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PBR Scout Day: 5 Star Carolina Vipers - 2019 Grads

January 19, 2018
Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting


Prep Baseball Report of North Carolina kicked off its 2018 coverage at The Athletic Barn in Waxhaw, NC with the 5 Star Carolina Vipers on Sunday January 14th.  The Athletic Barn is a spacious indoor / outdoor facility that allowed PBR to run a modified pro-style workout with the players from the 5 Star Viper program. 

Each position player went through some speed and agility testing.  The areas covered included a 20 yard dash, a 5-10-5 agility test, and a standing broad jump.  Players then went through a defensive workout where PBR’s staff evaluated them and took radar readings on positional throws.  Offensively, players worked in several cage settings, being evaluated, and getting some analytical readings like exit velocity off the bat.

Pitchers were able to go through similar speed and agility testing prior to their bullpen sessions.  The bullpens were controlled with an understanding that most of the arms are still ramping up their aggression and pitch counts.  Radar readings were taken and pitchers had the option to unleash their full repertoire during the bullpen session.

With our first full look at player evaluations we dive into the players of the 2019 graduating class.  Seven players in the class took part in the evaluation and have video posted to their PBR Profile.  All uncommitted, there are several players in this list that could be off the board before the summer season rolls around.

5 Star Carolina Vipers Evaluations: 2019 Grads

 

Carlos Amezquita OF / 2B / West Forsyth, NC / 2019

Athletic build in a maturing frame that stands 6-foot, 160 pounds.  Listed as a switch hitter, but only hit from the right side at this event.  Athletic base, loading back with rhythm while using a short stride.  Bat head works to a lagged position at launch.  Showed some feel for the barrel and better than average bat speed.  Short path produced line drives working gap-to-gap with an exit velocity peaking at 80 mph off the barrel.  Defensively, the primary outfielder worked out on the infield, showing some versatility to his game.  Accurate throws from a short arm action and ¾ slot.  Average carry at 76 mph across the diamond.  Hands work to exchange at the mid-section, fighting some stiffness but catching the ball with consistency in an athletic base.  Shows a good burst running a 2.96 in the 20 yard-dash and turned in a 4.65 in the 5-10-5 agility test.  Standing broad jump of 8’9”.

Jake Bloss 3B / RHP / Early College at Guilford, NC / 2019

Average build with some maturity at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds.  Right handed hitter works from a balanced setup, loading in, slightly, with the hands.  Short stride works to a short path producing line drives with good rhythm.  Average barrel awareness and bat speed.  Hands work around the baseball at times, with an emphasis on the pull side.  Exit velocity peaked at 83 mph off the barrel.  Defensively the feet work with decent rhythm as the hips tend to work high through the catch.  Long arm action gets to a high-3/4 slot with some accuracy.  Positional velocity of 77 mph across the diamond.  Ran a 3.28 twenty, followed by a 5.00 in the 5-10-5 agility test.  Stand broad jump of 8’6”.
On the bump, the fastball peaked at 81, sitting 79-80 in the mid-January session.  Long arm swing has some looseness as it works to the high-3/4 release.  Strike thrower works with easy effort, staying level and on-line through the delivery. Throws a curveball at 64-65 and a slider at 72-73.  Better action out of the slider, working as a short, late cutter.  The straight change sat 72-73 with some deception out of the hand.

Aly Dawood SS / 3B / Cuthbertson, NC / 2019

Lean, athletic body type, standing 6-foot-1, 148 pounds.  Plenty of room to add strength.  There is quickness in the body as he ran a 2.91 twenty-yard dash and produced a standing broad jump of 9’2”.  Good rhythm defensively in the feet and the hands, producing good hops.  Quick, clean exchanges, occasionally from the right hip lead to a short arm action and high-3/4 slot.  Easy carry and accuracy on throws peaking at 79 out of the hand.  Right handed hitter has some effort in his swing, working to create some strength and quickness.  Stays in an athletic base, working to be linear throughout the swing.  Line drive approach, shows barrel awareness with average bat speed.  Stays in the middle of the field, spraying the ball throughout his BP rounds.  Exit velocity peaked at 83 off the barrel.

