Juco Quick Hits (2.21-2.23)

Chase Gockel RHP / Edwardsville, IL / 2018

Uncommitted Soph. Parkland JC (IL) 

 4.1 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 11 K | 15 BF (vs Roane St CC)

Body: 6-foot-1, 185-pound. Sound, well-proportioned frame.

Pitching: Repeatable, quiet delivery. Quick arm, 3/4 slot. Heel first, square landing.  Finishes toward 1B side.  Showed command of all three pitches and advanced attack plan. Good mound presence and competitive fire.  

FB: 87-92 early, settled in 86-90. Around the zone, good life/carry through the zone.  

CB: 72-75 mini 12/6 action.  Good depth, utilized early in count to get hitters out in front. Located it consistently down in the zone. 

SL: 74-78 11/5 action.  Put away pitch, tunneled well off both other offerings.  Manipulated the shape and speed difference.  

Logan Hewitt RHP / Trousdale County, TN / 2018

Uncommitted Soph. Roane St. CC (TN)

4 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 1 BB | 6 K | 17 BF (vs Parkland JC)

Body: 6-foot-2, 225-pound. Strong, physical frame. Back end arm, but potential as workhorse starter. 

Pitching: Worked from L side of rubber, square stance.  Simple, quiet repeatable delivery.  Quick arm from 3/4 Slot.  Slightly closed but square, heel-first landing.  Some give in front leg, finishes towards 1B side. Commanded 

FB: 90-92 T94 early, mostly 88-91.  Throws a heavy ball w/ late life. Simply overpowered some hitters. Loses life when up in the zone.  Held velocity in longest outing of season (74 pitches), touching 90 in last inning. 

CB: 77-80, power breaking ball.  Late bite w/ good depth.  Works well off FB, generates S/M. Best secondary offering.   

CH: 83-85 w/ some fade.  Didn’t utilize much, but showed some confidence and feel.  Proper arm side fade w/ touch of depth.  

Trevor Burkhart SS / Davenport West, IA / 2018

Soph. Parkland JC (IL) | Campbellsville U Commit

4 Games (17 PA): 7 for 15, (7 1B) 2 R, 9 SB, 2 K, 2 HBP, 9 QAB

5-foot-10, 195-pound RHH SS/OF showed to be very dynamic, wreaking havoc at the top of the order all weekend. Offensively, slightly open, athletic stance. Short, simple load w/ small leg kick.  Compact swing, sprayed line drives to all fields.  Aggressive on the base paths, swiping nine bags on the weekend, five in game 2 vs Roane.  Defensively, solid hands w/ good range, especially up the middle. 

Max Rimac LHP / Notre Dame, IL / 2017

Uncommitted R-Soph Parkland JC (IL) 

5 IP | 3 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 7 K | BF 19 (vs Roane St CC)

Body: 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, lean, lanky build.  

Pitching: Pitches from 1B side of the rubber; Starts square w/ small side step. Maintains good rhythm w/ long, loose arm action working into High 3/4 slot.  Foot hits slightly open but finishes with good extension.  Falls off to the 3B side.  

FB: Sat 84-88, Touched 89-90.  Nice, live FB w/ slight arm side action. Commanded well and stayed down in zone, better to arm-side. 

SL: 77-80 w/ 1/7 action.  Nice depth, hard to pick up the plate.  Threw it for strikes and bury for chase pitch.  

CB: 71-73 w/ 12/6 action.  Similar action to SL, slower pace. Keeping hitters off balanced, filling up the zone.  Tunnels well off the FB, making it tough to recognize w/ good late break.   

Nate Payne RHP / Seymour, TN / 2018

Soph. Roane St CC (TN) | USC Upstate Commit

4 IP | 5 H | 3 R (1 ER) | 1 BB | 4 K | 17 BF

Body: 6-foot-2, 190-pounds.  Average build, well-proportioned.

