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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/12/2017

17u BCS Day 2 Scout Notes

Photo: Perfect Game

Daily Leaders | Player Stats | Day 1 Notes

Righthanded pitcher, Krishna Raj, (2018, Wellington, Fla.) toed the slab for Palm Beach Select in early morning action at the 5-Plex to begin day two of pool play in the 2017 17u BCS National Championship. The 6-foot, 195-pound Raj, a rising senior at Palm Beach Central High School, commanded both sides of the plate for three innings, showcasing a well commanded fastball in the 85-86 mph range that had late sink and arm-side run. He also showed a sharp-breaking 12-to-6 curveball that was clocked consistently at 69 to 71 mph.

Florida international University commit, Angel Tiburcio (2018, Wellington, Fla.), showed a powerful swing that makes him a Division I recruit. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior-to-be at Trinity Christian Academy doesn’t get cheated when steps into the batter’s box. Swinging out of a slightly open stance, the Palm Beach Select cleanup hitter has a swing path that projects to plus power as he moves up the baseball ladder. His mighty cut has lift throughout each pass. He has both the strength and bat quickness to hit pitches consistently into the pull-side gap.

Castro Baseball Academy is a competitive squad out of the Lone Star State. Austin Gonzalez (2018, Pasadena, Texas) is CBA’s catcher and cleanup hitter. Gonzalez, a rising senior at Pasadena High School in the southeast area of greater Houston, is a solid, 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver who has solid skills behind the plate. He is easy and confident with his setup, controls the game well and manages his pitching staff like a seasoned veteran. He has a strong, quick, and accurate throwing arm. At the plate, he is a powerful gap-to-gap hitter who swings out of a slightly open stance. He has a slight lift at contact which shows potential for plus power.

The Scorpions North 2018 Baseball Club is another in a long line of very solid central Florida based clubs. Jackson Westberry (2018, Saint Johns, Fla.) who is a very capable middle infielder, hit in the two-hole for the Scorps as their XH in their game against North East Baseball at City of Palms Park. Westberry appears to truly understand his role as a two-hole hitter. He works the count well and uses a short, compact swing and a middle-of-the-field mentality to consistently get his barrel to the ball. He has above average speed and is an instinctive baserunner.

Clayton Smith (2018, MacClenny, Fla.) is the powerful three-hole hitter for the Scorpions who has a swing path that is a little longer than average, with a slugger’s lift at contact, that projects to extra-base hits as he continues with his career. He leans on his back half and generates great bat speed with each pass. The big, 5-foot-10, 225-pound first sacker also has better-than-average speed. The senior-to-be at Baker High School, is an agile first baseman with quick feet and soft hands.

Tyler McKay (2018, St. Augustine, Fla.) opened some eyes at City of Palms Park with his dual threat ability. The Scorpions catcher showed advanced ability in handling the Scorps pitching staff. His 6-foot, 180-pound solidly built frame moved with a veteran’s ease behind the plate. He has soft hands and frames pitches fluidly. He controls the game and keeps his defense at the ready. He has a quick trigger and is highly accurate with all his throws. He has the complete package and is ready to catch in a high level collegiate setting. He also brings a very capable stick to the park. He is strong through his core and generates a great deal of bat speed with his powerfully built torso.

The Scorpions dynamic left fielder, Hunter Bratek (2018, St. Johns, Fla.) is a solid lefthanded hitting speed merchant who helps get his ballclub to the middle of its order. It is obvious that he understands that his ability as a plus runner is his No. 1 tool. He bunts for hits and gets the ball on the ground up the middle and to the opposite side and lets his feet go to work. He puts pressure on the defense once he gets on the bases and doesn’t stay on one base too long. He is also a quite capable left fielder. He has a very quick first step, fields with confidence, and has a playable arm that is accurate.

Nick Mueckay (2018, St. Augustine, Fla.) is a high school teammate of catcher Tyler McKay at Allen D. Nease High School. He plays second base for the Scorpions and is a gifted fielder and a heady ballplayer. He and Hunter Bratek have identical offensive game plans at the plate and give the Scorpions a solid back-to-back speed combo, that routinely causes havoc on the basepaths. The 5-foot-9, 140-pound second sacker has excellent lateral movement and great game awareness.

Six-foot-4, 220-pound Bryan Govostes (2018, Woburn, Mass.) is a solidly built, middle-of-the-order slugger for North East Baseball. The rising senior at Woburn High School generates some serious bat speed from a slightly open stance. He has a quick trigger and the power to drive the ball, with authority, to all parts of the park. Considering his size, Govostes shows above average athleticism and is very capable baserunner.

