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2020 PBR Bombers - IP Showcase

The Inside Performance Showcase took place on February 24 at Inside Performance Facility in North Vancouver. 54 invites were sent out to BC’s most talented players from 2020-2023, including multiple D1 committed athletes, and almost a dozen Junior Team Canada Members.

Luciano Letteri 2B / N/A, BC / 2020 Coquitlam Reds – 2020 uncommit 20° HHBLA 92 average EV Letteri had the farthest max distance on the day with a 413ft moon shot that had a 27.4° LA and left the bat at 100.6 MPH. In total Letteri led the day in homeruns with 2 and hit 5 balls over 350 ft in 24 swings. Letteri led the day with 3 100+ mph EV barrels, and scored a 25% “bombs/BIP” (HHB with 20+ LA/Balls in Play) score. Letteri finished the season last year without a homerun but hit .350 with a high contact rate which would suggest that with his new LA this season and his added strength it would be hard to believe that he will finish his PBL career without one. With his plus speed, his 10 doubles last season won’t stand long as a personal best.

Gio Mezzomo OF / LHP / Centennial, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 1 Coquitlam Reds – 2020 Sacramento State commit 20° HHBLA 88.8 average EV Mezzomo led the day second in max distance with a 412 ft blast that had an EV of 101.4 MPH with a LA of 25.5°. His highest EV on the day was 101.8 mph homerun launched 375 ft with a LA of 20.8°. He hit 8 out of 29 balls over 350 ft and had a bombs/BIP of 31%. Mezzomo displayed his skill of being able to consistently square up balls at a Launch Angle that will translate to the long ball in games, and it will be fun to watch him attempt to beat his previous high of 7 homeruns in 2019.

Cassidy Watt C / 1B / Gleneagle Senior, BC / 2020 Coquitlam Reds - 2020 Lassen College commit 20° HHBLA 88 average EV Watt has fallen victim to a very deep and talented 2020 grad class of BC catchers. Known as an offensive first catcher, his bat speed is one of the first things that you notice about him. He had an .857 OPS in 75 At-Bats while splitting time behind the dish last season with Coquitlam, and so far, this season has been taking a more aggressive approach at the plate which should translate to more hard contact. In 18 recorded swings, Watt scored a 38.9% in bomb/BIP and hit 3 balls over 350 ft, maxing out at 364 ft, on a 93.8 EV launching at 25°.

Vic Domingo RHP / 3B / Saint Thomas More Collegiate, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 3 UBC Thunder – 2020 University of British Columbia commit 25° HHBLA 87.6 average EV Known first as a pitcher, Domingo’s dynamic athleticism and fast twitch movements make him impactful with the bat as well. Last year he recorded 102 mph for his top EV, and this year he got close once again flashing a 99.8, en route to an average of 87.6. Domingo is a power pitcher, and a power hitter and has the mentality as such. He hit 11 out of 27 to left centre, averaging 97 mph, at a LA of 23°. He had a persuasive bomb/BIP score of 48.1%, with a max distance of 397 ft on a 99.3 mph drive with an LA of 26.2°. Domingo hit 10 balls over 350 ft, all of which over 92 mph and over 21°. Last year he only had 5 extra base hits in 88 At-Bats, watch for him to break his extra base hits total in just HR this summer, while dominating the PBL with an electric 2-3 pitch mix. The right-handed Mezzomo, Domingo is currently in Florida with the Jr. National Team as a two-way player and given the compete in him one can expect he wants to help his team win in whatever way he can.

Matthew Suarez C / John Oliver Secondary, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 3 UBC Thunder – 2020 Uncommitted 17° HHBLA 91.3 average EV Domingo’s battery mate with the UBC Thunder heading into the 2020 PBL season, Suarez is known by most as British Columbia’s most skilled defensive catcher. He routinely sits around a 2.00 in-game POP, blocks and receives well, and handles the bat well-enough to sit in the middle of a PBL batting order. Last season Suarez appeared to have a contact-conscious approach, but under hitting coach Justin Orton at UBC all year, one can expect that Suarez has made changes to become more impactful with the bat for the upcoming season. An average 91.3 EV shows that the extra base hit ability is right there with the top sluggers of the league. He had a bombs/BIP score of 26.7% with a hard hit % of 73.3%. Suarez will not be a homerun hitter but look for his doubles to have some more authority this year.

Samson Back 3B / 1B / Langley, BC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 3 Langley Blaze – 2020 Uncommitted 17° HHBLA 90.7 average EV Back is a composed hitter with great plate presence. He is confident and has the ability to take a lot of pitches without pressing for results. In limited at-bats last season due to being platooned behind JNT two-way standout Justin Thorsteinson and a bunch of senior hitters, he still hit at an impressive .338 clip with an .895 OPS. Look for Back to take advantage of more consistent plate appearances in his grade 12 summer. He had one of the smoothest swings at the showcase and shows easy consistency to the gaps; where he sprayed 21/25 in BP. Back’s top 5 EV’s of 97.3, 96.7, 95.1, 95.1, and 94.7 all had LA’s between 12°-19° implying that his swing is tailored for a gap to gap approach which could project to better power numbers later in his development, which is promising with his 80% HHB % on the day. Back had a bombs/BIP score of 28% and maxed out at 366’ on 93.9 mph at 23.8°.

Honourable Mentions:

• Jude Hall – Chilliwack Cougars 2020 – OF/3B – Uncommitted
  • 25° HHBLA – 83.7 average EV – 57.9% bombs/BIP
• Jonny McGill – Langley Blaze 2020 - INF/C – U of British Columbia commit
  • 12° HHBLA – 88 average EV – 19.2% bombs/BIP
• Wylie Waters – North Shore Twins 2022 – INF – Uncommitted
  • 11° HHBLA – 89 average EV – 15.4% bombs/BIP