Rising Stars Showcase: Pitchers Analysis

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Six-foot, 130-pounds, extra-large frame that is long, lean, and wiry strong. Long legs with a high waist. Long arms with squared shoulders. Large feet. Very projectable physically. Full arm circle in the back through to a high ¾ slot and an out-front release point. High leg kick in the front while staying somewhat tall on the back that drives off the rubber to gain ground down the mound. Quick arm that creates depth and angle. Arm slingshots and is whippy throughout the delivery. Maintains good balance from start to finish. Fastball shows some run to the arm side with late action as it enters the zone. Shows excellent command of the pitch. Curveball shows late, sharp downward breaking action. Spin is tight on the pitch and he was able to throw it to both sides of the plate while keeping it down. Shows feel for the changeup that he runs back to the arm side with some deception to it. Maintains same arm speed and slot on all pitches.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-10, 130-pounds, large, long, lean, wiry strong frame with squared shoulders, long limbs, and large feet. Compact, loose, quick arm action through to a high ¾ almost over-the-top slot. Gains ground down the mound by driving off the mound from a drop-and-drive delivery. Project very well with continued physical development and added strength. Three-pitch mix with a fastball, curveball, and changeup. Fastball and changeup show arm side run that he keeps down in the zone and shows command of. Worked fastball to both sides of the plate while keeping at or below the knees. Changeup starts at the middle of the plate before fading away from righties. Shows feel for the pitch. Curveball shows late, downer action that he spiked a few times. The general shape of the pitch was 10/4 with the occasional 12/6 shape when he snapped it off. Lands inline to the target with good balance and an athletic finish.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-8, 160-pounds, medium frame with noticeable strength in the lower half. High waist with squared shoulders. Bobich showed to be a crafty lefty with a repeatable, clean, full arm action. Arm is whippy from a drop-and-drive delivery through to a high, over-the-top slot. Fastball was straight with hints of arm side run that he keeps down in the zone. Curveball showed early with sweeping 10/4 movement. Tends to slow arm a bit on the curveball. He shows feel for a changeup that flashes arm side run. Pitch is still developing with erratic command. At the plate Bobich shows feel for the barrel that resulted in squaring balls up to the pull side. Shows a middle approach with some sneaky pop. Does a fair job of using the lower half in his swing. Setup is balanced and uses a high leg kick before whipping barrel through zone. Finish is balanced and extended. At first base Bobich showed average hands and footwork with clean exchanges while playing through balls. Lets the ball get deep on him.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-10, 145-pounds, medium frame with long legs and a high waist. Large feet with squared shoulders. Very projectable on the mound where he stays tall through delivery from a high ¾ slot from a full arm action in the back. Drop-and-drive delivery that allows him to gain ground down the mound. Entire body works in unisyn throughout delivery with excellent rhythm. Lands inline square to the target and finishing in an athletic position. Present fastball/changeup/curveball combination. Fastball shows downhill plane with some arm side run to it with late action as it enters the zone. Starts it at the knees and keeps it down. Shows excellent command of the pitch. Shows very good feel for the changeup that flashes sinking action with slight run back to the arm side from the same slot and arm speed as fastball. Curveball shows late with 1/7 shape. Pitch falls off the table as it enters the hitting zone. Kates projects very well with added strength and continued physical maturation.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-10, 140-pounds, medium frame with squared shoulders and wiry strength throughout. Large feet and limbs with large hands. Projectable pitcher that flashes command of three pitches that he threw for strikes. Quick arm through to a high ¾ from a full path in the back. Fastball shows run back to the glove side giving it some cut action. Curveball was the best of the day with it's 12/6 movement and late, sharp, downer breaking action. Shows feel for the changeup with run back to the arm side. All pitches are from same slot and arm speed. Shows good arm separation and while delivery is slow the arm whip is loose. At the plate he shows feel for the barrel and consistently drove balls to the gaps from a middle approach. Setup is balanced with a leg kick trigger and a short stride. Does a fair job of incorporating lower half with a balanced finish. Defensively he showed soft hands with fluid footwork and fair range to both sides. Arm got a little long on him, but throws were accurate with some carry. He played through balls athletically with good body control. Fundamentally strong in all facets of the game.