One of the younger players, if not the youngest, at the 2017 17u BCS National Championship is Chandler World shortstop Alex Freeland (2020, Cape Coral, Fla.). The local product, who will be a sophomore at Mariner High School next year, is a gifted player who plays an advanced level at shortstop. He has excellent first-step quickness and the pro-like ability to move confidently in either direction. His arm is collegiate ready right now, as his throws display strength, carry and accuracy. Freeland is also a quite capable switch-hitter, who makes consistent contact and has the bat speed and swing path to hit for average and power. His foot speed and baseball awareness, even at the young stage in his career, makes Freeland a top-flight prospect.

Titans Baseball shortstop Matt Christian (2017, Marietta, Ga.) is an infielder who is ready for college ball. He has extraordinarily quick feet and his lateral movement is on par with the best in this tournament. He has a steady arm that is highly accurate. His bat is solid and he gets his barrel to the ball consistently.

Righthanded pitcher Alex Hayes (2018, Canton, Ga.) closed out the Titans Baseball game with Chandler World Baseball with two solid innings of relief work. The Woodstock High School senior-to-be, with smooth and easy mechanics, threw a solid fastball in the 81-83 mph range that he kept down and on the corners. His high three-quarters arm slot was repeated consistently and he worked with great pace in his pressure packed two innings. His fastball had late life and sink and he pounded the strike zone, retiring the Chandler World team in short order to keep the game tied at zero.

– Jerry Miller



The action continued at the 17u BCS National Championship with more strong performances from Elite Squad 17u Prime. Starting pitcher Alex Rao (2018, Hobe Sound, Fla.) is a large 6-foot-4, 245-pound righty. His big, athletic frame will serve him well as he continues pitching. He begins his delivery with a strong leg kick that moves past his belt. Both arms stretch over his head from the windup. Rao’s arm action is short and compact, but he does well to get good extension at the point of release. His mid-80s fastball is released from a three-quarters arm slot and is generally straight. His curve features a small, tight break with 11-to-5 shape. His changeup has solid fade to the arm side, and Rao doesn’t sacrifice arm speed, which only adds to the deception. The combination of these three pitches induced lots of week contact while also punching out four hitters. Rao has the pitches to become an impressive starter as he moves forward in his baseball career. Rao has a verbal commitment to the University of Notre Dame.

Roberto Pena (2018, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) is one of the best, if not the best, third baseman available in the 2018 draft class. His 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame is incredibly athletic and still projectable in the future. Pena’s work at third is solid. He takes good first steps and works through the ball fluidly. His release is quick, and his arm strength is way above average. He’ll be throwing darts to first for some time. But where Pena really stands out is at the plate. He’s swing is short and easily repeatable. He has a simple shift into contact with a line drive swing plane that can spray the ball all over the field. Pena does get good extension as well. He does an impressive job of utilizing his lower half, which will help his home run power which is currently only to the pull side. This scout also heard that Pena has been clocked as high as 93 mph on the mound. Pena has all the tools he needs to be a stud now and down the road. He is verbally committed to the University of Florida.

Henry Anthony Vilar (2018, Miami, Fla.) joins Pena on the left side of the diamond by playing shortstop. Vilar is a bit smaller at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds, but Vilar possesses more raw athleticism and quickness. His footwork at shortstop is quick, and his arm speed is plenty for his place on the diamond. His lefthanded swing starts from a slightly open, narrow stance with a high back elbow set. Vilar utilizes a small toe tap to trigger the start of motion. Once his body is in motion, Vilar’s swing is mostly effortless. He possesses nice present bat speed, and he consistently gets the barrel to the ball. Despite his swing tending to produce more line drives than monster fly balls, Vilar does get good lift when he extends out front. The ball should continue jumping off his barrel like it did in Tuesday’s game where he went 2-for-2 with four RBI. Vilar is verbally committed to the University of Miami.

Another impressive shortstop on the day was Alexander Bello (2018, Hialeah, Fla.). At the plate, Bello starts from an even stance with a very high hand and elbow set. Bello quickly moves his hands lower as he lifts his left to starts his swing. His bat is long through the zone while also having quick hands that generate good whip. His contact approach and line drive swing plane will result in plenty of balls landing on outfield grass across the whole field. Bello gets good extension when out in front and can drive balls to the gaps like the double he hit during Tuesday’s game. Bello projects to hit for plenty of average, and he should grow into his power. His actions in the field are sound, too. Bello has soft hands that react well to tricky hops. The rest of his body is balanced and composed. He has plenty of arm strength and athleticism to stick at the position. Bello has a verbal commitment to the University of South Florida.

