Alabama Scout Blog: Week 7 Games

7A No. 2 Hewitt-Trussville (4) vs. 7A No. 1 Auburn (3)

Friday, April 2nd @ Southern Union CC

+ RHP Skylar Jones (2021, Chattahoochee Valley CC) dazzled in his outing for the Huskies in arguably their biggest game of the year to date. Pitching against the No. 1 team in Alabama, Jones went 6 ⅓ IP, 6 H’s, 3 ER, BB and 8 K’s on Friday night. Standing a mature 6-4, 190 pounds, Jones opened up the first few innings pumping 87-88 mph and touching 89 mph a few times before settling in around 86-87 mph for the duration of his outing. Throwing all three of his pitches for strikes, he flipped in a tight 77-78 mph (2450 rpm) slider for strikes to mostly right-handed hitters and featured an 81-82 mph changeup to left-handed hitters. 

RHP Skylar Jones (4/2/21)

+ RHP Brady Fuller (2021, Southern Union CC) continues to one-up his previous performances at each look on the mound. Fuller was equally as impressive as his counterpart in a start against the No. 2 team in Alabama, tossing 5 IP, 4 H’s, 4 R’s (2 ER), BB and 6 K’s. Fuller saw an increase in velocity since our last look, working 89-90 mph and touched 92 mph (2250 rpm) once on Friday night. The breaking ball continues to separate Fuller from other arms, showing feel for spin on a sharp 77-78 mph breaking ball that spun up to 2780 rpm’s. Although he was a “tough luck loser” in this outing, Fuller pitched well enough to win the game if a play or two went his way.

RHP Brady Fuller (4/2/21)

+ C Riley Austin (2021, Southern Union CC) took one of the biggest swings of the night for either teams hitting in the middle of the order for Auburn. With a runner on 2nd base and two outs trailing by a run, Austin handled an elevated 87 mph heater and drove it over the right fielder’s head for a RBI double to tie the game up at 1-1. At 6-2, 215 pounds, Austin is a big, physical bat that hits for some power and defends well behind the plate. Handles all Tiger arms with ease behind the plate with efficient arm strength on throws to 2nd. 

C Riley Austin (4/2/21)

+ 1B Jackson Holland (2021) has been a steady performer offensively for the No. 2-ranked Huskies in 2021 so far. Slotted in the 3-hole and hitting from the left side, Holland has excellent bat-to-ball skills and looked comfortable against an arm that reached the low-90’s on Friday night. Starting off the inning in one of his at-bats, the uncommitted senior stayed professional in his approach and went with an outer-half fastball to single through the left side of the infield for a single. Extends the barrel through the zone and stays on the baseball efficiently throughout his swing. 

1B Jackson Holland (4/2/21)

+ RHP Riley Quick (2022) was called on during the 7th inning of a tight, one run game against the No. 1 team in Alabama to get the save, and he did just that. After previously being up to 90 mph in our last look a couple weeks ago, Quick only needed eight pitches to record the final two outs of the ballgame. Inheriting a runner on 1st (tying run) and 2nd (winning run) with one out in the bottom of the 7th, Quick poured in an 87-89 mph heater for strikes and flashed an 81-82 mph changeup with the same arm action. Punched out the leadoff hitter in the Tiger’s order and induced a groundout to end the game. The top arm in the 2022 Alabama Rankings.

4A No. 1 Mobile Christian (12) vs. 6A Baldwin County (4)

Monday, March 29th @ Mobile Christian

+ 3B Charlie Keller (2022, Mississippi State) has started off his junior year as hot as anybody at the plate for the Leopards. Leading the way for a Murderer’s Row lineup, Keller had blasted six home runs heading into this game, and he added two more to his collection on Monday night. The first came in the 4th inning, when Keller handled an elevated pitch and hit a towering blast to the back side, which is the first clip in the video below. The second game in the 6th inning, and he did not miss this one. Working his way into a 3-1 count, Keller took advantage of a pitch left over the plate and blasted a two run shot, this time to the pull side. At 6-3, 185 pounds, Keller has made significant strides to his body in terms of strength and filling out. He’s added more muscle and looks the part in the box. He’s simplified his load/pre-pitch since the last look, staying more grounded and using his lower-half well now. Looks comfortable taking pitches and not missing the pitches he hunted for. Powerful stroke that’s athletic enough to stick at the hot corner in the future. 