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-11, 165-pounds, large frame with noticeable strength throughout the body. Long legs with a high waist and large feet. Shoulders are squared with long arms and wiry strength down through to the wrists. Moncada is a big bodied pitcher who projects for continued all around growth in the frame. Shows a loose, quick, compact arm action. Does an excellent job of hiding the ball with a significant back turn, a high leg kick, and late hand separation. Fastball has some life as it enters the zone on a downhill plane with some arm side run. Showed excellent command of the pitch. Shows feel for the changeup with sinking action and flashes of run back to the arm side. Curveball has tight spin and short, quick depth to it. Shows excellent command of the pitch. At the plate Moncada shows very good feel for the barrel with a middle approach. Present pop to the gaps with consistent line drives. Shows a balanced setup with a smooth load and long stride. Drives back hip into the ball. Dives at ball at times. Defensively he shows average hands with good range to both sides. Arm is strong with accurate throws. Footwork can get choppy, but he makes up for it with his instincts and understanding of angles.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-11, 150-pounds, extra large frame with long limbs, large feet, a high waist, and large feet. Some slope to the shoulders with wiry strength down through to the wrists. On the mound Plutner is a big bodied righty that shows a clean, repeatable delivery with a full arm action. Drop-and-drive delivery that is slow before whipping his arm through to a high ¾ slot with an out-front release point. Shows a slow leg kick but really drives off the rubber to create good angles on pitches. Fastball is straight with slight action as it enters the zone. Shows command of the pitch. Curveball shows late with 2/8 shape and downer action. Pitch really projects as an above average pitch. Changeup shows sweeping action before cutting back across the corner of the plate. Lands inline before falling off to the first base side. Shows average arm speed with minimal effort and excellent balance. At the plate he shows feel for the barrel from a middle-right approach. Maintains barrel on plane throughout the zone. Setup is athletic with a back load and a long stride. Explodes lower half into swing to generate some present power. At first base he shows soft hands with average footwork. Exchanges are quick and clean with enough present arm strength to make throws from various angles.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-10, 165-pounds, large frame with strength in the lower half, squared shoulders, and developing strength in the upper half. Very projectable pitcher that uses a high leg kick with a slight shoulder turn to hide the ball from hitters. Full arm path through to a high ¾ slot and release point. Drop-and-drive delivery in which he uses his hips very well to generate torque and drive off the rubber down the mound. Arm is quick and strong with lots of whip. Fastball is heavy with run to the arm side which he threw to all quadrants of the zone on a downhill plane. Slider was possibly best on the day with its sharp, power sinking action and run back to the glove side from the same slot and arm speed as the fastball. Changeup is developing and lacks movement presently but he shows command of the pitch. At the plate Reyes shows the ability to keep the barrel on a level and consistent path with present bat speed. Setup is balanced with a short stride and explosive lower half. He's short to the ball and long through it. Showed his present and future power potential by consistently squaring balls up to the gaps. At first base he tended to stab at balls and his footwork was average. Exchanges were clean but slow, and his accuracy on throws was erratic. Reyes has a lot of projection both at the plate and especially on the mound.

9/23/18 - Rising Stars Prospect - Five-foot-6, 112-pounds, medium frame with long legs, a high waist, and large feet. Deliberate drop-and-drive delivery with a high leg kick and slight back turn to the plate to hide the ball. Arm speed is average from a full path in the back through to a hgh ¾ slot. Delivery is repeatable and mechanics are clean. Fastball shows hints of run to the glove side which he tended to throw to the outer half of the plate. Curveball shows gradual movement with 2/8 shape. Tends to slow arm down and almost guide the pitch. Changeup shows fading action from near fastball arm speed. At the plate Correia has a bit of a handsy swing while he maintains the barrel on a slightly uphill path. Keeps his weight back and his hands inside the ball before driving the back hip into the ball. Defensively he showed soft hands with fluid footwork and fair range to both sides. Exchanges were quick and clean. Showed athletic actions defensively while gathering out front and playing through balls. A fundamentally sound player, Correia has some projection with continued physical development and added strength.