2021 World Showcase (01/16/2021 - 01/17/2021)

1/18/2021 11:14:39 AM

Luis Reyes (2022 RHP, La Terrena, SD) is a name to remember.  The young Dominican is barely 15 years old but he has a very, very fast and loose arm that produced fastballs up to 92 mph, with plenty more to come as his 6-1/155 body fills out and gets stronger.  Once he settled down, he also did a very nice job of landing a mid-70's breaking ball for strikes and even mixed in an 81 mph change up.

Jackson Hiatt (2022 1B, Cantonment, FL) is an interesting 2022 two-way talent.  The son of former big leaguer Phil Hiatt, Hiatt is a big 6-5/215 athlete with plenty of right handed power and bat speed.  He was also up to 87 mph on the mound and did a nice job of landing his curveball for strikes.

Riley Bender (2021 SS, Kingwood, TX) did a nice job getting the barrel to the ball, knocking a pair of singles up the middle.  The 6-4/185 Abilene Christian commit has lots of physical projection remaining and plays at a high skill level.

Robert De Benedetti (2021 C, Orlando, FL) showed nice bat speed, turning on an inside pitch and crushing a double down the left field line.

1/18/2021 11:06:21 AM

William Gnibus (2021 LHP, San Jose, CA) is a uncommitted/unsigned from Northern California with a mature 6-2/208 body and solid Division I stuff on the mound.  He worked in the 84-88 mph range for three innings, showing outstanding late running action to both sides of the plate very consistently.  He also threw a 75-77 mph slider that was a quality pitch and a developing 80 mph change up.

Josh Keevan (2021 LHP, Holden, MA) is another strong bodied southpaw that threw well today.  A UMass/Lowell signee, Keevan has nice command and feel for a three-pitch mix, including a fastball that topped out at 85 mph, a hard biting slider and a really nice change up.  He should be successful from Day 1 in college.

Kristian Campbell (2021 SS, Marietta, GA) is looking really strong and athletic with a big and lean 6-3/200 build.  A high level shortstop, Campbell stood out defensively both a third base starting a slick double play and making a brilliant diving catch over his shoulder in centerfield.  He also picked up a single at the plate.

Steele Jackson (2021 OF, Hamilton, IN) absolutely crushed a triple up the left centerfield alley.  The unsigned 6-0/195 senior has big right handed bat speed and power potential.

Derick J Andiarenas (2021 OF, Anasco, PR) had a big day on Saturday and continued swinging a hot bat on Sunday, picking a pair of base hits in his two trips to the plate.

1/18/2021 10:55:59 AM

Abdiel Rodriguez (2021 RHP, Caguas, PR) has a slender 6-1/155 build and a long and whippy arm action that produced a fastball that topped out at 90 mph and worked consistently in the upper 80's his entire outing.  He filled up the zone with fastball as well as a low 70's curveball and had a very nice outing.  Rodriguez is signed with Cisco Junior College.

Anthony Garcia (2021 LHP, Yabucoa, PR) has a strong lower half that drives his delivery and enabled the 5-10 lefty to work his fastball in the 84-88 mph range.  He also threw a 72 mph slider that showed some sharpness at times.

Hector A Candelas (2021 OF, Carolina, PR) showed his left handed power very well, blasting a pair of doubles, one over the right fielder's head and another up the left centerfield alley.  The strong 6-1/190 outfielder is signed with Charleston Southern.

Ryan Oniel Cepero Roman (2021 SS, Hatillo, PR) was one of the best athletes at the World Showcase and he really highlighted that athleticism with a sterling defensive play up the middle to get a runner at first base that any big leaguer would have been proud of.  He also knocked a double down the left field line.

1/17/2021 4:25:04 PM

Tyler Root (2021 Oklahoma City, OK) is a high waisted athletically built right-handed pitcher that ran his fastball up to 88 mph with good sinking life. He has a polished delivery and plenty of upside with his CB/CU as he develops. 

