2/4/2017 12:00:00 AM
Shortstop Grant Bodison (2017 elig. Simpsonville, SC) made his Highlands debut in loud fashion with a very high arching home run to left field. Bodison has quality hand speed at the plate and will show the ability to drive the ball in the air. His hand path can get long at times with trouble repeating his swing path, but he has raw tools at the plate. Bodison starts open and tall in the box with a quick toe tap into another set position. He drove the ball well when on time, but will look for consistency with additional at-bats. He reached base in all but one of his four trips to the plate, with the home run, a single, and a pair of walks. His approach will need to be refined as he moves through the spring, being a bit more selective, but he made a strong impression in their first game. Defensively, Bodison was tested early and often up the middle. His first step is above average, with long strides and quality actions to the ball. He struggled with accuracy and arm strength when set and on the move, spiking a pair of throws, but still showing quality athleticism. 

 

Brandon Bell (2017 elig. Fayetteville, GA) picked up where he left off after a strong freshman season. Bell moved down to the four spot in the order, helping to replace some of the offensive production vacated by the likes of Zach McCrum and Daniel Gooden. Bell worked with a new hand set and slightly more active hand load, but showed similar bat speed and strength. Bell's swing works through his core and he certainly has enough strength to drive the ball in the air. He blew the game open early on with a loud grand slam home run that left the bat at 104.5 mph off the barrel with a short, leveraged swing that barely snuck over the left field wall because the pitch was hit so hard. The Georgia State commit stayed back on a curveball in an 0-2 count and could be underway to another big season. 

Infielder Israel Zackery (2017 elig. Conyers, GA) showed quality athleticism on the right side of the infield with clean footwork around the bag. He showed a compact swing with a line drive swing plane. Zackery had good rhythm in the box from a wide base with a clean weight shift into contact.

Righthanded pitcher Colby Taylor (2017 elig. Fayetteville, GA) showed quality arm strength on the mound and pitched well in his outing. He used a medium arm action through the back with a slight hook before coming through from a three quarter arm slot. He landed in-line to the plate with balance and repeated his slot at landing well. His fastball showed good heaviness with short arm side life at 84-88 mph and up to 89 mph early in the game. Taylor showed average extension through the ball and worked through it best when from the windup, cutting off when from the stretch. He worked around the zone and kept his fastball low, not allowing a run. He also worked in a curveball with 10-to-4 shape and good depth. He mixed the pitch in well and threw it with confidence. The pitch showed average spin, but showed good feel on the mound, throwing it in the correct count, keeping hitters off balance.