Steven Gonzalez SS / 3B / Marvin Ridge, NC / 2019

Strength and quickness exist in a defined 6-foot, 175-pound frame.  Explosive standing broad jump of 10’3”, while also running a quick 20 yard-dash at 2.94.  5-10-5 agility test timed at 4.47.  Right handed hitter uses an early load and stride to set the bat head to a vertical slot with a quiet body.  Direct path to the baseball, peppering the pull side gap throughout BP.  Some uphill leverage at times with better than average bat speed.  Average feel for the barrel.  Exit velocity peaked at 87 mph.  Works to funnel the ball the to the mid-section on the infield.  Hips tend to work high through the baseball creating some stiffness at times.  Clean exchanges get to an average arm action and high-3/4 slot.  Shows a feel for accuracy at 78 across the field.

Michael Neal SS / 2B / Marvin Ridge, NC / 2019

Thin 5-foot-10, 140-pound frame.  Fundamentally sound on the infield.  Good setup and approach, using soft hands to get to a clean, quick, and fluid exchange at the midsection.  Transitions easily to a short arm action, with the ability to change his arm slot based on the play.  From a high-3/4 slot the positional velocity peaked at 75 from shortstop.  Has quickness in the body, running a 2.90 twenty-yard dash on the laser timer and a 4.79 5-10-5 agility test.  Offensively, utilizes a simple setup, with some waggle in the bat head.  A smooth load back and short stride creates good rhythm in the swing.  Short path works for extension, producing line drives when on the barrel.  Occasionally around balls, creating some hooking action off the bat.  Average bat speed and barrel awareness in the early season session.  Exit velocity peaked at 76 mph.  Standing broad jump of 8’7”.

Fermin Osio SS / RHP / North Gaston, NC / 2019

A physical presence with a straight-line body type, standing 6-foot, 185 pounds.  Fundamentally sound on the infield, makes a lot of plays look routine.  Soft hands and a quick, fluid exchange allow him to stay athletic through the transition to a short arm action and ¾ slot that can float depending on the play.  Positional velocity of 74 across the infield came with ease, producing carry.  A good athlete, ran a 2.89 twenty-yard dash and a 4.68 5-10-5 agility test.  Also turned in a solid 9’6” standing broad jump.  From the right side, it is a strong swing with a direct approach.  Balanced, uses a smooth load and short stride.  Good bat speed, works to get extension producing line drives to the pull side.  Top hand stays on the bat after extension, creating some stiffness as he works for full extension through the baseball.  Exit velocity peaked at 84 mph.

Joel Simpson C / OF / Central Academy of Technology and Arts, NC / 2019

Rankings  StateRank: 167 / POS: 22

Average 5-foot-9, 160-pound frame has some quickness in it.  Ran a 2.98 twenty-yard dash and a 4.76 in the 5-10-5 agility test.  Standing broad jump of 9’6” shows some strength in the lower half.  Behind the plate shows and ease and comfort in his setup.  Wide, with flexibility in the hips, the hands work to present strikes well.  Pop time ranged 2.11-2.26 with some accuracy.  Positional velocity of 70 mph from the crouch.  In the outfield, aggressive through the baseball with a clean transition to a short arm swing and high-3/4 slot.  Accuracy and carry are present on throws peaking at 80 mph out of the hand.  Right handed hitter is balanced in his setup with a waggle in the bat head.  Early rhythm on a short stride producing average bat speed and some feel for the barrel.  Back side is very aggressive as he works to stay gap-to-gap.  Swing work inside-out at times.  High finish with the hands on most swings.  Exit velocity peaked at 81 off the barrel.  Plays in the CBC program but worked out with 5 Star to update his profile.

 

Average build with some maturity at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds.  Right handed hitter works from a balanced setup, loading in, slightly, with the hands.  Short stride works to a short path producing line drives with good rhythm.  Average barrel awareness and bat speed.  Hands work around the baseball at times, with an emphasis on the pull side.  Exit velocity peaked at 83 mph off the barrel.  Defensively the feet work with decent rhythm as the hips tend to work high through the catch.  Long arm action gets to a high-3/4 slot with some accuracy.  Positional velocity of 77 mph across the diamond.  Ran a 3.28 twenty, followed by a 5.00 in the 5-10-5 agility test.  Stand broad jump of 8’6”.
On the bump, the fastball peaked at 81, sitting 79-80 in the mid-January session.  Long arm swing has some looseness as it works to the high-3/4 release.  Strike thrower works with easy effort, staying level and on-line through the delivery. Throws a curveball at 64-65 and a slider at 72-73.  Better action out of the slider, working as a short, late cutter.  The straight change sat 72-73 with some deception out of the hand.