Harrison Owen (2021 Aliso Viejo, CA) is a strongly build catcher with good catch and throw skills. He stayed on a fastball on Sunday and smoked a single back through the middle. Impressing on both sides of the ball. 

Andre Vidal (2021 Miami, FL) can really hit! He has good timing and feel for his barrel as he turned on a sinking fastball and laced a hard line drive into left field. Good hit tool and has some thump too. 

Marcus Franco (Miramar, FL) has a ton of current strength and good body body control in the right-handed batters box. He shot an rbi single through the left side and has the look of a big time run producer. 

Rochne Beecham (2021 West Linn, OR) has a short left-handed stroke and showed good barrel adjustment as he smoked a line drive single into right field. Also drove a ball to deep centerfield, finding his second barrel later in the game. 

Josue Valdez (2021 Bronx, NY) barreled up a mid-80s fastball for a sharp single to leftfield. He has a strong frame and smooth stroke that looks very consistent, in game. 

Renzo Gonzalez (2021 Miami, FL) continues to stand out. He has a compact stroke and seems to always hit. The lefty scorched a single into right field on Sunday morning. During his last at bat he got out front and lifted a ball off the top of the wall in right centerfield for a stand up double to finish the weekend strong. 

Zaylen Perry (2021 Winterhaven, FL) Has an extra tall frame with a high waist and enormous physical projection. He has big bat speed and it played well as he hammered a loud liner into left field. 

Christopher Rumaldo (2021 Canovanas, PR) has a nice left-handed stroke and turns tight during his swing allowing him to get his bat head out on a pulled liner singe down the rightfield line. 

Nicholas Fraginals (2022 Miramar, FL) was impressive as he worked up to 91 with his fastball and spun a hard upper-70s slider. He has a big number of swing and miss while showing some polish on the bump. 

Gabriel Watson (2022 Hewitt, TX) throws a heavy upper-80s fastball that peaked at 90. The ball had a lot of carry to it and consistently missed bats. His slider flashed well too and touched 80 mph. 

Jose Hernandez (2021 Miami, FL) has a projectable frame and excellent defensive actions at short stop. He also has some upside at the plate as he belted a hard single to the pull side.  

1/17/2021 2:19:41 AM

NOTE:  This scout has been working the Stadium Field at Terry Park for over 20 years.  It is one of the biggest parks in the country and easily one of the hardest to hit home runs at.  Until today.  There was a jet stream heading out to right field and it's doubtful there have ever been as many home runs hit in a two and a half hour period than today.  It was fun to watch!

Marcus Franco (2021 1B, Miramar, FL) is one of the strongest hitters in the 2021 class and the 6-4/230 right handed hitter has noticeably tightened up his big body and got more athletic over the last six months.  He drove a couple of balls over the right centerfield fence that were extremely impressive blasts.

Peter Alexander Vazquez Torres (2021 SS, Guayama, PR) is a switch-hitter but clearly showed more bat speed and potential from the left side of the plate.  He is a Southern California commit with plenty of offensive ceiling.

Alex Ulloa (2021 SS, Cutler Bay, FL) is the 52nd ranked player in the 2021 class nationally and is a standout on both sides of the ball.  He's one of the few hitters at this age who has the quickness and timing to hit from the big hanging load he employs to time his swing.

Grant Hussey (2021 1B, Washington, WV) has made his name in the 2021 class with his left handed power and the West Virginia native and WVU commit can hit the ball as high and far as anyone, especially when he stays back and lets the ball travel so he can create back spin.

Rene Lastres (2021 C, Hialeah Gardens, FL) didn't take the most consistent round of the day but the PG All-American catcher looks stronger than ever and drove some balls hard.  He then went out and turned around a 93 mph fastball in the game for a 400+ foot no doubt home run.

Steele Jackson (2021 OF, Hamilton, IN) is an unsigned senior from Indiana who has the strength and bat speed to definitely hit at the college level.  He has a pull side approach with plenty of lift and jump off the barrel from the right side.