3B Charlie Keller (3/29/21)

+ SS Seth Smith (2023) is a sophomore that has a chance to be a big time prospect when all things are said and done. At 6-2, 165 pounds, Smith has a high ceiling as a left-handed hitting shortstop that is playing a big role in a loaded lineup for Mobile Christian. Hitting from an upright stance and using a leg kick, Smith possesses a repeatable swing with a slightly uphill bat plane to hit for line drives. The shortstop did that on Monday night, recording two doubles and a single to both parts of the field. Smoked an outside fastball in one at-bat and drove it over the shortstop’s head and into the left-center field gap for one of his doubles. Played a clean shortstop, making routine plays look easy with efficient footwork and smooth hands. He’s really seemed to make a big jump over the last year and will be one that makes a huge jump in the upcoming 2023 Player Rankings. 

SS Seth Smith (3/29/21)

+ C Grant Jay (2022, Dallas Baptist) was a member of our first ever PBR Future Games team in 2019, where he stood out defensively behind the plate. Jay, a 6-0, 195 pounds, has continued to refine and improve his skills and it’s benefited him greatly in all facets of his game. Jay hammered an outside pitch in his first at-bat after fouling off numerous pitches with two strikes to right field for a triple to start things in the 1st. Singled again in his next at-bat for his second hit of the game. A balanced & athletic stance with feel to hit to all fields for average and power. Although he’s a strong, durable backstop with physicality, Jay displayed some athleticism by swiping two bags in this contest as well. A 6.92 runner a year and a half ago, Jay checks off a ton of boxes for what you look for in a catcher. Excellent defender with solid catch & throw skills, strong hands/forearms allow him to receive well, and blocks exceptionally well. 

C Grant Jay (3/29/21)

+ 2B Zane Stokes (2022) has been high on our radar for some time, especially after his showing at multiple events last summer. These performances were eventually  good enough for him to earn an invite to the PBR Future Games. Holding it down up the middle for the Leopards at 2nd base, Stokes reached base in all of his plate appearances on Monday night. At 5-10, 170 pounds, the uncommitted junior has an easy & simple stroke from the right side, but still drives the ball with some authority at the plate. Tall, upright stance with some quick hands. Doubled twice to the pull side and single back up the middle (all below), while also walking in his four plate appearances on the night. Equally as impressive as a defender up the middle. Solid lateral range with ability to cover ground. Smooth hands with excellent footwork on the infield. Can play 3rd base and shortstop, but probably profiles as a 2nd basemen in the future. One of the top uncommitted players in the junior class in Alabama with plenty of interest from college programs.

2B Zane Stokes (3/29/21)

+ OF Rashad Robinson (2021, Memphis) is just another Division 1 hitter that is packed into the loaded Mobile Christian lineup in 2021. In a high-scoring affair for the Leopards, Robinson was the unlucky victim of hitting balls right at people in this contest. Regardless, the Memphis signee put together some quality at-bats that the box score wouldn’t tell you. Drove in a run in the 1st inning on a RBI groundout, lined out to shortstop in another at-bat, and two more balls hard in this look in the middle of the order. Starts in a slightly open stance before coming back to square and fires a quick lower-half. Swing allows him to hit more line drives, but has also hit for power this year. A high-level athlete, Robinson can also cover tons of ground patrolling center field and can “go get it” with the best of them. Another key piece offensively for Mobile Christian that’s leading the way in his final year of high school ball.

OF Rashad Robinson (3/29/21)