Norcal Academic Game: Pitcher Reports

MENLO COLLEGE - ATHERTON, CALIF. - Our last event of 2021, the Northern CA Academic Game was tailored to student-athletes with strong academics and exposure to schools (big and small) that are also of a strong academic nature. These were the pitchers who threw in the game.

In addition to the traditional showcase (60 yard run, BP round, defensive workouts), the pitchers competed in live game action where their data was gathered, and each position player had three at-bats during the game they played in.

(Note: All showcase videos have been edited and added to the players' profiles)

CLICK HERE FOR SORTABLE PLAYER STATISTICS INCLUDING TRACKMAN AND BLAST MOTION DATA

MIF's LISTED IN ORDER OF TOP FB VELOCITY

Tyler Wood, De La Salle (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Long and strong, prototypical pitcher build with strength in legs and ample room in the upper body to fill out.
Delivery: Simple small rocker into mid-torso high lift, in-line stride, creates leverage against front side, head stays quiet, balanced at somewhat upright finish, 5.9 average extension w/6.42 avg release height.
Arm Action: RH. Clean on backside with mid-thigh depth, fingers above ball out of the glove, hides ball from hitter's view until getting to high-3/4 release, full finish through deceleration takes pressure off the shoulder.
FB: T87, 83-86 mph. Attacks with FB while using it to keep hitters honest, feel of arm side location and in to RHH, max spin 2252 (1992 avg), flashed above average run, usable FB with a bit more in the tank.
SL: 73-75 mph. Lower spin slider plays a bit like a CB with smaller break, used well on both sides of the plate, consistently around the zone with depth get defensive swings, plays well off his ability to pound the FB inside to RHH, 2035 max spin (1954 avg).
CH: 78-80 mph. Low spin CHG (1267 avg) that bottoms out in the zone with depth, flashes as swing and miss pitch that can also induce GBs, extension mirrors FB though release height drops slightly off the FB look.

Matthew Gobel, Lodi (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-4, 200-pounds. Large broad frame, powerfully built.
Delivery: Small turn rocker, medium lift just above the waist, works from 1B side, out to tall and fall long in-line stride, maintains balance through delivery, powerful legs that provide stability through finish, head stays fairly quiet during release.
Arm Action: RH. Long and loose, pulls ball early from glove creating some extra momentum, very slight inversion on backside, gets to high-3/4 slot with small recoil after finish, strong arm with more in the tank.
FB: T86, 81-85 mph. Runs hard on arm side, fair spin flashes a peak at potential with 2195 max rate (2054 avg), higher release height (6.59) allows ability to create angle toward bottom of the zone.
SL: 71-72 mph. Potentially above avg breaking ball, with short depth but quick lateral bite, 2513 max spin (2357 avg), cuts it off a bit at release while lowering slot, there is more life in this pitch with development of more extension.
CH: 74-75 mph. Showed ability to take spin off the FB look (1555 avg) with the CHG, keeps down in zone with enough run to get in on RHH or slide away to end of barrel vs LHH, lowers slot slightly off FB look while mirroring the extension.

Liam Barrett, Mountain View (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 5-11, 160-pounds. Athletic, streamlined with lean strength throughout.
Delivery: Small turn at the rubber, high agile lift near chest high, sinks into backside before kicking out to long slight cross body stride, lands with slightly fanned foot, sinks into plant leg as arm comes through, varies delivery tempos.
Arm Action: RH. Keeps hands tight to body before separation, long backside with depth, smooth clean and loose, effortless arm action, 3/4 slot, full finish with tension releasing deceleration, arm action projects significant future velocity gains.
FB: T83, 79-82 mph. No fear of the zone with FB, plays well up in the zone given the 5.3 avg release height, modest peak spin of 2139 (2018 avg), extension (6.2 avg) and release height do project ability to pitch effectively up in the zone, fairly straight with 6.5 HM avg.
CB: 65-67 mph. Sweeping break, showed feel and ability to manipulate spin at release while keeping feel (2315 max spin, 2146 avg), extension creates depth on this pitch (5.7 avg) with strong feel for the zone.
CH: 68-69 mph. Bigger horizontal movement (7.7 avg) off FB look which makes it quite playable vs LHH, low spin (1329 avg) creates downward movement in the zone, outstanding extension (6.4) though lowers slot further off the FB look.

Dylan Murphy, Cathedral Catholic (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 5-10, 150-pounds. Average size frame, lean body composition with visible lower body strength development.
Delivery: Slight left foto turn into short waist high lift, slight drop into back knee before modest slightly open stride, gets back hip through, front side leverage allowing for life creating extension.
Arm Action: RH. Fairly compact backside, controls arm swing while keeping ball hidden, 3/4 release seemingly comes from just off his ear in a hitter's eye, easy acceleration through release, has full control of arm stroke from out of glove to the release, back shoulder finishes prior to some recoil.
FB: T83, 79-82 mph. Willing to challenge despite modest peak velocity, flashed spin (2429 peak, 2174 avg) to suggest he has quite a bit more in the tank (30 spin score max), has length and life with above average movement, the 80-83 plays up well above the raw velocity, 16.6 IVB avg (22.1 max) indicates usability of FB up in the zone.
SL: 70-73 mph. Outstanding feel, big break with swing and miss action, slightly lower slot off FB, consistent feel and trust in use of the SL, 22.83 max spin (2128 avg).

