Fall Report: Baseball Warehouse

Over the course of the summer and fall, we at the Prep Baseball Report New Jersey had several Scout Day workouts with travel teams. The Scout Days were showcase workouts with metrics and video for members of each individual travel team to post to their profiles for college coaches to view. 

Similar to how our friends at D1Baseball.com are conducting their own “Fall Reports” for various colleges around the country, we thought it would be prudent to provide an overview of the travel teams we performed workouts with in 2020. 

To start us off, we have Baseball Warehouse.

Baseball Warehouse

Location: Highland Park, NJ (Middlesex County)

Website: https://baseballwarehousenj.com/

Coach/Admin: Joe Augustine

The strength of the Baseball Warehouse upperclassmen is staggering - and its starts up the middle with current uncommitted 2021 SS Walker Zampella (Edison HS, NJ). Zampella is currently one of the state’s top uncommitted players - boasting a physical, athletic frame at 6-foot 170-pounds. A 6.73 runner and 95 mph exit velo combined with 81.50 mph Bat Speed, Zampella has a knack for finding the barrel and splitting the gaps both in batting practice and in game play. Advanced actions in the field, Zampella tops at 88 mph across the diamond with carry.

Uncommitted 2021 LHP Jason Gilman (Old Bridge HS, NJ) has some length to his frame at 6-foot-1 160-pounds and stood out as a strike thrower and above average breaking ball command to boot. Was up to 84 in the summer, and sits consistently in the low 80s with some late life. Breaker showed sharp 1/7 spin at 70-71 mph and high spin at 2495 rpm. Its a long, clean arm action with repeatability present. Certainly among one of the top arms in the state still on the board.

2021 RHP Frankie Sanchez (South Brunswick) showed a live arm this summer, topping at 85 mph and sitting comfortably at 81-84. It’s a long, easy arm action with some effort on finish, Sanchez throws from a high-¾ slot with some downhill leverage on release. Athletic looking 6-foot 190-pounds with room to fill out.

I was really impressed with the strength of uncommitted 2021 3B Diego Salazar (Highland Park HS, NJ). Durable 5-foot-10 200-pound frame, 7.16 runner and 93 exit velo, Salazar creates rhythm prepitch in his hands as he starts them above his shoulder with a smooth hand load and explosive hips through the zone. 

Another uncommitted 2021 that stood out was OF Evrin Virola (Edison HS, NJ). Virola and high school teammate Zampella will be a tough 1-2 punch in the middle of the order this spring. Virola, a left handed swinger, has a lean, athletic frame at 5-foot-10 164-pounds. 6.99 runner and 93 velo off the bat, Virola has a line drive approach at the plate and routinely makes loud contact. Starts in a tall, opened stance and hands above back shoulder. Foot stride and rhythmic hand load initiate his swing. Creates extension out front with a balanced finish.

2022 C/1B Luke Bickunas (South Plainfield HS, NJ) had a monster round of batting practice and stood out with his advanced strength and durable frame at 6-foot-1 225-pounds. Quiet, tall and opened at the start with hands above back shoulder. Foot stride and load brings hands further above shoulder and creates elasticity in midsection to create some torque in his swing. Gap to gap hitter with consistent loud contact. 90 exit velo.

Uncommitted 2021 RHP/OF Braden Ramirez (Union Catholic HS, NJ) has an athletic build at 6-foot-1 180-pounds. Fastball had some heavy life at 78-81 (82) for strikes and spin a breaking ball at 65-66 mph. Advanced athlete (6.71 runner) and 95 mph exit velocity, Ramirez has a propensity for the barrel from the right side with gap to gap juice. Tall set up and quiet approch. Small foot stride and easy load. Balanced, back footed finish with explosive hips through the zone.