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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/27/2019

Pacific Invitational Scout Notes

Connor Spencer     

Pacific Coast Invitational Scout Notes: Day 1-2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

It was championship Wednesday for the 16u division while the 17u kept rolling with a shorter day at the Irvine Great Park. The championship games delivered in every aspect, pinning top teams against each other in what was a highly competitive product on the field for coaches and scouts.




In the first semifinal game CBA Wave just fell short against a hot Acceleration 16u team. Despite the loss, Ryan Forcucci (2021, San Marcos, Calif.) gave them every chance to win but had to come out of the ball game due to pitch limits. Forcucci went four full while striking out five and not allowing a hit. His arm action is short from a high three-quarters arm slot, however, everything about his motion is slow and methodical. In some sense his 81-86 mph fastball feels quicker than it is because of his slow motion, but at the next level he’ll need to speed up his tempo in between pitches. He loves to pitch with the fastball and locates well to all four quadrants. His large 11-to-5 shaped curveball is a good pitch that has the ability to miss bats but lacs the spin rate to be a plus kill pitch. On most occasions he liked to save the breaking ball until he got to two strikes, thus, helping its out-pitch ability. He does have a 74-75 mph off-speed that is a straight change, but he likes to use his breaking ball more. Forcucci has a great projectable build and his ability to spot up catches scout’s eyes.

Acceleration 16u took on Bulldogs 2021 for all the marbles in the 16u championship game and it was a tight battle throughout. Mason Potter(2021, Riverside, Calif.) broke the 1-1 tie in the fifth with a single through the six-hole with his short and compact stroke. Then the MVP of the tournament, David Loera(2021, Moreno Valley, Calif.), broke the game open with a three RBI double into the right-center gap. Loera has a smooth stroke with strong hands and creates some tension with his active lower half. Bulldogs 2021 put the brakes on Acceleration 16u winning the 16u division 9-1.




In the 17u games Emmanuel Huerta (2021, National City, Calif.) went 1-for-2 for the San Diego Diablos and showed off some high ceiling projectability in center field. He has a lengthy athletic frame with a narrow upright stance at the plate. He has a deep hand load and a long stride towards the mound. His hands coil into his load as well and it helps to generate whip through the zone after he releases the tension created by the coil. He stays tall on his backside and has consistent down and through actions. In the field he has solid agility and makes good first step reads.

Bryant Gaddison (2020, West Covina, Calif.) helped lead Juggernaut Group Baseball Academy 17u to a win going 2-for-2 with an RBI on the day. Gaddison has an upright, open, and slightly crouched stance at the plate and has good bat speed. He uses his hands well and has a middle-of-the-field to pull-side approach. What coaches and scouts love about Gaddison is his awareness on the basepaths and all-around quickness to his game. On his first single of the day he made a heads-up play, taking second base on a throw to third. His present baseball IQ will prove valuable at the next level.




Caden Aoki (2021, Huntington Beach, Calif.) gave the California Aces a quality start against PFA Cavs going four full innings while fanning nine. He has a short arm action from an over-the-top slot and uses a high leg kick. At his apex he gets a slight inward turn of his front side then whips it open down the mound and actually whips it open so hard that he opens early, yet, stays balanced through his finish. His fastball gets good arm-side run especially down in the zone and sits 82-to-84 while touching 86 mph. He has confidence in his 12-to-6 curveball that has a large shape and falls off the table for a strike. It has the potential to be an out-pitch as he got many hitters looking a swinging at it. He also has a straight off-speed that sits around 73-74 mph, however, he prefers to use the curveball as his secondary pitch. Aoki worked with good tempo throughout his outing and although he’s listed as a primary shortstop, will have an opportunity on the bump at the next level. 


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