Trevor Kniskern (2018, Lighthouse Point, Fla.) is a highly projectable 5-foot-11, 170-pound middle infielder. He served as a designated hitter on Tuesday and finished the day by collecting two hits and two RBI. His swing is fundamentally sound and repeatable. Kniskern starts from a wide base with a high back elbow set. His hips rotate quickly and his hands follow suit. Kniskern’s swing can occasionally get loopy, but he is almost always fluid through the zone with good extension out front. He has a good feel for the barrel of the bat, and he consistently drives pitches. He get natural loft when balls are squared up, too. There’s plenty of power to project in his swing, and Kniskern will still be making plenty of contact. Kniskern has a bright future ahead of him. He is verbally committed to Pepperdine University.

Luis Garcia (2018, Paterson, N.J.) is a lanky, uber-athletic 6-foot-2, 210-pound outfielder with all the tools to be a big success. He takes a slightly open stance from the right side at the plate. He has tremendously quick hands through the zone, which helps create above average bat speed. Garcia does occasionally shift his weight to the front side too early effectively zapping most of his present power. However, when he does stay back long enough the ball jumps off his bat. Garcia’s line drive swing plane suggests gap-to-gap power over numerous homeruns. However, he does have present strength and the power could go as he fills out his large frame. Garcia plays an effective right field, too. His speed allows him to track down balls in the gap, and his arm strength is well above average. This combination would allow him to play anywhere in the outfield if presented the opportunity. Garcia is surely someone worth keeping an eye on.

Andrew Lee (2018, Boynton Beach, Fla.) is a barrel chested 6-foot-1, 195-pound outfielder with lots of potential with the bat. His righthanded swing starts from an even stance with a high back elbow set. Lee takes a small toe tap to begin his swing. His hands fly through the zone, and his bat speed is well above average. It’s an effortless swing that still produces plenty of thump. Lee will need to learn how to engage his lower half better, however, as his swing is mostly an upper body affair. He doesn’t have a problem generating natural lift to a line drive swing plane that will send the ball far to all fields. Lee has a beautiful swing that will definitely produce at the next level. Lee has a verbal commitment to Louisiana State University.

True first basemen need to be tall and hit for lots of power. Charlie Von Werne (2018, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) checks both of those boxes. He’s a big 6-foot-5, 225-pound man with long limbs. He comes into the box with a slightly closed front foot with an even stance. Von Werne starts his load with a small, simple leg left. Occasionally he’ll open his hips too early because of where his front foot lands after this left kick. However, Von Werne showed a natural ability to get under the ball and produce a slight uppercut. He’ll be able to drive the ball with hard, loud contact. His power potential is great. His bat stays long through the zone as well, so his contact rates should remain high. Von Werne has the bat to stick at the offensive premium position.

Kevin Casey (2018, Jupiter, Fla.) is a solidly built 6-foot-1, 190-pound outfielder. He begins his righthanded swing from a wide, slightly open stance with a high back elbow set. Casey takes a small left kick to begin his fluid swing. During the leg kick he dips his back shoulder to create an upper cut swing plane that produces good carry when he squares pitches up. He also has an aggressive weight transfer to the front leg as his hands come quickly through the zone. This adds to his power potential that is already impressive. Casey’s power could be his calling card in the future. His work on the mound was also impressive. Casey’s fastball sat in the mid-80s, and his curve showed great depth at 72 mph.

Nicholas Toney (2018, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) has a large, athletic frame with some remaining physical projection left. He comes in at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds. His righthanded swing begins from a slightly open stance with a high back elbow set. Toney’s swing is very rotational, and that’s where he gets most of his power. He shows plenty of effort, but it does result in plenty of balls being hit hard to the gaps. His exaggerated leg kick occasionally closes him off at the point of contact, but his power still manages to play. His natural uppercut should make balls hit to the gap a think of consistency. Toney’s hands are quick through the zone, and his back whips behind. His work at third base is solid. His arm strength is apparent and he works well through groundballs. Toney is an all-around good athlete with plenty of promise. He is verbally committed to Florida Atlantic University.

Josh Strickland Jr. (2018, Dunedin, Fla.) is one of the smaller prospects at 6-foot, 170-pounds but that doesn’t stop him from playing an impressive shortstop. He has plenty of athleticism and tremendous physical projection as he starts to gain more weight and muscle. His comes into the box with a high back elbow set and an even stance. He’ll hands will slightly drift back as he begins his load. This helps to get lift when Strickland makes contact. He clearly tries to send the ball back up the middle. He doesn’t have much present power, but his contact skills are impressive. He possesses a fluid swing that projects well moving forward.

Another undersized but still solid shortstop is Matthew Mamatas (2018, McDonough, Ga.). He’s only 5-foot-9 and 160-pounds but he has the athleticism and projectability to be worth taking note of. His footwork in the field is solid, and his arm strength was well above average. He has quick releases and easily beats runners to the bag. At the plate he showed quick hands and the ability to drive the ball back up the middle. Mamatas consistently got the barrel to the ball. While Mamatas’ defense profiles better than his bat, he still has the tool to succeed at the next level and beyond.

– Kyle Zweng
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