Kristian Campbell (2021 SS, Marietta, GA) really stands out for his increasingly strong 6-3/200 build and the Georgia Tech commit gets lots of leverage and hand drive into his swing while creating lots of back spin on the ball.  He drives the ball well to all fields with a balanced approach.

Jordan Viars (2021 OF, Prosper, TX) hit one of the most impressive home runs of any year, launching a ball over the 30 foot hit centerfield wall 412 feet from home plate.  The only time this scout has ever seen anything close to that at the Terry Park Stadium was by Jason Heyward.

Jonathan Santucci (2021 OF, Leominster, MA) has an outstanding ability to coil and explode his hands on time, giving him plus left handed bat speed and very good timing as well.  He really attacked the ball today and squared up almost every swing.

Carter Jensen (2021 C, Kansas City, MO) looked very smooth and very easy in creating big bat speed and plenty of lift in his swing today.  His extra strong lower half really drives his swing well.

Carson Hornung (2021 SS, Overland Park, KS) does what super strong 6-3/210 hitters should do; keep his swing simple and repeatable and let his strength and bat speed do the work.  He's going to lose some balls playing for Missouri.

Sam McNulty (2021 3B, Cambridge, MA) is another hitter whose simple swing and good overall flow and sequencing lets his strength and bat speed shine.  The Northeast has some strong hitters at the World Showcase.

Brock Daniels (2021 SS, St Louis, MO) is one of the more professional hitters in the 2021 class and is especially good at driving the ball to all fields due to the balance in his swing.  He opened up his swing late and showed his left handed pull power as well.

Wilson Weber (2021 C, Gresham, OR) came to Florida all the way from Oregon and showed potential well on both sides of the ball.  An Oregon State signee, he's a strong right handed hitter who drove the ball hard to the middle of the field from a simple and repeatable approach.

1/16/2021 11:26:51 PM

Zaylen Perry (2021 RHP, Winterhaven, FL) is a big young man at 6-5/225 and he showed a fluid and loose arm today with a fastball that worked in the 84-88 mph range with good cutting action at times.  There's more velocity there for the right hander but continued development of his breaking ball is key to his improvement.

Renzo Gonzalez (2021 OF, Miami, FL) is a primary outfielder with a Miami scholarship but there is little doubt that he could be a two-way player at the UM if that's what the coaching staff wants.  He worked a dominant and fast inning with an 87-89 mph fastball and a sharp 76-78 breaking ball from a deceptive delivery that will give left handed hitters fits.

David Lopez (2021 RHP, Mission, TX) threw three solid innings, working in the 84-87 mph range and maintaining his fastball velocity very well.  He has a loose whippy arm action that helped him throw a solid 72 mph curveball that had tight spin and good depth.

Ryan Henry (2021 1B, Villa Rica, GA) is a big and strong right handed hitter who showed his raw power well with a deep double that bounced off the centerfield wall 412 feet away.  He also made a couple nice plays on line drives at first base on defense.

Hector Mangual (2021 SS, Oviedo, FL) is a big 6-4/185 right handed hitting infielder with lots of power and projection in his bat.  A Missouri commit, he crushed a double to centerfield as well.

Rochne Beecham (2022 OF, West Linn, OR) picked up a pair of base hits and reached on an error and really showed his speed and motor well as a left handed hitter.

Hector G Nieves (2021 SS, Mayaguez, PR) is a very projectable left handed hitter with a 6-3/190 build and he showed impressive raw bat speed and potential in his at-bats today.

Peter Alexander Vazquez Torres (2021 SS, Guayama, PR) is a switch-hitter who really showed out well from the left side of the plate.  A Southern California signee, Vazques Torres picked up a couple of hits in the game and showed lots of power in batting practice.

Marcus Franco (2021 1B, Miramar, FL) has a dominant batting practice and then came bat to crush a couple of balls to centerfield in the games.  The balls comes off his barrel hard and loud.

