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SoCal Upperclass ID: Quick Hits (Saturday)

October 14, 2020
Les Lukach
State Scouting Director

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IRVINE, CALIF. - The SoCal Upperclass ID events took place at Great Park in Irvine on 10/10 and 10/11. Over 100 players attended during the two-day camps composed of mostly uncommitted 2021-2022 players. Today we will look at early standouts from the Saturday sessions of the camp. This is not a top prospects list, simply some early standouts after my preliminary review of notes. 

Players were put through a traditional pro-style workout utilizing TrackMan in the live BP session for exit velocity metrics, as well as estimated distance and launch angle. Blast Motion was also used during BP, measuring bat speed, rotational acceleration, attack angle, and on-plane efficiency. TrackMan was also used for pitchers during their main mound 'pen session, tracking velocity, spin rate, as well as all the other more advanced data points.

We recently rolled out the Stats Leaders for this event and will roll out position breakdowns in the coming weeks along with various leaderboards from data provided by our data partners. 

Until then we’ll take a look at some early standouts from the Saturday Session at the SoCal Upperclass ID Camp.  

(Click through to individual players profiles for full stats and video when available)

EARLY STANDOUTS

Jeremy Giesegh OF / RHP / Upland, CA / 2022

Giesegh started the day hot and carried that the entire day. Opened with a blistering 6.74 laser-timed 60 yard dash before moving into the hitting portion where he consistent barrels to all fields. Fast barrel through the zone resulting in 70 mph bat speed and and max exit velocity of 91 mph. Spray chart confirms his LCF-LF approach. Defensively he flashed a strong (80 mph) accurate arm with very good footwork. Funnels the ball out front and is flashed clean/quick exchanges. Also pitched showing the ability to throw strikes, however, the bat and defense were his best tools.

Julian Eskridge OF / RHP / Arcadia, CA / 2021

At 6-foot, 195-pounds there's a lot to like of Eskridge's physicality on a frame that likely is not done developing. When you see him put that physicality to work on the field there's a lot to get excited about. At the plate showed pullside power to the tune of a 91 mph exit velocity. Found barrels consistently. In the outfield he flashed his big arm (85 mph) and athleticism. Accurate throws to third and home to go with impressive footwork to the ball. On the mound Eskridge may have stood out the most. Pumping an easy 86-87 mph with the fastball, he showed the strike throwing command you want to see. The pitched flashes life at the plate. Curveball is more of a tumbler coming from the same window as the fastball at 75-76 mph. Command was present with this pitch also. His slider is a late, drifting pitch at 77-79 that plays very well off the fastball. Eskridge most definitely made the most of his showing and would provide a lot of value to a college program. 

Nicholas Dumesnil OF / 2B / Huntington Beach, CA / 2022

Start your day with a 6.78 laser-timed 60 and you're going to get peoples attention no what who you are. That's exactly what Dumesnil did last weekend. Dumesnil then took to BP where his spray chart looks like a splatter chart of line drives to all fields with a max exit velo of 96 mph. Keeps hands inside with a compact swing to the ball before extending through it. Defensively he showed he more than capable of handling a middle infield position (77 mph pos velo) with soft hands and quick, clean exchanges. But it's in the outfield where his speed, athleticism, and arm strength (87 mph) really play up. Showed excellent routes to the ball with very good footwork and body control. Dumesnil will no doubt get a lot of looks playing at Huntington Beach and he showed, at least on this day, to be deserving.

Sam Purgason 3B / RHP / Truckee , CA / 2022

Making the trip from Truckee to SoCal is a haul. That trip didn't seem to affect Purgason one bit. The rising junior opened his event with a 6.95 before showing off his power at the plate during BP. Registered a max exit velo of 98 mph with average distance on hits of 310'. Showed an all fields approach and the quickness of his hands (69 mph) with the bat (70 mph) to pull it off. Defensively he moves very well on the dirt with ample range to both sides. Hands were soft and arm strength (85 mph) was obvious. Exchanges were clean and quick. On the mound he flashes a running fastball at 85-86 mph that he commanded to multiple quadrants. His slider flashes some biting action late with sweeping shape at 71-74 mph from the same window as the fastball. His changeup (75-77 mph) is presently a better pitch than the curveball (67-68 mph) while both remain effective pitches in his repertoire. One of the more intriguing prospects not only in the northern part of California, but the entire state. 

Owen Fuller 2B / SS / JSerra, CA / 2022

I remember asking Coach Kay "who is that" after watching Fuller taking in-and-out at a JSerra game. In a program that churns out college players annually, Fuller has a chance to be one of them when it's said and done. Clocked a 6.93 laser-timed 60 to start. Showed consistent middle-middle approach with an explosive swing through extension. Works the knob to the ball well finding the barrel consistently. With a max exit velo of 89 mph and hand speed of 19.8 mph, Fuller uses his strong frame well while maintaining balance in the box and defensively where his footwork was clean and arm strength (74 mph) played well. Instinctive player that knows how to play the game is the impression you get from watching Fuller. 

Corbin Ybarra OF / RHP / Buchanan, CA / 2022

Rankings  StateRank: 26 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 217 / POS: 37

Playing for on the premiere high school programs in California gives you an idea of what type of player Ybarra is. He did nothing to disprove or dissuade of the deservedness of his ranking. At the plate he showed his customary gap-to-gap approach and power. With an average distance of 370' an 93 mph exit velocity, Ybarra showed his bat continues to be a carrying tool. He's also improved his speed clocking a 7.01 laser-timed 60 that certainly showed in his outfield workout. He showed improved footwork in the outfield taking much crisper routes to balls with less wasted movement and better body control. The arm strength (89 mph) continues to be reliable and improving. Also a pitcher, Ybarra threw a fastball only session working 84-87 mph with average IVB of 17.8" and max spin of 2013 RPM. Ybarra is one of the top uncommitted players in the state and there's no doubt that won't be the case much longer. 

Andrew Campbell OF / RHP / Woodcrest Christian, CA / 2022

Perhaps no player caught our collective attention more than Campbell simply because for a few people on our staff it was the first time they had seen OF/RHP from Woodcrest Christian. Flashed speed and athleticism with a 6.86 laser-timed 60 before showing strength at the plate in multiple gap line drives that would be easy doubles with this speed. There's hand (23 mph) and bat (69 mph) speed present with the ability to consistently find the barrel. Uses lower half well in swing through extension. Athleticism was evident in the outfield with above average footwork and range. On the mound his stuff really opened eyes with a fastball touching 90 mph (2420 RPM) and command. Pitch has life in the zone. Curveball (2284 RPM) at 68-72 mph is a sharp, biting pitch that he keeps down which his change up (1764 RPM) at 74-77 mph is already a good pitch coming from the same window as the others. Velocity seemed to come easy to Campbell with his repeatable and simple mechanics. 

Aiden Taurek OF / RHP / Foothill, CA / 2022

A two-way player at what one of the most successful high school programs in SoCal, Taurek showed his chops both on the mound and in the outfield are not to be taken lightly. He's a strong, physical player at 5-foot-11, 170-pounds who clocked a 6.88 laser-timed 60 to open his event. During BP he pounded balls (89 mph max exit velo) showing a middle-left approach with a fast barrel (72 mph) through the zone. Consistently found the barrel during his BP. Defensively he showed off a big arm (88 mph) with accurate throws to the bag at third and home. Footwork was clean and body control was present. On the mound his stuff plays now. Fastball was 85-86 mph with movement early and often in on RHH's. Slider is a ready now with its late biting action from the same window as the fastball at 75-76 mph while the changeup has a chance to be a true out pitch at 77-79 and it's late action. His command of all three pitches is present. Flashed a curveball and feel for the pitch as well. Taurek has the look of a prototypical pitcher you see all over West Coast college rosters.

Andrew ( AJ) Hurtado RHP / San Juan Hills, CA / 2022

At six-foot-2, 200-pounds, Hurtado has a durable pitchers frame that . The righty showed a good two-pitch (FB/SL) mix with a developing curveball that could round out his repertoire soon. Full circle path through to a high 3/4 slot that he repeats on all pitches. Long arms really allow him to get and stay on top of his curveball. His fastball flashes life up in the zone at 85-87 mph with max IVB of 21.8" and spin of 2316 RPM. What the curveball lacks in velocity it makes up for in break, bite, and depth. With an average IVM of -15.3" and spine of 2143 RPM, the pitch seemingly falls off the table coming from the same slot as the fastball. His changeup shows significant movement in to RHH's with a max horizontal movement of 19.4" at 76-78 mph. Hurtado showed he should be in the conversation when talking about uncommitted pitchers on the rise heading into his spring season. 

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