Boras Classic South: Thursday Notebook
April 6, 2018
Day three action from the Boras Classic held plenty of marquee performances from the first game through the last starting with the players of the day from each game at Mater Dei:
GAME 1: Notre Dame-West Ranch
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Noah Taylor OF / Notre Dame, CA / 2018Taylor exploded for two home runs with four RBI while finishing with three hits on the day. After a stellar performance at last year’s event, the uncommitted outfielder broke out in a big way to help carry the Knights to their first victory of the tournament. Featuring a physical, 6-foot, 205-pound frame with lean strength throughout, the left-handed hitter has a balanced approach and flat path through the zone with a two-handed finish. His load works deeper, down and back before his fast hands impact the ball with strength. A gifted athlete, he also shows the ability to play any outfield position with solid routes and ball skills. |
GAME 2: Vista Murrietta-Huntington Beach
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Jake Moberg SS / RHP / Vista Murrieta, CA / 2018Moberg’s quiet confidence and aura allows him to slow the game down while playing it at a high level. I have been impressed by his maturity from pitch to pitch while at the plate. Though I think he may be a bit too patient early in the count, he always dictates the pace of the at-bat. He has a deeper load with a barrel tilt late, but has the quick hands necessary to rip the barrel through the zone on an uphill plane. He had two hits on the day, including a double, and also smoked a line out to third base. |
GAME 3: Mater Dei-Etiwanda
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Alonzo Tredwell RHP / 1B / Mater Dei, CA / 2021Tredwell’s name is going to be talked about a lot for the next four years as he is only a freshman, but already locks down the 3-hole in the Mater Dei order, and may quickly turn into one of their top pitchers moving forward. At 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, he has a long frame with broad shoulders, but still looks like he has room to continue filling out. He went 6.2 innings, striking out 10 while surrendering just two runs on five hits and walking three. The two runs came in the first inning as he struggled to find a consistent release point. While his delivery is polished and clean, he is still growing into his long-limbed frame, and becoming more comfortable with new movement patterns. His fastball peaked at 84 mph, and though he cut the pitch at 80-81 a lot early, it was most impressive when he got on top and created a downward plane to the bottom of the strikes zone. His loose, fast arm promises much more velocity in the future. Early on, his breaking ball lacked as he felt for it, but by the end of the outing he was spinning a tighter, 11/5 curveball with depth that has a chance to be an above average pitch moving forward. He is a threat from the left side at the plate with a strong swing and fast hands. His at-bats look like that of a senior rather than a freshman as he is balanced and confident at the plate. He had two hits on the day including a double. Overall, Tredwell looks the part of one of the top players in the 2021 class, and there is much more to come from the young two-way player. |
GAME 4: La Mirada-South Hills
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Emilio Morales C / RHP / La Mirada, CA / 2020Emotions ran very high early on in Morales’ outing against South Hills, but he was able to compose himself, and made some big pitches after errors, of which his team made four, to toss six shutout innings, striking out eight. High-waisted with an athletic, 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame, the Southern California recruit showed of a quick arm and repeatable delivery. His fastball touched 89 mph early on, but settled in mostly at 84-86, seeming to pick up speed as it crossed the plate. Although the fastball is impressive, Morales relied heavily on his secondary pitches even from the first pitch of the game (a curveball). He varied the shape and speed of his breaking ball at 68-73 with the harder version taking sharper, slider shape from a slightly lower arm slot, and the slower one approaching multi-tier break. The pitch is an above average offering, and should continue developing even more in the future. His changeup (75-78) was his best secondary pitch, and shows signs of being plus in the near-future. He ripped it off with fastball hand speed, and it exhibited late-sinking action with four-seam rotation. Morales got multiple swings and misses on the pitch, and showed confidence in throwing it at any time. Far from a finished product physically, Morales has a chance to blossom into one of the elite arms of the 2020 class in the future. |
PLUS MORE NOTES BELOW: