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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/13/2018

17u BCS: Day 5 Scout Notes

Photo: Paul Labriola (Perfect Game)

17u BCS National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
Daily Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

The playoff games are under way at the 17u BCS Tournament and Baseball University 17u Bombers were able to overcome an early deficit and snag a 7-4 victory over 5 Star National Dobbs. Providing the offense for the Dobbs was No. 2 hitter, Georgia State commit Cameron Jones (2019 Kathleen, Ga.). Jones is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound switch hitter who utilizes an inside-out approach and really looks to drive the ball middle away. He keeps his hands back and tucked in close and can shoot the ball the other way with ease. Both his hits were well struck balls into right field and drove in two runs for the Dobbs.

Though they allowed seven runs, the Dobbs had three pitchers in the game that really showed some promise on the mound. Of the seven runs just four were earned for the guys on the mound.




Starting the game for the Dobbs was 6-foot-6, 185-pound lefty Paul Labriola (2019 Bradenton, Fla.). Labriola has a very long frame and a slender build and utilizes his length well in his delivery. He has a loose action in back releasing from three-quarters arm slot with angle to the plate. He’s able to get good extension down the mound through release. He’s got some arm speed that helps get his fastball up to 87 mph with some life on it. The Clemson commit also showed increasingly good feel for the breaking ball. Sitting in the mid-60s, the 1-to-7 curveball showed hard bite with swing-and-miss stuff.

Coming in for just two-thirds of an inning after Labriola was 6-foot, 205-pound righthander Chad Treadway (2019 Fletcher, N.C.). Treadway came in to clean up in the fourth inning needing to get a couple outs and allowed just one run. He’s got a strong build utilized well on the mound. His fastball is heavy down the mound with a solid plane in the bottom of the zone. He works from an over-the-top slot and fills it up early. He ran the fastball up to 88 mph on the edges while flashing a 11-to-5 curveball with the depth.

Coming in to throw the final inning for the Dobbs was Dante Visconti (2019 St. Johns, Fla.). Visconti is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound righthander with long limbs who strides out well on the mound getting extension out front. He’s got a deliberate pace to the delivery and the arm works well. The Florida Atlantic commit releases from a high three-quarters slot allowing him to get some plane on the fastball at 88 mph.




Starting for the Bombers and going four strong innings was Christian Suarez (2019 Tampa, Fla.). He’s a 6-foot-1, 210-pound righthander with a bulky build and strong lower half. He utilizes a long arm action in the back releasing from a quick low three-quarters slot which allows him to get some good running life on the fastball at 88 mph. He mixed in a solid curveball with an 11-to-5 shape that get good downward bite as well as some sweep when he gets around it a bite more. He also flashed a nice changeup down in the zone with late dive to lefthanded hitters. He has some present feel for his secondary pitches as he was to get quite a few called strikes on the edges.

Driving in two of the four earned runs for the Bombers was two-hole hitter Michael Mullins (2019 Odessa, Fla.). Mullins has quick hands through the zone and utilizes a middle of the field to pull side approach with some rotational contact. He’s got a slightly lifted path and when he meets the ball out front he can get some jump off the barrel. He singled up the middle driving in a couple runs that helped jump start a six run fourth inning.

Providing more spark for the Bombers in the bottom of the order was 6-foot-1, 200-pound outfielder Jonathan Shoop (2020 Tampa, Fla.). Shoop is a lefthanded bat that can handle velocity well being a little younger than his teammates. He has a high contact approach with a smooth barrel plane and looks to put the ball in play to all fields. He went 3-for-3 in the game and scored a couple runs as well as driving one in.

In a tie game headed to the seventh Florida Burn 2019 Premier and 5 Star National Weaver 17u was struck with a weather delay and had to wait to conclude their back forth game. Starting for Premier and going five innings allowing two runs was righthander Danny Rodriguez (2019 Sarasota, Fla.). Rodriguez has a clean delivery with a three-quarters release and can generate some short run on the fastball when getting on top. He’s best pitch however is a wipeout slider with very sharp bite and can get some depth to it as well. He throws the pitch almost as much as the fastball and gets good results with a ton of swings and misses.

Driving in two of the runs for Premier was No. 4 hitter Gunner Womer (2019 Parrish, Fla.). Womer generates some pop off the bat with a strong lower half getting good torque in his swing. He’s a rotational hitter who looks to drive the ball with force to the pull side. He has feel for the barrel and can make consistent contact and when meeting the ball out front creates solid leverage making loud contact.

Providing the third run for Premier was third baseman Jaiden Warde (2019 Longwood, Fla.). Warde is another rotational hitter who looks to lift the ball to the pull side. His hit came down the left field line for an RBI double. He’s got a slightly lifted path and is able to stay on plane well with the ball. Warde turns the barrel out front and generates good back spin off the bat, lifting the ball well.

On the mound for 5 Star was Seth Parker (2019 Seminole, Fla.) who went six innings and allowed just three runs. Parker is a slender righthander with some room to add some strength onto his frame. His arm action is long and loose and he releases from a high three-quarters arm slot. He generates good extension out front with good angle on the fastball topping out at 84 mph. The righthander shows good feel for a curveball with depth and flashes a good cutting changeup as well. Parker stays away from hard contact and can generate weak ground balls working in the lower quadrants of the zone.

