By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

LONG BEACH, CA—Though I was still in Indiana on Saturday, it was obvious that LHP Trevor Rogers (Carlsbad HS, NM) was all the rage at the 2016 Area Code Games. The 6-foot-6, 185-pound southpaw created a lot of buzz with just one inning and returned to the hill on Tuesday. Players with his frame generally have a hard time repeating their mechanics, but Rogers is clearly athletic and possesses a clean delivery. He pitched two innings and in the first, he pounded the strike zone. He threw 11 pitches and not a single one missed the zone. A couple were fouled off, but he struck out the side looking, one on a breaking ball and the other two on fastballs. He pitches from a 3/4 slot with a high leg kick and lands a little closed. He’s loose and sat 90-92 initially and then was in the high 80s. His breaking ball seems to still be a work-in-progress, ranging from 73-76 with big lateral break. He allowed a single in his second inning and then got the next three batters in order.

Two other arms had very strong days in RHPs Kyle Hurt (Torrey Pines HS, CA) and Joe Lancellotti (William Penn Charter School, PA). They faced off and had a solid duel for a few innings. Lancellotti came out sitting 92-94 and held 90-94 for four innings. He has a strong, stocky frame, getting measured on site at 5-foot-10.5—so maybe we’ll give him 5-foot-11—and 204 pounds. His changeup sits 80-81 with run and his slider flashes sharpness with depth at 77-78, though it was inconsistent. He cruised through his first three innings and saw his control waver in the fourth. He finished with two runs allowed on four hits and three walks—all of which came in that fourth inning. He struck out six.

On the other side, Hurt was just as strong, showing his usual polish and feel for a three-pitch mix. He was up to 93 early and sat 90-92 from an easy delivery. He mixes in a sharp slider and fading changeup, both of which have at average or better potential down the road and are thrown for strikes. The slider sits 76-78 and the changeup is 82-83. Hurt also made an athletic play off the mound. In three innings, he allowed four hits and a walk while striking out five.

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