Pitching: Long, w/ full arm action.  Short stride, w/ closed, toe-first landing. Strong tilt, causing High 3/4- Over Top slot.  Finished towards 1B side.  Steady appetite of 3-pitch mix.   

FB: 84-87 consistent. Substantial sink/ASR.  Commanded better to arm side, but showed ability to pitch to both sides.  

CB: 75-77 mini 12/6 action.  Good depth, generating chase S/M.  Good feel.

CH: 79-81 w/ some fade. Mixed minimally, showed some feel.  Naturally worked well off Sink FB w/ similar shape.   

Ethan Courtney RHP / Seckman, MO / 2019

Uncommitted FR. St. Charles CC (MO)

1 IP | 1 H | 3 R (1 ER) | 1 BB | 2 K | 7 BF

Body: 6-foot-3, 195-pounds. Lanky, projectable frame w/ long limbs.  

Pitching: Mostly stretch in one inning of work.  Mixed knee-to-knee and slight leg lift.  Square, heel-first landing.  Long, full arm action w/ Low 3/4 slot and good extension. Struggled with command early in collegiate debut.

FB: 84-90, mostly 86-90 w/ good carry through zone.  Command improved as outing progressed.  Showed ability to beat the bat both up and down in the zone.  

CB: Low to mid 70s, used sparingly.  Struggled with command.   

Josh Hoffmann LHP / Parkway South , MO / 2018

Uncommitted Soph. Southeastern CC (IA)

2 IP | 2 H | 0 R | 1 BB | 2 K | 9 BF

Body: 6-foot, 185, average build

Pitching: Strictly stretch w/ hands set at back hip.  Leg kick, high front arm.  Short, stab arm action works to High 3/4 slot.  Short stride, square foot landing, spins off to slightly to 3B side.  Stiff front leg to finish.  Unorthodox, jerky motion.

FB: 83-86, decent life.  Tough for hitter to pick up and time out of jerky arm action.  Showed strong command of FB to arm side.  

SL: 77-79 tight spinner, tough pitch L on L.  1/7 action, flashes of bite.  Once again, tough to pick up as hitter.    

CH: 79-80, show me pitch.  Mostly to RHH.   

Logan Agan RHP / Vienna, MO / 2019

Uncommitted FR. Southeastern CC (IA)

5 IP | 5 H | 3 R (2 ER) | 2 BB | 8 K | 23 BF

Body: 6-foot-2, 210-pound. Average, wiry build.  

Pitching: Pitches from L side of rubber, starts squared up w/ moderate first step.  Short, stab arm action that works to 3/4 slot.  Lands square to the plate w/ slight finish toward 1B side.  Gets good extension to home. 

FB: 85-89, not overpowering, but beat some bats, especially elevated in the zone. Had success and attacked hitters w/ elevated FB.  

SL: 76-80, 10/4 sweeping SL w/ some depth.  Threw it for strikes, and could extend zone out for bury/chase.   

Joe Bertram RHP / York Institute, TN / 2019

Uncommitted FR. Roane St CC (TN)

4.2 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 4 BB | 3 K | 21 BF

Body: 6-foot-2, 225-pound. Big, physical frame.

Pitching: Short, arm action w/ little extension towards the plate.  Throws from L 3/4 slot.  Lands slightly closed w/ heel-first strike, then spins off heel to 1B side.  Strong, blocking front leg.  Showed a steady 4-pitch mix. 

FB: 83-87 w/ heavy Sink/ASR.  Seemed to play a bit up, as hitters didn’t get a lot of good swings on it.  Not S/M, but barrel-dodger contact.  

SL: 73-75, leaned on it early, but struggled to consistently throw for strikes.  10/4 action w/ little depth. Developing pitch that could be average to above average offering in future.  

CB: 70-72, turned to after struggles w/ SL command. Reliable, strike bender, kept hitters off balanced. 

CH: 74-76, showed some confidence in this pitch, mostly throwing to Lefties. Naturally worked well off sink-FB w/ some arm side fade.