number of plays including an impressive 6-3 double play on a ground ball up the middle.
The state of Georgia has provided a lot of talent for the 2017 class and Connor Tate (2017, Bishop, Ga.) is no exception. Tate played almost every position in the infield and really impressed at third base. He was able to smoothly make plays to both his left and right and showcased some impressive arm strength from the hot corner. His projectable frame and athleticism were on display on the base paths as he recorded a 4.26 second time to first base from the right side. The Georgia commit’s power was on display as he launched a home run over the left field wall during Saturday’s action and his bat extension and lower half helped power the ball over the fence. His batting stance is closed with a high hand set and high back elbow. Tate has a small leg lift to lead into his swing and his repeatable mechanics allowed him to drive the ball out in front of the plate and on time.
Another member of the very talented Team Elite squad is righthander Steven Casey (2017, Buford Ga.). Casey has a medium frame with room to fill out and on the mound has a quick arm with a hook through the back of his arm action. He has a three-quarters arm slot and did a good job getting downhill and burying his live fastball on both sides of the plate. He was at his best when he was attacking with his fastball to the glove side and locating the fastball on the black. Casey pitches with intent and has a slight head wag with a lot of effort, his misses came when he was falling off on the delivery. The fastball sat from 84-86 mph and topped out at 88 mph with arm side run. He did an excellent job at maintaining velocity throughout his outing (64 pitches) as his last fastball registered in at 87 mph. Casey’s delivery included a small leg lift and stride with a crossfire element to it. Casey’s curveball was an effective offspeed pitch and it was utilized best when he buried it down and in on left-handed hitters with two strikes.
Unsatisfied with a home run from "only" the left side of the plate Ivan Johnson (2017, Atlanta, Ga.) decided to hit one from the right side on Saturday. The switch hitter has impressed all tournament with his combination of hitting, speed, and power. Johnson is a very projectable player who oozes athleticism from the middle infield. He has a slightly open frame with a compact swing path and good bat speed that allows him to get the barrel of the bat throughout the zone quickly. The Georgia commit has a big leg lift and deep, elastic hand load that allows him to drive the ball out in front. Johnson has a true line drive swing plane and was able to hit homeruns with a solid weight transfer and hip rotation. In addition to his excellent speed (4.4 second home to first time from the right side), Johnson is a great baserunner. He was consistently getting into pitcher’s heads while on base and was even able to steal second base on a pickoff throw from a lefthanded pitcher.
BigStix righthander Andrew Moore (2017, Flovilla, Ga.) toed the rubber in a playoff match and brought his best stuff with him. Moore has a tall and athletic frame (6-foot-4 200lbs.) and used his frame as an advantage against hitters. With a pretty loose arm action and long arm circle, his extended three-quarters arm slot allowed him to bear his pitches down on hitters. His fastball showed solid arm side run and his ability to pitch downhill helped him get a solid angle to the pitch. His delivery had a slight crossfire element to it and he showed good glove side mechanics on the afternoon. Moore sat from 84-86 mph and topped out at 88 mph on the day. He pitches with intent and did a good job of mixing speeds with his pitch selection. Moore’s primary offspeed pitch on Saturday was a changeup that came in around 75 mph and flashed good fading life to it. Moore’s third pitch was a soft curveball that had 10-to-4 shape to it with some depth.
Opposing Moore on the mound for the Triton Rays was righthander Dalton Wilder (2017, Salem, Ala.). With a medium build and lean frame, Wilder projects well to add velocity as he physically matures. He has a long, loose arm action with a three-quarters arm slot and online delivery. Wilder primarily attacked hitters with his fastball that showed some sink and downward life to it. His fastball sat from 82-84 mph and topped out at 87 mph; he showed excellent glove side command of the pitch and was able to throw his fastball on both sides of the plate. The Alabama State commit had a quick tempo on the mound and an easy delivery. He mixed in a curveball with downward 12-to-6 shape that had some sharp movement to it. Wilder was not afraid to throw the pitch in all counts and was able to throw it for strikes as well as get hitters to chase out of the zone.
One of the younger arms who took the hill on Saturday was Travis Odom (2019, Murfreesboro, Tenn.) for the East Cobb Astros. Odom has a very skinny frame on the mound but you wouldn’t suspect that from his velocities. Throughout his outing, Odom sat from 84-86 mph and topped out at 88 mph, which was the highest recorded for him by Perfect Game. Odom has a long arm action with a deep stab near the beginning of his arm circle. He has a very quick arm with a high three-quarters arm slot and a slight leg lift to his delivery. He has extremely quick feet on his pickoff move and even picked off a runner at first base thanks to the speed of his move. Odom flew open on his delivery at times which resulted in his fastball being more hittable. However, he was able to overpower hitters at times with his velocity, which generated a lot of early swings and misses. Odom is a raw prospect, but he flashed a lot of potential in his outing.
Righthander Parker Coyne (2017, Suwanee, Ga.) finished out the playoff rounds for the day with a loud performance on the mound. With some tight arm action and a compact arm circle, Coyne was able to generate a lot of arm speed and sat from 86-88 mph on the afternoon and reached 90 mph early on. Coyne pitches with a lot of intent and utilizes a drop and drive mechanic in his back leg to get good extension and lower half effort. He did an excellent job of mixing pitches and changing speeds to keep the hitters constantly guessing. He included a curveball with 10-to-4 shape and a changeup with downward action in his repertoire. His arm speed remained unchanged on his curveball and by throwing his offspeed pitches for strikes he was able to keep hitters on their toes. Coyne’s fastball command was also impressive as the pitch was rarely down the middle. He also used a crossfire element to his delivery and threw from an extended three-quarters arm slot.
– Vincent Cervino