– Taylor Weber



Day 5 in Fort Myers saw the much anticipated playoffs begin. The first two rounds were played at Terry Park and the Lee County Training Complex (5-Plex).

Mason Green (2019, Flower Mound, Texas) helped his Dallas Tigers - Burgos club give one of the tournament powerhouses, the Florida Burn – Platinum, all they could handle in first round action at Five Plex. The scrappy, never-say-die Green, used every bit of his 5-foot-7, 145-pound frame throughout the tournament and was a definite impact in helping push his Tigers team to the playoff round. The rising senior at Argyle HS is a sterling defender. His range, in both directions, ranks with the very best in the tournament. His raw arm strength, while not overpowering, is playable and his throws are highly accurate. He is a line-driver with a bat in his hands. It appears he is quite aware that making solid contact on a consistent basis is his strength. He is patient and understands the zone. He has an inside-out swing path and makes a great effort with every pass to hit the ball up the middle or to the off field.

University of Florida commit, Joshua Rivera (2019, Avon Park, Fla.) is arguably the linchpin to a very talented Florida Burn – Platinum offense. The big, burly slugger led his club to two big wins with a couple of solid games at the plate. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Rivera is a true pull-side slugger. There is no “hit behind the runner” in his game. He uses an impressive lower half and creates a great deal torque in his stride and swing. And, he is looking to drive the ball out of the park with each pass. Defensively, the big man is surprisingly nimble and shows a graceful athleticism with a glove on his hand. He has excellent lateral movement and is especially good going to his left. He has a strong arm that shows consistent carry and accuracy.

The Burn – Platinum ran three very solid arms out to the hill in their two games this morning. Starting on the hill in the club’s first game was right-hander, Orion Kerkering (2019, Nokomis, Fla.). The 6-foot-3, 180-pound, South Florida commit, touched 89 mph and consistently sat between 86 and 88 mph for his entire four-plus inning stint on the mound. The senior-to-be at Venice Senior HS, also featured two different breaking pitches. His cutter, which was thrown at 83-84 mph, was deceptive and got a lot of weak ground balls. His slider, which he confidently added and subtracted on, was between 76-80 mph. His slider is a true swing-and-miss pitch. What made Kerkering’s outing especially impressive was his command and control, which were outstanding.

Relieving Kerkering in the fifth inning was lefthander, Tanner Kelley (2019, Dover, Fla.). Kelley gave the Dallas Tigers a completely different look. His low three-quarters arm slot and whippy arm was almost the opposite of Kerkering’s classic high three-quarters arm action. Kelley would also mix in a little side arm slot for good measure, especially against left-handed hitters. His fastball, while not overpowering, sat at 80-82 mph and had heavy run and late sink. His curveball (63-64 mph) was deceptive. Righthanded hitters often gave up on his breaking ball and took it for strikes, while lefthanded hitters had many knee-buckling moments.

Liberty University commit, Josh Emerson (2019, Palm Harbor, Fla.) started the Burn’s second playoff game against a very impressive Ohio Glaciers squad. Emerson rode an early lead from his offense to an impressive victory and a place in Saturday’s playoff contests. The 6-foot, 200-pound, powerfully built, Emerson pounded the zone with an impressive 86-88 mph four-seam fastball that showed consistent riding life. The senior-to-be at traditional power, Calvary Christian HS, complemented his sometimes-overpowering heater with a tight-spinning, 12-to-6 curveball, that showed sharp depth at the plate. His poise and pace were that of a veteran hurler.

The Georgia Scorpions had an impressive early morning victory over a Royals Scout Team club that had made a strong showing in the tournament all week. The Scorps victory was secured with a four-spot in the top half of extra-inning play, when the always-exciting PG extra-inning format was brought into play when these two fine teams were deadlocked at 2-2 when regulation time had expired. Pacing the Rome, Georgia-based club were two gifted players. Tony Roca (2019, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound offensive force. The athletically built big man has advanced pull-side power and drives the ball with authority. He rarely expands the zone and uses a slugger’s lift at contact. He has a very strong core and knows how to incorporate that strength into his classic swing path. On defense, he is a gifted first baseman and a calming influence on his infield mates. He made more than one impressive scoop at the bag.

West Virginia commit Victor Scott (2019, Powder Springs, Ga.) is an eye-catching athletic presence on the field. He has numerous tools that are highly projectable. The 6-foot, 170-pound rising senior at McEachern HS is a blur on defense and on the base paths. He may not have world class speed, but he is a speedster on the baseball field and he knows how to use that gift. The rangy center fielder can make a lot of otherwise difficult plays look amazingly routine. He is truly impressive going back on fly balls. He is always in position following a play to make a highly effective throw to any base. He has a plus arm and a keen sense of timing in and with his throwing motion. He almost invites baserunners to go so he can throw them out. Offensively, his speed alone makes him a threat. His apparent understanding of the strike zone, his patience at the plate, and his compact, yet powerful swing, makes Scott a considerable threat with a bat in his hands.

– Jerry Miller
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