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Tournaments  | Story | 7/20/2016

16u BCS Finals Day 2 Scout Notes

Brandon Hohl


Day 1 Notes | Daily Leaders | Top Ranked Players Team Database

Mizuno Baseball USA righthanded pitcher and Perfect Game Top 500 player Javan Smitherman (2018, Kilgore, Texas) had an impressive short outing at CenturyLink Sports Complex on Tuesday. Varying his leg lift between hip and chest height, Smitherman kept his hands high and kicked out towards the plate. He delayed separating his hands as long as he could, and as he separated them it led to a very short and fast arm swing that resulted in a high three-quarters release, finishing with a slight head whack while keeping his lower body under control. Working a two-pitch mix of fastball and curveball, Smitherman worked hard inside and soft away with his fastball showing some arm-side run and sitting at 86 mph, although he reached all the way to 90. Occasionally, he would elevate late in the count or when his arm could not catch up to the rest of his body. His curveball ranged from 68-74 mph, and as the velocity increased his curveball started to show more slider movement and the break would get tighter and show more sweeping movement. Regardless of whether he did this on purpose or not, Smitherman showed a great feel for his off-speed by throwing it multiple times for a first-pitch strike and also doubling up. He finished with 3 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just two hits with five strikeouts.

Leadoff hitter and Vanderbilt commit for the FTB Rockets, Tyler McKenzie (2019, Loxahatchee, Fla.), stands with a slightly open stance in his legs with his hands set by the shoulder with the bat at 45 degrees. He starts his swing with a gather to the rear leg, and as his stride separates he tips the barrel towards the pitcher and creates elastic tension throughout the body. He really tries to keep his hands close to the body throughout his bat path making it look like he wants to hit the ball to the opposite field. McKenzie was able to work a long first at-bat resulting in a line drive single to right field with a 5.0-second turn. There’s not a lot of bat speed yet, as it seems like more of a feel for contact, but there is still time for him to develop strength and the subsequent bat speed that will come with those strength gains. Also, while he did not play the field on Tuesday I really looking forward to seeing him perform defensively. Tyler finished the game 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Playing shortstop for the FTB Rockets was switch hitter Kaeber Rog (2018, Curacao). He stands with almost identical stances from both the left and right side of the batter’s box. Rog stands slightly open and deep in to his legs, and his hands are held high above his head with the bat at a 45-degree angle. He loads his hands slightly down and back but still keeps them high above the shoulder. From the left side I thought his bat path was too negative, especially for a four hitter and someone who’s going to drive the ball. The stances may have been identical but Kaeber seemed much more comfortable from the right side. He used a fluid knee-to-knee leg lift that created elastic tension when the stride went forward, and bat speed was there for both sides of the swing. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a line drive single from the right side and a run scored. Rog was also really impressive on defense making a diving play up the middle to save a run.

Probably having the best offensive day at the plate for FTB Mizuno was Zachary Mazur (2018, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.). He stands at the plate with a slightly open stance while striding open. As he strides his hands load behind his shoulder creating a strong torqued body position. His bat drops below his shoulder leading to a good approach to the ball with bat speed. His lower body gets to a strong power-L position with the back knee down and the front leg locked out. I saw him hit a line drive single to right-center field and come back his next at-bat with a line drive double to nearly the same spot. He also recorded a 4.65-second time on the turn down the first base line. Mazur finished the day 3-for-3 with two singles and a double.

The 142nd ranked prospect in the nation, Alberto Gonzalez (2018, Laredo, Texas), took the mound for the Texas Fire. Gonzalez is a righthanded pitcher with a high, slow leg lift, kicking forward into his stride while separating his hands with the arm swing going behind his back to a high three-quarters release point. He worked his fastball for the majority of his pitches with it averaging 86 mph and touching 91. There was a different effort level depending on the count for Gonzalez. Pacing himself early in the count with the fastball, he would turn up the velocity with two strikes. He also threw a 11-to-5 curveball at 60 mph. The pitch had sharp drop but came up out of the hand at release. I would like to see curveball thrown harder but it was a successful part of his outing nonetheless. Alberto finished his outing with 3 2/3 innings pitched, allowing two hits with eight strikeouts.

I got to see the FTB55 Elite at the 5-Plex and really liked the actions at the plate from the middle of the order. We’ll start with their No. 3 hitter and first basemen, Marcos Pujols (2019, Palm Bay, Fla.), who is a strong-bodied athlete and a big target at first base. At the plate he stands upright, with his feet open and slightly wider than shoulder width, with his hands held at shoulder height, set away from the body with the bat held vertical. Keeping the back leg torqued he begins his swing with a leg lift, his stride separates, and then tips the barrel in to a strong loaded position. He has a good bat path and is still developing bat speed.

Hitting fourth for FTB55 Elite is USF commit and the 149th ranked player in the class of 2018, Brady Allen (Lakeland, Fla.). Of the three hitters from FTB55 Elite I’ll touch upon, his actions at the plate are what I liked the most. He has strong stance with his feet spread at shoulder width, slightly open, rear leg torqued, back elbow up and his barrel slightly tipped towards the pitcher. He doesn’t need to move much from this spot as it is already a strong launch position for a hitter. To start the swing he leg lifts with internal rotation, creating a coiled front side, then takes a long linear stride, landing with a bent lead leg. He generates a lot of bat speed from this torqued position and it’s impressive to watch him swing. He works up to the ball with the body and finishes with strong lower half mechanics.

Finally, the fifth hitter for FTB55 Elite is uncommitted third basemen, Carson Weekley (2018, Tampa, Fla.). Weekley is a strong athlete with some more room to grow. He stands with a wide stance, legs bent and his hands high above the shoulder. Weekley has good rhythm at the plate, shifting back and forth from leg-to-leg and rocking the barrel. He keeps his rear leg braced throughout his rhythm but begins the swing with a leg lift and linear stride forward. The hands separate from the lead leg in to a strong launch position above and behind the shoulder. The barrel is tipped towards the pitcher at 45 degrees. He lands with a bent lead leg, beginning his path from the ground up with great lower half movements. His back knee is in the power-L position with his torso over the plate, hips extended with a locked-out lead leg, and the barrel whips around the shoulder, staying on path for a long time in a positive attack angle to the ball. Weekley, in an unfinished game, went 1-for-2 with a double.
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