2019 Team Florida Junior Future Games Recap and Standouts
August 16, 2019
Over on the Junior side of the Futures Games 14u Team Florida stood out for its talent on the field garnering attention from numerous college coaches in attendance. The team ended up going 2-1 on the weekend with several players standing out as promising future prospects. On the mound the biggest standout was 2023 LHP Paul Guerne who tossed 3 innings without giving up an earned run against a talented Team Indiana team. He worked 80-83 from a high ¾ slot mixing in a changeup with fade when thrown down. He also mixed in a developing low 70’s slider 2/7 shape. Another promising 2023 LHP is Ryan Rushing who tossed 2 hitless innings working with a heavy 77-79 mph fastball that generated many swing and misses thrown from a loose ¾ arm action with minimal effort. 2023 right-handers Zachary Redner and Gavin Thomas also showed well. Redner provide an uncomfortable at bat for hitters as he has a bit of a crossfire/slinger delivery that result in 5 innings of 1 run ball over 2 outings. His fastball shows both run and sink when down and lived in the upper 70’s with more in the tank. Thomas also sat in the upper 70’s pounding the zone while mixing in a tight slider that he has the ability to land for strikes when he wants. Offensively the entire line up contributed with hits throughout the weekend. Guys with multiple hits in the 3 games were Sam Mummau, Drew Reaves, Wyatt Jenkins, Jacob Riegel and Samuel Hernandez. Several notable guys with tools that really stood out were 2023s Stone Russell, Sam Mummau, Andrew Duncan and Jose Ayala. All 4 guys possess well above average tools and will be players to really keep an eye on over the next few years.
Standouts
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Stone Russell SS / 2B / IMG Academy, FL / 2023Powerful, physical Infielder with room for projection. Rusell stands out with both size and his skill set across the board. The SS/3B has the ability to slow the game down, making for a very reliable fielder with plenty of arm strength to stick on the left side. At the plate he uses a slow load to time each pitcher before exploding with his hips to create elite bat speed. He produced a 98mph tee exit velo while driving baseball to both gaps during bp. Look for Russell to develop into a potential big time power bat in the future. Russell also Jumped on the mound to close out game 1 pounding the zone with 83-84 with minimal effort.
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Sam Mummau SS / 3B / Palm Harbor University, FL / 2023The lean athletic Shortstop showed very well during the event. Defensively he moves well laterally, giving him the ability to cover a lot of ground. His hands work well out in front, arm action is a little awkward as he cups his wrist however he showed solid arm strength at 80mph during workouts. Offensively he really stood out with the ability to barrell balls often as he had multiple hit including a couple doubles.. He looks to pull and is aggressive early in counts. He is also a threat on the bases as he displayed stealing bases with his above average speed for his class(7.1 60)
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Andrew Duncan OF / OF / Palm Harbor University , FL / 2023Extremely athletic, projectable athlete with raw tools to dream on. Duncan possesses the tools to become a true 5 tool prospect as he progresses over the next few years. He is a plus runner for his class running a 6.7 60, while also having a plus arm he showed off during workout with 88mph throws from the outfield. Offensively his swing can get long and has some inconsistencies to it but he already has above average bat speed (86 EV) and as he learns how to repeat his swing he could very well become a highly sought after prospect. He also jumped on the mound and sat 84-86 with shaky command however the arm and frame has a high ceiling.
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Jose Carlos Ayala SS / RHP / Inspiration Academy, FL / 2023Fast twitch athletic Middle infielder with a lot of projectability left in the frame. Defensively Ayala displays very good footwork in the infield with soft/quick hands. Offensively he hits from a crouched position looking to use the middle of the field with a line drive approach. He has some current bat speed as he did drive a ball well over 300ft to the Left Center Gap that the center field made a tremendous play on. He has above average speed running a 6.9 60 and stealing 2 bases during gameplay. He is a high ceiling athlete that will be a strong follow
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Paul Guerne LHP / OF / Calvary Christian, FL / 2023The Talented Left Handed Pitcher was definitely one of the better arms on the Jr Futures side. Guerne works exclusively from the stretch with a high leg kick and a high ¾ AA. His arsenal features a fastball that works downhill at 80-83, a solid average changeup with fade which was thrown more than the breaking ball. The breaking ball is behind the other two pitches as it lacked consistent shape but he flashed a couple with 2/8 slider shape that could be a solid pitch in the near future. Overall the is some effort in the delivery but Guerne certainly looks the part of a hard throwing LHP that held his velocity for his entire 60 pitch outing. Strong Follow
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Samuel Hernandez C / 3B / Lakeland Senior, FL / 2022Rankings StateRank: 90 / POS: 13
Physical C/3B with room to gain additional strength. Behind the plate hernandez has some upside as he showed a 2.03-2.1 pop time with room to shave fairly easily with some minor adjustments. Receiving wise He has strong forearms and wrists, but can get caught stabbing at pitches at times which he will need to work on. He has solid arm strength throw 75 behind the plate and 80 from 3B. At 3B he has great hands with the ability to get rid of the ball quick which he showed off turning couple plays on workouts. Offensively his bat is his loudest tool. He has above average hand speed (90 EV) and tremendous barrel awareness that can help him handle velocity without a problem. The swing is fairly simple with a small hand load and short stride. Right now he has gap power with true potential to develop into big time power.
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Jacob Riegel SS / 2B / Palm Harbor University, FL / 2023Thin athletic body with longer limbs, recorded several hits using the entire field. Swing is on the longer side but the bat stays in the zone allowing him to hit pitches even when he is a tick late. Potential for some power. Showed versatility having to play some outfield despite being a primary MIF and performing well out there. He is also a good runner with long strides running a 7.19 60. He has a ton of projection from a physical standpoint and will be interesting to follow as he gains strength and matures.
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Drew Reaves SS / RHP / J.M. Tate, FL / 2023Long, lean athletic frame which has plenty of room to fill out whenb he matures. Showed a nature feel for the barrel and above average bat speed for his class. Was on time with a simple swing and showed present leverage. A lot of all around athleticism and upside to follow.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
| SHOWCASE | STATE | DATE | LOCATION |
| High-Speed Video Add-On | FL | 05/21 | |
| FTB Video Upgrade | FL | 08/16 | |
| Power Baseball Video Upgrade | FL | 08/16 | |
| Florida Burn Video Upgrade | FL | 08/17 | |
| Panhandle Top Prospect Games (Invite Only) | FL | 08/17 | Pensacola State College |
| Next Level Video Upgrade | FL | 08/24 | |
| Florida ProCase | FL | 09/07 | IMG Academy |
| Prospect Scout Day - Southern Conference | FL | 09/18 | East Florida State College - Bruce Bochy Field |
| Fall Championship Uncommitted Combine | FL | 09/20 | IMG Academy |
| Prospect Scout Day - Panhandle Conference | FL | 09/24 | Northwest Florida State College |
| Prospect Scout Day - Mid-Florida Conference | FL | 09/25 | St. John River State |
| Fall Top Prospect Games (Invite Only) | FL | 10/19 | Jackie Robinson Ballpark |
| Improve My Profile with Game Video (Florida) | FL | 02/26 |