Throwback Thursday - Oregon Fall Showcase

November 14, 2019
Dan Jurik
Scouting Director - Pacific Northwest

Corvallis, OR - Fall events give us the opportunity to check out prospects who start to come into their own heading into their upperclassman years as well as emerging players who will be getting the chance to step between the lines on varsity for the first time.

Getting the chance to evaluate and look at prospects during the Fall season is a big help as we get closer to the Spring and start to prepare for the match-ups we need to see as well as the marquee players in the territory.

Prep Baseball Report events work in tandem with our scouting coverage and multimedia platforms to create a powerful source of information at the ground level of the state.

With that being said, lets take a look at the prospects who joined us at Crescent Valley HS for our Oregon Fall Showcase

For more information on Prep Baseball Report or if you have any questions, email Pacific Northwest Scouting Director, Dan Jurik - [email protected]

Oregon Fall Showcase

Xavier "Danny" Alvarado C / 3B / South Salem , OR / 2021

Sturdy, developed frame at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds with strength throughout. Balanced, relaxed set-up with front foot slightly open to pitcher. Hands stay loose, relaxed. Uses low, controlled leg lift into forward stride. Hands showed a short, easy load into hitting position. Stays short, quick to the ball with a tight shoulder turn as he swings. Showed above average raw power, especially to his pul-side. Defensively, presents a big target behind the plate. Efficient footwork getting out of crouch and into throwing motion. Flashed a clean exchange on this look with a tight, compact arm action. ¾ release. Throws stayed on line with bag throughout. At 3B, moved well for a bigger framed athlete. Steady tempo/pace to fielding actions with soft glove hand. Arm action works for INF and should allow him to play either corner spot. Has the chance to be an impact bat if the raw power consistently translates to game play.

Tyler Bickford C / 2B / Liberty, OR / 2020

Athletic, proportional frame at 6-foot, 170 pounds. Sets-up with weight pre-shifted onto back leg before getting into stride. Front side stays in at landing with hands loaded at shoulder height. Maintains some bend in lead elbow as he initiates swing. Consistently kept hands inside of the ball with simple, line-drive stroke. Easy, repeatable effort to his swing. Quiet receiver behind the plate defensively. Hips stay low and work underneath the ball. Also showed the ability to maintain posture in one-knee set-up. Quick, high exchange with ideal arm action for catcher. Gets backside thru the ball on throws.

Ethan Clark SS / 2B / Tigard, OR / 2020

Lean, projectable athlete with the chance to add strength/weight to his frame. Upright, slightly open stance with subtle movement in the hands. Head stays quiet throughout. Lands in a wide, relaxed position after forward stride with hands just beyond back shoulder. Smooth, easy swing with fluid barrel thru the zone. High, 2-handed finish creates consistent lift on the ball. Low effort, repeatable hitting actions. Defensively, works with a balanced, deliberate pace throughout. Stays low with knee bend/hip hinge as he funnels ball in. Glove hand stays centered with head down on the ball. Quick footwork on exchange into throwing motion. ¾ arm slot with compact take away. Possesses the skills/actions to stick in the INF long-term at multiple spots

Drexler Dickey RHP / OF / Reynolds, OR / 2020

Sturdy frame with present strength at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds. Wide, athletic stance with some knee bend on his backside. Hands show steady rhythm with bat prior to forward stride. Stays square to pitcher at landing with front side closed. Swing has some length but gets on plane early & gives him plenty of time to find the barrel. High finish against a firm front leg, creating significant lift after contact.

Pitching - Steady, consistent pace to delivery. Works from the first-base side of the rubber. Stays tall at leg lift with more knee bend as he gets into forward stride. Slight tilt in shoulders at hand break. Glove side works towards catcher & keeps direction in-line with target. Slight cross action in landing. High, over the top release. Short, compact arm action creates some deception by hiding the ball. Head stays quiet throughout with eyes on target.

Jace Ellis 3B / RHP / Eagle point , OR / 2021

Balanced, upright stance with tall posture & feet set just outside of shoulder width apart. Short, subtle load with hands. Works quick, direct to the ball while keeping hands tight. Head stays down at contact with flat, level finish. Showed the ability to stay in his legs while adjusting to the ball. Simple, repeatable approach with no wasted movement. Defensively, showed a consistent, reliable glove hand at 3B. Stays in a wide, balanced stance while funneling ball in. Alters glove positioning/posture as he moves laterally. Full arm path with clean throwing motion. High ¾ release. Follows throw with momentum after release.