Marco DiGirolamo, Carmel (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-1, 175-pounds. Body unchanged from previous viewing a month or so ago, athletic frame with strength through shoulders.
Delivery: All out of stretch, tuck knee lift to slightly above waist, gathers over rubber as he separates, controls body down slope out to slightly open stride, maintains balance through release.
Arm Action: RH. Lower slot with L-3/4 release, backside depth to the waist, arm swing toward 1B side due to slight tuck over rubber, loose arm looks capable of handling frequent work as would be the role of a reliever.
FB: T83, 80-82 mph. Slot suggests a sinker baller though tight spin (2472 max, 2320 avg) allows for ability to pitch up and down, does have above average arm side movement (18.5 max, 12.9 avg) with feel of the zone, the easy sleepy arm action can allow the FB to sneak up on hitters.
CB: 67-69 mph. Slippery action, wide sweeper, best when starting out of the zone into the zone due slot that can present it as a ball early after release.
SL: 70-73 mph. Look of the CB out of hand, slightly better spin (2310 max, 2196 avg), smaller break both horizontally and vertically off the CB as a slider would be, release height and extension are similar, effective pitch to force soft contact.

Vincent Braga, Palo Alto (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-0, 150-pounds. Lanky and long, ample room in frame for future size as he gains physical maturity.
Delivery: High glove in front of fact, modified wind-up with foot preset against rubber, high agile lift to chest height, gathers over rubber, creates power at rubber, controls stride with outstanding backside mechanics, slight cross body stride, full back hip finish, maintains balance throughout for consistent release point.
Arm Action: RH. Calm out of glove, loose easy arm action with natural projectability as he physically matures, keeps fingers above the ball, very slight inversion on backside, mid-thigh depth, 3/4 slot that is occasionally lower, full finish with back shoulder getting through, clean deceleration.
FB: T81, 78-80 mph. Fair spin with 2102 max (1981 avg) which combined with lower slot suggest a bottom of zone pounding sinker can be developed, easy arm action allows for some sneaky life jumping on hitters, 5.7 avg extension.
SL: 69-71 mph. Big sweeper with feel, release height mirrors the FB allowing for deception, hints of spin (2247 max, 2123 avg) and depth to project this as a swing and miss breaking ball, developed better and better feel as his outing went along.
CH: 72-73 mph. Potentially a plus CHG, extension mirrors FB and SL, slightly lower slot, pounded down in zone with late life/drop, low spin and feel present it as a hittable pitch that dives below bats.

Ben Soiland, Rancho Cotate (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: LHP
Body: 5-11, 160-pounds. Long limbs, average size body, plenty of room for strength gains.
Delivery: Over the head arms dropping in rhythm to meet lift just above the knees, works over rubber before smooth L glide and slide down the slope into balanced landing in short in-line stride, pulls glove side through as arm comes through, quiet head, repeatable delivery, somewhat upright finish.
Arm Action: LH. Compact arm action out of glove to very slight short stab in front of body, high-3/4 slot comes from behind head to create deception, smooth easy arm action suggests ability to disguise his various offerings.
FB: T72, 69-71 mph. Understands his stuff, has developed BIG movement on arm side allowing FB to start in zone and gets swings at balls, lower spin (1805 max, 1736 avg), pounded zone, doesn't project for much more velocity but ability to create movement and start bats is strong.
CB: 58-61 mph. Big tumbling breaking ball with rolling depth, feel of the zone with ability to start it high vs RHH and break it under hands for takes or jam shots, very similar release height and extension off the FB.
CH: 67 mph. Threw one, faded it on the arm side, low spin will get toppers and swing-overs.
CUT: 68-69 mph. Similar ability as with CB to get it in on the RHHs, small subtle break, when used up in the zone can get off the barrel and soft fly balls.

Lucca Sanguinetti, Archbishop Mitty (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 5-10, 135-pounds. Young body in regard to strength though has angular and sizeable frame and body type for future size and strength.
Delivery: Smooth medium size rocker, high knee lift up to chest, toe tilts upward during lift, has rhythm, some tuck and gather over rubber as he sinks into back leg, cross body stride with slightly open landing.
Arm Action: RH. Loose arm hides behind hip immediately after separation, small backside arm stroke that stops and starts as lower body uncoils into stride, high-3/4 slot, arm action gains ground.
FB: T71, 68-70 mph. Extension (5.8 avg) provides some length, lower spin (1846 max, 1614 avg) and lower release height with some run and feel for the zone make the FB usable as a contact inducing pitch with ability to get GBs.
CB: 58-60 mph. Smooth breaker with 11/4 shape, able to start in the zone and gets chases as it tumbles down and away, low spin (1463 avg) tumbler with feel for the zone.
SL: 65-66 mph. Similar spin rate to CB (1496) with smaller lateral movement and slightly higher velocity.
CH: 64-66 mph. Best secondary pitch, strong feel and understanding of how to use, can pull the string and get swings and misses, consistent feel allows for back to back usage, release height and extension mirror the FB with less run and more depth in bottom of zone.

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