Colorado Top Prospect Games: Pitching Analysis
August 29, 2014
Follow pbr_co
Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pbrcolorado
By John Cackowski
Director of Scouting
The Colorado Top Prospect Games took place on Saturday August 16th and Sunday August 17th, at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, CO. This year’s event featured several talented, uncommitted players in Colorado’s 2015 through 2018 classes. We recently highlighted the Top Catching Prospects, Third Base Prospects, First Base Prospects, Outfield Prospects, and Middle Infield Prospects at the event. In our next positional analysis we will take a look at the top pitchers. Cherry Creek's Blake Goldsberry takes home top honors thanks to his 6-foot-5 athletic build, projectable frame and arm strength. Columbine's Taylor Dye also showed well and had a similar pitcher's build at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds working in the low-to-mid 80's with his fastball.
Here’s a look at the top pitcher prospects at this year’s Colorado Top Prospect Games:.
Top Overall Pitchers
1. Blake Goldsberry, P/3B, Cherry Creek, 2015
6-foot-5, 180-pound right-handed pitcher and third baseman impressed as one of the top arms at the Colorado Top Prospect Games. Hits from a tall-athletic setup, with short stride and level swing which creates line drives from gap-to-gap, and produces a 83 mph exit velocity. Defensively, threw 80 mph from long, loose, high ¾ to arm slot. Showed good hands playing through the baseball. Ran a 7.10 60. Goldsberry works from a long, loose, high ¾ arm slot, tall and fall delivery, toe down at balance point, shoulders stay level throughout, stride direction stays in line with home plate, lands square, repeats delivery well with smooth rhythm. Fastball sat 84-85 mph, touching 87 on a couple of occasions. Breaking ball at 68-69 mph flashed late 11/5 break when he stayed on top/behind it. Goldsberry also throws a change with sink between 70-72 mph. His feel for three pitches, present fastball velocity, clean arm action, and sturdy frame make him a prospect to follow and potentially a Division-1 arm, especially when he fills out.
2. Taylor Dye, RHP, Columbine, 2016
6-foot-5, 215-pound rightt-handed pitcher with projectable frame impressed as one of the top pitching prospects at the Colorado Top Prospect Games. Works from a short, loose, ¾ arm slot, simple delivery, picks leg straight up to balance point, crunches up slightly at balance point, stride direction stays in line with home plate, lands slightly closed at foot strike. Fastball sat 82-84 mph with sink, thrown for strikes consistently. 65-67 mph curveball flashed 10/5 shape with good tilt and occasional late bit, other times pulled off the pitch a bit making shape erratic. Showed plus feel of a 72-73 mph changeup with fade to his arm side thrown consistently for strikes. Strike thrower for a big kid. Columbine's #1 Pitcher going into 2015 season. If he stays taller could get better extension towards plate. Can't ignore size and build. player to follow and potential Division-1 arm.
3. Casey Thompson,RHP,INF,OF, Lakewood, 2016
6-foot, 165-pound lanky right-handed pitcher, left handed hitter. Hits from a balanced setup, with short stride, gets extension with a high finish and line drives from gap-to-gap producing 80 mph exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, threw 73 mph from long, loose, high ¾ to over-the-top arm slot in infield. Showed average hands playing through the baseball. Ran a 7.35 60. On the mound, fastball sat 75-77 touching 79 mph from the same arm slot as in the infield, with arm side run and above average arm speed. Utilizes tall and fall delivery, stride direction falls off to first base side. If he utilizes lower half more and strides out could gain more velocity. 66-69 mph curveball and has a deceptive 70-71 mph changeup thrown for strikes with arm side run.
4. Josh Thompson, RHP, INF, OF, Highlands Ranch, 2018
6-foot-1, 140-pound switch-hitting outfielder/right-handed pitcher has good projectability. Hits from a wide, tall setup, with short stride and gets extension with a high finish producing 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Defensively, threw 75 mph from long, loose, high ¾ to over-the-top arm slot in the infield and outfield. Showed average hands playing through the baseball and crow hops. Ran a 7.10 60. On the mound, fastball sat 73-74 mph from the same arm slot as in the outfield and infield, with arm side run and above average arm speed. Utilizes tall and fall delivery, stride direction stays in line with home plate, lands square with smooth rhythm throughout, glide steps from the stretch. 65-68 mph curveball backed up at times. Thompson is a prospect to follow closely over the next two years thanks to his athletic frame. When he fills out he projects as a mid to upper 80's thrower.
Related Content
CO: Colorado Top Prospect Games: Middle Infield Analysis 8.28.14
CO: Colorado Top Prospect Games: Outfield Analysis 8.25.14
CO:Colorado Top Prospect Games: 1B Analysis 8.21.14
CO: Colorado Top Prospect Games: 3B Analysis 8.20.14
CO: Colorado Top Prospect Games: Catching Analysis�8.19.14
CO: Colorado Top Prospect Games a Big Hit 8.16.14
CO: Colorado Prospect Games 2nd Day Highlights 8.17.14
CO: Colorado Fall Prospect Program>>Story
...............................................................................................................................................................................
More colorado news:
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Bo Weiss 8.14.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Greg Pickett 8.11.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Paul Tillotson 8.10.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Doug Case 8.10.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Tyson Zanski 8.08.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Wyatt Featherston 8.06.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Evan Finley 8.03.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Kyle Winkler 8.03.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Tommy Gillman 8.01.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Jacob Thoning 7.30.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Marc Mumper 7.30.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Wyatt Cross 7.30.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Trent Hughes 7.29.14
CO: Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Blake Goldsberry 7.27.14
3B/P, Cherry Creek, Class of 2015...>>
CO: �Colorado Players to Watch in 2015 Series: Brent Schwarz 7.26.14
RHP, Regis Jesuit HS, Rice Commit, Class of 2015...>>