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Pre-Season All-State Scouting Notes: Top Pitchers Continued

March 11, 2013

By Mike Penn
Michigan Director of Scouting

In our first article on the top pitchers from the Pre-Season All-State Showcase. Brett Adcock (Bay City Western HS, 2013), Josh Bays (Lake Orion HS, 2014), Austin Batka (Grand Rapids Christian HS, 2014), Alex Sova (H.H. Dow HS, 2014), Conor Bowers (Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS, 2014), Josh Smith (Brother Rice HS, 2015), and Tone Jacobs (Bay City John Glenn HS, 2014) were all featured.  

Today we take a look at the rest of the top pitching performers. 

Nick Cowen, RHP/OF, Tecumseh HS, 2014- On the mound fastball primarily worked from 81-83mph. Can use his legs more in his delivery which leads us to believe there is more in the tank.  Has smooth delivery implementing the use of a half turn to create some deception.  Arm works wel. Breaking ball sat between 66-68mph. Change was 71-73mph. Cowen should add pounds and velocity over the next two years.  Definitely one to follow. 

Jacob Gividen, RHP, Portage Northern HS, 2014- Gividen is starting to make his jump. It appears that his velocity will climb this spring.  He sat 81-83mph at the Pre-Season All-State Showcase and we expect that number to climb as the weather warms up.  Delivery was balanced. More of a slow and explode delivery.  Arm worked quick.  Breaking ball showing progress but still needs to tighten up.

Nick Hazergian, LHP/1B, Canton HS, 2014- On the mound perhaps is Hazergian's best upside.  He said 79-83mph.  High pitchability lefty with feel for four. His breaking ball is a 12-6 biter with downer action although not overly hard (64-65mph). Compliments his curve with a 71 mph hard slider for his velo.  His change has heavy armside run as he turns it over quite a bit. His arm works well. It is quick and clean. His mechanics are sound and easily repeatable.  Finishes inline.  Hazergian is not the most projectable but will certainly get outs at the next level.

Tommy Lentz, RHP/OF, Brother Rice HS, 2014- On the mound Lentz shows considerable promise.  He works from a high 3/4 slot and gets good movement.  His arm is long and loose with whip to it.  Lentz's velocity is starting to climb sitting 83-85mph.  He velo will undoubtedly climb higher as he gets more active with his lower half.  He repeats well.  His change shows promise as well. He keeps his arm speed near his fastball and produces good armside run (74-75mph). His breaking ball is more of a slider (69-70mph). Needs tighten up the gradual break a bit.   

Jake Lincoln, RHP, Jackson Lumen Christi HS, 2014- Lincoln stands at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds.  He should be one to follow.  HIs arm woks well but needs to improve his lower half to make a bigger velocity jump.  Fastball sits between 83-85mph.  Arm works from a high 3/4 slot.  Breaking ball shows promise (73-75mph).  Has good bite and is down.  Change is a solid pitch (74-75mph). He kept it down and threw it for strikes.

Austin Lukaschewski, RHP/OF, Bishop Foley HS, 2014- Lukaschewski is a strong athletic 5-foot-10, 168-pound OF/RHP.  Lukaschewski has made a big jump since last summer.  On the mound he sat 82 last summer but on this day he was 84-86 mph touch an 87mph.  Fastballs were down in the zone.  Needs to work on refining his command.  Arm is high 3/4 slot and quick. Some effort in the delivery but everything is in line.  His breaking ball has a 10/4 action and is more of a slider (73-74mph). His change was 76-79mph and a bit erratic.  Also throws a split (76mph).

Kevin Suwarsky, OF/RHP, Paw Paw HS, 2014- On the mound Suwarsky sat 83-86mph with his fastball.  His arm is quick and works from a high 3/4 slot.  He had some armside run. Potential to produce a lot of ground balls  Fastball had a tendency to be up from to time. Breaking ball showed good action.  Sharp downer bite and tight spin (70-71mph).  Breaking ball should get plenty of outs and is good out pitch. Has good balance. Finish is rigid. Needs to work on freeing himself up and take advantage of his athleticism. More velo to come from Suwarsky. He will have to make a decision between the mound and the plate some day but shows possibility to do both at the right school.

Andrew Manduzzi, C/3B/RHP, Macomb Dakota HS, 2014- On the mound Manduzzi shows his arm strength. Fastball sat 82-84mph with occasional cut.  He worked down in the zone consistently.  Arm was loose and comes from a high 3/4 slot. Delivery is smooth and inline.  Arm action is long. Breaking ball has downward sweep acts more like a slider (67-70mph).  Keeps his arm speed up near the fastball. Change shows promise and good velocity differential (70-71mph). 

Michael Reid, OF/RHP, Bishop Foley HS, 2014- Reid shows continued progress.  He worked 83-85 mph with his fastball. Reid has a long loose arm action and works from almost a high over-the-top slot.  He does tilt his shoulders but gets going back downhill well using his long levers (6-foot-4).  Fastball was down in the zone with good angle.  Does recoil from time to time.  Breaking ball was solid shows good promise.  Gets on the side of it a bit to make it sweep.  Overall a good pitch (67-71). Threw secondary for strikes.

Kyle Rago, RHP/1B, Berrien Springs HS, 2014- On the mound Rago sat 83-85mph with his fastball.  He projects to have plenty more in the tank.  He has good upside moving forward. His fastball had both run and cut to it.  His breaking ball is more of a slider with 10-4 break. It has late bite and stays down in the zone well. He turns his change over quite a bit giving it some arm-side run.  Overall Rago shows that he can certainly pitch at the next level.  At this point he is an unpolished player with quick twitch athletic actions and a good frame.