Pitching - Mechanically sound, clean delivery with consistent tempo throughout. Works from the center of the rubber, maintains straight direction towards catcher. Minimal bend on backside as he gets into leg lift. Glove side works below front shoulder after hand-break, allowing him to stay level as he works down slope. High ¾ release point. Arm action stays short, avoids wrapping ball behind his body. Consistent extension thru target after release.

Nicholas Holm 1B / 3B / Clackamas , OR / 2022

Projectable, wide-set frame at 5-foot-10, 162 pounds. Tall, upright set-up with slight bend at waist. Hands begin low, below back shoulder, out in front of body with some rhythm. Smooth, fluid separation as he gets into forward stride. Comes down at landing in a wide set hitting position. Easy, low effort hitting rhythm with noticeable barrel whip thru the zone. Likely to tap into more power as he physically develops. Stays within legs, gets full hip rotation thru contact. Defensively, showed clean, reliable footwork at 3B. Sight bend in knees with more hip hinge over the ball as he funnels in. Uses additional shuffle to get momentum behind throws and align with target. Short arm action with constant bend allows him to get ball out quickly. ¾ release point on throws. Overall, balanced skill set with some upside left to tap into.

Cole Hubka SS / 2B / Wilsonville, OR / 2022

Proportional build with wiry strength throughout frame. Sets up with feet just outside of shoulder width. Drives front knee towards back hip while maintaining athletic posture and a quiet head. Wide, athletic landing with hands near back shoulder. Front side stays in, allowing hips to open up before initiating swing. Quick, compact swing working short to the ball. Noticeable strength in hands at contact Produced gap-to-gap, line drive contact throughout BP. Defensively, light & active feet that should allow him to stick in the INF long-term. Maintains body control while ranging laterally. Keeps a low center of gravity as he works thru the ball. Gets ball out quickly on exchange & keeps it high before getting into over the top release. Ball flight shows consistent, true carry out of hand.

Braeden Munger LHP / OF / Westview, OR / 2021

Intriguing blend of size, strength and speed at 5-foot-11, 170. Above average runner with impressive straight line speed. At the plate, hits from a balanced, square stance while staying upright & relaxed. Shifts weight back with a low leg lift prior to forward stride. Hands stay tight to the body and work inside of the ball. Shows a classic, lefty swing path with uphill finish. Flashed some adjustability to his barrel while staying inside of his legs thru contact. Defensively, uses long & rangy strides in the OF to cover ground. Came in aggressively on everything on the ground while keeping the ball outside of his glove-side leg. Quickly lines up feet with target on throws while using a side shuffle to get momentum behind the ball. ¾ release point with long arm action.

Pitching - Athleticism translates well to the mound with his clean, quick paced delivery. Creates consistent rhythm to his actions as he rocks the ball & glove behind his head before separating and getting into lengthy forward stride. Creates tough angle, especially on LHH with cross action landing. Long, whippy arm action from low ¾ slot. Aggressive finish out front thru release. Shows consistent extension thru the baseball while keeping eyes set on target. CB flashes above average at times with the chance to be an out-pitch at the next level.

Beau Rinker OF / 1B / Crescent Valley, OR / 2021

Big-framed with a strong build at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. Starts out tall in the box with hands showing constant rhythm before he gets into leg lift. Stays centered in legs with a minimal forward move. Keeps upright posture as he works barrel to the ball. There’s some rawness to the actions, but the barrel gets on plane and shows lift to his pull-side when he connects out front. Defensively, size and footwork project to a corner OF spot. Does a solid job gathering momentum behind the throws on fly ball opportunities. Short, compact arm action into high ¾ release. Braces up on his front leg at release and allows backside to get thru on throws.

Gavin Kleier LHP / OF / Grant, OR / 2021

Pitching - Long, lanky & projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds. Sound delivery with repeatable mechanics. Stays tall while getting into high leg kick before separating hands and getting down the mound. Slight bend on back knee as he works towards his target. Glove side keeps front side closed in until landing. Short stride helps him create leverage/angle on his offerings and forces his arm to speed up. Brief start & stop action with his takeaway but there’s plenty of hand speed to catch up with his body and he avoids wrapping the ball. Throws all of his offerings with consistent intent. Missed some time with a non-throwing shoulder injury. Looks poised to add strength to his frame and make a jump this upcoming season.