By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

CARY, NC—Though there was a threat of rain throughout the day, games went uninterrupted at the Tournament of Stars. The top highlight from Thursday’s action was unquestionably the performance of LHP Jason Groome (IMG Academy, FL). Executive Director Sean Duncan has more in the PBR area notebook, but the first pitch from Groome registered 97 mph on my radar gun and it was effortless. As for prospects outside of PBR’s coverage area, here are some highlights…

+ At risk of sounding like a broken record, OF Mickey Moniak (La Costa Canyon, CA) is a treat to watch. He has instincts and plays hard, but he’s not just a grinder. He has tools that project to be at least average. He went 3-for-3 today and was aggressive on the bases, swiping four bags. He took an inside-out swing to shoot a single over the shortstop for one of his hits and then hammered a triple into the right-field corner, dropping the head on an inside pitch. A UCLA recruit, he showed easy strides around the bases, running effortlessly. Unfortunately, he was tagged out at third after sliding past the bag.