1/16/2021 10:37:03 PM

Hector A Canales (2021 Carolina, PR) stayed on a well-located outer half fastball and shot a hard single to the middle of the field. Nice approach and willing to take what the pitcher gives him. 

Randal Diaz Morales (2021 Toa Alta, PR) stays on a pitch and hits a liner into left field for an RBI single. The long and lean short stop can get it done on both sides of the ball. 

Nick Hill (2021 Lakewood, CA) leaned on a pitch and destroyed it to LCF for a long homerun. The body and swing really project and he has impressed with his overall athleticism. 

Erick Gonzalez (2021 Bayamon, PR) solid 4-pitch mix led by his 88-mph fastball. Mixed throughout and has a very competitive disposition. 

Gray Stephens (2021 Vidalia, GA) has a big body and sequences his swing well staying behind the ball with the ability to use the whole field. He stroked a liner the opposite way on a sinking fastball in his last at bat of the afternoon. 

Michael Woodward (2021 Rancho Cucamonga, CA) smoked a ball the other way in the right-centerfield gap for a hit. He has a strong frame and hands and also runs well under way. 

Jack Johnson (2021 Arlington, WA) ran his heater up to 85 mph and mixed in both a CB and SL for strikes during his outing. Strong build with more to come.

1/16/2021 9:14:54 PM

Rene Lastres (2021 Hialeah, FL) annihilated a 93 MPH fastball and hit is on the street over both fences at Terry Park. Known for his defense, there is real power in his right-handed stroke. 

Elmer Rodriguez Cruz (2021 Trujillo, PR) is a uber projectable right-handed pitcher that ran his fastball up to 94 while sitting in the low-90s. He has solid control of the outer half with a sharp breaking ball and the potential of a plus changeup rounding out his three pitch mix

Jaylen Mateo (2021 Coamo, PR) found a barrel to centerfield that got over the head of the defender for a stand-up double. Lots of life to the frame and will develop nicely.   

Axel Y Reyes (2021 Arecibo, PR) great frame with a high waist and long arms. good plane to the 84-87 fastball that he came out firing, and filled up the strike zone on the glove side. Has some feel for his curveball around 70-mph that should develop as he gains strength.  

Diego Garcia (2021 San Jose, CA) has a powerful stroke and a short/direct path. The swing plays in game well and he laced a single to left field.

Ian Soto Roman (2021 Florida, PR) turned on the first pitch he saw, puling his hands in, and hammering a double down the left field line. The size and bat speed should lead to future power. 

1/16/2021 8:10:56 PM

1/16/2021 6:27:58 PM

1/16/2021 6:26:23 PM

1/16/2021 6:25:28 PM

1/16/2021 6:24:39 PM

1/16/2021 6:23:52 PM

1/16/2021 6:23:16 PM

1/16/2021 6:21:08 PM

1/16/2021 6:00:00 AM

Derick J Andiarenas (2021 Anasco, PR) worked a long at bat that ended in a stand-up triple. Control the zone well and has plenty of hand speed that plays in game. He added another triple in his second at bat to round out a great showing. 

Steele Jackson (2021 Hamilton, IN) is a strong right-handed hitter that pulled the hands in and smoked a double down the left field line. 

Ivan Vega (2021 Caguas, PR) continued to show offensive upside as he turned on a pitch and drove it over the third baseman’s head for a hit. 

Aidan Lenzen (2021 Winter Garden, FL) was in complete control from start to finish. He sinks his 84-86/87 fastball and plays the breaking ball well off of it. He pounded the strike zone for four scoreless innings. 

Derek (DJ) Radke (2021 Marietta, GA) is a strong and durable righty that sat in the low-90s with some riding life. He showed some depth to the upper-70s breaking ball and can vary the shape of it. 

Luis Mejia (2021 Miami, FL) smoked a single and showcased a versatile skill set. He has a compact swing and natural feel for the barrel.