LATEST PG SHOWCASE REPORT
2007 Hawaii Showcase Tournament
Brian Loard is a 2007 SS/P with a 6'1'', 200 lb. frame from Long Beach CA, who attends Millikan HS. Selected as a Top Prospect at this event. Loard has a physical frame, particularly so for a middle infielder. He has really broad shoulders, but a narrow waist and lean legs. He is a well-rounded player. Loard can hit, has some pop, makes plays, has a strong arm, runs well, and can even pitch. He has good, strong hands and swung the wood bat with authority. Loard has leverage in his stroke and keeps the barrel of the bat in the zone for a long time. For now he has line drive gap type power, with the hint of more in the future. He covers the plate well and showed not only the ability, but the willingness to hit to all fields. He has a hitter's mentality and looks to be a future middle of the order run producer. Defensively Loard has good range, better than his raw speed suggests. Someday he may get moved to 3rd base, but for now and into his college career, his instincts and first step can keep him at shortstop. He has soft hands, a quick release, and a strong arm that tracks on-line. Loard's feel for defense is quite good. On the mound Loard commands the top of the baseball and pitches down in the zone with his 81-84 mph fastball. His curveall is good too, with 12/6 shape and 69 mph velocity. Mix in a solid change-up and bulldog, strike-throwing mentality and Loard could be viewed as a closer type prospect at the college level. He is one of the better uncommitted players we saw heading into the spring season.