Maryland Summer Trials: Quick Hits

With Trackman and Blast both making its first appearance in a PBR Maryland event, 34 players from across the Old Line State, Delaware and Virginia participated in a pro-style workout and threw bullpens in front of our PBR Maryland staff at this year's Maryland Summer Trials. Below are some notes on several of the top performers from the event. 

Rob Carpenter OF/RHP Wootton 2022
Carpenter is a strong, athletic 6’3”, 170 pound prospect with some two-way potential. Strong gap-to-gap approach with a slight uphill swing path. Smooth back load with a controlled stride and present pop to the pull side. Recorded an event best 90 mph exit velo off the tee. On the bump, Carpenter showed quick arm speed throwing from a high three-quarter slot and using solid leg drive. The fastball was up to 81 mph with arm-side run and advanced 11/5 bite to his breaking pitches that ranged 64-66 mph.

Will Carr OF Gonzaga (DC) 2021
Strong 5’11’’, 185 pound frame. Carr showed a mixture of speed and power at the plate from the left side at this year’s Summer Trials. The uncommitted 2021 outfielder ran a 4.08 home-to-first time and showed plenty of pop in the bat. Short and quick to the ball, Carr worked mostly middle to the pull-side gap, squaring up a ton and making loud contact all day long.

Jeff DeLair RHP/3B Patuxent 2022
Strong, physical 6’1’’, 205 pound frame. Had a great day all around. DeLair showed a strong middle of the field line drive approach with power in the cage during BP. Ball jumps off the bat with an advanced feel for the barrel. In addition to a great day at the plate, DeLair really impressed on the mound recording an event best 83.4 mph peak fastball and 82.4 average fastball velocity per TrackMan. Showed a controlled, high leg kick with great leg drive down the mound. Throws from a high three-quarter slot with quick arm speed.

Owen Liberto 2B Calvert Hall 2021
One of the top performers at the Summer Trials without a doubt was Calvert Hall’s Owen Liberto. Standing now at 6’0’’, 170 pounds, Liberto’s hard work recently in the weight room showed right away during BP. Liberto showed a strong middle of the field approach with a smooth, controlled load. The swing is much more fluid from start to finish and the ball is jumping off the bat. The numbers backed up that pop at the plate with TrackMan recording a 92.70 mph peak exit speed and event best 85.41 mph average exit speed. Liberto also showed athleticism in the field ranging well to both sides and making a variety of plays look easy. He plays with loose actions and showed quick, clean hands and transfers that project him to stay in the middle at the next level.

Kyle Matheny C Calvert Hall 2021
Matheny continues to make strides at the plate and behind the dish catching. The 5’11’’, 185 pound backstop has a strong, solid frame and once again showed explosive pop in the bat. Hitting from a slightly open, upright stance at the plate, Matheny loads slightly and stays short to the ball with fast bat speed and strong lower half involvement. Matheny measured the top bat speed at the event per Blast at 69.9 mph and third highest peak exit speed per TrackMan at 91.79 mph. Behind the plate, Matheny continues to show improvements to his catching and throwing ability showing a quick transfer with pop times ranging 2.02 - 2.08 and a velocity of 71 mph.

Shane Mummey SS/RHP Mount St. Joseph 2022
Mummey impressed in all three phases at this year’s Summer Trials. Whippy type swing with quick hands and fast bat speed through the zone. Controlled stride with a smooth back load and present pop to the pull side. Mummey showed athleticism in the field with range to both sides. Plays with loose actions, quick, clean exchanges and a strong arm across the diamond. On the bump, Mummey gets downhill quickly with solid leg drive off the rubber. He showed quick arm speed throwing from a high three-quarter slot. Fastball sat 78-79 mph and curveball was 65-67 mph with both pitches playing down in the zone throughout the bullpen session.

Armand Ortiz RHP/OF Key 2023
Ortiz was another big winner at this year’s Summer Trials impressing scouts in all three phases of the game. Strong, athletic frame at 5’9”, 165 pounds. Smooth, rhythmic type load with a controlled stride at the dish. Stays short to the ball with a solid middle of the field line drive approach. Strong, accurate arm from the outfield with quick footwork and consistent clean exchanges. Event best 84 mph outfield velocity. On the bump, Ortiz showed a controlled stride down the mound with quick arm speed throwing from a three-quarter slot. Four pitch mix with a fastball that sat 77-79 mph and plus arm-side run, 12/6 curveball at 65-66 mph, tight 10/4 slider 63-65 mph, and change-up 72-73 mph.

Dalton Reinhart LHP/OF Cedar Crest (PA) 2021
Athletic 5’11’’, 180 pound outfielder that hits from the right side of the plate and also showed some ability to pitch from the left side. On the mound Reinhart was 74-77 mph and touched 78 mph with a tight 12/6 60-63 mph breaking ball and a 68-71 mph change-up. Throws over the top with short arm action and gets over the front side well. At the plate Reinhart was atop several of the categories measured by Blast during BP including rotational acceleration (24.5 g), bat speed (69.4 mph), power (4.45 kw), and hand speed (23.8 mph). Showed a middle line drive approach with some pop and stayed  short to the ball with a compact swing.

Leo Simpson 3B/RHP Walter Johnson 2023
Strong, athletic, 5’10’’, 170 pound prospect with big upside and two-way potential. He began the day in the cage showing a strong gap-to-gap line drive approach from both sides but really caught the attention of our scouts when he stepped on to the mound. Simpson’s fastball was up to 83 mph with arm-side run and the breaking ball showed more 12/6 shape sitting 68-70 mph with a 2600+ spin rate per TrackMan. Working from the stretch, Simpson showed a quick, whippy arm action throwing from a high three-quarter slot with intent.

Ryan Torres SS Archbishop Curley 2021
Strong, physical 5’9”, 190 pound frame. Showed physical strength and present power during his BP rounds. Short to the ball with a smooth back load and slightly upright stance. Strong middle of the field approach with explosive pop and consistent loud contact. Nice lower half involvement recording the third best average exit speed amongst the thirty players in attendance at 83.27 mph per TrackMan. 

Mike Wineke 1B Calvert Hall 2021 (Frederick CC)
The recent Frederick CC commit continued to show physical strength and present power at the plate. With the event taking place indoors and in a cage, max distance wasn’t recorded but it was apparent that he was one of the biggest boppers there. In addition to squaring it up consistently during BP, Wineke recorded an event best peak exit speed of 95.07 mph and was also second amongst the thirty players in attendance with an average exit speed of 85.04 mph.

MARYLAND SUMMER TRIALS STORIES