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PG Series  | PG Series Classic  | 8/1/2019

Sophomore PG Series Quick Hits

Tyler Russo     
Photo: Jacob Orr (Perfect Game)

Sophomore PG Series Classic: Day 1 Quick Hits




Jacob Orr (2021, Frederick, Md.) has showed that he can hit at a high level through three games as he has reached in all eight plate appearances picking up two singles, two double, two triples and a pair of walks, while driving in eight and stealing a pair of bases. The Maryland commit has a compact 5-foot-8 frame with a very present level of athleticism and natural instincts and in-game speed that plays well above his listed 60 time of 6.86 seconds. There is plenty of bat speed there and he stays short and compact with the swing as he gets the barrel out front and on plane well to drive the ball to all fields. He showed a mature level of discipline and good coverage of the plate as the bat-to-ball skills play at a high level. As a middle infielder with present athleticism and developing strength in the swing, the Terrapins will be getting a good one in a couple years.



Carter Holton (2021, Guyton, Ga.) was outstanding on the mound in his two brief closer appearances over the first two days of the Sophomore PG Series Classic, looking every bit the part of a Vanderbilt commit as he threw an inning in each look, using just 13 pitches both times to strike out the side. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound lefthander doesn’t have the prototypical body we see out of a Commodore recruit, but the pitchability is no doubt as he works a solid three-pitch mix with a fastball already up to 92 mph showing heavy arm-side run and late life. There is present deception to the delivery as he hides the ball extremely well using a short and quick arm action. The curveball showed as a true swing-and-miss pitch with some power to it in both looks as he landed it in virtually any count. Although not needed to be used in either look, Holton does possess a solid changeup that can create weak contact and swing-and-miss when landed down in the zone. The athleticism in the delivery is very evident and the stuff should only continue to improve as he fills into the athletic frame as the arm talent is some of the best in the class.



Renzo Gonzalez (2021, Tampa, Fla.) had a loud day at the plate as he picked up a pair of hits in the form of a leadoff back-side double followed up by a no-doubt home run to the pull side. The Miami commit showed a ton of strength in his hands on the first hit as he held the barrel back long enough to maintain solid contact to the backside gap. He has great control of his body as he can hold his weight and rotate on time throughout. In his second at-bat, he showed how significant the pop in the bat can be when he squares it up as he launched a no-doubt shot well over the right field fence. The feel for the barrel is elite and the athleticism throughout the body allows him to repeat the swing and create strong contact no matter where the pitch is.



John Schroeder (2021, Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) might be making the loudest consistent contact at the Sophomore Classic, but unfortunately has not had things land his way as most of that contact has found the glove of a defender. The uncommitted, switch-hitting catcher only hit from the left side in these looks, but showed electric bat speed that generates hard contact to all fields. The stroke is short and quick as he adjusts his hands extremely well to handle pitches all around the zone. He has continued to fill into the frame and add strength since some of the last looks at him, but the frame still projects to hold a ton more strength throughout the body. The athletic lower half allows him to hold back, rotate on time and explode through the ball. Behind the dish, he is just as athletic showing good receiving actions and the ability to get underneath pitches down in the zone. Where he stands out behind the plate is with the arm and catch-and-throw abilities as he recovered extremely well on a tough pitch to throw out a would-be base-stealer in game three. The throws showed consistent online carry as he gains ground with good footwork toward the bag. There is a lot to like in this uncommitted catcher who has tools that play at a high level now and project to a very high level as he continues to make the needed jump as he has begun to over the last year.



Brandon Hudson (2021, Waxhaw, N.C.) was outstanding in his start as he tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and no walks while striking out seven on just 45 pitches. The North Carolina State commit might be the most projectable righthander in the event standing at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds with a fastball already up to 91 mph. He has begun to fill into his frame, but still projects for a ton more added strength in both the upper half and in the legs. The arm is very quick through a high three-quarters slot and creates late life and plane to the fastball as he commands both halves. He pulls off on the extension a bit rather than following through and being able to live solely in the lower half of the zone, but that seems to be a simple fix that would create a great impact. The curveball showed as a swing-and-miss pitch here and has the makings of becoming one at the next level as well. The projection is to dream on for the North Carolina native and it will be great to see just how high he can climb on the velocity ladder.

Austin Hawke (2022, Oak Island, N.C.) is the only freshman to be playing among the sophomores as he plays alongside his brother, a Wake Forest commit, Tommy Hawke (2021, Oak Island, N.C.).



Austin has many similar traits to that of his one-year older brother as he profiles out as a top-of-the-order hitter with a leadoff, contact-hitting profile that plays to his speed rather than the present pop. Both brothers showed a high level of discipline at the plate as they worked deep into counts and covered the plate well with their bat-to-ball skills. Both stay short to the ball and use their bat speed to get the barrel out front and generate some pop to the pull-side with line drives. As middle of the field players, both of them play at a high level of intensity with the athleticism to back it up.



Tommy, hitting from the left side, has a better step out of the box and will more often than not turn singles into doubles, but Austin’s projection looks to be a bit higher given the current size and strength of the frame. Both brothers should no-doubt hit for a high clip when they make their way to the next level.



Ryan Scarry (2021, Miami, Fla.) started off the Sophomore Classic hot as he picked up a pair of hits, including a shot off the left field fence shown in the video that went down as a single due to the bases being loaded. The uncommitted outfielder is a toolsy prospect with plenty of projection in the athletic 5-foot-10 frame. There is some bat speed in the swing at present with natural leverage when driving to the pull side. The feet are quick out of the box and the 6.60 60-yard dash speed at a PG showcase prove that the run enhances the game a ton. There needs to be some fine-tuning in the lower half during the swing to stay a bit more controlled, but the upside is definitely there.



Hector Mangual (2021, Oviedo, Fla.) also had a strong start to the Sophomore PG Series Classic as he picked up a pair of hits of his own. The righthanded hitting shortstop, and Missouri commit, has a high projection from the long-limbed 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame that looks to hold plenty of additional strength. At the plate, the swing is very loose with good hands that allow him to get and stay on plane with good separation and extension from the body. The athleticism is average at present and will need to be improved if he is going to stick at the premier position, but the projection is there and he will be an intriguing prospect to watch moving forward.



Martin Gair (2021, Concord, N.C.) showed potential in his brief outing as the 6-foot-5, 225-pound uncommitted righthander tossed two innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two, but did surrender a few walks. The big body is surprisingly athletic as he gets down the mound well with a whippy arm creating riding life to both halves of the plate on a fastball that has previously been up to 91 mph. The command was a bit lacking in this look on the fastball, but he was able to land a breaking ball that showed the makings of being a good off-speed pitch moving forward if he can keep it out of upper half of the zone. The projection is there on the mound strictly because of the imposing frame and the arm action creates a bit of deception as it stays short and hides the ball well up to release. Gair also showed well at the plate as he took an outer half fastball and drove it to the base of the wall in a deep center field.

Andreas Mantz (2021, Fort Myers, Fla.) has had a sound start to the event as he has started 3-for-6 with a single, double and a triple, picking up three walks and scoring four times. The uncommitted outfielder is extremely athletic and plays at a higher intensity than most, allowing his speed to greatly enhance his game on both sides. At the plate, he showed strong wrists and good use of his hands to cover all quadrants of the plate and get the barrel out front to drive the ball to all fields. Defensively, he covers ground extremely well and profiles very easily as a center fielder given his feel for taking good routes into the gaps and showcasing an arm that plays well in game. There is still high projection given the athletic 165-pounds on the 6-foot frame and Mantz has the tools to become a good prospect as he fills out and begins to check more boxes.

Nick Morgan (2021, Cataula, Ga.) was sharp in his start for the talented Coastal team as he tossed 3 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and an unearned run while striking out four. The uncommitted projectable righthander stands at 6-foot, 170-pounds with significant room to fill. There are a lot of moving parts that could be cleaned up, but the quick-twitch motions add deception to the delivery with a quick enough arm to catch up when he gets off time in the lower half. He over rotates at times, but he gets down the mound and extends to the plate well with riding life when down in the zone. The fastball showed some cut to the glove side as he worked up to 84 mph while mixing in a tight slider that created some swing-and-miss when landed down in the zone.


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